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

by Lorraine Beaumont

  Judith stumbled back.

  Devlin bent over and braced his hands on his thighs, trying to catch a breath. He lifted his head and ran his hands down his face. “She will run straight to Ravenhurst.” He barked out a bitter laugh of defeat. “Now what in the hell do we do, Judith?”

  “We?” she asked in appalled shock. “I told you we needed to get rid of her, but you wanted her to sign those blasted papers. I knew you were taking a chance,” she accused, walking towards him and dashing her hand through the air. She lifted her finger and pressed it into his chest. “But no… you,” she stressed the word and poked him again with her finger. “You can not do anything my way?” She poked her finger into his chest once again. “Can you?” Her voice turned shriller by the moment. “No, you can never do anything right, can you Devlin?” she railed once more, completely missing the look that fell over his face.

  Devlin stood there, his blood pumping through his veins as he clenched his hands into fists.

  Judith finally caught his look and tried to backtrack. “Please do not be angry with me,” she implored. “Let’s take the money we have and leave this place before she ever reaches Ravenhurst. We can go abroad, make a new life with new identities. It worked before, why not again?”

  Devlin felt like he was suffocating, and she was not helping. He tried to step away from her but she held fast to his arm. “Judith, let go of me.” His voice held an icy edge.

  “Please, Devlin, let us leave now.” She petted his arm.

  Finally, Devlin could not take it anymore. She was driving him mad with her insipid ways. “Judith, let me go.”

  “No, Devlin… please… I said I was sorry.”

  “What for Judith? Letting Isabelle escape? Almost killing Marguerite? Or are you sorry you ever became involved with me?”

  Judith’s temper flared as soon as she heard Marguerite’s name. She stepped into his face. “So, we are back to that little bitch, again. What in the hell is wrong with you, Devlin? Open your eyes… that girl thinks you are a rutting stag for her guardian, nothing more. I can not believe how stupid you are. She does not care for you, never has. And yet you still drool all over her like some lovesick puppy dog. You are pathetic,” she scathed.

  Devlin could not take it. He had enough of her verbal abuse to last a lifetime. An image of him as a young child flashed in his mind. His own mother screaming at him, telling him was pathetic, and that he would never be anything. He lost it. He tried to pass Judith but she stepped in his way. He grabbed hold of her shoulders and violently tossed her body away from his. He had to get out of the house, he could not breathe.

  Judith slammed face first into the wall and fell to the ground, stopping Devlin as he tried to exit. A trickle of blood slid down her chin from where she must have bit the inside of her mouth. She lifted her finger and looked at it. “I am bleeding,” she complained, sounding surprised.

  Devlin clenched his hands together as he paced back and forth in front of her. He gave her a look full of loathing. “Now see what you made me do? I told you to shut your mouth… I have to think. But no, you can not listen, can you? You never listen, do you, Judith?” he repeated her own words back to her.

  Judith narrowed her eyes and used the sleeve of her gown to wipe the blood from her mouth. She went too far and now there would be no pacifying him, at least not this day. She needed to get the hell out of here while she was still in one piece. She knew what men were capable of when they were provoked. She had always thought Devlin was different, but obviously, he was not.

  Devlin stopped pacing. He ran his hand through his hair, pulling at it, in frustration and then he began to laugh. It was a small chuckle at first and then it became louder as the last grains of his sanity appeared to slip away.

  “You do realize, Judith, we will hang from the gallows for sure now,” he stated simply. He pulled at his jacket sleeve and then tugged on the cuff of his shirt. “Well, there is nothing to do now, I suppose,” he said the latter with a candor he did not feel. Truly, he was past feeling. Why bother? He walked purposefully over to the sideboard and poured himself a drink. He lifted the glass, tossed the contents back, and poured another, thinking he may as well enjoy it while it lasted.

  Judith felt the inescapability of the situation and began to take pity on the man that was more than a bedfellow to her. At times, she felt as though they were truly destined for one another. She cleared her throat, cautiously gauging his reaction to her next words.

