Page 35 of When I Fall in Love (De Piaget #4)

J ennifer sat on a very cold stone bench pushed up against the wall of the lists and watched the skirmish going on in front of her. Blades screeched, men swore in a manly fashion, grunts and exclamations of appreciation and irritation mingled in the air in a very medieval fashion.

“He’s nuts.”

Jennifer looked at her sister sitting next to her, watching her husband with disgust.

“He’s loving it,” Jennifer corrected with a smile. “How often does he get to do this for real in Manhattan?”

“More often than either of us would like to think about,” Victoria said with a sigh. She linked arms with Jennifer. “I have to tell you, this feels a little surreal.”

“A little?” Jennifer echoed. “Vic, we’re sitting in Artane’s lists, in 1229 no less, watching your fourteenth-century Scottish laird of a husband and my thirteenth-century medieval lord of a fiancé hack at each other with very sharp swords. Of course it’s going to feel a little surreal!”

Vic leaned her head back against the wall and smiled. “I’m going to miss you.”

“You might not,” Jennifer said, striving for a light tone.

“Connor might thrash Nicholas so badly that he’ll have to concede, then Connor won’t let him marry me.”

Victoria snorted. “Do you actually think your Nicholas is going to take no for an answer?”

Jennifer looked at him and smiled. “Probably not.”

And she doubted he would. He’d held on to her hand or touched her in some other fashion from the moment he’d dropped to his knee in front of an entire collection of medieval nobility and proposed. He’d held her hand at dinner. He’d held her hand while they’d visited in his father’s solar far into the wee hours. He’d put his arm around her as they’d walked up the stairs to Isabelle’s room.

And then he’d proceeded to kiss her for quite some time.

He’d told her that he grieved for what it would cost her to give up her family. Though she’d reassured him she thought it was worth it, she supposed he still wasn’t completely comfortable with the thought. In all honesty, she couldn’t say she was either. It was one thing to stay when she had no choice. It was another thing to willingly and knowingly make the choice to leave her family behind.

Ahead.

Whatever.

She looked at Nicholas fighting with Connor and thought, though, that while the decision was wrenching, it was the right one. He was everything she’d ever looked for but never found. He was tall, strong, handsome, and so unabashedly a man that he made every other man she had ever come into contact with look like a seventh-grade boy. She’d never thought to even meet someone who could hold his own with the men in her family. Now she realized that she had found a man who could not only hold his own, but stand out in every way.

He was standing out against Connor presently with only a minimum of effort and Connor was simply terrifying. And she was fairly certain that Nicholas had cracked ribs. Jennifer elbowed Vic.

“It’s impressive, isn’t it?”

“Yours or mine?”

“Either,” Jennifer said with a smile. “Both.”

“It’s unsettling,” Victoria admitted with a slightly nervous laugh. “I’m used to watching it on stage, but you know how that goes. This is just one step away from the real business. I wouldn’t want to meet either of them in a deserted alley.”

“Trust me, I understand,” Jennifer agreed. She watched for another minute or two, then turned to look at her sister. “All right, now that we have some privacy, I want details. What happened after I left?”

Victoria pursed her lips thoughtfully for a moment or two before she answered. “Do you really want the truth?”

“Don’t I?” She sat up with a start. “Did something happen to Mom and Dad? Granny?”

Victoria waved her back. “No, nothing like that.”

She sat back and let out a deep breath. “Then tell me what happened. Who found my car? And my Kit Kat and Lilt? I bet Megan found all of it and ate the Kit Kat, just in case I came back too quickly.”

Victoria laughed. “Well, I suppose that might have happened. All I can vouch for is that Megan did worry, of course, when you didn’t come home. She and Gideon went looking for you and found your car near Ledenham Abbey.”

“Did everyone panic?”

Victoria shifted. “Well, they probably would have, but Ambrose, Hugh, and Fulbert were sitting on top of a quaking, half-crazed pickpocket. The police came, but not before Ambrose had told Megan that you’d popped through a time gate.” She paused. “I get the feeling he was taking credit for planning that.”

