So I Married a Sorcerer (The Embraced #2)(53)

A knock sounded at the door, and Jeffrey came in with a lantern. “The captain wanted me to tell you that everything was fine, that you shouldn’t worry.”

Sister Fallyn sat up in bed. “Thank the goddesses.”

“Rupert thought you might want some light.” Jeffrey stood on a chair to latch the handle of the lantern over a large hook in the ceiling.

The lantern swayed with the rocking movement of the ship, and Brigitta realized it was the safest way to keep a lantern from tipping over and starting a fire.

She moved to the table to gather the dishes onto the tray. “Is it possible for Rupert to blow the storm away?”

Jeffrey shrugged. “I suppose he could, but right now he’s happy for the rain. We have all the barrels open to collect water.”

“Oh, I see.”

Jeffrey leaned close and lowered his voice. “Rupert says you should stay belowdecks tonight.”

Brigitta nodded. Their meeting was indeed canceled. Her disappointment was quickly followed by a jab of anger. Why was she letting the man affect her so much?

Jeffrey glanced at the bed, where Sister Fallyn was apparently being rocked fast asleep. “If you want a bed of your own, remember there’s an empty cabin next door.”

“Thank you.” Brigitta held the door open so Jeffrey could leave with the tray.

As the minutes ticked by and Sister Fallyn’s snores grew louder, Brigitta grew restless. She folded the new clothes and stashed them away in the sideboard. Then she took the jar of soap and toothbrush down to the privy, where she washed her face and brushed her teeth. Back in the cabin, she changed into one of the new nightgowns.

What could she do now? There was enough light to read the book Rupert had loaned her. She tensed as she picked the book up, expecting to see a vision. But no images came to mind, only a strong feeling of loneliness. And sadness.

Poor Rupert. He’d lost his parents so violently. Both of her parents were gone, too, but she had no memories of them. She’d heard that her father, Garold, had been killed in battle with the Norveshki, but she had no idea how her mother had died. Her younger brother had been murdered by her older half brother, Gunther, but she didn’t know how. She didn’t even know her little brother’s name.

Since she’d been raised in ignorance of her family, she’d never experienced fear and loneliness like Rupert. She’d grown up in a safe place, surrounded by people who loved her.

As she read the book, she realized it was a different world, an imaginary one filled with mermaids and sorcerers. Had Rupert’s world been so sad and painful that he used this book to escape? She checked the last page to make sure he had at least been comforted with a happy ending.

No, the mermaid died, and the sorcerer drowned trying to save her.

With tears in her eyes, she closed the book.

I won’t let this happen. She rubbed her weary eyes. I will control my own future. We will have our happy ending.

She sat back. We?

What was she thinking? Did she truly believe that Rupert was her tall and handsome stranger?

She shook her head. She couldn’t sit here all night thinking about him. Why not go to the cabin next door so she could sleep?

She slipped on her cloak, and as the ship rocked, she stumbled into the passageway. Dim light filtered down from the deck, and she noticed the pelican curled up on a dry step of the stairwell. She edged down the passageway, trailing her hand along the wall to keep her balance and search for the next door.

It was farther away than she’d expected, practically at the end of the passageway. When she eased quietly inside, she was surprised by the size of the bed to her left. It was large with a canopy overhead and thick velvet curtains along the head and foot of the bed.

This couldn’t be right.

The room was lit. It was dark and shadowy here beside the bed, but there had to be a lantern somewhere, perhaps on the other side of the bed curtains.

She inched toward the light, then heard a clanking sound, metal striking against more metal. Her heart stilled. This room was occupied.

As she spun back toward the door, the floor creaked beneath her foot.

“Jeffrey, is that you?”

Rupert. She rushed to the door and fumbled with the latch.

“Brigitta?”

She whirled around to find him at the corner of the bed, staring at her. Her heart pounded. His head was uncovered, but it was hard to see the color of his hair in the dim light. It was long, though, down to his shoulders. His shirt was unbuttoned and loose at his sides, leaving his chest bare. Such a broad chest. And what were those ridges on his stomach? Muscles?

A lightning flash suddenly brightened the room, and she gasped. His hair was a light brown, shot through with gleaming gold. Much like the color of his eyes.

He stepped toward her. “Are you all right? Were you worried about the storm?”

She shook her head. “I’m fine. I-I didn’t know this was yer room. I was searching for the spare bed—I mean, cabin. I thought ye slept on deck.”

“Not when it’s raining.” He shifted his weight and ran a hand through his hair. “So … did you like the gifts?”

“Yes.” She wrapped her cloak more tightly around her. “I’m wearing one of the new nightgowns.”

“I noticed.”

Her face grew hot as she turned her back to him and reached for the latch. “I should be going. ’Tis not proper for me to be here.”