  “Devlin, surely she has not gotten very far. It is cold and getting late. Besides the cold, she has to make her way through the snow as well. It must be weighing heavily on her skirts by now.”

  “What did you say?”

  “I said it was getting dark.”

  “Not that, JUDITH!” he said, quickly getting frustrated again. “I meant the last thing you said.”

  “I do not know what you are asking me.” Judith leaned further back against the wall.

  Devlin squeezed his glass as he tried to control his growing ire again and stalked purposefully towards his quarry with slow deliberation. Kneeling down, he took her chin in his hand and looked directly into her eyes. “How long?” he asked slowly, his voice coming out unnaturally calm.

  “How long what, Devlin?” Judith mumbled past his fingers.

  He slowed his words, articulating each one. “How. Long. Has. Isabelle. Been. Gone.?”

  “I really can not say.”

  Devlin pushed her away in disgust.

  Judith slid up the wall and stood, wondering if she could make a run for it. She inched closer to the doorway. “Surely it was not that long. As I said, there is snow, and if you go now, surely you can find which way she went.” Judith froze when Devlin halted his pacing.

  A slow smile crept across Devlin’s face. If he acted quickly, he may have a reprieve from the gallows after all. Grabbing a fresh bottle of liquor, he gave Judith one last, derisive look. She was pitiful. He wondered why in the hell he ever wasted his time on her.

  Devlin put on his greatcoat and hat and strode purposefully out of Hawthorne Manor and into the dark night, hoping to find Isabelle before she made it to Ravenhurst.

  FINDERS KEEPERS

  RADCLIFF MANOR

  THE Duke of Radcliff, Grayson Radcliff, wiped a wet cloth across his new houseguest’s brow. “Who are you?” he whispered, more to himself than the woman lying in his bed.

  When he discovered her on his way home from town, she was practically frozen. It was purely by chance he found her at all. If his horse had not insisted on investigating a small patch of grass sprouting from the snow, he would have never even seen her lying at the base of a tree. Her eyes shut, her brows, lashes, and hair covered with a fine dusting of snow, that made her appear like a winter princess in her very own, winter wonderland.

  Not wasting a moment, he quickly dismounted and checked her body for any signs of life. Her pulse was weak and faint at best. Gathering her up in his arms, he held her snugly against his chest, trying to give her whatever warmth he could as he remounted his horse. He carried her back to his home as quickly as the weather would permit.

  THE CRAZY THINGS THAT YOU DO

  RAVENHURST

  I DECIDED I had had it with the past. I wanted to go home and forget all about this place and its occupants. Why should I change my entire life just to help some knight I did not even know? Surely, Milford could find someone else. Stopping my pacing, I looked at the dresser, some of my vehemence fading from my rant.

  Taking a breath, I opened the bottom drawer, and took the necklace from the box. It really was beautiful. The blood-red stone sparkled in the light. The most unusual detail about the necklace was the strange little adornments resting on parts of the stone, protruding from the gold. They looked out of place somehow, not original, maybe added later, but why? I wished Amelia were around somewhere, even if she was a rude bitch at the party. At least she could probably date the piece. I searched the recesses of my mind, trying to recall anything
similar.

  The more I touched the stone, the warmer it became, and the color began to turn a deeper red with white smoke swirling within. Holding the necklace tightly, I felt a jolt run through my body while a scene unfurled in my mind with vivid clarity.

  NEW YORK CITY  PRESENT DAYFLASH

  A dark-haired girl walked down an elegant hallway, humming a light, airy tune. She was wearing a gorgeous, swirling-print dress reminiscent of vintage Pucci. Of course, it fit her like a glove. She was also wearing a pair of Christian Louboutin sling-backs, unmistakable with their bright red soles. I could spot those suckers up to a block away on the street.

