A Knight Such as This: Enhanced with Interactive Content: (Time Travel Romance) Book 1 & 2 (Ravenhurst Series)

by Lorraine Beaumont

  Sebastian swung his head around at the noise.

  “Sorry,” I mumbled embarrassed as my face heated.

  “No problem.” He did not know what he expected but the girl in front of him now was not who he remembered in the least. No, she looked beautiful, breathtaking even. Funny, he could not remember her ever looking so lovely before, or so grown up. He inclined his head toward one of the chairs in front of the fire.

  “Please sit,” he instructed and pushed away from the mantle. “I see you made your way here unaided.” He walked casually toward the sideboard across the room. “I will admit I had wondered if you would remember. It has been some time.” He looked over his shoulder when she did not say anything. “Would you care for a drink?”

  A crease formed between my brows. Been sometime… what? Why were these people talking to me like I lived here? First the maid and now him…I shivered in spite of the heated flush that was spreading over my body from the door incident. “Ah… yeah…sure, that would be nice, thank you,” my voice shook slightly, and I pressed my now freezing fingers to my hot face. It was like my body was at odds with itself.

  Stop it. Stop it. I was psyching myself out. While his back was turned, I hurried over to the chair he indicated and sat down. I sat up as straight as I could and put my hands on the arms of the chair. It didn’t feel right. I lowered my hands to my lap. That didn’t feel right either but I kept them there. It was uncomfortable though. The gown was squeezing my belly and I couldn’t breathe right.

  Sebastian picked up the decanter and poured two hefty splashes of scotch into a pair of glasses. He took longer than necessary. His mind conjuring an image of her body, the way it had looked earlier in the sun, through the transparency of her gown which left nothing to the imagination. Not like the gown she was wearing now. He shook himself. Damn. What was he thinking about that for?

  In his own defense, it had been a while since he had been with a woman. He turned away from the sideboard, and carried the glasses across the room, vowing to remedy that problem very soon. He held out the glass to her and gave her what he hoped was a reassuring smile. He was not sure why he felt he needed to do that but she did look a bit skittish. Actually, she reminded him of his prize filly… beautiful, but easily spooked. And that was the last thing he wanted to do. He needed her.

  I tried to smile at him but it came out looking more wary than friendly. Reaching out, I took the proffered glass. “Thank you.” I immediately lifted the heavy crystal glass to my mouth and took a large gulp… too large. The liquor burned… bad. My eyes teared up but I forced myself to swallow anyway. It was either that or I was going to spit the liquor back out all over the front of my gown or his shirt. I leaned forward, set the glass heavily down on the table, and fanned my face.

  “Yes, it does have a hefty kick.” He took a small sip, watching her over the rim of his glass as her face turned several shades of red. Lowering his glass, a rare smiled tugged at the corners of his mouth. “Are you all right?”

  I wheezed. “I’m good. Gre… at…”

  He pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket and held it out to me.

  Taking the starched linen from his outstretched hand, I wiped my tearing eyes and then looked up at him.

  Immediately I wanted to cover my face again. His perfect face was an unreadable mask. He probably thought I was an idiot. I smiled tentatively up at him, neatly folded the fine white linen handkerchief, and handed it back to him.

  “No, you keep it,” he said, his dark gray eyes glittering with amusement.

  I balled the handkerchief.

  “Are you better? Would you like some water perhaps?” he asked and then took a sip of his drink.

  “Oh, no, I am fine. I just did not know this stuff was so strong.” I lifted the drink back off the table and held it in the air.

  He shrugged his broad shoulders. “It is an acquired taste.”

  I wondered who in the hell would want to acquire a taste for this crap. But thinking that didn’t stop me from taking another nervous sip. This time it only burned a little bit. I would have asked for water but I knew what that tasted like… crap. And my stomach still didn’t feel too good. No, I would suffer through the liquor.

  “So…,” I cleared my throat and set the glass back down. “Are there any guests leftover from the party? Or am I the only one who overstayed their welcome?” I forced out a laugh, hoping he would reassure me that was not the case.

  “Party?” He lifted his brow. “What party are you speaking of?”

  My stomach clenched. “The one that was held here last night…” I said. His face was void of expression. “For the Preservation Ball?” My voice rose an octave.

  His eyes narrowed. “There was no party here last night, or any other night in the recent past… well… at least, not since you left,” he said, his deep voice barely audible.

  “What?” I sat forward in the chair. “I never left. I am still here. What are you talking about?” I was feeling more unsettled by the moment. What in the hell was this man speaking of?

  “I am talking about when you left me standing at the altar,” he said. His annoyance was very clear as he looked at me in disbelief. “Come now, do you really expect me to believe you can not remember?” he commented snidely, anger flashing in his eyes.

  “I did no such thing.” Taking a breath, I tried to calm down, even though I didn’t know why I was suddenly so angry. It must have been his crappy tone. “With your attitude, I can see why, though,” I muttered under my breath.

  “I’m sorry, what did you just say?” Sebastian was not sure if he heard her right.

  Immediately, I regretted my words. “Listen, I do not mean to be disrespectful, but, as I said, I came here last night with a friend. I guess he decided to leave me here so he could go off with this other girl…” I trailed off when I saw his face.

