Lonely is the Knight (Merriweather Sisters Time Travel Romance Book 3) (14 page)

“Did he say where he was going?”

“I saw Mistress Merriweather. She was weeping.”

“What did he do to her?” Henry bellowed.

Chester sighed. “You know he believes women are evil. He told our lady she was a witch and a demon.” Chester scratched his nose. “I’m not certain you could be both.”

Henry tried not to laugh, as Chester seemed to be seriously pondering the question.

“Charlotte is neither. Did he hurt her?” If he had, Henry would kill him. He would not tolerate anyone ill-using a woman.

“No. But he took her necklace. The one the old woman gave you. There was a struggle and it went into the well. I tried to help her get it back, but the well is too deep. She was inconsolable. Said it was the only thing she had of her sister. I thought her sister was here in England?”

“She hasn’t seen her in a very long time. You know women and their womanly emotions.” Henry wasn’t about to voice what he suspected. That Charlotte was indeed from a faraway country. He only hoped she wasn’t really a faerie. Not that he believed in otherworldly doings.

“He will go to the bishop. The corrupt man would like nothing more than to see my lands and gold confiscated.”

Henry’s captain clapped him on the shoulder. “Shall we send men after him?”

“No. He is cousin to the bishop. We must tread carefully. Inform me immediately when he returns.” Just what Henry needed, another problem to deal with.

Chester left and Royce still stood there, a frown on his face. Henry needed to find Charlotte. Soothe her tender heart.

“You think I should go after him? His claim is ridiculous. Surely the bishop will not listen.”

Royce grunted. “I think you will wish you did when he returns.”

A few days later, Henry watched Charlotte as she talked with the villagers. He was drawn to her. Found himself seeking her out during the day. She came to the lists every morning to watch him train. The men teased him mercilessly.

“My lord? Timothy is back. He’s asking to speak with you.”

Henry slumped. This would not be good news. “Bring him to my solar.”

Henry stopped in front of Charlotte. “You heard?”

She nodded. “He hates me.”

“As a favor to a friend of my mothers, I took Timothy as one of my men. He has always believed women to be weak. But lately…” Henry sighed. “He has grown mad. I will deal with him.”

He found Timothy in the kitchens terrorizing the girls as they worked. “To my solar.”

The man’s eyes gleamed with an unholy light. “I come from a most important meeting with the bishop. I have spoken with him about the dark doings under your roof. He knows the evil started when the demon arrived.”

“The only dark doings at Ravenskirk are in your mind. Mayhap ’tis time for you to seek shelter with your cousin’s family.”

He shook his head. “The bishop will see the lands cleansed. I have a message for you, from the bishop. Turn the faerie over for questioning within a se’nnight or—”

“Who is this faerie you speak of?”

The man’s face turned crimson. “The evil one. Charlotte Merriweather. You have seen how she behaves, the strange things she says. Her beauty is unnatural. A woman so comely must be in league with the devil or a faerie. To save her soul she must be burnt. Before she corrupts all the men at Ravenskirk.”

“I am most appreciative how you look out for the welfare of those under my care, Timothy.” The man scowled at him, and it gave Henry great pleasure to say, “Though I must refuse your bishop. Mistress Merriweather is under my protection. She is not evil. She is not a devil or a faerie or a demon. She is merely a woman. And I will not give her to you. For I know what kind of
questioning
takes place under the bishop’s care.”

Timothy scowled and puffed up. “You will regret this. If you do not turn her over, he will confiscate all that you own. You would not want that to happen, not after your family worked so hard to regain what was lost. You will bring shame upon your brothers.” Timothy stomped out of the room, slamming the door.

That would teach Henry to ever allow the bishop to visit Ravenskirk again. His timid little priest, Father Riley, would be happy the man was gone.

Henry turned to Royce, who rested his hand on the hilt of his sword.

“What think you?”

“You should’ve run him through.” Royce paced the room, thinking. Henry had known him since they were boys. They fostered together, fought together, and became friends. He respected his captain’s judgment.
 

Finally he stopped pacing and looked at Henry. “There is only one solution.” He grinned, and Henry knew he was not going to like what was said next.

“Now hear me out, Henry. You must marry Mistress Merriweather. The bishop would not come for your wife. He would not dare to anger the Thornton brothers. Not with all your gold and powerful armies. The king would get involved, and the bishop would have to explain his actions. Nay, to save her and your lands, you must marry the wench. Let the bishop find someone else to steal from.”

“Marry her? You of all people know I cannot.”

His captain quirked a brow. “The vow is not binding. It was made when you were in your cups. Talk to the priest. You know there is no other way.”

“You know the hatred my parents felt for each other. You, above all, know how difficult they made life for one another. I do not desire such a union.”

“Not all marriages are so full of misery. Many husbands and wives come to care for one another. I have seen you with children, Henry. You like children. Don’t you want your own? Heirs?”

“My brothers will have children. I could already have bastards. Mayhap dozens of them all over the country.”

His captain threw back his head and laughed. “You have no bastards. If you did, the women would come for you. You are one of the most eligible nobles in the realm. You and your brothers. They would not hesitate to claim what they thought was rightfully theirs.” Royce walked over and put a hand on Henry’s arm.

“’Tis time to grow up. Let go of childish beliefs.”

