I barely had a chance to turn before he was standing right in front of me. I held my breath. He was so close I could smell the crisp night air on him and feel the cold coming off his clothes. I stared at his snow-covered boots, not wanting to look up for fear of what I might see, but needing to just the same. He leaned forward. My heart skipped a beat. He stayed there, not moving, not saying anything. I lifted my eyes, first to his chest, and then his chin, his lips…they were unsmiling. No dimples in sight, I forced my eyes to his and froze. He was looking at me with such intensity, I wanted to take a step back, but forced myself to stay. I knew that somehow he needed me not to move…not an inch.
Devlin moaned.
Reflexively, I turned my head and instantly realized that I just made one of the biggest mistakes of my life. I quickly turned back to Sebastian.
The spell was broken.
I searched his eyes for some recognition of the person I saw only moments before. He was gone. Whoever had taken his place was cold, unfeeling. I shuddered within.
A MOMENT LOST
RAVENHURST
SHORTLY after my encounter with Sebastian in the library, I found myself back in my borrowed room. This time I did not have the warm, fuzzy feeling when I left him. No, quite the opposite…my heart was heavy in my chest, squeezing the very air from my lungs. All I wanted to do was curl up in a ball and cry. Cry until all my tears were spent.
When Milford returned from the stables, he told us what transpired on their journey. I felt terrible; I had no idea they were looking for me. I also had no notion of the pain I apparently caused Sebastian. I was sorry for that as well.
Isabelle tried to make him stay, to tell him what happened, but Sebastian was having none of it. He brushed past us without a word, took a bottle from the sideboard, and disappeared from the room almost as quickly as he entered it.
After he left, I couldn’t take the questioning glances or the accusing stares. So I made my excuses and quickly ran from the library towards the only place I could go. I ran back to my borrowed room, with my borrowed necklace inside. Somehow, I had ruined everything. I sat heavily upon the bed and looked over to where I kept the necklace hidden, loathing it.
‡
Sebastian stepped out of the now cold bath and donned his robe. He sat in front of the fire and drank directly from the bottle he took from the library earlier.
The liquid sloshed in the bottom as he swirled the bottle in his hand. He took another long pull, welcoming the burn and then leaned his head back against the cushion, his wet hair dampening the brocade fabric and closed his eyes. A throbbing pain gathered behind his closed eyes.
Well, at least he knew her name now. He had heard Isabelle say her name before he made his hasty exit from the room. “You are a bloody fool, Sebastian.” He lifted the bottle and took another long pull.
He was not only a fool but a coward as well. He would not even listen to what happened to the girl who was wreaking havoc on his emotions.
He needed to put some distance between himself and her for a while. He did not trust himself to be near her just yet, he was so angry. It felt as though the weight of the world had settled on his shoulders. He reached around and rubbed the back of his neck. He was suddenly so very tired. He knew he had to figure out what he would do now, but exhaustion finally won out and he drifted off to sleep. He dreamt of a beguiling woman with sapphire eyes. Her name was Katherine.
‡
The air was thick and heavy with steam as I stepped into the bath once more. I scrubbed my body until all the filth was gone from the place where I was held with Devlin. There were scrapes on my palms and cuts on my knees. I didn’t climb out of the bath until the water went icy.
It matched my feelings perfectly. I didn’t even bother with the childlike nightgown but instead slid the heavy brocade robe on. Pulling the belt tightly around my waist, I lifted the heavy blankets on the bed and climbed in.
Tears slid down my cheeks and wet the pillow. Frustrate, I grabbed a different pillow and punched it a few times. That didn’t help much. The tears still slipped from my eyes as I laid my head down on the pillow. When I finally drifted off to sleep, I was plagued by the most unsettling dreams.
‡
Grayson, with the help of Milford and Isabelle, carried the still-unconscious Devlin into a room at the top of the stairs and settled him into the small bed that was pushed against the far wall.
“Should I stay with him,” Milford inquired.
Grayson shook his head. “No, we will be in the adjoining chamber; if he awakens and needs tending I will take care of him.”
“Are you sure?” Milford asked, suddenly feeling very tired.
“Yes, quite. Now go get some rest in case I need your assistance later.”
Milford backed from the room before the Duke had a change of heart. “I will be right down the hall if you need me.” And with that, he was gone.
Isabelle leaned against the doorframe with her arms crossed over her chest. “Do you think a fever will take hold?”
Grayson placed the back of his hand on Devlin’s brow. “It has not yet, so that is a good sign,” he said as he straightened once more. “We will leave the door ajar though, just in case.” He gave Isabelle a reassuring smile, closed the distance between them, and pulled her into his embrace.
“I am not sleepy,” Isabelle said, leaning back to look at his handsome face.
“I am sure I can think of something to tire you out,” he said, lifting his brow flirtatiously.
“What of Devlin,” she asked, twirling a piece of his hair between her fingers, smiling up at him wickedly.
Grayson chuckled and pulled her closer. He leaned forward and kissed her soundly.
Grayson led her into the adjoining chamber. All thoughts of Devlin were quickly forgotten.
‡
Milford walked down the darkened corridors with only his thoughts for company. He could not believe how muddled everything had become.
