Through Each Tomorrow, page 16
The heralds called out the names of the competitors, issuing the challenges to fight. When Charles’s name was proclaimed, a raucous cheer arose from the crowd.
He saluted his opponent by lifting his lance high in the air as the spectators cheered again. My heart fell with a new thought. What if Charles was killed and I was left in 1563 alone? He would still have his path in 1883, but I would never see him again. It was a prospect I did not want to consider, not only because I would miss him dearly, but also because I would be left with few options. I would not have the liberty of taking my time to marry Lord Wolverton if that happened.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a woman join Drew on the sideline. It was Lettice.
She was wearing a colorful gown made of rich burgundy satin, with an impressive matching headpiece. Drew turned to her and offered a brilliant smile as she put her hand on his arm.
Whatever she said made Drew laugh as his attention was torn from the jousting match. He nodded and did not pull away from her touch.
Had they been getting closer while I kept my distance?
The trumpet fanfare blew, and then Charles and his opponent lowered their lances. Both competitors spurred their horses into a gallop, and I held my breath. The lances were designed to break easily in noncombative jousting, and the blunted ends eased the impact, but it didn’t mean there wasn’t risk.
The horses galloped at a deadly pace, their hooves beating the earth, on either side of the tilt. I closed my eyes and turned to Aveline, not wanting to watch as the sound of splintering wood pierced the air.
A gasp arose from the crowd, and I opened my eyes in time to see Charles fall to the ground. His opponent’s lance hadn’t shattered as his had done.
Charles was motionless as part of the crowd cheered for his opponent, still seated upon his horse.
I stood, my heart pounding hard, and pushed my way through the ladies in waiting who were now standing to get a better look.
Andrew was already on his way across the tiltyards as I stepped onto the grass and lifted my skirts to run to Charles’s side.
He had not moved or attempted to rise, making me fear the worst.
Several squires ran up to clear the horse as the opponent took his victory lap.
“Charles,” I said as I fell to the ground on my knees beside him.
Andrew was still running toward us. “Remove his helmet!” he yelled.
One of the squires helped as we took off his metal helmet.
Charles was unconscious.
“Charles,” I said again, putting my hand on his cheek. “Wake up.”
Andrew finally arrived and knelt beside my stepbrother. He lifted Charles’s eyelids and felt the pulse at his neck. “He lives,” he said. “We must get him into the castle, where I can better examine him.” He motioned to the squires standing around us. “I need all the help I can get.”
“I’ll go ahead and prepare his room.” I rose, breathless. The Lower Ward and Upper Ward were at a great distance.
“I don’t want to take that much time.” Andrew motioned to the nearby building. “Let’s move him into the knights’ lodging.”
“He can use my bedchamber,” one of the knights said. The military knights were retired soldiers who lived at Windsor and performed ceremonial duties in exchange for room and board. They were housed in the Lower Ward with the active soldiers who protected the castle and the queen.
“This way,” the knight said as the squires lifted Charles, his armor rattling. He was like a ragdoll in their hands, his head lolling back and his body limp.
I wanted to cry out, but I would not embarrass myself or Charles in such a way.
I followed them to a room within the Lower Ward, not far from St. George’s Chapel. It wasn’t very large, but it had a bed and would serve the purpose Andrew sought.
“We must get him out of the armor,” Andrew instructed.
Several of the squires, more familiar with armor, stepped forward to assist Andrew as I stood back and watched. Under the metal armor, Charles had on a coif to protect his head and neck, a gambeson, which was a padded jacket, as well as other material and clothing to protect all areas of his body from bruises and wounding. After they had removed everything but his gambeson and hose, Andrew began to assess his body to check for broken bones or other wounds.
“Why is he unconscious?” I asked Andrew. “I do not see any blood.”
“He was probably rendered unconscious from the blow or from falling and hitting his head.” Andrew called for a candle and then lifted Charles’s eyelids again, running the flame of the candle in front of his eyes to watch his pupils. He glanced at me, and I could see he was concerned.
The squires left the room while Andrew continued to examine Charles. As I waited, I paced and prayed. I didn’t want God to take one more person from me. Charles was all I had left in this path. I could not bear to lose him.
Finally, Andrew stood.
“What?” I asked. “Why hasn’t he woken up?”
“I’m not sure, Cecily. I know a little about head injuries, but not enough to offer a prognosis.”
“What will we do?”
“I think he’s stable enough to move to his apartment. From there, we’ll monitor him and hope he wakes up soon.”
Charles groaned and began to move his body.
“Charles!” I fell to the side of the bed and took his hand. “Please wake up.”
Slowly, he opened his eyes, blinking several times as confusion and pain played across his face.
“Do you hear me, Charles?” Andrew asked as he stood beside me.
Charles continued to blink as his gaze focused on Andrew and then on me. A frown deepened his brow.
“My head is pounding,” he said.
“You were knocked off your horse in the jousting tournament.” I squeezed his hand tight. “We think you hit your head when you fell.”
“Jousting tournament?” His hand was limp in mine as he looked at Andrew. “Where am I?”
Andrew leaned forward, resting his hand on Charles’s shoulder. “You’re at Windsor Castle, in one of the knight’s chambers.”
