Page 72 of Fortress of Snow

Lady Bristow seemed to bristle. “Fetch her?”

“Forgive me. I do not mean to offend you.”

“Very well, go on and I shall fetch the child.” She waved him away with her hand.

“I shall be back down shortly.” He hurried to the staircase and took the stairs two at a time while Lady Bristow watched him from below.

As soon as he was out of her sight, he waited but a moment before peeking back down the stairs. The lady was moving away toward the room where Juliana and her nurse were probably still trying to repair the stained embroidery.

Berenger did his best to sneak silently down the stairs. Atthe bottom, he peeked around the corner to see Lady Bristow entering Juliana’s room.

Berenger hurried the rest of the way down the hall, stopping just outside the door and standing very still.

Lady Bristow’s voice was harsh and strident. “What is this? A stain? On the pillowcase you were told to make?”

There was silence, and then soft sobs.

“I shall teach you to be careless,” she said in the same cold rasp. “You shall not go on the walk with Sir Berenger. You shall not be allowed outside the castle until you learn to be more careful.” The accusation in her voice made it sound as if she were blaming the child for some heinous crime or outright rebellion.

Berenger could stand it no longer. He stepped into the room and said, “Is Juliana ready to go for a walk?” Then he feigned surprise at seeing her crying. “What is the matter, little one?” He went to her, sank to one knee beside her, and gathered her in his arms, though her body was stiff, as if she was terrified.

“It is nothing,” Lady Bristow said quickly. “She has been naughty and says she does not wish to go for a walk with us.” She changed her voice as she addressed the child. “No matter. We shall go on our walk without you, Juliana, but I hope you shall have thought better of your little temperamental fit by the time we return.”

Berenger’s heart broke in two at the obvious pain of the child while he grew warm at hearing Lady Bristow lie so blatantly.

“I think I’d like to stay here with Juliana,” Berenger said. “You may go on a walk without me.” He smiled gently at the child, whose wide eyes fastened on him.

“Well.” Lady Bristow huffed out a breath. “May I remind you that taking a walk was your idea, Sir Berenger?”

“You are right. But I was only using that as an excuse to spend some time with Juliana. What are we doing?” he went on quickly, speaking to Juliana. “Surely we are not knitting a blanket or sewing a dress or some other dull thing like that?” He winked at Juliana and smiled at her poor nurse, who looked nearly as wide-eyed as Juliana.

“We should play a game.” He glanced around the room. “Are there no games here? No nine-men’s morris or backgammon?”

“Not in here,” the nurse replied.

Lady Bristow’s arms were crossed over her chest and she was staring with a blank expression at Berenger.

“I have important matters to attend to.” Lady Bristow turned on her heel and left the room.

Berenger looked at Juliana. “What would you like to play? What is your favorite game?”

The child gazed at him, still frozen in place.

“She likes it when I tell her a story,” the nurse said, “but she doesn’t know any games.”

“I shall teach you one, then.”

Berenger taught them what he called the small-child version of blindman’s buff, in which no one can hit, only tap with one finger. After a few minutes of playing, he finally saw a smile on Juliana’s face.

“You caught me! You win!” He leaned down until his face was level with hers.

Juliana let out a giggle, then gasped, putting a hand over hermouth as if she was afraid of the sound coming from her own throat.

“I am so glad to see you smiling and happy, Juliana. It’s good to laugh and play. Did you know that?”

But she kept her hand over her mouth.

His decision was made. But what would happen when he told Lady Bristow that he could not marry her? And how could he leave this child here to be treated so coldly, devoid of all joy in life?