“No doubt,” Jennifer said, feeling a little breathless. “They’ve planned everyone else’s weddings; why not mine? But tell me what happened then? Did everyone fly over? Oh,” she said, sitting up quickly, “your run of the Shrew. Who finished it for you?”

“We finished it ourselves,” Victoria said gingerly.

Jennifer blinked, then smiled dryly. “Thanks a lot.”

“You said you wanted all the facts, so hang on before you get irritated with me. Of course when Megan called us we were frantic and were busily thinking of how awful the show would be with our understudies—”

“Were you brilliant?” Jennifer interrupted.

Victoria smiled. “Connor has been absolutely riveting. Even Marv Jones from the Pillar has raved about him.”

“And what about you?”

Victoria smiled modestly. “He has gushed. More than once.”

“Wow.”

“I thought so, too.”

“All right, so you were preparing to hop right on a plane, and then what?”

Victoria looked at her seriously. “You’re sure you want to know?”

Jennifer felt her smile falter. “This is awful. You’re beginning to convince me I don’t want to.”

“Buck up,” Victoria said, patting her on the knee. “Megan was panicked until Gideon’s uncle, Kendrick, pulled out the family history tomes.”

“Tomes?” Then she paused. “Kendrick? That’s a very interesting name. You know, Nicholas’s nephew is named Kendrick.”

Victoria looked at her briefly, openmouthed, then shut her mouth with a snap. “Nah,” she said, “it’s not possible. This guy is the Earl of Seakirk and he has six kids. It couldn’t possible be the same person. Anyway, apparently they’re pretty big on genealogy, those de Piagets, so Kendrick looked up the marriage record of Nicholas de Piaget and everyone relaxed.”

“Why?”

“Because, silly, he married you.”

Jennifer laughed uneasily. “You scared me.”

“Yeah, well, the antics of your kids scared us, so we’re even.”

Jennifer froze, then turned slowly to look at her sister. “What do you know?”

“What don’t I know?”

Jennifer bowed her head and let out a shuddering breath. “I’ m not sure I want to hear any of this.” She looked at her sister. “I assume I remain in the past.”

“You’re not going to be having kids with the guy if he’s here and you’re there.”

“I suppose so,” Jennifer laughed weakly. She took a deep breath. “Anything else I should know?”

“You live happily ever after,” Victoria said. She smiled. “You can’t ask for more than that, can you?”

Jennifer looked at Nicholas who was still sparring with Connor with the energy of a man who’d just stepped out onto the field ten minutes earlier, not three hours ago. “No,” she said slowly, “no, I can’t.”

“He is spectacular,” Victoria said. “And it’s obvious he’s head over heels in love with you.”

“Do you think so?” Jennifer asked wistfully.

“Get real,” Victoria said with a laugh. “You know he is. He can’t keep his eyes off you, he can’t keep his hands off you, he wields a sword as well as my husband so he’ll keep everyone else from getting their hands on you. What else do you want?”

Jennifer sighed and looked at her sister. “Family reunions?” “I brought a map from Jamie, if that’s the case.”

Jennifer gaped at her. “You talked to Jamie?”

“Well, of course,” Victoria said, exasperated. “How do you think we got here at the right time?”

“I was assuming you asked Thomas.”

“What does he know?” Victoria scoffed. “Maybe he has time traveled, but not nearly as much as I have. He’s a rookie.”

“And you’re such a pro,” Jennifer said dryly.

“I take what glory I can,” Victoria said with a smile. “And yes, we did talk to Jamie. We flew over after the run, got our things together, then drove all over Northumberland with him, trying to figure out just what gate would work best. Apparently Jamie knows your future brother-in-law, Jake. Jake’s gate is the most reliable, but I brought you lots of choices just in case you and Nicholas want a little vacation in the future. In the Future, as it were. Or any number of other centuries.”

“Jamie should open up a travel agency.”

“I suggested that. Elizabeth said no.”

“I’m not surprised,” Jennifer laughed. Then she sobered. “A map,” she said slowly. “I’m not sure I want it.”

