"Give him time. He'll eventually come around."
"I seriously doubt that."
A few minutes later, Frantziska returned, and said to Tess, "The bedroom down the hallway has fresh linens. You should be comfortable there for the night."
"Thank you," Tess said, touched that Zak's mother made her feel welcome. If she was displeased at all, she gave no indication.
After Frantziska left the room, Zak said to Tess, "Will you stay here for a while?"
"Maybe a few minutes." Tess lowered herself to the side of the bed and leaned against a spare pillow propped up where Franziska had sat with Peio. For a few minutes she studied Peio's quiet face, and when she looked at Zak he too was looking at Peio, but his look was far away, like he was in deep thought.
After a few minutes, when Zak continued his distant stare, she said, "You're in another world right now. What are you thinking about?"
"You, me—" Zak looked at his son "—us. What you did out there... I couldn't have done it without you."
"You can thank my father for that. He's the one who taught me to climb, and the higher, the better." Tess looked down at Peio again, but as she did, her eyelids began to feel heavy so she shut them for a few moments.
"Tired?" Zak asked. She nodded. Zak said something about his mother liking her, and she started to tell him maybe his mother did, but his father never would, but she seemed unable to open her eyes, and Zak's voice began to drift away…
Sometime later, she thought she heard someone calling her name?
"Tess?"
Her name came again. She opened her eyes and found Peio looking at her.
"Tess?" Peio said. "Ez utzi."
"He says, 'don't leave me.'" The words were from Zak, whose voice was close to her ear, and she realized he was reclined on the bed beside her with his arm around her, so she rested her head against the hollow of his shoulder, not certain if she was dreaming, and not caring. All she felt was a need to sleep.
CHAPTER 11
Tess opened her eyes to a rapping on the door. She looked around and found the unfamiliar room cloaked in an eerie gray light, and the sheer curtains drawn against an overcast sky. She was still wearing the robe, and she lay curled on her side on top of the bed, with a puffy comforter covering her. The last thing she remembered was seeing Peio and hearing Zak's voice. Or was it a dream? She had no idea how, or when, she'd gotten to this room.
The rapping came again. She looked toward the door as a voice called from behind it, "Tess? It's Frantziska. May I come in?"
Tess pulled herself up to a sitting position against the pillow. "Yes," she said, wishing her hair wasn't in such disarray.
Frantziska walked in and set Tess's freshly washed clothes on the foot of the bed, and said, "You had a very long night."
Tess raked her fingers through her hair. "Does it show?"
"Only on Zak's worried face. He's concerned about you."
"Where is he?"
"In Peio's room." Frantziska sat on the edge of the bed. "Peio was asking for you."
Tess looked at Frantziska with a start. "Me?"
"Does that surprise you?" Frantziska asked.
"Yes, very much. He's not his father's son when it comes to me, I'm afraid."
Frantziska looked at her, thoughtfully. "What I saw last night didn't give that impression. You've started to fill a void for Peio. Now, Alesander wants to see you. Do you mind?"
Tess looked toward the door. "I suppose not." She gathered the comforter around herself and prepared to face Zak's father.
Frantziska went to the door and poked her head out. "Alesander," she called.
Alesander entered the room, his face sober, and when he spoke Tess felt tension crackle in the air. "Miss O'Reilly," he said, "I want to thank you for rescuing my grandson."
Tess held his gaze. "I only did what anyone else would have done."
"I can't accept that. You did what only someone who cared would do."
"Zak's son is very special," she said, "and I care about Zak."
"I can see that now." Alesander moved to the window, and with his back to her, he continued, by saying, "I can also see that Zak cares a great deal about you." He turned halfway around then. "But you must understand that my son and grandson are Basque."
"Your son and grandson are American," Tess said.
Alesander's eyes narrowed. "But in their veins is Basque blood, and if Basque blood continues to be mixed our ancient culture will die."
Frantziska looked at her husband with irritation and said in a firm voice, "Alesander, it's inevitable that all civilizations be assimilated."
