Waking Elizabeth (10 page)

Ronan
nodded and seemed to sense my distress, “It is a beautiful piece of
jewelry.
 
A rare find.”
 
To my absolute relief, he then quickly changed
the subject, “There are a few places within driving distance that house some of
her things.
 
I could certainly list them
for you if the two of you would like to take some day trips.”

“I
wish I could.
 
I was hoping to have more
free time but I’m tied up in meetings or tours nearly every day.
 
I thought I would be able to squeeze in a few
days with Ellie to do some sightseeing but so far it isn’t looking good.
 
Maybe I will have some time at the end of the
trip, but I’ll have to wait and see.”

I
was disappointed and it must have been evident on my face.

“I’ll
be happy to escort you, if you’d like some company,” Ronan offered, “I have
nothing pressing for the next few days and it is work related for me.”

Shocked,
I looked up at him in disbelief, “I’ve already monopolized a lot of your
time.
 
I hate to wear out my welcome.”

Ronan
laughed at the American phrase, “I certainly wouldn’t have offered if I felt
burdened.”

“You
should go!” Jess urged, “And who better to take you than someone from here that
knows where everything is!
 
It’s perfect,
seriously.
 
And I would feel better if
you were with someone and safe.”
 
She
pointed at Ronan, “And you.
 
I do have a
good vibe about you, but just in case you get any ideas, I work with the US
Government and could easily have you tracked down and taken care of if
something were to happen to her.
 
That 73
year gap in executions could be altered if need be.”

Mortified
by her comment and yet knowing she meant it with the utmost love and sincerity
I was relieved when Ronan laughed, “You have my word.
 
I’ll protect her with my honor.”

I
watched as Jess and Ronan spoke casually about her job and where she was going
on her various tours around the city.
 
Ronan was focused completely on Jess so I took the time to take in his
appearance.
 
He wore a dress shirt under
his tweed coat but no tie.
 
He looked
like the personification of casual elegance.
 
His hair was not neat and cropped and yet he looked as if he’d just
stepped from the pages of a magazine.
 
His warm eyes were alive with mischief, his handsome chiseled face all
the more striking with his light rugged beard.
 
I was thankful that Jess kept him busy talking since I was near sighing
with adoration as I looked at him.

I
was rippling with excitement at the prospect of spending the next few days with
him on day trips out of London.
 
I was a
little sad when our meal came and our time together dwindled.
 
It was nearing ten when he looked down at his
watch and exclaimed, “I’ve kept you ladies long enough.”

“Thank
you so much for dinner.
 
It really was a
pleasure to meet you.
 
I think Ellie’s in
pretty good hands,” Jess shook his hand across the table, “Now, if you don’t
mind, I’m going to go upstairs and get settled.
 
I still have a few emails to send before I call it lights out.”

I
knew what she was doing and I was all at once nervous and thankful.

Ronan
stood like the gentlemen he was and pulled back her chair, “Pleasure to meet
you Jess.”

Jess
looked at me, “I’ll see you in a little bit.”

“Sure,”
I nodded and gave her a look to let her know I was okay before turning to
Ronan, “How about I walk you to the door?”

Ronan
smiled and offered me his arm.
 
I took
it, feeling radiant as we walked through the restaurant together.
 
Something about being beside him made me feel
like everyone in the room envied us.
 

“So,
do you have plans tomorrow?
 
I’ve seen
that itinerary and I would certainly hate to interfere.”
 
He was teasing me about my very rigid
itinerary and I laughed, “I’m sure you could talk me out of it.”

“Excellent,”
he said as we strolled slowly through the lobby, “I promise not to keep you
away for very long.
 
I can pick us up
some train passes in the morning.
 
It
really is the most efficient way to go.”

“Actually,
I have that arranged already.
 
How about
I pick you up in the morning?”

He
seemed surprised but didn’t push to ask questions, “Okay.”
 
He was smiling at me as we reached the door,
“One more thing.”

“What’s
that?” I answered, finding myself completely at ease in his presence.
 
He pushed the door opened and I followed him
outside.
 

“I’m
not asking you to do it now, or tomorrow, but later, will you at least consider
telling me what happened today when I put that ring on your finger?
 
Before you answer and tell me nothing, just
know that I’m asking because I truly want to know.
 
I know something happened to you, something
that you might not be able to explain, which is fine.
 
I’m just asking you to consider sharing it
with me, okay?”
 
His voice was soothing
and gentle and he pressed his finger to my lips when I opened them to deny
anything was out of sorts.
 
“Just think
about it.”

