Authors: Cynthia Luhrs
They all slept next to the fire. One of Robert’s men ended up so close to the flames, he woke to find half his hair singed off. Gavin slept curled up against her, like Elizabeth’s own personal heater.
With no sign of Radford’s men, Elizabeth hoped he’d decided she and Gavin weren’t worth bothering about…but he didn’t seem like a man who accepted losing gracefully. Maybe he was waiting until the weather broke, then he would show up all puffed up and self-important, demanding them back. Then what? Would Robert hand them over? No way she was going back. The uncertainty of the woods and the road would be a better choice. Though she still had to figure out how to help the serving girls, and wanted to talk to little Janet and see if she was speaking yet. Would she mess up history if she tried to start a women’s rights movement?
On the third day, she could tell by the men’s moods and the way the horses picked up the pace they must be getting close to Highworth. Time to let up on the silent treatment. Robert had tried to make her laugh. He’d even whispered in her ear in Norman French, words that sounded nice but probably were him telling her she looked like a pig and a cow. She’d pretended he wasn’t there.
Gavin and Robert’s knights found the whole thing hysterical. Elizabeth wasn’t mad at them, so at least she had plenty of people to talk to during the trip. But whenever Robert asked a question or spoke, she acted like she didn’t hear him or see him, even going as far to bump into him on her way to wash. It was immature, but it sure made her feel better. It would go under “finding the fun in any situation.” Robert grumbled but took it well, which earned him a check in the plus column on her “hate him or like him” list.
Sunshine would have reminded her about the boy who pulled her pigtails when they were in first grade. Little boys thought being mean to little girls was a good way to let them know they liked them. Could Robert be the same? Was his treatment of her a mask for how he really felt?
While they rested, a few of the men talked about the wenches from the night before.
“Nothing like ending a fine meal with a fine woman.” The knight with blond hair and dimples laughed.
Robert smirked. “You should be grateful I only have eyes for Elizabeth, otherwise I would have taken them all for myself.”
The tall knight slapped Robert’s shoulder. “The church says we should not be greedy.”
“And deprive the ladies of my charming self?”
Elizabeth snorted. “Oh please. You and your big ego. I’m surprised your head can fit through the doors of the castle. Give it a rest. Everyone knows you’re hot. But pretty on the outside isn’t pretty on the inside. You’re uglier than Radford on the inside.”
The men hooted and hollered. Gavin sat on a fallen log, laughing silently, shaking so hard pieces of the log broke off and fell into the snow.
Robert placed a hand over his heart, pretending to swoon. “Oh, my lady. How you wound me.”
She stuck her tongue out at him.
“Finally. She speaks. And smiles. It only took three days.” Then his face grew serious as he leaned in close so the others wouldn’t hear. “Truly, I am sorry. I’ve been an utter arse. You’re beautiful and kind.”
Gavin was leaning so far forward, straining to listen, that he tumbled off the log into the snow. He popped up. “I’m unharmed.”
Robert’s knights pretended to ready the horses, but they were completely silent, listening to what she’d say. Elizabeth knew she’d caused discord in the group, but she was tired of the way he behaved. Time to throw him a bone. She poked him in the chest and put on her
I’m here to fight the big, bad coal company
look. It usually intimidated pretty well.
“It’s all fine and good to
say
you’re sorry. But you have to earn forgiveness. With actions, not words. So we shall see. Perhaps in time I will believe you.”
Gavin glared at Robert. “’Tis not the behavior of a chivalrous knight, my lord.”
Robert ruffled the boy’s hair. “You are correct, Gavin. I have not been kind to our lady. I will endeavor do better, starting this moment, in front of all these witnesses.” He looked the boy up and down, then reached into his boot, pulling out a dagger.
“I’m giving you one of my daggers so you can protect your lady. Do you accept this duty, Gavin?”
His whole face lit up. “I do. Will you teach me to fight?”
The tall knight who was scary good with a sword picked up Gavin, throwing him over his shoulder. “Aye, I will teach you to take a man down with one blow.”
How easily little boys could be bought. But Elizabeth didn’t say anything, not wanting to ruin Gavin’s happiness.