“Keep it,” Victoria said. “It’s part of your dowry. I have the feeling your guy might like a turn in a nice, red Ferrari someday.”

“Heaven help us,” Jennifer said weakly. She took Victoria’s hand and clutched it suddenly. “Are we happy?”

“So the annals say,” Victoria said with a smile. “Genealogy doesn’t lie.” She squeezed Jennifer’s hand. “But even knowing you’ll be blissfully happy doesn’t make it any easier. I keep trying to convince myself that we probably would have never seen each other again if we had been pioneer settlers or Pilgrims or something like that. But this,” she began with a shake of her head, “I have to admit that this seems a little more final.”

“What do Mom and Dad think?” Jennifer asked hesitantly. “Is Dad completely freaked out?”

“He’s resigned,” Victoria said. “He’s the one who keeps working the pioneer angle.” She paused. “He misses you.”

Jennifer sighed deeply and rubbed her hands over her face. “That’s the only thing that bothers me. I wish I could see them just one more time.” She looked at her sister. “Did you bring a digital camera?”

“Are you nuts? I thought your violin was pushing it.” Then she winked. “Of course I did.”

“I need to think about the Degani,” Jennifer mused. “You probably should take it back with you when you go.”

Victoria shook her head. “I think you should keep it. They can bury it with you and I’ll dig it up when I get home.”

“Vic, yuck,” Jennifer said with a shiver. “That’s disgusting.”

“Too much time travel does that to a person.”

Jennifer thought about her violin, about the absolute joy of playing it. “I wonder how safe it is.”

“I’ll tell you this much,” Victoria said seriously. “Wyckham becomes the cultural capital of the north. You rival Queen Eleanor’s patronage of the arts. You may want to keep it.”

“Maybe so,” she said thoughtfully. She looked at her sister. “How many kids do we have?”

“Too many.”

“Vic!”

Victoria laughed. “You have lots, they raise lots of hell, and you both live to a ripe old age. At least as far as the stories go. Who knows? It could be all made up and you have a dozen girls who bankrupt you because of what it costs to provide dowries for them, so you come back to Artane and live in the stables.”

“Vic?”

“Yes?”

“Shut up.”

Victoria laughed, put her arms around Jennifer, and hugged her tightly. “You’ll have a great life, sis. If I didn’t know it was going to be such a great life, I’d have a much harder time leaving you back here.”

“Will you stay for the wedding?”

“ ’That’s why we’re here. When is it, by the way?”

“You would know.”

Victoria smiled. “So, I imagine, would you and I also imagine it’s not going to be nearly soon enough to suit your groom. Oh, look, they’re finished. Who do you think won?”

Jennifer looked. Nicholas and Connor were clasping hands. Robin was hovering on the edge of the field like a carrion bird, looking for the spoils.

“I think it was a draw,” Jennifer said. She looked at her sister. “Do you like him?”

“I like that he loves you,” Victoria said, “and I like my first impressions of him. Let me get to know him and then I’ll tell you. Not that it will change your mind.”

“Too late for that,” Jennifer murmured, watching Nicholas and Connor walking toward them. “Far too late now.”

They stopped in front of them. Connor put his hand on Nicholas’s shoulder.

“I said him aye,” Connor said. “If you want him.”

“I do,” Jennifer said, with a smile.

Connor looked over his shoulder. “There’s another one over there that looks as though he wants a bit of exercise.” He lifted an eyebrow. “Do you mind, my love?”

“Help yourself,” Victoria said, waving him away. “Enjoy.”

Connor wasted no time in turning and bounding back onto the field.

Victoria smiled at Jennifer. “It’s like a buffet for him. So many swordsmen, so little time to sample them all.”

“Robin will keep him busy for quite a while,” Jennifer said wryly. She looked up at Nicholas. “You walked a fine line, my lord.”

“Did you notice?” he said. He stretched and winced. “I couldn’t grind him into the dust, lest he say me nay, and I couldn’t let him grind me into the dust, lest he find me lacking. Robin, however, will have no such compunction. I think I might change and return to watch the carnage.”

