Darkest Knight

by Cynthia Luhrs

  “You were alone with Denby. Did he harm you in any way?”

  She waved a hand. “I’m fine.”

  “Tell me.”

  “He gave me this.” She pulled the locket from her pallet and held it through the bars. John tried to get up but fell back on the bed. He managed to lean up on his elbow, and squinted toward the object.

  “A locket?”

  “He said you were going to give it to me.”

  “Nay. That is not the locket I had made for you. The jeweler making the piece was to mount a large emerald on the front. To match your eyes. Denby stole it, or someone else did.” He coughed and coughed, the rattling sound making Anna go cold all over.

  He reached for a cup on the table and took a long drink.

  “I had a portrait made for you.”

  Tears filled her eyes. “I know. He showed it to me and then he ripped it in half and threw it in the fire. I was able to grab the bottom half.” She opened the locket, reaching out as far as she could to show him.

  “Did you like it?”

  “Of course. You are the most handsome man I’ve ever laid eyes on.”

  “More so than my brothers? Christian will be wounded.”

  “I haven’t seen Christian yet. But I know you are the most handsome of all your brothers.”

  He feebly reached in his pouch, pulling out her lock of hair, rubbing it back and forth between his fingers.

  “I would keep you with me always. I thought to have your portrait made for me. To carry with your lock of hair.”

  She wiped the tears away, sniffling. “I would like that very much. What is supposed to go on the other side of my locket next to your portrait?”

  He was silent for so long that she was afraid he had lost consciousness. She’d started to call for the guards when she heard his voice. More of a whisper.

  “Have you tried? Can you go back?”

  “No. I cannot. I’ve tried and tried.”

  “I am sorry, my love. I know how much you worry over your sire. And I feel like a bastard for being happy to have you with me. Before we were captured, I had hoped you would do me the honor of becoming my wife.

  “I would have a portrait of our children painted for the other side of your locket. But you would be the wife of an outlaw and a traitor to the crown. The wife of a fallen lord with no title. I had no right to ask one so full of goodness as you.”

  “I don’t care about your title. I don’t care about any of it. I care about you. The man.”

  “If we weren’t here, awaiting our deaths, would you marry me, Anna Waters?”

  “Yes. I would marry you.” Anna had put aside romance novels after her mother died. She thought there was no more room in her life for romance. But it seemed there was room; she just had to fall through time to find it. If she had been sent back because John was the man for her then why would the powers that be take them away from each other?

  “I love you, John Thornton. No matter how much time we have left.”

  He didn’t speak.

  “John?”

  She saw the rise and fall of his chest and exhaled a grateful breath that he had fallen asleep.

  “If there’s anyone up there listening, please don’t let him die.”

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  For the first time since she was imprisoned, the guards came and led Anna out of the tower.

  “Where we going?”

  “Lord Denby says you may walk in the garden.”

  Something fishy was going on. But she was grateful to be out in the sun and see the sky for the first time in a week, so she didn’t complain. They took her to the garden adjoining one of the towers. There was a chill in the air but she didn’t care. Anna slipped off her shoes, feeling the grass between her toes. She touched the flowers and the leaves, tilting her face to the sun.

  Maybe this was a good sign. Could John’s brothers be inside securing their release? As much as she had been inside over the past years, she was grateful for any chance to go outside. Whenever she got a break at work, Anna would slip out to enjoy the sun and the breeze on her skin.

  In a much better mood, she followed the guards back inside and down the corridors to her cell. Wait. His cell was empty again.

  “Has John been taken back to the physician? I thought he looked a little bit better when I woke.”

  Instead of answering, they pushed her in the cell and locked the door without meeting her eyes. Her heart started to beat erratically.

  “Where is he? Please. Tell me.”

  Fear reached up and wrapped itself around her heart and throat, making it hard to breathe.

  “Did you enjoy your time in the garden?”

  Anna whirled around to see Lord Denby.

  “Is John with the physician again? Surely that’s good.”

  “You do not know?”

  His voice sounded funny. As if it were muffled.

  “Let me be the first to tell you. John is dead.”

  She blinked, turning the words over and over in her mind. No, that couldn’t be right. He must’ve meant something else.

  “No. He’s sick but he seemed a better this morn.”

  “It is a good day. The bandit of the wood is dead.”

  Little black spots danced before her eyes and the sound of wind filled her ears. Then there was nothing.

  Anna woke to find herself on the floor. Had she fainted? Her head felt like it was full of cotton.

  “What a horrible dream.” She turned to tell John about the awful nightmare and saw the empty cell. But it wasn’t a nightmare. It was true. He was gone.

  She pulled her knees to her chest, rocking back and forth. Horrible noises came from deep within her chest, the sounds more animal than human.

  One of the guards shouted at her, “Hush, wench.”

  Anna lifted her head. “Please send for his brothers. They must know.”

  The guard shook his head. “There is naught I can do.”

