Page 30 of Last Knight (Knights Through Time #7)

Ashley woke to the sound of the gates opening.

She jumped out of bed, the stone cold on her feet as she looked out the window.

A figure rode out—it must be Christian going on one of his nighttime rides.

In the light of the torches she could make out he was dressed in all black.

Even the horse was black. It hit her. He was the man in the hooded cloak, playing Robin Hood. It had to be.

Pulling the dress on, she swore. It was difficult, but she thought the dress wouldn’t fall off. Quinn had gone to bed, and the guard replacing him had fallen asleep. Not making a sound, she stepped over him and ran down the stairs. At the stables, one of the boys was yawning.

“I’m going with Lord Winterforth.”

“He rides alone, mistress.”

“Not tonight he doesn’t.”

The boy yawned again but did as she asked. Ashley was a little unsure. Usually Christian was with her when she went riding. She leaned over and stroked the horse’s silky gray ears.

“We need to find Christian. We can do this together. ”

She rode out of the courtyard, and when she got to the gate, the guard stopped her.

“’Tis late, my lady.”

“I find I need to ride tonight. Open the gates.”

The guard hesitated, and Ashley smiled sweetly at him. “Lord Winterforth knows I’m coming.”

The guard nodded, blushing in the light from the torch. Great, he probably thought they were going to some secret rendezvous. Let him think what he wanted—she was more concerned with finding out what Christian was up to.

She was grateful the moon cast enough light for her to see the way. Her eyes quickly adjusted as she followed the path. As she rode into the village, she saw his horse, so she stopped and waited, watching. He went to the door of the home, opened it, and put something inside.

She was adjusting her dress when he rode past her.

“It is you.”

Christian almost fell off his horse. It pleased her to catch him off guard.

“What are you doing out here? You could have been set upon by thieves.”

“I heard you ride out and I knew it was you. But why keep it a secret? You’re doing great things. I heard about the widow. And the girl you helped make a good marriage.”

“Come, I will tell you as we ride home.”

On the way, he told her all he had done.

“Can you understand?”

“You want something of your own. Not as a Thornton or Lord Winterforth, but as Christian. I think it’s wonderful.”

“I would ask you to keep my secret. Will you?”

“I will,” she said as she reached across the distance between them and touched his arm. “I understand what it is to have secrets.”

“Aye, many women do. ”

Her plan to be mean to him disintegrated to dust. He was a good man. Would whoever came up with the whole Robin Hood idea get it from the things Christian had done?

They rode in silence until he cleared his throat.

“There is much I must tell you. I am no longer betrothed.”

“What do you mean you’re not betrothed? I just talked with Helen today.”

He chuckled. “I came upon her in the chapel with her love. Instead of running him through, I’m going to apprentice him to a cousin. He’ll be a carpenter. And I gave them gold to start their life together.”

“Why did she seek you out?” She told him of her conversation with Helen.

“You wished her to wed me?”

Instead of answering, she said, “I meant every word I said about you. So what now?”

“I would think it quite obvious.”

And with that comment, Ashley was quiet.

Did he really mean they would be together?

And if she agreed, it would mean she truly had accepted staying.

Giving up her life in the city, her job, and her five-year plan.

She looked at the man riding beside her.

He was good, strong, everything she could’ve ever wished for.

Had he been in her own time, she wouldn’t have thought twice.

And then she knew: this whole time, nothing had felt like work.

While her relationship with Ben had been hard and she was always thinking about it and how difficult she found it, with Christian everything came easy. They belonged together.

He stopped before they crossed the bridge. Dismounted. There was a charge in the air as Christian stalked toward her. He lifted her off the horse so slowly it was agonizing, set her on the ground, but didn’t let her go.

When he bent his head to hers, her breath caught. He touched a finger to her lips, tracing the outline, then pressed his lips to her temple, hair, cheek, and finally, when she couldn’t stand it another second, he tasted her, nibbling as she groaned deep in her throat.

