“Hmmm?” Distracted, my eyes followed the stone back and forth… back and forth…
He covered the stone with his hand.
“Wait…what?” I shook my head. “How can the wearer disappear and you have the necklace? That doesn’t make any sense.”
“My goodness Katherine, you are quick as ever, I see.”
Huh? My mouth popped open.
“The necklace does tend to show back up through time,” he said. “Who knows?” He shrugged. “Perhaps there is more than one of these floating about.” He waved his hand dismissively and then set the necklace down on the desk.
More than one necklace? A giddy rush of excitement shot through me. I wondered where I might find one for myself but why should I? One was right here, within my grasp… I walked my fingers towards the necklace. I felt him watching me but I didn’t care. “Strange,” I said more to myself than to him.
“Yes, well, the story is that this necklace was made by a gentleman from Arthurian times.”
“You mean like King Arthur’s time with Merlin and the Knights of the Round Table?” My mind began to envision it all.
He chuckled. The sound reminded me of a Christmas cookie, warm and sugary. “I have only met a few of the Knights. Most are good lads. As for Merlin, he keeps to himself mostly.” He leaned in and lifted his hand to the side of his mouth, whispering, “He likes to keep himself closeted away so he can spy on Morrigan.”
I wasn’t sure why he was whispering …we were alone. Wait a minute…was he serious? Oh no, was he some crazy eccentric? Of course he was…he had to be. I never met anyone normal. And I was all alone too. Wait…no I wasn’t. Ned said he would be back in a jiffy. Granted I wasn’t too sure how long a jiffy was, but I was sure he would be back at any moment. That made me feel much better but just in case I took a step back anyway. Not that it mattered. He had a really faraway look on his face and I doubted he even knew I was here anymore.
“This particular necklace was created to bring a knight back his lost love.”
“Bring her back from where?” My eyes widened.
He didn’t answer.
“Hello Sir…sir…”
He shook his head and his eyes refocused. “I can not say,” he practically whispered.
“Why can’t you say?” I whispered too.
“Unfortunately,” he said and shook his head. “We will never know."
“Why won’t we know?” I asked, getting peeved. That was it. Seriously?
“I apologize dear…” He gave me a sympathetic look. The tale has been lost through time. Who knows? Mayhap there was another reason altogether for the making of the necklace or necklaces.” He chuckled lightly.
I noticed his laugh sounded strained, not sugary and warm this time. What was he up to? I stared at him to see if his countenance would falter. His expression didn’t change.
He set the necklace back down on the desk and ran his fingers down the length of the chain. “This necklace is supposed to have power within,” he commented distantly.
“What kind of power?”
“Apparently, if this necklace is worn when the moon is full, and the stars align just right, otherworldly things will happen.”
I opened my mouth and shut it again. That’s it. What the hell? “Right, sure…if you say so.” I tried not to roll my eyes but couldn’t stop my disbelief from showing.
“I am completely serious Katherine.” He widened his eyes and leaned in. “Take heed to what I say! This is no mere necklace. The wearer will become captive to the whims of another.”
III
Well, okay then. That did it. Poor man. He obviously had some issues with delusion. The necklace was a beauty though, that was for sure. I’d never seen anything remotely like it, ever. Except for the HOPE DIAMOND, which was pretty in a different way. It always amazed me how the owners sent the Diamond to the museum. I read they shipped it in a plain brown wrapper with no insurance…nothing. What would have happened if it got lost? Rich people do crazy shit and this guy looked like he was well on his way to being crazy too. I turned around to get a contract for him to look over. It was getting late and it was better to get this business finished as soon as possible.
Of course, Biddle & Bailey’s stout rules bobbed through my mind, once more. Rule number one: Never ogle the consigners’ belongings. Just broke it.
Rule number two: never touch, try on, or lust after consigners’ valuables. We at Biddle & Bailey are better than that.
Unfortunately, I found myself contemplating breaking that one as well. Dang it! I took a breath and plastered on my best: “I am a professional” smile again, and turned around.
