Knight Moves: Merriweather Sisters Time Travel (Merriweather Sisters Time Travel Romance Book 2) (19 page)

“The last time I saw you as a lad, you had a pretty face and all the maids swooned at your feet.”

James grimaced, touching the scar at his eye.

“’Twas the Boltons from the south. Sir Bolton was offended I would not marry his daughter. The man tried to deceive me. The blacksmith got her with child.”
 

James discreetly picked a small rock out of his bread.

“Before he would have paid me to make his daughter Lady Falconburg. Now he would not have me to wed for all my gold and lands. Said I would produce deformed offspring. No man could have survived such wounds. Therefore I must be demon.”

“I always knew you were a demon.” John chuckled and raised a glass.

James wiped his mouth on his sleeve.

“What do you know of my family’s massacre?”

John Thornton, outlaw of the wood, stretched his legs out in front of him.

“Your father’s steward lied. Clement Grey promised the man a great deal of gold for lying. Clement was William’s half-brother, though William never knew until the end. Clement wanted William dead for many years. Jealousy will twist a man into a deformed creature. Now he is dead by William’s own hand.”

“The Greys were a loathsome family.”

“Aye. My words are true: William did kill your brother in battle. But not in a cowardly manner. ’Twas a fair fight.”

John gazed into the fire as he told the tale. James gripped the arms of the chair so hard the tendons in his hands stood out. He forced himself to ease his grip. To show no weakness.

“I was there. A page to a most ferocious night. I was eleven years old.”

James forced himself to remain calm.

“And my brother, Henry?”

“He was at the battle but did not see the fight between William and your eldest brother.”

“What of the massacre? William and his men were there. Killed them all. The servants talk of the story to this day.”

John rested his elbows on his knees.

“William was lured there by a messenger. He thought a woman was in danger, held against her will. ’Twas a lie. Clement always coveted what William had. He tried to kill the woman William later married. In truth, Clement and Georgina hired mercenaries to kill your family. The two of them plotted, thinking your family would retaliate, killing William for them.”

James kept his gaze focused on John’s face, looking for any sign the man was lying. He could find none.

“Finish the tale.”

“William never knew Georgina and Clement plotted against him. He would not listen to the truth. Then ’twas too late. Georgina died. Rumor was he killed her. But William did not kill Georgina. The rumors persisted, even through the first years of his marriage to Lady Blackford. As to your family, the servants didn’t see William until the end. He came upon the mercenaries killing your family and killed as many as he could. Bloodied from battle, the servants found him leaning over your mother’s body. He was trying to save her, not kill her. He tracked down the few mercenaries who escaped, and killed them.”

James found the story difficult to believe. His entire life, he’d grown up hearing the story his father’s steward told. Hearing the truth was difficult, even as John’s words carried the ring of truth.

“What is Lady Blackford’s given name?”

John raised a brow, a speculative look in his eye.

“She is a strange one. The servants are loyal to her; none will speak against her. I believe her name is Lucy Merriweather. Do you know the lady?”

Melinda was right. The lady and her sister were the same person.

“Will you write down what you have told me? Swear to it?”

John shook his head.

“I cannot. Such a letter would expose me.”

James had been wrong his entire life. Hated a man he had no cause to hate.

“Why did William never tell me the truth?”

“You were told this story by your father’s trusted steward. Told the same story since you were a babe by all the servants. Would you have believed him? Your family’s mortal enemy?”

“No.” James shook his head slowly. He would not have believed the man. Would have cut him down where he stood.

“I didn’t think so. Now we are even. Though I still plan to ransom you.”

John poured another mug of ale for both of them.

“Or mayhap I should kill you. Ensure my secret stays safe.”

A woman entered the room. “The herbs you asked for.”

John nodded. The woman sprinkled the foul-smelling herbs into a mug and poured hot water over them. She handed the mug to James.

“She is a powerful healer. Drink the brew. Your injuries will heal.” Then John grinned at him. “But you will have to live with that face. She cannot remove scars.”

The woman handed him the mug. James sniffed. It smelled terrible. He took a breath and choked down the drink.

“Bloody hell, it tastes terrible.”

She touched the scars on his face.

“Without these scars you would not have met the woman who is fated for you. Another would’ve taken her place were your visage unblemished.”

“Who is this woman?”

Could she mean Melinda?

“She’s the woman who will save you, Red Knight. See you for the man you were meant to be.”

The healer patted his shoulder. “Sprinkle the herbs into your drink morning and night for a fortnight.”

Melinda woke to the sound of the men moving about.

“Don’t y’all leave without me.”

“You should remain here, lady.”

“If you think I’m staying here while you go and look for James, you’re out of your ever-loving mind.”

Melinda put her hands on her hips, glaring at Renly and the rest of James’ men.

