Temptation: 3 (Timeless Series) (34 page)

Somehow, she made it to their clothes. She grabbed one of Catherine’s rifles. After loading it, and finally losing her fight with the tears, Penny sat with her back against the wall. Holding the rifle on her lap, she silently wept, unable to block the pain. The image of the monster shooting Parker in cold blood wouldn’t dissipate.

How long she sat there crying, she wasn’t sure. Eventually, she regained some semblance of control, and through sheer determination, she shoved the pain away. She’d be damned if she’d let him win. Not now. Not when she had part of Parker growing inside her. With that final thought rushing into her consciousness, she took a deep, steadying breath and wiped her tears with the back of her sleeve. Slowly, she advanced toward the cave’s entrance with a renewed purpose, her rifle at the ready.

“Penny? Where are you?” Catherine shouted
, looking around once she’d returned to the spot she’d left Penny. She crouched, fingering some disturbances in the leaves and brush, and quickly began following the obvious trail, eventually finding Parker’s horse tied to a branch.

After reaching the stallion, she stroked his head.

“So that’s where you’ve gone,” she said, letting out a relieved breath. “Humph. Couldn’t even wait till I got back.”

When a shot rang out, disturbing the stillness of the afternoon, all color left Catherine’s face. She waited, listening, before hurriedly mounting the stallion in one jump, turning the horse in the direction of the noise and urging him forward. The minute she rounded the bend in the road, her attention moved to the prone man on the ground.

“Parker!” Her alarm increased. She dismounted and rushed to her brother. Catherine kneeled beside him, looking for a wound. Seeing none, she placed her fingers under his neck, checking for some sign of life.

When he moaned, she breathed a sigh of relief and gently patted his face.
“Parker? What happened? Where’s Penny?”

~~

Slowly, Parker opened his eyes. The first thing he noticed was the burning ache in his chest. Placing his hand over the spot, he looked at Catherine and asked dazedly, “You didn’t see them?”

Catherine shook her head.
“Who?”

Parker tried to shake off the throbbing pain and sat up, grunting at how much more it hurt once he was in a sitting position. He could feel the bullet hole through his jacket. Digging into his jacket pocket he pulled out the locket, which was now a flattened, misshapen piece of metal with a slug jutting out from the gold center.

“Seems I’ve been shot. I think I cracked a rib,” he said incredulously, turning to Catherine and holding out the twisted piece of metal. The thought of Penny with the madman who’d shot him entered his brain just then and a fear he never known before streaked through him. “Hurts like the dickens, but I’ve got to get Penny. She’s in danger. That bastard has her,” he said with a strained voice as he tried to stand up. The pain was even more intense now and he had to sit back down, biting back the urge to vomit.

“You’re in no condition to move. In fact, you’re one lucky man,” Catherine said, nodding toward the small hole in his woolen jacket. “That locket saved your life.”

Parker closed his eyes, willing the pain away, and unsuccessfully tried to stand again. “I’ve got to find where he’s taken her. He means her harm. Damn, why didn’t I listen to Sterling and at least come armed?”

“What happened? Who has Penny?” Catherine asked, confusion moving over her facial features. “You’re not making any sense. And I’m armed. Just tell me what happened and I’ll track them.”

“No,” he yelled, fighting off another wave of nausea. When he could finally speak again, his voice was more labored. “The man’s too dangerous. You’re staying right here. Give me a minute and I’ll be fine.”

“Don’t go all male on me, Parker. You can barely move. You’re in no shape to track,” Catherine said impatiently, rolling her eyes and shaking her head. She eyed her brother and added confidently, “I can travel faster than you and I have both my rifle and my Remington revolver. You know I’m capable. Just tell me what I’m looking for.”

Parker met his sister’s steady gaze, hating the fact that she had a point. Penny was in danger and it was taking every bit of his strength just to sit upright. When he looked to the heavens to send up a silent prayer, ensuring his beloved’s safety, it hit him. Penny was his life and he couldn’t lose her. Not now. Not when he finally realized what his brave angel meant to him. In an instant, remorse filled him. Why had he never told her how he felt? Why had he let his past feelings of others’ actions keep him silent about how much she meant to him? “Please, Lord,” he whispered, voicing his prayer. “Keep her safe and I’ll make it up to her. Don’t let her die without knowing how much I love her.”