“Do,” she said with a smile. “I’ll be waiting.”

His smile almost burned her where she sat. “I’m glad you will be,” he said. He bowed to her, bowed to Victoria, then smiled at her one more time before he walked from the lists back to the house.

Jennifer watched him go.

“He has it bad,” Victoria said with a low whistle.

“I recognize the symptoms,” Jennifer said a little breathlessly, “suffering from them quite badly myself.” She looked out onto the field to find Robin and Connor already going at it enthusiastically. “You know, Vic, Connor may have met his match here. Robin’s very, very good. And he has no reason to be nice.”

Victoria shrugged nonchalantly. “He’ll survive. He’s a little out of practice, but he loves this. I probably won’t get him out of the lists at all while we’re here.”

“You’ll have to come back and visit,” Jennifer said quietly. “It would be good for him, I’m sure.”

Victoria squeezed her arm, but didn’t answer.

Jennifer understood. It was too tender a thought to discuss, so she simply sat and enjoyed her sister’s company.

It was surreal.

She contemplated that for quite some time, then noticed a movement to her left. Nicholas was walking along the wall toward her.

She supposed there would come a time when she was used to the sight of him, but it hadn’t happened yet.

She stood up, then went into his arms.

“You’re still here,” he whispered.

She lifted her head and smiled up at him. “And just where else would I go?” she asked. “You’re here.”

“Thank you.”

“You don’t have to keep saying that.”

“Oh,” he said, looking at her seriously, “I must. Every day. Each and every day I’m fortunate enough to have you in my life.” He smiled. “Especially since I have Laird MacDougal’s permission. Odd, isn’t it? That they arrived at just such a time.”

Jennifer hesitated. “Nicholas ...”

He froze. “Should I sit down?”

“You may want to. Here, come sit with us. We’ll keep you from embarrassing yourself by falling over.”

He then took her hand and sat down on the bench next to Victoria. Jennifer sat down next to him, then put her head on his shoulder.

“Here is the tale,” she said with a smile. “You see, they have this book at Artane—”

“Several books,” Victoria interrupted.

“Several books,” Jennifer amended, “at the Artane that stands eight hundred years in the future. Books about the history of the de Piaget family.”

“The saints preserve me,” Nicholas said faintly.

“Hold on, bucko,” Victoria said. “It’s going to be quite a ride for you.”

“Bucko?” Nicholas whispered to Jennifer.

She squeezed his hand. “Term of affection. So, in this book they have at Artane, apparently there is a record of all the marriages of all the descendants of the first lord of Artane, Rhys de Piaget.”

Nicholas shivered. “Indeed.”

“And, as you might expect, they have a record of the marriage of his second son, Nicholas.”

Nicholas shivered again.

Jennifer smiled up at him. “To me.”

“In a fortnight?” Nicholas asked.

“Actually, yes.”

He put his hand on her cheek, bent his head and kissed her softly. “The saints be praised.” He looked at her. “So this is how they knew.”

“It is.”

He froze again. “But that would mean that they knew ...” He looked at her with wide eyes. “They knew when they came yesterday. Before ...”

“Yes,” she said softly. “Before.”

He shuddered this time. “It is too strange,” he said quietly, “to know that my actions are already known to souls living centuries after I’m dead.”

“Well, they’re still going to be a surprise to me,” she said with a smile. “Do you want to know anything else?”

He laughed uneasily. “I’m not sure. Do I?”

Victoria leaned forward. “Tell him about your kids.”

“Kids?” Nicholas wheezed. “Children,” Jennifer said. “We have several. Vic won’t tell me how many.”

“The saints preserve me,” Nicholas said faintly.

“Don’t worry,” Victoria said. “In the annals of Artane, you are known as a perfect knight. Chivalrous, kind-hearted, talented, wealthy.” She smiled at him. “You don’t think I’d leave my sister with you otherwise, do you?”

“Thank you,” Nicholas said faintly.

Jennifer smiled. “Maybe that’s enough of the future for now. I think I’d like to just enjoy the present.” She closed her eyes, ignoring the sounds of swords and curses in two languages, and smiled to herself. It would be a good life.

