Chapter Fifteen
So many questions he wanted to ask the strange woman. Henry believed her tale of traveling to visit her sisters. He found it more difficult to believe she was the only survivor of a shipwreck with no wreckage. Not a single piece of ship or person washed ashore.
No matter how many tourneys or places he visited, Henry always felt a sense of peace fill him as he clapped eyes on his home.
“Oh my goodness, is that yours?”
“Aye. I am the third of five brothers. My sire provided each of us with a castle. Mine is not the largest, but ’tis home.”
She twisted in the saddle to look up at him. “You have four other brothers and you all have castles? Do your parents live in a castle too?”
“They did. They died years ago.”
Oblivious to his discomfort, Charlotte looked about as if she had never seen a castle before. Henry had to wonder, where did she come from?
“This is a really long bridge. With the castle sitting in the middle of the water, how do you grow anything?”
“’Tis fresh water. There are two wells inside and a deep pit in the ground for waste. I did not build the castle. It was already complete when I moved in.” He shifted in the saddle. Henry knew his father had fought and won Ravenskirk from the Hallseys. They still bore him ill will because of it.
“It’s good the waste doesn’t go into the fresh water. You can catch diseases that way.”
He wondered what she meant by diseases, but before he could ask, she said, “You know, things that make you ill.”
“There are gardens within the courtyard where we grow food. And many of the people grow food that is brought into the castle like the orchards we rode through. In times of war, the people seek refuge inside the castle walls. We can take apart the bridge.”
She leaned over, looking into the water, and he had to pull her back so she didn’t fall off the horse.
“How deep is it?”
“’Tis deep enough to swim in. And stocked with fish.”
“Your home is very beautiful and forbidding. It’s a nice contrast.”
He was pleased she found favor with his home. Henry dismounted, lifting Charlotte off the horse. She was too thin. Did her family not have enough? From the fine fabric of her clothes, he thought they were of sufficient means. Perhaps from a minor family. By her speech, she was no peasant. Though not from a noble family either.
“You can put me down. My ankle feels better.”
He was loath to let her go.
“If you feel any discomfort, I will carry you inside.”
When she smiled, he wanted to stand there forever like a dolt, staring into her gray eyes. As he lowered her to the ground, he heard her sharp intake of breath and lifted her up again.
“Wait. I can walk.”
He watched as she took a small step. “I will stay close in case you have need of me.”
“Lord Ravenskirk?” A small hand tugged on his tunic. Henry knelt down to face a wee girl. She held up a doll with a rip to its stomach.
“They tortured Dolly.” The little girl pointed to two small boys playing with wooden swords. She looked so angry that Henry had to press his lips together so he wouldn’t laugh.
“Lads. Come here.”
The two boys stood before him, eyes downcast, feet shuffling in the dirt.
“Look at me.”
Slowly, they raised their heads to meet his eyes.
“You want to be knights when you grow up?”
They nodded. “Aye, my lord.”
“And as a knight you must protect women. Women are to be cherished. Only women can bear children. We must love and protect them always.”
The two boys looked abashed.
“Kneel before your lady.”
The two boys knelt in the dirt in front of the girl.
“Offer your sword and swear to protect her.”
Each boy held out his sword and solemnly said, “I will protect you from all harm, Gilly.”
Gilly smiled at the lads. “I accept your vows.”
Henry smiled hearing the seriousness in her voice. “Take Dolly in and have one of the women sew her back together. Then have Mrs. Benton give each of you a pastry.”
The three children ran off. Henry called out, “Where is Timothy?”
“I saw him running away after Mistress Charlotte arrived. He was babbling about faeries and demons and dark doings.”
A raven circled overhead, cawing, and Henry rolled his eyes. Royce, his captain and friend, cursed. “Have a care, Henry. His cousin is a powerful bishop, and she is unprotected without family or kin.”
“I will protect her.”
“Be careful.”
Henry offered Charlotte his arm. “I will show you to your chamber, and then Chester will bring you down to the kitchens for something to eat.”
“Thank you again for your hospitality.”
“After you’ve eaten, we’ll have speech in my solar.”
Charlotte couldn’t tell if she was in shock or she’d simply been preparing for so long that she’d accepted her situation. It was amazing to see a living, breathing castle. The inhabitants going about their day-to-day lives, children playing, men practicing with swords.
It seemed like a movie, and yet it felt like home, which she couldn’t explain. Not only was she far from the coast, she’d never been to England before. Not in all her travels.
So why did she feel like Ravenskirk was home?
“My lord’s chamber is across the hall.” Chester, one of Henry’s knights, pointed to a wooden door. He opened the door to her room and stood aside to allow her to enter first.
“It’s lovely.”
“’Tis the nicest chamber in the castle, after my lord’s.”
The room was beautifully done, the bed huge and heavy looking, with what looked like a soft featherbed on top of the straw, along with decent sheets and blankets.
As she stood in front of the hearth, he said, “There is always a fire, as the rooms are cold all year long, lady.”
How did you tell someone, Hey, I’m from the future, without sounding totally loony tunes? In her opinion, it would be best to wait until she knew Henry better and he knew she was of sound mind.
