by Kim Allred
"What's this viscount's name?" Ethan asked
"He said something about being an heir to the druids," AJ interjected.
Beckworth snorted. "My ass."
When everyone turned to him, Beckworth waved a hand in a dismissive gesture. "He's gone daft. His name is Reginald Johannes Penwether. He has a small claim to aristocracy in Austria through his mother. The only title he's ever held in England was marquess, and he lost that when our dear father's title was taken."
"All I know is he thinks he's related to some ancient druid." AJ slumped back. Bart shuffled over to hand her a mug of tea. She wrinkled her nose as she sipped it. The earthy smell of valerian root and chamomile smothered the scent of something that left a bitter aftertaste. She would have preferred coffee and then wondered if her brief withdrawal from caffeine made the headaches linger.
Maire's chortle broke through AJ's musings. "An Englishman with ties to the druids? Ridiculous. But AJ isn't wrong. He seems to think he can make himself invincible with the stones."
Beckworth's face flushed with either frustration or anger. Maybe both. AJ couldn't decide. He crossed his arms across his chest and grumbled. "Must be all that blue blood inbreeding. If I'd known I'd have to give away half my brain to be a full duke's son, I wouldn't have wasted half my life trying to impress the sod."
Beckworth's flippant remark on his lifelong struggle for acknowledgment by an arrogant father seemed to take the air out of the room. In a somewhat successful attempt to turn the conversation away from him, he turned to Maire. "So how much of this information have you shared with my brother?"
Maire sighed, her eyes downcast. "Only enough to keep him satisfied."
"Stop." Ethan glared at Beckworth, who shrugged. He grabbed Maire's hand. "You have nothing to be sorry for. You've been held in a dungeon for the last six months."
"Not exactly a dungeon." Beckworth raised his hands in mock defense. "Though I admit not the best conditions. My question wasn't meant as an accusation. We need to know how much Reginald knows."
AJ smirked at Beckworth's use of his brother's common name.
"I kept him appeased for several weeks because the copied text was truly dreadful and when…" She glanced at Beckworth and gave him a conspiratorial smile. "When I finally told Reginald that nothing made sense with the unintelligible handwriting, he reviewed the pages and came to the same conclusion. It was another week or more before he brought me new translations. But I had to feed him something. I dragged it out for as long as I could and, beginning to understand where the translations were going, tried to feed him false information. That worked for a couple of months before he discovered I was holding back. I don't know how he knew. He either had someone checking my work, or he just made an assumption. I'm not sure which."
"No one is blaming you. Giving him false information was perfect." Ethan glared at the others, daring anyone to say something different.
"If Reginald did have someone reviewing your work, wouldn't this person require some understanding of the old Celtic language? Possibly enough to link together what the druid was working on?" Finn asked.
Beckworth considered the question. "He's always been well-traveled, so he could have made some important connections."
"You said the duke's wife is an aristocrat? I'm surprised she stayed with him." AJ couldn't wrap her head around why she'd want to stay with the duke.
"She didn't have the titles on her own, but she did have money. I do believe she loved him from what little I saw of them together, but when he lost his title, and she became his source for capital, the tables were turned. She eventually tired of him, stopped the cash flow, and left for Austria."
Lando, who AJ almost forgot was in the room, spoke up from the corner. "If he has someone that can translate old Celtic, the person must not be well-versed enough."
"There's more to it than just the ability to read old Celtic." Maire glanced down at her hands, brows pinched in thought as seconds ticked by. When she seemed to have her thoughts together, she leaned forward, "The druids weren't ones to write many things down. When they did, it was sometimes written in some form of code that differed from sect to sect. With enough readings of the book, some can correctly decipher the translations. With Sebastian's help, we were able to do just that with The Book of Stones, though not all of it. And that was two of us working long days and nights for months."
"So how much does he know?" Finn asked, his tone soothing and non-judgmental.
