BRIDGES OF TIME

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Paris-1880

“Please sit down,” Rene said when Nicholas entered the room. She didn’t look up, but took a few more seconds to calm herself. She’d been very upset when she’d learned from Sister Teresa that the new handyman had been asking questions about her. She hated people snooping around behind her back.

When she looked up, it was to a view of the top of Nicholas’s head. He seemed to be studying a tablet on his lap. Surprised by how light his hair was now that it was clean, she noticed that even though it hung in loose waves to his shoulders, the length seemed to emphasize his masculinity rather than detract from it. The fact that she noticed anything at all about his more than spectacular physical attributes angered her all the more. The man had lied to her and that was one thing she didn’t tolerate. “I’ll get right to the point, Mr. Jantot I don't like being lied to.”

Nicholas' head snapped up and if she read his face correctly his expression was riddled with guilt. “Lied to? What makes you think I’ve lied to you?”

“You have been asking around the mission about me and spending a great deal of time in the office files searching the records instead of working. You’re not a homeless man like you pretend are you? Who are you and whom do you work for and what is it you want here?”

“I don’t know what you mean. Yes, I’ve asked a few questions about you. I was curious and you never talk much about yourself, so I asked a few innocent questions like where you are from, where do you live, things like that.”

“I just don’t like people not being honest with me. If you wanted to know those things you should have asked me.”

“Well, where are you from, no one seems to know.”

Her head tilted and she considered him with narrowed eyes for a second. Perhaps she had overreacted to the innocent questions he had been asking. Besides those eyes of his had been one more nail in her coffin of reserve. “I am from Paris. I do live with Monsieur Delacroix; I’m his cousin. I… was in an accident that left me ill for some time and he was kind enough to take me in.”

“See,” he said flashing her a disarming grin. “Was that so hard?” The rays of sunlight streaming in through the tall window lit her hair turning the auburn tresses to flame. So lovely, he thought.

“Did you have something you wanted to tell me?” she asked, pointing to his tablet.

“Nothing,” Nicholas said, trying to tear his eyes from her face and resist the sheer pull of her. She was...just simply magnificent and not just on the outside. A gentle beauty shone in her eyes and smile. If he didn’t watch it he could well loose himself in those amber colored eyes.

“Nothing?” she asked.

Her voice snapped him out of his reverie. “Nothing upsetting, I mean.” He grinned. “There are lots of things that need tending and I’ll get right to them.”

“Bon, that’s fine,” she replied sounding relieved. “I've been worried. I just haven’t had time to see to everything that needs done. I’m glad you’re here.”

He wished she wasn’t so grateful that he was here to do the repairs. It made him feel guiltier for even being here, and he knew she’d change her mind when she found out who he really was.

Riding home Rene felt a bit embarrassed because she was not as truthful as she let on to Nick. True, she did live with Monsieur Delacroix but she could not remember anything about the accident that brought her to his home. She was grateful to her benefactor but sometimes felt that he was not entirely honest with her and harbored some dark agenda that included keeping her dependent on him. When he allowed her to work at the mission she was elated because it gave her a chance to talk to others and more importantly time to herself to think. Lately her sleep was troubled by dreams that confused and scared her. Images and faces of people dressed in strange clothing made her think she was losing her mind and she dared not speak of them with anyone lest they agree with her. Still she needed to talk about her dreams to someone for the sake of her sanity. If only she could find someone she trusted.

to be continued....

© 2003 Rose Carr

Contact the author:  Rosematuse@aol.com

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