There was a pipe sticking out of the wall. Chester saw her looking at it.
“Running water.” He pointed to a pitcher and basin. “To wash.”
“How clever.” She let the water flow into the pitcher. There was a ceramic cup, and she poured the water into it. It tasted clean, reminding her of well water. A friend of hers in the country was on well water, and Charlotte had always liked the taste.
From the window, she could see the castle reflected in the water surrounding it. The land beyond was green and lush. So many shades of green.
A knock sounded at the door.
“Come in.”
A young girl, around eleven or twelve, grinned at her.
“Mistress, I’ve been sent to fetch your clothes so they can be washed. My lord said you’d been in the sea.”
“I leave you in good hands, lady,” Chester said, and tweaked the girl’s braid as he left.
The girl held out a bundle. “You can wear these while your clothes are cleaned.”
Charlotte took the dress from her. It was a pretty dark blue wool, embroidered all around the neckline, sleeves, and hem with what she thought might be bluebells. The chemise was embroidered with leaves.
The girl moved behind her. “I’ll assist you, lady.”
“Please, call me Charlotte. What’s your name?”
“Addie, lady.”
“It’s a lovely name.” She let the girl help her undress.
“You have such beautiful skin. Your hair is so lovely, almost as comely as Lord Ravenskirk’s.” The girl clapped a hand to her mouth and blushed.
Charlotte knew the feeling well. She also had a bit of a crush on the lord of the castle.
“He’s very handsome, isn’t he? And you’re right, his h
air is beautiful.” The little girl smiled shyly. Charlotte opened her backpack, taking out the salt-encrusted clothing.
“I hope they will come clean.”
The girl looked at the dresses. “My mum has soap. The clothes will clean.”
Charlotte smiled at the girl. “Might your mom have something for the leather on my bags?” She pointed to the salt stains.
While Addie folded up her clothes, Charlotte dumped the contents of the bags on the bed and threw the covers over them. She wondered again why the daggers and bracelet were missing. The daggers couldn’t have slipped out—the backpack and messenger bag were both zipped shut. The bracelet fit close to her wrist. She paused. Did they disappear because they didn’t yet exist in this time?
“Mistress?
“Sorry, what?”
“I’ll bring a bit of soap for you as soon as I take your clothes to be washed.” She turned back to Charlotte. “Unless you would like to come with me? I can take you to the kitchens for something to eat. Chester doesn’t like to be inside waiting on ladies.”
“Lead the way.”
As the girl left the room, Charlotte hesitated. “I’ll be right there.”
She scooped up her stuff and put it in the chest at the foot of the bed. It made her nervous to leave it there, but she’d have to trust no one would go through her things.
Charlotte followed Addie out of the chamber. In the hallway, Chester leaned against the wall.
Addie said, “I’ll take Mistress Charlotte to the kitchens for something to eat.”
He nodded. “I’ll come and fetch you when he wishes to speak with you.”
Charlotte followed the girl down to the kitchen, listening to her chatter the entire way. The soft leather shoes she’d been given to wear fit okay, but she longed for her boots. They were currently back in her hotel room. Oh well. She hoped someone would enjoy them. The money and gems were tied in scarves, and now sat in the trunk as well.
As they came into the kitchen, Charlotte smiled. A kitchen was a kitchen, no matter what century you found yourself in.
Chapter Sixteen
Henry looked up from the desk to see Addie and Mistress Merriweather entering the solar. “Feeling better after you’ve eaten?”
“Much better. Thank you for your hospitality.”
He wondered if it had been merely the effects of rescuing a damsel in distress. But no, Henry looked upon her glorious face again. Her long blonde hair hung to the middle of her back, loose around her face. Clear gray eyes gazed at him, and in that moment he knew would do anything in his power to aid her.
“Please sit.”
Addie poured them both a cup of wine before scampering out the door. He leaned back in his chair and steepled his fingers underneath his chin. “Tell me again about your sisters, their husbands, and anything you think would be useful in finding them.”
He watched as she hesitated for a moment. And Henry wondered what secrets she was keeping. Women always kept secrets. Most benign, but others harmful. He’d run into his share of jealous women who only wanted to make their husbands angry. Henry had found himself at the end of a blade more times than he cared for. He never meant any harm; he simply adored women. Women of all shapes and sizes. He found beauty in each one. From the tilt of a head, to the sound of laughter, to the way a woman smelled, Henry found all of them enchanting.
Charlotte was the kind of woman to marry, not dally with. Regret filled Henry as he thought of never kissing her full lips. Never caressing her hair, or seeing if her curves were as lush underneath her clothes. He knew if he kissed her once, he’d never want to stop, and that was not acceptable. He pulled his attention back to her.
“I really don’t know much. We lost touch.” She turned her head and gazed out the window, silent for a few moments.
“I lost touch with Lucy first. It’s been a year since I spoke to her. It’s been over four months since I heard from Melinda.”
Charlotte drank her wine. He thought she looked forlorn. And Henry’s heart went out to her.
