A Knight to Remember Read Online Free
Author: Maryse Dawson
mind was still in shock; she needed time to think. Placing her fork down on her plate, she stood up.
"If you don't mind, I'd like to go back to my room. I'm tired and a little...lost." That was an understatement. Over seven hundred years an understatement!
Stephen stood and gave her a polite bow, watching as she walked away towards the stairway.
Jenny found her way back to her bedroom with the help of a large candle given to her by Annie. She shivered as the cold from the castle walls penetrated her dress. All she wanted to do now was curl into a ball and sleep. When she woke up, perhaps this would all go away and have been just a bad dream...
* * *
Jenny awoke slowly, stretching her legs and back before rolling on her side, hugging the pillow to her cheek. What a fantastic sleep. She had so needed that. Suddenly, her eyes blinked open...what a dream! As her eyes focussed, she instantly became wide-awake and sat bolt upright.
"Fuck!"
She was still there. The castle walls were real. The bed was real. She clapped a hand to her mouth and groaned before falling backwards onto the pillow, closing her eyes as the truth set in.
Why wasn't she back home? Why wasn't this a dream? Oh, God!
She opened one eye and looked around her. The thick, grey, stone walls of the castle surrounded her; the tiny window with its shard of light gleamed down upon her. She whimpered as fear began to set in – true fear.
She swallowed hard and bit back tears. This wouldn't do. She was Jenny Peverel. Feisty Jenny Peverel who had more backbone than this! If Seth could see her, he would laugh. Seth! Oh, God. Would Seth know she was missing...would he care?
A single tear slid down her cheek and she brushed it away impatiently. There must be a way back to her time – there must be! Quickly, she swung her legs out from under the warm covers and jumped down off the high bed. Her clothes from yesterday were laying over a chair where she'd thrown them, and she hastily put them on, slipping into the soft dress easily. She looked at the slippers and then, decision made, pulled her boots out from under the bed. She wanted to prowl around today and those little slippers would be useless outside. No one would see her boots under this long dress, anyway.
There was a wooden brush on the bedroom table and she quickly ran it through her hair, taming the tangles.
A soft knock on the door and Annie entered the room, carrying a jug and a bowl. "Ah, I see thee hath awakened. I brought thee some water to freshen up."
She placed the jug on the table and laid a small cloth next to it. "Thee can break thy fast when thou art ready. The victuals art laid out in the hall. Did thee sleep well?"
"Oh, yes...very well. Thank you for the water."
"My pleasure. If thou hath need of ought else, just ask one of the guards to fetch me."
"Guards? Am I under arrest?"
"No! Heavens above! I meant, ask the castle guards, the men that guard our castle. Why ever wouldst thou think thee were under arrest?"
Jenny emitted a nervous laugh. "Oh, I...er...no reason. I just wondered."
Annie shook her head and tittered aloud. "Freshen up and eat some food. Thou shall feel much better."
Jenny nodded and began to wash her face and neck whilst Annie bustled around the bedroom, tidying the covers and plumping the pillows.
"Do you have a toothbrush?" Jenny dared to ask.
"A toothbrush?"
"Yes...something to clean my teeth with?"
Annie frowned. "I hath never heard of a toothbrush! A brush for thy teeth – whatever next?" She laughed aloud and shook her head. "I use a cloth as does all of us – use the one thee hath there."
Jennie turned back to the bowl of water and looked at the cloth. Oh, well, it would have to do. She placed her forefinger in a fold of the cloth and began to clean her teeth as best she could. The results were surprising; her teeth actually felt quite clean. She ran her tongue over the smooth surface and smiled.
"It works well!"
Annie gave her a puzzled look. "Of
"If you don't mind, I'd like to go back to my room. I'm tired and a little...lost." That was an understatement. Over seven hundred years an understatement!
Stephen stood and gave her a polite bow, watching as she walked away towards the stairway.
Jenny found her way back to her bedroom with the help of a large candle given to her by Annie. She shivered as the cold from the castle walls penetrated her dress. All she wanted to do now was curl into a ball and sleep. When she woke up, perhaps this would all go away and have been just a bad dream...
* * *
Jenny awoke slowly, stretching her legs and back before rolling on her side, hugging the pillow to her cheek. What a fantastic sleep. She had so needed that. Suddenly, her eyes blinked open...what a dream! As her eyes focussed, she instantly became wide-awake and sat bolt upright.
"Fuck!"
She was still there. The castle walls were real. The bed was real. She clapped a hand to her mouth and groaned before falling backwards onto the pillow, closing her eyes as the truth set in.
Why wasn't she back home? Why wasn't this a dream? Oh, God!
She opened one eye and looked around her. The thick, grey, stone walls of the castle surrounded her; the tiny window with its shard of light gleamed down upon her. She whimpered as fear began to set in – true fear.
She swallowed hard and bit back tears. This wouldn't do. She was Jenny Peverel. Feisty Jenny Peverel who had more backbone than this! If Seth could see her, he would laugh. Seth! Oh, God. Would Seth know she was missing...would he care?
A single tear slid down her cheek and she brushed it away impatiently. There must be a way back to her time – there must be! Quickly, she swung her legs out from under the warm covers and jumped down off the high bed. Her clothes from yesterday were laying over a chair where she'd thrown them, and she hastily put them on, slipping into the soft dress easily. She looked at the slippers and then, decision made, pulled her boots out from under the bed. She wanted to prowl around today and those little slippers would be useless outside. No one would see her boots under this long dress, anyway.
There was a wooden brush on the bedroom table and she quickly ran it through her hair, taming the tangles.
A soft knock on the door and Annie entered the room, carrying a jug and a bowl. "Ah, I see thee hath awakened. I brought thee some water to freshen up."
She placed the jug on the table and laid a small cloth next to it. "Thee can break thy fast when thou art ready. The victuals art laid out in the hall. Did thee sleep well?"
"Oh, yes...very well. Thank you for the water."
"My pleasure. If thou hath need of ought else, just ask one of the guards to fetch me."
"Guards? Am I under arrest?"
"No! Heavens above! I meant, ask the castle guards, the men that guard our castle. Why ever wouldst thou think thee were under arrest?"
Jenny emitted a nervous laugh. "Oh, I...er...no reason. I just wondered."
Annie shook her head and tittered aloud. "Freshen up and eat some food. Thou shall feel much better."
Jenny nodded and began to wash her face and neck whilst Annie bustled around the bedroom, tidying the covers and plumping the pillows.
"Do you have a toothbrush?" Jenny dared to ask.
"A toothbrush?"
"Yes...something to clean my teeth with?"
Annie frowned. "I hath never heard of a toothbrush! A brush for thy teeth – whatever next?" She laughed aloud and shook her head. "I use a cloth as does all of us – use the one thee hath there."
Jennie turned back to the bowl of water and looked at the cloth. Oh, well, it would have to do. She placed her forefinger in a fold of the cloth and began to clean her teeth as best she could. The results were surprising; her teeth actually felt quite clean. She ran her tongue over the smooth surface and smiled.
"It works well!"
Annie gave her a puzzled look. "Of
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