Forever Knight: Thornton Brothers Time Travel (A Thornton Brothers Time Travel Romance Book 2) (15 page)

The other two looked at her, the lust clear on their faces. Not only had she worried for her own safety, but also for Gavin’s. The men were discussing what to do with them when
he
arrived. Elizabeth had never been so glad to see the odious man.

By then her hands and feet had gone numb. She vaguely remembered Robert drawing his sword. The man falling. When she’d come back to herself, she was in a rose-scented bath, with vague memories of drooling over Robert’s abs. The bed linens weren’t the cleanest, not to mention kind of scratchy, but to her it was a five-star room. The warmth from the roaring fire was bliss. When she woke again, Robert and Gavin had gone, leaving a serving girl waiting quietly.

“I’m to help ye dress, lady.”

The girl was efficient, and while she did up the buttons, Elizabeth’s stomach growled.

“You can break your fast below—unless you wish me to bring you a tray?”

“Lead the way.”

In the short time she’d been here, she’d come to enjoy drinking warm spiced wine for breakfast. There was a hearty bowl of porridge, and she decided whenever she made it back to her own time, she would eat the stuff in the winter. It stuck to her ribs, keeping her full until lunch. No, dinner, she corrected herself. Dinner or supper. To her those words meant the evening meal, but here dinner was lunch.

On the way outside to look for Robert, she caught sight of the innkeeper’s wife in a back room, putting some kind of black goo on her hair.

“I’m sorry to intrude. Are you coloring your hair?”

The woman wiped a spot of black off her cheek. “Aye, I darken it to hide the gray. I know it’s vain, but I was quite a beauty when I was young and I don’t like growing old.”

“My grandmother used to say it’s hell getting old.” Elizabeth stepped further into the small room. “Could you help me?” She reached up and pulled the cloth off her hair.
 

The woman gasped and crossed herself. “Is it true, then? Are ye a faerie?”

Used to the reaction, Elizabeth touched her hair, anxious to be rid of the head-turning colors. “No, I’m like you. I wanted a change, and this is what happened after too many drinks late one night.”

“A man, was it?”

Elizabeth nodded.
 

“We best change it back, then.”

“Growing up, my hair was brown.” Elizabeth sniffed at the mixture in the bowl. “What’s in it? Is it permanent?”

The woman had a stained cloth wrapped around her neck to keep the dye off her dress. She gestured to Elizabeth to sit on a nearby stool.

“A bit of this and that. Plants, bark, minerals, and walnuts.”

“It smells medicinal. Like something I used to use at home.” It reminded her of a shampoo she liked. As much as she’d had fun with the rainbow-colored hair, it was a distraction and a problem here in the past. Everyone assumed she was a faerie or a witch, either of which could get her burnt at the stake. And people tended to avoid her.
 

The woman rummaged around in a box, came up with another cloth, and draped it around Elizabeth’s shoulders and neck. “To keep the mixture off your beautiful dress.”

“How long will it take?”

“An hour or so. I’ll send my girl to tell your husband you’ll be a while.”

Elizabeth refrained from correcting her, remembering he had checked them in as husband and wife. For a man who said he despised her, he’d gone out of his way to help her. If he hated her so much, why did he come after her? Why save her?

If he was as nice to her as he was to his servants and men, she knew she’d be head over heels. It was only her he treated so rotten. Did she remind him of an ex?

Elizabeth remembered her first job. She was a senior in high school and her grandmother helped her land a job working for a big law firm. During the first week, one of the female partners had taken an instant dislike to her. A week later Elizabeth found out it was because she looked just like the woman’s nanny. And the husband had been cheating with the nanny. Left his wife for the girl half his age. When Elizabeth found out, she resigned, understanding why the woman reacted the way she did. There was no way she wanted to be miserable at work, not when she’d be spending a huge portion of her day there.

Her parents had been horrified when she interned at the law firm, so they were thrilled when she quit. They didn’t care why. When she landed the nonprofit gig, they were ecstatic. Proud as could be when she was arrested the first time for protesting contaminated water.

The woman checked on Elizabeth’s hair. The mixture was surprisingly warm and a bit tingly on her scalp.
 

“I brought ye some ale. Your husband knows you’re getting ready.”

“But won’t he wonder what’s taking so long?”

