The Sunstone Brooch : Time Travel Romance Katherine Logan (no david read aloud TXT) 📖

“I told you once before that you’re as close to Jekyll and Hyde as any man I’ve met. I went back to you once, but I don’t think I can do it again.”

Then she was gone, taking everything that mattered with her. No, that wasn’t true. His son mattered. The clan mattered. Protecting the brooches mattered.

But, ye dumbass, Meredith matters most of all.

55

MacKlenna Farm, KY—Ensley

Ensley wandered around the farm, trying to figure out which direction to go, when she spotted Meredith stomping through the pasture, her sunbonnet brim flopping with every fierce stride. Ensley stood on tiptoe and waved frantically and then stopped and laughed at herself. Would a few extra inches make her more visible behind the rolling hills? Hell, no!

“Ms. Montgomery! Wait up!”

Meredith shielded her eyes with her hand and waited for Ensley to reach her. “Please call me Meredith. Ms. Montgomery makes me sound ancient.”

Ensley’s cheeks heated. “I’ll try, but my mom would shoot me for being so informal with you.”

A flash of sadness crossed Meredith’s features. “I’m sorry about your parents. Losing one is hard enough to cope with, but losing both so close together prolongs that raw and intense grief.”

“It’s been hard, and selling the ranch recently just brought it all back again. But I’m getting by.”

“What always gets me with a surprise wham is the way grief seems to relish catching me in a snare. Emotions shouldn’t have so much power.”

Ensley connected with Meredith’s grief, so heavy in her voice, but Ensley didn’t remember JC ever mentioning his parents had experienced a tragedy.

“I agree with that. Grief pops up and sinks me in a puddle of despair without a moment’s notice, and God forbid if I try to fight it. Resisting gives it more power.”

“Exactly,” Meredith said, tugging on the brim of her sunbonnet. “Let’s go over to those trees, where there’s shade. The sun’s too bright out here, and I don’t have sunglasses.” They quickly fell into a comfortable pace over the uneven ground. “I’m sure being abandoned in the past didn’t help with the grieving process. I hope the adventure wasn’t too awful.”

“Spending time with Teddy Roosevelt was incredible, but being alone in the Badlands without a knife, gun, or even a fishing pole, created a whole set of problems I’ve never faced before. Then I broke my foot, got caught in a cattle stampede, was attacked by a bear, and then threatened by members of the Illuminati.”

Meredith pressed her hand on Ensley’s forearm, and the weight of it wasn’t at all reassuring. It was shaking slightly, and from a woman of steel like Meredith Montgomery, Ensley found it disturbing.

“They found you, too? Oh, Jesus. But you got away? They didn’t hurt you?” Meredith lifted her skirts high above her boot tops and picked up speed.

Ensley easily kept pace but was unsure why they were hurrying. Did Meredith think the Illuminati would find them here?

God, that’s a terrifying thought.

She glanced around and realized they were in a vulnerable position. If riders came after them, there was nowhere to hide. Ensley didn’t voice her fear, and neither did Meredith, but when they hurried toward the trees, it was apparent they had scared themselves. They paused in the shadow of the elm and oak trees and searched the pasture in both directions.

“Tell me what happened when the Illuminati found you and how you got away.”

“It happened the first night we were on the train coming here. Remy and Austin noticed our steward had a ring with a symbol used by the Illuminati. We escaped with guns blazing. Austin and I are fine, but Remy got two flesh wounds in his butt. Fortunately, he should be up and about later today.”

“Knowing Remy, nothing will keep him down as long as he has his sticks. But what about Tavis?”

“About three days ago”—Ensley rubbed her forehead—“I’ve lost track of time, but I think it was three days. Anyway, I went down to the river to clean up and was attacked by a grizzly. I bought an Akhal-Teke stallion from TR a couple of weeks earlier and named him Tesoro. When Tesoro saw the bear, he didn’t run away but instead got between the bear and me and fought it until the animal mauled him to death.”

Meredith gasped. “Oh, my God! But you had a rifle…”

“Yeah, but I left it with my tack at the remuda.”

“I can’t imagine how horrifying that was.”

“It was, and just when I thought I was going to die, Erik ran into the clearing yelling, ‘Tyr!’ He was mortally wounded fighting the bear. Then Austin galloped into the bloody clearing, jumped off his horse while reaching for his rifle, and got off four kill shots as if he’d choreographed the scene in advance.”

“I’ve watched him perform under pressure,” Meredith said. “He knows how to do it. But what happened to Tavis?”

“Before Erik died, he told me Tavis had to take him home. Tavis arrived right after that and returned to Jarlshof with Erik’s body.”

“And he’s still there?” Meredith’s terrified expression only heightened Ensley’s fears.

“He told Remy that if he didn’t come back, we should go get him.”

“There’s no doubt in my mind that the brooches might eventually kill us all.” Meredith grabbed Ensley’s hand. “Come on. Let’s get out of here.”

They ran from one tree line to another and paused when they could hide in the shadows. “What can we do to protect ourselves from the Illuminati?” Ensley asked.

“Short of returning all the brooches to the Council, there isn’t much we can do.”

“Wouldn’t that be worse? Remy and Austin told me about the Council and Erik’s home in Jarlshof. It seems to me that it would be easy for the Illuminati to invade Jarlshof, kill the Council members, and take all the brooches.”

“You’re right. That would be worse.” Meredith glanced behind her and sucked in a breath. And it was hard for Ensley to tell if Meredith was disappointed by