Back home, she would have walked across the street to the ocean and spent the whole day lazing in the sun. Even in the fall there would be a few warm days before the weather turned cold for good.
When she woke now it was cold in the morning. Lucy reached up, touching fingertips to her lips. She and William had been inseparable. He walked her to her room every night, kissed her good night then pushed her inside, closing the door. Some nights she heard him pacing back and forth before he went to his own chamber.
It was nice not to worry about him having expectations. Wanting more than she was willing to give right away. Everyone was in a hurry. Hurry and date, find a husband, hurry to work, hurry to activities. It was exhausting just thinking about the pace of life she’d left behind.
Lucy finished packing the picnic basket. Thomas appeared with blankets draped over his arm and a smile on his face. There were three other men behind him. Lucy shook her head. She still couldn’t get over the fact she had her own personal guard.
A few nights ago William came back from riding with a long scratch down the side of his face. He told her a tree fell in front of them. When they looked at the tree it was obvious someone cut it to make it fall on purpose. So it seemed the mysterious traitor was still at work. Her money was on Clement. But since she couldn’t prove it, she’d quit nagging William. He wasn’t ready to believe his childhood friend would betray him. Not that she could blame him. But she’d found out the hard way how easy it was for one person to hurt another.
Thomas made that sound only men seemed able to form in the back of his throat. It told her he was annoyed that she was taking so long without him saying a word. Since ending up in medieval England, she’d found herself staring off into space thinking, a lot.
“I think that’s everything. Let’s go.” She handed the baskets to the men and grabbed her cloak.
Outside, more men stood around fidgeting, waiting for her. They made a large group, and for a moment she wondered if she had packed enough to eat. Doing a few quick calculations in her head, she nodded. She’d over-packed but was certain they’d eat it all. The men could put away enormous amounts of food and still look like they’d spent all their time in a gym.
They made their way down to the sheltered cove. The sun was shining, and though the day was warmer than last week, Lucy shivered, the breeze off the water making her feel chilly. She wrapped the cloak more tightly around her and let William lead her over to a flat rock where he’d spread out a blanket.
“Did you swim in the sea…back home?
“I learned to swim when I was very small. We lived by the ocean.”
“The place called Holden Beach?”
She handed him a few blackberries. After what had happened with Alan and Simon, she couldn’t eat the berries at first. But her love for the delicious berries overcame her ick factor. They were almost gone and she would miss the taste. They tasted so different from the ones she’d eaten home in North Carolina.
“Yes. My sisters and I loved to spend the day at the beach. But we dressed differently. People put on bathing suits—small pieces of cloth—and spend the day sitting in the sun and swimming in the water.”
She saw the look on his face and started to laugh.
“You think it’s scandalous when I wear your tunic and hose, you should see what people wear in my time.”
She described a bikini to him and watched the looks cross his face. A couple of the men nearby were listening, and she could see them picturing all that bare skin on display.
“I cannot believe so many women walk around wearing so little,” William said. He pulled her against a rock to block the wind. Then he rested his head in her lap. She ran her fingers through his dark brown hair. There were pieces the color of honey, some more golden and a few auburn. He had hair color a hairdresser would kill to recreate.
Albin explored the small tidal pools around the cove, occasionally running over to show them something he’d found. Some of the men dozed while the others kept watch.
“Ladies do not take husbands?” William sounded perplexed. “Who protects them?”
She thought about how to answer the question. “In my time ladies are equal to men. They hold jobs, make their own money, decide if they want to have children or not. Even if they want to marry or not.”
She took his hand in hers, tracing the scars across the back.
“As to protection. Things are different. In some ways life is much easier. Women go to work in offices. They drive cars… The horseless carriages I told you about. And I was going to say they don’t need protection.”
Lucy stroked his cheek and touched his crooked nose. “But so many terrible things happen in my world. Maybe they do need protection.”
“Do you miss your time terribly?” William asked softly.
His men were far enough away not to hear the conversation.
“There are some things I miss. Like the convenience of being able to go into a shop and buy any kind of food you want, no matter the season. Movies and books and music. But most of all I miss my sisters and aunt. I guess it doesn’t really matter what you have. Without family it’s all meaningless.”
They sat quietly, content to listen to the waves breaking against the rocks, the birds calling overhead and the men murmuring to each other. A curious seagull landed close to them, looked them over then with a squawk took to the air, looking for better offerings.
“Do you have family? I’ve never heard you talk about them,” Lucy said.
William shifted. She felt the hardness of his body, the tension running through him.
“I am all that is left of the Brandon name.” He pulled her down and kissed her, as if fortifying himself before he went on. Lucy had a momentary pang of nerves as she wondered what he was going to tell her.
“My father and mother wanted many children. But my mother became ill soon after bearing me. Illness took from her the ability to give my father any more children. She was heartbroken. And my father never forgave her. He blamed her for the illness. In time he reconciled himself to the fact he only had one son, but he never treated her with the same care. She always seemed sad. My father, the Earl of Ravenswing, tried to be a good man. He died when I was ten and away fostering with another family. He was hunting and was gored by a boar. My mother died a year later.” William looked down at Albin playing with a few of the other boys from the castle and smiled. “I always wanted brothers and sisters. Clement is the closest thing I have to a brother. So you can see why I am loath to blame him for the treachery here at Blackford.”
