Page 49 of A Matter of Time
“It’s Angelina. Can I come in?”
Richard went to the door and opened it. “Nick is asleep.”
She pushed past him and into the room. Glancing Nick’s way, she giggled before turning back to him. “Hey, were you just down in the bath area?”
“Me?” He gestured to himself and felt like a complete oaf.
“Yes, you. Is there anyone else here who’s awake?” She wandered closer to him and all Richard could see was a very wet, very naked Angelina emerging from the water, like a goddess from the sea. He stumbled backwards as she continued her approach. “You know, if it was you, I don’t have a problem with that. I just wish you had joined me.”
“Angelina, I…” She was pressing herself up against him. Surely, she would feel the impact she was having on him, and back away.
“What, Richard?” Her hands roamed across his chest and down to his belly and then even lower.
“It was me. I’m so sorry I didn’t announce my presence. I wanted to join you, but I cannot compromise your good name. Things are different in this time.” He backed away again, but her hand lingered and the throbbing of his shaft was making it difficult to think.
“You two should really have your own room.” Nick stretched and yawned as he sat up. “You’ve disturbed my sleep and what I’ve seen is enough to keep me awake for days. As they say in Angelina’s time, I’ll never be able to unsee that, Richard.”
Angelina removed her hand and grabbed a pillow, tossing it at Nick’s head with pinpoint accuracy. It hit him with a thud. “Ow,” he said, feigning injury.
“You could join me in my room, Richard. That way Nick could get back to his nap.”
“I’m afraid that would not be appropriate behavior. We are guests here with the MacKenzies and they’ve given us separate rooms. We must bow to their wishes.”There, that should settle things,he thought. But there was one thing it wasn’t settling. “Why is it that my breeches are suddenly too tight.” Richard pulled and tugged at them to relieve his anguish.
Nick and Angelina laughed so hard, they were practically in tears.
“I’d better leave,” Angelina hiccoughed her way to the door. “I’m just across the hall, should you be looking for me.”
The door closed and Richard breathed a sigh of relief, turning to stare daggers at Nick.
“I heard everything. I take it you haven’t told her yet, or this may have ended differently.” Nick threw his legs over the side of the bed and stood.
“I couldn’t tell her. The opportunity simply did not present itself.” He went to his bed and sat down, running his hands through his hair.
“I dinnae believe I’ve ever seen you so affected by a woman, Richard. In the past, you always saw what you wanted and took it. What’s the hold up here?”
“Love.” There he’d said it. He was smitten and he had no idea what he could do about it.
“Aye. That does make a difference.” Nick was eyeing him with a pitying expression on his face.
“I went down to the bath to tell her about my past, and instead, I hid and peeked at her like a young lad who was seeing his first naked lass. Is love always like this, Nick?”
“I wouldnae ken it.” Nick sat down next to him. “I dinnae believe I’ve ever truly been in love meself. And from the looks of it, I’m nae so sure I want to be. It seems painful.”
“It is. I thought I loved Irene, but now that I’ve experienced these feelings I have for Angelina, I know it was not love at all that drew me to Irene. But what I did because of it, could ruin the only true love I’ve ever known.”
Chapter 24
Malcolm Grangerand his army of four slogged through the damp forest, heading where, they didn’t know. They’d long ago stopped avoiding the rain dripping from the trees and the puddles they found themselves plodding through almost constantly. The fallen leaves in the path made their trek treacherous. More than once a man had slipped and landed on the ground, cursing the rain that had poured down nonstop for the last twenty-four hours. They were all cold, wet and extremely irritable.
“Malcolm, is there any chance we could stop soon?” Pierce Holmes questioned. His voice was filled with resentment.
Malcolm glared at him. “And just where would you like to stop? I don’t see any place that would shelter us from the rain and cold, do you? Or perhaps you’d like to sit down right here with no fire and no shelter. Is that what you want?”
“That’s not what I meant, Malcolm. I’m just wondering if we could start searching for some shelter? Maybe a cave, or a rocky overhang.” Pierce must have realized his mistake, because he changed his tone to one more conciliatory.
Malcolm knew Pierce was at the end of his rope, otherwise he’d never have spoken to him in such a manner. One thing he didn’t need was a mutiny on his hands. “Fine. Keep your eyes open – all of you.”
They walked on in silence, but it wasn’t long before Nash called out. “Over there! Looks like a cave.”
