Celtic Knot

by Shannon MacLeod

  Oh, this is bad. Really, really bad. Even if I scream, nobody’s going to hear me over the park noise. Should’ve stayed where I was, Lily berated herself. She fought the rising panic and kept her voice even. “Of course not,” she snapped.

  As the men raised their gazes, no longer looking at her, but over her, their expressions changed. Muttering something unintelligible, they stumbled away in the opposite direction.

  Weirdos, she thought, then whirled as someone cleared their throat quietly but deliberately behind her. Lily’s breath left her in a soft oomph as she crashed into a solid wall. No, not a wall. A hard, muscled chest clad in white linen…a leather doublet…the hawk and topped with…those beautiful green eyes. Oh, no, no, no.

  “Good evening, milady.” The handsome man from the night before gave her a warm smile, a hint of amusement playing around his lips. Her knees quivered and his hands shot out. He caught her elbows, his wrists just brushing the sides of her breasts in the process.

  “Oooh!” Lily gasped at the intimate contact. Her face flooded with color when the quivering spread and consumed her entire body with the speed of wildfire.

  “Are you all right?” he asked, his brows knitting together.

  She couldn’t lift her voice above a whisper. “Uh…yes, milord,” she stammered.

  The corners of his mouth definitely twitched that time. “’Twould appear you’ve wandered far and I can see you have no chaperone,” he said in deep, musical tones. “These are dangerous times, milady, and there are unscrupulous men about. If you are going back to your tent, might I have the honor of escorting you there?”

  Rendered speechless from his chivalrous offer and flushing even deeper, all Lily could do was nod. With a dazzling smile that set her heart to racing, he took her hand and placed it in the crook of his proffered arm. Drawing admiring glances from the crowd of park patrons, they moved together through the park and soon arrived at her tent. “Thank you,” she mumbled.

  Taking her hand, he raised it to his lips and pressed a gentle kiss to her fingertips. “The pleasure was truly mine, milady,” he said in a husky voice. She smiled in reply and turned to go into the tent but stopped short and whirled around before entering. “Wait, I didn’t get your…”

  He was nowhere in sight.

  “…name.”

  Sighing, she turned around to enter the tent and burst into immediate laughter at the two women standing before her again, gaping in open astonishment. “Oh, my God,” Beth said. “Tell me you got his name this time.”

  Embarrassed, Lily was forced to admit she had been so awestruck she didn’t even talk to him, much less ask any questions. She explained about getting lost in the park and the mystery man turning up when those two men were busy scaring the daylights out of her. Beth would not be pacified, however. “Details, dear. I need details.”

  “He’s very polite,” Lily said promptly. “He’s got an accent. And he smells really nice.”

  “Okay, well, that’s something,” Beth said, rolling her eyes. “Nice like Polo nice, or nice like something else?”

  “Something else. Clean, like sandalwood. Mint, maybe.”

  Another wave of customers flowed into the tent and she and Beth returned to their cards. Even though Lily searched the crowds for the remainder of the evening, she didn’t catch another glimpse of the man she hoped to see.

  Later that night, Lily lay in bed and stared up at the ceiling, absently stroking the cat. “Those beautiful green eyes seem so familiar but I know I’ve never met him before, Bella,” she mused, “I’d definitely remember someone as magical as that” She picked up the framed photo sitting on her nightstand. Taken at a USF homecoming game, Lucas had the school mascot painted on his cheeks and his shaggy hair had still been dark brown. He stood with her his arm thrown carelessly around her shoulder and his smile wide, but not reaching his eyes. She laid the picture face down. He has no real claim on me, she thought. “Do I love him, Bella?” she asked the cat, who stretched to give Lily access to more of her tummy. “I don’t know about that, but the one thing I do know is Lucas doesn’t take my breath away like the guy from the Castle does. I’ve felt more in five minutes with this man than I ever have with Lucas, and I don’t even know his name.”

  She replayed the evening over and over again and in her best corny pirate voice growled, “Best ye beware, mistress, lest the highwayman steal yer heart away,” before drifting off to sleep.

