One Magic Moment

  “Nicky, vacate your chair,” Jennifer said, “before John sticks you with something sharp.”

  “I just want it noted,” Nicholas said, rising with a sigh, “that I tried to keep him under control. No one values the services of a decent chaperon these days.”

  Siblings changed seats without complaint. Tess smiled faintly at Nicholas as she passed him, then blushed at the look John gave her as she sat down next to him. He took her hand, kissed it briefly, then leaned close and put his mouth against her ear.

  “Skiing in the Alps,” he whispered. “A wee trip to Sicily during August to sample the local cuisine and the strand both. I’ll even dig out my passport and brave crossing the Pond to see your Colonial treasures if you like.”

  “Do you have one?” she asked, looking into his beautiful gray eyes. “A passport, I mean.”

  “Absolutely,” he said. “And I fully intend to use it for many years to come.”

  “I couldn’t ask—”

  “You aren’t. I’m insisting.” He considered. “Have you been thinking otherwise?”

  “Yes,” she said simply.

  He looked at his brother briefly, then leaned forward and kissed her, long enough to leave Nicholas making noises of mock horror. He pulled back and looked at her seriously. “But in return, there is something I want you to do for me.”

  She suppressed the urge to fan herself. “What?”

  “Love me,” he said very quietly.

  She took a deep breath. No sense in not ripping the plaster off right away. “For how long?”

  “For forever.”

  She looked at his fingers laced with hers. “In a casual sort of arrangement?”

  She felt him put his finger under her chin and lift her face up. “I am a knight of the realm,” he said seriously, “and we do not indulge in casual sorts of arrangements.”

  “Then what do you indulge in?”

  “Formal proposals sanctioned by parents, which means we’re going to France to see mine before we go home and then to Seattle later to see yours, if they’re still loitering there.”

  She had no intention of crying. She wasn’t a crier. The wet stuff leaking out of her eyes was just, well, excess something.

  John rose and pulled her to her feet.

  “And just where do you think you’re going?” Nicholas asked lazily.

  “To find a darkened corner,” John said, “so I can make decent inroads into the wooing of my lady.”

  Nicholas stretched his feet out and crossed them at the ankles, directly in John’s way. “I think . . . not.”

  Tess looked at Nicholas, who was looking very paternal, then at Robin, who was only watching with his eyes twinkling and his finger rubbing over his mouth as if he hoped it might keep those lips from smirking unduly.

  “I am,” John said distinctly, “a score and eight. Old enough to—”

  “Know better,” Nicholas finished for him placidly. “Haven’t we had this conversation before?”

  “Aye, and I’ve no less desire to stick you for it now than I had before.”

  “You may not take an unchaperoned lady of breeding and kiss her senseless in my hall,” Nicholas said sharply. “For reasons you can divine using your own wee brain if you stretch yourself.”

  “And if she were a lady of breeding who was betrothed to a lord’s son?”

  “A quick peck on the cheek,” Nicholas conceded. “In plain sight.”

  John glared at him. “Father said just that same thing to you, didn’t he?”

  “Aye, and I was a score and eight as well,” Nicholas said, reaching for Jennifer’s hand. “And not too stupid to listen. Though we might be having a slightly different conversation if you were to now make certain this wasn’t a casual sort of arrangement.”

  Tess watched John kick his brother’s feet out of his way, then turn to her purposefully. He took both her hands.

  What are you doing?” she managed.

  He tugged her closer. “Making headway, I hope.”

  “You aren’t going to kiss me here,” she blurted out in English. “In front of everyone?”

  “Isabelle and Montgomery are missing.”

  “John!”

  He looked at her in silence for several long moments, then took a step backward.

  And then he sank to one knee.

  The room was absolutely silent. The fire cracked and popped in the hearth, which Tess supposed had been happening all evening though she only noticed it at the moment. She felt her face flaming as well, but perhaps that was to be expected.

