Passion Of Sleepy Hollow

by Lexi Post

  He chuckled. “It’s a common expression in Newtime, and I know she is worried she may be living in that time period soon, so I decided to give her something to think about.”

  She still wasn’t sure she understood, but she didn’t mind. Just being able to walk the lane with their arms entwined had her feeling better. As they passed by Hans and Ludo’s place, she noticed the older man’s dog gnawing on something. Pulling Braeden closer to that side of the lane, she stopped.

  “What is it?”

  “I don’t know. Wait.” She laughed as relief flooded through her. “It’s the bucket that Max tripped over. Hans’ dog took it.”

  Braeden’s eyebrow rose. “And that’s a good thing?”

  “Oh yes.” She smiled at him as she urged him to continue their walk home. “That means when the bucket disappeared, it wasn’t a ghost or a bad omen of things to come. Just a dog being a dog. That’s very important here in Sleepy Hollow.”

  “I have noticed strange occurrences seem to be the norm here.”

  She squeezed his arm. “Of course. That is part of the charm.”

  “Kat.”

  Something in the tone of Braeden’s voice caused her to stiffen. “Yes?”

  “The lifting of the curse is dependent on us getting married.”

  Oh Lord, she hadn’t even thought about how he might feel about that. He said he loved her, but many a year could go by before he might feel inclined toward a betrothal, if he would be interested at all. She kept her comment neutral. “I know. That is an important commitment.”

  He stopped them and stepped in front of her. “You know I love you, and you have said you love me.”

  She nodded, her throat refusing her the ability to speak.

  “You need to know I have never felt this way about any woman. In fact, you’re the only woman I have been able to have a relationship with beyond sex.”

  He glanced away and her heart lurched. She waited for him to explain there was a problem. She could sense it coming and she wanted to stop him, but no words would form.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Braeden ran his hand through his hair, which made her more nervous. He stared hard at her. “You know who I am. You like me.” The intensity of his gaze when he said those words was almost too much to hold. “But you know I have this issue with my strength. That witch in there cursed me as well. If the curse is lifted, I have no idea what my physical abilities will be like then. I could become as weak as Ichabod Crane even. I-I don’t want—”

  She lifted her free hand to touch his face. “You’re worried if we were to marry that I would no longer find you physically attractive.”

  He nodded, his relief at her understanding palpable.

  Her own relief was far more substantial. She loved him for his caring heart far more than for his substantial muscles. “What about me? I know nothing of Newtime. If we do break the curse, you may grow cross with me for not understanding certain things or for behaving incorrectly. Your brother has told me of your success. You are an important man.”

  He smiled, a gentle look entering his eyes. “For such strong personalities, it appears we both have our insecurities. I can promise to be patient with your learning curve, if you can promise to tell me if my body no longer attracts you. Will you do that?”

  She touched his face, undone by his insecurity. “I will.”

  Braeden lowered himself to one knee in the middle of the dirt road. “Katrina Van Tassel, will you marry me?”

  Her eyes watered as she gazed upon the man that was her heart. “Yes. Definitely yes, Braeden Van Brunt.”

  He stood, picked her up and twirled her around. “Yesss!!” His shout echoed in the trees and a flock of birds took flight.

  Her heart filled with joy as she laughed.

  When they stopped spinning, he set her gently on her feet and cupped her face. “I love you, soon-to-be Mrs. Van Brunt.” Before she could reply, his lips were on hers, tasting her, claiming her as his. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him in return with all the love she had for him.

  He broke away suddenly, and she held on to keep from falling. “What is it?”

  “I need to get you an engagement ring.”

  “Well yes, but—”

  He unhooked her hands from around his neck and held to one as he started to propel them toward the village. “I need to get one right now. Come on, we have to hurry. I want to run into town and be back in the village before nightfall.”

  Kat’s mind spun at his insistence and hurry, but she didn’t bother to try to understand. The fact was, the man she loved wanted to marry her and that was all she cared about.