He managed to move into a kneeling position, but the effort cost him. He nodded to Catherine and said in a louder voice, “You’re right. I’m unable to move as fast. Give me your gun and go. I’ll follow as fast as I can. The man you’re tracking is the earl she was supposed to marry. He’s armed and dangerous. You take your shot if you get one. You got it? He’s no better than an animal. I have no doubts that he’ll kill you or Penny if he gets the chance, so be careful.”

“Don’t worry. I can handle him. I know how much you love her,” Catherine said, nodding solemnly and handing him her gun. “I think she does too, so don’t go doing anything to hurt yourself further. She’ll need you when this is all over.” She slung her rifle over her shoulder and started off in the direction Parker was sure her quarry had gone.

After a few minutes, Parker finally was able to stand and in a few more he could slowly walk. Following his sister’s trail, he picked up more speed as he went. Still, he could only travel so fast, having to stop many times for air as his breathing was severely impaired, hampering his progress through the brush.

~~

Using what Catherine had taught her, Penny slowly began to track the monster. It didn’t take her long to determine which direction to head because he was noisily looking for her, not bothering to cover up his movements.

In a matter of moments, she spotted him storming through the terrain. Again, using her newfound skill, she waited, becoming invisible in the brush, for the right moment to spring a surprise attack. The fact that he assiduously looked for her while she stood not more than fifty feet away amused her and filled her with a sense of security at the same time.

He’d pay for killing her love, but she didn’t want him to die easily.

No. Penny wanted him to suffer.

When the time was right, she stepped from her hiding spot. “Looking for me?” she asked, leveling her rifle at
Lord Knightsbridge.

He stopped and pivoted at the sound of her voice. His expression turned triumphant. When he noticed the rifle pointed at him, he grinned. “You know as well as I do you won’t pull the trigger.”

“Don’t be too sure.” Penny fired and knocked his gun out of his hand with the shot. The rifle recoiled, sending pain into her shoulder. She ignored it, oblivious to everything but the man in front of her.

His look of shock was comical.

“Go on. Pick it up,” Penny said after he hesitated. “I still have another round in the chamber and I want to make it fair when I kill you. But know this. It will be a painful death and by the time I’m done, you’ll be begging me to end your miserable life.”

The earl
stood, eyeing Penny while clearly contemplating her actions and words. Finally a menacing smile lifted the corners of his mouth. “You won’t kill me,” he said, his voice becoming more confident. “You’re too soft.”

“Then you have nothing to be afraid of and everything to gain by picking up your gun,” Penny taunted, praying he’d go for the gun so she could shoot him again. He was right about one thing. She was too soft to shoot him in cold blood, giving him a better chance than he’d given Parker.

~~

Like Catherine, Parker had heard the exchange of gunfire, causing him to increase his efforts to close the gap between his sister and him. Eventually he was able to tolerate the pain. His concentration, centered on finding Penny and killing the earl, had been enough to keep him moving. In minutes, he’d come up behind Catherine, hidden in the brush watching the exchange between Penny and the earl. She nodded to him, touched her finger to her lips, and pointed to her left. Parker nodded and eased into position, training his weapon on the earl.

Together they waited to take their shot.

Neither Parker nor Catherine could miss the determined look on Penny’s face or the flicker of fear in the earl’s demeanor as he moved purposely to pick up the gun. Then in a flash, Knightsbridge rolled and while prone on the ground, he aimed. But he never got a chance to fire because three bullets, all fired at the same time, ripped into him.

Once it was over, Penny slowly sank to the ground and wept in despair, unaware that Parker sprang toward her with speed and agility that belied his wounded ribs.

“Penny.
My God. Are you all right?” he said, dropping to sit beside her. Pulling her into his arms, he whispered, “Shush, love. It’s all right. Don’t cry. You know I hate it when you cry.”

She glanced at him through blurry, tear-filled eyes and reached out to touch him.
“Parker? You’re alive? But how? I saw him kill you,” she said, running her hands over his body as if to reassure herself that he wasn’t a dream.

