Read Online Elsker - The Elsker Saga by S.T. Bende - Free Book Online Page A

myself into the apartment. I had a feeling my life was about to change in a big way.
     

     
    “Two dates in one weekend. You don’t waste time. Where did you say he’s taking you tonight?” It was Sunday afternoon, and Victoria was examining the contents of my armoire with a critical eye.
    “The castle.”
    “Lucky wench.” Emma padded in and curled up on my bed. “Another date with Ull.”
    “I thought the castle closed at six.”
    “It does. But I guess there’s some dinner thing they do after?”
    “The Welsh Banquet.” Emma’s eyes were big. “That’s fancy. Step it up, Vic.”
    “Which of these is your sexiest dress?” Victoria stared at her options, obviously dissatisfied.
    “Um, the teal one. On the right with the dresses–” I started.
    “Between the green dress and the black dress. You color coded your closet?” Emma snickered.
    “This is your sexiest dress? This comes practically to your knees.” Victoria’s irritation was growing.
    “I lived with my grandmother, okay?”
    “It’s kind of low cut,” Emma offered helpfully. “Throw on a push up bra and those four–inch, nude patent heels of Victoria’s…”
    “My thoughts exactly.” Victoria nodded. “Emma, I’m proud of you. You’ve been listening to me.”
    “Like I had any choice.” Emma stuck out her tongue.
    “We’ll need major hair. I’m thinking Brigitte Bardot. And a cat eye.” Victoria’s mind was racing.
    “Ooh, can we try that navy eyeliner I got last week?” Emma bounced to her knees.
    “With the nude lipstick I picked up yesterday?” I pointed to the Clinique bag on my dresser. I may have gone out and bought all new makeup when Ull called to ask me out again. Seemed prudent.
    “Yes and yes.” Victoria clapped her hands together. “Let’s get to work, ladies.”
     

     
    “Are you sure you will be all right on the stairs?” Ull stood in the grand hall of Cardiff Castle, glancing at the four-inch, shiny death-traps Victoria called shoes. Since Ull’s eyes practically bugged out of his face when he picked me up, I had no intention of changing into the emergency flats I’d stuck in my purse. Victoria had scored another hit.
    “Probably not. Walk behind me in case I fall?”
    “It would be my pleasure.”
    “On our right, the coats of arms,” continued the tour guide. He’d been talking for a good five minutes and I couldn’t remember a single word. That was because Ull had started stroking the small of my back when our tour began, and it took all my concentration just to stay upright.
    “The castle is gorgeous.” I admired the stonework as we made our way toward the stairs. There I shifted focus to my feet, staring at each step until I’d reached the top. “Made it.”
    “And I was so hoping I would get to catch you.” Ull came up next to me and skimmed my hand with the pads of his fingers.
    “Well, the night is young and these shoes are high. You may still get your chance.”
    “Tease.” Ull kissed my palm.
    “Um.” I swayed on the heels and he chuckled.
    “Come, Miss Tostenson. We are losing the group.”
    “Right.”
    We walked the long corridor framed with paintings. All of the history in these walls was kind of overwhelming. The castle was two thousand years old. The oldest thing we had back in Nehalem was probably the Homestead. Cardiff Castle had about eighteen hundred years on that farm.
    “This place is huge,” I whispered when we’d caught up to the tour. “I can’t imagine living here. How could you ever get comfortable?”
    “You get used to it,” Ull shrugged. “Find little corners to make your own.”
    “How on earth could anyone get used to all of this?”
    “When you are stuck in it every day it gets old. Trust me.”
    “Right.” Like Ull was an authority on royal dwellings. “Living in a castle sounds sooo terrible.”
    “Depends on the day.”
    “What does that mean?”
    “Just that these walls did more than keep people out – they kept people