Chapter Twenty-Four 

James cursed. Why had he kissed Melinda? The man he was before his injuries would've kissed her without a second thought. But now—she was polite not to pull away in disgust. Did she regret the kiss?

For he knew—he'd visited every eligible noble maiden in the realm, and all ran screaming from him or fainted. Women no longer found him pleasing. All his gold would not entice a woman to gaze upon his visage for the rest of her life. James was kissing her, letting her know with one kiss how much he cared. How afraid he was he'd lose her. And then he knew…he cared for this woman claiming to be from the future. Then he caught his reflection in the basin of water. Saw the beast.

He pulled away, shattering the moment between them. Ever since he woke, he'd been in a foul humor. Grunted at his men and ignored Melinda. How dare the sun shine? Rain would agree with his black mood. They traveled a good distance before stopping for lunch. He'd purchased food from the innkeeper to bring with them on the journey. As they ate and the horses grazed, Melinda brushed her hands off on her dress. She spoke to Renly, not meeting his gaze. She could not bear to look at him.

"I saw a stream nearby. I want to wash the mud off the bottom of my clothes."

His captain looked to him. James nodded grimly.

"As you wish, lady."

During their travel they had not encountered any other travelers. James did not send a guard with her. He sat on a flat rock in the sun and brooded. Feeling sorry for himself.

Melinda wanted to smack James. He'd been cranky all morning. If he regretted the kiss, he should just say so instead of stomping around. She wanted to ask him, but didn't want the men to hear. She'd wait until tonight, find a moment to pull him aside and ask him what his problem was.

The cold water soothed her temper. There was grease on her hands from lunch. She rubbed them with mud from the bank. Once her hands were clean, Melinda squatted down to wet the hem of her cloak and dress in the stream. She sat on a rock and scrubbed the cloth against the stone, repeating until the clothing was as clean as she could manage with water. Since she would be wearing the same clothes for the rest of the way, she wanted to stay as clean as possible. She'd never gone without deodorant at home. With a quick look around to make sure she was alone, Melinda sniffed her pits. Thanks to daily scrubs with water and the rest of the precious lavender soap, she didn't stink. The new dress would wait until they arrived at Blackford. She didn't want Lucy to see her looking like something the cat dragged out of the trash.

Movement caught her eye. There. Across the shallow stream was the most adorable bunny sitting there looking at her. It was brown and plump, with the cutest pink nose. As it turned to hop away, Melinda followed. She knew she had a bit of time. The men would let the horses eat while they finished their meal.

There were large trees on the right, and on the left shrubbery along the base of the trees. So it would be easy to mark her path. No way she'd get lost, and she wouldn't go far. The bunny hopped around a corner and Melinda picked up her pace, following along until she came out of the trees into a meadow.

Magical. As if she'd tumbled down the rabbit hole and landed in the land of faeries.

The meadow was filled with crocus and bluebells. The first signs of life after winter. The sun turned the meadow into an impressionist painting. There was a grouping of stones almost in the center of the meadow. She made her way there, climbed up, and stretched out on the flat stone, letting the sun warm her. Just a few minutes.

Melinda opened her eyes. The sun had moved across the sky. Crap on toast. She'd fallen asleep. But for how long? James was going to kill her. They'd be worried and looking for her.

On the way back, things looked different. The big trees were on the left, but after several hundred yards nothing looked familiar. She retraced her steps and this time turned right.

"Hell's bells." Great. She was hopelessly lost. Why hadn't she tied her hair ribbons to branches? Because she'd been sure she could find her way. That was Melinda's problem—she was always sure which way to go.

Once she and a friend got turned around on vacation in the mountains of Asheville. Her friend, knowing about the Merriweather curse, asked Melinda which way to go. She said right. Three hours later, they realized if they'd turned left they would have been back at the hotel in minutes. When her friend complained, Melinda said, "You know how bad I am with directions." "Yes," the friend replied, "but you sounded so sure."

Who knew how long she wandered? She looked at the sky. Maybe late afternoon? She could picture the frowns from the men. They would be angry, and she didn't blame them. It was stupid to go off alone. In the future she'd better take one of the men along, no matter where she went, so she didn't get lost again. A branch snapped, making her jump. It wasn't wise to be alone in the woods. That was a lesson she'd learned the hard way.

Another noise. She scrambled over a fallen tree, digging out the leaves to make a hiding spot when she heard someone clearing their throat.

"What, pray tell, are you about, mistress?"

Melinda popped up.

"Renly. I'm so glad it's you."

She held her hands out in a placating gesture.

"I'm so sorry. I got lost again. Don't say it—I should've taken one of the men with me. But when I was at the stream, I saw a bunny and followed him. To the most magical place. Come see."

Apparently she'd gone in a circle, because Melinda could see the meadow beyond the break in the trees. Renly silently stood beside her. James' captain took a medallion out of his tunic, kissed it, and walked into the center of the meadow, touching the stones. The expression of awe on his face probably mirrored her own.

"'Tis a sacred place."

They stood quietly, enjoying the feeling of peace in the air.

"We needs return. Lord Falconburg will be worried."

She snorted. "More like furious."

"He will understand. 'Tis in your nature."

"My nature?"

"You were given great beauty but no sense of direction."

Melinda ignored him. He led her back through the woods, across the stream, and back to the camp.

"How do you do that?" He looked at her, a question on his face. Before he could answer, she spoke again. "How do you walk so quietly and find your way so easily?"

Renly looked perplexed. "I would ask the same of you, lady. How do you sound like a herd or horses and end up lost no matter where we travel?"

"It's a gift to make perfect men like you feel needed."

He threw back his head and laughed. As they walked into the camp, he quit laughing, his hand going to the sword at his hip. He unsheathed the blade, shoving Melinda behind him with his free hand.

"What?"

She peered around him and clapped a hand over her mouth. One of the men, the youngest one with red hair, lay on the ground, eyes open and unseeing. Two more of the men sat on the ground, blood on their tunics. Another came stumbling from the woods at the opposite side of the camp.

"We were attacked. Never heard them. I was taking a piss when I heard a commotion. I chased after them but it was too late." The man held out his sword to Renly.

"Kill me, captain. For I have failed. The men took Lord Falconburg."

Renly and Melinda swore at the same time. This was all her fault. If she hadn't followed the bunny or spent so much time in the meadow, then gotten lost, they would've been on their way and been long gone before the men came. Now a man was dead because of her.

"We will camp in the meadow. The spirits will keep us safe. Bring Ben. We will bury him there. It will be dark soon. We cannot search for James tonight. In the morning, we will find him. I swear it, my lady."

One of the injured men saw to the horses. Both had suffered cuts and bruises, but nothing fatal. Renly and the other two men carried Ben. At the meadow, Melinda stayed with the horses as they buried the fallen knight. She stood side by side with them around the grave. No one knew what to say, so she recited a prayer she remembered from childhood.

How many times had James come to her rescue since she'd arrived in medieval England?

Now it was her turn to save him.