Time Travel Romances Boxed Set (44 page)

She wasn’t and they both knew it.

Darlene flashed Baird a rare smile as she
punched in the number. “Am I?” she asked archly.

“
Oh, I think you should,”
Baird said with a solemn nod. “Weren’t your grandchildren coming
down for the weekend? And besides, what else are you going to do
around this place?”

Darlene threw a wad of paper at him with
deadly accuracy. “Get out of here, you devil, before you go giving
everyone a day off!” She sobered as her call was answered. “Yes, do
you have any seats available to Heathrow tonight? Only business
class?”

She looked inquiringly to Baird and he
nodded just as the elevator doors slid closed. “Fine. I’d like to
make a booking for Mr. Baird Beauforte, please. And can you book
connecting flights through to Kirkwall? Yes, I’ll hold…”

A man in love.

Baird hoped like hell he wasn’t too
late.

*

Baird shared a helicopter from Kirkwall with
Colin Russell, the head of the National Heritage Preservation
Society. To Baird’s surprise, Mr. Russell was en route to Dunhelm
to decide whether his Society should recommend Dunhelm become a
property of the people.

The burly man was a gruff bundle of tweed
with a hearty handshake. Mr. Russell seemed oddly nervous, which
was odd since Baird was the one with the most to lose.

It figured that Darian had not let Baird get
a whiff of this.

Baird’s mood was grim as the helicopter
lowered to Dunhelm’s helipad. He forced a smile for Mr. Russell.
Baird chafed with impatience to find Aurelia, but the other man’s
words brought him up short.

“
I must say that I didn’t
expect you to be here, Mr. Beauforte.”

“
It’s purely a coincidence,
Mr. Russell, but a happy one. I’m glad to have the opportunity to
express Beauforte’s interest in maintaining the historic value of
Dunhelm.” Baird looked to the hotel but there was no sign of
Aurelia.

Mr. Russell fired a glance at Baird. “I had
thought that you objected to any investigation here.” At Baird’s
obvious surprise, he continued. “At least, I was given to
understand that you presented numerous obstacles to Mr. Mulvaney’s
work here.”

“
On the contrary,” Baird
said through gritted teeth, “my concerns were purely that the
investigation be done systematically. Mr. Mulvaney initially showed
an enthusiasm that raised some questions in my mind about his
experience.”

Mr. Russell cleared his throat a number of
times. “I see, I see. Well, I must apologize on behalf of the
society…”

“
That’s not necessary,”
Baird said smoothly. “I simply want to see this site explored in a
professional and academic manner.” He smiled again, trying to guess
where to look for Aurelia first. “I suppose it’s natural for anyone
to be excited about a new find.”

Mr. Russell frowned. “No serious academic
would permit that to interfere with his work,” he said with a
severity that didn’t bode well for Darian.

Good.

Mr. Russell cleared his throat once more.
“Am I to understand, then, Mr. Beauforte, that you have no
objection to our excavation of the site?”

“
None whatsoever.” Baird
met that man’s gaze. “As long as it’s done properly.”

“
Of course, of course.
Eventually, we would like to see such a site opened for public
interest.” He looked inquiringly to Baird.

“
There is no problem with
public access,” Baird confirmed.

“
Well.” Mr. Russell
frowned. “You must understand, Mr. Beauforte, that this is
completely opposite to the understanding I have been given of the
situation here.” He pulled a hankerchief out of his pocket and
wiped the perspiration from his brow. “It seems that the situation
may have been misrepresented to me. Might I assume that we could
put this arrangement in writing?”

“
Of course.” Baird watched
relief wash over the older man’s features, though he still looked
troubled.

“
I believe Mr. Mulvaney is
expecting me at the well. Perhaps you could join me, Mr. Beauforte,
and we could get to the bottom of this matter.”

Baird tried not to show his frustration.
There was no good way to deny Mr. Russell, but then, he might find
Aurelia in the well.

She had agreed to help Darian, after
all.

Baird agreed and the men matched steps as
they crossed the lawn.

