Love Will Find You: The Knights of Berwyck, A Quest Through Time Read online

  Love Will Find You

  The Knights of Berwyck, A Quest Through Time

  Sherry Ewing

  Copyright © 2020 by Sherry Ewing

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book reviews.

  Kingsburg Pres

  P.O. Box 475146

  San Francisco, CA 94147

  www.kingsburgpress.com

  Love Will Find You is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are a product of the author’s imagination. Locales and public names are sometimes used for atmospheric purposes. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, or to businesses, companies, events, institutions, or locales is completely coincidental.

  Editor: Jude Knight

  Front Cover Design:

  www.SelfPubBookCovers.com/ INeedABookCover

  Back Cover Design: by Sherry Ewing

  Love Will Find You/Sherry Ewing -- 1st ed.

  ISBN eBook: 978-1-946177-51-3

  ISBN Print: 978-1-946177-52-0

  Library of Congress Control Number: 2019905629

  Love Will Find You

  The Knights of Berwyck: A Quest Through Time (Book Four) by Sherry Ewing

  Sometimes a moment is all we have…

  Ella Fitzpatrick is a woman with a secret. As she comes and goes from Berwyck Castle, seeking refuge within its gates, she yearns to be reunited with the one for whom she crossed time from the twenty-first century. She has lived another lifetime in the twelfth century waiting for the date of their reunion and it is almost upon her. But how could she have known the man she believes she loves is not the person she needs?

  Killian of Clan MacLaren has been infatuated with Ella for many a year but has guarded his heart, knowing her affection lies with another. When Ella must flee Berwyck, Killian vows to escort her to her encounter with destiny. But passion flares between them and there is no doubt the bond they have is far greater than either of them expected.

  Their time together is running out. Killian has a decision to make that might give him and Ella a future together. If you could change someone’s past, would you seize the moment?

  Other Books By Sherry Ewing

  Medieval & Time Travel Series

  * * *

  To Love A Scottish Laird: De Wolfe Pack

  Connected World

  To Love An English Knight: De Wolfe Pack

  Connected World

  If My Heart Could See You: The MacLaren’s

  For All of Ever: The Knights of Berwyck,

  A Quest Through Time (Book One)

  Only For You: The Knights of Berwyck,

  A Quest Through Time (Book Two)

  Hearts Across Time: The Knights of Berwyck,

  A Quest Through Time (Books One & Two)

  A special box set of For All of Ever & Only For You

  A Knight To Call My Own: The MacLaren’s

  To Follow My Heart: The Knights of Berwyck,

  A Quest Through Time (Book Three)

  The Piper’s Lady within Never Too Late: A Bluestocking Belles Collection 2017

  Love Will Find You: The Knights of Berwyck,

  A Quest Through Time (Book Four)

  One Last Kiss: The Knights of Berwyck,

  A Quest Through Time (Book Five)

  * * *

  Regency’s

  A Kiss for Charity: A de Courtenay Novella (Book One)

  The Earl Takes A Wife: A de Courtenay Novella (Book Two)

  Nothing But Time, A Family of Worth: Book One

  One Moment In Time: A Family of Worth, Book Two

  Under the Mistletoe

  A Second Chance At Love in Fire & Frost: A Bluestocking Belles Collection

  * * *

  Join Sherry’s newsletter at http://bit.ly/2vGrqQM

  www.SherryEwing.com

  Contents

  I. A Second Time For Love

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  II. The Third Time’s the Charm

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Epilogue

  Author’s Note

  Acknowledgments

  Other Books by Sherry Ewing

  Social Media

  About Sherry Ewing

  Dedication

  For my dear friend Claudia

  * * *

  We may not have known each other long but you’ve become a sister of my heart. Thank you for the beautiful covers you’ve designed for me but more importantly your friendship. Continue to fight the fight. You’re a strong woman and I know you’ve got this.

  * * *

  Love Will Find You is for you, Claudia.

  May you find a new adventure to fill your soul between these pages!

  Part I

  A Second Time For Love

  Chapter 1

  Beach near Berwyck Castle

  The Year of Our Lord’s Grace 1182

  Ella Fitzpatrick was weary to the bone. With her shoes dangling from her fingertips, she trudged her way across the strand at a slow pace. The cold ocean waters stung her sore feet as the waves rushed up to her ankles. She barely noticed the pain for she was at least content to be near the vast sea once more. The sound of the ocean always calmed her, as much as was possible given that her thoughts left her constantly on edge.

