Bewitching My Love

by Diane Story

  “My family journals were very clear about all of this, except the part about us having to come back after we stopped the curse. I thought it would all be over if we saved Mary, Fern. But it seems Elizabeth isn’t content to leave it at that.” He wiped a bead of sweat from his brow and continued. “You see, it was also written in the journals that you were supposed to hang on gallows hill in Mary’s place. It was my responsibility to make sure that happened, or else, the curse would never be broken.”

  Fern felt like she couldn’t breathe. He’d been sent to make sure she died; of course he didn’t love her. He just had to make sure she died to save his own precious hide. “I’m supposed to die so that you can live? I think I understand now, you don’t love me do you, Rowen? It was all a game, and you’ve been a part of it the entire time.”

  “No love, you don’t understand…” He tried to grab her before she leapt up from her place on the rock, but she was too fast. Stumbling to his feet, he chased after her, only catching up as she slammed the door of the cottage in his face. “Fern, open the door, let me explain.”

  Fern felt as if her gut was being wrenched from the inside out. Sobbing against the door she yelled back, “I hate you, Rowen Nichols. You are a bastard, and a jerk. I knew it the first time I met you at the auction. You used me, how could you?”

  Her words stung. “Open this door Fern, let me explain. I didn’t tell you because it didn’t matter anymore. Once I knew I loved you there was no way I could let it happen. Please, open the door so we can talk.”

  “Go to hell Rowen, I have no intention of allowing you in, ever.” Fern jumped when his fist hit the door.

  “That’s it, you better be standing back Fern, because I’m coming in whether you want me to or not.” Rowen stepped a few feet back, preparing to knock the door down. She would hear him out by God, or else… “Fern, I mean what I’m saying, open the door, now!”

  “You wouldn’t dare.” Fern gasped at the idea of it.

  “Wouldn’t I?” Rowen cursed under his breath and was just getting ready to kick the door in when it slowly opened. Fern had unlocked it, opened it, and walked away to sit on the settee. He found her there crying against her knees. Taking a chance, he sat down next to her but she got up and moved to the chair across from him. “Look at me love! Please.”

  Fern blinked her tears away and stared at him. “I don’t know what to say to you Rowen. I love you, did you know that? Why didn’t you tell me? I’d have listened. Now I don’t know what to think of you, or us.”

  “Listen to me now Fern. I’m telling you I love you. And nothing now or ever could have made me stand and watch you die for my sake. The moment I carried you through the wardrobe I knew I couldn’t. I need you to be strong now, for both of our sakes. Elizabeth will not give up, she will follow us forever until she has finished what ever it is that keeps her coming after us. We need to figure it out and settle it once and for all, OK?” He held her gaze as she searched his eyes. “I love you, I do.”

  Fern stood and got down on her knees in front of him. Stretching her arms until they were wound around his neck, she kissed him. Her remaining tears mixed with his and she kissed them away. “Oh Rowen, I believe you,” she whispered in his ear. “I know you would never hurt me, not intentionally. I love you, so much.” They held each other for a long time, neither one of them spoke as no more words were needed. Rowen pulled her up into his lap and they sat together on the settee until it seemed hours must have passed. “Forgive me for doubting you?”

  “No one needs forgiving but me, Fern.” Rowen kissed the top of her head then stood up with her cradled in his arms. “We have a bath to take, remember?”

  Fern nuzzled her face into the curled hairs of his chest and inhaled his scent. “Who needs a bath, you smell good to me, and I really think it can wait until…well, afterward. Don’t you?”

  “Seductress, you know what you do to me, don’t you.” Rowen had turned back toward the bed without her noticing. Standing over it, he dropped her to the downy mattress. Her hair fanned out across the pillows, enchanting him.

  “Tell me Rowen, tell me what I do to you. Then when you’re done, show me what you want me to do to you.” She didn’t shy away and turn her head when he undressed this time. He was a magnificent man, physically beautiful.