*

Aurelia’s heart stopped cold when she heard
the low murmur of Baird’s voice.

Then it raced madly.

She rose to her feet, not daring to believe
she heard right as footsteps echoed on the stairs to the well. A
portly man descended first, his bright gaze scanning both Aurelia
and the room before he looked to Darian. He scowled and the
antagonism between those two men was tangible.

This must be Mr. Russell, to whom Darian
would recommend Dunhelm be stolen from Baird. Darian had not been
able to keep Aurelia away from this presentation, for all that she
felt powerless to change the results. A part of her had hoped
desperately that she might be able to persuade Mr. Russell
otherwise.

But that man looked to be one who made up
his own mind. There was a determination in the set of his jaw when
he glared at Darian that gave Aurelia a tentative hope.

Perhaps this would not be so easy as Darian
believed.

Then Aurelia saw Baird and she cared nothing
for Darian and his games. Baird was tall and broad as she recalled,
and the sight of him had precisely the same effect upon her as
before.

If anything, two months without him had made
her more susceptible to his allure.

Baird’s charcoal suit was like that Julian
had worn the first day they had met, but more conservative in cut.
He looked austere, despite the burgundy silk knotted around his
throat, and the subtle gleam of gold at his wrists. His dark hair
had been compelled to some kind of order, his gaze was as vividly
green as ever, but there were shadows beneath his eyes.

He looked to have lost some weight.

Did Aurelia dare to hope that Baird had
missed her?

She could not summon a word to her lips when
his intense gaze locked with hers. Baird scanned her as hungrily as
she had studied him and Aurelia’s heart began to sing.

Perhaps all was not lost. Her cheeks heated
with self-consciousness as Baird stared at her shorn hair. Aurelia
saw the question flash through his eyes before he frowned and
looked to the other men.

If only she could have the chance to
explain.

“
Welcome, Mr. Russell,”
Darian said expansively. His charming smile grated on Aurelia for
all its dishonesty. “And Mr. Beauforte” - his voice hardened -
“your presence was hardly expected.”

Baird’s lips thinned. “So I gather.”

Darian chuckled softly. “Well, if you’ve
come to defend your ownership of Dunhelm, I’m sorry to tell you
that you’ve come too late to make a difference. Mr. Russell and I
have already had numerous discussions and it’s quite clear that our
recommendation to the government will be that Dunhelm be made an
historic site.” He smirked. “With no resort development.”

“
Our recommendation is far
from decided,” Mr. Russell interjected tightly.

“
Is that so?” Darian asked
silkily.

But Baird flashed a glance to Aurelia. “I
didn’t come for Dunhelm,” he said quietly. Aurelia’s heart rose to
her throat as he crossed the room with purpose. “I came for
something much more important than any piece of property could
be.”

Baird offered Aurelia his hand, uncertainty
lurking in his eyes. “Can we talk, princess?” he asked, the words
for her ears alone.

Aurelia reached out but before she could put
her hand in his, Darian interrupted.

“
I’m not sure it’s terribly
appropriate for you to be exchanging secrets with my fiancée,” he
said coldly.

Baird’s gaze flicked to him, then back to
Aurelia. Disbelief shone in his eyes. “Is this true?” he demanded
incredulously. “Are you going to marry him?”

Aurelia fidgeted. “I did agree to his
proposal, but you must understand…”

Baird dropped his hand and stepped away.
“There’s nothing to understand,” he retorted and spun away from
her.

“
No! Baird, you must
listen!” Aurelia cried, but Baird kept on walking. The stiff set of
his shoulders told her that this time he would not be
back.

But Aurelia was not going to let Baird
Beauforte walk out of her life again, at least not without knowing
exactly what was in his heart.

And she knew exactly how she was going to
get his attention.

“
How unfortunate that the
course of love does not run true,” Darian murmured
mockingly.

Aurelia stormed over to the display he had
carefully prepared of the found artifacts and snatched up the
replica he had made of her crossbow.

“
Hey! You can’t take
that!”

“
I can and I will.” Aurelia
snatched up a trio of arrows and glared at the man who had ruined
her chances for happiness so many times. “You owe me no
less.”