  Anna screamed and cried until her voice gave out. Unseeing, she rocked back and forth, the grief penetrating every cell of her body. Somehow, she’d had the ridiculous thought she would be prepared if it came to this. If he didn’t get better. When her mother died, Anna thought she’d never smile again, but losing John…

  If it was possible, his death ripped her insides apart. Just when she’d come to accept her love for him, to know he loved her in return…he was stolen away. How could life be so incredibly cruel?

  Dinner came and went. She refused to move or eat. Didn’t feel the cold seeping through the stone or hear anything. No, she was focused inward. Remembering every look on his face. Every word he’d spoken to her. How could he be gone? No one was as full of life as he.

  “Dry your eyes, wench. I’m to take you to Lord Denby.”

  Anna no longer cared what they did with her. The guards had to pick her up and carry her. Her legs wouldn’t support her.

  “She’s here, my lord.”

  The door opened and she found herself in the same room as before.

  “I will not be disturbed.”

  The guards left, shutting the door behind them.

  “Why do you cry? He is not worth your tears. Do you think he cried when my Letitia died? No, he did not. And he would not cry for you.”

  She looked up to see two of him. Blinked several times, and the two compressed into one hideous man.

  “My family will be the greatest family in history to serve my sire. Edward Thornton squandered his chance. I made sure of it. I knew Letitia would cause trouble over John to the king. That the embarrassment would make him cast the Thorntons out of favor. So I bided my time and made sure the new king would have need of me.” He shrugged and drank his wine. She watched the red liquid dribble from the corner of his mouth, down his chin, and onto his tunic.

  “’Tis the way of the world.”

  He handed her a cup. She sat in the chair looking at it, the words washing over her, not making sense.

  “There is somet
hing about you which pleases me. John took from me and I will take from him. Your ugliness will not matter in the dark. I will have you. And when I tire of you I will have you drowned in the Thames.”

  “You will never have me. I despise you.”

  He grabbed her by the arms, making her cry out. “I will laugh as they drown you.”

  She struggled and tried to pull away, but he held tight. Anna kicked out at him and he backhanded her so hard she fell to the floor, seeing spots. The taste of copper filled her mouth.

  She shook her head, trying to clear it. And then he was pushing her down, his knees between her legs, fumbling at his waist.

  She cried out, “No. Do not do this.”

  The door banged open and suddenly he was no longer on top of her. Anna scrambled to her feet, pulling her skirts down.

  Robert Thornton stood over Denby, who cowered on the floor. Anna looked behind him to see a man so richly dressed he could only be the king.

  The king took in the situation and scowled. “We have heard more than enough. You have much to answer for, Denby.”

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  Denby got to his feet bowing and scraping.

  Robert leaned down, offering his hand. “Are you unharmed?”

  She got to her feet and made a very clumsy curtsy. “I’m well. You got here just in time. Thank you.”

  She looked at the king. She couldn’t remember when, but she knew that history would later remember him as the Black Prince. He was dressed in sumptuous black velvet and cut a striking figure. Right now he looked extremely angry, and she hoped she wouldn’t be on the receiving end of that anger.

  “Lord Denby, you are hereby banished from court. You may keep your title and your smallest estate. The rest of your holdings and your gold belong to us.”

  Denby sputtered, but before he could utter a word, the king raised a hand.

  “Be grateful we let you live. You lied to us, betrayed the Thorntons all because of your pride. Let this be a lesson to you. Now begone from our sight.”

  She’d never really gotten the big deal about royalty in the present day. But seeing him in this room, how he could command the space, she understood.

  The king either ignored Robert or forgot he was there. He gazed at Anna, a strange look on his face.

  “We had a dream. In it I swore to aid a girl I found in the forest. She looked like you. I will grant you one request.”

  If only he could’ve come sooner. Anna’s throat closed up, and she had to clear it twice before she could speak.

  “Lord Denby betrayed John Thornton for his own ends. Will you pardon him?” She knew he was gone, but it mattered a great deal to her, and she knew he would be pleased his name had been cleared, even if it was after his death.

  The king frowned. “We grant your request. But we do not wish to ever see him at court.” He turned to Robert. “Do not think I do not know what you and your brothers were up to. Plot like this again and not only will I take everything from you, but you will all die. Very painful deaths.”

  Robert inclined his head. “Yes, sire.”

  Anna could see the tiny smile playing at the corner of his mouth.

  “Come, Robert. We would have speech with you.” Robert leaned close and hugged her. “I will have a carriage waiting to take you to the tavern where my brothers are.”

  She wanted to stop him. Wanted to ask where they were burying John. And why he didn’t seem more upset? But he hurried behind the king, and she guessed when you were commanded, you had to obey.

  They left her in the room and she didn’t know what to do with herself. When no one came, she walked toward the door.

  One of the women who had helped her bathe came running toward her.

  “Follow me, mistress. I am to take you out of the tower.”

  Anna followed behind the woman, unable to believe she was free. And how bittersweet her freedom was, knowing she had lost the only man she’d ever loved.

  “Lord Thornton left this cloak for you.”

