A Matter of Time: Book 4 of The Thistle & Hive Series

by Jennae Vale

  “Are ye ready, Richard?” Nick called as they continued to fight.

  “I believe I am,” Richard answered.

  “Alright then, let’s finish this.”

  With a fury that neither Malcolm nor Pierce had been expecting, the two friends went at them, sending them flying backwards to escape the blades slashing towards them. There was only so far they could retreat, and when they were up against the edge of the arena, Nick and Richard simultaneously flipped their opponent’s swords up into the air, where they spun for a moment, before landing with a thud in the dirt. The crowd cheered, clapping their hands and stomping their feet. Next came the daggers, which were no match for Richard and Nick’s sword skills as they were wrestled away from Malcolm and Pierce and joined the swords on the ground.

  Malcolm was visibly furious as he grabbed Pierce by the arm and strode angrily from the arena. Before Richard had a moment to think, Angelina was by his side, examining his arm. “We need to get you over to the EMT. I think you might need stitches.”

  Deliriously happy, Richard tapped the tip of her nose with his finger and winked to let her know he was okay.

  Angelina hovered over him like a mother hen as he sat there, loving every minute of her sweet concern. He wasn’t fazed by the stitches in the least. He’d been injured before, much worse if truth be told, and he had the scars to prove it. What he felt even more keenly, was the way Angelina bit her lower lip and held tightly to his hand, squeezing a little harder with each stitch.

  “I don’t think I’ve ever had a patient who didn’t at least grimace while I was doing this,” the EMT stated as he cleaned the wound one final time and then put his equipment away. “Those will dissolve on their own, but try not to get them wet while you’re showering.”

  Richard didn’t respond. He was too busy memorizing every inch of Angelina’s face.

  * * *

  The sight of blood oozing through Richard’s shirtsleeve had Angelina stifling a scream and cursing Malcolm Granger for what had apparently been a carefully orchestrated attempt to hurt Nick and Richard. The two men had swiftly disappeared into the crowd and it was lucky they did, because otherwise she’d have drawn her own sword and challenged them.

  “My sweet Angelina, worry not. It is but a minor wound and your man has done an admirable job of sewing me up. There will hardly be a scar visible when it heals.” Richard gently lifted her chin with his finger. “I’m fine,” he repeated.

  Tears were brimming against her eyelashes and threatening to spill, as Richard pulled her into his embrace, loving the feel of her as she molded herself to him. He softly kissed the top of her head as she sniffled and wiped at her eyes.

  “I need a tissue. Will you walk with me to the ladies room?”

  “Of course I will. I cannot bear to take my eyes from you, not even for a moment.”

  The sky was dark now, but the Faire continued, with music and laughter filling the night air. She hadn’t seen Nick, but he would definitely be the life of the party, as he had been in years past. “I’ll be right out.”

  Richard released her from his grasp. “I’ll be waiting.”

  Angelina found some paper towels, blotting her tears dry and examining her puffy eyes in the small mirror above the sink. In an effort to erase all signs of her crying, she ran cold water and splashed her face, before drying it and heading back outside.

  “Richard—” A hand came out of the darkness to cover her mouth and too late, she noticed Richard sprawled out on the ground in front of her. She struggled to free herself in an effort to go to him, but found that her arms were being held on either side by two large men whose faces she couldn’t see in the dark. Another, much larger man picked Richard up and threw him over his shoulder and then she heard an all-too familiar voice.

  “There’s no use struggling, Angelina,” Malcolm Granger whispered in her ear. “This way,” he called to his men. As they walked, the sounds of the Faire faded until Angelina knew they were no longer within shouting distance and no one would come looking for them for quite some time. Her heart sank. Where was Malcolm taking them? What did he plan to do with them? Was he so angry because he lost the final battle? She had plenty of questions, but was unable to voice them as Pierce Holmes removed his hand from her mouth and then quickly replaced it with duct tape. Fear and anger bubbled through her chest, but she remembered what Richard told her and settled her mind, removing those two emotions and leaving her head clear to fight this battle when the time came.