“Knight’s chambers?” Charles looked at the room, confusion in his face. He slowly brought his attention back to me and pulled his hand out of mine. “Who are you?”
My breath caught. “It’s me, your stepsister, Cecily.”
“My sister’s name is Ada.” He started to sit up, but Andrew put pressure on his shoulder.
“Lie still,” Andrew said. “You’ve had a brain injury, and I don’t want to make it worse.”
Thankfully, Charles did not fight him.
“What are we doing here, Drew?” He no longer spoke in his British accent. I’d only ever heard an American southern drawl in a play on the West End in my other path. He used the same diction and cadence. “Where is Evelyn?”
“Evelyn is in 1883.” Andrew straightened, concern tightening his voice. “We’re currently in 1563, in our other paths, Charles. Don’t you remember?”
Charles frowned and studied Andrew as if he was telling him a lie.
“Don’t you remember me?” I tried not to cry, but panic made my voice shake. “I’m Cecily, your sister here. You’re a time-crosser, Charles, all three of us are. You are currently living in 1563 and 1883. Both you and Andrew.”
Charles squinted his eyes in disbelief. “You’re not making any sense.” He looked around the room again. It was sparse and small. “Is this a prison cell? Am I being held against my will?”
Tears burned my eyes as I shook my head. “This is a room at Windsor Castle. A knight’s bedchamber. Your apartment is in the Upper Ward, near the queen’s apartment. You are Lord Norfolk, one of the queen’s privy councilors.”
He put his hand over his closed eyes. “In 1883, I am pretending to be the Earl of Norfolk to help Drew’s mother. Is this a bad dream? Am I now dreaming I’m the earl in a bygone era?”
I could no longer contain my tears as I looked up at Andrew. They fell down my cheeks, and I had to brush them away, not wanting to worry Charles. I pleaded with my eyes for Andrew to do something, but he lifted his hands and shook his head.
“Drew.” Charles opened his eyes. “Please tell me this is a joke. That you moved me to this—” he motioned to the room—“this prison cell at Fort Adams and put on these silly costumes, and that when I woke up, you and this woman”—he motioned to me this time—“would try to convince me that I have a second life.”
“This is not a joke, Charles,” Andrew said. “Tomorrow, when you wake up, you will be in 1883 again. But here your brain must be swollen from your concussion, and your memories of this place are being impacted. Hopefully after some rest, the swelling will go down and your memories will be restored.”
Charles listened intently, but he still didn’t look convinced.
“And what if they are not?” I asked Andrew. “What if he can never remember this path?”
“We will deal with that if and when the time comes,” Andrew assured me. “But I pray it does not come to that.”
“How would we deal with it?” Panic was building as it coursed through my limbs, making me shake. “If he cannot remember me, why would he choose to stay here with me?”
“Stay here?” Charles asked, frowning. “I don’t want to stay here.”
“Please do not say such things, Charles,” I begged. “You are my only family. I do not want to stay in 1563 by myself.”
My words appeared to distress him, so Andrew stepped forward. “We will have Charles moved to his apartment, and I will keep an eye on him. If all goes well, he will be restored soon.”
“How long might it take?” I asked.
“It could be a few hours or a few weeks. There is no way of knowing. I will do more research in 1883 and see if I can find answers.”
Charles had closed his eyes, but I wasn’t sure if he was unconscious again or simply trying to cope with what was happening to him.
Andrew put his hand on the small of my back and led me out of the room. The squires and knight were waiting in the hall.
“Please prepare to move Lord Norfolk to his apartment,” Andrew told them. “I must speak to Lady Cecily in private.”
The men walked toward the room, but Andrew stopped them. “He is speaking very strangely, but do not be alarmed with anything he tells you. He is not in his right mind at present.”
They nodded and left us in the corridor alone.
“I only know a little about brain injuries.” He spoke quietly to me. “But I don’t know why he can remember 1883 and not recall his life here. I promise I will do everything I can to return his memory, but it might take some time.”
I realized my hand was on his arm, holding him as if he was an anchor in an uncertain storm. I started to pull it away, but he captured my hand in his.
“You are not alone here, Cecily.” He put his other hand on my upper arm. His touch was gentle and calming. “I will not leave your side through this trial. I promise.”
“Thank you,” I whispered, trying to hold back the tears again.
But despite his reassurance, when he left me to move Charles, I felt utterly alone.
Darkness had fallen on Windsor Castle as I stood in my tower room, watching the stars from the high window. I had wanted to stay with Charles, but my presence agitated him. Andrew was the only person he recognized and wanted by his side.
Hours had passed since his accident, and still he did not remember his life in 1563. Andrew only allowed one or two male servants to enter Charles’s apartment to care for him and warned them that Charles might say strange and unusual things.
I had paced in the tower all evening, alternately praying and crying, as a headache wrapped around my skull. The feast was held as scheduled, but I did not want to dance and make merry when my stepbrother’s life was in peril and I was in so much pain. Lord Burghley excused me from the evening’s festivities, and I had fled to the tower.
Before long, it would be time for bed, and the others would be worried if I didn’t show up in my dormitory.
