Bewitching My Love (22 page)

Fern wiped her tears away and tried not to shake as she felt her fear start to build. Whispering, she answered. “How do…do we get out without her seeing us, Rowen? The stairs are the only way out.”

Rowen scanned the room then made his way quickly to the window with Fern in tow. “See that tree Fern, do you think you can climb down it if I help you?”

“
Sure, I was a tomboy once,” Fern replied.

“
Shhh, I hear footsteps. Don’t make a sound.” They stood as still as they could until the sound of Elizabeth’s cane stopped briefly outside the door.

“
Mary? Are you sleeping child?” Elizabeth’s voice rumbled against the door.

Fern breathed a sigh of relief when her footsteps continued on down the hall. They waited until they heard her bedroom door close before Rowen climbed through the window. After helping Fern out, they both slid down the sharp peak of the gable nearest to the tree. “You go first, Rowen,” she whispered.

“
Alright, reach out to me and I’ll help you out on the limb after I get across.” Rowen leapt from the roof as quietly as he could. The branches creaked with his weight, but held him without breaking. “Alright, your turn.” Reaching out he held her hand as she jumped across to join him on the tree.

“
Beat you to the ground.” Fern tried not to giggle, but the whole thing was way too funny. It had gone past the absurd stage hours ago.

“
I’m glad you think this is funny, Fern. I’m still having trouble finding anything remotely humorous about it.” Rowen watched her in disbelief. She was giggling so hard that she had to put her hand over her mouth.

“
I’m sorry, you’re right Rowen. There couldn’t possibly be anything to laugh about. After all, we are just two adults standing in a tree, trying to escape a crazed witch. Nothing at all funny or weird about that, is there?” She watched as Rowen started to smile and felt ready to give in to a new bout of giggles.

“
Come on you silly nut, let’s get out of this tree before someone sees us.” Rowen jumped to the ground first then helped her down. “Let’s go back to the cottage, with any luck we’ll be able to stay there until we find the wardrobe.”

Taking Rowen’s hand Fern ran with him to the cover of the forest. Neither one of them noticed the wrinkled face watching them from the dark window above.

Elizabeth seethed, how did the girl get away? She’d hidden the wardrobe knowing this might happen. A good thing, now she would have time to make sure she didn’t get away again. Mary had escaped being accused, but it wouldn’t be long before Sarah would try to accuse her, and then she would make sure the girl was here to take Mary’s place on the gallows. No doubt, the sisterhood would protect the girl named Fern. Turning away from the window she reached for her book of spells. This time she would mix a potion, one so strong that even the sisters wouldn’t be able to stop it. Cackling, she began a mental list of the supplies she would need.

* * * *

Jonathan snuffed out his lamp before opening the door; he didn’t want to wake Sarah. As he reached for the door handle, the rustle of the bush at the corner of the house stopped him. “Who goes there?” he squinted in the dark as he tried to make out the form standing there.

“
It is I, Mary.” She stepped out and beckoned him to follow her to the woodshed.

Jonathan followed at a distance until he made sure they hadn’t been seen, and then hurried in after her. “My love, where hast thou been? I have missed ye.” He reached for her but she avoided him.

“
I saw that woman Jonathan, who is she and why did she try to kill ye? She looked like me, ‘twas like looking in a mirror.” She turned and sat down on the cot Jonathan kept there. He used it when he needed to get away from Sarah. “I can’t help but feel she has something to do with me, with us. I heard Sarah accuse her of witchcraft, is it true?”

Jonathan sat down next to her on the cot and took her hands in his. He could never resist Mary; she was his worst temptation. “She is nobody, just a crazed woman.” His kisses traveled up her arm to devour her neck. He didn’t know how to tell her about Rowen and Fern, so he would avoid it. She was all that he wanted on his mind right now anyway.

Mary groaned softly when his teeth bit into her ear lobe. “Sarah accused her of being a witch, is it true?” She lay back on the cot with his help.

“
No more talk, let me love you, woman.” His mouth covered hers, making her forget her questions about the strange woman and the man who had stopped her from killing him.