“’Tis a most wondrous gift, my lord. I will treasure it.” He knelt in the snow at her feet, holding the dagger out, across the palms of his hands. “I vow to defend you with my life, lady. I swear it.”
“Thank you, Gavin.” She touched him on the cheek. Moments like this made her want to stay in the past. Create a life here and find out what adventures awaited. But how would she make a living? Where would she live? Gavin and some of the others she’d met were quickly becoming friends. If not for Robert and his ability to get under her skin, she’d have no doubts at all.
Then she had to turn away. There was dirt or something in her eye. Of course that’s all it was.
As they rode toward home, Robert was happier than he’d been in days. He’d finally gotten Elizabeth to speak to him. In worrying for her safety, he’d been a dolt. Never in his life had he treated a woman as poorly as he’d treated her. The choice to treat her thus to protect her was a difficult one.
If Connor was discovered, she would have no one to turn to. Her family wasn’t born yet. The thought gave him pause. For weeks he’d looked for a way to protect her. He’d considered sending her to a convent. Even his gold would not save her if they called her witch. She cared so much about others that she gave herself away as odd. Ofttimes she watched his men and the people they encountered for the way to speak, to behave. She tried to fit in. Though he ached to tell her not to try.
He cared for her as she was. Wait until she met Anna and his brother Henry’s bride, Charlotte. Robert wanted to see the expression on her exquisite face when she came face to face with others like her. ’Twas one thing to hear there were other future girls and another to meet them.
Thank the heavens she had changed the color of her hair. It would help her fit in. Though he would not admit it, Robert had grown used to the pretty, pale colors. With her hair darker, the freckles across her nose stood out. He ached to reach up and touch each one, connecting them to each other like stars in the heavens.
He considered sending her to Edward or one of his other brothers. But if he did, he would have to explain about Connor. And there was the other part. How did he tell John he was to blame for so much death?
He’d been brooding until she’d spoken to him today. It was like the storm clouds cleared and the sun came out. One smile from her and he wanted nothing more than to make her smile again. To see her happy.
They made one last stop to rest the horses. As he made his way back from a stream, he heard shrieking. Sword drawn, he ran…and skidded to a stop in the snow. They were not under attack. As he stood there gaping, a ball of snow hit him in the face.
Brushing the cold away, he watched as Elizabeth bent down, cupping snow in her gloves and forming a small ball. Then she threw it at Gavin. It hit the boy in the arm, and he yelped before quickly bending down to return the volley.
She hit one of his men, and soon it was a melee. Unable to resist, Robert threw a ball of snow, hitting one of his men in the shoulder. They ran to and fro, laughing, throwing snow at each other. At last, Elizabeth threw her hands up.
“I’m done. You guys win.” She sat by the fire, breathing heavily. “Remind me to start spending time in the lists. Not only do I need to know how to use a sword, it seems my aim could use some work as well.”
The men joined her, calling out insults to each other. Steam rose around the circle as the fire dried their clothes. What had he done with the endless days before she appeared in his life? Robert used to be content being idle all day. Hunting and drinking. But since Elizabeth had shown up, he hadn’t looked at another wench. Hadn’t been interested in a single one. For every time one showed him her ample assets or sat on his lap, all he could see was hair the color of the evening sky and eyes the color of the winter trees. She had turned his life upside down. Made him question his beliefs. Had ruined him for all others.
No matter how much he fought in the lists or rode, he was restless. As if some part of him were missing. Might Elizabeth be the missing part of his soul?
Did he have the right to risk her very life because he wanted her? The healer Abigail would have plenty to say about this future girl. She would say he should not have tempted the fates. That they had sent him exactly what he asked for. But he must send her back to ensure nothing happened to her. Forget her to keep her secure. The fates could hang.
It had started snowing again. Elizabeth rode close to him. “You asked me where I was from? How I ended up in your…chamber?”
He had asked her many times. Every time she’d refused to answer. Of course, she’d been angry with him or not speaking at all. He would not make her angry again, and he desperately wanted to hear the tale, have her tell him about her time. When she told her story, did he tell her he already knew from whence she came?
