Page 39 of When I Fall in Love (De Piaget #4)

A fortnight later, Jennifer sat in front of the hearth in Nicholas’s bedroom and let her hair dry by the heat of the fire. She watched her husband as he padded about the chamber, wearing hose and boots but looking for a tunic and cursing while he was about it. Then he stopped and looked at her. He put his hands on his hips.

“What?” he demanded.

She shrugged with a smile.

“Are you ogling me?” he asked archly.

“I might be.”

“Jennifer de Piaget, your parents are leaving today,” he began with mock sternness, then he sobered. “I’m sorry. That isn’t fodder for jest.”

She held up her hands as he walked to her. He pulled her to her feet and into his arms. She rested her head against his bare chest, his heart beating strongly beneath her ear, and put her arms around him.

“You know what makes it bearable?” she asked softly.

“I daren’t imagine.”

She looked up at him. “You. Once they leave, you’ll come back here and make love to me, won’t you?”

“Will it make you feel better?”

“I’m not sure. Let’s try several times and see.”

“Jenner,” he said with half a laugh, then he shook his head. “Your self-control, my lady, is sadly lacking.”

“I’m trying to distract myself.”

“Let me offer my services in that endeavor.”

She smiled and hugged him. “You, my lord, are full of chivalry. How is it I was so fortunate to win you?”

“You felled me the moment you looked at me,” he said, then he paused. “Nay, that isn’t true. You felled me the first time I set eyes on you. I’ve been drowning in love ever since.” He held her tightly to him. “By the saints, Jen, I don’t think I’ll ever accustom myself to having you.” He took a deep breath. “You sacrificed—”

“My family,” she said, looking up at him, “but no more. They will read about us and know we were happy. And who knows that they won’t try the gates again at some point and come for a visit.”

“Your granny would worry me with a map in her hand,” Nicholas admitted.

“Isn’t she wonderful?”

“She is,” he agreed. “I’d keep her, but I think your sire might begrudge me two of his women.”

“My mother would miss her,” Jennifer said. “But it wouldn’t surprise me to see her at some point in the future.” She patted his back, then slipped from his arms. “We should go.” She dragged her sleeve across her eyes. “But we’ll return here.”

“Aye. And then the shore.”

She blinked. “The shore?”

“It is a very, very empty strand.”

“Ha,” she snorted. “Your brothers would find us.”

“Robin has a tent. We’ll borrow it.”

She nodded, though she couldn’t think past what was going to happen in the next hour. She knew her family had to go. She had made her choice and she had no regrets.

But that didn’t mean it was going to be easy.

At least she’d had a decent amount of time with them. Victoria and Connor had been there for well over a month, long enough to merit a room of their own. Her parents and grandmother had been there for almost three weeks, long enough for her father, Jake, Rhys, and Nicholas to become attached at the hip. Nicholas had done his best to pick up as much English as possible in that time and gone out of his way to woo her father as thoroughly as he had her. Jennifer had watched her father fall under his spell. John had even spent his share of time laughing with him.

That boded well, to her mind.

She had spent all her time with her mother and grandmother, followed by a contingent of armed Artane males and more guardsmen than needful each time they dared poke their noses out of the gate. She couldn’t remember anything specific that they’d done, outside of many pleasant afternoons in Gwen’s solar with all the ladies and equally as many wonderful mornings walking along the beach. Other than that, all she knew was that she had spent every moment possible with them during the days.

Well, except for a few naps.

“You’re ogling me again.”

She smiled and shook her head. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be,” he laughed. “Have I complained?”

“No, you haven’t,” she agreed.

She watched as he found a tunic and yanked.it down over his head. He took her hand and led her from the chamber. He fitted a newly made key to the newly installed lock, put the key into the purse at his belt, then led her down the hallway.

Jennifer took several deep breaths as they walked. She blinked several times as she followed Nicholas down the steps: He paused on the bottom step, then turned and looked at her.

“Will you be all right?” he asked quietly.