With a sigh, I left the tower and decided to check on Charles one more time before I went to bed. Perhaps something had changed.
As I exited the stairs and entered the corridor, Kat Astley passed by.
“I was just coming to find you.” She took my hand and pulled me back into the stairwell and closed the door. We were standing in utter darkness. “I heard Lord Norfolk has sustained serious injuries.” She spoke in low tones. “Are the rumors true? Lord Robert has been drinking and crowing about Lord Norfolk’s demise all evening.”
My raw emotions felt close to breaking. “Has he no shame?”
Kat sighed but didn’t address my question. “I’ve also heard that Lord Norfolk isn’t in his right mind. Is that true? I could not be seen going to his apartments to inquire. No one must know I’ve spoken to you, either.”
Concern folded my brow as my eyes adjusted and I had a better view of her. “When he awoke, he could not remember me or anything else. I am going to check on him now to see if he has improved.”
“I trust you, Lady Cecily.” Her voice was serious. “You are the only person I can ask this favor, but you must swear to keep it a secret.”
I pulled back as far as the stairwell would allow, uncertain I wanted to be privy to Kat’s secrets. She knew more than anyone—and probably more than even the queen. But if it had something to do with Charles, I would do whatever was necessary.
“You have my word.”
Kat took a deep breath. “No one must know Lord Norfolk is suffering. No one. I will tell everyone that he has sustained injuries, but he is recuperating and will continue to work from his apartments.” She moved a little closer to me. “Lord Norfolk is working on a very important letter for the privy council.” She paused, as if weighing the wisdom in telling me more. “Several council members were able to convince the majority that the throne should pass to Mary, Queen of Scots, and they ordered Lord Norfolk to write her a letter, apprising her of the situation and telling her to prepare to come to Windsor Castle.”
“I thought the privy council was positioning Lady Katherine Grey to take the throne.”
“The council is split, but a majority believe Mary, Queen of Scots, is the rightful heir.”
“And you do not?”
“Nay. Lord Norfolk and I agree that Mary should not be allowed anywhere close to this castle. Even if the queen should survive, I do not trust Mary. She would have the queen killed, if it were up to her. And I don’t think ’tis wise to tell Mary how dire the situation is. She is liable to raise an army to attack.” Kat studied me closely. “The council expects a letter to be sent to Mary, but Lord Norfolk is drafting a different one. If he is not in his right mind, you must find the letter and keep it safe. We must stall the privy council as long as possible, until he is well again. We cannot let anyone see that letter, and we cannot let the privy council have someone else write the letter they want. Do you understand?”
“Aye. But how long can we stall before the privy council demands the letter or for Charles to show himself?”
“I know not—but we must try to keep them at bay for as long as it takes.” She put her hands on my arms. “I need you to stand in his place. We will have his work sent to his apartments, and you must oversee it. You will be the go-between with him and his secretary. Do you understand?”
I wasn’t sure what I was agreeing to, but I trusted Kat and Charles, so I nodded. “I will do whatever it takes.”
“Thank you. And no one must know you’re doing this or that I spoke to you.”
“What about Doctor Bromley? I cannot hide it from him.”
“He already knows too much, but it cannot be helped. He’s proven trustworthy, so you may tell him. But he must understand that absolute secrecy is demanded of him.”
I nodded again.
Without another word, Kat left me.
There was nothing left to do but go to Charles’s apartments. I prayed he had returned to his senses, and I wouldn’t need to worry about the letter or carrying out his work for the foreseeable future. Though I had a vague idea about what he did, I couldn’t be responsible to maintain the charade for long.
As I moved through the darkened hall, another person appeared up ahead.
Lord Wolverton.
I paused, prepared to turn the other way, hoping he hadn’t seen me when I heard, “There you are, Lady Cecily.”
With a groan, I continued.
“Do you have word of your brother’s condition?” he asked.
“I am going there now.” My stomach felt queasy from the pain in my head. I’d suffered from migraines before, but it had been months since the last one. “Doctor Bromley thought it best that I leave Charles in peace as much as possible. I want to check on his progress before I retire for the evening.”
“Doctor Bromley is the man you spoke to the day that I arrived? The one in the alcove on the North Terrace?”
“Aye.” I continued to walk toward Charles’s apartment.
“I’ve heard he comes from Arundel Castle.” Lord Wolverton followed me. “That you have known him since you were young.”
“Aye,” I said again, trying not to appear concerned. Would Lord Wolverton inquire after Andrew’s experience as a physician?
“Are you in love with this Bromley?”
I finally turned to look at him and saw that there was no anger or animosity in his gaze, just simple curiosity. I didn’t know what to say, because I couldn’t lie.
“I only ask because I need to know what I am up against,” he said. “I cannot control who you love or who you might have loved before we met. I also know the queen would never approve of a marriage between the two of you, but one’s heart cares little for such things. If you love him, I do not want you pining after him while trying to build a life with me.”
“If I did love him, would you drop your pursuit for my hand?”
He was quiet for a moment, but then he shook his head. “No.”
“And if I said I might spend the rest of my life mourning the loss of his love. Would that deter you, my lord?”
