Read Online Forever Knight: Thornton Brothers Time Travel (A Thornton Brothers Time Travel Romance Book 2) by Cynthia Luhrs - Free Book Online
Authors: Cynthia Luhrs
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managed to look down her nose at him. Robert’s mouth twitched.
“What are you?”
“What am I?” She blinked at him. “I’m not a what . My name is Elizabeth Smith. I won the right to stay here for a week, and I don’t find any of this the least bit funny, even if it is some kind of authentic castle experience.” She stepped forward, gripping the bars so tightly her hands turned white. “Let. Me. Out. Now.”
She was most definitely a future girl. “Where are your garments?”
“There was a storm. I didn’t want the rug to get wet, so I cleaned up the rain with my gown.” She mistook the look on his face for disapproval. Nay, he was most interested in her lack of a dress.
“I was the only one in the castle. Well, except for Featherton and Martha, but they stay in a cottage at the edge of the woods.”
He was so busy admiring her hair. It reminded him of the evening sky so much that he almost missed the words.
“You know Featherton?”
“Of course. He’s the one who showed me to the chamber.”
But she looked away and he knew she was lying. She squirmed, holding the blanket tight to her body. But how did she know his steward’s name?
“Well, actually, he put me in the chamber down the hall. But it was creepy, so I went to the room at the other end of the hall. It was much more to my taste.” She scowled at him. “If you are the owner, why are you here? It might be your room, but it’s my castle for the whole week. So get out.” Then she blinked at him, a look he’d seen on many a woman when they wanted his gold or his name.
“But first let me out so I can go back to sleep and wake up from this nightmare.”
Robert rocked back on his heels. Tapped a finger to his lips as if thinking. “I am Robert Thornton, Lord of Highworth. No one had the authority to grant you the right to reside at my castle. And wenches are not allowed in my chamber. Ever. Nor are they allowed to spend the night. If I let you go, will you leave now and stop vexing me?”
Elizabeth put her hands on her hips and glared at him. He couldn’t help but notice the pink in her cheeks, the fullness of her lips, and how her green eyes sparkled like emeralds when she was angry. Which she most definitely was. With him. ’Twas a new feeling. Wenches wanted him; they were never angry with him. Except when he left them.
“You listen to me. I’m not going anywhere. I won the week. I’m staying. For the full week.”
“A wager? What was this wager granting you my home as the prize?”
“There was a contest. I wrote a letter explaining why I deserved to stay here for a week. I won. So Highworth is mine. You need to leave. Come back another week.”
When he found out who’d wagered his home, he would take their head.
“It seems we are at an impasse, demoiselle. I will let you out when you pay the toll.” He smirked at her.
“Toll?”
“A kiss.”
“I wouldn’t kiss you again if you were the last man on earth,” she retorted.
“Such sweet words of wooing.” Robert threw back his head and laughed. “You will beg me to kiss you, and perchance I might say aye.”
“Never. I would rather kiss every pig in England than kiss you again.”
“We shall see about that, Elizabeth Smith.”
“Whatever.” She infused the word with such disdain as she rolled her eyes. And with that one word, Robert knew with a certainty. This was no witch or faerie. This was a future girl. Saints, the wicked fates had heard his boast and sent her to vex him. No matter what he told Edward, this woman was not for him. Future girls were the downfall of two of his brothers and two of his friends.
He turned on his heel, walking away. Robert looked back, calling out over his shoulder, “As you will, Mistress Smith. I will have food and clothing sent down for you.”
“Wait? Don’t leave me down here.”
He came back and stood in front of the bars. “Have you changed your mind? A kiss for your release?”
He watched as she
“What are you?”
“What am I?” She blinked at him. “I’m not a what . My name is Elizabeth Smith. I won the right to stay here for a week, and I don’t find any of this the least bit funny, even if it is some kind of authentic castle experience.” She stepped forward, gripping the bars so tightly her hands turned white. “Let. Me. Out. Now.”
She was most definitely a future girl. “Where are your garments?”
“There was a storm. I didn’t want the rug to get wet, so I cleaned up the rain with my gown.” She mistook the look on his face for disapproval. Nay, he was most interested in her lack of a dress.
“I was the only one in the castle. Well, except for Featherton and Martha, but they stay in a cottage at the edge of the woods.”
He was so busy admiring her hair. It reminded him of the evening sky so much that he almost missed the words.
“You know Featherton?”
“Of course. He’s the one who showed me to the chamber.”
But she looked away and he knew she was lying. She squirmed, holding the blanket tight to her body. But how did she know his steward’s name?
“Well, actually, he put me in the chamber down the hall. But it was creepy, so I went to the room at the other end of the hall. It was much more to my taste.” She scowled at him. “If you are the owner, why are you here? It might be your room, but it’s my castle for the whole week. So get out.” Then she blinked at him, a look he’d seen on many a woman when they wanted his gold or his name.
“But first let me out so I can go back to sleep and wake up from this nightmare.”
Robert rocked back on his heels. Tapped a finger to his lips as if thinking. “I am Robert Thornton, Lord of Highworth. No one had the authority to grant you the right to reside at my castle. And wenches are not allowed in my chamber. Ever. Nor are they allowed to spend the night. If I let you go, will you leave now and stop vexing me?”
Elizabeth put her hands on her hips and glared at him. He couldn’t help but notice the pink in her cheeks, the fullness of her lips, and how her green eyes sparkled like emeralds when she was angry. Which she most definitely was. With him. ’Twas a new feeling. Wenches wanted him; they were never angry with him. Except when he left them.
“You listen to me. I’m not going anywhere. I won the week. I’m staying. For the full week.”
“A wager? What was this wager granting you my home as the prize?”
“There was a contest. I wrote a letter explaining why I deserved to stay here for a week. I won. So Highworth is mine. You need to leave. Come back another week.”
When he found out who’d wagered his home, he would take their head.
“It seems we are at an impasse, demoiselle. I will let you out when you pay the toll.” He smirked at her.
“Toll?”
“A kiss.”
“I wouldn’t kiss you again if you were the last man on earth,” she retorted.
“Such sweet words of wooing.” Robert threw back his head and laughed. “You will beg me to kiss you, and perchance I might say aye.”
“Never. I would rather kiss every pig in England than kiss you again.”
“We shall see about that, Elizabeth Smith.”
“Whatever.” She infused the word with such disdain as she rolled her eyes. And with that one word, Robert knew with a certainty. This was no witch or faerie. This was a future girl. Saints, the wicked fates had heard his boast and sent her to vex him. No matter what he told Edward, this woman was not for him. Future girls were the downfall of two of his brothers and two of his friends.
He turned on his heel, walking away. Robert looked back, calling out over his shoulder, “As you will, Mistress Smith. I will have food and clothing sent down for you.”
“Wait? Don’t leave me down here.”
He came back and stood in front of the bars. “Have you changed your mind? A kiss for your release?”
He watched as she
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