Elizabeth looked at Gavin to find him asleep. She spoke softly. “One of your men told me the year. 1333.”
He knew what she was going to say, and yet he wanted to tell her not to speak. For saying it out loud would make everything real. And he would be honor bound to help her go back to her own time. Would have to tell her about the others. Let her go.
Her normally golden skin paled until it matched the winter landscape. She looked at him from the corner of her eye. When he didn’t speak, she fidgeted in the saddle, turning her head to meet his gaze, searching his face. He had to strain to hear her words.
“I went to sleep one night in November of the year 2016. I woke in the same bed but you were beside me. It took me a while, but I accepted I’d somehow fallen through time.” She looked away and looked back at him, her eyes pleading for him to believe her. “I’m not a witch or a faerie. I’m from the future.”
“2016. ’Tis a very long time from now. You were in my castle? It still stands in your…future?”
She nodded. “It does. It’s part of why I was so confused. Even your room looks almost exactly the same. There are small changes to the castle, so at first I didn’t understand what had happened.”
Robert blew out a breath, making his decision. “When we arrive at Highworth, after all are settled, we will have speech, you and I. There is much to discuss.”
Talk about anticlimactic. Robert’s reaction wasn’t all what Elizabeth expected. She thought he’d cross himself. Call her witch. Faerie. Throw her in a medieval insane asylum or back in his dungeon. Anything but act like he actually believed her.
If she had been given a hundred guesses, no way would she have picked acceptance. Well, he was right about one thing: they certainly did have much to discuss.
After supper she went to her chamber and found gifts waiting. A cloak so beautiful it looked like it belonged in a museum. Embroidered within an inch of its life. The wool was a deep blue, trimmed with fur, and amongst the embroidery, she touched gems used as flower centers. Who put diamonds on a cloak? There was also a new dress and shoes. Another embroidered ribbon for her hair. The optimist part of her jumped up and down.
See, if he truly wanted you to stay with Radford, why would he have gone to the effort and expense of gifts? He does like you.
As she picked up the cloak, another ribbon fell to the floor. The room started to spin. While she knew it could be coincidence, deep in her heart she knew this was what had brought her back. It was a linen hair ribbon, embroidered with bright pink thread. In the future, the ribbon was little more than a scrap, so worn it was soft as her childhood pillowcase. She ran her fingers over it, marveling at the bright pink thread and stiffness of the fabric. Feeling silly, Elizabeth held it up to her heart, closed her eyes, and wished.
“Take me home. Where I am meant to be.”
Eyes closed, she counted to twenty-one then opened them, listening. The room looked the same. Voices from the corridor made her turn. The tall knight with the deep, booming voice called out to Thomas.
Everything was the same, except she was slightly out of breath. Oh well; perhaps it was all part of the universe’s plan. Living in medieval England would be the adventure of a lifetime. Elizabeth only wished she could tell her parents. They’d be so excited. A snort escaped. Of course, they’d probably try and change history. Righting wrongs as they traveled around the world.
It took a moment for the sound to register. The same noise she’d heard before. Coming from the corridor. Opening the door, she closed her eyes and listened. It was coming from the same door as before. But this time there was no guard. And no nosy Gavin. The boy was probably shadowing Robert or following Rabbie around. Leaning down, she pressed her ear to the keyhole, listening.
She’d recognize that deep burr anywhere. In all the time she’d been here, Elizabeth hadn’t run into another Scot. If he was a prisoner and rated a room rather than the dungeon, Robert was going to get a cup of ale poured over his head.
The man cried out. What if he was hurt? Only one way to find out. The door opened without a sound, surprising her. Last time she’d tried, it had been locked and guarded. A man thrashed in the bed, and from the looks of him he hadn’t shaved in days.
The words came again. The lines around his mouth tightened, fists clenching at the covers. It was cold in the room, but she could see a fine sheen of sweat covering his face and bare chest, and the skin was flushed. Elizabeth stuck a finger in the bowl of water. Good; it was cold. Dipping the cloth, she ran it across his forehead and face. He snarled in his sleep—Gaelic, if she had to guess.