  John looked up at her seriously. “I had hoped to do this in a more private setting”—he shot Nicholas a pointed look, then turned back to her—“but at least we’ll have witnesses.”

  She supposed that was true, but she wasn’t going to say as much. All she could do was concentrate on keeping her mouth from hanging open.

  Jake leaned forward and tapped John on the shoulder. “You’ll need this.”

  Tess watched John accept a ring, then look at his brother-in-law in surprise.

  “You’re prepared.”

  “I was a Boy Scout,” Jake said dryly. “And to answer what you haven’t had the chance to ask, I was thinking about you a while ago for some odd reason. It occurred to me that you might need a ring for a woman charitable enough to rescue your sorry self from eternal bachelorhood. I thought it was a ridiculous idea at the time, but apparently it wasn’t.”

  Tess looked down at the ring. Emeralds, rubies, sapphires—she lost track of the colors of stones set into the band. The only thing she knew was it looked absolutely medieval.

  “I’ll pay you for this,” John said hoarsely.

  “Yes, you will,” Jake agreed cheerfully.

  John looked at the ring in his hand for a moment or two, then up at her. She tried to drag her sleeve across her eyes, but he wouldn’t let go of her hands. She was already shaking, so maybe the tears running down her cheeks wouldn’t be as noticeable as they might have been otherwise.

  John took a deep breath. “Tess,” he began slowly, sounding a little more nervous than she’d ever heard him sound, “I have little to offer you—”

  “Besides a Vanquish,” Jake put in, sounding disgusted, “and no doubt numerous Swiss safe-deposit boxes overflowing with cash.”

  John shot his brother-in-law a warning look, then turned back to her. “I have a few quid,” he conceded, “which means nothing in either century except that I’ll be able to provide for you as you deserve. I vow I will shield you with my name, protect you with my sword, and sheepdog you until you beg me to stop.” He paused, then looked at her seriously. “I want forever, Tess.”

  She blinked rapidly, because she had to. “John—”

  He shook his head quickly. “I’m sure,” he said. “The question is, are you?”

  She couldn’t see him any longer. She also couldn’t deny the fact that the thought of leaving him behind, or even being in the same time with him and not having him be a part of her life, the most important part of her life, was devastating. She also knew what it would mean to his siblings if she said yes.

  She had a level of sympathy for Montgomery de Piaget she’d never imagined she might.

  She didn’t dare look at his family, so she looked just at him. “I’m sure,” she said quietly, “and I want forever, too.”

  He slipped that lovely ring onto her finger, then rose to his feet and pulled her into his arms. “I’ll take that as a yes,” he whispered against her ear.

  She threw her arms around his neck and held on tightly. “It absolutely is a yes,” she said. “Forever yes.” She pulled back, then looked at Nicholas. “Have you an opinion on my kissing him?” she asked.

  He put his hands behind his head. “We’ll judge how well you do it, if you like.”

  John unhooked her arms from behind his neck, then pulled her behind him. She was somehow unsurprised, so she went. She rested her cheek against his back and looked at Jennifer, who was smiling throug
h her tears. She returned the smile, because she knew Jennifer understood that her yes was about more than just a proposal of marriage. She took a deep breath, then wrapped her arms around John’s waist, just to keep him from doing something he might regret later.

  “You, Nick,” John said distinctly, “are three words from finding yourself sporting my blade in your chest.”

  “And what three words would those be?” Nicholas asked politely. “Go to hell? Keep your hands to yourself—nay, that’s more than three, so I’ll try another trio. You ridiculous boy?”

  Tess kept John from starting forward only because she supposed when it came right down to it, he had some hesitation at the thought of killing his brother.

  “I will see you in the lists,” John said curtly, “at dawn. Arrive prepared to depart speedily into the next life.”

  “Will you rob my children of their father?” Nicholas asked plaintively. “My lady wife of her husband? How hard-hearted you’ve become in that future of yours.”

  Tess felt one of John’s hands come to rest over hers.