I
nodded, knowing it was useless to refute him at this point.
 
He had been there, had seen my reaction when
he put the ring on my finger.
 
“Okay,” I
answered meekly.

He
was so close to me I thought he might kiss me.
 
The cool night air brushed against my cheeks and my breath caught in my
throat.
 
Again, he reached up and
smoothed a stray strand of my hair behind my ear.
 
“And about the ring.
 
It’s a relatively new find, Ellie.
 
Not many people even know of its existence,
maybe only a handful.
 
And to my
knowledge, no one has been granted the privilege to photograph it nor has there
been one article written about it anywhere.”

I
blinked in surprise.
 
He had known that
earlier when I tried to use it as an excuse at the table and he had deftly
changed the subject when he saw how uncomfortable I had become while discussing
it.
 
I didn’t know what to say.
 
I felt caught, as if my charade was up.
 
I was stammering for a reply, my mind going a
million miles per hour.
 
I opened my
mouth to speak and once again he silenced me, “I’m not asking you for an
explanation.
 
I just simply wanted you to
know.
 
So, tomorrow then?”

I
smiled, thankful he had not pressed the issue, “Tomorrow.”

He
reached into his pocket and withdrew a business card and handed it to me, “Here
is my number.
 
If something comes up and
you need to change plans, just let me know.
 
Although, I hope that doesn’t happen.”

“It
won’t,” I answered and it sounded a little more direct than what I would have
liked.

Ronan
grinned, “Good.”

“So,
do you know how to get home?” I asked playfully, “Just look for the big castle
on the river.”

His
laugh filled my senses, making me dizzy with excitement, “I do.
 
But thanks for the tip.”

Without
warning he reached for my hand and drew it to his lips.
 
I watched as he slowly placed a kiss on the
back of my hand which sent ripples of pleasure surging through me.

“I’ll
count the hours,” he murmured as he pulled away and disappeared down the
street.

I
was still high from the nearness of him when I reached our suite.
 
I entered and closed the door before
slouching against it and falling to the floor.

“My
God where the hell did you find him?
 
I
mean seriously?
 
He is so damn delicious
I could have eaten him instead of my steak!” Jess said, slinging her laptop on
the couch.
 
“If I didn’t love you so much
I would seriously hate you and think about stuffing you in the closet and
taking him for myself.
 
He is the
spitting image of Jaime Dornan!
 
Did you
notice that?”

I
laughed as I practically crawled across the floor and sat on the couch beside
her, “I’m picking him up tomorrow so he can show me more stuff.”

“I’m
thinking about skipping my meeting so I can see his
stuff
,” Jess said with a laugh, “And I could care less about all
this history shit, except that you are Elizabeth, of course, I do care about
that.”

I
was trying to catch my breath.
 
The
feeling of his lips on the back of my hand still had me euphoric.
 

“Not
even a denial from you this time, you must be smitten,” Jess laughed and tapped
me on the arm, “So, tell me.
 
What
happened with the ring?
 
I could sense
there was more to the story and then he went and changed the subject.”

“It
wasn’t just the ring.
 
It started earlier
than that when I saw this gate that led under the Tower.”

Chapter
11

A
n hour later Jess
was sitting cross legged on the couch staring at me in disbelief, “So, you knew
what was in the ring before he opened it, and he told you just now that there
has never been an article on it before?

“Yes,”
I nodded, “I don’t know how I’m going to explain that one.”

“And
you clearly got a vision, just like you did with Mona, of when she was given
the ring?”

“Yep,
and when she was taken to the tower.
 
I
even knew it was raining that night.
 
It
came to me as soon as I saw that gate.
 
It’s the craziest thing.
 
I can be
feeling nothing, looking at something that I’ve never seen before and then all
of a sudden bam, it’s there, just like I’m her.”

“That’s
unreal, Ellie,” Jess shook her head, “How descriptive is it?”

“I
could feel her fear as she sat in the boat and went through the tunnel.
 
I could smell the sewage in the river.”

I
could see Jess shuddering as I told her, “This is kinda scary, Ellie.
 
The more you are exposed to her life here,
the more real the visions are becoming.
 
Should I be worried about you?”

“No,”
I shook my head, “As quickly as they appear, I can make them disappear.
 
It seems at this point I can either choose to
let the visions come or I can shut them out.”
 
I paused to remember Ronan’s last words to me, “But he knows something’s
up.
 
The way I acted when the ring was on
my finger, he already suspects I’m hiding something.”

“He’s
not stupid.
 
And not just anybody walks
into the Tower and asks to see the belongings of a queen that’s been dead for
over four hundred years.”