“I can’t cry,” she said, trying to smile. “That isn’t the sight I want them to carry away. I’m happy, damn it.”

“So I see by your tears.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck and held on to him tightly. “I am happy. I’m just not happy about this.”

He rubbed her back soothingly. “I know, my love,” he whispered. “And I’m sorry for it.”

She stood there in the comfort of his arms for several minutes, then sighed and pulled away. “I’m okay now. Let’s go see them off. I’ll definitely need to be distracted this afternoon, though.”

He took hold of her hand. “I am at your service.”

She smiled and followed him out into the great hall. Her family was gathered near one of the massive fireplaces, talking quietly with Nicholas’s family. Jennifer quickly memorized the scene so she could replay it again later. She had a family picture upstairs in the trunk, obviously taken with the whole crew before Vic and Connor had come back to find her, and she supposed that would be a comfort.

Nicholas hesitated.

Jennifer looked up at him. “Don’t you dare.”

He smiled grimly. “Sorry.”

“If you aren’t a rock right now, I will crumble. I’ve made my choice.”

“I know.”

“If you ask me if I’m sure right now, I’ll clunk you over the head with your sword.”

He smiled. “Perhaps you are fiercer than I suspected.”

“It’s an act,” she said softly. “But I’m going to go with what works right now.”

She continued across the hall with him, then hugged her mother. She kept one arm around her and one around Nicholas’s waist and simply soaked in the companionship of so many people she loved.

Bittersweet took on an entirely new meaning at that moment.

“Tell Megan I love her,” she said, looking at her mother with a smile. “And Thomas. Gideon and Iolanthe as well. I’ll miss them all.”

“I’ll make sure they know,” Helen said with a smile. “Anything else?”

“Apologize to Charles Salieri. No, wait,” she said with a frown. “What are you going to tell him?”

“Certainly not the truth,” Helen said with a half laugh. “What do you want me to tell him?”

“You could tell him part of the truth,” Jennifer said slowly. “Tell him I fell in love with an English lord and I won’t be coming back to New York.”

“He’ll have apoplexy. And he’ll camp out on my doorstep until I give him your phone number.”

Jennifer winced. “I imagine he will. He’ll get over it. Maybe Mr. Bourgeois will be out of the nuthouse by the time you get back. I wonder what happened to him in the first place?”

“I understand Hugh McKinnon took up the violin and paid him a little nighttime visit to display his proficiency.” Helen smiled deeply. “Apparently, it was a memorable concert.”

“Poor man,” Jennifer said with a laugh. “Well, do what you think you should, Mom.”

“I will, honey.”

Jennifer watched as her mother smiled at Nicholas.

“Take care of my baby,” she said with a smile. “Though perhaps I don’t need to say that.”

He shook his head. “You’re right to, my lady. And I will. I will do all I can to see she never regrets her choice.”

“How could she?” Helen said with a smile. “You were worth the trip.”

Jennifer smiled, patted Nicholas’s back, and went to have a few quiet words with her sister. She hugged Victoria tightly.

“I’ll miss you.”

Victoria shook her head. “Don’t start or I won’t make it through the morning.” She kissed Jennifer on both cheeks. “I’m glad we came. I’m glad I got to see you get married. I’ll tell Megan and Thomas all about it and we’ll think about you often.”

Jennifer nodded, hugged Connor briefly, then turned to her father. She went into his arms and found that she couldn’t say anything. So she stood, trying to breathe evenly and feeling him struggling to do the same. Finally, she pulled back.

“You like him?”

John nodded. “He’s worthy of you. And believe me, the bar was set extremely high.”

“Thank you, Dad.”

“For what?”

“For coming all this way. For leaving me behind. For not minding.”

“Never said I didn’t mind,” John said gruffly. “But you’re happy.”

“It’s the pioneer lifestyle,” she said lightly.

He grunted and hugged her again. Then he stepped back. “We need to go. Nicholas has your granny well in hand. Why don’t you walk with me to the stables?”