  “And if you were me and had a stunningly beautiful and frighteningly clever woman who wanted to pull you into a darkened corner and kiss you senseless, what would you do to the brother who stood in your way?”

  “After I thanked him for the concern, I would have clipped him under the jaw and stepped over his insensible body to follow after my lady wherever she led.”

  “Thank you,” John said pointedly.

  “Five minutes,” Nicholas said pointedly in return. “Find a corner, thank her properly for agreeing to take your disagreeable self in the bargain, then hurry back before we come looking for you.”

  Tess found her hand taken and brotherly feet removed from the path. John stopped and looked back over his shoulder at Robin.

  “Nothing to add?”

  Robin held up his hands. “I wouldn’t presume.”

  Tess found herself shepherded out of the solar without delay. She stopped John before he pulled her too much farther along the passageway, because despite everything, she had to know for certain that he knew what he was getting into.

  “Are you really sure?” she asked. “Your family—”

  “Is thrilled I finally met someone who’ll endure me,” he finished. “Why would you think anything else?”

  “You know why.” She had to take a very deep breath. “I was caught up in the moment inside there, but now I’m not sure—”

  “About me?”

  “Of course not,” she said without hesitation. “But I don’t know that I can take you away from your life here.”

  He wrapped his arms around her and looked down at her seriously. “Tess, you can’t imagine I want to remain in the past.”

  “Well, of course I can imagine,” she blurted out. “Your family is here.”

  He looked over his shoulder and apparently found the hallway empty enough to suit him. He held her close with one hand, slipped the other under her hair, and proceeded to kiss her until she thought he might have made inroads into convincing her he meant what he said.

  “My family, my love,” he said against her mouth, “is wherever you are, which family you just agreed to be since you accepted my proposal of marriage.” He lifted his head and smiled faintly. “Though I think I’ve gotten slightly ahead of my wooing here.”

  “You and your medieval sensibilities,” she said, feeling a little breathless.

  “You can expect nothing else.” He gathered her close and sighed deeply. “Unfortunately, those medieval sensibilities tell me I shouldn’t maul you in public until you’re properly wedded and bedded else our reputations will suffer. But I think a brief foray into some secluded spot wouldn’t be beyond the question. Then I’ll tell you what I find most appealing about your time period.”

  “If you tell me it’s the Vanquish, I’ll punch you,” she warned.

  He laughed a little. “Of course not. I meant you.”

  “Who are you kidding? You wouldn’t last two weeks without bangers and mash. And jazz. And your mobile phone.”

  “Nay, just you, and thankfully you are portable. But,” he added, “that doesn’t mean that I want to carry you off to the past.” He paused and looked at her seriously. “I think you would rather teach medieval niceties, not live them. Or am I wrong?”

  She smiled and it came more easily that time. “Honestly, the only medieval nicety I’m interested in is you. And if you want the whole truth, I don’t care what century I have you in.”

  He looked slightly winded. “You just earned yourself a quarter hour in my brother’s darkest corner.”

  “He’ll come after us.”

  “Let him try.” He took her hand and pulled her back the way they’d come. “Let’s go before he comes trotting along after—”

  She realized he wasn’t saying anything else because he’d run bodily into his brother. She looked around his shoulder to find Nicholas standing there, lute in hand.

  “I have other things in mind besides playing for her,” John said pointedly.

  “I’m playing for you,” Nicholas said cheerfully. “We decided that perhaps an impromptu bit of dancing might save you from yourself.”

  Tess watched John sigh, then found herself with his arm around her shoulders.

  “I suppose it isn’t ideal,” he said heavily, “but I’ll endure your generosity. Then I will escort my lady to your solar where she will take her ease without the twin horrors of unwanted maidens and their mothers.”

  “I’ll consider it,” Nicholas conceded.

  John waved him off. “Tess needs better shoes. We’ll follow posthaste.”

