Page 6 of When I Fall in Love (De Piaget #4)

M ontgamery de Piaget stood on the steps of his brother’s hall, looked out over the courtyard, and contemplated the number of things he had seen over the course of his ten-and-seven years of life. He supposed it could have taken him quite some time to consider them all, but at the moment he was only concerned with one thing in particular.

Faeries.

He clasped his hands behind himself and rocked back on his heels. He’d heard the tales, of course, from the time he’d been small. ’Twas said that faeries lived in a world beneath his own, a world of wonders and magic. Now and again, they were known to leave their world by means of a gate in the grass. There was no shame in admitting that from time to time he’d wondered if such a creature might actually exist. That had been when he was young.

Now, he was older.

And he knew.

He’d met his first faery two years earlier: his brother-in-law, Jake Kilchurn. Though initially he hadn’t realized where Jake had come from, he had at one point seen him simply spring up from the grass. Though his sister had fallen in love with him and wed him, his faery parentage aside, Montgomery had never ceased to believe that he had seen what he’d seen.

And now another.

He’d been riding ahead of Nicholas and John on their way from Artane a se’nnight ago, feeling adventurous and a bit restless. He’d reined his horse in at the edge of the clearing near Ledenham’s abbey because he’d known Nicholas wanted to stop there. It was there that he’d seen it happen.

A faery springing forth from the world below.

An exceptionally lovely faery, truth be told.

He’d watched her be captured. He had half expected to see her break free of her bonds and escape back into her world, but she had been overcome. When Ledenham had kindled his fire, Montgomery had worried, but then he’d realized Nicholas was right beside him and known all would be well. There was none to equal Nicholas in matters of battle, save Robin of course, so Montgomery had had no fear for the faery’s safety.

Nicholas, however, instead of leaping forward to offer aid as was his wont when faced with wenches in distress, had merely gaped at the faery with an expression that Montgomery understood completely.

Wonder.

Montgomery paused. He supposed Nicholas might have also been appreciating the fairness of her face, but who was he to judge in these matters? His brother was continually surrounded by beautiful women, so perhaps one more didn’t move him. But a beautiful faery? Aye, that was something indeed.

“Hey, Montgomery.”

Montgomery turned and saw the faery in question standing next to him. By the saints, she was lovely. Somehow, even dressed in his clothes with her strange faery shoes still on her feet and her hair piled on top of her head in a manner that he couldn’t begin to understand, she was stunning. He found that all he could do was smile stupidly at her.

It seemed to be the condition of most of the men in the keep, actually.

Then he frowned. Hay? Why did she say that? Was it a word from her world? He supposed it might have been. He would have to ask her when next he had the chance.

He supposed the chance would come soon enough, considering that he generally found a way to pass most of his time with her. It had become his habit over the past se’nnight, as he had unfortunately endeavored with his brother John to teach her French—unfortunately, for he would rather have had her all to himself. John, though, seemed just as much under her spell as he was.

Her mastery of his tongue was improving by unnaturally large leaps, even given her tendency to utter the occasional Faery word. It was a testament to her wit, though, that she had been able to learn so much so quickly. Once heard, she never needed to have a word told to her again and she never seemed to forget what she had learned. He suspected that with another se’nnight, she would be conversing easily in French on any number of subjects. Her Gaelic, as well, was excellent, far better than his.

Did they speak Gaelic in Faery?

It was something that he perhaps might also dare ask her at some point.

“I’m off to the garden again,” she said. “Come along if you like.” She put her hand briefly on his shoulder, smiled at him again, then went on her way.

Montgomery nodded knowingly to himself. Faeries were rumored to be powerfully fond of gardens. Her destination was proof enough of that.

She had passed most of her time in that garden, tending it with the love only a faery could have for such a place. He had worked alongside her, simply because he couldn’t bring himself to be anywhere else. She was beautiful, true, and otherworldly, aye, but it was her smile that kept him near her. There she was, no doubt very far away from her world, yet still she could be content.

