Evangeline’s back was pressed to something hard, and her knees were curled against her chest. She was in a ball on an unfamiliar patch of cold ground.
Where was she? How had she gotten here? All she could remember was crying until she wasn’t sure why she was crying.
Now she just wanted to go home. She wanted a hug from her mother and her father. But then she remembered: both her parents were dead.
The tears started flowing again.
She still wanted to go home, but she was afraid she couldn’t return there. Although no matter how hard she tried to remember, she couldn’t recall why home was no longer safe. She just knew it was a place she couldn’t go. But where was she now?
She looked up at a pair of stone angels, warriors, who appeared to be watching over her as if they could give her an answer, although it looked as if they’d been crying, too.
“There you are!” A finely dressed young man with strong, attractive features, dark hair, and a pair of concerned eyes rushed into the room. “I’ve been so worried.”
In one gallant move, he picked her up and pulled her to a chest covered in a very fine velvet doublet.
She stiffened in his arms. “Who are you?”
“Don’t worry. You’re safe with me.” He didn’t let go of her, but he loosened his grip. “I would never hurt you, Evangeline.”
He said her name with warm affection. She still didn’t recognize anything about him. He looked a few years older than she was, although there was something in his gaze that made her suspect he’d been through a great deal. His brown eyes looked wounded and a little haunted, but they softened when he looked at her.
She wished she could remember him.
“I’m sorry,” she said, her voice raw from all the crying, “but I have no idea who you are.”
He smiled wider, which seemed an odd response to her confession. But his voice was nothing but soothing as he said, “I’m your husband. You’ve been through something terrible, but it’s all right now. I’m here, and I’m never going to let you go.”