  * * * * *

  Kat fiddled with the beautiful diamond on her left hand as she waited for Braeden to finish dressing. It was a large octagonal stone with an intricate gold filigree around it that sparkled with diamond chips. Braeden informed her it was an authentic Victorian-era ring he’d discovered in an antique shop. His thoughtfulness about what she might like touched her, and she cried when he put it on her finger. She would never stop touching its beauty.

  “Are you ready to face the crowd?” Braden stood by the reception desk. His black jeans and gray long-sleeved chamois shirt made him look even bigger than he was and gave him presence. They would need that today.

  “Yes, I am.” She smoothed the folds of her long skirt. It was her best one. She wanted the village to see how important their vote was today.

  Braeden wrapped her shawl around her shoulders. He pulled on a black leather jacket of a similar look to those she’d seen on Newtimers who rode the motorized bikes. He looked rather intimidating, and she liked that.

  Opening the door of the inn, he allowed her to pass before ducking his head and following her. “Why are you smiling?”

  She laughed. “Because you’re quite good at bending under that door. I like that you’re comfortable in my inn.”

  He grasped her arm in his and lowered his head as they walked to the village square. “I’m very comfortable in you too.”

  Heat rushed to her cheeks and she grinned, but as they drew closer, her happiness faded and she squeezed Braden’s arm harder.

  There was no hesitation at all this time. A wide gap opened in the circle as they approached, but her papa stepped in front of them. He stared at Braeden a moment and nodded once before he hugged her to him. He whispered in her ear, “We believe in you.”

  She squeezed him back before taking Braeden’s hand again to move to the middle of the circle, the speaker’s place. They could do it. They had to be confident. She scanned the faces of those in the circle, mentally noting who might need convincing that they remain in Newtime and who would be willing. She was disappointed Nora wasn’t there, but her daughters were. That surprised her. Nora would have been her biggest ally next to Max.

  Braeden raised their joined hands and the sunlight glittered off her new ring. “I have asked this wonderful woman to be my wife, and she has agreed.”

  A cheer arose around the circle and Kat smiled, pleased so many were happy for her, though when she glanced at Jurgen, his scowl made his feelings clear.

  After the noise died down, Braeden continued. “However, there’s one issue standing in the way of our marriage and you can help. We have discovered how to lift the curse from Sleepy Hollow and keep the village in Newtime forever.”

  Many started talking at once. Kat strained to focus on different conversations. When Braden moved to speak again, she held him back and pulled him down so she could whisper in his ear.

  “What?”

  “Let them chew on this a bit longer. They need to discuss it before we tell them more.”

  He nodded and waited until she nudged him. He raised his hand. “The curse can be lifted if Kat and I marry, which we wholeheartedly want to do.” He gazed at her for a moment with so much love that she had to swallow hard. Her mother sighed and linked her arm with her husband’s. “However, everyone in Sleepy Hollow must agree to this marriage becaus
e it will not only join Kat and I, but it will permanently join the village with Newtime.”

  “Whoop! I say go for it!” Max’s jump in the air and strange expression didn’t sit very well with the rest, but others did appear to be in agreement. However, many were not.

  Ludo’s dad spoke up. “We don’t know anything about Newtime. How will we fit?”

  Max answered, a bit calmer. “I can teach everyone. I have been following all I can and I can help.”

  “And,” Kat paused until she had everyone’s attention, “you already know quite a bit because we have interacted with Newtimers since the curse began. We know what kind of clothes they wear, what countries exist and some of the inventions they use. What we don’t know we can learn with Max’s help and Braeden’s help. Besides, I don’t think there’s any rush.”

  “I say no!” Jurgen raised his fist. “This isn’t right. It’s not the way things are meant to be. All the signs are clear. Dame Van Brunt’s fence fell down for no reason. My garden was trampled by the black rider. The black rider didn’t even appear until he showed up.” Jurgen pointed at Braeden. “Makes me wonder why. Could a ghost be coming back to take revenge on us staying in Newtime when we shouldn’t, like today?”

  Murmurs ran through the circle. She caught Dame Vandend smiling. Kat pulled Braeden down again. “We can’t let this continue or more things will suddenly portend the worst.”