Alesander eyed his wife with impatience. "And when the Basque are assimilated, the most ancient of European languages will be forgotten."
"We can preserve what we can but we can't force the next generation to follow," Frantziska argued.
"But we don't have to accept what they're doing either," Alesander countered. "The only reason the Basque have survived is because they've ignored their invaders."
Zak appeared in the doorway. "It's also the reason they've learned so little. It was you who said the best sheepdogs we have, the quickest to learn, are Alta and Reb, both crossbreeds. Cultures also learn from their invaders." He bent over and kissed Tess squarely on the lips, and said, "How are you feeling, sweetheart?"
Tess looked up at him with uncertainty, finding his kiss awkward with his father present, especially knowing what his father's feelings were. Forcing a feigned smile, she said to Zak, "I'm doing okay. How's Peio?"
"See for yourself."
Peio appeared in the doorway but said nothing. He moved to Zak's side and stared at Tess much as he had the first day she saw him at Zak's cabin, but his eyes no longer held resentment. She extended her hand. Peio looked up at Zak and when Zak nudged him, he scurried over to the bed and took Tess's hand. "Come on up," she said, patting the bed.
Peio smiled and crawled up beside her. She wrapped her arm around him and pulled him to her, and said, "You gave us quite a scare, young man."
Peio patted her cheek. "Zuk laminak." A teasing smile played about his lips.
"Oh, no. I'm not going to be one of your little people who cleans the house," Tess said, remembering the Basque story Zak told her about the laminaks, the little people who live in caves in the mountains and come into the house during the night when the family's sleeping, to polish the copper and brass and sweep the floors.
Zak laughed. "He doesn't want you to clean the house, he wants you to be his own laminak. A regular chip off the old block. It seems he has a crush on you."
Tess saw flickers of mischief in Peio's eyes. "Then maybe I'll wait for him to grow up instead," she said, rumpling Peio's hair.
Zak laughed. "Oh no you won't. I've waited long enough already."
Without speaking, Alesander left the room.
Tess glanced toward the hallway. "Whatever it is you're waiting for, it won't be with your father's blessing."
"We'll see. Meanwhile, he's expecting to give Peio a chess lesson, and I'm hungry, so get dressed and I'll meet you in the kitchen for breakfast." Zak motioned for Peio who followed, leaving Tess alone with Frantziska.
Tess slipped from under the comforter and started to fold it. Frantziska reached for one corner and as they lapped the comforter over, Frantziska said, "It was different for me. When Alesander and I married it was our parents' choice, but I've never regretted it. We lived here with Alesander's mother and father, knowing the place would one day be ours, and someday it will belong to Zak and his family. Alesander and his brothers grew up here, but when it was time, the place was turned over to Alesander, who was first born son, and Alesander's brothers moved on."
"What about Vince?" Tess asked. "Don't you think he might eventually want to live here?"
"It's not his choice," Frantziska said. "Zak has birthright."
Tess eyed her with impatience. "So I heard. If he marries a Basque woman."
"Times are changing," Frantziska said w
ith resolve. "Even Alesander has to face the inevitable. He likes you. He just needs time."
"And how do you feel?" Tess asked, pointedly.
"Zak's my son. What I want most for him is his happiness. If the two of you decide to spend your lives together, what can I say but—" Frantziska raised her eyes to meet Tess's "—welcome to our family. I also know my husband. He'd eventually welcome you too."
Tess realized Alesander de Neuville's acceptance of her could still be a long way off. "Zak and I aren't discussing marriage. There are too many obstacles."
"Obstacles between the two of you?"
"Not between us, more like surrounding us. Fathers, logging camps, property line disputes. I've often felt Zak and I aren't meant to have a life of our own."
Frantziska sat on the bed and patted it for Tess to sit opposite her. When Tess did, Frantziska said, "I want to tell you something I've never told anyone."
"Please, don't tell me anything you might regret," Tess said. "I don't want to be entrusted with a secret I'm expected to keep from Zak."