Every cell hummed, tuned to him, as energy crackled and flowed from her into him.

Ashley wrapped her arms around him and kissed him back, tasting mint and wine.

The smell of him enveloped her, holding her close, and she felt like she’d crested the first hill on a roller coaster and was hurtling down the track.

He was steel and satin as she surrendered.

“Pardon, my lord?”

Ashley jumped back with a yelp as Christian snarled and drew his sword. The guard looked sheepish.

“We were returning from night patrol and did not wish to disturb you, my lord. But the men are tired.”

Mortified, Ashley recognized several faces of the guard.

Christian chuckled and swung her up on the horse in front of him.

“See to my lady’s horse.”

Over the next few days, Christian was never far away. He took her for rides, made sure she had met all the villagers, and even tried to jump rope. Medieval wooing was pretty spectacular.

She had finished her lesson for the day, proud of her students. They knew their ABCs and were working on bigger words. Yesterday she’d seen bloody hell written in the dirt and laughed, wondering who was responsible. Christian thought it was one of the girls.

A commotion outside made her look out the window. One after another, six carriages pulled into the courtyard. Finally she would meet his brothers and James and William. Though she was most looking forward to meeting their wives, as Christian had been uncharacteristically quiet about them.

“Ashley. Come. Meet my family.” Christian practically dragged her outside. She couldn’t help it—her mouth fell open. It was like a fashion shoot. The men all looked like models, and the women…they were pretty…but something about them… There were children and tons of luggage. It was total chaos.

“This must be your betrothed.” A man with blue eyes and a rakish smile embraced her.

“Dolt. This is Ashley Bennet.”

A woman stormed over, followed by a man with black hair and a terrible scar.

“Christian Thornton, you’ve gone and lost your sixth fiancée? Hell’s bells, I’m not finding you a seventh.”

The man, who must be her husband, put a hand on the woman’s arm as he stared at Ashley. “My love, I believe Mistress Bennett may be the one.”

“Whatever.” The striking redhead smiled. “It’s nice to meet you. Sorry, it’s just all we’ve heard is how this one wants to be married and we worked so hard to find this girl. Did you off her or something?”

It all tumbled into place at once. Christian being evasive. The women in front of her and the way they talked. The people in front of her went wonky. No, she was not going to faint. Instead, she narrowed her eyes and punched Christian in the arm.

“How could you?”

Then she faced the women. “You’re like me, all of you.”

Everyone started talking at once.

“Ashley, wait.” Christian ran after her. Why had he not told her the truth? Dolt, you didn’t want her to go. Now you have likely lost her.

She stomped into the stables, startling the horses.

“I should have told you about them. In truth, I was going to…”

“When? After you were happily married to Helen? ”

“Nay.” He held out his hands. “I do not know. All I know is I did not want you to leave me.”

“How many?”

He did not know what she meant.

“How many are from the damn future?”

“All of the women.”

She gaped at him. “Six women are from the future and you kept it from me?”

He’d never heard such words—well, mayhap his brothers’ wives had said some of the words. She let out a breath.

“It’s over. We’re finished.”

“’Tis you I want to wed.” How did he make her understand how much he loved her? Could not live without her?

She whirled around, her eyes full of fire. “Don’t you see? It wasn’t your choice.”

“I could not find the words.” He had made a grave mistake.

“Now you have met them, you can have speech together, they will tell you what they know, and you can choose.” He took her hands, a sick feeling in his stomach.

“Would you stay? Give up your life in New York? I would have a modern carriage made for you, give you everything I have to make you happy.”

Her hands were so cold.

He choked out. “Do not leave me.”

“Just go, Christian. I need time alone.” Her eyes were leaking, so he decided to seek the counsel of his brothers.

In his chamber, Christian opened the pouch at his waist, pulling the ring out.

He’d had his men out searching ever since they were set upon by the thieves.

Now the remaining three men were dead and Christian had the ring back, the one belonging to Ashley’s dam.

He wanted to rush back to the stables and offer it to her, but she was so angry.