  It all became painfully clear to Sebastian. He was right. She had been with another, used and tossed aside. And now, what was he supposed to do? Marry her? If he refused, he would lose everything. He took another long pull of his drink.

  I started to feel sorry for him. His jaw clenched as though something or someone was inflicting great pain upon him and if I wasn’t mistaken that person was me. But I didn’t understand the how’s or why’s. So I tried to placate him. Standing, I reached over, placed my hand on his sleeve, and patted it gently. “I am sure he will be back for me soon, so try not to worry too much. I’ll be gone before you know it.”

  Cold rage filled his eyes. “Like hell you will!” he roared.

  The back of my legs pressed up against the chair as I took a reflexive step back.

  He ran his hands over his face and then lowered them. “Sorry.” He shook his head his dark hair fell across his brow.

  “It’s okay.” I sat back down.

  “No it is not.” He paced back and forth in front of me and then sat in the chair across from me again. “I do not know how to explain this to you…” he said, pausing, carefully considering his next words. “ As far as I am concerned, you made your own bed. You came back to me, whether by your own design or someone else’s….” He waited a beat, thinking she would defend herself, tell him that was not the case. But she did not. Something twisted deep inside his belly. He raked his hand through his hair. “Actually, I do not really give a damn either way.” He exhaled and looked pointedly at me. “You are going to marry me and after that, I could care less what you do. Do you understand?”

  Suddenly very afraid, I nodded in submission. He was out of his freaking mind. What in the hell was he going on about? Marry him? Had I not known better, I might think he was jealous. He certainly looked jealous. How in the hell could he be jealous when he only just met me?

  Okay, so maybe there had been a moment earlier in the room, but really, it was only for a moment. Besides, it was not as if he couldn’t call me at some point, granted he was acting a little out there but maybe he was just confused or stopped taking his medication… perfect.
Maybe I wasn’t that desperate, what a shame though, all that gorgeousness going on and he was probably crazier than a loon.

  “Good, I am glad you understand.”

  I reached over and grabbed my glass. The crystal felt almost warm on my freezing fingers as my eyes slid instinctively back to his face. He was so… I wanted to give him a hug and tell him everything was going to be fine. I was being stupid but I didn’t know why I was so unaccountably drawn to him, but then again I didn’t have the best track record picking guys. Crazy or not, he did seem familiar. But why? And what was with all the period attire? He was a lot like the man from my work that showed up with the necklace. He seemed so…

  A cold sweat broke out on my face. The gentlemen’s voice echoed through my mind… “If you wear this necklace when the moon is full and the stars align just right… otherworldly things will happen.”

  Oh, no, no, no… I looked about the room, which was an exact replica of a Victorian library. My mind balked. No, it couldn’t be the necklace. If I believed that then I might as well start believing in Vampires, the sparkly ones, and why not toss in a wolf or two as well. Heck, if I was going to start buying into all that… I may as well go all in.

  Besides, he was probably just some crazy eccentric, anyway. Nothing wrong with that… I tried to tell myself but my mind had other ideas as it started to taunt me again…. He thinks you are his missing soon to be bride… okay so that is weird. Weirder still… what happened to her? She probably ran off with a stable lad… My overactive imagination was in full swing now. I went to a party… got sloshed, and woke up where? What were the odds I happened upon a delectable man, dressed as if he should be in some kind of reenactment troupe, yelling at me because he thought I was another person?

  I rubbed my fingers back and forth on the arm of the chair nervously. He stopped pacing at least. Now he was running his hand through his hair making it stand on end. I had a sudden urge to fix it. The muscle in his jaw was tight; he looked so upset.

  I tried to rationalize his actions. What if he was convinced I was this other girl? If he thought that, then I must be her twin. And, if I was her twin, what happened to the real girl? I reached out to the table and picked up the glass. This time I welcomed the burn as I gulped the rest of the drink down. I shakily extended the glass out. “May I have another?”

  “Of course.” He inclined his head, took the glass, and walked back over to the sideboard.

  As I watched him from across the room, I was finding it hard to believe he was insane. Maybe after a couple of nights in Bedlam, he would be right as rain.

  Ned once told me that was where Victorian gentlemen liked to put women when they were suffering from PMS (premenstrual syndrome). Luckily, Bedlam was not an option now. If I was around during the Victorian England time frame, I’m sure I would have been sent off in a one-way carriage ride to that place in the not too distant future. I really needed to get the hell out of here… but how. I looked around the room. The fire hissed and made a crackling noise.

  There was no phone, television, or even a computer. The chandelier was gas lit, if I was not mistaken. Okay fine, so maybe there were a few people who really got into historical accuracy, but really, nothing from modern day. Nope, way too much.

  Sebastian walked back towards her, scrutinizing her movements. She looked like she was about to bolt straight out of her seat. He wondered if she would run, and if she did what could he do to stop her. He would be damned if he let her go before he got what he needed, which was a bride, and not just any bride either. Only she would do, thanks to his aunt and that damned codicil.

