A Matter of Time: Book 4 of The Thistle & Hive Series

by Jennae Vale

“We were about to ride out to visit with some of the nearby tenants, if ye’d care to join us. It might be useful to see how ye’ll fair tomorrow, when ye leave us.”

  “That seems like an excellent idea. I’d love to,” Richard agreed.

  * * *

  “When you set your wedding date, you’ll let us know, won’t you?” Ashley asked, as Angelina tried on her new gown.

  “You’ll be the first to receive an invitation. Of course, he hasn’t officially asked me, but I think it’s pretty clear we don’t plan on being away from each other, ever again.” Angelina slipped the gown over her head and Irene laced up the back.

  “The blue is a perfect match fer yer eyes,” Irene stated.

  The women had taken one of Irene’s gowns and modified it to fit Angelina. Their efforts had paid off and it fit like a glove. Angelina admired herself in the mirror. Irene was right, the sapphire blue was perfect. Now they just needed to put the finishing touches on her cape, made of an even deeper blue and lined with fur to keep out the cold. “This is the most luxurious piece of clothing I’ve ever owned. When I get to my new home, I’ll have to find out where I can buy fabric and supplies to make more gowns.”

  Jenna crossed to the corner of the room and retrieved a beautifully wrapped package, which she handed to Angelina with a warm smile.

  “What’s this?” Angelina demanded.

  “A starter kit,” Jenna laughed. “We put this together for you. There’s fabric, ribbons, needles and threads. You should have enough there to make two or three more gowns.”

  Angelina was overcome with affection for these women. She kissed each of them on the cheek and then announced, “Group hug!” They giggled and laughed and held onto each other, enjoying the bonds of sisterhood they all felt. “The only thing that would make this more perfect, would be if I were to live closer.”

  “We’ll make time to come and see you, and if you do the same, I might even see you more often than I did in San Francisco,” Jenna said.

  “That sounds really good. And Ashley, I don’t want to miss seeing your baby when it’s born.” Angelina grinned happily. “This is so nice! I never thought I’d have a family like this. I had gotten so used to being on my own, I didn’t think I needed anyone, but now I know that’s not true and there’s nothing wrong with needing other people in your life. Right?”

  “Right!” they replied in unison.

  * * *

  Robert and Irene happily hosted a farewell banquet for Richard and Angelina on their final evening at Breaghacraig, and now, everyone stood on the steps of the castle, waving goodbye.

  Richard and Angelina were mounted on their horses and ready to ride through the gates, but before they did, they both took one last look at the smiling faces wishing them a safe journey back home.

  They both waved and exited the courtyard to start the long journey back to England.

  Richard couldn’t take his eyes off Angelina. She was a beautiful woman by any standards, but somehow, the sight of her in her new gown and cloak, cheeks rosy from the cold, had completely taken his breath away. As they rode, soft snowflakes began to fall.

  “It’s snowing!” Angelina cried in delight. She lifted her face to the sky, letting the light flurries land on her face and eyelashes.

  Richard couldn’t help but laugh and watched adoringly.

  “It never snows where I’m from. This is so beautiful! Do you think it will snow any harder?” Her face glowed with happiness.

  “I hope not much harder. We will need to stop for the night and I have the perfect place in mind. The snow, no matter how beautiful, will make our journey more difficult, so let’s hope it stays like this.”

  Angelina scooted her horse a little closer to Arion and Richard reached for her hand. They rode that way for many miles, both of them happy and at peace.

  Chapter 30

  As the sun began to set, they reached the little cottage Richard remembered from his meeting with Maggie and Dylan. He hoped it remained unoccupied. He was sure whoever owned it would welcome them warmly if it wasn’t, as was the local custom, but this night he wanted Angelina all to himself. Thoughts of her lying naked beneath him had occupied his mind for many, many miles and relief for his aching manhood was only moments away.

  “What do you think?” he asked, pointing in the direction of the small stone cottage.