  4

  On Sunday morning, Bella’s insistent walking across her head woke her before the ringing phone did. “C’mon, let’s go to the mall and try on stuff we can’t afford,” Beth chirped. “Did you see the news this morning? No, of course you didn’t. Some guy out fishing found a woman floating in the river yesterday.”

  After giving the promise to meet at the food court in an hour, Lily showered and dressed, then poured herself a bowl of cereal and sat down in front of the TV. She ran the channels, landing on the top of the hour local news recap.

  “…grisly discovery. The body of a young woman was found floating in the Alafia River by a local fisherman yesterday. The apparent homicide victim is described as Caucasian with…”

  The solemn news anchor reported authorities estimated the as yet unidentified woman had been in the water for perhaps a week, but no one had come forward to report a missing person fitting her description. It’s tragic, Lily thought, gone that long and nobody missed her.

  The following work week passed slowly with Lucas’s attitude toward her wavering between propriety possessiveness and casual indifference. The Eight of Wands Lily pulled on Friday morning foretold a propitious evening and she fervently hoped it meant she’d see the mystery man again. Admit it, she thought, he’s gotten under your skin, and you don’t even know who the hell he is. For all you know, he’s an escaped mental patient. Undaunted by that distinct possibility, she chose the burgundy outfit she wore the night she first saw him, hoping it would be lucky for her again.

  After a few hours of readings, Lily felt the need to get out and stretch. A throng of people lingered around the entrance of the tent, but no one was waiting for a reading. Suddenly a hush fell over the animated crowd and it parted like the Red Sea. Through the gap walked the very man she had been hoping to spot, resplendent in a soft royal blue velvet doublet replacing his earlier leathers. Ignoring the other girls, he strode to her table and with eyes a-twinkle asked, “Will you tell me my fortune, then?” In stunned silence, she gestured for him to sit and began shuffling the cards. He watched intently, waiting for her to deal the three cards and turn them over one by one.

  She stared in disbelief at the Queen of Cups, the Ace of Cups, and the Eight of Wands and groaned inwardly. This. Is. Not. Happening. I’m asleep. That’s it–I’m asleep, and I’m going to wake up any minute now and there’s going to be a retired couple from Ohio sitting across from me wondering what on earth my problem is. Any minute now…

  She swallowed hard and took a steadying breath. “It would appear you have love and romance in your future, my lord.”

  “Ah,” he murmured, giving her a very slow, sensual smile that made her toes curl inside her slippers. “I came here hoping to learn your name this evening, but in truth the woman haunting my dreams is a lovely blonde, not an ebony-haired beauty such as yourself.” As he spoke, he tapped the queen with a long, tapered finger.

  Finding her voice at last, she asked, “What dreams are you having, sir?”

  “I dreamt I was in a spring field and a woman stands in the shadows just at the edge of the nearby forest. I haven’t yet seen her face, only her long beautiful hair. I always wake too soon.” He reached up to touch the hawk touchstone around his throat as he described his dream, rubbing it absently between his fingers.

  Lily lowered her lashes to hide her astonishment. “When you see someone in a dream but cannot see their face, it means you haven’t met them yet,” she explained.

  “Then perhaps I’ll dream of her again tonight and this time I’ll see he
r face.” He smiled, reaching across the table to take her left hand and lift it to his lips. “My name is Ian Kelly, and it would give me the greatest pleasure to know yours.”

  “Lily Evans. Around here I go by Raven.” She raised a shoulder, indicating the gypsy tent.

  “Lily–indeed, a most beautiful name. Now tell me,” he stared pointedly at her hand, “I see no ring that another has claimed you as his, so my confidence is strengthened. Look at your cards again, milady, and tell me if you see me in your future.”

  She gasped, raising a hand to her throat in mock distress. “You tease me unmercifully, my lord,” she said with a demure smile.

  Ian’s voice was grave. “I do not tease,” he said,. “It would do me great honor if you would allow me to call upon you for perhaps…for…em…oh, bloody hell, what’s medieval for taking you out to dinner?” His eyes flashed with mischief and she burst into laughter, clapping a hand to her mouth.