  Chapter 20

  Malcolm Granger had recently purchased an old San Francisco restaurant, one that resembled a medieval castle on the outside and with much renovation, now resembled one on the inside as well. It sat perched on the top of a hill, looking very out of place in modern day San Francisco. The car pulled into a dimly lit underground parking area where the doors were opened and Angelina was ushered out of the car. Richard, who had been slumped in the seat next to her, was dragged from the car and once again thrown over the same man’s shoulder for the walk to the very non-medieval elevator that would take them upstairs.

  “What do you think of my new castle?” Malcolm asked.

  The duct tape over her mouth made it impossible to answer the question, but Angelina hoped the glare she sent in Malcolm’s direction would speak volumes about her opinion.

  “Oh, I’m sorry, I forgot to remove the tape. Please, don’t scream when I take it off. It’ll do you absolutely no good.” Malcolm ripped the tape from her mouth and Angelina swallowed back the urge to cry out at the pain. “Watch your step getting out of the elevator.”

  Angelina made her way into what she assumed would be the equivalent of a great hall in most legitimate castles. It was decorated with many of the medieval artifacts that Malcolm was well known for having collected. For future reference, she memorized her surroundings, knowing that it might come in handy when she and Richard made their escape. There was no question in her mind – they would be escaping.

  “Well? You haven’t said anything. Do you like it?” Malcolm stood in front of a large stone fireplace that when lit probably heated the entire floor.

  Angelina took the opportunity to glance around the room, noting the position of doors, windows and other possible escape routes. “It looks like you,” she said reluctantly.

  “It does, doesn’t it? I was very happy when this place came on the market and I was able to purchase it for a song. Many months of work have led to it becoming the most authentic medieval castle in the United States. It’s almost complete. The only thing it needs is the Twin Sword, and you’re going to help me get it. It will then hold a place of honor above the fireplace.”

  “I don’t know how you expect me to help you get something which has never been found.” Angelina glanced worriedly in Richard’s direction. He hadn’t moved yet and it concerned her. “What did you do to Richard?”

  “Don’t worry, he’ll wake up soon. Just a little hit on the head, nothing for you to worry about.” Malcolm crossed the room to face Angelina. “I’m afraid I can’t let you have the run of the place, for obvious reasons. I have accommodations for you upstairs. You and your friend will stay there, until you agree to help me.”

  “Help you go back in time? That’s absolutely ludicrous, not to mention impossible,” Angelina protested.

  “Is it now? I’m sure your two friends can tell you all about it, and how truly possible it is. I’ll be contacting Nick shortly, to let him know that I have you both. The ransom will be his cooperation in returning to sixteenth century Scotland with me to retrieve the sword and then bring me back again.

  “What makes you think Nick is a time traveller?”

  “He told me so.”

  Angelina couldn’t hide her astonishment. “I don’t believe you.”

  “It’s true. He was quite drunk when he volunteered the information. At first I thought it just the ramblings of a man who was very inebriated, but after I thought about it for a while, I took note of his odd language and behav
ior, and I started looking into it further. The information that I’ve gathered leads me to believe what he told me that night was true.” Malcolm walked over to a nearby table and poured himself a glass of wine. “My man has been scouring Great Britain, looking to acquire the Twin Sword, with no luck. Once I heard Nick’s strange tale, I requested some genealogy investigation and the results confirm your friend, Nick, is definitely from sixteenth century Scotland. And so is this gentleman here.” Malcolm gestured toward Richard’s prone figure.

  Angelina fought against the urge to shake her head in utter disbelief. Malcolm was insane. What he had suggested couldn’t possibly be true, but even as she denied it to herself, she realized that both Nick and Richard had appeared out of nowhere and neither of them spoke about their backgrounds, except in generalities. Wasn’t she, in fact, always telling them not to go getting all medieval on her? Angelina simply couldn’t wrap her head around it. She was starting to feel as out of touch with reality as Malcolm clearly was.

