A Rogue's Surrender: Regency Novellas

by Lauren Smith

  “Aubriella” The sound of her name being said echoed in her ear, but she ignored it. Continuing to read the journal and discovering its secrets were far more important. Trenton shouted, “Damn it, Brie, give me the journal.”

  Her head jerked up and she met his gaze. The cobwebs of her engrossment still threaded through her mind. She blinked several times clearing her thoughts. Trenton hoped to go back to find her cousin. “You want to travel though the mirrors.”

  She wasn’t sure if he understood what he’d read. Time travel was not only possible, but her cousin seemed to be lost somewhere in the past. At least, that is the gist of it. Why hadn’t Trenton explained any of this to her?

  “According to this journal, Elizabeth Kendall had the ability to push her hand through the mirror here at Weston Manor, but she never did more than that. It freaked her husband out.” She frowned. “I can’t say I blame the guy. Anything of a supernatural nature must have been disconcerting to someone in the nineteenth century.”

  “Actually, he was from the eighteenth century,” Trenton said drolly.

  “Come again?” She raised an eyebrow. He must have read something incorrectly. “The date on this journal clearly says 1840. That’s the nineteenth century. Are you sure you read this right?”

  The corner of his lip quirked upward. He lifted his hand over his heart and said, “I’m wounded. You think I’m dumb?”

  She narrowed her eyes and studied him. “Are you drunk?”

  He sighed. “Lady Elizabeth Kendall married the Duke of Whitewood, otherwise known as Captain Jack Morgan, a time traveling pirate from the eighteenth century.” He moved toward her and snatched the journal. “And no, I’m not drunk.”

  She practically danced in place as she asked, “How do you know this?”

  A movement at the door caught her eye. She turned as Regina, the new Duchess of Weston, entered the room, platinum blonde hair falling down her back in waves. She was heavily pregnant and waddled a little as she walked. She glanced back and forth between them. “What are you doing?”

  “Brie has a keen interest in your niece and her husband.” Trenton jerked his hand toward Aubriella.

  “Niece?” Aubriella’s head turned toward Regina. How was that even possible? “Lady Elizabeth Kendall is related to you?”

  “In a roundabout way,” Regina said as she rubbed her belly. “I suppose she’s related to Bradford several times removed.”

  Aubriella had so many questions. She was surprised Trenton allowed her to stay long enough to ask the ones she had. Did he finally realize she would be a use to him? It was about damn time… Still, she had to understand this new development before she could move forward. How was Elizabeth Kendall related to Regina?

  “I’m so confused,” Aubriella said. “Can we start at the beginning?”

  “You’re slowing me down,” Trenton scoffed. “I thought you wanted to help.”

  Trenton had his now famous glower settled onto his face. His impatience was rubbing on her last nerve. If he’d allowed her to help from the start, then she wouldn’t be so far behind with the details. She wanted to hear the tale of Elizabeth Kendall and her pirate husband. Aubriella wanted to know it all and study it down to the last detail. History had always fascinated her and now there was time travel too. It was all of her dreams rolled into one.

  “My parents adopted Alys when they thought they couldn’t have children. I was a surprise blessing. So technically, yes, Elizabeth is my niece, as she is my sister’s daughter.” Regina bit her lip. “I know it is all rather confusing. Alys travelled through time in a similar manner as Genevieve. Trenton’s been studying it for quite a while now.”

  Aubriella’s mouth fell open. “So you all believe time travel is for real? I thought that, this entire time, Trenton had lost his mind. I honestly came here to humor him and help him accept reality. Genevieve wouldn’t want him to suffer.” She had wanted to believe time travel existed, but a small part of her had thought it was a pipe dream. One she’d never have the chance of discovering, let alone participating in.

  “I deserve it,” Trenton said adamantly. “I failed her, and until I make that right, it isn’t fair for me to have any happiness.”