SWEET MISERY
RAVENHURST
THE door slid open silently. A cool breeze wafted through the room and glided over my naked body. I shivered and tried to pull the blankets up more snugly. My hand landed on something hard and unmoving. My eyes flew open. Sebastian was lying beside me with his eyes open, staring vacantly at the ceiling above. A knife jutted from his chest. I screamed.
‡
Devlin’s eyes snapped open. “Katherine!” He tried to climb from the bed. Pain shot up his leg and he fell back, helpless. “Someone, anyone, help…her!” he yelled brokenly, fighting the searing pain in his leg. His body shivered uncontrollably, making his teeth chatter. He tried to move once again but the pain overrode his good intentions.
‡
Grayson ran through the adjoining door. His hair was standing on end, his chest was bare, and his trousers were open. He had a gun in his hand. Isabelle was right behind him, her hair in wild disarray, and her robe hanging loosely about her shoulders.
“My God man, what is wrong?” Grayson demanded, turning on the lights in the room. Devlin’s eyes were wild. “I think the fever has him,” he told Isabelle.
Devlin was barely intelligible. “It is Katherine. Go check on Katherine.” He tried to climb from the bed once more. It was a futile attempt. He collapsed in agony.
Grayson looked questioningly at Isabelle and then brushed past her and ran into the hall towards Katherine’s room.
“What is it?” she asked, trailing behind Grayson.
“I am not sure,” Grayson said over his shoulder, making his way down the hall and then stopped outside of the chamber Katherine was staying in. He reached out and tried to turn the handle. It was locked.
“What is happening?” Milford was suddenly by his side.
Isabelle pulled her robe closed. “I do not know.”
Grayson handed his gun to Milford, took a step back, and ran forward, ramming the door with his shoulder. The door would not budge.
Milford handed the gun to Isabelle and took an u
nsteady breath. Then he lifted his foot and tried to kick the door, but it still would not give.
Isabelle stood away from them both, the gun in her hand, giving Grayson and Milford a wide berth. When neither was successful in opening the door, she handed the gun back to Milford, walked over to the door, and turned the handle. It swung open easily.
Grayson and Milford looked at one another, their astonishment clear. They both looked at Isabelle. She shrugged her shoulders and stepped aside.
Frigid air blew from the room. The sight that greeted them was not one they expected.
‡
A group of startled faces loomed in just inside the doorway.
“It was just a bad dream.” Sebastian tightened his hold on Katherine as she shook from the last dregs of her nightmare.
Grayson wrapped his arm around Isabelle. “I think Sebastian has everything under control.”
“I believe you may be right,” she agreed and grabbed hold of his hand, letting him pull her from the room.
Milford looked down at the gun in his hand and then glanced back at Sebastian. “Do you need anything?”
“No, I think she is all right now,” Sebastian said.
“I will be right down the hall if you have need of my assistance,” Milford said and turned to leave.
“Milford,” Sebastian called out.
Milford stopped and turned back towards Sebastian. “Yes.”
“Thank you.”
Milford pressed his shoulders back. “You are quite welcome, Sir.” And with that, he turned on his heel and strode from the room, never once seeing the knife on the floor as it was pulled slowly back under the bed.
‡
Devlin swore under his breath and tried to adjust himself on the narrow bed. He felt completely worthless. If something untoward happened to Katherine, he would never be able to forgive himself. It was strange, he barely knew the girl, but he had somehow formed a bond with her while they were down in the pit. They seemed to be kindred spirits. His thoughts were broken by the appearance of Grayson in the doorway. “Is she…”
Grayson cut him off. “She is fine. It was merely a bad dream.”
Devlin breathed a sigh of relief, rubbing his hands over his face. “Thank God.”
“Have you known her long?” Grayson had a curious look on his face.
Devlin lowered his hands and smiled ruefully. “Actually, no I have not but… Oh never mind. Thank you for telling me,” he said sincerely.
Grayson tilted his head. “You are quite welcome,” he said. Then he turned and quietly shut the door.
Devlin closed his eyes, lying back on the pillows, but he did not find sleep
.
KEY NINE
A NEW DAY
RAVENHURST
BRIGHT shafts of light poured into the chamber, dispelling all gloom and taking with it the ghastly creatures that lurked around the edges of my mind…remnants from my disturbing dream. I opened my eyes and it took me a moment to remember where I was. I was not in my borrowed room but in another room altogether. This one had a very masculine quality to it. And then I remembered, this room was Sebastian's.
After my horrendous dream, I couldn’t shut my eyes without having a terrible feeling something awful was going to happen to Sebastian. When I had told him of my fears, he had suggested that I sleep in his room.
Unfortunately, he did not sleep in the bed with me like I had hoped. No, he took the chair beside the bed and propped his feet on the bottom. Surprisingly, once I shut my eyes, I was out.
Stretching lazily, I lifted my arms above my head. The bed was a dark reddish-brown wood, carved with lion head adornments. Reaching up, I touched one. The tooth was sharp.