“Were you angry with each other?” He remembered throughout his entire childhood his parents always shouting at one another. Henry swore they never spoke a pleasant word in all the years they were married. They were both gone, and it pained him to say he did not miss either of them. Perhaps they had found peace in the next life.
“No, we’re close to each other. But when you’re so far away, it’s difficult. Letters take ages, if they reach the intended party at all. I haven’t heard from either of them in a long time, so you can imagine how worried I am. It’s why I finally decided to make the journey.”
“What do you know about their husbands, or where they live? Surely they spoke of their homes in the letters they sent?”
He watched her. When Charlotte Merriweather wasn’t telling the truth, she looked up and to the right. To his surprise, he noticed every detail about her. While he admired women and loved them, they were all rather interchangeable. Talking about court fashions and gossip, having babies, and scolding. But her…something was different about this woman, from her speech and manners to the very air that surrounded her. Mayhap ’twas her coming from another country.
“Lucy is married with children, but I don’t know her husband’s name. I think she lives near Blackford. Do you know it?”
“Blackford Castle is across the country on the west coast. Lord Blackford is a fearsome warrior and kin to my family. A distant cousin. My oldest brother, Edward, is a terrible gossip. I will send a messenger to find out what he knows.”
Charlotte paced back and forth across the room, stopping to pick up a book or object that caught her eye. She seemed restless. How would he fare if he’d traveled such a long distance and could not find his brothers? They were all close, and he couldn’t imagine being without them.
“Lucy’s different, like me. She should stand out. And she talks like me. She’s twenty-four, with long brown hair and blue eyes. The middle sister. I would greatly appreciate any information that your brother or cousin might have.”
“Tell me about your other sister.” He couldn’t keep the disbelief out of his voice. “Perchance you know her husband’s name or where she lives?”
Again Charlotte looked up and to the right. What reason did she have to be untruthful? Was she afraid of something? Had she run away from a husband who beat her? And at that thought, a pang went through him. For while he could not marry her, he did not want her to be married. He was a fool.
“Melinda is my oldest sister. She’s kinda bossy. Twenty-six, with green eyes and long, curly red hair. She went—well, the last I heard, she was at Falconburg.”
“Falconburg Castle is two days’ ride. I will dispatch another messenger. One of my brothers told me Lord Falconburg married a beautiful woman with red hair a few years ago.”
“She’s only been gone four months or so. No way it could be her…at least I don’t think so. Though Falconburg was the last place I know she went. I need to get there and ask if anyone knows her.”
“We must take care. There is sickness about. People are struck with a fever, then die a few days later. Some of the villagers believe the devil is walking about. ’Tis dangerous to travel unless necessary.”
Charlotte bit her lip. “I’ll wait to hear what your messengers find. But I will have to travel to Falconburg and Blackford to search for them. It’s the reason I’m here.”
“And I will send an escort with you as soon as ’tis safe. Lord Falconburg, James, is not hospitable to visitors. I will send a messenger first, and once we have word, we can make the journey if the sickness has passed from the lands.”
Henry held up a hand. He didn’t want her to get her hopes up. “If your sister has only been gone four months, she cannot be Lady Falconburg, don’t you agree? Wouldn’t you know if your sister married a noble? And an extremely rich noble at that?”
She wouldn’t meet his eyes. And instead of asking her outright why she was lying to him, he decided he would unco
ver what he could about her himself.
“It is possible, though. Given the way I haven’t received any letters lately, it’s possible Melinda married and I don’t know about it. Will you help me?”
While Henry was thinking about the probability of her sisters being married to James and William, he heard a raven call in the distance. The hair on the back of his neck stood up. He’d heard many ravens throughout his life. But now the birds seemed to appear when Mistress Merriweather was near. Or when the old woman from the wood was close. While Henry would never say it out loud, he swore the bird led him to find her on the beach. Something otherworldly was happening. And the old woman’s message ran through him.
Those you call friend will turn against you. A stranger will become more important to you than your own life. And when you see nothing but darkness ahead, look to the east.
“Aye. I will send messengers. We will find your sisters.” He stood and made her a low bow. “After all, I am a knight and sworn to aid those in need.”
Was Charlotte the stranger? If the old woman’s prophecy were true, which friend would turn against him? And even more alarming was her prediction about a coming darkness. By the east, did she mean one of his brothers would come to his aid? Henry snorted.
Or did she perhaps mean William Brandon and his army? It made his head ache, and Henry was tired of thinking about it. He needed to ride.
“Thank you again, Lord Ravenskirk. I have imposed on your hospitality for too long. Is there someone who could take me to a nearby inn where I can wait to hear back from your messengers?”
“Nonsense. You shall stay here at the castle, where it is safe. And then I will not have to search you out when the messengers return.” He walked to the door and opened it. “Would you like to join me for a ride? It’s a lovely day.”
Chapter Seventeen
“My lord, come quickly.”
Charlotte looked up, hearing the alarm in the man’s voice. Henry was already on his feet, calling out over his shoulder, “Stay here until I know ’tis safe.”
Lonely is the Knight (Merriweather Sisters Time Travel Romance Book 3) Page 7