Free Hearts Across Time (The Knights of Berwyck: A Quest Through Time Novel ~ Books 1 & 2) by Sherry Ewing Page B

smiled slightly at his words. “Aboard…yes, I’m afraid I’ve traveled a great distance just to reach Bamburgh Castle, even in my own time.”
    “You do not reside close by then?”
    “No, I don’t, and my time here won’t last much longer, I’m afraid. I only have a few days left of my vacation until I have to go home.”
    “Then tell me where I can find you again,” he demanded.
    Katherine leaned back to look up into his face, and he wished he could cease the tears escaping her eyes. “Unless you know of some way to cheat time and bend it to our will, Riorden, then I feel our stolen moments together are almost at an end.”
    “’Tis an impossible request,” he scoffed, none too happily.
    “Yes, I know, but I will cherish for the rest of my life the gift I’ve been given to have at least seen you. Having you appear to me as a ghost is surely better than not at all. Once I return home, I can only hope I continue to dream of you.”
    Riorden pondered her words for a few moments until he had the only answer he could come up with to solve their dilemma. He gave her another formal bow then made his way towards the door. He turned back to take one last look at her before speaking. “I will go to the chapel and pray for you to be released from the torture of roaming the earth for all eternity. ’Tis the least I can do for such a charming ghost, who fancies herself in love with a mere mortal man.”
    “Riorden, I−”
    He held up his hand to halt her words, knowing he could not bear to hear the declaration of love that would surely pass from her lips. ’Twould do neither of them any good to voice their hearts’ desires. “I will pray you may at last rest in peace, Lady Katherine.”
    “Please Riorden…wait!”
    He ignored her plea and quickened his step in his haste to have this madness at an end. Mayhap, when his prayers were answered on behalf of the lady, he would offer up a few more for his own poor, sorry soul. Only God above would be able to forgive him his thoughts of wanting to keep a ghost forever at his side.

Chapter 9
    T he evening had waned far into the early morning hours, and yet Riorden persisted in offering up prayers for Katherine’s soul. Moonlight streamed in from one of the upper windows and shone upon the table in front of him, causing the jewel encrusted cross to gleam brightly. Nevertheless, he remained true to his vow and remained vigilantly on his knees. He did not know how long he had knelt afore the altar, but if the ache in his body was any indication, it must have been for the majority of the night.
    Still...the pain he felt was nothing if ’twould but ease the burden Lady Katherine must be enduring to remain a spirit here on earth. Riorden reasoned, the more pain he himself felt, the more God would realize the sacrifice he made on his lady’s behalf.
    His lady...those thoughts were but a mockery. ’Twas as if some wily character used trickery to deceive them both into thinking they could have what was never meant to be. To have tasted love, if only for a moment, would have felt as if he had tasted heaven itself. He saw such a love shine down upon him whenever Lady Katherine gazed in his direction. Was it no small wonder that he had begun to wish he could have had such a treasure to call his own for all time. A low moan of anguish escaped him as he thought on his ghostly lady. He came to the conclusion that perchance he had not been praying as honestly as he should have and further reparation was in order.
    Riorden humbled himself further by lowering himself down upon the floor. Stretching himself out, he extended his arms until his body formed a cross. His forehead touched the cool stones as he once more began his petition. He begged to let Katherine find peace and a place in heaven with God’s angels whilst he also prayed for the forgiveness of his sins. His stray thoughts wandered, momentarily, with a vision of the woman of his dreams and the yearning for a lady who was