  “Oh love, just give me the chance.” After throwing his clothes to the floor, Rowen joined her on the bed and proceeded to undress her. “You make my world shine, Fern.” He kissed her chin as he pulled the wide cotton collar from her shoulders. “Just one look at your lovely face makes my heart melt.” He pulled her Mantua down her long shapely legs. “When I touch your silky skin, my body burns with desire for you.” He picked up her foot and ran his tongue along her sole, making her giggle. “When I think about making love to you, I wonder what I ever did to deserve your love.”

  Fern was breathing heavy from his lovemaking. Reaching down, she held his head before he was able to suck the peak of her breast into his mouth. “Show me what I can do to you, I want you to feel what I’m feeling, Rowen.”

  Rolling over onto his back, Rowen pulled her with him until she sat straddling him. “Make love to me, Fern. I want to see your beautiful body as you do and I want to see you feel our passion.”

  Fern understood what he wanted. Sliding her hips until she could feel his erection between her soft curls, she gently slid back and forth, watching his reaction as she did. “Is this the way, Rowen? Or do you want me to do this.” Raising her hips, she allowed him to rest just outside her body. With tantalizing control she lowered herself until she was completely stretched around him. She watched his face and smiled. Without moving her hips she bent forward and kissed him. “Am I doing it right?”

  Rowen’s eyes devoured her. “Oh love, you know you are.” Picking up her hips he showed her, teaching her the age-old ways of making love long into the night, until she eventually fell forward into his arms, exhausted from their union.

  “Well, it seems I am no longer a virgin.” Fern cuddled next to Rowen underneath the covers.

  Rowen laughed. “No my love, you definitely are not.” Kissing the top of her head, he pulled her close. “Let’s just lie here for a while. I’m not ready to give you up just yet. Then after we rest, we need to start working on a way to find the wardrobe.”

  “What if we never find it Rowen? What then.” Fern asked.

  “Then we stay here and get married, have lots of little pilgrims and live happily ever after.”

  “We can do that anywhere silly, I’d have thought you would have been a little more ingenious than that.” Fern laughed when his hand popped her bottom.

  “Go to sleep vixen, or you’ll get more than a paddle on your derriere.” Rowen held her close until he felt her breathing relax and he knew she was asleep. He was worried, he could make light of their situation with Fern, but he knew things weren’t good. One line of his family journals stood out in his mind, making his skin crawl. ‘The woman from the future will die. This cannot be changed.’ Drawing Fern as close to him as he could without waking her, he buried his face in her hair. I will never let you go my love; they will have to kill me first.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  The sun was beating down on the top of the woodshed, bringing forth heat waves from the slanted roof. Inside, the occupants were oblivious to anything but themselves.

  “Oh my Mary, ye are but a vixen. What am I to do? But love thee.” Jonathan held Mary close to his damp chest. They’d just made love and he was exhausted from the union, as always.

  “If it please my lover, then I shall love only him.” Mary cuddled close to Jonathan. It was morning and she knew they would have to be getting back to their respective lives. Her mother would be angry if she woke to find her gone again. “Jonathan! When will ye take me as your wife?”

  “My love, you know it shall never be. Sarah is with child, I cannot not leave her now.” He was left alone when she stood to dress. “Would you have me abandon my child, Mary?
I cannot and will not.” He noticed the flush in her cheeks almost matched the color of her hair. He could tell himself that it was caused by their lovemaking, but knew it was more from her anger.

  “Are we never to be together, Jonathan? Am I only to have ye in these shameless acts of adultery?” She wept as she dressed. Now that he was to be a father by Sarah she could never tell him about his own girl child. She understood his silence to be his answer. “I love ye Jonathan, but I cannot continue to wait for you. Is my heart mistaken? Does my lover truly love me? ”

  “Aye, ye know I do, my Mary,” he replied.

  “Then ye know why I cannot wait for ye.” Her red mane blew into tangled wisps when she stood in the doorway to leave. “But I will think on it, Jonathan.”