  “It’s a sweet little place. Is this where we’re spending the night?” Her lashes fluttered as she smiled seductively, suggesting that she too had been having thoughts along the same lines as his.

  They approached the cottage, which as Richard had hoped, was empty. He dismounted and hurried to help Angelina. She wasn’t used to riding in a gown, and he didn’t want to risk her falling. She leaned over and placed her hands on his shoulders and he put his around her waist, lifting her easily and setting her on the ground.

  “Oh!” Angelina said. “The snow is so cold!”

  Richard lifted her into his arms and carried her into the cottage. “Wait here. I’ll be right back. I must see to the horses and then I’ll get a fire started.” He quickly unsaddled the horses and set them free to roam. He laughed as Arion immediately lay down and rolled in the snow. Angelina’s horse apparently thought it an excellent idea, as she followed suit in short order.

  Bringing the saddles into the cottage, Richard noted the supply of wood in the fireplace, ready for him to light. He closed the door and made sure the windows were tightly shuttered before setting to work on the fire, which he had burning in moments.

  “You’re quite the boy scout,” Angelina teased.

  Richard gave her a quizzical look. “Boy scout?”

  “I’ll explain it to you some other time. I’m hungry.” She grabbed the saddlebags and pulled out some of the food Irene had provided. She daintily sat in front of the fire with Richard at her side.

  How can she think about food at a time like this? The expression on his face must have given him away, because Angelina laughed.

  “You should eat. You’re going to need your strength later,” she teased. She offered him a piece of bread.

  Richard knew that Angelina knew exactly what she was doing to him and she was enjoying it, so he took the bread and helped himself to some cheese. He uncorked a flask of wine and drank deeply. He offered it to Angelina who took it from him as she gazed seductively into his eyes.

  They were cocooned in their own private world. The fire sent a golden glow around the cottage, while the snow continued to fall outside..

  “When you said I was going to need my strength, is this what you meant?” He snaked his arm around her waist, hauling her against his chest. His lips were on hers, before she could respond, the need to have her so strong that he had to physically restrain himself from tearing her gown away so he could reach her velvety soft skin.

  Angelina, for her part, was right there with him. They were both pulling and tugging at clothing until finally, and thankfully, they were completely naked, free to roam their hands over each other’s bodies. Clothes were strewn all over the room as they fell onto the bed, lips and hands seeking and finding. The heated passion of their lovemaking was intense, a smoldering heat that swiftly turned to flame. Richard positioned Angelina beneath him, his hands on her breasts, and he playfully pinched her pebbled nipples. Angelina reacted to his touch in the way he’d dreamed she would. Her response was immediate, a moan of pleasure escaping her lips as she thrust her hips upwards ready for his entry, but he was enjoying this far too much to rush. She wriggled and writhed beneath him, rubbing against his hardened staff in an effort to get what she wanted.

  “Not yet,” Richard whispered into her ear, nibbling at her ear lobe and then kissing and licking his way down to her beautiful, velvety pink nipples. He took one into his mouth, and Angelina whimpered in ecstasy. His large hands cupped her other breast, squeezing until her back arched towards him in sheer pleasure. She was on the edge, would only need a slight nudge to send her reeling into orgasm, but he wanted to
make this last for both of them. He’d been waiting a very long time since that night at her beachside home. He wanted to savor every moment, make it last as long as possible. He continued to twist and tease her nipples, knowing he was driving her wild with desire and loving every minute of it.

  Finally, when she could stand it no more, he lowered his mouth to her core, and her orgasm exploded, but still he continued to lap and tease at her. She gripped his hair, grasping and pulling as he brought her to climax repeatedly. When he was done, he smiled in satisfaction, knowing he had pleased his woman greatly. He slithered back up her body and kissed her parted lips.

  * * *

  Catching her breath, Angelina kissed him back, slipping her tongue into his mouth and forcing him onto his back.