The woman eyed her. “You haven’t been married long, have ye? Women take their time and men wait. ’Tis the way of the world.”

Elizabeth laughed, and they clinked cups. Knowing Robert would have to wait as the mixture did its job, she propped an elbow on the table and relaxed, pondering the mystery of the Scot and the man with dark blue eyes who made her want to scream and smile at the same time.

“I’ll be back in a bit to wash it all out, and then we’ll have you right as rain.”

“Your color is so pretty. No one would ever know you had any gray.”

The woman touched a hand to her wet hair. “Thank ye. The dye will last until your hair grows out.” She squinted at Elizabeth’s head. “Don’t suppose any more colors will show up?”

“Nope.” She grinned at the woman.

Gavin skidded to a stop, gaping. “Wot are ye doin’, lady?” He leaned over her, sniffing. “Stinks.”

“I rather like the smell. Thought it was time for a change.” She pointed to the innkeeper’s wife out in the main room. “She was kind enough to make my hair brown again.”

He looked disappointed. “Guess you’re not a witch.”

“Nope.”

Gavin looked hopeful. “A faerie, then?”

Elizabeth winked at him. “Afraid not. Just a plain, normal girl.”

He stood there, rocking back on his heels, hands on his hips, and she suppressed a laugh. Talk about a serious case of hero worship. He’d obviously been studying Robert. Gavin looked just like the man when he was thinking about something or trying not to shout at her, especially as he stroked his chin.

“My lady, there is nothing plain about you.”

He was going to be a total heartbreaker when he grew up. She wanted to pull him close and hug him, but was afraid of getting dye on him, so instead she touched Gavin’s cheek. “It’s a lovely compliment. Thank you.”

He cocked an ear toward the door. “I hear the horses. I will go and see if my lord is ready to depart.” He turned back and looked at her. “When do you wash it out?”

The innkeeper bustled in. “Right now, laddie. Tell your lord his lady wife will be out soon.”

Robert had sent Gavin to check on Elizabeth while the men readied the horses. He’d gone upstairs to make sure she hadn’t forgotten anything in the room. As soon as they returned to Highworth, he would gift her with a new cloak, for he hated seeing her wearing Radford’s. Featherton had offered to pack for Elizabeth, but Robert wanted to do it himself. Like a dolt, he thought to bring clothing, but no cloak. Busy making sure she had not left a hair ribbon behind, he knelt down to pick up one of the buttons from her dress. A sound made him reach for his sword, but ’twas not in time, as pain lanced through him and everything went dark.

Rough timbers came into view as Robert blinked. Reaching up to touch his aching head, his fingers came away red. With a grunt, he sat up, the pouch at his waist missing. No wonder his head pained him so. The pitcher was shattered on the floor next to him. Who had hit him over the head and why? Elizabeth.
 

He bolted to his feet, stumbled, and raced down the stairs, bellowing for his men. “Where is Elizabeth?”

As he ran into the courtyard, three men rode away. “Whoresons.” As much as he wanted to go after them, he could not afford to send his men, nor tarry any longer. Radford would have men after them, and they needed to get back to Highworth before the storm hit. He did not want to travel in snow and muck.

When he didn’t think life could get any worse, he checked the saddlebags of his horse. The bag of gold was missing.

“What were you dolts doing? I have been robbed.”

One of the men looked sheepish. “He said he was feeding the animals, my lord. We did not know he had stolen your gold.”

Another man shrugged. “Who leaves gold in the stables?”

And, of course, none of the men had any gold with them to pay the bill.

Elizabeth ran out, her hair wet. “What’s wrong? I heard you yelling.”

Gavin danced around her, embellishing the tale. “The bandits could have killed my lord. They smashed the pitcher down on his head. He is lucky his head was not smashed open like a melon. And they’ve stolen all his gold. He can’t pay the bill.”

“Off with their heads,” she shouted, then caught his startled look. “Sorry, I’ve been dying to say that since I arrived. How do you not abuse the power? I’d be terribly tempted.”

A smile tugged at the corner of his face.
 

“’Tis a great burden to bear.” Robert was only half teasing.

She raised a brow at him. “So we have no money? Are we to stay and work off the charges?”

Robert frowned. “I will speak to the innkeeper. When he hears I am Lord Highworth, my word will be enough.”