The contract slipped from my fingers and floated to the floor. A chill swept through my body. He was gone—gone! Where did he go? An uneasy feeling gathered in the pit of my stomach. I tried to come up with a simple explanation for his sudden disappearance. Maybe he was related to Ned: Speedy Gonzales II—right, I didn’t believe that.
My eyes zeroed in on the necklace that was still on the top of the desk. The cold dark marble, the perfect backdrop for the fiery stone. It sparkled like liquid fire.
I stole glances at it like I did with Dane and Candy, always pretending not to look, but keeping it within sight. Surely, he would be back in just a moment, especially if it held all that mystical mumbo jumbo he claimed it held.
A sneaky little voice inside of my head whispered, it would only take a moment to try it on.
I looked at the necklace with longing as my little voice dared me to touch it. I knew it was against policy but what could it hurt, really? My hand inched forward, shaking.
It was just a necklace for goodness sake. Maybe it was the story the man told me… but more than likely, I went over my limit of caffeine for the day. Maybe the cup I dumped on my blouse earlier had seeped into my body through my pores, which was more believable than the necklace being the cause.
I looked around. The coast was clear. My little sneaky voice whispered again… Do it. Do it. The words stuck in my mind like a bad record caught on some sticky substance from a long forgotten party.
Giving into my little sneaky voice, I snatched the necklace off the desk and in one fluid motion, I fastened it around my neck. I did not think about the consequences of my actions or that I knew I was breaking another one of Biddle & Bailey’s stout rules. Or, if I was caught, I would surely lose my job. None of it seemed to matter right now. The moment it hit my skin, I felt a jolt. Like I’d been scuffing my feet across the rug and had built up a huge amount of static electricity.
Grasping the necklace, I held it against my chest. Why did the Knight go to such lengths to bring the girl back and where did she go?
The stone grew warmer in my hand. My mind flashed to a time that was not my own, to a place I’d never seen before…
FLASH* KING ARTHUR’S REALM
The Age of Chivalry
Purplish hues ran through the trees, falling across the carpeted floor of a forest. The smell of pine and earth hung heavily in the air, as if it had just rained.
Two riders appeared. The man in the lead was formidable, a force to be reckoned with, a knight. His long cloak billowed out past the flanks of his massive horse. A battle scar marred the otherwise perfect coat.
A young man followed stealthily behind, his squire. The horse’s hooves made a soft clomping noise on the needles of pine. White steam swirled in the air, rent from the flaring nostrils of the massive beast’.
A high-pitched ringing filled my ears. It was terrible. I squeezed my eyes shut and pressed my fingers to my temples. The sound ebbed away, taking the pain with it. I reopened my eyes. A cloaked figure now stood in front of the Knight.
Dark clouds hovered above, roiling. The wind gained momentum, howling through the trees. The squire’s horse reared in the air, dancing backward.
The person in the cloak removed their hood. Hair, dark as night tumbled in waves down her back.
All color drained from the handsome Knight
’s face. He looked like he had just seen a ghost.
The forest went completely still. Seconds turned to minutes as they stared at one another.
Recognition finally flitted across the Knight’s face. Stepping forward, he grabbed the girl into his embrace and threw his head back, laughing. It was a deep, resonating sound. It was heartfelt…full of promises kept…dreams realized.
He pulled away for a moment, staring at her.
I could see what he let the girl see, he let her see to his very soul.
Taking the girl’s face in his hands, he leaned forward and lowered his mouth to hers. He kissed her in such a way it made my own heart ache watching them.
This love they shared with one another was the one that everyone dreams of...the one that fills you so completely nothing else matters.
I felt like an interloper. I clutched the amulet tighter… thinking if the love they shared was ever lost… their world would never be the same.
As if in response to my morose imaginings, the winds blew harder, the trees swayed, and the girl began to fade away.
The Knight was yelling to whoever was causing this great pain to rip him in two. His anguished cries filled the air as the girl slipped completely from his grasp.
I watched…helplessly spellbound… shivering to my soul.