  She was tired of wandering from place to place. Tired of trying to keep her mind from straying to what could be… or had been. Tired of keeping one step ahead of her relentless pursuer. Tired of always remembering to speak as though she belonged here. Tired of always struggling to do her best to keep herself grounded in the twelfth century rather than slipping back to her place of origin more than eight hundred years in the future.

  Indeed, neither place in time was for her. Her mind shied away from the brothers and sisters, the nieces and nephews, left in Jacksonville, Florida, and from Simon of Hull, the husband she had consented to marry to anchor her in the twelfth century.

  The peace fled from her entirely as she remembered what happened after Simon died. What had she done to deserve her treatment? And why did her tormenter pursue her yet?

  She drove back her despair. She had traveled through time to the place she belonged, then lost it – along with the man she loved. Returning to her true place and time had taken thirty years, living day after day, year after year. She was almost there.

  Soon. Soon.

  Her true love would ride where she first met him, and they would have a seco
nd chance. This time, she would not flee. This time…

  The sound of thunder brought Ella out of her memories of her past life, or perchance ’twas her future life. Sometimes ’twas hard for her to tell which was which. She looked up. The clear sky showed no signs of rainfall. The beach began to vibrate beneath her, and she looked over her shoulder.

  A small army galloped its way in her direction, impressive in their unison as they drove their steeds in a tight formation and at a brisk pace. Massive war horses as black as the midnight sky raced towards her. The knights were clothed also in black with the exception of their blood red capes billowing behind them in the ocean breeze. But recognition dawned quickly and Ella felt no fear, since Berwyck’s standard flew proudly to identify the men.

  The lead knight raised his arm, causing his men to halt their steeds. ’Twas clear they had but recently been in a battle given the condition of their clothes and the fresh cuts and slashes upon their bodies.

  She made her way to the knight and his horse blew warm air from his nostrils as she came to pat his neck “Hello, Thor. You still carry your master well, do you not, my friend,” she whispered with a fond smile. The horse nickered but Ella only laughed. “I am most sorry but I am afraid I have no treat for you this day.”

  “Ah, Lady Ella,” Lord Dristan said with a welcoming smile. “A pleasure to see you once again.”

  “You have been in battle, my lord?” she asked, looking around the knights at signs of travail.

  “A skirmish, no more,” Lord Dristan replied. “A band of thieving rogues who thought to rob one of the villages we protect.”

  Any fools who thought to make a name for themselves by defeating the knight who had become the legendary Devil’s Dragon of Berwyck probably deserved what they got, Ella thought. Her thirty years in this century had taught her hard lessons about the need for strong men to protect the weak.

  Lord Dristan, the Devil’s Dragon himself, was smiling in welcome. “I pray you shall be gracing Berwyck’s halls for a time? ’Twill please my lady to see you again.”

  “Just Ella, my lord,” she replied, “as I have told you many times in the past.”

  Dristan leaned forward to rest his arm upon the pommel of his saddle. “You must needs indulge my whims, my lady, for I see nothing but the fairest of ladies before me. Is this not so, Killian?”

  Ella acknowledged the older knight next to Dristan’s horse with a slight nod. Uncle to Dristan’s lady, he was a handsome man as far as looks went. Tall with broad shoulders, his reddish-light brown hair with hints of grey hung just above his shoulders, his beard in need of a trim. She had spent a fair amount of time in his company these many years since she first found her way to the halls of Berwyck.

  Killian had always been kind to her whenever they had idle conversation in the great hall, or within the lord and his lady’s solar. She was momentarily startled by the appreciative look he gave her with his intense blue-green eyes. She had never noticed him looking upon her in such a fashion before this day.

  “Aye, a lady in all ways, my laird,” Killian declared while his gaze once again swept her from head to toe.

  She felt herself blush, as any young maiden might have done from receiving the admiring glances of a handsome suitor. She must look a fright! How long it had been since she had found any form of comfort within a hall or inn, she could not say. Those knowing eyes of Killian’s continued to hold her own, causing heat to rush to her flushed face.

  She had never been vain about her appearance, but she did feel the compliment when Killian continued to assess her condition. It had been some time since a man had offered her any form of flattery and she was hard pressed to correct either of them in using the term lady. She did not care to be recognized as anything higher than what she considered herself. A common woman lost in time. No matter that circumstances were…

  Dristan’s merry chuckle brought her out of her musings. “We have left the fair woman speechless, it seems, Killian. Assist the lady so she may ride with you,” he ordered.