  Jonathan watched her slam the door hard behind her then stood to dress. Sarah would be waiting for his return. How he loved his Mary. If only God could have seen fit to bring her to him before his betrothal to Sarah. It was a cruel fate to love her, but not to have her. He’d just finished lacing his shoe when the door flew open again. There, in the light of morning, stood his young wife Sarah. Full with child and torment written upon her face.

  “My husband has dishonored me! Ye bed with a whore whilst your wife sleeps but a few feet away.” Turning away, Sarah let her anger guide her.

  Jonathan tried to follow but she’d gotten away before he could get his other shoe on. He knew this wasn’t good, should he warn Mary? After hobbling back to the house with his other shoe dangling from his hand, he paced in his study. He would wait for Sarah to return then make his excuses. She was young still, but surely... he stopped and stood completely still, his heart hammering against his ribs. Memories flooded him, memories of the future. How could this be? But he knew, somehow he knew he’d done this before. He’d lived this same day before. Grabbing his coat he ran through the door, they would be in his cottage.

  “I tell your worship the truth, Mary Wilds is a witch.” Sarah stood in front of the judge, tears streaming down her cheeks “Sir, I say before God, and before your worship, that I know Mary Wilds is a witch. I witnessed her practicing her witchcraft.”

  “Has Mary Wilds hurt you, Sarah Nichols?” Judge Hauthorn sat forward in his chair listening to yet another story of witchcraft. How many more would have to die before his village was free?

  “No your worship. I have not been hurt.” She looked down at the pebbles under her feet and smiled. He believed her. She was still angry with Jonathan. He was her husband; she would make Mary suffer for trying to take him from her.

  “Go back to thy home, Sarah Nichols, and tell thy husband to come here. I will have him go arrest Mary Wilds straight away.”

  “Aye sir.” Sarah turned away to leave, happy with her success.

  “Sarah?”

  Turning back around she looked at her worship again. His voice was tender; he never approached her here, in his office. Why now? “Aye?”

  “How does our child fare?” He wanted to touch her.

  “Well, my lord.” She smiled when she saw the tenderness there in his eyes. “And you, how have ye been?”

  “As well as can be expected, with our situation.” He stood and walked around his desk toward her. “Our son is due soon, yes?”

  “Aye, very soon” She touched his cheek delicately with her fingertips.

  “I will come to ye then, I promise.” He kissed the tips of her fingers.

  “No, ye know thou art not allowed. Ye will die, I will die and our son will die.” Crying, she turned away. “I must leave now.” At the door she stopped, but didn’t turn. “I love ye.” She heard his breath halt in his chest and before she allowed herself to be tempted into his open arms, she ran out the door, back to her house to wait for her husband’s return.

  * * * *

  “Wake up Fern.” Rowen gently shook her. “Someone is coming.” He woke up when he heard the horse approaching.

  Fern woke from her dreamy slumber and looked into his eyes. “Hi.” Yawning, she sat up then frowned when Rowen jumped from the bed. “Ohh, come back, I’m not ready to get up yet.”

  Rowen looked at her stretching. She looked like a sleek cat; he could almost hear her purr. “Love, someone is coming, you must get up.”

  Fern grabbed the quilt and jumped from the bed as his words finally sank in. “Who do you think it is, Rowen?’

  “I don’t know, but go in the other room and dress and I’ll go see.” He stopped when she gasped.

  “No don’t! What if it is Elizabeth?” Fern wound the blanket tight around her to help her get control of the chills that were running through her body.

  “I don’t think it is Fern, whoever it is they are walking way too fast for it to be Elizabeth, now go and get dressed, hurry.” He made sure she was gone, then turned to go to the door. He stepped back, startled when Jonathan stepped over the threshold before he could get there.

  “I knew ye would be here.” Jonathan clasped Rowen’s hand in his. “What happened with the wardrobe, why did ye stay?”

  “It wasn’t our choice, Jonathan. When we got to Mary’s room it was gone. We don’t know where it is.” Rowen beckoned him to sit. “How is it you knew we would be here, Jonathan?”

  Jonathan tossed his jacket over the back of the settee then sat down. “A child came to me. The most beautiful child mine eyes have ever seen. Red hair with golden tendrils that made her face glow. She said her name was Rose and that I was her papa.”

