A Matter of Time: Book 4 of The Thistle & Hive Series Page 23
With that, Lady Catherine left the room, leaving Angelina to stare into the fireplace and wonder what she should do. She knew what her heart was telling her, but the very last thing she wanted to do was put herself into a bad situation. If Lady Catherine had stayed, maybe Angelina could have explained why she was afraid. That she didn’t want to suffer through what she had seen her mother experience with her father. Her mother hadn’t been very wise when it came to choosing men, and Angelina’s father had been the worst. He had been an alcoholic, a chronic cheater, and any time her mother challenged him regarding those two issues, he would beat her. Angelina had seen enough of it to know she couldn’t tolerate that behavior in her own life and so, rather than get involved in a meaningful relationship, she had kept all her relationships casual and had never once let her heart fall into the hands of any man.
Because how would she know which one, if any, she could trust?
* * *
Angelina slept fitfully that night, her dreams haunted by images of Richard trapped in an unfamiliar place. He called to her, but she couldn’t seem to reach him. He was searching for a way to escape, but there didn’t seem to be any. When she woke, Angelina was utterly exhausted. In her dreams, she had spent the entire night trying to get to Richard. She’d ridden down paths, through forests, down more paths, up hills, across rivers and still she couldn’t find him. She’d searched everywhere, calling his name, but he’d never answered. She experienced a heightened sense of urgency when her feet hit the floor. Throwing on her dirty tournament clothes, Angelina knew she had to convince Nick that there was something very wrong. She opened the door to her chamber and headed across the passageway to Nick’s. The door opened just as she was about to knock.
“Angelina, we must leave. Something is wrong.” The usually upbeat Nick, who took nothing seriously, appeared more disturbed than she had ever seen him before. He took her by the arms and practically shouted at her. “Richard is in trouble. He needs us.” Letting go of her, he brushed past her and hurried down the stairs.
Lady Catherine was waiting for them as they descended the last few steps. “Did we all have the same dream?” She searched their faces, as if searching for some sign to ease her worry. “Something is very wrong. You must save him from whatever danger has befallen him.”
Angelina took a deep breath and tried to collect her thoughts and calm herself for Lady Catherine’s sake. “I believe we did have the same dream. Nick?”
“Aye. Richard is in trouble. I dinnae ken his whereabouts, but we must find him. We’ll leave immediately.”
“I have the stable boys preparing your horses and the kitchen staff are preparing food for your journey. Please don’t let anything happen to Richard. Please.” Lady Catherine, who had seemed so poised and calm the night before, was practically in a panic this morning.
“We’ll find him,” Angelina said, trying to reassure Richard’s mother, almost as much as she was trying to reassure herself.
Edward rushed down the stairs. “I’m going with you.”
“Edward, please stay here with me. I wish no harm to come to you.” Lady Catherine grabbed hold of her youngest son’s sleeve.
“I must go, Mother. I will take care and return to you unharmed. I promise.” Lady Catherine had latched onto his hands now and Angelina could see she wasn’t willing to let go.
“Don’t worry,” Angelina said. “We’ll take very good care of him. Something tells me we’re going to need his help.”
“Aye. The lad will be fine with us. We’ll see to it. When the situation Richard finds himself in is resolved, we’ll all return.” Nick gently kissed Lady Catherine on the cheek and squeezed her hands reassuringly.
Angelina did the same and then Edward crushed his mother to him in a fierce hug. “Don’t worry, Mother. We’ll find him and bring him home.”
* * *
The horses awaited them in the courtyard, and they mounted and prepared to leave. Edward had assembled his men, leaving some behind to safe guard the castle. Lady Catherine watched from the doorway, clutching a handkerchief to her lips. Angelina could see how worried Lady Catherine was and wished more than anything to ease her of that burden. The only way to accomplish that would be to ensure Richard was safely returned to her and his home.
“We’ll make this trip, much the same way we came here, Angelina,” Nick said. He seemed worried about whether Angelina could make it, and she had to admit – her thighs and back were aching from all the riding – but she shook her head resolutely.
“Don’t worry about me. I can handle anything if it means Richard will be saved.” She kicked her horse into a gallop and the men followed swiftly on her heels.
They soon left the bucolic English countryside behind and headed for the Scottish Highlands. Angelina couldn’t fathom how, but they seemed to instinctively know where they were going without question or thought. And for now, she was willing to go with her gut instincts, especially considering Nick seemed to be thinking exactly the same thing.