* * * *

Rowen and Fern silently made their way to the door of the cottage. The sun was all the way up now and since they didn’t know if anyone was there they decided to approach it cautiously. Fern stood just behind Rowen, mostly out of fear. Plus, she wanted to be able to run in case someone other than Jonathan or Mary was there, someone like Elizabeth.

Jumping, Fern glanced back behind them when she heard sticks breaking in the distance. When a deer ran through the trees then down to the river, she breathed a sigh of relief. Holding on to Rowen’s sleeve, she followed him into the cottage when nobody answered his knock on the door. “You know what, Rowen? This is the first time we’ve ever been here.”

Rowen chuckled in front of her. “I guess you’re right. We came here a few days from now, didn’t we, and I suppose we’ll come here again in a few more days. Think we’ll run into ourselves?”

“
This is way too strange for me, let’s talk about something else.” Fern pushed past him to the kitchen to see if there was anything to eat. As she passed, she felt his arms circle her waist. Laying her head back, she savored the feel of his lips as they traced the curve of her jaw.

“
I can think of one thing I wouldn’t mind talking about right now.” Rowen continued his trail down her supple neck to nuzzle the crook of her shoulder. “Why don’t you get undressed, and I’ll start a fire to boil some water. Wouldn’t you love a hot bath? I’m sure you’re exhausted after our night.”

Fern arched her back against him. “I don’t think you have sleeping on your mind, and neither do I. How about we both gather the water and then we can take a hot bath, together.” She squealed with pleasure when he turned her in his arms and cupped her bottom in his strong hands.

“
Sounds good to me, I think we should both fit in the tub.” Dipping his head, he kissed her lips softly, and then urgently when she met his tongue in a mating dance that drove him to the edge. Groaning, he pulled away. “Come on, let’s go before I forget the bath.”

They both grabbed a bucket and headed toward the river. It was quiet except for the birds chirping above them in the trees. The forest didn’t scare Fern anymore, it seemed almost like home to her now. She listened to Rowen humming and nibbled on a piece of Hydrilla grass as they walked. She supposed she would be content to be with Rowen anywhere, no matter what the circumstances were. Her life had been so empty before she’d met him, now she couldn’t ever imagine being without him. When and if they ever got back to their own time, she would stay with him as long as he would have her.

A thought struck her then; stopping she looked at Rowen. “I just thought of something, Rowen. Since I didn’t kill Jonathan and Sarah, and Mary didn’t get accused of witchcraft, why does Elizabeth want us to stay? I mean, there is no reason, right? Why would she hide the wardrobe now?”

Rowen frowned then looked away. He knew the answer. How could he tell her it was always the plan for her to die? And, that he was supposed to make sure she did. “I hear the water, come on, let’s hurry.” He tried to reach for her hand but she pulled away.

Fern stood her ground. Deep in her heart dread started to build. Rowen knew something he wasn’t telling her. What more could there be to this horrible nightmare? By the look on his face, she wasn’t sure if she really wanted to know. “I’m staying right here until you tell me what you know, Rowen.” Stepping a few feet away she stared into his eyes. “Oh, why do I have a terrible feeling about this?”

“
Damn, I’d hoped I wouldn’t have to tell you. Come on, let’s sit down by the river, Fern.” She didn’t pull away this time when he took her hand. Silently, they found a place to sit down. Rowen held her hand as he prepared to tell her the truth. She deserved to know it all, even if it meant losing her. “Everything I’ve told you is the truth Fern. The curse, the trance and the witchcraft, it’s all true.”

“
Yes, I know Rowen. I’ve seen all of that. But there is more, I can see it in your eyes. What are you hiding from me? ” Fern wiped a tear from her cheek, she knew she wasn’t going to like what he was about to tell her.

“
My family journals were very clear about all of this, except the part about us having to come back after we stopped the curse. I thought it would all be over if we saved Mary, Fern. But it seems Elizabeth isn’t content to leave it at that.” He wiped a bead of sweat from his brow and continued. “You see, it was also written in the journals that you were supposed to hang on gallows hill in Mary’s place. It was my responsibility to make sure that happened, or else, the curse would never be broken.”