“All right.”

The walk there was far too short. Jennifer did her best to imprint on her heart the memory of walking across Artane’s courtyard with her father. She stopped and watched as her family exchanged embraces and kind words with Nicholas’s relatives. Horses were sorted out and saddled. Jennifer watched Nicholas boost her grandmother up into the saddle. Mary leaned over and patted his cheek affectionately. He saw to her mother as well, then took a deep breath and walked over to where she was holding the reins of his horse.

“Ready?” he asked.

She nodded.

“Will you ride with me?”

“Of course. But you knew that already.”

He swung up onto his horse, then pulled her up into the saddle in front of him. “Aye,” he said quietly. “I knew.”

Jennifer sat in the security of his embrace as they left the castle and rode through the village. It took far too little time to reach what Jake indicated was the time gate. It was only then that she realized he had come with them. But he didn’t dismount with the rest of them.

Jennifer looked at him in surprise. “Aren’t you staying?”

He shook his head. “The gate will work. See you at dinner.”

Jennifer felt Nicholas jump off his horse, then let him help her down. He squeezed her hand, then went to help her mother and grandmother.

He came back to her side, though, and looked a little uneasy.

“What?” she asked.

“I’m spooked,” he said honestly. “There is an odd feeling here.”

Jennifer smiled. “I won’t let you fall through the gate.”

“I’m not concerned for myself.”

She squeezed his hand briefly, then gave final hugs to her family. Then she stepped back, took Nicholas’s hand and put on her brightest smile.

The little group of five turned and led their horses onto the invisible X.

Her mother turned and waved.

And then they were gone.

“Merciful saints above,” breathed Nicholas, swaying a little.

She shivered. “I agree.”

“And we could do the same.”

She looked at him in astonishment. “You don’t mean that.”

“Your granny instructed me to think on it. She said I should always keep my options open.”

“It means to keep an open mind.”

“If my mind were any more open, it would fold back on itself like a book with a broken spine.”

She looked up at him and smiled, then put her arms around him. “Let’s go to the shore.”

“Are you sure?” he asked gravely. “You don’t want to stay here a bit longer?”

She shook her head. “Distraction, my lord, is the order of the day.”

He wrapped his arms around her and held her close for a very long time in silence. Then he pulled back to look down at her. “The strand?” he asked gently.

She nodded. “Please.”

“Without the tent?”

She smiled. “Perhaps just for a ride. And a walk. We could stay there all day.” She shrugged. “Who knows what might happen when the sun sets?”

“We will become lost,” he said with a smile. “That’s what happens when the sun sets.” He looked at the innocent spot of ground once more and shook his head. “I wonder how many unsuspecting souls have found themselves in a century not their own?” he mused.

“Too many to count, probably.”

He ran his hand over her hair. “Will you be well?” he asked guardedly.

“I’ll cry.”

“I’ll hold you.”

“I’ll be fine.”

“I’ll distract you if you are not.”

She smiled and tugged on his hand. “The shore, my lord. It will soothe me.”

He walked with her to his horse and swung up into the saddle. He pulled her up behind him.

Jennifer wrapped her arms around his waist and leaned her head against his back. She closed her eyes and was grateful for a moment or two to let her tears run down her face unobserved.

In time, she managed to blink them away. She watched the scenery as it passed by and realized that this was exactly what she had wanted, but it had come true in a way she never would have expected. No cell phones. No stereos—well, except for the iPods, but she could turn those off. No street noise. Just peace and unobstructed sky and beautiful English countryside that stretched out forever. She had unimaginable luxuries by medieval standards and she had something she never, ever would have found in Manhattan.

A knight in shining armor who loved her.

Half an hour later, she was walking down the beach with that knight, talking of nothing, and wondering if her heart would break.

He stopped and looked at her. “Distraction?”

“I’m not crying over my family,” she said, blinking hard. “I’m crying over you.”

