Free Forever Knight: Thornton Brothers Time Travel (A Thornton Brothers Time Travel Romance Book 2) by Cynthia Luhrs Page A

have to save herself, she had to find a way to save Janet. Who would’ve guessed the eccentric owner of the castle was running a cult? The contest must be the way they got women to come here. Once they were here, he locked them away. She had to escape before they sold her or did who knew what else to her.

Chapter Fourteen

    “Janet. Did you see the faerie?”
    The girl nodded.
    Rabbie leaned close. “I’ve never met a faerie before, but Mistress Elizabeth seems rather tall for a faerie.”
    “Faeries can change so they look like us. She cannot be trusted.” Joan nodded knowingly, and Robert suppressed a chuckle. He stepped into the kitchen.
    “You helped her to dress?”
    The girl nodded.
    He knew he was being cruel. His mother would not have approved of how he was treating a woman. Both his parents had raised him to treat women with the utmost care, and now he had one locked in his dungeon. A future girl who, through no fault of her own, had ended up at Highworth. When he explained all, she would laugh. He hoped she would.
    “Rabbie, make sure no one goes down to the cellar.”
    The boy bobbed his head. Joan hurried off and Robert caught Rabbie looking after her with longing eyes.
    “You know you can always live with John at Blackmoor.”
    The boy sighed. “Nay. When I spoke to him, he gave me his blessing to serve you. I miss him and the others, but I cannot leave Joan.” The wistful look on his face made Robert wish he could tell the boy there would be many women in his life, but instead he offered aid.
    “As much as it would pain me to lose you and Joan, if you would prefer to serve John, I will send her with you to Blackmoor.”
    The boy looked as if he were considering the offer, but Robert hoped he would not go. For he had become fond of the boy over the past few years, grateful John had sent him to Highworth that dark day.
    “Joan has family in the village. We will stay here.”
    “As you wish. Now run along and make sure no one finds our guest.”
    Robert heard a commotion in the great hall, the sound of voices. There he found Featherton greeting his guests. Robert spoke to two of the men, who always brought fine horses with them. Then he stepped outside to meet the rest. Carriages and horses filled the courtyard. Stable boys scampered about. The men, other third and fourth sons like him, richly dressed and eager to spend a few days enjoying themselves, departed from the carriages.
    As he counted his guests, the most ornate carriage of all rolled to a stop. He knew it well. It was Paul, Lord Radford. The man spent more time at court than he did at his own estates. Always trying to curry favor with the king, he would be first in line to inform their sire that Robert was giving shelter to a wanted man.
    “Radford. Welcome to Highworth.”
    The man looked around as he descended from the carriage making a face as if he smelled something dead. “’Tis smaller than I remembered.”
    Robert knew it was going to be a trying few days, but refrained from saying so. “If you follow me, Featherton will see you settled in the best chamber.”
    “I hope you have found quality wenches for the festivities. Not those slovenly tavern wenches from the village.”
    “I believe you will be quite satisfied.”
    Robert greeted the rest of the guests and made sure the servants provided wine to all in attendance. Once everyone was inside the hall, he gave the order for the feast to begin.
    Platters piled high with mutton, stag, pheasant, and rabbit were placed on the tables, along with bread, cheeses, carrots, and winter squash. Musicians played, and Robert was gratified to see the envy on Radford’s face. He had paid dearly for them to be here for the next sen’night. Though he hoped, if all went well, his guests would be gone in a day or so. Robert planned to spread a rumor that there was illness. Nothing drove nobles away as quickly as the thought of becoming ill.
    “The wenches will attend us after supper. We will