“My brothers aren’t married. None of us desire to trap ourselves in such unions.” He looked at the man, hoping for another choice. “Is there no other way? Tell me you can find another way out of this.”

Royce shook his head. “I am sorry, Henry. There is no other way. You must marry her and do it now. The bishop will not hesitate to move against you. We both know he will not give you the full se’nnight.”

Henry threw his cup against the wall, the pottery shattering. Instead of replying, his captain left the room, shutting the door behind him.

He liked Charlotte. Cared for her a great deal. But he had no desire to marry. She was enchanting, yet if they married she would change. Grow to hate him, as he would her. He had seen it with many couples. Henry stood staring out the window, unseeing.

As the day turned to night, he let loose a great, weary sigh and stood up straight. Bloody hell, he was a Thornton and a knight of the realm. Lands, title, gold, his people, and Charlotte. All were under his protection. To save her, he would do what needs be done.

Henry spent a restless night. No matter what he thought of, it all led back to him protecting her with his name. What would she say when he told her the news? Not ready to tell her, he spent the morning in the lists working his way through the men.

Sweat ran down his face. Still he was in a foul temper. There was trouble brewing with Lord Hallsey, they had not found her sisters, the fever sickness was coming closer to Ravenskirk, and he was running out of time. Henry cursed viciously. No more wasting time. He saw Addie with a basket over her arm. The child followed Charlotte around night and day.

“Have you seen Mistress Merriweather?”

She skipped along through the great hall. “Follow me. She’s in the garden. We’re planting flowers.”

“I didn’t know you could eat flowers. Don’t vegetables belong in a garden?”

“You’re so silly. You always need a little bit of something pleasing, that’s what my lady says.”

He smiled. Charlotte had won over the people in the time she’d been at Ravenskirk. They all treated her as the lady of the castle. He sent up a prayer.
Please don’t let me have the kind of marriage my parents had.
Was it possible? He’d seen so many marriages where the man a woman barely tolerated each other. Henry had always thought he would have someone he could talk with. Someone intelligent. A woman who cared about his lands as much as he. Charlotte was all those things. Mayhap their union would not turn bitter.

“Mistress Merriweather. I hear tell every garden needs flowers.”

She was kneeling in the dirt. Henry offered a hand to help her up. She brushed the dirt off her skirts as she stood, and he was struck again by her beauty. It would not be so unpleasant to wake up next to her every day. And if they had children? They would be the most beautiful children in all the realm.
 

She put a hand up over her eyes to shade them from the sun. Then, seeing his face, she stiffened.

“Addie, thank you for your help today. I’m going to rest and talk with Lord Ravenskirk. Go to the kitchens and tell the cook to give you one of the small cakes we made.”

The little girl giggled, picked up the basket full of green things, and ran toward the kitchens.

“From the look on your face, I’m afraid you’re going to tell me something I don’t want to hear.” Her hands were clenched in her lap. “News about my sisters?”

He sat next to her. A short stone wall enclosed the garden. There was a bench in each corner. ’Twas a most pleasant place.

The sun turned her hair gold. Henry resisted the urge to twist a lock around his fingers. “There is no news as of yet about your sisters. My brothers are sending messengers out across the realm. If they are in England, we will know.”

Henry thought of John. His older brother always knew what to say. Could deliver bad news without sounding like a dolt. Henry missed him still. Wished he were here now to tell Charlotte what must happen.

“’Tis a grave matter indeed. Know I have spent much time thinking on another way, but there is none.”

She looked up at him, a smudge of dirt on her nose. Henry reached out with his thumb and wiped it off. His hand hovered in front of her face. He wanted to stroke her cheek, run his finger over her lips. Truth be told, he wanted to kiss her. But now was not the time. He pulled back and the spell was broken.

“Timothy is cousin to a powerful bishop. The corrupt man has coveted my land, my brothers’ land, and our gold ever since we each received our castle from our father. He is ever watchful. Looking for reason to confiscate all. And now I fear he has one.”

Her eyes widened. Today, next to the growing things in the garden, they looked the gray of the water around the castle after a summer rainstorm. She was kind and good. She would understand.

“What’s happened? That little weasel is nothing more than a troublemaker. I knew from the moment I laid eyes on him. And he obviously hates women.”

“Aye. He believes all women to be evil.” Henry looked up to see a small boy coming toward them, and was grateful for the distraction. “Would you care for a glass of wine? I fear you will need it by the time our speech is done.”

Her sun-kissed skin paled, but she didn’t say a word.

“What are the small cakes you spoke of to Addie?”

She smiled at the boy and accepted the wine. “I call them cupcakes. I hope you don’t mind we used the expensive flour to make them. And some of the sugar.” She blushed and said, “And some of your spices. I’m afraid the small cakes cost a great deal of money. But you can taste for yourself—here comes Addie.”

The little girl ran toward them with a basket over her arm.

Henry ruffled the boy’s hair. “A cake for you, then off to do your chores.”

The boy let out a whoop and reached for a cake. Addie smacked his hand, making Henry bite his cheek to keep from laughing at the boy’s expression.

She pulled back the cloth covering the basket. “You may choose one.”

“Thank ye, Addie.” The boy took a bite and groaned. “I will do your chores for a fortnight for another.”