“Easy, love. That hurts.” When she stilled her movements, he placed his hand over hers, taking it to his lips. He kissed it. “Cracked rib, I think. Hurts like the dickens, but I’ll survive.” He smiled warmly and reached into his jacket pocket, pulling her locket out. He held it out to her in the palm of his hand. “In my eyes, it’s a miracle straight from heaven. They were watching over you, angel. They kept me from dying so that I could take care of you.” He planted a kiss on her forehead. “I’m such a fool. Can you ever forgive me?”

Penny started to shake her head and he stopped her, putting his hand underneath her chin, lifting it so that their eyes could meet.

“I should’ve told you sooner. I love you and probably have since that first night I kissed you. From the moment I saw you, you’ve been a temptation I couldn’t resist. I don’t know why I even bothered.” Then he tilted her chin, guiding her lips to his, letting her feel from the kiss what was in his heart. His heart beat faster when Penny’s lips answered, imparting his same message.

She broke the kiss and smiled. “I love you too. I thought my life had ended when I saw the earl fire the shot.”

Nine months later—

Rocking her two-month-old infant in the same nursery she was rocked twenty-five years before, Penny contentedly hummed a lullaby, gazing into her son’s perfect face. She glanced up at a noise and smiled.

“My turn,” Elizabeth declared, walking into the room and up to the rocker. “You know I can’t resist my first grandchild.”

Penny’s grin widened and she stood, placing the sleeping infant in Elizabeth’s open arms.

Elizabeth sat down in the rocker Penny vacated, keeping her eyes on her grandchild for a moment. She glanced back at Penny. “You’ve been a godsend, sweet Penny. You know that, don’t you?”

“Oh? How so?” she asked, picking up on the warmth in the older woman’s voice.

“Seeing Parker happy eases my soul. It’s been too long since this family has celebrated life.”

Parker strode through the door just then, catching the last of his mother’s words. He stopped at her feet, bending down and giving his infant a kiss before placing one on his mother’s forehead.

“We’ve certainly got enough life to celebrate now that both Sarah and Rebecca are expecting,” he said, chuckling and moving to take Penny into his arms, nuzzling her neck. “And judging by how happy I am with my angel, little Robert Benjamin will have a brother or sister in no time,” he whispered to Penny with a teasing quality to his voice, sending a rush of heat over her face. Noticing her blush, Parker flashed a disarming grin. “That blush could fell a saint,” he said before bestowing a quick kiss on her lips.

Elizabeth watched Parker’s affectionate display with an approving smile. “I wish I could stay in Northumberland longer, but I can’t miss my other grandchildren’s appearance in this world,” she said wistfully. Moving her gaze back to the babe in her arms, she added, “Guess I’ll have to wait to see you until your mother and father make their way home again.”

“Seems we have two homes now,” Parker said, releasing Penny. He walked over to the window.

“Are you disappointed to have to spend so much time in England, my love?” Penny came to stand behind him and gazed out at the expansive countryside.

“No.” His followed hers.

Early summer w
ildflowers dotted the landscape amid the lush green landscape that hadn’t given way to the dryer weather and contrasted sharply with the deep blue of the sky and the white of the billowy clouds.

“While I’ve never had a fondness for London, the scenery reminds me of my farm in Maryland and I feel comfortable here.” He was quiet before asking, “And what about you? Are you disappointed we never made it to San Francisco?”

“I have to admit, I was looking forward to the adventure, but I have all the adventure I need right here.” Penny wrapped her arms around his waist. “Since we’re talking about disappointments, what about little Ben? I know it was a shock to learn your son is the new Earl of Lytherton.”

Being a vain man, the first Earl of
Lytherton wanted to ensure only his blood would inherit all of his worldly goods. After having five daughters, he petitioned the king and was granted a codicil granting his title to pass through the first daughter, if the present earl had no male heirs. Her first male child would then inherit the title. Fortunately for him, his wife gave him two sons, both surprises, later in life. In all the years since, there had always been a direct male Lytton to inherit, until Penny.

Parker’s expression took on a serious look. “I’m only glad to finally realize that just because someone has money and
power, it doesn’t make them less human.” Then he chuckled and his eyes danced with amusement as he added. “God has a sense of humor, it seems. It’s my penance for giving in to temptation and seducing one of his angels.” He leaned toward her, bestowing on her another kiss. “But I thank God I did.”

~~The End~~

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Temptation
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The following bonus reads are excerpts from Time Will Tell and Games, the first and second stories in the Timeless Series.