“I’m sure they need the money.” Elizabeth rummaged around in her cloak and came up with a pouch. “This ought to do it.” She tossed the pouch to him. He caught it with one hand. It was heavy, and when Robert opened it, he saw the gold.

“How?”

She grinned. “I stole it from Froggy.”

Robert blew out his cheeks and opened his eyes wide as he made a croaking noise in the back of his throat. Her mouth twitched. She put a hand up to her lips, then turned away, shaking. Snorts of laughter escaped. He joined in.

“Oh my gosh, you looked just like him when you made that face.”

“I will settle our account and we will be off. It smells like snow.”

One of the men spoke up. “I told him a storm is coming, lady. My shoulder always aches when a storm approaches.”
 

Robert explained to her, “He was wounded in battle several years ago, and since then we always know when bad weather is coming. His shoulder is never wrong.”

He paid the innkeeper and his wife, adding a few extra coins for their trouble and the damage. In the courtyard, Elizabeth was settled on her own horse, Gavin in front of her.

“You are able to ride?”

“A friend of mine has a farm with many horses. I learned years ago. Are we ready to go?”

He held the pouch up for her.

“No, you keep it. We might need it on the way. I only took it in case I needed to secure lodging for Gavin and I as we made our way back to Highworth.”

He turned in the saddle. “You were coming back?”

“You didn’t want me to?”

“I did—” The wind blew the hood of her cloak back and he blinked. “Your hair. I thought it looked darker. What have you done?”

She touched the dark strands. “You don’t like it?”

He spoke without thinking. “It’s a rather solid brown. Like the earth in the garden.” Robert stared at her face. “Your nose is overlong and your teeth are big for your mouth. With your hair, you remind me of my favorite horse.”

Fury turned her emerald eyes the color of a stormy sea. Too late, he realized his error. What was it about her? With all the women before, he paid them compliments, and they swooned. But Elizabeth? Robert opened his mouth and spoke utter nonsense. He was witless around her. In truth, he hadn’t meant to insult her; he loved his horse and he liked her nose and teeth.

The color rose up in her cheeks as she fisted her cloak, yet all he could think of was hauling her off the horse and into his arms, kissing her senseless, begging her pardon. But that would be ridiculous, wouldn’t it?

“I am not a horse. I don’t understand why you’re nice to everyone else and so mean to me.” She turned away from him.

“Horses are valuable. ’Twas a compliment.”

“I give you gold to pay our bill and this is how you treat me.” She sneered at him. “I have heard all about the women you bed. How you are the most charming of all the Thornton brothers. Yet you compare me to a horse. I don’t think so.”

Robert knew when he was bested. “’Twill be hard riding to Highworth. We should be on our way. We will only stop to rest the horses. Can you keep up?”

She huffed. “I think you’ve insulted me enough for one day.” And as she turned away, he thought he heard her mumble, “I’m going to hate you until my last breath.”

The men jeered, teasing Elizabeth as they rode. They compared each other to their horses until finally she laughed. Told one of the men his horse was much better looking than he. No matter how Robert tried, she would not speak to him.

He decided he would let her remain angry for the day. Tomorrow. Tomorrow he would apologize. Explain he was paying her a compliment. Tell her how he found her more beautiful than all others. That none before her mattered. And tell her why he could not keep her. Why he kept pushing her away.

Tomorrow.

Elizabeth kept up the silent treatment for two days. The only time she and Sunshine had ever gotten in a fight, Elizabeth didn’t speak to her for a week. Sunshine would call, and Elizabeth would answer the phone but not say a word. Funny thing; she couldn’t even remember now what she was angry about. But with Robert? What wasn’t she angry about? The guy had been a jerk from the moment she woke up to find him snuggling her. In all fairness, she supposed he was just as surprised to find her in the bed as she was to find him, but still…then he’d do something nice like ride to her rescue, taking out bad guys who had rape on their minds. He’d sent for a bath. And he brought her clothes, knowing she wouldn’t want anything of Radford’s touching her skin.
 

All the riding had made Elizabeth tired and cranky. All day and part of the night they rode, only stopping to let the horses rest. Would her thighs ever stop aching? Each time she dismounted, she still felt the gentle movement of being on the back of a horse. When sailors came back from a long journey at sea, she imagined they felt the same, the rolling of the ship under their feet while they were on land.