She hadn’t told him much of her world, save that she had family there and that she was a musician. She said she had played for hundreds. What else could he assume but that she was an important member of the Faery Queen’s court?

He watched her walk around the edge of the keep, then he turned back to the courtyard. He jumped in surprise. Nicholas was standing directly in front of him. Nicholas, though, wasn’t watching him. He was watching Jennifer.

Montgomery understood.

“How is her speech?” Nicholas asked, dragging his attention back to his brother.

“She’s doing very well,” Montgomery said. “Unnaturally well, if you will.”

Nicholas pursed his lips. “Have you any other useful observations?”

Montgomery hesitated. This was certainly something he didn’t want to reveal, but perhaps he needed to. He took a deep breath. “She has asked how far away the abbey is.” He paused for quite a while. “I daresay she has great desire to return there.”

“Does she,” Nicholas said flatly.

“I fear she wants to return home,” Montgomery blurted out. “You know, to her world. To Faery.”

“Montgomery, she is not from Faery.”

“I think she is. Think on the clothes she was wearing—”

“Scottish gear,” Nicholas said. “Who knows what else they do up in those barbaric Highlands?”

Montgomery looked at him miserably. “But, Nick—”

Nicholas put his hand on Montgomery’s shoulder. “Montgomery, there are many things in this world that are beyond the understanding of even the most intelligent of men. I know what you think you have seen in the past—”

“Faeries,” Montgomery said promptly. “Springing up out of the grass. Like—”

“Like no one,” Nicholas said firmly. “Jennifer is not a faery. She is lost. She comes from Scotland where the customs are far different from ours.”

“But the way she fights—”

“She’s canny.”

“She fights like Jake,” Montgomery said firmly. “You know that to be true.”

Nicholas started to speak, then shut his mouth. He looked heavenward for a moment or two, cursed, then looked at Montgomery. “Has she said how soon she wants to go to the abbey?”

Montgomery shook his head glumly.

“Perhaps her family will come fetch her,” Nicholas mused. “Or—”

“You won’t just send her away, will you?”

Nicholas cuffed him. “Imp, I do remember how chivalry behaves, even if mine is rusty.”

“I don’t want her to go,” Montgomery blurted out. “Won’t you ask her to stay?”

Nicholas dragged his hand through his hair, then blew out his breath, but that seemed to provide him with nothing to say.

“She might stay, if you asked,” Montgomery pressed. “You haven’t said two words to her, Nick, not even in Gaelic—”

“I don’t want her to know I speak it,” Nicholas warned.

“So you’ve said, but I don’t understand why not.”

“I like to keep my secrets,” Nicholas said grimly. He shook his head. “She won’t stay, Montgomery. I can’t ask her to stay.” He turned away. “’Tis best I keep well away from her until she goes.”

Montgomery watched Nicholas walk off. He suspected his brother was more interested than he wanted to admit.

He could understand that. There was something about Jennifer McKirinon that was mesmerizing, bewitching, and so very lovely that it was hard to look away from her and harder still to think of her sunny self not being nearby.

Such was the lure of a faery, he supposed.

Nicholas started for the front gates, then hesitated and turned back. Montgomery watched him wander about the courtyard, then come to stand in the shadow of the great hall. It was, as it happened, the perfect place to see into the garden without being seen.

Montgomery couldn’t blame his brother. He hadn’t been able to blame his brother over the past se’nnight as he’d kept his distance from Jennifer yet watched her as often as he could whilst being about the business of his keep. Why he just didn’t go have speech with her, Montgomery didn’t know.

Perhaps he feared Jennifer would leave and he didn’t want to have his heart break when she did.

Montgomery could understand that as well.

But she wasn’t going today. Montgomery took the opportunity to trot over to the garden, nodding happily to Nicholas on his way by. Nicholas reached out to cuff him, but Montgomery ducked and continued on. John was apparently sharing his thoughts for he was on his way there as well. Montgomery had to elbow his twin aside so he could arrive first and be the beneficiary of Jennifer’s welcoming smile.

Faeries.

What wasn’t to like about them?