All the Fine Dresses, Jewels

Hilda gently went down the spiral stair to look for Ivar when Rosamund left her for her evening supper. It was not a long search for her.

He stood at the bottom of the stairs and exclaimed, "Rosamund," in shock. A furrow appeared between his brows. "Hey, how are you?"

She nibbled on her lip. "All right, thanks."

There was an awkward moment.

"I—" Rosemund

"We will not discuss it further," she stated firmly. "When you say that you never hurt innocent people, I trust you. I won't ask because you also say you can't tell me what you were doing. If and when you're ready to tell me, you will. We shall ignore the issue until that time comes.

He opened his mouth infinitesimally. "I... I'm grateful for that, Rosamund," he muttered. "Are we somewhat friends again?"

She twitched her mouth. "Ivar, we were as close as ever as friends."

Much of the tension seemed to be released by this. There was a grin on his face.

For a brief period, a light appeared to flicker in his eyes.

"May I show you something, Rosamund? I believe you might like seeing the area of Castle Dravenstone that is always kept locked.

"Where are we going?" For the umpteenth time, Rosamund inquired.

Count Ivar said again, somewhat impatiently, "It is a surprise, Rosamund." "Keep your eyes shut."

With one hand covering her eyes and the other gently guiding her by the shoulder, this request was unnecessary.

"Will you not even hint at me?"

With a quiet laugh, he reassured her, "We are almost upon it." In private, she marveled at his uncommonly positive attitude. "I promise that the wait will be worthwhile."

She could hear Ivar's boots clacking and her own slippers echoing quietly on the stone floor, but she couldn't tell which area of Castle Dravenstone they were walking through. Eventually, he started to walk more slowly.

He removed his hand from her face and whispered sharply, "Keep them shut." She heard him open a set of massive wooden doors and unlock them.

"Can I open them?"

"Not yet," he replied—she sensed a strange undertone in his voice—excitement, maybe? She attempted, but was unable, to see anything through her eyelashes as he took both of her hands and guided her into the room. He let her hands go.

"Okay, open your eyes."

Rosamund let out a gasp. She closed her eyes, then opened them again. Her jaw dropped. But it was definitely real.

Every panel of the wall was covered with art, and they were standing within a huge gallery the size of a basilica, with the hall seemingly going on forever and the roof nearly too high to view.

Her hand-sized and three-person-sized canvases, each created with fervent brushstrokes by renowned geniuses, were displayed in rows on the walls and held in ornate gilded frames. Paintings over the past 200 years, many of which were Italian, portrayed majesty, beauty, and movement; they honored the divine while extolling the virtues of humanity. Many of the gaps were covered with tapestries, some from the 1200s and others from more modern times. The majority of the topics were either legendary (Poseidon encircled by naiads, Heracles' labors, Odysseus blinding the Cyclops) or biblical (Issac's sacrifice, Lucifer's fall, the Magi's visit). Several tapestries also depicted historical events, such as the coronation of monarchs, warlord victories, and ancient conflicts.

There were numerous marble statues in the middle aisle of the hall, including Venus holding her lover Mars; Pan playing his flute cheerfully; and archangels battling demons or staring up at the sky.

Rosamund was enthralled and rendered speechless by the intensity and beauty of such work.

"It's really lovely," she exclaimed. "Where did you find all of these works of art?"

He responded, "My father loved collecting art—the more valuable, the better." He went to Italy to wed my mother, a Contessa, and he fell just as much in love with the masterpieces as he did with my mother. I guess I inherited his fondness for it. He approached her side. He said, "Do you like it?"

Rosamund suffocated. Like it? Indescribably amazing, that is.

"Then it's yours," he exclaimed excitedly.

She stared at him in amazement. He had a sincere smile on his face. Surprised, she thought, "He looks so human." "Me? What are you talking about?

He reminded her that Castle Dravenstone was also her home. "And you can have the gallery if you really like it." He wrapped her hand around an ornate key that looked like a metal skeleton.

She smiled, unable to speak.

Finally, she exhaled, "Thank you."

He said, "I'm very glad it makes you happy."

She was shocked to see how close he was standing to her when she turned to examine his face. He raised one quivering hand and rubbed the back of it on her cheek.

For some reason, Rosamund was trembling fiercely and her mind was numb. Since releasing her, he had not touched her. The sharp-featured face of Count Ivar was as white and still as the marble sculptures surrounding them, yet it was lovely in a harsh manner, something she had never noticed before. The tip of his aquiline nose was nearly brushing hers, but his face was so close to hers that they were practically touching. She experienced strange vertigo.

She took a deep breath, took a step back, and turned.

What just took place? With a sudden searing sensation in her neck and cheeks, she thought.

She cleared her throat awkwardly and left the hall without saying another word, terrified that he may make her turn back to him if she looked back.

Rosamund's brain whirled uneasily. She paced alone in the master bedroom, which was empty, as she hadn't since leaving Castle Dravenstone. She was positive that Ivar had almost kissed her on the mouth. She had nearly complied with him.

Tearing at her hair, she scolded herself, "No, no, no." You don't have to despise Ivar; you can be polite to him, but you must never feel drawn to him!

Nevertheless, she remembered the night he had saved her, when she had sutured up his torso and flushed at the sight of his muscular chest, with a sinking sensation in the pit of her stomach.

She told herself that she was deeply, deeply troubled and that she had to stop this immediately. Or something, he's enchantment. That's all.