The captain of the guard threw up his hands.

“As the lady wishes. You must try not to make noise or talk.”

Melinda followed the good captain and his men into the forest. She didn’t have a clue how they could figure out where to go, but one of James’ men was supposed to be able to track anyone or anything.

The men were ballerinas and she was a hippo wearing a tutu. That was what she felt like as the men glided through the woods. No matter where Melinda stepped, a branch cracked or something rustled. She really did try to be quiet, but every step made her sound like a herd of small children as they made their way deeper into the wood. Heck, forget a herd of kids—she made enough noise for an entire army.

Talk about creepy. With every step, she felt as if something or someone was watching. She’d always laughed at the expression “the woods have eyes”…never again.

Stepping over a branch, Melinda wished she’d worn her old clothes. The dark green dress was beautiful, made her feel like she belonged, but it was terrible for traveling. Getting on and off a horse, hiking, and walking through the wood, it was totally impractical.
 

The tracker looked to be about her size. Maybe she could swipe a pair of his hose. They were kind of like leggings.

The smell of a wood-burning fire wafted through the trees. She inhaled deeply. Melinda loved that smell. It reminded her of cold nights, hot chocolate, and staying up all night with her sisters talking and laughing.
 

The sound of voices carried through the wood. The men stopped, listening. They started to fan out while she stayed behind Renly.
 

“Stay close to me. James will take my head if you are hurt.”

“Consider me glued to you.” She had every intention of staying close. The woods spooked her. Who knew what they were walking into?

The trees gave way to a clearing and what looked like a tiny village plopped down in the middle of the forest. Straight out of a fairytale. If she saw a cottage made of candy, she was out of here. The witch wouldn’t eat James. He was all muscle and sinew, but she had a bit of plumpness. Great. Now she thought fairytales were real.
You time-traveled. Why can’t fairytales be real?
The voice in her head was so not helping.

She heard the clear sound of steel ringing across the trees. Renly unsheathed his sword and chaos erupted. There was a sword propped against a tree looking lonely. Melinda picked it up with a grunt and slung it up on her shoulder just like she’d seen James do so many times.

“Yikes. These things are heavier than they look.”

Renly put a hand to his mouth.

“Don’t you dare laugh.”

He coughed and turned his back for a moment, shoulders shaking. She narrowed her eyes. He was laughing. Before she could fuss at him, a man appeared.

“Renly, look. It’s Robin Hood.”

“Nay, lady. ’Tis the leader of the outlaws.”

Well, he was wearing a mask and had blond hair. Didn’t Robin Hood have blond hair?

The leader jerked his head and James walked forward, a man on either side of him. He wasn’t tied up, but by the number of swords out and ready, she had no doubt he was being held against his will.

Before Renly spoke, Melinda brandished the sword in front of her, prayed her arms wouldn’t fall off, and stepped forward.

“Let him go or I will run you through.”

The man looked at her for a full count of ten. She knew. She counted. Instead of killing her, he threw back his head and laughed. Laughed until he doubled over. It wasn’t that funny. She could stick him with the sword. She eyed the end. It looked sharp enough to do damage.

His men laughed with him, which only made her madder. Had she said the wrong thing? No, “run you through” was what she’d heard the men say before they did away with bandits.

She imagined a string pulling her head to the sky, making her stand up straight.
 

“I will not ask you again, sir. Release Lord Falconburg now.”

Mr. Hollywood made a motion, and all at once his men lowered their swords. Melinda nodded at Renly, who looked to James then to the men.

“Put your swords away for now, lads. They may see use yet,” Renly said.

“Are you all right? Did they hurt you?”

James looked stunned. Hadn’t anyone ever asked him how he was after a fight? It made Melinda sad.

“I am well, my lady.”

She saw the corner of his mouth twitch. He was happy to see her, or thought she looked ridiculous leaning on a sword. She’d go with happy to see her.

The masked man stepped forward, making her an exaggerated bow.

“Who is this vision of loveliness?”

Melinda heard James make some kind of growly sound as she rolled her eyes. She no longer cared for men spouting flowery compliments. No, she liked a certain grumpy knight who, when he smiled, lit up the entire room. When she looked at James, he was wearing his “I am a warrior” look. Renly stepped forward so she could step behind him if trouble broke out.

“We are here to negotiate the release of Lord Falconburg.” He looked to Melinda and nodded. “Allow me to present Lady Merriweather.”

“You may call me John.”

The man looked her over. She saw lively brown eyes through the mask. He had blond hair down to his shoulders. There were many women back in Holden Beach who paid lots of money every month for hair like his. He looked like some kind of movie star playing at being Robin Hood in the woods. And before she met James, she would’ve been all about a guy as good-looking as him.