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

window seat. What had happened here? Cold hands pressed against her head. The sensation of being punched in the stomach made her fall to her knees. Doubled over, she gasped for breath even as she knew it was illusion. When she could breathe again, she leaned against the wall, centering herself.
    “There is nothing here. You haven’t eaten enough today, that’s all.” She looked over her shoulder. “I don’t believe in ghosts.”
    When she came down for dinner, the aroma wafting through the hall surprised her. It was odd sitting at a large table all by herself. Martha sang to herself as she brought the dishes out.
    Seeing Elizabeth’s look, the woman laughed. “I thought I’d make Italian for your first night with us. You’ll be eating enough stews, soups, and potatoes the rest of the week.” Martha’s silver eyes sparkled in the candlelight. “Oh bother. I can’t keep a secret at all. On Thursday you’ll have a proper Thanksgiving feast. We wanted you to feel at home while you’re staying here.”
    Elizabeth clapped her hands together. “I don’t know how to thank you. Thanksgiving is my favorite meal of the year.” She eyed the dishes. “These look really old. I’m almost afraid to eat off them.”
    “Nonsense. As long as you don’t toss them at the walls, there’s nothing to worry about.”
    “They’re beautiful.” The dishes had gold edges and a floral design around the rim. The pasta was calling her name. “So delicious. This sauce is to die for.”
    “Eat up. You’re too skinny.”
    “I won’t be if you feed me like this all week.”
    Dinner consisted of fresh bread with olive oil for dipping, along with a side salad and a Chardonnay. The pasta was divine. Bowtie noodles in a cream sauce with chicken and spinach. Martha had done an outstanding job, and Elizabeth bet she’d gain five pounds this week. After dinner she made a beeline for the library.
    Curled up with a book, she blinked when Featherton poked his head in the library. She had to reorient herself to this time and place.
    “We’ll bid you a good night. If you need anything, ring.” He paused in the doorway. “Highworth creaks and groans when the wind blows, but don’t let it scare you. Old places have a life of their own.”
    A nervous laugh escaped. “I felt the castle breathing earlier in my room.”
    “We’ll see you in the morning. Breakfast at eight.” As he stood in the doorway, he looked down the hall toward the study. “Best not to wander about at night.”
    With that nerve-racking statement, he left her alone. Elizabeth finished her tea and went back to reading the book she’d found tucked back on a shelf. It was an old book by an author she’d never heard of, some kind of mystery about a killer stalking stonemasons in Scotland. The cheesecake she’d enjoyed for dessert was fantastic, and she decided when she went back home, she’d drink tea every day.
    When she kept rereading the same page over and over, Elizabeth decided she’d stayed up late enough to reset her internal clock. She closed the book, deciding she would finish it tomorrow. With every step up to her room, a yawn escaped.  
    The castle had been updated and boasted electricity and running water. She flipped lights off as she went, the darkness swallowing the space behind her. In her room, she still had the same unsettling feeling. And while technically she’d promised, she’d crossed her fingers, which in her book negated the promise. One quick look couldn’t do any harm.

Chapter Nine

    Which room to snoop in first? Elizabeth started at the door closest to the stairs. Featherton telling her to stay out should have been enough, but in her mind he should have locked the room if he really didn’t want her nosing about. The door swung open with a creak and she coughed, waving away the dust cloud. When she stepped into the empty room, a drop of water landed on her nose and she looked up to see a gaping hole in the roof. A cloud drifted by and