Much like my borrowed room, over to my left, there was a large bank of windows. The curtains pulled wide apart. Crawling from the bed, I stood and looked outside. White wispy clouds swirled across the expanse of blue sky and the ground was covered entirely in a fresh blanket of glistening snow that shimmered like diamonds in the sun. Small animal tracks were the only thing marring its perfection. Turning away from the window, I ran my hand over the heavy brocade fabric of the coverlet on his bed. It was a dark red color, which pulled the hazy dregs of my nightmare to the forefront of my mind, and I envisioned my own blankets covered in the dark wet stain of Sebastian’s blood. I rubbed the chill from my arms and quickly left the room.
Padding barefoot down the hall, I reentered my borrowed room and made quick work of getting dressed and making myself presentable. This time I chose a light blue colored gown with white piping. After I dressed, I checked my appearance in the mirror. Dark circles loomed under my eyes, which made my face look paler than usual. Wishing for some makeup, I looked over at the dressing table. There was some lip salve and powder but I was reluctant to use any since Ned had once told me that the Victorians actually put arsenic in face powder to make their complexions pallid. Of course, they had no idea they were slowly poisoning themselves. Thank goodness, Ned filled me in on that one.
Well there was no hope for it. I would just have to stay pale. Lifting my skirts, I quickly left the room. The corridor was cloaked in shadows and the sconces flickered eerily on the wall as I hurried past several closed doors. I gave them a wide berth. I was afraid Crazy was hiding behind one, waiting to do me in. One lone door stood open at the end of the hall, near the stairway. Unable to resist, I peered inside cautiously.
The room was small, but pretty, done in light shades with floral accents. A narrow bed was pushed against the far wall. Devlin was lying in the middle with his eyes closed. His leg was propped on a stack of pillows. He looked uncomfortable. I wanted to ask if he needed anything, but I was suddenly unsure if I should. I did not want to ruin what strides I had made with Sebastian. The last thing I needed was for him to see me and assume the worst. Still, I couldn’t quite turn away either; he seemed so…alone…vulnerable.
Devlin cracked one eye open. He felt her standing there. “Good morning,” he said cheerily.
“Oh!” Startled, I jumped and banged my elbow on the doorframe.
“Are you all right?” he asked, a smile brightening his face.
“Yes,” I sighed and rubbed the sore spot. “How are you?”
“I feel much better now.” He hitched up his brow.
“I am relieved to hear that.” My heart fluttered which unsettled me even more.
“You know, you may come in. I promise I will not bite.” He raised his brow flirtatiously.
“I would…but, ah…I really should get downstairs and eat.”
“Famished are we?” His eyes crinkled at the corners as though he was holding back a laugh.
“Ah….”
“It is all right Katherine. You need to eat. Go on.”
I felt terrible. “I can get you something. I mean, that is what I was going to do…,”I could tell by the look on his face he knew exactly what I was doing. I was running away from him because I was afraid Sebastian would catch me with him and assume the worst.
“I understand,” he said with meaning.
“I will be back shortly. I promise.” I gave him a meaningful look. “Is there anything you need before I go?” I felt like a deserter.
“A glass of water would be nice,” he said and glanced over at the pitcher on the bedside table.
I did a quick check over my shoulder and peered down the hall and then down the stairs. The coast was clear. Rushing forward, I quickly grabbed up the heavy cut glass pitcher, and poured a glass of water. It sloshed over the rim of the glass as I shakily held it out for him.
A pained look crossed his face. He could not seem to extend his arm far enough to grasp the glass.
“Let me help you.” I moved closer to the bed. Reaching over, I put the glass to his lips. He could not seem to lift his head either. I had to wonder at his sudden weakness, since I could swear his head was lifted just fine moments before. Gently, I placed my hand behind his head and helped him drink.
Devlin sipped the wat
er slowly, his heavy lidded gaze locking on mine over the rim.
A rush of heat spread to my face under his close perusal. I felt antsy. The room was closing in on me as images of our shared kiss flitted into my mind. Devlin seemed to take an exceedingly long time to drink his fill. Once he finished daintily drinking up every last drop of water, I put the glass back on the bedside table and turned to flee the room but it was too late.
Sebastian leaned in the doorway with his arms crossed over his chest, watching my every move.
I gulped reflexively at the expression I saw on his face. It would seem luck was not with me this time either.
“I hope I am not interrupting anything?” he said tonelessly.
“No. Not at all,” I squeaked out in a pitch too high. I felt like I was caught doing something bad instead of merely helping an invalid drink some water. Of course, the invalid was the same man I had kissed the evening before. Double crap. “I was just giving Devlin some water. He was thirsty and not able to get it himself.” Even to my own ears, I sounded guilty.
“Devlin how is your leg?” Sebastian pushed off the doorframe. “Funny, I was not aware your arms were broken as well,” he said with an icy edge.
Devlin settled back on the pillows. “How astute of you.” He smirked. “You are right, my arms are not broken, but sudden movements do cause me undue pain.”
“How thoughtless of me,” Sebastian added in feigned concern. “Would you like me to help you with anything?” He used no effort to keep the derision from his voice.
A Knight Such as This: Enhanced with Interactive Content: (Time Travel Romance) Book 1 & 2 (Ravenhurst Series) Page 23