  “Nothing to say on the topic?” Malcolm asked. He chuckled to himself and took a large gulp of wine. “Pierce, take our guests upstairs please. I’m not in the mood for entertaining at the moment, and I must craft a ransom note for our friend, Nick.” He turned his back on Angelina and she found herself being marched to a narrow spiral staircase by Pierce and a second burly man, who had been holding her in a secure grip. A third man carried Richard, following along behind. Angelina could see the men’s faces clearly now, and recognized them as part of Malcolm’s team they’d fought today.

  * * *

  Richard heard the entire conversation as he pretended to remain unconscious. His head was throbbing, but his thoughts were anything but muddled. As soon as the door closed, he could sense Angelina hovering over him and he opened his eyes warily.

  Relief flooded her pretty features. “Oh, thank God! I was wondering why you weren’t waking up.”

  “I’ve been conscious the whole time. I’m sorry I frightened you, but I felt it best to continue the ruse.”

  “So you heard everything he said?” Angelina helped Richard up from the floor and gently examined the back of his head. Her fingers came away from his scalp, sticky with blood. “Today’s not your day. Let me see if I can find something to clean that up with.” Richard watched as she left his side and scanned the room. Elaborately decorated, every last detail, down to the hardware on the doors, screamed medieval. This must be a guest room, as it was outfitted with a large bed covered in furs. At the foot of the bed was an intricately carved bench covered in burgundy velvet. The room looked as if it should be in a museum display. In the far corner was a door and she grabbed the handle, before turning back to him with a worried frown. “I’m hoping this is a bathroom. I’ll be right back.”

  A few moments later, she returned with bandages, a small scissors, and some disinfectant – everything needed to take care of Richard’s wound, and she urged him to sit down on the bench at the foot of the bed.

  “We must plan our escape,” Richard said when Angelina gingerly began washing the blood from the back of his head.

  “While I was in the bathroom, I noticed another door. It’s locked, but if we can find a way to open it, we might be able to find a way out of here. I’ve tried to pay attention to the position of every door and window that I’ve seen, in hopes that the information would come in handy.”

  “It’s smart that you did. It may be the only way we’ll escape.”

  Angelina studied his head closely. “The cut’s not too big. It definitely doesn’t require any stitches and it seems to have stopped bleeding. How do you feel?”

  “Aside from a damned headache, fine.” He smiled warmly at her, and could see from the way the frown creasing her forehead disappeared, that it went a long way to making her feel better about their predicament. “I’m sure Nick has noticed we’re missing by now. He’ll be searching for us, even before that fool sends him the ransom note he mentioned.”

  “I hope Nick will be okay, I don’t want him to get hurt trying to rescue us.”

  “Nick will be careful. Believe it or not, we’ve been in somewhat similar circumstances some years ago.”

  “You were kidnapped?” Angelina said doubtfully.

  “Not us. A friend,” he explained. “Nick and I came up with a plan to retrieve him, without having to pay the ransom. It was actually quite clever. I’m sure Nick will remember and if possible use the same plan again. It’s quite fortuitous that Malcolm has constructed this building into a medieval fortress. Nick will know exactly what to do and in the meantime, we will not stand idly by and wait. We’ll do our best to secure our own release.”

  * * *

  Angelina’s head was spinning as Richard spoke so matter-of-factly about kidnappings and ransoms, and medieval fortresses. Was Malcolm right? Were Richard and Nick from another time? She just had to know the truth. “Richard, is Malcolm telling the truth? Are you and Nick really time travelers?”

  There was a long pause before he responded, and Angelina saw the tiny droop in his shoulders that confirmed the answer before he spoke. “I’m afraid we are,” he answered.

  Her shock must have shown on her face, because Richard spoke in a rush as he tried to explain.