  “Your turn,” she smiled seductively. She covered his mouth with kisses, preventing him from speaking as her hands sought his shaft and began to massage gently. Richard closed his eyes on a moan and Angelina copied what he had done only minutes before, kissing, licking, and nipping from his ears, to his nipples, and on to his swollen manhood. She skirted around it, knowing that was what he most wanted, but preferring to make him wait. Her hands slithered up his thighs, again coming close to him but not touching. His breath was coming in short gasps when she finally put her mouth over him. He almost came undone, but she saw him take steps to control himself, reaching down to hold her head and play with her hair. She brought him almost to the point of climax and then straddled him, lowering her warm, wet passage over his length, gliding up and down, enjoying the sweet sensations she was creating as much as Richard was. He reached up to cup her breasts and Angelina rode him, her back arched, her hair flowing all around her. She felt powerful knowing she could bring Richard such pleasure, that he wanted her, that he loved her. As Richard got closer to his orgasm, he grabbed Angelina around the waist and placed her beneath him again, this time thrusting into her until they both cried out and reached their release together. They clung to one another, exhausted and sated from their efforts.

  * * *

  Sometime in the middle of the night, they made love again and when they were done, Richard got up to see to the fire. When he returned, he wrapped Angelina in his warm embrace, confident that he was the luckiest man in the world. She sighed contentedly in his arms and they easily fell back to sleep.

  Richard awoke the following morning to the sight of a smiling Angelina, wrapped in his tunic and seated by the fire. She had added some wood and the fire blazed brightly, warming the little cottage and keeping the cold at bay. She set out some food for their breakfast and heated water for tea. Richard joined her on the floor by the fire after pulling on his trewes. She scooted closer and offered him a quick kiss, which Richard swiftly turned into a long, lingering kiss.

  “I am so happy to be here with you, Richard. I have to keep pinching myself to make sure I’m not dreaming the most wonderful dream.” She tore some bread from the loaf Irene had provided and placed a slice of cheese on top, before putting it into a pan near the fire.

  “What’s that you’re making?” Richard asked curiously.

  “It’s a grilled cheese, I hope.” She removed the pan from the fire, careful not to burn herself. “We should probably let it cool off for a minute.”

  “I can hardly wait to try it.”

  After a minute, she tested the bread to ensure it wasn’t too hot and lifted it from the pan. “Pretty good for my first attempt without modern cooking tools.”

  “These are modern cooking tools,” Richard laughed.

  “Oh, yeah. Right.” She smiled sweetly at him. “I forgot – from now on I’ll be using the latest and greatest in medieval technology.”

  They ate and Richard thought he’d never tasted anything better, if only because of the fact that Angelina had cooked it for him. He liked her ingenuity and knew she would fit in to his world well. “Will you miss anything about San Francisco?” he asked curiously.

  “I’m sure I will. It’s a beautiful place, as you’ve seen, but there’s really nothing for me there. Everything I could possibly want is sitting here with me now.”

  Her words pleased him greatly, as he felt much the same way about her. “We should pack our things and prepare to leave. If we get started now, we’ll be to Keswick by nightfall and then it’s only a short journey to home.”

  They cleaned up the little cottage, leaving it exactly as they’d found it. Richard already had fond memories of this place and now he had even more reason to remember it happily, as the place where he began his life anew. He called to the horses, who came running. He gave the horses apples left from their breakfast and some oats mixed with warm water. After the horses were done with their meal, Richard and Angelina saddled them. Angelina was again wearing her new gown and cloak. Her beauty was beyond words and Richard had to give himself a mental shake, so he could continue preparing for the remainder of their journey and not get completely lost in admiring his beautiful woman.

  They put out the fire and closed everything up so that the next visitors to the cottage would find a welcoming place to lay their heads. Richard gave Angelina a leg up onto her horse and then mounted Arion. The snow had stopped at some time during the night, leaving a soft powder a few inches deep for them to trek through. The horses had no trouble navigating their way along the road that led to Keswick and then home.