  “Thank you.” Anna wrapped it around her and pulled the hood up over her head. It was drizzling. She didn’t know what she had expected. Not trumpets or fanfare, but something to mark her release. Was this what it was like when someone was released from prison? Did they walk out the gates with no fanfare, all alone, and feel some type of letdown?

  The drizzle turned to rain, which quickly turned to a thunderstorm. Her hand burned and she looked down to see she was grasping the locket. Thunder boomed and lightning lit up the sky.

  There had been a storm when she had tried to go back. Could it be that simple?

  The garden was close, so she stopped there. She held out the locket, let her hood fall back, and called out, “Send me home. I’m ready to go.”

  When nothing happened, she remembered the blood. Maybe it wasn’t enough before. As much as she hated to do it, she broke the locket in half at the hinges. The jagged edge would work. She pushed her sleeve up, took the metal, and slashed her arm. The pain left her breathless and sent her to her knees. As she watched the blood drip onto the grass, Anna tilted her head up to the sky as the storm raged around her.

  She screamed as loud as she could, “I want to go home.”

  Thunder sounded so close to her she felt the ground rumble. Dizzy, she looked down. There seem to be an awful lot of blood. Blackness descended.

  Anna came to, slowly opening her eyes. It was still raining and everything looked the same. But was it the same? She sat up, wincing, as her arm throbbed.

  The smell was the first thing that told her she was still in the past. And she saw a guard walk by. It was time to let go.

  Anna opened her hand to see the locket. The side with the half portrait of John. The other half lay in the mud.

  “I’m sorry, Dad.” Anna hoped they would declare her dead quickly. She had a tiny life insurance policy. It wouldn’t mean much, but she thought it might cover the fees at the memory care facility for the next year or two.

  She got to her feet, swaying, dizzy from the blood loss.

  “Mistress. Why are you standing in the rain?”

  It was a man she had seen out in the corridor. He was with the king earlier.

  “I have nothing more to live for. He’s gone.”

  The man looked confused. “Who is gone, lady?”

  “John. John Thornton.”

  The man’s face brightened.

  “Nay, lady. He is not dead. He was ordered moved by my sire. The Thorntons are a good ally to have. They convinced the king of the truth.”

  Her heart leapt in her chest. “Why didn’t the king tell me?”

  The man clicked his tongue. “There is a war on. The king cannot be bothered with such details. I tell you, John Thornton is alive.” He took her arm. “And pardoned, thanks to you.”

  “Is he really alive?” She was afraid to believe. Afraid of her heart breaking all over again.

  But the look on the man’s face told her it was true.

  “Alive, and the fever has broken. He will live.” The man frowned. “Though he is in an ill humor.”

  She felt her entire body fill with light. “I have to go to him.”

  “He is waiting outside the gates in the carriage, lady. Go to him. The king has given his blessing for you both.”

  Anna ran.

  “Wait, mistress.” The man came after her. “This way.”

  She saw the carriage. And a man leaning against it.

  “John!”

  His head snapped up and he limped toward her. Anna threw herself into his arms. “I thought you were dead.”

  “I thought I was too. Robert told me what happened. Are you sure you are unharmed?”

  “I’m better now.”

  “Don’t cry, my love.”

  She looked up at him. “They’re tears of joy.”

  He helped her into the carriage. “Christian said Denby was found an hour ago drowned in the Thames.”

  “Did you?”

  “Nay. I d
o not know how it happened. Some said ruffians robbed him; others saw an old woman.”

  “Good.”

  He chuckled. Then he pulled her onto his lap, holding her close.

  “Did you mean what you said?”

  She leaned her head against his chest, hearing his heartbeat. She could tell he wasn’t fully recovered, but he was on the mend and everything would be fine.

  “What I said?”

  “Will you make me the happiest man in all of England and be my wife?”

  “Yes.” She threw her arms around his neck, pressing her lips to his. He tasted of brandy, his cheek scratchy from stubble, and she felt intensely alive for the first time, maybe in forever.

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  They spent the night at the tavern. Anna was overwhelmed with all his brothers together in one place.

  A few days later, they were in the carriage approaching a castle.

  “Which brother lives here?”

  “Christian. The White Castle is his.”

  “It’s very beautiful.”

  John wanted to swear. Blackmoor wasn’t fit for the pigs to sleep in, let alone his lady. He had much work to do.

  The carriage came to a stop and he helped her out. They were in the courtyard when the jeweler rushed over. The dark clouds opened up and it started to rain. They all huddled in the stables.

  “My apologies, my lord. The wrong locket was delivered to you.”

  Anna reached in her cloak.

  “It got broken.” She held out the pieces of the locket.

  John clasped her hand around it.

  “Never mind. I will pay for it.” He took the locket from the jeweler, holding it up. Even in the waning light, he could see how beautiful it was. The emerald a clear green to match her eyes.

  The jeweler had taken the broken piece from Anna and was looking it over. He took the torn portrait out. John dropped the locket into his hand and watched as the jeweler fit the portrait into the locket.

  The man handed it to Anna along with the broken piece.

  “Sir, your carriage is ready.”