“Jen?” Nicholas asked finally.

“Aye, my lord?”

“Will you wed me in a fortnight’s time?”

She lifted her face to him. “Wasn’t that your plan?”

“I would have preferred tomorrow,” he said, kissing her, “but my grandmother told me nay.” He paused. “I half fear she will never go home.”

“Oh, she’ll go,” Jennifer assured him, “but only after you’ve been properly wedded and bedded. She told me so herself.

Then she looked me up and down to assure herself that I might be equal to the task.”

He laughed. “What a dreadful old woman.”

“She loves you.”

“And why not?” he said archly. “After all, ’tis written in the annals of Artane that I am a knight with peerless chivalry.”

“You’re starting to sound like Robin.”

“Oh, please stop me before I truly do,” he said with an uneasy laugh. Then he paused. “Will you play for me tonight?”

“Of course, but don’t you think I should wait until everyone leaves?”

“The ladies are all on their way,” he said with a smile. “I bid farewell to them all in a clump not ten minutes ago. The castle is ours. Well,” he paused, “with the exception of Brigit of Islington. She wasn’t feeling well.”

“We’ll ignore her.”

“Perhaps she’ll remain in her chamber with her mother. I daresay we’ll have peace enough.”

A fter supper Jennifer pulled out her violin and tried not to let the feeling of déjà vu distract her. It was just what she’d done that night for Lord Edward. It was the same high table that she laid her case on. It was the same hall she prepared to play in. The only thing that kept her grounded was looking at Nicholas. He knew what she was thinking because she’d told him about her earlier performance.

He smiled gravely.

Jennifer took a deep breath and wondered about the advisability of what she’d been asked to do, what with Brigit still running around. Playing her violin in front of the de Piagets would have been one thing; playing in front of Brigit and her mother would not. But since they were upstairs and the servants had been dismissed for the evening, she supposed she was safe enough.

She took out her violin, tuned it, then made Rhys a curtsey.

She looked once more at Nicholas, then began.

She played several of her favorite pieces, some difficult, some merely beautiful. Victoria didn’t seem surprised, nor did Connor, but she noticed that the rest of Nicholas’s family, including Jake, were overcome in various ways. Nicholas’s eyes were very red. The women in his family were weeping. Jake was gaping. Nicholas’s brothers were watching silently, their mouths hanging open.

Finally, she played her favorite Schubert. She watched Nicholas periodically while she was about it. He was sitting in his chair with his head bowed, his arms resting on his knees, his hands clasped, much as he’d sat the first time she’d played for him. But when she finished, he looked up.

And he smiled, an intimate smile that she knew was just for her.

She tucked her violin under her arm and took her bows. Rhys had leaped up from his chair and strode over to her, clapping enthusiastically. “Beautiful. Simply beautiful.”

She curtseyed to him. “Thank you, my lord.”

He beamed at her. “For that, Mistress McKinnon, you must have something special from my household.” He nodded toward Nicholas. “Perhaps that lad there.”

“I will have him gladly, my lord,” she said, with another curtsey. She put her violin away, handed the case to Miles for safekeeping, then went to sit with Nicholas. She would have sat down next to him, but he pulled her into his lap instead. He wrapped his arms around her.

“You are spectacular,” he whispered into her ear. “Unbelievably spectacular.”

She smiled at him. “It’s just music.”

“Well, that was good, too.”

She laughed and put her arm around his neck. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.” He paused. “I don’t suppose I can kiss you here.”

“I imagine not,” she agreed.

“A fortnight,” he said, shaking his head. “What was I thinking?”

“I have no idea,” she said honestly. “Tomorrow’s probably too late.”

He smiled and held her close. “I daresay, my love, that a lifetime will not be long enough to love you.”

“I couldn’t agree more,” she said, resting her cheek against his.

She spent the rest of the evening listening happily to conversations in Gaelic and French, loving the fact that Victoria and Connor had been so easily and happily welcomed into the de Piaget family circle, and wishing that it could go on forever.

She enjoyed it enough for several lifetimes.