Fern felt like she couldn’t breathe. He’d been sent to make sure she died; of course he didn’t love her. He just had to make sure she died to save his own precious hide. “I’m supposed to die so that you can live? I think I understand now, you don’t love me do you, Rowen? It was all a game, and you’ve been a part of it the entire time.”

“
No love, you don’t understand…” He tried to grab her before she leapt up from her place on the rock, but she was too fast. Stumbling to his feet, he chased after her, only catching up as she slammed the door of the cottage in his face. “Fern, open the door, let me explain.”

Fern felt as if her gut was being wrenched from the inside out. Sobbing against the door she yelled back, “I hate you, Rowen Nichols. You are a bastard, and a jerk. I knew it the first time I met you at the auction. You used me, how could you?”

Her words stung. “Open this door Fern, let me explain. I didn’t tell you because it didn’t matter anymore. Once I knew I loved you there was no way I could let it happen. Please, open the door so we can talk.”

“
Go to hell Rowen, I have no intention of allowing you in, ever.” Fern jumped when his fist hit the door.

“
That’s it, you better be standing back Fern, because I’m coming in whether you want me to or not.” Rowen stepped a few feet back, preparing to knock the door down. She would hear him out by God, or else… “Fern, I mean what I’m saying, open the door, now!”

“
You wouldn’t dare.” Fern gasped at the idea of it.

“
Wouldn’t I?” Rowen cursed under his breath and was just getting ready to kick the door in when it slowly opened. Fern had unlocked it, opened it, and walked away to sit on the settee. He found her there crying against her knees. Taking a chance, he sat down next to her but she got up and moved to the chair across from him. “Look at me love! Please.”

Fern blinked her tears away and stared at him. “I don’t know what to say to you Rowen. I love you, did you know that? Why didn’t you tell me? I’d have listened. Now I don’t know what to think of you, or us.”

“
Listen to me now Fern. I’m telling you I love you. And nothing now or ever could have made me stand and watch you die for my sake. The moment I carried you through the wardrobe I knew I couldn’t. I need you to be strong now, for both of our sakes. Elizabeth will not give up, she will follow us forever until she has finished what ever it is that keeps her coming after us. We need to figure it out and settle it once and for all, OK?” He held her gaze as she searched his eyes. “I love you, I do.”

Fern stood and got down on her knees in front of him. Stretching her arms until they were wound around his neck, she kissed him. Her remaining tears mixed with his and she kissed them away. “Oh Rowen, I believe you,” she whispered in his ear. “I know you would never hurt me, not intentionally. I love you, so much.” They held each other for a long time, neither one of them spoke as no more words were needed. Rowen pulled her up into his lap and they sat together on the settee until it seemed hours must have passed. “Forgive me for doubting you?”

“
No one needs forgiving but me, Fern.” Rowen kissed the top of her head then stood up with her cradled in his arms. “We have a bath to take, remember?”

Fern nuzzled her face into the curled hairs of his chest and inhaled his scent. “Who needs a bath, you smell good to me, and I really think it can wait until…well, afterward. Don’t you?”

“
Seductress, you know what you do to me, don’t you.” Rowen had turned back toward the bed without her noticing. Standing over it, he dropped her to the downy mattress. Her hair fanned out across the pillows, enchanting him.

“
Tell me Rowen, tell me what I do to you. Then when you’re done, show me what you want me to do to you.” She didn’t shy away and turn her head when he undressed this time. He was a magnificent man, physically beautiful.

“
Oh love, just give me the chance.” After throwing his clothes to the floor, Rowen joined her on the bed and proceeded to undress her. “You make my world shine, Fern.” He kissed her chin as he pulled the wide cotton collar from her shoulders. “Just one look at your lovely face makes my heart melt.” He pulled her Mantua down her long shapely legs. “When I touch your silky skin, my body burns with desire for you.” He picked up her foot and ran his tongue along her sole, making her giggle. “When I think about making love to you, I wonder what I ever did to deserve your love.”