  Nicholas turned and walked away, shaking his head. Tess didn’t have a chance to ask John what he meant—she was wearing the only pair of shoes she had that weren’t gifts from Jennifer—but she realized quite quickly she needn’t have bothered. She found herself pulled into a very light-free alcove and drawn into familiar arms.

  “A brief kiss,” John announced, “lest I not be able to dance.”

  “A peck,” she agreed.

  By the time he let her up for air, she wasn’t sure either of them would be dancing. She put her arms around his waist and rested her head on his shoulder.

  “Are you sure?” she asked.

  “Are you sure?” he returned. “A lifetime of being herded, bossed about, drawn into darkened corners, and thoroughly kissed?”

  She leaned up and kissed him softly. “I’m sure.”

  “Thank you,” he whispered against her ear.

  She laughed a little. “No, thank you.”

  He pulled away and took her hand. “Let’s go argue about who is more grateful: me, that you said me aye; or my family, that you’re ridding them of me.”

  She stopped him before he walked away and looked up at him seriously. “I can’t make light of that, John.”

  He turned, winced, then gathered her into his arms again. “I’m sorry,” he said, holding her close. “It isn’t fodder for jest. My family is happy, though. And I’m ecstatic.”

  “Why?” she managed.

  “For dozens of reasons I’ll begin to explain tonight as we pass each other in what I’m sure will be a score of very chaste, very sedate dances where I won’t be allowed to touch you.”

  “At least you’re not wearing heels,” she pointed out.

  “For you, I might even be persuaded to wear them again next year at Payneswick.” He pulled away and smiled. “Let’s go have this over with. I have plans for you later.”

  She followed him back to the great hall, sure she wouldn’t take a step that she didn’t feel uncomfortable for what had just transpired in Nicholas’s solar, but she found she was wrong. She was swept into a family circle, the likes of which she’d enjoyed only with her sisters.

  And after John had whispered to her stop thinking for the dozenth time, she found that she could.

  Though she imagined she would weep over it later just the same.

  Chapter 26

/>   John stood on the steps with Nicholas and bid farewell to the trio—for their numbers had increased briefly—of disappointed gels and equally unfulfilled parents as they trudged off toward the front gates.

  “None too soon,” Nicholas said under his breath.

  John smiled in spite of himself. “Thank you for the aid in helping them see clearly my attached status.”

  “I wanted them gone because they were about to eat through my larder.” He looked at John and shook his head. “Why is it these arranging of marriages tend to include so damned much food in the bargain?”

  “To test your stamina, no doubt,” John said, “which, thankfully, was apparently not up to their standards.”

  “Or that might have been you walking up and down the passageways last night and announcing in stentorian tones that you were engaged to that lovely Lady Tess of points unknown so they’d best shove off this morning and look for more accommodating ports.”

  John lifted his eyebrow briefly. “Just making it so you have enough to eat this winter.”

  “Normally I wouldn’t worry about it, for we would be in France, enjoying the bounties of land and sea,” Nicholas said with a sigh. “I suppose you’re fortunate Jennifer is so close to her time, else you wouldn’t have found us here at all. You would have found shelter, though, of course.”

  “Without bursting into tears and terrifying you,” John said seriously, “I will say that I was profoundly pleased to see you.”

  “And I you.” He looked out over his courtyard for a bit, then turned back to John. “And for your future?”

  John looked around himself casually to see who might be within earshot. Finding the coast clear, as the saying went, he decided the opportunity was before him to speak freely. “I’m going home.” He looked at his brother frankly. “It makes me sound a perfect bastard, doesn’t it? To trade you all for a different time?”

  Nicholas shrugged. “As I admitted before, I’ve been tempted to have a wee visit myself, but Jennifer won’t let me. Not until we’re finished with bairns.”

  “And how many more will you have, do you think?”

  “I understand we have ten who live. How many don’t, I don’t know. Perhaps we’ll be spared that grief.” He lifted an eyebrow. “Have you been poking around in my genealogy?”