  His emotions hit her like a wave crashing to shore. Hard, fast, and consuming—pain, longing, and sorrow mixed into one big ball of regret. Aubriella blocked them with a wall before they brought her to the ground. Sometimes her gift was more of a curse. She hated that other people’s emotions ruled her at times.

  “Don’t be so hard on yourself,” Regina said. “I think Aubriella is right. Torturing yourself is not the answer, and you can’t tell me that is what Genevieve would have wanted for you.”

  “She wouldn’t.” Aubriella nodded. “She loved—loves—you. If she is truly lost in time, that wouldn’t have changed.” She tilted her head a moment and then reached for the journal in Trenton’s hand. “Give that to me. Something I read makes me think I know how the mirror works.”

  Trenton handed it over reluctantly. She flipped through it and was scanning the pages. She glanced up at Regina and said, “This doesn’t make sense to me. You told me Alys traveled to the nineteenth century. What does that have to do with the pirate duke? Are you certain it’s the same man?”

  “My mother confirmed it,” Regina said. “When she saw his portrait in the gallery. They met when he and his pirate crew plundered a ship she was sailing on.”

  Her mouth fell open. Aubriella closed the book and looked at Regina. “Does everyone in your family travel through time?” Why couldn’t she be that fortunate?

  “Um, no,” Regina said sheepishly. “Well, almost all of them. I’m the one hold out. I’m happy where I am. My father found my mother in 1722 and brought her back to his time. Alys—well, you know about her.”

  “And your niece has the ability too,” Aubriella said. “And her husband?”

  “It’s all convoluted, isn’t it?” Trenton said. “I’ve had a lot of time to study it all, and it still amazes me.” He turned to Regina. “I forgot to tell you. Captain Jack is actually your uncle.”

  “What?” She groaned. “Maybe this time traveling stuff is in our blood. How is he my uncle?”

  “He’s your mother’s half-brother,” Trenton explained. “A by-blow from their father’s indiscretions—and one he never claimed. Elizabeth put it in detail in her journal.”

  Aubriella studied the journal and didn’t pay attention to most of what they had said. She heard it, but her mind filed it away for examination at a later date. The journal and its contents held her immediate attention. She read a passage several times and something popped out at her.

  The mirror calls to something inside of me. A part no one else sees but is ingrained in blood—like a song someone like me can hear.

  Did Elizabeth have a psychic gift of some sort?

  “I think I know how to do it,” Aubriella said excitedly.

  “You do?” Trenton turned to her and quirked a brow. “How?”

  “The person in control of the mirror has to have some kind of psychic ability. Eve is a telepath if the person is receptive to it,” Aubriella said. “I have empathic abilities. I wonder if that is enough.”

  “Eve’s a telepath?” Trenton said.

  Aubriella debated telling him about Genevieve’s gift, but Regina beat her to it. “Yes,” she said. “She used to talk to me.”

  That’s interesting… If her cousin could talk to Regina, why hadn’t she tried to talk to her? What made Regina so special? Jealousy clawed through her, but she pushed it down. Now wasn’t the time for it.

  “Explain,” Trenton demanded.

  Regina fidgeted under Trenton’s stare. He clenched his jaw and kept his hands fisted at his sides. His anger managed to seep through the shield Aubriella had erected. If he didn’t calm the fuck down, she’d have to step in. She hated to do that and hoped it didn’t get that far.

  “I didn’t tell anyone. It sounded so crazy…” Regina chewed on her bottom l
ip.

  “Quit stalling, Gina,” he said. “Tell me what you know.”

  “I don’t know a lot. It was after our marriage was over. I was on my way here the first time she contacted me. It was almost like a dream. She couldn’t stay long and her messages were all so cryptic. To make it short, she wanted someone to save her. I eventually figured out she wanted me to reach out to you. That’s why I’ve been helping you so much.”

  Trenton swore and paced the room. His anger dissipated without any help from her. She breathed a sigh of relief. A mirror on the other side of the room caught her attention. It was floor-length and something about it called to her. It could be the mirror Elizabeth wrote about. Without any conscious thought, she walked over to it. Swirls of mist filled the reflective glass.