  “Richard, does your mother know about time traveling?” Angelina guided her horse around a large icy patch.

  “I’ve told her about it, but I’m not sure whether she believed me or thought I was daft.” Richard skirted the same icy patch from the other side of the path.

  “I hope she won’t mind having me around.” He could tell from her tone she was worried and tried to ease her mind.

  “She will be more than happy to have you there. My sisters are married and in their own homes now. I think she misses having another woman around to talk with. She’s been surrounded by men for years now.” He stole a peek to see her reaction and noticed her shoulders relaxing. “She’ll love you, because I love you,” he added. She’ll also love you because like her, you love me.”

  Angelina offered him another of her brilliant smiles and they urged their horses into a trot, excited to reach the end of their journey.

  * * *

  “Richard, I see a village up ahead. Is that Keswick?” Angelina craned her neck to see.

  “It is. We’re almost home.”

  They cantered the rest of the way into the quaint little village. Angelina found herself fascinated by everything she was seeing. There were small shops dotted here and there, along with an inn for weary travelers. “Will we be able to come back and explore?”

  “Mother comes to the village weekly to shop and to visit with the people who reside there. I’m sure she’ll be happy to have someone to take along with her.” They had made their way through the village and urged their horses back into a canter. Before she knew it, Angelina saw the beautiful little castle she was going to be calling home. Torches from the courtyard, cast a golden glow, which was visible from the road. As they approached, the gates swung open, granting them entrance.

  Richard pulled to a stop in front of the castle doors, and was greeted by a young lad, who took charge of Arion. Richard gently lifted Angelina down from her mare. The young lad gathered her reins as well and headed towards the stable with the horses.

  Richard took Angelina’s hand and led her through the doors and into the lovely room she recalled from her first visit.

  “Richard!” Edward called when they entered. “Mother! Richard is here!”

  Lady Catherine must have been close by, because she rushed into the room and straight to Richard, whom she captured in her arms. He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her fiercely. Stepping back, she took his face between her hands and gazed lovingly at him. “Richard I’m so happy you’re home.”

  “Mother, I’m so happy to be home.” Richard held her away from him. “You are as beautiful as always.”
<
br />   “Nonsense. You sound just like your friend, Nick,” she blushed.

  “He speaks the truth.” Richard turned to Angelina and offering her his hand, drew her up to stand beside him. “Mother, I believe you’ve already met Angelina. I’ve brought her home with me to be my wife. I hope you’ll approve.”

  “I do more than approve. She will be a good match for you and will serve well as the lady of the castle.” Lady Catherine smiled warmly at Angelina, and tipping her head to the side, reached out to touch Angelina’s cheek. “She is a beauty to behold. I am so happy for you, my son.”

  Chapter 31

  Until they were married, Lady Catherine would not give permission for them to share the same room, but she did place Angelina in a room connected directly to Richard’s through a single door. She ignored the fact that they spent every night together and only separated in the morning to return to their own rooms.

  A wedding was planned for the New Year and Angelina and Lady Catherine were kept busy making preparations for the event. Invitations had been hand delivered to all their family and friends. Angelina and Lady Catherine had been to the village together on more than one occasion, and Angelina felt certain Lady Catherine told Richard about some of the lovely items they saw, because they always seemed to end up in her possession before another day or two had passed. Richard had bought her a beautiful pendant with matching earrings, and a bolt of the finest silk in a deep purple, along with ribbons and trim to match. He’d purchased a hand carved wooden box for her to keep her trinkets in, and he smiled proudly when he saw how touched she was by his gifts.

  Angelina was settling in perfectly to the Jefford household, having learned a lot from Lady Catherine about what was expected of her. Richard and Angelina also sat his mother down one afternoon, and explained how they’d met. Her eyes grew wide at their amazing tale.