“I’ll
have to come up with something to tell him, although I have a feeling he won’t
ask me again.
 
He’s told me he wants to
know but he’s leaving it up to me.
 
He
won’t pressure me about it.”
 
Even as I
said the words I felt in my gut this was true.
 
Ronan didn’t seem like the type to put the pressure on anyone and for
that I was thankful.
 
I didn’t understand
what was happening with me so there was no way I was ready to explain it to a
stranger.

The
next morning I woke early as Jess was leaving and promised her that we should
be back in enough time for dinner.
 
I
showered and dressed quickly in jeans and a lightweight black sweater.
 
My driver that Blair hired was waiting for me
at the door in a black Mercedes with dark tinted windows.
 
I rolled my eyes.
 
It was so typical of Blair.
 
I was almost embarrassed as he opened the
back door for me and I slid across the leather seat.
 
Just like a limo, there was a thick tinted
glass that separated the front and back seats.
 
The window was open and the middle aged man looked at me through his
rear view mirror and smiled, “Where to?”

“Starbucks,
if you don’t mind, then to the Tower?” Starbucks was just around the corner and
I hopped out and quickly grabbed two coffees and two pieces of pumpkin bread
before jumping back in for the short ride to the Tower.
 
Once there I quickly retrieved Ronan’s card
from my backpack and dialed his number.

“Hi,”
he answered with a smile I could hear on the other end of the line.

“How
did you know it was me?” I laughed.

“I
don’t get many calls from a US number, Ellie.”

“Ah,
that was a dead giveaway.
 
I’m here, by
the way,” I said, “Are you ready?”

“Actually
I need another 10 minutes.
 
I’ve got to
sign for some artifacts that are coming in today for the Line of Kings
exhibit.
 
They were originally scheduled
to be delivered an hour ago but they got delayed.
 
They promised me they would be here in ten
minutes.
 
I’m terribly sorry.”

“It’s
not a problem.
 
I can wait here for you,
but I’ve got you a cup of coffee, can I bring it to you while you wait?”

“I’ve
already told the guard to expect you.
 
Can you head this way?”

“Yes,
on my way now,” I was already pulling the handle to the door as I hung up the
phone.
 
The driver immediately ran around
to help me out of the car, “I’m sorry, he needs a few more minutes, do you mind
waiting?”

“I’m
yours for two weeks, Miss.
 
Anything you
need,” he smiled and shut the door behind me, “I’ll just be across the street
in a space.”

As
promised once I said my name the guard ushered me through and I went directly
to the office where Beatrice greeted me with a smile, “Ah, Miss Regan,
wonderful to see you again.”

“You
too,” I smiled at the woman, “I know he’s busy, I just wanted to leave some
coffee for him.”

At
that moment Ronan came around the corner dressed in jeans and long sleeved navy
Henley shirt that fit snugly around his well built body.
 
His cell phone was pressed against his ear as
he walked towards me and I was near speechless at the site of him, “Ten
minutes, I promise, give yourself another tour or play with the ravens, I won’t
be long,” he whispered with a grin as he covered his phone, “thanks for the
coffee,” he winked and I felt like I was in high school as I practically melted
before him.

“We
don’t officially open for ten minutes but everything is unlocked, you could go
exploring if you want.
 
I’ll send him
your way when he’s done,” Beatrice smiled at me as she walked me to the door.

I
struck out towards the monument at Tower Green passing a few workers milling
about that never gave me a second glance.
 
Everyone just assumed that I was there because I belonged there.
 
The grounds were empty and silent, the random
crows of the ravens the only noise as I walked towards the bell tower in the
distance.
 
As I approached the sign
directing me to that particular tower I had a quick flash of wearing a heavy
dark brocade dress.
 
I could feel the
weight of it as I walked on the brick path towards the entrance.
 
I looked up, feeling brave despite the
vision, and pushed opened the ancient door.
 
It was dim, with very little light coming in from the small window cut into
the stone.
 
The ceiling was arched and
the walls appeared as if they would crumble at any moment.
 
I instantly got a strange sensation as soon
as I was in the room.
 
I turned towards
the stairs, almost sensing they were there before I actually saw them.
 
I took them, one at a time, slowly to the top
chamber.
 
It was a spacious empty room,
and I wondered what might have been here 450 years before.
 
My shoes were silent on the stone floor as I
walked toward the window.
 
I knew the
view before I saw it.
 
It was a perfect
view of the river Thames.
 
I was getting
better at this, not as scared of what I saw as long as I knew I could control
it.
 