  “Please, don’t be angry with us. We kept it quiet, for your protection as well as our own. It was best that no one know the truth about us, because frankly, most people wouldn’t believe it. You can see the problems we’re facing now, after Nick’s drunken confession to Granger.”

  “I’m sorry, but I’m still having a hard time believing any of this could even remotely have a chance of being true.”

  Richard watched her patiently. “I give you my word, Angelina. It’s the truth. I am Sir Richard Jefford and I was sent travelling through time to your modern day San Francisco. I was born in the year 1484.

  She searched his face for any sign that he was lying to her, but there was nothing but honesty in his clear gaze. Angelina suddenly had a desperate need to sit down because her legs were weak and her head filled with a strange buzzing sound. She stumbled across to the bed, and flopped down, where she sat staring aimlessly into the distance.

  * * *

  Richard knelt in front of her. Taking her hands in his and bringing them to his lips, he kissed the palms of both. “This is not the way I would have chosen to tell you my story. There is more to tell, if you care to hear it.” He was afraid to tell her the whole of it, but knew honesty would be best and if he lost her because of this, then so be it – it was no more than he deserved.

  “Knowing you’re really from the sixteenth century is about all I can handle right now. That would make you over five hundred years old!” She exclaimed in disbelief. “Can we save the rest for another time?”

  She seemed weary to her bones and more vulnerable than he’d ever seen her. Since he’d known her, Angelina had always been so strong and in control. It took every ounce of his self-restraint not to scoop her up and cradle her in his arms, but he was frightened of how she might react. “May I hold you in my arms while you rest?” He’d never felt the need to ask before, but his respect for her was deeply felt and if she didn’t want him near her, he would not force the issue.

  Angelina nodded and lay down on the bed, making enough room for Richard to join her. He wrapped her in his arms and cradled her head on his chest. “Sleep if you can. Tomorrow may require us to be at our best.”

  “What about Malcolm?”

  “Don’t worry about him, I don’t think he’ll be bothering us tonight. It’s late and after the beating Nick and I gave him and his friend, he no doubt needs his rest as well. Close your eyes, love.” Once again, he kissed the top of her head. As he nuzzled her hair, Richard closed his mind to all thoughts of Malcolm Granger and their predicament and breathed deeply and steadily, knowing that if he was relaxed, it would help Angelina to relax. The smell of her perfume wafted around his nose and when the sound of her breathing grew deeper and rhythmic, he knew Angelina would soon be a
sleep. He closed his own eyes, knowing the morning would be with them too quickly.

  * * *

  Nick paced back and forth in front of Angelina’s truck. The parking lot of the tournament was empty, with the exception of his team. They had refused to leave him, but he was at a loss as to what he should do next. Where could they be? Why didn’t they tell me they were leaving? Their disappearance made no sense whatsoever and the fact that the truck was still here only served to increase his unease.

  “What do you think happened?” Zeke questioned.

  “I have nae idea, but I dinnae believe it to be anything good. Neither of them would up and leave without telling someone. When last I saw them, Richard was having his arm tended to by the EMT. I had to go and accept the award we won and when I came back they were gone. Did any of ye see where they may have gone?”

  “Afraid not,” Wade answered. Kyle and Jason shook their heads.

  “So, no one saw a thing. I suspect our Mr. Granger may have had something to do with this, though I cannae be sure. The bastard hates my guts, and he went out of his way to cheat during the tournament, I wouldnae put anything past him.” Nick threw his equipment into the back of the truck. “If it was him, where would he have taken them?”

  “I heard Granger just remodeled an old restaurant, one that looks like a medieval castle and he’s living in it. Maybe he took them there. But what do you think he wants with them?” Zeke’s puzzled expression mirrored everyone else’s.

  “He told Angelina that he believes I’m a time traveller and he wants to go back in time to recover a special sword for his collection–” Nick stopped abruptly and pressed his thumb and forefinger to his temples. He was so frazzled, he’d spoken without thinking, and now his group were looking at him as though he’d grown a tail and two horns.