“There, Frederick. She’s willing to help you. Ride off to the king and spin your tale.”
“Do you think you’re smarter than me, Alex? That I believe her sudden submission on her word alone? That she’ll denounce you in front of Henry? I’m not so easily fooled. I have the means to secure her obedience and I shall use it.”
“She has given her word, what more do you want?” Alex fisted his hands. Where the hell was Gregorio?
“Ah, yes. That damn Shelton oath. But she’s not yet a Shelton. Then again, I am, and the oath means nothing to me, so your point is moot. Besides, William will make her do what I wish. Have you forgotten how biddable a woman becomes when a child is involved? Kate will certainly turn against you for William’s life.”
Kate grabbed his arm. “Why you miserable son-of—”
Frederick smacked her jaw with the blade. “Quiet. This headstrong manner of yours is tiresome. We’ll correct that once William is mine.”
“You won’t have the chance, Frederick. William is safely guarded within my keep.” Look at me, Kate. If she’d only be quiet, allow him to keep Frederick’s attention. But no, that wasn’t the Kate he knew and loved.
“As with everything else I have planned, that, too, won’t be a problem, Alex. You have the most damnable ability to instill loyalty, so I’ll simply demand William for your life. What’s the life of one small child compared to that of their precious earl? When I have him, Kate and I will ride to Henry. If she doesn’t convince the king, she and William will die.”
“Then you’ll have failed.” Kate said.
Alex admired her spirit, but would she please stop talking?
“Will I, Kate? Alex will have lost his precious son and the chance at Isobel’s land—which, I must say—”he looked at Alex—”was well done of you, by the way. I couldn’t have planned it better myself. But then you stupidly threw it away for this one—who you’ll no longer have either. How many women do you think, Alex, would consider marrying you and giving you heirs if each one ends up dead? Wexham’s having a tough time of it these days, isn’t he?”
“Frederick—”
“You grow tiresome, Alex. Call out to your men to bring William to me and let’s be done with this.”
“This is between you and me. I haven’t brought any men with me.” It certainly felt that way. Where was Gregorio? Nick? Tris?
“Then you’re even more foolish than I thought. Ah, well, no matter. I’ve proven I can get to William without you, if you recall.”
“I won’t sacrifice my son.”
“But you will sacrifice Kate? Interesting. And you say my son as if he’s some divine being. He’s a child, Alex. A remarkably easy thing to create. Last count I believe I’ve created twenty-two.” He flicked the blade against Kate’s throat again, toying with her, with him, as a cat does with a mouse.
“And that, Frederick, is why you never understood the treasure you have in those children.” Alex couldn’t keep the loathing from his voice. “My people would never risk William for me because they know I wouldn’t want them to. The love of a parent is a mighty thing, Frederick. To protect our offspring we would do anything. Only someone as twisted as you could never understand such a bond, which was why no one mourned your passing. You are, and always have been, selfish and heartless, with no thought for anyone but yourself.”
“You talk most highly when I hold Kate at my mercy.”
“Release her, Frederick. This has nothing to do with Kate. We’ll settle it ourselves.”
“It’s a nice thought. Very poetic. But I fail to see the need.” Frederick dragged Kate toward the next corridor, the sword never wavering from her throat. “I have what I need.”
Frederick was backing through the doorway. The next chamber, if Alex remembered correctly, had numerous exits. Gregorio would never find them. Time was running out. He had to get her away now. “Kate, do you remember the ending to the story you told the ladies?”
Kate’s eyes widened. Then a glimmer of a smile appeared. She nodded. “The potion?”
“Yes.” Thank God she was smart. And brave. Magnificent. “I want you—”
“Enough!” Frederick cut in. Not that it mattered. His message had been passed and, more importantly, received. “I don’t care what you need. No more of love. No silly fare-thee-wells. Give me William and she’ll live. You, however, won’t. There’s no choice, Alex. At last, I have what you want.”