"It's not a secret, just something I thought you should know. When I was sixteen my father told me I'd be marrying Alesander de Neuville as soon as I turned eighteen. I was horrified. At the time I was in love with a boy who lived down the road from us. We'd even planned to marry someday, but suddenly that choice was taken away. I felt like I had no control of my own destiny, even thought about running away."
"How old was Mr. de Neuville then?" Tess asked.
Frantziska held her gaze. "Twenty-one."
"He must have seemed very old to you," Tess commented, remembering how she'd thought Zak very mature and very much a man at twenty-one.
"He did seem old," Frantziska said, "especially when the boy I was seeing was only sixteen."
"But you married Mr. de Neuville anyway."
Frantziska nodded. "It was what my family expected."
"What would the families have done if Mr. de Neuville had chosen to marry a woman who wasn't Basque?" Tess asked.
"They would have sent him away like Alesander sent Zak away, but fortunately, Alesander didn't object to marrying me."
Tess looked at Frantziska, baffled. "You say, fortunately he didn't object. I thought you didn't want to marry him."
"I didn't at the time my father announced who I'd be marrying, but when I saw Alesander, well... things changed."
"How long did it take you to fall in love with him?" Tess asked,
Frantziska's eyes brightened. "About two minutes. Although he was an older man—" she held up fingers in quotes "—he was also very handsome. Because he'd been in France learning to be a vintner, I'd never met him, but from the first time I set eyes on him I couldn't get him out of my mind, and after we'd married, as our relationship began to grow and he returned my love, I began to wonder... what if Alesander had been the one I loved before and I was forced to give him up for someone else?"
"What would you have done?" Tess asked.
Frantziska's eyes flashed. "I would have run away with him if that's the only way I could have had him. Fortunately, I didn't have to make that choice, and no one ever tried to separate us." She paused for a moment then asked, "Do you love Zak?"
Tess looked at Frantziska with a start. Feeling the agitated beating of her heart, she replied. "I've loved Zak since I was fourteen."
"Then don't let a couple of mulish, dogmatic, old men come between you. Now, get dressed and come join Zak in the kitchen for breakfast."
Fifteen minutes later, when Tess entered the kitchen, Zak got up from his place at the table and went over and kissed her. "You look like my mother did after she came back from talking to you, both with smiles like the Cheshire cat."
"Girl talk," Tess said. "Where's Peio?"
"Setting up the chess board." Zak pulled the chair out for her to sit down. "My father takes his chess seriously, even beat the Hungarian grand master in an exhibition tournament several years ago. He hopes Peio will one day offer him a challenge."
Tess glanced up at Zak, and said, "It seems our fathers have at least one thing in common, though I'd hate to be present if they ever decided to play a game of chess."
Zak laughed. "I doubt we'll ever have to worry about that."
Frantziska slid wedges of omelet onto two dishes and set them in front of Tess and Zak, then placed a platter of fresh baked bread slices on the table, and said, "I ate earlier with Alesander, so if you two will excuse me, I have to feed my baby." She lifted a bottle of milk with a large rubber nipple on it from a pot of warm water on the stove and disappeared into the shadows of the hallway.
"You've definitely made a hit with my mother," Zak said. "That's half the battle."
"Only half?" Tess replied. "I was hoping you'd be on my side too."
"Honey, I've been on your side since the day I went to work for your father. I've loved you from that moment, and nothing has changed."
"Then that's two-thirds on my side." She thought about that some more, and said, "Actually I think you were right before. Your father pretty much offsets you and your mother. He made his position clear about what he expects of you, and it isn't for you to marry the daughter of Gib O'Reilly."
Zak reached across the table and took her hand. "My father will not be selecting my next wife. That's a promise I can keep."
Tess looked at their clasped hands, then at him, and said, "But if she's not Basque, he won't accept her either."
"If that's the way it is, then so be it." He gave her hand a squeeze and released it and continued eating.
