My Heart Stood Still by Lynn Kurland (best book club books of all time .TXT) 📕

this to you or your lady to shame you. I like to trot out my languages where I can. There are so few here to be impressed by my skill."

"I am impressed," Iolanthe said weakly. "Truly."

Lord Roger smiled at her, then sobered as he turned to Thomas. "Be aware, my friend, that Lord Charles is very angry. He will not rest until his pride is assuaged."

"He should be hanged," Thomas said. "He's murdered dozens."

Lord Roger nodded. "Aye, we know. But we've yet to catch him at it, and he covers his crimes all too well. Rest assured, I will watch him more closely." He looked at Iolanthe. "My only wish now is that we had the time for your entire tale. I feel certain 'tis something quite unlike anything I've ever heard before."

Iolanthe could only smile faintly. If the man only knew!

"Thank you again, my lord," Thomas said, "for your most generous hospitality and these gifts. Truly, it is more than we can ever repay."

Artane waved a dismissive hand. "You've given me an idea or two for my steward and provided me with hours of pleasant conversation. I consider myself well repaid. If you've a need for shelter in the future, know that my hall is always open to you."

Apparently Thomas wasn't above considering that as a possibility. Iolanthe wondered, judging by his willingness to accept that possible invitation, if he was all that confident in his ability to land them in the Future.

But that didn't stop her from following him out through Artane's massive gatehouse and up the road heading north. What else was she to do? Strike out on her own? And go where? Home, to her uncaring father and corrupt siblings? Without Thomas?

Thomas reined in his horse and looked at her. "Just a few miles north. We'll be there by noon."

Perhaps the true question was, even if she'd had a choice, would she have chosen to remain with this man?

It wasn't a question she could answer with any sort of detachment. He had saved her life, and for that she was grateful. He had given her the most peaceful week of her life at Artane. He was taking her back to his Future with him, to a time when she might meet those of her kin who were certainly more affable than her sire.

"Io?"

She nodded, hoping that she was answering aye to something she meant to, for she hadn't heard a thing he'd been saying.

Perhaps thinking too long on anything was ill-advised. What she wanted was to be at her journey's end, then sit and think.

She wanted to be home.

But not her home in 1382.

The sun climbed steadily in the crisp, autumn air. Iolanthe was uncomfortable taking such an exposed road, but Thomas seemed to think it was the fastest way and perhaps the safest. At least they would see an assault coming.

Maybe 'twas her blood that spoke to her and told her that the forests were a better path. How much easier to hide when one had the cover of trees.

"Thomas," she said, feeling as if she'd voiced her opinion on the matter more times than he cared to hear, "I do not like this road."

"Just a little farther, Iolanthe. I'm sure of it."

Now, had he had Duncan's ability to find a road through a briar patch, she would have refrained from further comment. She was almost positive he hadn't spent his life honing his tracking skills in her Scottish forests. He seemed to know mostly where he was going, but who couldn't find their way on a well-traveled road?

Then again, it wasn't as if he'd led them astray ... yet. She simply didn't want to find herself on the end of the sword before they realized he'd led them in the wrong direction.

She took a deep breath for a final attempt.

"Lord Charles might see us," she said.

Thomas reined in his horse, opened his mouth to speak, then shut it. He pointed to the left.

"There," he said.

She looked, but saw nothing but a clutch of rocks. Was the man truly losing his wits?

"Jamie said it was three miles north of Artane, near the coast. A group of rocks that looked like a horse."

Iolanthe turned her head this way and that, trying to see the same. What she saw before her was a group of rocks that looked unremarkably like a group of rocks. There was no horselike shape there that she could see.

"Let's try it," he said, urging his horse forward. "What have we got to lose?"

"Our heads?" she muttered, but she followed him just the same. At least the rocks were close to a copse of trees. If something untoward happened, they would at least have a tiny bit of shelter. At the moment, she was willing to humor Thomas any way he pleased. Anything to be off that cursed road.

Thomas dismounted and led his horse and the packhorse toward the rocks. Iolanthe slowly slipped down from her horse. Thomas was looking about them, apparently searching for some kind of sign that this was the proper place.

"Well?" she asked.

He shrugged. "The gate in the forest near your house is just as unassuming. We'll just have to wait. I'll think about the Future, and you think about staying with me. That should do it."

He closed his eyes. Iolanthe assumed he was concentrating, not napping, so she did the same and willed herself to remain with Thomas.

It was, surprisingly, not an unpleasant thought.

They stood thusly for what seemed to her a goodly amount of time. Half an hour? Half the day? She couldn't have said.

She cleared her throat finally. "Thomas?"

"I know," he said grimly. "I know."

She looked around her. She felt thoroughly uneasy. "We should go."

He nodded. "We have two choices, then. We can go south to Falconberg and try the faery ring there, or we can go farther north."

"Did Jamie give you directions to these places?"

"He did. This was one of the ones he wasn't sure about. Falconberg he said would definitely work."

"And the spot farther