Lucy held his hand. “I’m sorry you lost your parents at such a young age. I was also ten when my parents were killed in a sailing accident. My sisters, Charlotte and Melinda, we were all raised by Aunt Pittypat.”
Lucy smiled thinking of her aunt. “My mother had two sisters. The three of them couldn’t have been more different. My aunt Mildred, she was very proper. Never married. And we were always afraid to sit on the furniture.”
The memories came back to Lucy so clear it was as if she were watching a movie.
“Aunt Pittypat raised my sisters and I.” Lucy laughed, causing a few of William’s men and her own guard to look over before they went back to keeping watch.
“Everyone here would call her a witch. She liked to dance outside by the light of the moon. She believes in ghosts and spirits and thought nothing of talking to my parents every day after their death.” Lucy stared out over the water, picturing her aunt.
“Every Friday night we got to stay up all night and hang out with my aunt and her friends. She had the most interesting friends.”
Lucy savored the warmth from William’s body as the afternoon turned colder. “On our birthdays, she would wake us up in the middle of the night. We would get up and go down to the kitchen where we would have cake. We all liked a different kind of cake. Mine was angel food with cream cheese frosting.”
Seeing the question on his face she said, “You like the sugar cookies I made?
You would go to war for angel food cake with cream cheese frosting.”
Knowing she’d never see any of them again brought the familiar pang of hurt, but today, for the first time, it wasn’t so bad as to take her breath away. In time she hoped the pain would lessen to the point she could speak of them fondly without wanting to cry her eyes out.
“Would you tell me about your sisters?” William asked.
Albin ran over. “I’m hungry. Can we eat now?”
William laughed and sat up. “I think you will grow as tall as my knights as much as you eat, young Albin.”
He called the men over and Lucy set out a picnic for everyone. “I’ll tell you about Melinda and Charlotte tonight.”
They passed a pleasant afternoon together. Getting to know each other better. Maybe she had been sent back because this was where she was supposed to be? Maybe the gypsy was right.
The minstrels moved on to another town, so it was quiet after dinner. Lucy sat in a chair in front of the fire with William beside her. With the basket of yarn in her lap she decided to make scarves for the rest of the villagers. It was relaxing to sit by the fire crocheting, listening to the men talking. Knowing William didn’t expect anything of her. She didn’t have to worry about how she looked or acted. He seemed to like her just the way she was.
Since William liked the scarf, expressed delight at how soft and warm it was, she decided to crochet him an afghan for Christmas.
Christmas. It was almost the first day of fall. And while she had tried to go home many more times, nothing ever happened. So maybe she was meant to be here for whatever reason. She was happy. Happier than she’d been in a very long time. Maybe the happiest she’d ever been.
She didn’t know what would happen if she found out she could go home. Would she make the choice to leave? Would she stay here with the man she had fallen in love with?
Life in medieval England had a certain rhythm. One she was finding suited her perfectly.
Things were different in this time, though. She was a nobody and William was rich and titled. Would it matter if he married a nobody? Of course, it wasn’t like he’d asked her or anything, she was just thinking.
Knowing he believed her, accepted her for who she was. It was enough. Lucy found herself looking forward to seeing him. Wondering what he was doing when he wasn’t with her. Was happy sitting next to him in companionable silence. Loved watching him train in the lists, seeing the smile on his face when he walked into a room and caught sight of her.
This was what a relationship was supposed to be like, she thought with a smile.
Chapter Twenty-Three
“My lord, ’tis time to question the steward. A messenger was seen leaving the castle with letters from Clement.” Wymund stood before William, a grave look on his face.
“Clement sends many messages. He’s trying to gain support to win back favor with the king and have his lands returned. A messenger coming or going does not mean he’s plotting.”
What was his childhood friend up to? Was it merely trying to win back his home, or something more unwholesome? Over the past several months he’d been watching Clement. Out of favor with the king meant he was also out of favor with many of the nobles. His pride damaged when he was banished from court, his friend now wanted only to whore, drink and sleep the day away. Naming him steward had not made matters better, only worse. But if he left Blackford, Clement would have nowhere to go. No one to take him in. William was his last hope. Mayhap ’twas why Clement didn’t have the inclination to do anything else except eat through William’s larder.
The thought of losing his title, lands and gold made William take a deep breath. How far would he be willing to go to win back what was his? He knew if he were Clement, he would never stop trying. Therefore, William would not condemn the man without proof.
Lucy said a man named Grey owned his castle in the future. The man told her his ancestor took the castle by force. William scoffed, imagining Clement trying to take the castle by force. Likely he would brandish a leg of mutton in one hand, a tankard of ale in the other and be distracted by a comely wench. No. It was not him. He would look to his borders. Discover which nobles wished him ill. Georgina’s cousin inhabited a castle to the west. Close enough to Blackford that the earl could strike at him. He wanted William dead.