* * *
Sullen and irritable, Richard rode beside Malcolm Granger, who was chatting happily about finding the Twin Sword and how it would give him the power he had always deserved. “We’re getting closer. According to my map, we’ve crossed onto Campbell land and should be at the mouth of the rock vault holding the sword before sundown.” He sounded gleeful and Richard wanted to wipe that smile from his face more than anything.
“Finding the vault will do you no good, if you have no way to gain entry,” Richard observed with some satisfaction.
“Don’t you worry, Jefford, I brought a little something along that will guarantee my entrance.” Malcolm was humming cheerfully as he rode further ahead and Pierce took up his vacated position next to Richard.
“What is he talking about? Is he out of his mind?” Richard didn’t expect an answer, but Pierce gave him one anyway.
“Not at all. We brought some explosives from the twenty first century. Malcolm had everything ready and waiting when we ran after you that night. He shouldn’t have any trouble at all getting that sword. And then, you, of course, will see to it that we return home.”
“I keep telling you, returning you to San Francisco isn’t up to me. That eventuality won’t be an issue, however, as the people here will never allow you to get your hands on the Twin Sword.”
“They will. We’ve got you as a hostage, which means they’ll do whatever we tell them to do,” Pierce smirked.
Laughter bubbled up from Richard’s chest. “You fools. I’m the worst hostage you could possibly have taken! They don’t care what happens to me. I am a hated man in this time, but of course, you had no way of knowing that fact.” The surprised expression on Pierce’s face gave him some small satisfaction and he was delighted when the other man lapsed into a sullen silence.
* * *
The following morning saw Nick, Angelina, Edward and his men camouflaged by an abundant number of trees. They had gathered around a large rock outcropping, at the foot of a craggy hill. They remained as still as possible while they watched Malcolm Granger, arms flapping about, as he paced back and forth in front of what appeared to be a cave opening, which had been sealed by a rock fall. His men could be seen, scurrying back and forth between their horses and the rocks. They couldn’t see Richard, which terrified Angelina, but Arion was clearly visible.
Leaving their horses hidden amongst the trees, Nick signaled the others to follow as they carefully made their way closer to Malcolm’s position. Angelina searched the area frantically for Richard and was relieved when Nick pointed him out to her. He was sitting with his back against the rocks, with Nash Roydon, Angelina’s opponent in the tournament, standing guard over him. She suddenly felt a little better, knowing that Nash was hardly any competition with a sword.
“What are they doing?” she whispered, crawling on her belly to Nick’s position.
“I’m nae sure. Malcolm is ranting about something and the others seem to be following his orders.”
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At the sound of brush breaking behind them, they turned to see the MacKenzies joining them.
“What are ye doing here?” Nick asked, a relieved smile spreading across his lips.
“Ye didnae think to ask us to join ye? Surely ye ken we enjoy a good fight as much as the next man,” Cormac replied in a low voice.
Robert chuckled. “Dinnae listen to him. We told Edna we’d meet her here, to help in any way we can. She’ll be arriving shortly with the Campbell’s, if all went well.”
“In the meantime, I believe we should attempt to get a wee bit closer, so we can hear what they’re discussing,” Nick suggested.
“What is Richard doing with them?” Cailin asked.
“He’s not helping them, if that’s what you think,” Angelina said, sounding a bit defensive even to her own ears.
“I can see that he’s nae helping them, lass. He has nae sword and there’s a big oaf standing over him. I’m surprised to see him, ’tis all.” Cailin exchanged a concerned look with Nick.
Nick raised himself onto his knees, to speak to the group. “Cailin, Cormac… come with me. The rest of ye stay here. We’ll discover what they’re doing and we’ll be right back.”
“I’m coming with you,” Angelina insisted.
“Nae. Yer staying here and I won’t hear another word about it.” Nick and the others stayed low to the ground as they made their way to a closer position, remaining out of Malcolm’s sight.
Angelina intended to follow them, but Robert had obviously read her body language and lowered himself to the ground next to her. “There is strength to be found in waiting, lass. Ye’ll get yer chance, but first let them get the information we need to plan our next move.” He placed one large hand on her shoulder and Angelina relaxed under its warmth.
“Okay. I’m just afraid for Richard.”
“We’re going to do our best to get him out of there safely,” Robert said.
“But why? Surely you don’t really care about him? Especially after all the terrible things he did to you and your family. Why would you even want to save him?” She really was confounded by the situation. Why was she the one who was the angriest with Richard? Shouldn’t they have all wanted him dead?