After they'd finished, they went into the living room where they found Alesander and Peio sitting opposite each other at the chess table, with the game already underway. Peio squirmed restlessly in his chair, turning to catch Zak's smile.
Alesander touched the boy's hand. "Peio, pay attention."
Peio looked back at the board, quickly moved his king's knight, then shifted his gaze to the window, where bright sunshine peeked through the clouds.
Alesander moved his bishop. "You must keep your mind on the game," he said. "See what I've done. By placing my king's bishop in this position I'm able to pin your knight."
Peio's feet moved back and forth under the table, and his gaze kept darting to the window.
Catching Peio's eye, Zak winked at him, then said to Alesander, "I don't think your pupil's with you this morning. It seems our Oregon weather has let you down."
Alesander looked toward the window where a blaze of light fell against the polished wood floor, then at Peio, who eyed him, expectantly. "Okay, son, go on," he said to Peio, while motioning with his head.
After Peio scampered away, Alesander said to Tess, "You say you play?"
Tess shrugged. "A little."
Alesander set up the board again, positioning the white pieces in front of the chair that Peio had vacated, and the black pieces in front of himself. "Do you feel like sitting down and showing me what you can do?"
Tess smiled politely. "I'm afraid I wouldn't be any match for you."
Alesander looked up from the chess board. "How can you know unless you try?"
"I suppose I can't." Tess accepted his challenge and sat across from him.
Zak pulled another chair up to the board, and said to his father, "I must warn you, sometimes this woman can be full of surprises."
The hint of a smile played about Alesander's lips. "I guess we'll see." He looked across the table at Tess and motioned with his hand, giving her the signal to begin.
Tess opened by sliding the king's pawn forward and Alesander responded in kind. Then, as if each had been energized by some unseen force, they followed in turn with a series of seven quickly executed moves, each of them slapping the pieces smartly to the board with a sharp rap. Tess paused momentarily then moved again. Alesander sat motionless, intently studying the board. Then he looked at Tess, and said, "You know the opening well."
"The Ruy Lopez is my father's favorite," Tess replied. "We've played it a lot."
"It's evident."
An hour later, after a long series of studied moves, and knowing it was only a matter of time and careful execution before Alesander would win, Tess reached for her king, lay the piece on its side and resigned. Alesander looked up from the board, and said, "That's the best game I've played in a long time. You say your father taught you?"
Tess nodded. "We played often when I was growing up."
Eyeing her intently, Alesander said, "Is he a rated player?"
"He was years ago," Tess replied, "but I don't think he's played in any tournaments lately so I have no idea what his rating would be now."
Alesander rested back in his chair, one finger lightly tapping the table. "Was it over fifteen hundred?"
"Oh, yes. I'm sure it was much higher than that, but I can't remember what it was." Tess shoved her chair back and stood. "I enjoyed the game, Mr. de Neuville."
Alesander pushed his chair back and he too stood. "Yes, it was a good game. We'll have to do it again sometime."
Zak extended his hand toward his father. "Thanks for everything. I'll be back for Peio next weekend. And don't let him slip off and pull anything like he did yesterday."
Alesander clasped Zak's hand. "He's just a curious, growing boy. He has to try his wings."
"But I distinctly told him not to climb up to the tree house," Zak said.
"A young boy forgets easily," Alesander replied.
"Then he should be disciplined. Besides, if we don't insist he stay within the bounds we set he won't think anyone cares about him." Zak winked at Tess and took her arm to leave.
***
Late the following afternoon, Tess pulled up in front of her father's house and bounded up the stairs to the porch, and when she stepped into the living room, the aroma of ham baking in the oven teased her nostrils. "Aunt Ella! Dad!" she called to the empty room.
"In the bedroom, sweetie," Ella called back.
Tess found her father sitting on the floor with pins between his lips, turning up the hem of his sister's dress. "We'll be with you in a minute," Ella said from her perch on a stool.
"Don't you say a damn word," Gib said to Tess out of the corner of his mouth, while holding the pins between pressed lips.
Bittersweet Promises Page 13