  Controlling his features, he got his emotions in check. He did not want to frighten her. The last thing he wanted to do was tie her up, but if it came down to it, he would. Of this, he was certain. “Here you go.” He handed off her drink and gave her a small smile, meant to reassure.

  “Thank you.” I took the glass and immediately drank another large sip.

  Sebastian resumed his silent vigil in front of the fire. Normally, he never lost control. He was better than that. But she was acting so strange, but then again the last time he saw her he thought the very same thing.

  Who knows, mayhap the blow to her head made her invent things that had not really happened? He read that head injuries could cause all sorts of hallucinations, waking nightmares and such. He also knew people were sent to Bedlam to recover from their maladies, but had yet to hear of one person who actually returned. He certainly hoped that would not be the case with Marguerite… or did he?

  Now that was a thought. He could marry her and send her off to Bedlam! Why not? It would take care of his problem, would it not? Now that was something to ponder...

  An overwhelming urge came over me to bolt from the room. Sitting in one place and not moving was beginning to freak me out. My mind was spinning uncontrollably. Setting down the glass, I pushed out of the chair and stood. Sneaking peeks at him from under my lashes, I picked back up my drink and casually walked toward the window. With a shaking hand, I pulled the curtain aside that was a dark burnished color and reminded me of the fabric on the bed. It was probably velvet. My hands were sweating, I was so nervous. Casually, I dragged my hand down the curtain and wiped the sweat off on the fabric.

  There was not much to see out the window with the lights on in the room, I saw more of my own reflection than what was outside. It was too dark. Pressing in closer, I tried to see some kind of light off in the horizon that would normally light up some part of the night sky. That was odd.

  When I arrived with Ned, there were lights everywhere. I especially enjoyed the view of the village in the distance, like twinkling stars in the night. I looked up at the sky. There was not a cloud in sight. Something was definitely wrong…very, very, wrong, with this entire situation.

  XII

  It was too quiet. Releasing the curtain, the fabric swished back against the wooden floor. “Nice place you have here.” I walked over to the desk and set my glass down on the polished surface of the wood. A copy of SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN dated over one hundred years ago was open on top. The paper was pristine, the ink vibrant. I flipped a few pages, noting how crisp they felt, like new. In this particular copy, steam locomotives were recently invented.

  I cleared my throat and looked cautiously towards his back. He was still facing the fire, but I had a feeling he knew exactly where I was the entire time. “So what are your feelings on the new steam locomotive systems?” I asked on a whim, expecting him to laugh and say it happened over a hundred years ago.

  Sebastian turned slightly, his expressive gray eyes rounded in surprise. It was not every day a woman wanted to discuss such marvels. He turned fully, warming to the subject and inclined his head in her direction. “I see you have found the journal. It is all quite fascinating, really. Imagine using steam engines as a way to traverse all over the countryside. I have to say, I have found myself, as well as many others who have great hopes for the future with this new form of transportation…”

  He continued, but I stopped listening. I didn’t need to, not after having seen firsthand the expression of excitement that lit up his face as he spoke about traversing the countryside in a… train—A train? Good Lord, what would he do if I asked about a plane? Gulping air, I tried to take a breath and walked in a trance-like state over to the floor to ceiling bookcase on the wall. Rows of leather-embossed books with gilded pages lined the shelves. I pulled one out and looked inside, hoping it was Easton Press, or something similar. That was not the case though. Each book I pulled out had an even earlier copyright than the last, all before the nineteen hundreds. Some even had Roman Numerals, which predated copyrights, and yet, they looked as new as the hundred-year-old Scientific Journal I had just read. All of the books were in impeccable condition, no yellowing, no spine damage, not even an earmark.

  The more I looked at the things in the room, the more unsettled I became. The house may have been historically accurate, but shouldn’t there have been something from
the modern day around the room? Or in the room where I was staying, somewhere? Nothing even remotely came close to modern day conveniences. The longer I thought about it, the stronger my unease grew.

  Everything was from the past. Looking across the room at him, leaning against the mantel, I knew somehow that he was not from modern day either. His look, mannerisms, choice of words, and everything about him were gentle reminders of a forgotten time.

  My knees gave out. To steady myself, I grabbed hold of the desk and ran my hand across the polished wood, the burled mahogany a vibrant orange. It was perfect as well… not a ding, dent, or scratch marring the surface…, which was almost impossible on a piece this old. It had to be a reproduction, even though, somehow, I knew it wasn’t.

  My face felt hot. I pulled myself along the desk, holding on as I made my way back to the sideboard. I took a shaky breath and refilled my glass. Mindful of his watchful eyes, I downed it in one gulp. I didn’t care, not one wit. It was either that or I was going to lose it, completely.

  The strange gentleman’s warnings about the necklace echoed in my mind again, along with Ned’s words about the treasure of Ravenhurst. Were they connected? Did the damn dress have something to do with it? I discarded that notion as quickly as another entered my mind. It was the necklace. The blood-red stone, was that the treasure? Oh no! What have I done?

  The glass clanked loudly against the wood on the desk as I set it down. As he turned towards me, I gauged the distance to the door. Gathering my skirts in my hand, I walked quickly across the room as my mind screamed, “Get out before it’s too late,” but I had nowhere to go.