"I told him the torc seemed to play a part." Maire sat back, her spine stiff. Her expression seemed to dare anyone to challenge her actions. "I wanted to steer him away from the stones, and I knew the torc was well hidden in the monastery. With the war, I assumed travel would be difficult and the port well-guarded."
"That's good," Ethan said and rubbed the back of his neck. "Finn and I have it on good authority the soldiers have a strong presence at the port. Not invincible. Sebastian has his own smuggling operation going under their noses. But it would be difficult to invade the monastery until Napoleon is routed from France."
"And that will be several years yet," Finn added.
"Right." The old man leaned on his cane and pulled his body up from the chair. When Beckworth moved to assist, he pointed the cane at him. "Stop right there. I've been getting up from my chair since I was old enough to walk." He moved to his work table and began grinding herbs.
AJ laid back, suddenly too tired to hear anymore. When Finn leaned close and gazed down on her with a worried expression, she reached for his hand. "I'm all right. Just too much too soon, I think." She reached for her pocket then realized she wasn't wearing her dress. Panic shot through her, and she sat up so abruptly, a jolt of pain made her wince.
"Don't worry. Your necklace and dagger are safe." The mirth in Maire's tone told AJ that her friend had found more than just the Heart Stone in her pocket.
36
Bart limped to the bed and handed AJ a cup. "Drink it all down." He turned to the room. "Everyone out. The woman needs rest."
Finn lingered while the rest of the men filed out. He kissed her cheek. "I'm going to check on the horses, then I'll be in the next room."
AJ smiled up at him, but the movement made her wince. When his smile faded, she placed a finger on his lips before he could say anything. "I really do feel better. I'm just not used to the bright light."
He didn't look convinced, but he nodded. "That must be it." He glanced at Maire but didn't say anything as he stood to leave.
Before he made it to the door, Maire called out. "I don't know why he didn't tell you, but he didn't mean any harm."
"We all pay for our secrets, Maire." He left the room, shutting the door quietly behind him.
Maire sat next to AJ and pointed at the cup. "You need to drink all of that."
AJ swallowed the tonic without pause, assuming she was drinking the same concoction Bart had given her the last time. She gagged, spitting the last remnants across the blanket. "God, that's awful. What's in that?"
The old man cackled. "If I told you it would taste bad, you'd still be sipping it. Now just lay back and let it do its job."
"To what? Poison me," she grumbled.
"If I wanted to poison you, the tonic would have tasted like honey in summertime."
"Good to know." She laid back and stared at Maire while Bart fussed at his table.
"Where's my ring?"
Maire reached into a pocket and handed AJ the necklace with the Heart Stone and wedding ring. "When were you married?" Maire's lips twitched beneath her stern accusatory stare.
AJ thought back to her impromptu wedding to Finn in their bathtub back in Baywood. "No one knows except my close friend Stella, and that's only because Finn asked her help in picking up the ring. I wanted to wait for Finn so we could tell you together."
Maire hugged her with more vigor than AJ expected, and she grabbed her head.
Maire laughed. "Sorry. It couldn't be helped." She glanced down at the ring in AJ's hands,
her fingers clasping and unclasping around it. "It's quite similar to our parents' promise rings."
"That was Finn. He completely surprised me."
"Did you have a ceremony?"
"If you call a handfasting with Celtic vows being shared while naked in a tub a ceremony, then yes." She couldn't help but grin, which only grew wider at Maire's flushed cheeks. "I can't believe you're blushing."
"I can't believe you mentioned my brother naked."
They both giggled until they heard a crash from outside. When nothing else happened, Maire sighed. "I fear Ethan just paid for his secrets."
Finn stormed through the cabin, out to the porch, then down the steps. Ethan stood next to Lando and Beckworth. They appeared to be scanning the landscape for threats while reviewing their security measures. The men turned when they heard Finn approach. Without breaking stride, Finn drove a right hook into the side of Ethan's head. The man went down.