“You think you’ve beaten me? That you’re in control? No, Frederick. You’re the one who lost.” To Kate, he ordered, “Now!”
Chapter Thirty-One
Kate slumped in Frederick’s arms, as Romeo had done when he drank the potion.
Alex grabbed the knife from his boot and leapt forward as Frederick instinctively aimed the sword at his attacker, as Alex had known he would.
Kate fell, her long skirt tripping Frederick when he lunged.
Alex feinted left. Frederick recovered quickly and attacked with a vengeance. He’d always been an excellent swordsman, but his injured arm put him at a disadvantage.
Alex advanced then retreated, dodging the swinging blade, looking for the right moment.
Kate edge toward the opening between the two chambers. Frederick lunged after her. Alex parried the blow, but his short knife was no match for the sword—his sword. He feinted left again, drawing Frederick away from Kate, giving her every possible chance to escape.
But Frederick, though mad, was not stupid. He ran after her and slammed his sword on the stone in front of her. “Going somewhere, Kate?”
“You are a vile and evil man.” There she went with her ill-placed bravery again.
“A vile and evil earl, you mean.” Frederick slid the blade beneath her nose.
Alex took a step toward his brother, lifting the knife as he did so. One well placed aim…
“Honestly, Alex, you’re entirely predictable and bothersome.” Frederick yanked Kate in front of him. “I should have just killed you when you were a child. I thought sending you to Brittany, to marry some little mouse and have a slew of brats would keep you from me. Away from Shelton. But you couldn’t even do that right, could you?” Frederick flipped back the matted hair slipping over his good eye. “No, you had to befriend Henry, one of the best swordsmen on the continent.” He spat. “I should have sent you to a monastery instead. There you’d have had no chance of begetting William, my ruination.”
Alex didn’t take his eyes off the sword at Kate’s throat. He knew how sharp that blade was, what it was capable of. Hell, he’d made certain it was always sharp the moment things had begun disappearing at Shelton.
“Frederick, I fail to see how my son could be your ruination. You were perfectly capable of begetting your own, as you have proved on deplorably many occasions.”
Frederick lost his smile. “That stupid bitch I married refused to come willingly to my bed so I had to force her. But she couldn’t conceive, the wretch. It was good of her to finally ease my suffering. At least she knew when she wasn’t wanted. But you? You never figured it out, did you, Alex? For certain, you wouldn’t have come running to Shelton when I went off to fight. As if you were doing me some great service…”
Alex paid but little attention to Frederick’s ramblings for he’d seen Gregorio’s shadow flicker on the wall.
“So what now, Frederick?” he asked, advancing. Kate was crucial to his brother’s plan; he doubted Frederick would kill her. Not that he wanted to risk that possibility, but he needed to get Kate within touching distance of that window.
“Get back, Alex. I’ll kill her.”
“No, you won’t, Frederick. You need her. Don’t you just love the irony? All of your plans hinge on the agreement of a woman. You, who has nothing but disdain and contempt for women are now dependent on one.” He took two steps forward, gratified to see the mask of conviction slip from his brother’s face.
And that Frederick took two steps back.
“I am not dependent on her. It will simply make my claim that m
uch easier. I can do it without her.” Another step back.
“Then do it. Let her go and fight this battle on your own.”
“Don’t think I don’t know what you’re trying to do, Alex.” The sneering, snide Frederick was back. “But it’ll never work. Too many plans are in motion. You’ve already got a summons to see the king, courtesy of Farley. It all worked out too perfectly.”
Gregorio slipped the window into the chamber behind Frederick. If Kate reached out her left hand…
“Kate, that surprise I promised you today? It’s here.” He flicked his head toward it.
It took Frederick a lot longer to make sense of his words than it did Kate. She lunged to her left, but checked her swing before she touched the window.
That one second of indecision did her in. Frederick saw it and yanked her away.
“Dammit, Kate!” Alex breathed. “Why didn’t you take it?”
“Yes, Kate, why didn’t you? Though I must say it is a trifle unwieldy to hit me with.”