“Nay,” he said with a half laugh, “that isn’t how it is supposed to be. ’Tis my duty to make you smile.”

She put her arms around him and held him tightly. “Thank you,” she whispered. “Thank you for loving me and making me your wife. I’m so happy, I think my heart really will break.”

He was silent, but clutched her so tightly to him that she finally had to wheeze out a request that he allow her to breathe. He let her slip down to her feet. She looked up and blinked in surprise.

His eyes were very red. He shrugged helplessly and smiled.

“My heart broke the first time I saw you,” he said. “I thought it had healed, then you agreed to wed me. I’m toast.”

She smiled. “You’ve been talking to Jake.”

“Aye.” He paused. “What is toast?”

She laughed and pulled him back down the beach. “I’ll tell you later. Didn’t you say there was some privacy somewhere here?”

“One could hope,” he said cheerfully.

S everal hours later, she rode with him up the cobblestone road, under the barbican gate, and into the courtyard. She sat on a bale of hay while he stabled his horse, then took his hand and walked with him back to the great hall. He looked at her with a smile.

“You are gorgeous,” he said frankly.

“And so are you,” she returned. “But you have sand in your hair.”

“So do you,” he said with a smile.

She smiled and went inside Artane’s great hall with him.

She played for them in Rhys’s solar that night, then simply sat next to Nicholas and enjoyed the company of his family.

She forced herself not to think about her own.

In time, Nicholas rose, said good night to his family, and picked up her violin case. He led her from his father’s solar, then shut the door and looked at her.

“How are you?”

“In need of another distraction,” she said honestly.

“Let me see what I can do.”

“I was hoping you would say that.”

She walked with him up the stairs and down the passageway to his chamber. He led her inside and over to a chair, then went to bolt the door. He lit a candle, stoked the fire, then gently pulled her up and into his arms.

“Now, to my work,” he said bending his head to hers.

Jennifer smiled.

“What?” he asked.

“I was just thinking.”

“Of what?”

“My mom said that she put her favorite song on one of the iPods. It’s called ‘When I Fall in Love.’ ”

“And?”

“The song claims it will be forever.” She reached up and touched his face. “I don’t know if forever will be enough for me,” she said softly.

“Then we’ll ask for eternity,” he whispered against her mouth. “But I don’t think that will be long enough, either.”

I t was the middle of the night when she woke. The candle was still burning and she allowed herself the luxury of watching Nicholas, unobserved. His hair was like pale, spun gold, his face beautiful in sleep. She smiled to herself. Obviously those de Piaget historians had known what they were talking about.

For all she knew, she had been the one to pass on tales of his perfection.

That gave her a headache, thinking about time running around in circles, so she let that thought slip right on by and concentrated on what was there in front of her. It was captivating enough for several lifetimes.

She looked behind his head and saw on the little table on the far side of the bed a stack of books and another stack of paper. He’d begun making himself notes the very first day he’d seen the history books. She’d watched him thumb through the books, flinching now and then, but seeming to handle it fairly well.

He’d asked her, during the moments when they’d come up for air since their wedding, countless questions about English. He had also, during the odd moment when she’d tried to eat, begun to sound out the texts in French and Italian. She imagined the onslaught of questions about music and art wasn’t far behind.

She hadn’t played the iPods yet. She had to save something for the future.

She smiled. Nicholas’s appetite for knowledge was as voracious as his appetite for her. She half wondered if she would manage to keep up with him in either.

She reached out and brushed his hair gently out of his eyes before she could stop herself. He opened his eyes and looked at her with a smile.

“You weren’t asleep,” she said in surprise.

“I watched you until you stirred,” he admitted. “I can’t seem to help myself.”

“Then we’re both toast.”

He smiled and pulled her closer. “I daresay I’ve fallen so far with you that there is no longer any hope for me.” He closed his eyes. “When I fall in love,” he murmured.

Jennifer leaned over, blew out the candle, and returned to Nicholas’s embrace.

It will be forever...