Finn marched into the barn and grabbed the reins of the first horse he came to. The saddles had been removed, but they hadn't been properly brushed. He looked around then noticed Lincoln step out from one of the stalls.
"Where are the brushes?" Finn called out, surprising the lad who came running.
On the way, Lincoln picked up a brush from a nearby barrel. "Sorry I haven't gotten them brushed yet. I wanted to get their stalls ready first."
"Don't worry. I prefer to brush my own."
Lincoln fidgeted, moving from one foot to another, a question apparently on his mind.
"What is it?" Finn softened his tone. His anger wasn't at this boy.
"Did you mean to brush all the horses?"
Finn glanced at the other three horses then back at Lincoln. "How about we split the effort?"
Lincoln nodded with enthusiasm. "Let me finish with the hay, then I'll get started."
The barn door opened while they brushed the last two horses. Finn glanced over his shoulder to see Ethan approach, a sheepish expression on his face.
Before Ethan reached them, Lincoln untied the horse he'd been brushing and led it to a stall. When he was out of earshot, Ethan stopped next to Finn, who continued to brush the horse.
"We always seem to be full of secrets." Ethan leaned against a post, arms crossing over his chest.
Finn nodded. "Almost as if we didn't trust each other."
A moment went by before Ethan tried a different tact. "I thought you might run me through."
"The thought had occurred."
Several minutes passed. The silence only broken by Finn's even strokes of the brush and the chuffing of horses from their stalls. Ethan shook his head and turned away.
Finn sighed. "We're fine." He set the brush down and faced Ethan. "I understand why you did it. Just like I understand why AJ didn't tell me about seeing Beckworth following her, or why Adam didn't tell his wife about his gambling debt. Just as I stand by my reasoning for not sharing everything with AJ after our jump—or before it."
Ethan raised a brow at the last admission but waited for Finn's words to sink in. He ran a hand through his hair, and he sounded so tired. "Damn it, Finn. Life was so much easier without women."
Finn's bark of laughter echoed through the barn. His amusement only increased as he thought about the last two years of his life. Then Ethan began to laugh. The chortles growing in unison as the stress of the last two weeks broke free. Falling against opposite posts, they slid to the ground facing each other across the aisle.
"I should have told you something when we were in Baywood." Finn considered Ethan, who wiped tears from his face. He looked haggard. They hadn't stopped for a decent meal or sleep since arriving in England. He waited for Ethan to meet his gaze. "I'm happy it's you that Maire picked."
His friend said nothing. Instead, he stared at his hands resting in his lap. "I don't deserve her."
Finn's signature grin appeared, and he chuckled. "Of course not, man. You're not Irish." Then Finn grew serious. "But there's no one I trust to care more for her than you. If nothing else, that was easy enough to see when you arrived in Baywood. I know the look of someone in pain, riddled with guilt, and unable to do anything."
Ethan nodded. He picked up a rock and turned it over in his hands. "What about Beckworth?"
"I'm not sure I care." Finn would be happy to just walk away from the man and never think of him again.
"We need to do something about this book."
"Aye." Finn rubbed his jaw. The plan had been so simple. Find Maire. Yet, before they'd jumped back, he'd known that if Maire had been kidnapped, there would be more to the story. They should have tossed the blasted stones, torc and all, into the sea. Be damned to Sebastian's preservation of history. And if they could recover the druid's book, would that be the end? He needed to make sure that it was.
Ethan threw the rock down the aisle, and it skipped twice before landing still. "Beckworth seems eager to get Waverly back."
Finn nodded. "And that's the key to him. As long as our plan to steal the book matches Beckworth's desire to regain Waverly, he can be trusted. Otherwise…"
"Otherwise, we find creative ways to convince him that our plan coincides with his best interest."
Finn's grin returned, and he hoisted himself up. When Ethan stood, Finn held out his hand. "Our mission is to steal the book, get rid of it, then get the women to safety. Once and for all."