She ignored Frederick. “Alex, what if it worked?”
“That’s the point, Kate.”
“But I’ll never see you again.”
Her words ripped a hole in his heart. “I know. But it’s too dangerous here. You have to go, Kate. I love you too much to risk your life.”
“Oh, Kate! Oh, Alex!” Frederick imitated. “You two make me ill. Now, shut up, or I might do more damage to her soft, soft skin than you did.” The bastard’s twisted fingers fluttered along her throat and dragged her back into the chamber.
Gregorio was too far away to help and Frederick’s arm never wavered. There was only one way to save her.
Alex grabbed the window and tossed it to her. “Goodbye, Kate. I love you.”
She caught it.
Then the air twisted around her, leaving only her whispered, “I love you, too, Alex,” behind.
Chapter Thirty-Two
The swirling started again, just like before. The air became heavy and Alex’s face shimmered in front of her as the air coiled and color flashed in front of her, and the world went silent.
Then, suddenly, sounds came rushing back. Including that of shattering glass.
“Oh, it’s broken.”
A fairy stood next to her—the sales clerk from the gift shop where she’d found the window.
The window that was now broken at her feet.
Broken. That about summed it up.
The pain was too intense; Kate couldn’t speak. She just waved to the sales clerk and stumbled out of the shop.
Faire goers laughed around her. Dragon masters displayed their baby dragons in plastic cages in front of the shop, and a band of minstrels played their instruments before the Queen’s procession.
It was all too familiar. All too hideously normal.
Kate stood there for a minute, taking in the sights and sounds. Songs from The Globe Theater had the audience laughing. A wench chased one a patron into a costume shop, his jeans-and-sweatshirt-clad girlfriend laughingly playing along. A jester in green—not purple—juggled plastic swords as he walked past her.
And her costume was in perfect condition. Not a gash nor a drop of blood to be found.
Kate pulled back her sleeve. Nothing. But she’d felt it, felt the blade cutting into her, felt the warm stickiness of blood flowing down her arm.
It couldn’t have been a dream. It couldn’t.
She raised her hand. The ring—
…was dented and dull and covered in grime.
She couldn’t have imagined it.
A woman dressed as a pirate skirted around her to enter the shop. Kate grabbed her arm. “What day is it?”
The woman looked at her as if she was crazy.
“Please, I know how it sounds, but what’s the date?”
“September fourteenth.”
“And the year?”
The woman smiled. “Why ‘tis the year of our lord, fifteen hundred sixty-three, m’lady.”
Kate let her go with a weak smile. She was back. September fourteenth. Exactly when she’d left.
Which meant she wouldn’t miss her appointment.
But she’d miss a hell of a lot more.
Alex.
Had he gotten away from Frederick? What happened after she’d left?
There had to be a way to find out.
She looked around. This place was loaded with reproductions and all things medieval. Dare she hope for a bookstore or library?
Kate ran down Guildsman’s Way, looking at the shops. Costumes, leather goods, potpourri and herbs, jewelry, a hatter’s shop…
No bookstore.
Just then trumpets sounded. The joust.
Alicia! She should be there by now. Maybe she was waiting for Kate to get back from her medieval excursion and they could compare notes.
More importantly, Alicia could tell her how to go back.
Kate stopped in the midst of the crowd and ignored the toddler trampling on her dress.
Go back?
Yes.
Yes, damn it. She was going back. He didn’t get to make decisions for her just because he loved her. She was in charge of her life. If Jay taught her anything, it was that. Alex could take his misplaced chivalry, however well-meaning, and just, well…
She took a deep breath. He could take his misplaced chivalry and modify it to include her because she was going back to live in his world. With him. With all its risks and dangers because he was what she was missing in her life. He and William and that misplaced, but well-meaning, chivalry.
She smiled. She was going to talk to Alicia, find out how to do it, then get her daughter and together, they’d go back to Alex.