  “Can you see this?” Aubriella stared into the mirror. “All the fog, and oh my…”

  A man with long dark hair and warm brown eyes came into focus. He strolled across a field, heading toward a towering castle. A river roared in the distance. His emotions were powerful enough to break through every shield she had in place. His pain was even greater than Trenton’s, and the need to make it go away was difficult to ignore. She could take that away from him and give him a sense of peace, but she had to go to him to do it. If she did that, she wouldn’t be around to help find Genevieve. Aubriella had to make a decision and fast.

  “What?” Trenton asked.

  “That’s one handsome man. He looks so lonely...” She tilted her head, intent on the image. She knew what she had to do. Trenton would save her cousin, but there was no one around to do the same for this man. “I’m going to help him…”

  She dropped the book and stepped through the mirror, disappearing inside. The mist swallowed her whole and disoriented her. She focused on the man and his location. The mist spat her out like something that tasted bad. She didn’t have time to prepare for the impact and her head bounced on the ground. Aubriella glanced up, meeting the man’s gaze. At least she’d managed to do that part right—she’d found him. Her vision blurred and she lost consciousness.

  Chapter One

  Killian Lynwood, the Earl of Thornbury stared down at the lass lying on the ground. She had golden red hair and a heart-shaped face. Her eyes were a light brown with flecks of gold shimmering through them. Her small frame barely covered much of the earth beneath her. Her dress—he narrowed his gaze—it couldn’t really be considered a gown. The skirt fell beneath her knees and the top half was so white it appeared sheer. It appeared to be more of chemise than an actual blouse.

  What had happened to the poor thing? The woman blinked several times and her head dropped, bouncing off the grass beneath her. He wasn’t entirely sure where she’d come from. One minute he was alone, and the next he turned to find her before him. It was possible he’d been so lost in his own thoughts he’d walked by her without noticing, but he couldn’t be certain.

  When she regained consciousness, he’d have to ask her several questions. Starting with her name and ending with where the bloody hell she’d come from… It didn’t appear as if he’d be interrogating her anytime soon though. She wasn’t moving, and she may have injured herself in ways he couldn’t see. He’d have to help her even if he wasn’t feeling inclined to do so.

  He sighed. “Och, what am I to do with you?”

  There really wasn’t any choice. He would have to take her back to Kingsbridge castle. Once there, his servants would be able to assist him. He could send one of them to fetch a doctor and perhaps determine what ailed her. She was a lovely lass, but he’d rather not keep her around the castle for any length of time. His mother might start to get ideas about marriage and grandchildren. Killian had no desire to become a husband or a father. He already had too much responsibility on his hands.

  He lifted her into his arms and headed back to the castle, thankful she was a tiny thing. The lass’s weight was nearly nothing, making it easy for him to carry her. The castle was over the hills, beyond the edge of the River Tweed. His home sat on the English side of the river, and while technically he wasn’t a Scot, he often identified with them. Most of his servants were Scots, including his governess.

  Killian crossed over a hill and stopped a moment to catch his breath. Kingsbridge Castle loomed in the distance. The magnificent estate was glorious to behold, and he’d never tire of this particular sight. Sunlight streamed down upon it, creating a majestic view. It sat on a hill, making it easier to look down on the world around them.

  The castle was a throwback to times when medieval lords had to plan for sieges that could last for days. The large sweeping gates had long ago been renovated into actual doorways and the courtyard renovated so it wasn’t open and no longer allowed weather to stream in at will. The former courtyard had been converted into several different rooms. Over the years, the previous Earls of Thornbury had made changes. Each one constructing Kingsbridge even more impressively than before—Killian had yet to do any changes to the castle. He wasn’t even sure he wanted to. It didn’t belong to him in truth. He wasn’t really a Lynwood and didn’t deserve the title that came with the only home he’d ever known.