  My clothes-envy switch turned on instantly. The girl’s sweet shoes echoed across the marbled floor. The scene mesmerized me until my insatiable purse-envy kicked into high gear. The girl grabbed a Kelly-green BIRKIN off the table, looked inside and pulled something out, then tossed it carelessly onto a chair.

  I cringed.

  v

  Good Lord, did that girl not realize how awesome that purse was? You don’t toss a Birkin—you set it down gently. There should be instructions on how to care for a Birkin. If the bag’s owner doesn’t abide by it, the Birkin police will come and take the bag away. And give it to someone deserving, someone like me, who would love and cherish it every day of my life.

  The purse abuser walked past a large bank of windows, giving me a brief glimpse of a city lit up in the night. The girl sighed, which vibrated deep in my ear as she walked up to a huge mirror, a tube of Chanel lipstick in her hand as she leaned forward…

  The necklace slipped from my fingers and thudded onto the floor. The unbelievable image stuck in my mind. “Who in the hell was that?”

  Good Lord, the girl in my vision with the svelte figure and the awesome clothes looked exactly like me, well, with the exception of being quite a few pounds lighter, which was just not fair. Why in the hell was I envisioning myself in an extravagant apartment in some city, model-thin? And not only did I have one heck of a body, I also had one hell of a wardrobe.

  Was that my future? Or was that someone who looked the same as I did on a really good day? Could that be Marguerite? It had to be. That was more believable than me having a svelte figure in the future.

  I barked out a hysterical laugh. I sounded like a lunatic. I was starting to think that label wasn’t so farfetched at this point. The entire situation was so outlandish, impossible, I couldn’t help but wonder if I was going crazy. I could swear I smelt the girl’s perfume lingering in the air, along with the muffled sounds of the city. I blinked hard. What was I doing, imagining in 4D? I suddenly wished I could do that all the time. Just imagine the dreams I could have. I shook my head, maybe not. I would never leave home. The entire situation was turning into a bad episode of The Twilight Zone.

  I looked down at the necklace on the carpet, the stone glowing. I turned my face away, used the bottom of my gown as a buffer, and picked up the necklace. I rushed across the room to the dresser, pulled open the drawer and tossed it into the bottom, then kicked it shut. Slowly, I backed away.

  Knock. Knock.

  I jumped.

  “Good grief.” If I didn’t stop all this jumping at every sound, I was going to give myself heart failure. Walking over to the door, I felt amped up, wired, like I had drank an entire pot of coffee.

  I smoothed my hands over my skirt, reached out, and opened the door. It creaked loudly, and a gust of cool air hit me in the face.

  “Ah…”

  “Good evening.” Sebastian leaned against the doorframe, holding a bottle of brandy and two glasses in his hand. “May I come in?” He pushed off the doorframe and entered the room without waiting for my reply.

  Casually, he walked across the room. His shirt was undone and exposed hints of his naked muscular chest.

  My mouth dropped open. His hair was damp, and wet the tops on the pristine fabric stretched across his broad shoulders. He smelled fresh and clean…. all man. I swallowed hard.

  “Marguerite…”

  “Yeah,” I said and he gave me a strange look. “Ah, I mean, err, yes.” I forgot I was supposed to be from the past.

  “Would you care for a drink before we start?”

  “Ah, um, sure.” My brow creased. Before we start.

  Sebastian poured two ample glasses of brandy.

  I noticed his hand shook slightly. Was he drunk? “So, um… I did not see you at dinner.” I reached out and took the glass when he offered it to me. My fingers touched his and just like every other time he touched me a tingle of awareness slid up my arm.

  “I actually had a bite in my chamber just a short while ago.” He took a healthy swallow of his drink.

  “That is good to hear,” I mumbled into my glass as I took a drink.

  “There is a bit of a chill in the air,” he said in an offhand manner and set his glass down on the mantle. Crouching down, he grabbed the poker beside the fireplace and jabbed it a few times against the coals. The flames jumped to life once more.

  “Yes, a bit,” I lied. Actually, if you asked me, I would say it was the opposite. My armpits were sweating and I could feel a trickle of sweat forming between my boobs.