*

Baird couldn’t believe that Aurelia would
marry Darian Mulvaney. He wouldn’t have believed it, if she hadn’t
admitted it herself. He stormed across the perfect lawn, furious
with her and with himself. How could he have been so dumb to hope
she cared for him?

Something whizzed past Baird, within a
finger’s breadth of his ear, and made him jump.

The fired arrow buried itself in the turf
ahead, the fleche quivering with the force of its landing.

Baird glanced over his shoulder, only to see
Aurelia loading her crossbow for another shot. She looked like a
vengeful pixie with her hair cropped so short.

She lifted the crossbow and aimed straight
for him.

That was enough! Baird stood his ground and
flung out his hands. “Why in the hell are you trying to kill me?”
he roared in frustration. “You’re the one who wants to marry
someone else!”

Aurelia lowered the crossbow for a heartbeat
and her tone was grim. “If I wanted to kill you, Baird Beauforte,
that arrow would never have missed.”

Before Baird could make sense of that,
Aurelia cocked the crossbow and fired. Her next shot landed
quivering an inch in front of his well-polished wingtips.

Baird danced backward.

And the way Aurelia proudly lifted her chin
told Baird that that was precisely where she had intended for arrow
to be.

He cleared his throat and propped his hands
on his hips. “Then what do you want?”

To his relief, she lowered the weapon and
strode across the turf, challenge bright in her magnificent eyes.
“To get your attention.”

Baird shoved a hand through his hair. If
nothing else, the woman could keep him guessing!

“
Consider it yours.” He
studied her as she closed the distance between them. Aurelia looked
more fragile than she had before, despite her defiant manner.
Perhaps it was her cropped hair, or the faint shadows beneath her
eyes.

“
I do not want to wed
Darian Mulvaney,” she said flatly. “He is Bard, son of Erc, and
true to his foul character, he cornered me so that I had no choice
but to agree.”

She took a ragged breath as Baird came to
terms with that. “He declared he would not destroy all you had
built if I took his hand, and I know full well that Dunhelm is of
all import to you.”

Aurelia impaled Baird with a bright glance.
“I would not see you lose all you hold dear, so I made this
concession though it went against my own heart and mind.”

They stared at each other.

Aurelia didn’t want to marry Darian!

But she had been going to do it for him.

Baird was humbled by her confession and
wondered suddenly what Aurelia’s heart desired, if it wasn’t
Darian.

She gestured resignedly to the well behind
them, apparently misinterpreting his silence. “I have had my say,
for whatever it is worth, and you should go back if you mean to
influence their decision. It is why you are here, after all.”

Baird’s heart began to pound. “Princess, I
didn’t know anything about this meeting. It’s not why I came
back.”

She lifted her gaze to his and Baird’s gut
wrenched at her uncertainty. “Then, why?”

“
I came back for you,” he
said simply and her eyes widened in surprise.

Well, even if she didn’t like the idea,
Baird had to know the truth.

“
I love you, princess. I
should never have left in the first place.” Baird swallowed before
he could continue, Aurelia’s silence eroding his nerve. His voice
was hoarse. “I had to know whether you could love me.”

“
Oh.
Oh
!”

Baird was not expecting Aurelia to throw
herself into his arms with such enthusiasm. When she rained kisses
all over his face, his heart swelled enough to burst and Baird
wondered how he could have ever doubted her.

He would never do it again.

Ever.

Aurelia caught his face in her tiny hands
and stared deeply into his eyes. “I love you with all my heart and
soul, Baird Beauforte.” Her words were fierce and she glared up at
him. “Do not even dream of leaving me like that again.”

Baird laughed in his relief. He waggled his
eyebrows at her. “Mmm, I wouldn’t want to have to answer for that,”
he teased and swung her high into the air.

Aurelia wrapped her arms around his neck and
smiled just before Baird kissed her soundly. Aurelia’s embrace was
welcoming, familiar and tantalizing, her tongue reminding him all
too well of the pleasures they could give each other.