Ethan shook his hand. "Agreed."
37
A knock on the door woke AJ. She'd barely roused by the time Maire opened the door wide enough to stick her head out. AJ caught a glimpse of Finn's tall figure before Maire whispered something to him then slipped out the door. Finn stepped in.
"How are you feeling?" He closed the door and leaned against it, crossing his arms over his chest. His gaze roved over her as if seeking his own answer.
AJ sat up and performed a self-examination. She was still stiff, but the headache was nothing more than a dull ache. "Better." They stared at each across the room. She broke the contact and studied the tightly clasped hands in her lap. "I'm sorry I didn't wait for you."
"You were right not to."
She lifted her gaze and saw the truth in his eyes. Holding back a smile, she nodded, still unsure why he was across the room inspecting her like she might be contagious. "What happened to you?"
He lifted a shoulder. "You know the story. The fog returned and grabbed us in your wake, just as it did Ethan with our very first jump, and as it did in bringing Beckworth to the future."
"I thought so. But after a couple of days, and you didn't show up, I thought Ethan might have used the revised incantation Maire had translated."
"We weren't sure where it would take us. Following you, if we could, was the better option."
"How far away did the mist drop you?"
"Only a couple of days' ride, but we ran into some soldiers."
She sat straighter, looking him over more thoroughly.
Finn chuckled. "We both survived and made it to the monastery only an hour after you left."
"You caught a ship?"
"A captain I know made port a couple of days later. He has a fast ship, and we docked just shy of Southampton. Then we rode straight for Waverly."
"My goal was Hereford, but Waverly was on the way."
"And the two of you thought you'd be enough to find and rescue Maire?"
Now she understood. He wasn't upset that she'd gone into the past without him. Beckworth had forced her to jump with him. And he wasn't mad that she'd left with Jamie on the Daphne Marie. He was mad she'd trusted Beckworth.
"We had similar goals, but they didn't include rescuing her. I didn't think we'd even find her. When we discovered the building heavily guarded, we knew someone important was in there. I was gathering information from town on the chance someone may have seen her." She gave him the most sincere smile she could drum up. "I sent letters to the earl and Hensley. They've probably just received them or should soon." He didn't need to know she had no intention of leaving for H
ereford, and she felt horrible for the slight misdirection. She bit at a nail and glanced at Finn. His expression had changed. Any sign of irritation had been erased by something smoldering behind those emerald-green eyes.
"Why are you still standing over there?"
"I'm afraid if I get close, I'll hold on too tight. You need time to heal."
"I'd heal faster if I could hold my husband."
Faster than she could blink, he was next to her. He pushed her to the side of the cot as he climbed in next to her, rolling her half on to him so they'd both fit. The creaking of wood under their combined weight made them both freeze. She giggled while he found the most comfortable position for both of them.
She never thought she could miss someone so much that it felt as if she'd break into tiny pieces. He pulled her close, and she rested her head on his chest, the strong beat of his heart loud in her ear. She wrinkled her nose and sniffed her armpit. Maire must have given her a sponge bath she hadn't remembered. Which left Finn as the one who sorely needed a bath. But she was willing to forgo the smell so she didn't have to release him. He was here, and for the moment, they were all safe.
"I don't think this cot was built for two." AJ snuggled closer.
"Nonsense. We don't require any more space than this." His breathing settled into a steady rhythm.
AJ didn't mind remaining in bed if it meant being next to Finn. She closed her eyes and waited until their breathing became one.
Another knock at the door stirred them both awake.
"Come in." Finn rubbed his eyes and gave AJ a quick kiss on her lips.
Maire poked her head in. "I'm sorry. I gave you as much time to sleep as I could, but AJ should take another potion, and dinner will be ready soon." She moved through the door when Finn and AJ began to rise. When she stepped closer to the bed, she wrinkled her nose. "Someone needs a bath before dinner."