The Best Is Yet To Be

by Le Veque, Kathryn

  “I had Callie,” he said simply. “She was the only reason I was able to maintain my sanity. She was so strong, Jemma. Everything about her was pure strength, but I suppose that’s something you and Jordan have in common with her. You three are the strongest women I’ve ever seen.”

  Jemma cast him a long look. “If ye start flattering me, I willna know what tae do,” she said. “I’ve never heard a word of praise come out of yer mouth where it pertains tae me.”

  He flashed her a grin. “Can’t I start now?”

  “I’m not sure.”

  “Why not?”

  She shook her head. “’Tis not natural tae hear praise from ye,” she said. “I’ve gotten used tae ye calling me Banshee. She-devil was another one. And The Witch.”

  “You knew about that one, did you?”

  “I knew.

  “I cannot believe you were fond of someone who called you names.”

  “I was never fond of ye. We established that last night. Jordie lied tae us both.”

  He looked at her. “I have decided not to believe that,” he said. “Surely there was something you liked about me.”

  Jemma snorted. “Ye were my nemesis from the moment I met ye,” she said. “A big, tall, handsome Sassenach. Ye canna know the times I wanted tae gouge yer eyes out.”

  “And there were times I wanted to throttle you.”

  They looked at each other, grinning. Now that they were both older, seasoned, and presumably wiser, they were starting to see the humor in their historically contentious relationship. Something that had been established for so long between them should have been difficult to overcome, but it seemed to be happening with surprising ease. Perhaps there really was some underlying fondness there, after all.

  Jemma finally wagged a finger at him.

  “Then surely ye were fond of me before Kieran swept me away,” she said. “Tell me the truth.”

  He sighed sharply. “Is that what you want?”

  “Of course.”

  He cocked his head thoughtfully. “I thought you were a pretty lass,” he said. “But all jesting aside, Kieran came along and it never went any further than that. And I suppose… I suppose one incident offended me and that set the tone for the way I dealt with you.”

  “What was that?”

  Paris thought back to that time, the first few days he’d known the fiery Scotswoman. The incident he spoke of was something he remembered well. “Do you remember the first time you met Kieran?”

  Jemma nodded. “Very well.”

  “If you recall, you and I had some strong words about several things, not the least of which was the capture of your brother, Malcolm,” he said. “Things were strained in general, but I tried to convince you to lay down and rest. But somehow, you thought that meant lay with me. Do you remember this?”

  Jemma did, vaguely. “I think so,” she said. “But ye were called away.”

  Paris nodded. “I was,” he said. “Kieran took my place guarding you and it was very cold. The furs and brazier weren’t nearly enough to keep you warm and when I returned to the tent, you were sleeping very soundly in Kieran’s arms. I was greatly offended about that.”

  Jemma remembered the incident well and started to laugh. “Was that what started it all?” she said. “What ye dunna know is that Kieran forced himself on me. I was trying tae stay away from him like I did from ye, but he saw how cold I was and offered his body heat. It wasna because I wanted tae lay with him. It was purely practical.”

  “Practical, eh?”

  “Indeed. I swear tae ye. What happened with him after that simply… happened.”

  Paris was looking at her as if didn’t believe her, but her expression was completely truthful. Satisfied, he nodded.

  “Very well, then,” he said. “At least I know you did not prefer him over me. He forced himself upon you.”

  Jemma was looking at him, a smile playing on her lips. He could see that the man’s ego was still bruised, even after all these years.

  “Had ye and I stopped fighting long enough, who knows what could have happened,” she said. “As it is, I dunna regret it. Kieran was a wonderful man, a wonderful father. I have six beautiful children. There is nothing tae regret.”

  Paris nodded. “Agreed,” he said, sobering. “I miss the man, every day. He was my friend and I do not make friends easily.”

  “He was very special.”

  “He was.”

  Paris cast her a glance as they plodded along. “Jemma,” he said slowly, “I hope you do not think that I am trying to take his place, whatever happens. That is not my intention in spite of what your sons have said. I could never replace a man like Kieran, nor would I want to try. I could only be honored to walk beside him.”