  He grinned broadly at her reaction. “Does that mean you’ll go? I’m told I can be quite entertaining on occasion.”

  Before Lily could reconsider, she blurted out “I’d love to” then sat back and marveled at her audacity. She looked around for pen and paper to give him her number and panicked when she saw none. “I need something to write on…” she began.

  “I’ve got it,” he said, pulling out his cell phone to type in her name and number. “Not quite historically correct, but necessary, I’m afraid.”

  “I have the same phone,” she said.

  “I have excellent taste.” The smile he gave her made her melt inside. “Well, then…I fear I’ve taken up enough of your time this evening, so I’ll look forward to speaking with you soon.” he said, rising from the table. He turned to leave, but Lily stopped him with a tentative touch on his arm.

  “Wait,” she said. “How did you know? About my hair color, I mean.”

  With a mysterious smile Ian replied, “Mayhap you are not the only one with the sight, my dear.” She tilted her head expectantly at him and after a moment, he lifted one shoulder in a careless shrug. “Your eyebrows.”

  Flustered, Lily lifted a hand to her brow and heard him chuckling as he vanished into the crowd.

  * * * *

  “So where are you going for dinner?” Beth asked with unbridled glee.

  “He said he’d call. That’s all the info I have,” Lily said for at least the fifth time, her face blazing as she tried to hide her smile.

  “You actually pulled the Queen of Cups as the first card? And then the Ace of Cups and Eight of Wands? Are you sure you didn’t stack the deck?” Beth waggled her eyebrows in mock accusation. “So did you come right out and tell him you’re the queen and he’s going to fall head over heels in love with you?”

  Lily gave a deliberate snort. “I’m not even going to dignify that with a response.”

  Pausing in mid-gloat, an uncertain look crossed Beth’s face. “Wait…what about Lucas?”

  “Lucas…” Lily tapped her chin. “Maybe I’ll just let Bella decide.”

  Beth raised her eyes heavenward and folded her hands in prayer. “Please, oh please let Prince Charming be a cat lover.” Giving Lily a sidelong glance she said, “You were serious, right?”

  Lily sighed. “It doesn’t matter anyway. I’m only up to the I’ll call you phase so it’s still just a dream except now I’m awake. Besides,” she added, thinking about her handsome new acquaintance, “he probably won’t call. My luck just isn’t that good.”

  The rest of the evening flew by and worn out from the excitement, Lily readied for bed as soon as she got home. Undressing, she pulled her cell phone from her skirt pocket and saw she had missed a call. In her haste, it took several tries to retrieve her voicemail but when she finally reached her message, her heart skipped a beat at the lilting voice.

  “Hello, Lily, this is Ian Kelly. It was a pleasure meeting you and I wish you the sweetest of dreams this evening. We’ll talk soon.”

  She replayed the message over and over, and her last thought before falling asleep was that first thing in the morning she needed to buy a lotto ticket in honor of her improving luck.

  * * * *

  When Lily awoke Monday morning, the very first thing she did was listen to Ian’s message again before she even got out of bed. She stretched languidly and pulled her card for the day, the Six of Cups. Someone from my past, happy memories, she thought. Her gaze landed on the picture still lying face-down on the nightstand and a wave of guilt made her flinch. “I have no reason to feel guilty,” she reassured herself, “I’ve made no commitments to Lucas.” She rose at once and took the picture to the living room, settling it on the bookcase. Chewing her lower lip in indecision, she laid it face-down then turned to find Bella perched on the back of the couch. The cat’s mouth opened wide and she hacked as if dislodging a particularly stubborn hairball.

  Lily burst into laughter. “Your opinion has been duly noted,” she said.

  The office buzzed with the latest news–another woman had been found in the river, not far from the first. The other two ladies in the office, middle-aged Janice and twenty-something Irena, could talk of nothing else. Captivated by the events of yesterday and the possibility of what lay ahead, Lily only half-listened to the whispered conversations and called several times to hear the deep, sensual voice in her saved messages. It was a day of pure futility as she steeled herself not to think about it, but sat perched atop pins and needles waiting for her phone to ring again.