WHEN NO ONE IS LOOKING
RAVENHURST * PRESENT DAY
RAVENHURST, the ancient edifice cast an eerie silhouette in the full moon’s light as a line of expensive cars wound their way down the curved drive. Red glowing taillights blazed in the darkness as each car stopped in front of the massive columned stairs, depositing guests bedecked in all their evening finery.
I held tightly to the “I swear I did not steal, only borrowed,” antique amulet as the car crept around the corner and revealed the enormity of Ravenhurst in the full moon’s light.
“Ravenhurst is bloody daunting in the moonlight, is it not?” Ned asked in a crisp English accent as he adjusted his perfectly tied cravat.
“Yeah, it’s bloody daunting.” I nodded in agreement. Ned looked as dapper as any Victorian gentleman. The suit he wore accentuated his thin frame and he had combed his light brown hair away from his face.
I felt like Julia Roberts in PRETTY WOMAN, but unfortunately, Ned was no Richard Gere. It didn’t matter though. I was going to a ball in a castle thanks to Ned. And what Ned lacked in striking good looks he more than made up for in expertise, since he was by far the best in his field. I looked past Ned through the window of the car. Twinkling lights flickered from branches of trees clustered around the edges of the circular drive as the car moved forward a little more.
“So Katherine, how does it feel to wear an authentic Victorian gown?” Ned smiled.
“I daresay it is positively brilliant!” I exclaimed in my best feigned-English accent as I adjusted one of the hand-sewn poppies attached to the black-full-tiered- skirt. “I have to say, my good man, putting it on was a bloody chore,” I said, trying to sound English.
Ned chuckled. “Well, I have to say you do it justice. It looks as though it was made specifically for you. The fit is just brilliant.”
“Thanks, Ned.”
He shook his head. “I feel bloody terrible you had such a time putting the dress on. Had I known, I would have retrieved you much earlier. Then perhaps I could have assisted you?” He raised his brow slyly.
Oh, perfect. Piggy’s back. Ignoring his comment, I adjusted the bodice. My gloved fingers slid over the sleek fabric. I had to admit he was right about the fit of the gown. The polonaise-style Victorian ball gown was a piece of art and gave me better posture than a runway model. It pushed my boobs up and squeezed my waist dramatically. My body never looked better. It was kind-of funny though… I had always thought this style of dress would be preferable to my skinny jeans, but not so much.
The shoes were a different story altogether. Ned assured me they were called slippers. However, I dubbed them toe-terrors that crushed each and every one of my toes with each step I took. They were worse than my new super tight pair of Betsey Johnson peep-toe pumps—Slippers my ass!
Ned’s eyes boldly found their way back to my cleavage. I wanted to say, Gee, Ned, could you be more obvious? Then I remembered my “borrowed” necklace. Did he know I was lying about it? No, he never saw the gentleman who brought it in. Still, I didn’t want to chance it so I quickly brought up another subject. “So Ned, what is this I hear about some legend, the one with the Knight?”
“Ah, yes, the legend,” he said brightly, warming to his subject. “Well, if I understand correctly, the original part of the home was built in Arthurian times. In the daylight, you can see the tower room and of course, the battlements. However, as time passed, each owner added something to it. As you will soon see, there is a great deal of Gothic influence in the architecture, very dark and foreboding.”
“This place really is old as dirt.”
Ned laughed. “Your word choices always give me a good chuckle Katherine.”
I smiled. I couldn’t help it, his puppy face was back. “I have to say Ned, it certainly looks creepy.”
“Well, if you think it is creepy now, just you wait until you see the inside,” he warned. “And as far as the infamous legend is concerned, there are so many variations, no one truly knows what to believe.” He moved a bit closer and lowered his voice as if he were about to divulge a great secret. “The one most often repeated is about the first knight, the Raven Knight. Ravenhurst is…was his home. He had fought in many battles and won favor with the King. He was both feared and revered. No opposition could rival the Raven Knight and his men in battle. The very skies would turn black as he and his men would swoop in and waylay their opponents every time.” He waved his hand. “And then, just as suddenly they disappeared and the darkness receded,” he said ominously. “Throughout time, many speculated that he had a necromancer helping him with the outcome of the battle. He never lost you see.”