  Jemma nodded. “Nor can I replace Callie. I wouldna want tae. I loved the lass and I miss her very much.”

  “As do I.”

  “I know.”

  Paris looked at her, eyes glimmering. “Look at us,” he said with quiet amazement. “We have been riding for nearly an hour and not a harsh word between us.”

  Jemma grinned. “’Tis because ye’re behaving yerself. If ye dunna act like a dolt, I’ll not treat ye like one. Truthfully, I dinna know ye were capable of behaving properly.”

  He gave her a wry expression. “The same could be said of you,” he said. Then, he chuckled bitterly. “I have never seen anyone so quick to temper or so ready to insult, and I wasn’t the only one you behaved that way with. I just would not let you get away with it.”

  She eyed him. “Is that what ye think?”

  “It’s the truth. I am the one man who wouldn’t cower to your screeching behavior.”

  She yanked her little palfrey to a stop. “Screeching behavior, is it?” she said unhappily. “If a woman knows her mind or stands up for herself, she’s screeching?”

  Paris reined his horse to a halt. “I did not say that,” he said. “But you said that you didn’t know I was capable of behaving properly. Your behavior dictated mine. If you behave in a civilized fashion, that is how you will be treated.”

  “Ye canna insult me and not expect me tae react!”

  “You insulted me first.”

  Jemma climbed off her little horse, approaching Paris with a finger already wagging at him. “Ye listen tae me,” she said. “I dinna insult ye. I simply stated a fact. But ye’re quick tae insult me and ye always have been. I willna tolerate yer insults, do ye hear?”

  He leaned forward in the saddle, a smug expression on his face. “If you behave like a banshee, I will call you one. How is it an insult if that is how you are behaving?”

  Jemma didn’t say another word. Using the end of her reins, she suddenly slapped the neck of Paris’ horse and the animal bolted. Because of the way Paris had been sitting, he was pitched right off the animal as it sprinted away.

  As William took off after the animal, Jemma stood over a supine Paris with her hands on her hips.

  “And that’s how a banshee reacts tae an arrogant dolt,” she said “Ye’ve been hurling insults at me for most of yer life, Paris de Norville, but it stops here. I am not a banshee, nor do I screech, nor do I…”

  She was cut off when Paris groaned. He’d gone right over the horse, landing on his back, and he lay there with his arms across his torso, staring up at the sky. Concerned in spite of her irritation, she bent over him.

  “Dunna tell me ye hurt yerself,” she said. “Ye landed on soft dirt.”

  Paris groaned again, louder. “You broke me,” he said. “Everything is broken.”

  Jemma forgot all about their argument. She was genuinely concerned as she knelt down beside him.

  “Tell me where it hurts,” she said.

  He just lay there and groaned. “You flipped me off of a horse, woman,” he said. “I am not as young as I used to be. Did you really think this would end well?”

  Jemma was trying not to feel guilty for what she’d done. She hadn’t meant to injure the man, only stress a point.
“I am sorry,” she said. “I dinna mean tae hurt ye, just… oh, it doesna matter now, anyway. Show me where ye hurt. When William returns, I’ll have him help me get ye back on yer horse and we’ll return tae Castle Questing.”

  He seemed to be in great pain. “Nay,” he muttered. “Take me home, to Northwood. At least some of the servants can tend me. I don’t wish to be a burden on William and Jordan.”

  “’Tis no burden because I’ll tend ye myself,” Jemma said firmly. “I’ll heal whatever ails ye. I became very good at it when Kieran was sick, so I can care for ye.”

  “I could not impose.”

  “’Tis not an imposition.”

  “You are doing it… out of pity.”

  She sighed heavily, all of her irritation with the man gone. “Nay,” she said. “This is my fault. I dinna mean tae hurt ye.”

