Time Travel Romances Boxed Set Read Free Page A

had
ever undertaken.
    And by far the most expensive.
    But all the costs of restoration would be
worth it. Dunhelm would be spectacular, the crown jewel of the
Beauforte chain. Already the main circular tower rose restored
behind Baird and the restaurant at the top - with its panoramic
view - was being roughed in.
    The massive wrought iron double gates Baird
had commissioned had been installed just the day before. They were
the perfect accent to the long stone wall that marked the perimeter
of the property and cut the peninsula off from the rest of the
world. The Beauforte Resort logo was forged into the gates and
dramatically silhouetted against the sky before the approaching
visitor.
    The work was a bit behind schedule, but
Baird’s vision of Dunhelm was taking shape. There was no reason why
he shouldn’t leave this job in the capable hands of his staff, as
usual.
    Except that he couldn’t bring himself to
leave Dunhelm.
    Even worse, he wasn’t sure why.
    This tangled mound of briars had aroused
Baird’s curiosity from his first tour of the property. His interest
was only strengthened by Talorc’s and every other local workman’s
refusal to go near the briars.
    Not one to back away from a challenge,
especially with no reason other than superstition to do so, Baird
had taken the task of cutting back the thorns himself.
    He was sure that revealing Dunhelm’s every
hidden corner to the pale sunlight would loosen the place’s hold
over him. After all, this was the last part of the estate still
hidden away. And he had always liked to solve puzzles.
    That must be at the root of his fascination
with this place. Once he cleared the thorns, Baird was sure that
all mysteries would be solved. Then Dunhelm’s grip over him would
vanish.
    Every fallen bough fed his conviction. Baird
had to conquer these thorns, and he had to do it today.

    *

    Baird had worked up a good sweat when the
briars reluctantly parted to reveal a flat stone on the ground
before him.
    It was just a stone but he had a strange
certainty that it was a step. Baird hacked with renewed vigor,
smiling to himself with satisfaction when a second step was
revealed.
    He was right! There was a secret in this
corner and he was about to uncover it.
    Although the briars seemed to be suddenly
more resistant to his efforts, nothing could have stopped Baird
now. The rain fell like a protective mist all around him, a light
fog hiding the other workers from view. The mist even seemed to
muffle the sounds of construction.
    It was as though he was alone in the world.
No stranger to that feeling, Baird shoved up his sleeves, and
methodically sliced back the stubborn growth.
    The steps appeared before him, one after the
other, descending into the earth. Baird, hot on the heels of
solving a mystery, worked his way down them, his anticipation
rising with every minute.
    What could be down here? Who had made the
steps? And why?
    On the eighth smoothly fitted flagstone
step, the brambles became thinner. It was chilly down here, the
shadows of the walls on either side embracing him coldly.
    Just a little further and he would know.
    “ Baird? You down
there?”
    Baird jumped at the sound of the familiar
voice. He wiped a hand across his brow and felt the exhaustion in
his muscles for the first time. How long had he been at this? Baird
turned back and spied Julian’s silhouette against the gray sky.
    “ Down here,
Julian.”
    “ Down there?” Baird could
imagine the grimace his words earned and almost laughed. Julian and
his damned shoes. “Won’t you come back up?”
    “ Nope. Got to finish.”
Baird bent back to his task, Julian’s muttered curse not low enough
to be inaudible.
    He was probably meant to hear it.
    “ I don’t know why you had
to have this place,” Julian muttered as he trudged down the stairs.
“It needs more work than any other property we looked at, and it’s
miles from London. No one will come all this way, especially since
all it does is