  Rowen saw the expressions changing on Jonathan’s face as he spoke about Rose. He could imagine the confusion the poor man must be dealing with. “Yes, you told us you had seen her and she told you about us. But how did you know we didn’t make it back through the wardrobe?”

  Jonathan sat down and stared up at Rowen. “This very morning after saying goodbye to my Mary I realized that I have already lived this day, and somehow I knew you were still here. Stuck in my time, wanting to go back, but not able to. I knew ye would be here, because my Mary would have wanted ye to be here, in our home.”

  “Did Rose tell you anything else Jonathan?” Rowen could see he was having trouble coping, but he had to know everything if he was going to get Fern home safe.

  “Aye, she said a man and woman would come from the future to save her mother, Mary, from gallows hill. She explained that I was to protect you Rowen, but I am to let history take its course with your woman named Fern.” Jonathan looked up then and saw Fern; she was listening to his every word.

  “And what does history have planned for me, Mr. Nichols?” Fern walked over and stood behind Rowen, laying her hands on his broad shoulders.

  “I know not, the child didn’t tell me. But I suspect it has to do with my Mary.” Jonathan could see they were in love.

  “History says I am supposed to die, Mr. Nichols. Am I expected to sit back and allow that to happen? I am supposed to die on the gallows in place of your Mary, did you know that?” Fern watched his stunned expression. “I don’t think it’s right, either. So will you help us? Elizabeth is determined to have her way. If I don’t take Mary’s place, she will die. Somehow, we have to figure out a way to stop this madness.”

  Rowen reached up and held Fern’s hand. She was tense, and he knew she was upset. “Jonathan, surely you understand Fern’s frustration. This hasn’t been easy for her. You love Mary and would do anything to be with her, but your customs will not allow it. In our time issues such as yours are handled in a much different manner. You would have been free to be with Mary without the fear of death. But, we aren’t in our time, are we, so now we must deal with the rules of your world. Rose came to you because she knew you could help. Let’s all put our minds together and work on a way out of this. We have a saying back in our time, ‘where there’s a will, there’s a way.’ Well, we all have the will, now let’s find the way.”

  “Aye, I have the will to save my Mary.” A thought occurred to Jonathan as he studied the two of them. “Tis strange, I would have thought the two of ye would resemble each
other more than ye do.”

  Fern frowned and asked, “Why?”

  “If both of ye are of my blood, you should look somewhat alike, aye?” Jonathan immediately regretted his words when Fern jerked her hands away from Rowen’s shoulders and walked away.

  Rowen knew instantly what Fern was thinking, but he wasn’t concerned. Standing, he followed her from the room. Gently he placed his hands on her waist and turned her to face him. “Fern, the relationship is generations old. There has been so much blood passed before us that it no longer matters. So much, in fact, that we wouldn’t even be considered related.”

  Fern knew he was right, but it was strange all the same. But, she loved him and wouldn’t let it get in her way. Smiling, she stood on tiptoe and kissed him. “I’m not worried about it, Rowen. I love you, that’s all that matters to me now.” They both turned when they heard Jonathan clear his throat to get their attention.

  “I’ll be taking my leave now. Sarah is due any day now and I try not to leave her alone too long. The child she carries isn’t mine, but she is still my wife and I am responsible for her. I’ll come back tomorrow, we will make a plan then.”

  Rowen stepped forward and walked him to the door. “Who is the father of Sarah’s baby? Fern and I have our suspicions, but do you know?”

  “Aye, I believe I know who he is. Rose told me. But I am not to reveal it until the time comes. Whenever that will be.” Turning, Jonathan tipped his hat to Fern. “Good day, good sister Fern.”

  “Good day, Jonathan.” Fern watched him leave then sat down on the settee and waited for Rowen to say his goodbyes. When he came back and sat next to her she cuddled to his side and wrapped her arms around his waist, letting her head rest against his shoulder. “So now we wait.”

  Rowen pulled her closer and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. “Yes, now we wait.”