“What is a necromancer?” I shivered and rubbed my arms.
“A necromancer is simply another word for witch, conjuror, or partaker of the dark arts,” Ned said dismissively.
“What?” I gaped at him. “That’s the legend? The Knight never lost a battle and he may or may not have had help from darker influences?” Shaking my head, I was not quite able to figure out what the big deal was. The story was interesting, but seriously, that was a lot of hoopla for a lot of nothing.
Ned leaned forward, and glanced at his reflection in the window. He dug something out of his front tooth and then turned back around. “Sorry about that.” He wrinkled his face. “I love sushi but the seaweed seems to linger.” He chuckled again and shrugged his shoulders. “What did you ask?” He lifted his finger. “Oh yes, I remember…” he lowered his voice, “it’s the treasure.”
“What treasure?” I leaned in.
“Shush Katherine…”
Ned pressed his fingers to my mouth.
“Someone may hear you,” he rushed out in a frantic whisper. “The one everyone has been looking for. It is hidden somewhere within the walls of Ravenhurst. If found, it could enable the possessor to have unimaginable power.” He lifted his fingers and stared at them for a moment. Then he rubbed them back and forth.
It was my turn to freak… or I would have if I wasn’t in repulsed shock. What in the hell was he doing? Gross.
The car stopped abruptly and I pitched forward.
“This is us,” Ned said excitedly and turned to exit the car.
I glared at his back as he climbed out. Ned better hope I didn’t find the treasure of Ravenhurst because if I did, I was going to turn his ass into a toad for touching my mouth with his smelly, tooth-dirt fingers. He was lucky the car stopped.
KEY ONE
There was a slight pile up on the stairs of Ravenhurst. I held tightly to my ‘borrowed’ amulet, waiting in line. Gargoyles loomed above the massive entryway. I felt as though they were watching my every move. I shivered in spite of the heat comin
g off the other guests.
Finally, the line began to move and we were both ushered through the open doorway of Ravenhurst. I gave one of the gargoyles a sidelong glance as I passed it and made my way into the foyer.
The floor was gorgeous. Black and white checkered marble tiles covered the expanse, polished so brightly the lights above reflected and sparkled across the surface. I leaned back and looked up at the spectacular wrought iron and crystal, Gothic-style chandelier. To my right, there was a huge winding staircase that led up to a second level landing. It continued further back, but I couldn’t see beyond.
“Did you know white was not even considered a fashionable color for a wedding gown until Queen Victoria wore it at her wedding?” Ned grabbed my elbow and steered me around a group of people who stopped to admire one of the statues.
“Is that true?” I sidestepped a potted plant.
“Yes. It is true.” Ned pulled me towards a passing waiter. “The color meant the bride was coming to the marriage penniless.”
“Seriously?” We came to an abrupt halt in front of a group of people hovering around a uniformed waiter. Even from the back of the crowd, I could see his tray was piled high with delicious looking pastries.
“Yes, I am serious. Even the gown I lent you was meant to be a wedding gown.”
“Why would you say that?” I rubbed the crick in my neck from staring at the chandelier too long.
“The craftsmanship gave it away. That dress took a very long time to make. I do find the color of the gown an interesting choice for the bride though. Red signified she wished herself dead, so unfortunately, I don’t think it was a love match.” He shook his head sadly. “Poor dear.”
A chill slithered up my spine and my mouth popped open. Oh, just perfect. I’m wearing a gown from a girl that wanted herself dead and I had to borrow a necklace made for a knight by who knows what, to bring his lost love back. A wave of dread washed over me. I was getting a bad feeling about this.
A Knight Such as This: Enhanced with Interactive Content: (Time Travel Romance) Book 1 & 2 (Ravenhurst Series) Page 2