  He lay there, grunting and groaning as he pointed at his neck. “I… I can’t…”

  His voice was fading and with great concern, Jemma bent over him, close to his mouth. “What did ye say?” she asked. “Where do ye hurt, Paris? I canna help ye if ye dunna tell me.”

  “I… I…”

  She bent lower, her ear by his mouth. “What did ye say?”

  Suddenly, he grabbed her by the head and planted a kiss right on her lips. When she looked at him in shock, he smiled boldly.

  “Were you worried for me? I could tell that you were. Tell me you were.”

  Her eyes flew open when she realized he’d been fooling her. “Ye… ye idiot!” she gasped. “Ye had me believing ye were badly hurt!”

  He sat up, rubbing his right shoulder. “My arm will hurt tomorrow, but I am not injured,” he said, climbing to his feet. She was staring at him, gearing up for an explosion, but he put up a soothing hand. “I had to stop the argument. Don’t you see? We’re so used to insulting each other without consequences. You were willing to pitch me off my horse just to have the last word. I had to do something drastic or this day would end sooner than either of us had expected. And I do not want it to end.”

  She looked at him, blinking as the realization hit her. “Ye’re right.”

  He looked at her; really looked at her. “Yesterday, even in our brief conversations, I could see a future of more such conversations between us,” he said. “And today, everything was going well until I said something I should not have. It was my fault. But it came so naturally with you.”

  Jemma nodded ironically. “It grew like a wildfire. I canna back down from ye, Paris. ’Tis not in my nature.”

  “Nor is it in mine to back down from you,” he said. “But yesterday… they were good conversations.”

  “They were.”

  “They were enough to make me want to continue.”

  “And me.”

  “If that is true, then you and I are going to have to learn to go against our natural instincts,” he said. “We cannot continue to butt heads constantly. Mayhap we can work on that, together.”

  A smile flickered on her lips. “Mayhap,” she said. “I certainly canna keep pitching ye off yer horse when ye irritate me.”

  He rubbed his arm, smiling. “My body cannot take a beating like it used to,” he said. “We’ll need to find a better way.”

  “Agreed.”

  “Truce?”

  “Truce.”

  He held out his hand to her and she stared at it as if she had no idea what he wanted or what he meant. But she suspected he wanted to shake her hand, so she slipped her small hand into his big, callused palm. Instead of shaking it, he lifted it to his lips and kissed it gently.

  “I think I would much rather do this than argue with you,” he said, a twinkle in his eyes. “Shall we continue on to St. Helen’s? It is just up the road.”

  Jemma was so flushed, and so tongue-tied, that all she could do was nod her head. She moved to get back on her horse, but he wouldn’t let go of her hand. He continued holding it as they walked down the road together, leading Jemma’s horse.

  It seemed like the most natural thing in the world.

  Returning with Paris’ horse, that was how William found them.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  “He kissed her!” That was the hiss from Nathaniel, hiding his bulk behind a tree in the distance. “Did you see that? He kissed her. And she let him!”

  They were all wedged in behind a cluster of trees that lined the road, watching Paris and Jemma walk hand-in-hand as they headed to St. Helen’s Church in the distance. The steeple of the church could be seen gleaming in the morning sun, so it was very close.

  But Nathaniel wasn’t over Paris kissing his mother and his mother letting him.

  Alec waved off his youngest brother.

  “It looked as if they were arguing,” he said. “Especially when she made his horse bolt.”

  Hector was standing behind him, shaking his head. “I’ll not let her hurt him,” he growled. “I do not care if they are arguing or not. If she does that again, I will reveal myself and she will not be happy with what I have to say.”

  Not surprisingly, Alec and Nathaniel understood that. They were a little embarrassed that their mother had been so cruel. But Jemma was passionate, if nothing else. She didn’t back down from a fight, especially when it was with Paris.

  “Come on,” Alec said quietly. “Let’s move out.”

  “God’s Bones,” Jordan said. “She kissed him!”