  Sebastian straightened from the fire and leaned against the mantel. “So where were we?” He picked back up his glass.

  “Where were we?” I repeated.

  “Yes, where were we, Marguerite?” He lifted his brow. “In the library,” he elaborated, his deep voice coming out a bit brusque.

  “Wait. You expect me to just continue… that?” I couldn’t keep the shock from my voice.

  Sebastian smiled a knowing smile, quite pleased with her deductive abilities. At least, she was not stupid. “Well… yes, actually,” he said. “I was.”

  “Are you serious?”

  He raised his brow. “I see no reason to continue this cat and mouse game we are playing. It is not as if you are an unskilled innocent. We have both traveled down the path of love, have we not?”

  My mouth formed a perfect “O.” The path of love? He couldn’t be serious… could he? “I… ah… um…” I didn’t know what to say to that. Picking up the shawl off the floor, I folded it up, and placed it back on top of the back of a chair.

  “I am waiting.” His brow hitched up higher.

  “Well…” I stared at his gorgeous… absolutely perfect face. If I let my heart control my mind, I would jump at the chance to throw myself at him… right here… right now. But seriously, was that all I wanted?

  Janice, fell into bed with everyone she dated and she was still single. Obviously, that strategy was not a winning formula. A roll in the hay for one night was not what I was aiming for. Even though I wasn’t real sure what I wanted from him, but I knew it wasn’t to be used and tossed aside like forgotten leftovers from one of his savory meals. No, I was better than that and my particular meal plan did not include being discarded leftovers. I wanted more. I wanted it to mean something, and not only to me. I wanted my night with him to be remembered with pleasure, not regret.

  “Yes.” He toyed with his glass, wondering if he may have overstepped his boundaries.

  “As much as it pains me to say this, I just do not feel tonight is the night for us to travel down that particular path.”

  “I see.” Although Sebastian did not see at all. It would be different if she were an innocent. She left him at the altar. Could it be possible she did not desire him? Ridiculous. He saw with his own eyes, felt with his own body, how she responded to him. What game was she playing? Well, he was going to find out.

  Closing the distance between them, he placed his hand on her shoulder and spun her around. “At least, let me help you with your gown.”

  “Oh, ah…” I was prepared to run across the room, not trusting myself to be so close to him, but as his fingers began to undo each button of my gown, my body betrayed me. I did not want him to leave. Grabbing my hair, I pulled it out of the way, to give him better access.

  So much for my resolve. Appar
ently, I was pitiful.

  The barest whisper of his breath wafted down my neck and his deft fingers left a fiery trail as he undid each button with slow deliberation.

  “You confuse me,” he breathed, as his fingers lingered on the last button. Leaning forward, he inhaled her sweet scent, and then barely pressed his lips against the nape of her neck.

  “Well…” His lips on my neck were distracting, so were his fingers. “I confuse myself too.”

  Sebastian continued his silent assault and when she did not object, he pulled her body even closer to his. Leaning forward he lowered his mouth back down to her neck and kissed her gently….

  I found, I suddenly didn’t care if I ended up as tossed out leftovers. Seriously, who knew if I would even be here in the morning? I turned slightly and my dress slipped further down, and truth be told, I did not care about that either. Positioned in front of the mirror with him behind, leaning over me, I watched. His dark hair fell forward as his mouth teased and continued lower. When his smoldering gaze met my own, I couldn’t help shivering. It was all a bit erotic.

  “May I?” Sebastian asked, his voice gruff with desire.

  I nodded.

  He went even lower.

  “Ohm.” I tightened my hold.

  His mouth closed over my nipple. I pulled him closer. It felt so good.

  “You taste so damn sweet.” He looked up at me and his eyes smoldered in the dim light as the tips of his fingers slid slowly down my side until my gown slipped over my hips.

  I didn’t protest, like I probably should. Instead, I let my dress go and wrapped my arms more securely around his broad shoulders.