Timestruck Read Online Free Page A

restrain her again, Gina scrambled to the wooden
footboard of the bed, as far from him as she could get. It was
impossible to get out on the opposite side from him, because the
side of the bed was pushed against the wall. In fact, the bed
looked like a studio couch or one of the fancy daybeds Gina had
seen in upscale furniture advertisements.
    “What I need to know,” the man said, his
words drawing her attention away from consideration of his bed, “is
how a madwoman found her way into my private chamber without being
stopped by the guards. Do you understand what I’m saying to you?”
he added in a gentle tone, as if he didn’t want to upset her.
    “Don’t patronize me!” she shouted at him.
“You want to see mad? I’ll show you mad! Let me out of here. So
help me, if this is some kind of trick, I’ll sue you for everything
you’ve got.”
    “You are the one who leapt on top of me,” he
said quietly.
    His reminder of the way she had arrived in
his room quelled her brief bout of belligerence. Gina was suddenly
too terrified to think rationally. She had no idea what was
happening, or where she was, or who the handsome weirdo in the bed
was. He ought to be ashamed of himself, talking so calmly to a
woman he didn’t even know when he wasn’t wearing a stitch of
clothing.
    “Oh, dear,” she whispered, gaping at the
unclothed, obviously very strong man whose muscular presence on the
edge of the bed was preventing her from escaping. He didn’t seem to
be aware of his own nakedness, but she was having trouble keeping
her eyes focused above his waist. “Do you think you could get
dressed?”
    “That is the first sensible thing you’ve
said. It’s an excellent idea, too.”
    His smile was devastating. It lit up his face
and made his eyes glow. She could almost forgive him for calling
her a crazy woman. She watched with great interest as he rose to
pick up a loose woolen tunic and pull it over his head. The way his
shoulder muscles rippled was truly fascinating. It wasn’t until he
had the plain blue garment on that she realized she should have
seized the opportunity to escape from the room while he was
distracted. But if she did escape, where would she go?
    “Please tell me where I am,” she said.
    “I will do so, if in return you will tell me
how you came into my bedchamber unchallenged by my
men-at-arms.”
    “It’s a deal.” That wasn’t exactly what she
said. In the strange language they were speaking, which she
understood perfectly, though she could speak nothing but English,
the word she used was closer to compact , or firm
agreement .
    “You are in Francia,” he said.
    “That tells me exactly nothing. Where in
Francia?” Though she said France , the word came out as Francia , and she knew somehow that the word she’d wanted to
use didn’t exist yet. What was going on?
    “This household is in Bavaria,” he said.
    “That explains the mountains.” She had seen
the movie version of The Sound of Music . In her confused
state she was eager to seize on any hint of the familiar. “Are we
near Salzburg?”
    “Nearer to Regensburg.”
    “I don’t know that place.”
    “Don’t you?” He looked at her as if he didn’t
believe her. Or as if he still thought she was crazy.
    “Tell me how I got here.”
    “That,” he said, “is something you have
agreed to explain to me.”
    “I’m afraid I can’t explain it. I was hoping
you’d know.”
    “Conversation might be easier if you reveal
your name,” he said with a faint smile. “I am Dominick, lord of
these lands, loyal noble to Charles, king of the Franks.”
    “Do they call you Dom or Nick?” she asked,
stalling for time while she tried to figure out if he could be the
crazy one.
    “Dominick will do,” he replied with a
firmness that told her not to try to use a nickname.
    “I’m Virginia McCain,” she said. “People call
me Gina.” She spoke absently, not looking directly at him, her gaze
on the object that stood propped