She joined the crowd headed toward the lists. Alex had loved her enough to put her life, her desire for her daughter, ahead of his own wishes. That wasn’t the action of a self-centered, lord-of-the-manor, king-of-all-I-survey type like Jay. Oh, she’d known it when she’d been with him, but when push had come to shove, when it’d been time to put up or shut up, Alex had stayed true to his word.
And she was going to be true to hers.
She’d said she loved him. She wasn’t going to give up on it now. She wouldn’t let a little thing like five hundred years keep them apart.
The trumpets sounded again as they entered the arena. People sat on low-rise stands on one side across from a large stage mimicking a Tudor town where the “Queen” and her “court” gathered to watch the knights. Colorful banners hung from lamp posts, red, green, orange, yellow, blue…
Shelton blue.
Kate left the stands and wandered to the far side of the field where people sat on the grass or hung on the rails surrounding the lists. A service gate for the cast stood just around the bend.
She looked at her outfit. If it was authentic enough for real medieval people, why not now? She could bluff her way with the best of them.
Taking a fortifying breath and trying to look as if she belonged, Kate slipped through the service gate.
She nodded to one of the “squires,” biting back a brittle laugh when he “m’ lady”-ed her, and hurried on to the blue banner.
She didn’t see anyone. Including Alicia.
She couldn’t have misjudged this. Alicia had to be here.
She bent down behind the stairs leading to the stage. What had Alicia said? “I’ll touch base with you under the royal blue banner.”
She’d tricked her once with the medieval lingo, maybe this was another clue. “Touch base” could mean talking to her or contacting her some way.
Kate looked around. The back of the stage was the rough side of the painted boards the public saw, a skirt of sorts held together by posts driven into the ground. She looked up. Directly above her was the blue banner.
She ran her hand along the inside of the post, stopping at each joint of the skirt board. At the fourth one, she found it. A lipstick case had been pushed into the joint.
She worked it out and opened it.
Kate,
> I’m sorry I couldn’t explain everything to you before I went and that we never got a chance to meet up “back then,” but I had some things of my own to take care of. I still do, which is why I’m not with you now. I know you’re probably really mad at me, but you have to admit it was fun. I mean, who else ever got to experience what we have? Well, maybe others, but Master Griff won’t tell me, so I’ll have to go with “not many.” Anyway, I returned, but only to tell you I still have things to do here. I just wanted to let you know that I’m okay and please don’t hate me too much. I thought it might work out for you this time, but since you’re weren’t there when I last was, I guess it didn’t.
Love, Alicia
“My lady?” A knight at her shoulder startled Kate. “The joust is about to begin. Will you take your seat please?”
“Um, yes, I mean, no, I mean…” She took a deep breath and folded Alicia’s note. “I’m not supposed to be here. I have to go.”
She ran past the startled knight, a few other late arrivers to the “court,” and back through the service gate.
Alicia wouldn’t be able to help her now. She had to find her own way back.
She ran back down Guildsman’s Way, almost trampling a boy and his dragon. She dodged him, then a pair of teenagers who had removed the wrappings of their newly purchased swords—the management would be evicting them shortly for that—and ran toward the pirate ship.
Master Griff could help her.
She ran across the gangplank and into the crowded interior where hurricane lamps buzzed with some questionable wiring. The pirate tipped his hat as she entered.
“Master Griff, where is he?”
“Who?” the pirate asked.
“Master Griff, the salesman. He sells shields here? Which side?”
The pirate removed his hat and scratched his head. “I’m sorry, my lady, but there’s no Master Griff here.”
“Of course there is! You introduced me to him last wee—I mean, about an hour ago.”
“Afraid not, ma’am. There’s never been anyone here by the name of Master Griff. But if it’s shields you want, head left.”
Kate thanked him and maneuvered her way as far left as she could. Customers toting num chucks and war clubs kept getting in her way. On the one side of the ship dozens of swords, maces, battle-axes and other nasty implements of torture hung in a large display case. On the other—
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