“When ye’ve lived in this time long enough, lass, ye’ll see that friends and adversaries change like the weather. Richard was our enemy, but he has made amends and done something he didnae have to do to help us, so he is our friend. He made some poor choices early on, but he is a man grown now. He finally sees the difference between right and wrong. We are ever changing, lass. From birth to death, our families, where we live and the circumstances we find ourselves in often dictate how we behave. To be able to rise above that, as Richard seems to have done, is an impressive feat. He has earned our respect and will carry it with him, until such time as he proves himself unworthy, though I dinnae believe that will happen.” He smiled warmly at her. “Now, let’s keep our eyes on our true enemies, shall we?”
Robert’s words made a lot of sense and left Angelina with much to think about. Her own family and circumstances had definitely played a part in how she lived her life. Until she had met Richard, she would have been happy to live her life without love – or at least, that’s what she told herself. All a result of having a terrible father and a mother who made poor choices. Richard had suffered a terrible father too. It had almost ruined his life, but Edna had helped him rediscover his conscience. If everyone else had forgiven him, including Ashley, why was she holding back? Could she let go of her own past to accept a future here in this time and place with Richard? She was beginning to believe she could. The only thing standing in her way was Malcolm Granger.
Chapter 28
Watching and waiting, Richard realized the chances of getting out of this situation alive were not good, but at the very least, he would see to it that Malcolm Granger didn’t get his hands on that sword. He’d bide his time until Malcolm appeared ready to use his explosives and then he’d act. He wasn’t completely sure what he intended to do, but somehow, he had to stop him, at least until the Campbell’s and Edna made an appearance.
He had already taken note of Nick and the MacKenzie’s arrival. They had hidden in the brush off to his right. They were a stealthy bunch and not easily detected by those who didn’t have knowledge of their tactics. He kept an eye on them, without giving them away. Richard prayed that Angelina wasn’t with them. There was no reason to put herself in harm’s way and he hoped that Nick had seen to it that she stayed far away.
Malcolm and his men stopped dead in their tracks a minute later, shielding their eyes from the sun and staring off toward the nearby hills. Coming up over the rise was an army of Campbell men. Richard couldn’t see them clearly yet, but he was certain Edna and Angus would be leading the group. Relief flooded his chest – there was hope yet that they’d be able to stop Malcolm from retrieving the sword.
“Hurry!” Malcolm shouted. His men picked up their pace and worked to get the explosives in place quickly. They had been using extreme care in dealing with the explosives until now. With the imminent arrival of the Campbell men, care had gone out the window in exchange for speed. If Richard was going to do anything, it would have to be done now.
* * *
The sight of the Campbell’s coming up over the rise sent relief flooding through Angelina’s body. What could Malcolm possibly do, against such a large number of men and a very wily witch? Between the MacKenzie’s, Edward and his men, and the Campbell’s, Malcolm would surely have no choice but to surrender. She glanced around at the others, who all seemed to be taking this very seriously. There were no smiles anywhere among their group, despite the arrival of reinforcements.
Angelina decided to take the opportunity to get closer to Richard’s position. Everyone seemed focused on the Campbell’s and no one noticed as she slithered through the brush, moving close enough to see and hear what was happening. She avoided Nick, positioning herself out to his side, far enough away to avoid him discovering she was there.
Malcolm’s men scurried back and forth, with something that looked a lot like dynamite. In fact, it was dynamite. They were setting fuses and placing them in any crevices they could find in the rocks. Her heart started beating wildly in her chest. Richard needed to escape before the dynamite exploded, or he would be caught in the blast. With single-minded focus and a stubborn streak a mile wide, Angelina was certain she was the only person who could save him.
When it became apparent that they were ready to light the fuses, Richard leapt to his feet and took a swing at the man guarding him. Knocking him out with a single blow, Richard grabbed the man’s sword and turned on the others, taking up an offensive stance.
Malcolm yelled at Richard, before he pulled a pistol from his waistband. Malcolm – Mr. Medieval – had bought a gun with him. Angelina’s heart leapt into her throat. She had to stop Malcolm, but what could she do? Without conscious thought, she bolted upright and ran straight at Malcolm, intent on knocking him off his feet before he could pull the trigger. She heard Nick curse and events seemed to move in slow motion. Just as she reached Malcolm, he turned in her direction, pointing the weapon at her. Before he could fire a shot, Angelina hit the ground and rolled to safety behind a large boulder. Richard was charging at Malcolm now, but Malcolm still held the gun. “Stop!” he ordered, but Richard paid no attention. He continued barreling directly towards Malcolm, who cocked the pistol and fired. The shot hit Richard, and he fell backwards and slumped to the ground.