  Huddled to the east side of the road in the heavy foliage that grew wild, she was gathered with Edward, Cassiopeia, and Moira. There was a sheep path that they’d followed all the way from Castle Questing, something they knew intimately well. It was a path the servants took into the woods to forage. But Jordan’s softly uttered words had everyone looking at her as if she’d gone mad.

  “She kissed him?” Edward hissed. “Clearly, he kissed her.”

  Jordan shook her head. “It was a ploy tae get rid of yer father,” she said. “She sent Paris’ horse away so William would chase it. She knows he wouldna allow for any kissing, so she got rid of him. The lass is clever.”

  Moira’s eyes were wide with disbelief at the deception her mother was evidently capable of. “Did she really do that, Aunt Jordan?” she asked, trying to get a good look at both her mother and Paris on the road. “It looked to me like Uncle Paris kissed her first.”

  Jordan tapped her head. “That’s because Jemma planned it that way,” she said. “Yer mother is very clever, Moira. When she and yer father were courting, she was able tae convince him tae… well, I’ll not tell ye that part. Let her do it. But mark my words; she planned this. Come along, my loves. They’re heading intae the village and we dunna want tae lose them.”

  With Edward in the lead, the women followed.

  The priests of St. Helen’s were an odd bunch.

  There were three of them, one very old man with a long beard and then two younger priests, but they traveled in a group, as if they couldn’t do anything separately.

  That reminded William why he’d stopped attending church at St. Helen’s.

  When the priests spoke, it was as if one reply had all three of them contributing words. A question was asked, a reply was given, but all three of them contributed to the reply. The old man seemed to do all of the talking with the other two contributing mere words here and there. Jemma also vaguely remembered the strange trio of priests, but Paris had never met them before. After the introductions were made by William, Paris cast William a long look before proceeding into the church.

  Inside, the church smelled like animals lived there. The dirt floor was uneven and as William, Paris, and Jemma entered, they could see people laying or leaning against the walls. It even looked as if some had set up an encampment. When Paris saw this, he turned to William.

  “Let us go to Kelso,” he said quietly. “I do not like the feel of this place, William.”

  William held up a hand. “It is a church, like any other.”

  “People are living here.”

  That was undeniable. Jem
ma, who had just watched a toddler piss against the wall, turned her attention to the men.

  “Now I remember why we dunna attend mass here,” she said. “It has been a long time since I have been here.”

  “Me, too,” William agreed, looking around. “I’d forgotten how strange this place was, but we are here now. We may as well hear what they have to say.”

  That brought a reluctant shrug from Paris. William, noting the priests had disappeared for the moment, turned for the church entry.

  “While the priests are off doing whatever priests do, I am going to take the horses across the street to the livery,” he said. “I will return shortly.”

  “Hurry,” Paris called after him. “Do not leave us alone with that trio of oddities.”

  William waved him off, moving swiftly for the door. Emerging beneath a sky that was starting to cloud over, he headed for the three horses tethered on a post. Just as he reached his horse, he caught sight of someone in his periphery over at the livery. As he looked up, he swore he caught a glimpse of Alec.

  Suspicious, he untied all three horses and headed over to the stable.

  As soon as he entered, they were all gathered inside – Alec, Apollo, Hector, Adonis, and Nathaniel. They looked at him in both surprise and guilt, clearly having been caught. William looked at them, shaking his head in disapproval.

  “I told you not to come,” he said. “What are you doing here?”

  Alec lifted his shoulders. “Trying to stay out of sight.”

  “You are terrible at it.”

  “We didn’t expect you to come in here.”

  “And so I have,” William said. “What are you doing here?”

  Alec scratched his head, appearing both defiant and contrite. “Uncle William, I cannot remain behind while my mother’s future is at stake,” he said. “I would be a horrible son if I did not care.”

  William wasn’t angry, but he was annoyed. Still, he understood Alec’s concern. He had from the start.

  “But I told you to trust her,” he said quietly. “You cannot make your mother’s decisions for her.”

  Alec nodded. “I know,” he said. “But I couldn’t remain behind. None of us could. Please do not be cross with us.”