In the far corner of the room there
were the remnants of a large fireplace.
 
I closed my eyes and immediately had a vision of a fire blazing
there.
 
There were expensive rugs
scattered about the floor and dark oak furniture strewn about the room.
 
It looked medieval but comfortable.
 
Steadying my breath, I turned towards the
door which was propped open.
 
It was a
wood door that looked fairly new with bars at eye level so one could see both
in and out.
 
I walked towards it, not
understanding my pull but knowing it would come to me.
 
When I reached the door I pushed it to close
and closed my eyes once more.
 
I could
see the stone wall and the light from a fire danced in shadows against it.
 
I could see my shadow before me, my slim
figure in the brocade dress.
 
It felt
itchy and hot, the air around me stagnant from lack of movement.
 
In my hand was a metal tool of some sort and
I lifted it to the wall in order to carve something there.
 
It was initials, E.T.
 
I had completed the E and was working to
finish the T when I felt a comforting hand on my shoulder.
 
Whoever it was, was whispering something in
my ear, words of comfort and words of praise.
 
It was a woman.
 
She wanted me to
stop, to erase what I had done.
 
“You
will be queen one day, Elizabeth.
 
Do not
leave any trace of yourself in such a place.”
 
Angrily I chipped away at the letters, erasing them from the
stones.
 
I was angry and could feel warm
tears stinging my cheeks.
 
I knew why
they had put me here, to scare me into submission.
 
For
he
had been held here for a year before his execution and they knew I would be
afraid.
 
And I
was
afraid, but I would never let them know it.
 
I angrily stabbed at the letters in the stone
until they were gone and there was nothing left but a hole in the aged
wall.
 
My hand hurt and I dropped the
tool.
 
I went to the door to bang my
fists but arms around me stopped me and pulled me away.
 
I felt a panicked scream rising in my throat
and I forced my eyes open before I could release it.
 
I couldn’t catch my breath.
 
I was back in the barren room, staring at the
stone wall in front of me and reaching out for the missing chunk of stone that
was clearly there.
 
I ran my shaking
fingers over the jagged edges.
 
I started
to hyperventilate, something I had never done before in my entire life.
 
I reached for the new wood door to open it
and I pulled with all my strength but nothing happened.
 
Oh
God!
 
I have to get out of here!
 
I pulled again and again and the door wouldn’t
budge.
 
I sank to the floor, breathing
erratically.
 
I fought to catch my breath
as my fist pounded on the wood door.
 
Was I screaming for help?
 
I desperately wanted to but I wasn’t sure if
anything was coming out!
 
I could hear
panicked voices in the distance.
 
Were they coming for her?
 
Were they coming to help me?
 
I was getting dizzy from lack of oxygen
and I banged on the door again, this time finding my voice in order to yell,
“Help me!”

The
door flew open from the other side and I was vaguely aware of a figure sinking
to the floor with me.
 

“Ellie!”
I could hear his frantic voice calling my name as his arms went around me and
pulled me against his chest, “Ellie, calm down.
 
Breath, you have to breath.”

I
could hear him and feel him but the vision was still too fresh, “I know why
they put her here.
 
It was to scare
her.
 
He was held here for a year before
he was executed and they moved her here to make her think she was next.”

“I
know, Ellie, I know.
 
But you’re free
now.
 
See, the door is open and we can
leave, right now.
 
See?
 
Look at the door,” his voice was penetrating
my chaotic thoughts and was beginning to calm me.
 
I could hear other people rushing up the
stairs.

“Is
she alright?” I heard a man say.

“Yes,
the door was stuck and she’s a tad claustrophobic.
 
Just a bit rattled, I think.”

“Should
I call for the doctor?”

“Ellie,
can you stand up now?
 
Catch your
breath?” Ronan asked, reaching for my face to look in my eyes.

I
took a deep breath and looked around the empty room, so different than what it
was a few moments ago.
 
I was instantly
embarrassed and closed my eyes in shame, “Oh God, I’m so sorry.”

“No,
it’s the door.
 
It’s due to be fixed this
week.
 
Normally someone is up here to
make sure it doesn’t get closed by accident.
 
Are you okay to stand or should we send for a doctor?” Ronan was wiping
tears away from my face that I hadn’t even realized were there.

“I’m
fine.
 
No doctor,” I went to stand but he
reached for me instead and pulled me up with him.
 
He wrapped an arm around my waist and led me
to the door.
 
I looked sheepishly at the
man who was pale with fear, “I’m sorry, I’m better now,” I tried to reassure
him.