“Take a small contingent of men and scout the lands to the west. The earl may be making mischief.”
“Yes, my lord. We will leave immediately. I have received word from the man I sent. The messenger is with his mistress enjoying her favors. We will find out what the letters are about.” His captain turned to go then stopped.
“William?”
His captain rarely called him by his given name, though William had given him leave to do so after all they had been through together. He had a feeling he was not going to like what the man had to say.
“I’ve grown rather fond of mistress Lucy. With the number of women in the castle, she is bound to hear whispers.”
He hesitated, clearly uncomfortable. “Tell her about Georgina. She should hear the tale from you, especially if her cousin is causing trouble.”
William scowled. “I love her. I plan to make her my lady. There is no need to tell her about my wife.”
Was he making the right decision in not telling her? After what she had been through with Simon, William knew she would leave him if she heard the tale.
He decided he would spend the rest of the day in the lists where things made sense. Striding into the courtyard, he passed Clement. “Care to join me in the lists?”
Clement made a face. “Nay, I have matters requiring my attention.”
“As you wish.” William’s mood lifted as he inhaled the salty air. History changed as time passed. Mayhap events had not happened as Lucy thought. There were always plots afoot. This was a mere distraction. He would marry her, and they would have many children and be happy. A Brandon would live in Blackford in her time. He looked around, pleased with the work taking place. Blackford would not fall to ruin. It would stand and defend.
As his love for her would endure.
Lucy pulled on the wrist warmers she’d crocheted. They were a lovely heather-gray color. She loved the smell of fall. For a moment she wondered if she could figure out how to make marshmallows. There was nothing like roasting a marshmallow over an open fire. The blackened, crispy skin, the mushy center. Heaven. She would experiment in the kitchen and see what she could come up with.
Norbert was bent over a chair he was working on. She smiled to see it looked like her chaise. “Are you making that for Lord Blackford?”
The carpenter turned to her with a smile on his face. “He is very taken with your chair, my lady. I am making one for him and for Wymund as well.” The blacksmith’s brother pointed to the legs of the chair. “I carved ravens on the wood. Been seeing them around the castle.”
The detailed work was exquisite. “They’ll love them. You do beautiful work.”
The man ducked his head, embarrassed. She pulled the scarf out of her pocket. The wool was a dark brown and would look good against the red of his beard and hair. She handed it to him. Norbert took the scarf, holding it out, a confused look on his face.
“You wrap it around your neck, like this.” She took the scarf from him and demonstrated around her neck.
She handed it back to him. He wrapped it around his neck.
“’Tis very comfortable and warm, my lady. I thank you.”
Lucy blew a lock of hair out of her face. She’d left it down to keep her neck warm. There was one person who was not getting a scarf for Christmas. You only made gifts for people you liked. If she could give him coal, she would. Clement grated on her nerves. He might have William fooled, but not her. She was convinced he was behind all the near misses.
If she stayed here permanently, she didn’t want him living under the same roof. Didn’t trust him as far as she could throw him. He snuck around like some of the rats she’d seen in the barn.
/> One of her men walked toward her. Something wriggled under his cloak.
“One of the cats in the village had kittens. I thought you might like one.” He pulled a tiny bundle of fur out of his cloak. The kitten blinked up at her with solid gold eyes. Its coat was beautiful, a dark gray that reminded her of the sea.
The man looked nervous for a moment. “I know some folk fear cats. Cats are good for catching rats and mice. We have a fair number of vermin roaming around.”
“Thank you. He’s beautiful. Is it a he?”
The man brightened. “’Tis a male, my lady.”
Lucy cradled the kitten in her arms. The tiny furry animal promptly stretched out in the crook of her arm and went to sleep. He was absolutely adorable. “I think I shall call him Thor.”
The man shook his head. “”Tis a grand name to live up to.”
“I think Thor will live up to his name.” She carried the kitten into the castle. How quickly did kittens start catching mice? It wasn’t like she had a bag of kitten chow she could feed him. She’d have to ask her guard what to feed the kitten. The kitten purred and Lucy felt her heart swell. It seemed she was becoming more and more a part of daily life here in medieval England.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Today was the start of his new life. By now the messenger Clement sent to the king should have reached the court. And when guards arrived to arrest William for treason, it would be too late. Poor Lord Blackford would have fallen over the battlements and met his death. His broken body found on the rocks by his loyal men.
Once Clement had the royal decree granting him Blackford, he would dismiss the men who served under William. Find his own men, loyal to him. And get rid of all the girls. He wanted plump, tasty wenches around the castle.
Clement watched Wymund and a small band of knights ride out of the castle. He waited until he was sure they were far enough away, then made his way to the battlements. “Sound the alarm. Scots at the far gate.”
A Knight to Remember: Merriweather Sisters Time Travel (Merriweather Sisters Time Travel Romance Book 1) Page 16
