Someone knocked on the door. She thought it might be the captain and was tempted to open the door just as she was.
“Go away.”
“Silene.” It was Bishop Graham’s voice. “May I have a word with you?”
Was she allowed to deny a bishop? She sighed and rose to dress. “Coming.”
When she opened the door, she found the bishop’s warm smile soothing.
“Come in, Your Excellency.”
“Father is fine,” he corrected gently and entered.
She left the door opened and walked around him to face him and smile.
“I wanted to speak to you about what will happen a pair of days from now.”
She wrung her skirts and wondered if he would notice that she wasn’t breathing.
“Vows are a promise to God, child.”
“Aye, Father, I understand.”
“If you say them,” he went on anyway, “you must not go back on your word.”
She nodded. What did he know? Why was he here?
“What is it that brings you such sadness and regret?”
She blinked. Did she dare lie to a bishop? She felt ill. Was she that transparent? “How…how did you know I was troubled?”
He smiled and his ears appeared even larger. “My dear, when we told you that you would be saying your vows now instead of in the spring, you looked as if we had just destroyed all your hopes and dreams.”
She didn’t know what to say. She couldn’t tell him about the captain. Her heart drummed. She drew her fingers to her brow. She missed having someone to talk to whom she trusted. She missed Agnes and the others.
“I cannot repeat what you tell me in confession,” he assured her.
“I…I am unsure.”
He lifted a bushy brow. “About what?”
She closed her eyes. If he went to her uncle or any of the others, all would be lost.
“Saying my vows,” she confessed to him.
“Why?” he asked softly. “Is your faith fading?”
“Oh, nay, Father. My faith is not in danger.” Her life was, but she couldn’t tell that much to him. He would have to do something to protect her and would have to repeat what she told him.
“’Tis my heart.”
“Ah, I see.”
She lifted her gaze. “You do?”
He nodded. But his smile hadn’t returned.
“I hate that I feel so terrible about something that stirs my heart so wondrously.”