  “’Tis hardly necessary, my lord. Berwyck is close enough and the walk will do me good.” Thor gave her a nudge with his nose, apparently still looking for something to eat. He almost knocked her over in his insistence she feed him. “Bad horse. I have nothing for you,” she scolded wagging her finger at the animal.

  “Behave, Thor.” Dristan ordered while his steed tossed up his head, shaking his mane as though disappointed he would not receive a sweet. Dristan then grimaced when his gaze traveling to her abused feet. “You have walked far enough, if I were to guess, considering the state you are in, but ’tis of no matter. I insist you ride with us. We must make haste for we are in great need of sustenance to fill our bellies and quench our thirst. I refuse to allow a woman in our company to continue her travels without escort. See to her, Killian.”

  “Aye, my liege,” Killian answered, dismounting from his horse as Dristan waved his arm and his men put their steeds into motion.

  Yanking on the reins of his mount, Killian moved forward to stand before Ella. Looping the leather straps around the pommel, he offered her his assistance in order to mount the huge animal.

  “May I, Lady Ella?” he inquired, holding out his hand to her.

  She gave a weary sigh. There was no sense in attempting to remain indifferent to the orders he had been given. “If you must obey your lord, then I suppose I must too. But for heaven’s sake, please call me Ella.”

  “’Tis not seemly ye should ask such of me, my lady.”

  Her brow rose at his obstinacy. ’Twas most irritating and she preferred to forget the part of her past that made such a statement true. “I must insist. I do not profess to be a lady of high rank and refuse to be treated as such. I am just Ella.”

  He turned his back on her momentarily, walking towards the ocean waves grumbling to himself about the stubbornness of some women. He returned with his decision. “If ye insist, then I must needs humor ye, I suppose. Let us away, Ella.”

  “A wise choice, Sir Killian.”

  “Just Killian,” he replied, and his eyes twinkled in suppressed merriment, as if he expected her to resist dropping all formality between them.

  With a small smile, she nodded her head. “Killian, then.”

  She took his outstretched hand and was briefly surprised when a tingle raced up her arm. He must have felt it too, because his eyes momentarily widened at their touch. He took her hand and placed it upon his shoulder as he in turn lifted her by her waist to place her upon his horse.

  Once she was settled, Killian placed his foot in the stirrup and swung himself into the saddle. Since Ella was placed behind him, she made a fast grab for his waist when he flicked the reins and his horse bolted into motion. Her breath left her with his nearness and she swore she heard him give a chuckle.

  They made their way quickly across the beach. Before long, Ella began to wonder what in the world had come over her while she felt her heart racing almost as fast as the horse lessened the distance to the castle growing ever nearer. She must be tired if being this close to a man who was not Henry was suddenly turning her emotions to mush.

  Ella shook her head trying to clear her thoughts even as Killian took hold of her arms as though to hold her in place. She could not afford the distraction Killian would surely present. She would need to leave Berwyck as quickly as possible so as not to tempt fate more than she already had in her poor sorry life. She could not allow her pursuer to catch up with her. Her future with Henry was so close. He just did not know they were destined to meet yet.

  Chapter 2

  Killian watched Ella from afar as she made her way across the great hall to her place next to Lady Amiria on the raised dais. He had always found her a handsome woman. Her brown hair was pulled back away from her face in a long thick braid; he pondered how she would look with the locks tumbling into place down her back. ’Twas not the first time he had such thoughts for they reoccurred each time she wandered her way to Berwyck. He wished to be
the man to release those very same tresses from their confinement, and not the phantom man of whom she had spoken of to Amiria’s friend Katherine. He hated that she was waiting for a man she had yet to meet to grant him such an honor.

  He had been hard pressed to keep his mind where it belonged when she rode behind him on the way to the castle earlier this day. Taking one hand from the leather straps guiding his horse, he had taken delight in pulling her arms closer around him. He barely remembered muttering something about how he did not wish her to fall, not that he would ever let such happen to a woman left in his care.

  Once reaching the stable, Killian had jumped from his horse and held out his arms to assist the lady from his steed. He rubbed his fingers together remembering how his hands had tingled when they wrapped around her waist. But Ella’s feet had barely reached the ground before she was immediately whisked away to visit with Lady Amiria.