Chapter 52

How could he meet her here? He came to this sacred place to seek for guidance, for enlightenment, for peace, for serenity. He had just prayed to God to deliver him from evil, yet the moment he opened his eyes, the Lord Almighty put this pure temptation right before him. Looked like the Holy Father had decided to keep putting him to the test. Heaven kept sending her again and again into his gravity. Dazed, he ceased to move and stood still as if his feet was rooted to the floor.

For a brief moment, she considered to curtsy or greet him with his title, but she decided quickly that it would be odd. She never curtsied nor greeted him from their first encounter. Looking back at it, she felt strange. What kind of relationship they had? From the first time, there had never been a usual formality between them. She observed him carefully, trying to decipher his reaction. He looked surprised, but there was no signs of irritation.

"I... I didn't expect to see you here." She finally broke the silence.

"Quite a coincidence." He managed to reply.

"Distinctly."

When he didn't move an inch, she forced herself to approach him.

Watching her walk toward him down the aisle, he couldn't help imagining her as a bride, coming toward him in a wedding ceremony. He shook the images off of his head. She halted just a feet away from him.

"Thank you, for the gift. It's beautiful."

"Do you like it?"

"Very much."

"Glad to hear that."

"I thought I would meet nobody here, since it's not Sunday." She couldn't believe she could do such a thing, pretending and telling lies. She had never done anything like this in her life.

"I'm coming in a day like this to have a moment alone."

"I thought the same way... Sorry, I didn't mean to bother you."

"Not at all." He said. "I was just about to leave."

As if he was reminded of what to do, he said thereafter.

"Well, I won't bother you any longer. Have a good day."

He sidestepped around her and strode away. As the sound of his booted feet echoed in the walkway, she battled the doubt suddenly sweeping over her. She had to give it to him now, or she would never had a chance. She had braced herself to come to this place to see him, pretending it was a chance meeting, she had done this deceit for a reason.

"Wait."

He had reached the doorway when she called him. He stopped as he heard her footsteps coming over him. He turned around and she stopped a feet away from him.

"There's something I want to give you."

She pulled out something from her reticule and showed it to him. It was an antique Georgian block compass set in a hinged mahogany case.

"You gave me such a generous gift, I just want to give you something in return."

She passed it to him. He looked at her face as he received it in his unreadable expression.

"It's a lucky charm." She said.

"What?"

"It's not just a compass, it's a lucky charm. It was given to my grandfather by his wife when he was about to travel to India. It was said to have protected him from danger many times during the journey."

He stared at her with wide, disbelieving eyes. After a moment's thinking, finally he replied.

"If it's that precious, why are you giving it to me?"

"I think you need it more than me. You are under an obligation to protect your people, there's a chance you will be involved in some fights again in the future... and... it seems that you have many enemies."

"Not that many."

He smiled at her remarks, and her heart skipped a beat. She thought she would never see that smile again.

"I can't take it. It holds a historical value to your family."

"Please, I want you to have it."

"Your father wouldn't allow it."

"He doesn't care, I found it abandoned and when I asked him, he gave it to me rightaway. I bet he has totally forgotten about it now. He doesn't believe it holds a magical power."

"You believe it has?"

"Yes."

"You're a superstitious girl."

"My grandfather survived a seastorm during the sail and an epidemic of disease in a foreign country." She paused for a while, then she said.

"I pray God will bless you with good health and long life, and keep you safe from evil and harm."

Had he heard all of this from someone else, he might very well mock it, yet he felt his chest stirring with emotion. Painful and heartwarming all at once. It had been a long time since somebody gave him a heartfelt gift and good wishes.

"Do you bring it with you everywhere you go?"

"Yes." Another lie. But it hardly made a difference. This whole 'so-called chance meeting' was a lie, after all. But it was a totally harmless lie, she countered her damned conscience.

"Why give me something as important to you as this lucky charm?"

Because I don't want any harm befall you. Because only thinking about it make me feel terrible.

"Because... it will serve a better purpose in your hand, because this land and the people need you, and you are such a fair ruler."

Not the answer he wanted to hear, she made it sound almost impersonal, but somehow he knew it was anything but.

"And what will protect you now that you've already given it to me?"

"I still have my gun, remember?"

"Seriously?" He chuckled in amusement and she smiled in return.

"Thank you." He finally said. "I'll keep it."

He put the compass into his pocket.

"All right, then. Have a good day." She turned away and walk into the church again.

"Take care."

She heard him saying behind her. She sat somewhere in the middle row, held still for some time before she cast a glance over her shoulder. He had disappeared from the door. No one of them said goodbye today, and for some reason, it didn't feel like farewell. She got a feeling, it wasn't their last meeting and soon they would meet each other again.

"Listen, Polly. The day after tomorrow, I'm going to a neighboring town two days away from here to attend a House Party for a week."

Lady Byrne said as she sat in the small dining room, enjoying biscuits and tea.

"And I want to bring Ava with me, as my companion."

"No way."

Polly replied without looking at her, kneading the dough across the table.

"Find yourself another maid. I've got plenty to do here, who's going to go to the market to sell these?"

"You don't need to sell bread or eggs within the time. I'll compensate your weekly income."

"You must be joking!"

Polly stopped doing her job and stared at the lady in disbelief.

"Not at all. Ava has to come with me to the house party."

"There must be some kind of reason..."

Polly narrowed her eyes in suspicion.

"He will be there, Polly."

"Who?!"

Lady Byrne said in a conspiratorial tone.

"Magnus. Magnus will be there at the house party."