He would wait and try again, beseech her to forgive him.

And if she left him ?

Nay, he would not think on it. The loneliness he thought banished was back, blackening his soul.

Melinda had never been so happy to see Christian smiling instead of moping about.

Ashley was the one he wanted, not Helen. She was dying to find out what on earth had happened since he’d left a couple of months ago. She and James had a bet—she thought the girl would run off with a sailor, but James picked a baker.

The way Christian looked at Ashley, Melinda would bet a pound of country ham he was in love with her.

Which was fantastic, because Melinda had a feeling Ashley was the perfect match for him.

She saw the way they looked at each other before Ashley stormed off.

It was obvious they both cared for each other, so why hadn’t Christian proposed?

Melinda had found Ashley in her classroom, teaching kids and a few of the guards to read.

After the lesson, they’d talked over a few cups of wine, and she’d laughed when Ashley confessed she had been mean to him on purpose to annoy him and put some distance between them both.

Then everything changed, and Helen was out of the picture.

And they all showed up. Leave it to Christian to not have told Ashley about them.

So Melinda told her about meeting James and how her sisters met their husbands.

They talked late into the day, and Melinda left determined to see them together.

Ashley couldn’t believe there were six other women just like her. She really liked Melinda, appreciated her sharing her story and that of her sisters. But how could Christian have kept such an important thing from her? It was unforgivable .

Being here somehow felt like she had gone backward.

Not just in time, but in her goals and dreams. To stay here in the past was to fail.

In the future she had a good life. A fabulous apartment, a couple of good friends, an amazing job…

Strike that. No more job. But she had plenty of money saved, and she knew she could find another job and another place to live. A better place.

Plenty of firms would be happy to hire her.

She would be free to do as she wished whenever she wanted.

No bratty kids screaming for her attention or a husband expecting a hot meal after a hard day at the office.

At night she could sit on the counter, bare feet in the sink, eating cereal for dinner.

And on the occasional weekend day when she didn’t go into the office, she would sleep half the day away, take a long nap and then a bath.

She was answerable to no one, and it was the way she liked it.

The kids here would be fine. Someone else would finish teaching them to read, Christian would make sure Merrick was taken care of, and she would forget him.

In time.

The decision made, Ashley thought she could find a place in the village. She had her hair combs to barter. No matter what, she wasn’t staying at Winterforth one more second. The old gray horse was nervous as thunder boomed across the sky.

“Ashley, halt.”

Lightning flashed and the horse reared. She slid off, hitting the ground, a sharp pain slicing through her leg.

The sky opened up, rain stinging her skin.

Christian lifted her in his arms. “I’ve got her. Take her horse.” He carried her to his horse. “Silly fool, you could have been killed.”

“I hate you for lying to me.”

He grunted and lifted her up on the horse. “You’re bleeding.”

“When I fell, I must have cut myself. ”

He urged the horse to a gallop. It wasn’t until they crossed the bridge into the courtyard that she spoke again. “I want to go home.”

There was a horrible sound, and lightning hit something outside the walls. From the smell, it must have been a tree. The smell of ozone was heavy in the air, the wind pulling at her. A terrible sound filled the air. This was it: she was going home.

But when Ashley opened her eyes, she was still here. The storm had blown through, a soft rain falling in its place.

It hadn’t worked. She was bleeding and there was a storm. That was what Melinda had told her was required.

“It didn’t work.”

“I am sorry you could not return home. Say you will forgive me. I am a dolt.” Christian reached in the pouch at his waist.

“What’s that?” She squinted, holding the ring up to the torchlight. Ashley gasped. “I don’t understand. Where did you find it?”

“I know ’tis all you have left of your dam. I have had men out searching since we were set upon by thieves.”

She wiped her eyes. “Thank you.”

He dropped to his knees in the mud. “I love you, Ashley. Say you will marry me.”

Her stomach dropped. Talk about a hypocrite. She shook her head and pulled him to his feet. “I’m sorry. I can’t.”