  Later in the evening the call finally came. Trying her best to maintain both composure and dignity, Lily scrambled across the couch to answer it, knocking over a bottle of spring water and startling Bella into running for cover.

  She paused before answering, taking a deep breath. “Hello?”

  “Lily? This is Ian Kelly. We met at the Castle this past weekend?” he prompted.

  Like I could forget that. “Yes, I remember,” she said, wondering if he could tell she was grinning like an idiot.

  “I’m calling to see if perhaps you are free Thursday evening…” She was familiar with the upscale restaurant he suggested, although she had never been there. She gave him directions to her apartment and he repeated them back to her twice. “I transpose numbers sometimes,” he explained.

  “You can always call if you get lost,” she said, and warmed at the smile in his voice when he promised to see her promptly at seven on Thursday.

  Lily gave the phone a moment to cool then nearly broke a nail dialing Beth. “Houston, we have a date,” she said, breathless with excitement. “We’ve got to get to the mall, stat. I’ll be at your place in ten minutes–ready thyself.”

  Arriving at the mall twenty minutes later, they settled into the serious business of finding the perfect outfit. “Your wardrobe’s in sad shape, so anything would be an improvement,” Beth pointed out.

  “Hey, now wait a minute…” Lily said.

  Beth ignored her protests. “Everything you have says either Daddy’s girl or insurance agent. You need something that screams take-me-I’m-yours,” she said, wiggling her brows suggestively.

  Lily grumbled despite the truth of the blunt statement. “I don’t want to look desperate and I don’t want to look cheap,” she snapped.

  “Cheap, never, but you are desperate, darling. Let’s face facts. This might be your ticket out of Lucasville and I’m going to do everything in my power to help you pack your bags. Now, let’s start with a dress,” she said, pulling Lily into a fashionable boutique.

  Almost at once, Lily found a strapless, calf-length dress with a fitted bodice, a full skirt and matching short jacket in soft combed cotton. The muted lilac suited her delicate coloring to perfection. “Excellent,” said Beth. “Now, you’ll need matching shoes and a bag.”

  Lily looked at the price tag and gasped in dismay. “I can’t afford all this.”

  “You can’t afford not to get this,” Beth assured her and with a sly grin, pulled out her credit card to help her buy the beautiful ou
tfit.

  The talk turned to hair, makeup and Beth’s solemn vow to haunt her in the afterlife if she didn’t shave her legs. “It’s not like anything is going to happen,” Lily whined.

  “You have to,” Beth shook her head at her friend’s naivete. “If you don’t, it’s a given you’ll wish you did. And nothing will turn a guy off faster than having legs you could grate carrots on. Well, except for maybe braided armpit ha–”

  Lily clapped a hand over her friend’s mouth. “Good to know. Thanks, Miss Cosmopolitan,” she interrupted, shuddering violently. Biting the inside of their cheeks to keep from laughing, the two women continued with Mission Accessorize until the mall closed for the evening.

  5

  As she dressed late Thursday afternoon, she surveyed herself in her bathroom mirror. It’s silly getting so worked up about this, she thought. It’s just dinner, and… A streak of black fur flew into the bathroom, landed on a leftover bath towel and surfed its way into the side of the tub with a thud. Bella looked around saucer-eyed, tailing whipping back and forth, and then like a shot was gone again.

  Lily found herself with a case of nervous giggles that ended abruptly when the doorbell rang at seven. Taking a deep breath, she waited several moments before opening the door. Ian’s eyes widened when he saw her. “Good evening, milady,” he said. He stared for a moment longer. “You look lovely.”

  “Thank you, milord.” She lowered her lashes with a shy smile then remembered her manners. “Please, come in and make yourself at home. I’ll just be a minute. May I get you something to drink?”

  “No, thank you,” he said, taking a seat on the couch. “It’s very pretty, your place. It looks like you.”

  “Thanks. I’ll be right back.” She hurried to the bedroom to check her makeup and hair one last time. Glancing at her reflection she called out, “I have a roommate, but I doubt you’ll see her.”

  “I believe we’ve already met,” he answered with a low chuckle.