  He glanced down at the woman in his arms. Standing around looking at the castle wasn’t helping her. She needed a doctor and he had to make sure she found one. With a sigh, he continued his journey to the castle. A short time later, he was standing before the large wooden doors juggling her as he attempted to open them. As luck would have it he didn’t have to shuffle her for long. The door swung open wide and a large man filled the entrance. He had black hair with gold highlights. It fell to his shoulders in untamed waves. His grey eyes were akin to a storm cloud ready to unleash the heavens on the world. They darkened as he glared at Killian.

  “Gavin,” Killian said, addressing one of his closest friends. “Move before I knock you out of the way.”

  “I’d like to see you try,” he replied as he stared at the woman Killian held in his arms. “What did you do to the lass? Is this how you court a woman?” He crossed his arms across his chest defiantly. “Perhaps it would be best if you handed her over to me.”

  Like hell he would. He hadn’t harmed the lady, and it irritated him his friend believed he had. Gavin, above anyone else, should realize that. They always had each other’s back and that shouldn’t have changed because of one slip of a lass. “Move. Now.” Killian counted to three and pushed forward. If Gavin was going to be difficult, so be it. He had no trouble laying his friend flat. Gavin stepped out of his way, allowing him to enter the castle.

  “What happened to her?” Gavin asked.

  “I don’t know,” Killian replied. “I found her lying in the field beyond the castle.” He paused a moment and asked, “Do you recognize her?”

  Gavin shook his head as he gazed at the lass. “She’s a bit of a sprite. If not for her generous bosom I’d think she was no more than a girl.” He frowned as a lock of his dark hair fell forward. “Did she lose some of her clothing?”

  Killian wished he knew what had happened to her. She appeared a bit too delicate to be out in the world on her own. His protective instincts were starting to surface. That wasn’t a good thing. It would be hard for him to push her away if he continued to worry over her welfare.

  “I’m going to take her up to one of the unoccupied chambers,” Killian said. “Please have one of the servants summon the doctor for me.”

  Gavin nodded. “Would you like me to send for your mother as well?”

  “Not yet,” Killian said. His mother would take one look at the girl and scheme. “It may not be necessary.”

  Killian turned away from Gavin and moved toward the stairs. He went up and headed toward the solitary available chamber ready to use. His mother had made the servants keep it clean on the off-chance Killian would give in and take a bride. Putting the injured lass in that particular room was a risk, but he wanted to make sure she remained comfortable.

  He pushed open the door and laid her on the bed. She moaned and curled o
ver onto her side. Her blouse rose to reveal the creamy flesh of her stomach—Killian swallowed hard and tugged it back down. The flimsy fabric tore under his fingers. He swore under his breath. The lass needed proper clothing and fast, but first he’d see to her health.

  “I heard we had a guest,” a female said.

  Killian swore again. How had his sister heard about the woman already? “She isn’t exactly a guest, Odessa.”

  “You do know you don’t have to knock a lady over the head to bring her home, do you not?”

  Killian closed his eyes and prayed for patience. He turned away from the injured lass and faced his sister. Odessa’s dark hair was pinned up in an elegant coiffure. Her dark green gown brought the color out of her hazel eyes. Her lips were tilted up into a mocking smile. She was teasing him…

  He lifted a brow. “I don’t need advice from my little sister.” Killian folded his arms across his chest. “Especially as you’ve failed to secure the match you desire for yourself. If it’s so easy, why is it I don’t have your betrothal to announce to the world?”

  She scowled at him. “That idiot hasn’t realized yet what a gift I am. He will soon enough.”

  Killian held back the bark of laughter that threatened to spill from deep inside of him. His sister had been trying her best to gain Gavin’s attention since they were children. Back then, Gavin had better things to do than cater to a girl. Killian wasn’t sure if he still felt the same way now. Odessa was a pretty girl and well set in her ways. He adored his little sister even when she irritated him to death.

  “Perhaps it’s time for you to let go of him,” he said softly. “Some men have no desire to settle down and have a family.”

  “No,” she said firmly. “I’ll marry Lord Havenwood, or I’ll have no one.”