  He agreed, but before he could speak, someone shouted out that the Headless Horseman’s pumpkins had all disappeared since Braeden had arrived.

  Jurgen gloated. “Is this true? Your brother’s pumpkins never disappeared, nor your grandfather’s. Have all yours disappeared?”

  Kat cringed at Braeden’s fisted hand, a sinking feeling tightening her belly as he answered, “Yes, that’s true, but I found the batteries of one.”

  “You found them?”

  The female voice sounded loud in the utter silence after Braden’s admission. All eyes turned to Liesbeth. When she noticed, she stepped back and tried to hide behind Max.

  He turned and brought her forward to face Kat and Braeden, but he held her hand “Liesbeth, if you know something about the pumpkins, it’s very important you tell everyone.”

  She wouldn’t look at anyone, so Max lifted her chin. “Please, tell us.”

  Her gaze was so agonized Kat wanted to turn away, but the young woman’s response was far too important.

  Liesbeth continued to look at Max. “I was collecting them so I could give them to you for your birthday. I thought if I gave you something from Newtime, you would notice me as more than a friend.”

  The village was silent as Max’s eyes widened. “You mean you took them for me?”

  She nodded.

  Kat tensed. Please, Max, notice how much this girl cares for you. Open your eyes.

  “And you did it because you like me?”

  The woman blushed and lowered her eyes as she nodded.

  “Right.” Max’s befuddled expression would have been laughable if his understanding of the situation wasn’t so critical to Liesbeth’s heart.

  Kat tried to step forward but Braeden held her back and shook his head.

  The silence was deafening while Max looked at Liesbeth and perhaps for the first time saw her for the beautiful woman she had come to be. He lifted her chin again. “I didn’t know. I’m humbled and…very, very glad.” His broad smile caused the poor woman to sway, but he held her up like a gentleman and put his arm around her waist before speaking to everyone. “I guess those missing pumpkins have no bearing on Braeden being a curse. The way I see it, we should all vote yes on this marriage and lift the curse.”

  Kat’s heart soared as she heard conversations agreeing and witnessed heads nodding until Jurgen’s voice broke through again. “But what about the black rider? He only rides when Braeden is here.”

  “That’s not true.” Kat spoke quickly, not willing to let the tide turn again. “I was almost run over by the black rider during Oldtime. That could very well mean the rider was aware Braeden and I were falling in love and was trying to stop the curse from being lifted.”

  “And as for Dame Van Brunt’s fence,” Braeden paused, “I discovered it didn’t simply fall down. Someone kicked it until it broke.”

  Jurgen scowled. “How would you know that?”

  Braeden stared hard at the man. “Because the shoe print was left in the soft wood where the rail was split in half.”

  People started whispering again and looking at Jurgen’s feet. Kat took the opportunity to try to use reason. “I say it is time we joined the rest of the country. Let our young find their way in the current world to live a full life instead of growing old, alone, in Oldtime after we are gone. This is our only chance. I am the one who must marry, and I will marry no other than Braeden Van Brunt.”

  Braeden squeezed her hand while they watched many nodding and talking excitedly. Dame Vandend sat sullen on her bale of hay, but other than that, it looked as if they might get the vote they needed. Kat’s only question was Jurgen and his friends. She scanned the crowd where he’d been standing but he wasn’t there. As she searched the rest of the circle, she spotted smoke rising from Jurgen’s furniture shop.

  “Fire!” She pointed and people quickly turned.

  Her father yelled out “bucket line” and people scattered.

  Kat grabbed Braeden. “You should man the water pump. No one else has your kind of strength.”

  “Got it.” He ran for the pump as she raced for a bucket. She’d just reached her yard when a hand closed over her mouth with a piece of cloth and everything went dark.

  * * * * *

  Braeden pumped as fast as the villagers could put the buckets under the spout. He didn’t see Kat but the bucket line was long. The place going up in smoke was Jurgen’s. It was ironic that he was trying to save Jurgen’s shop, but a fire was a fire and could spread. Besides, he doubted there would be a fire engine rolling up to help any time soon.

  At a brief pause, he whipped off his shirt and soaked it to cool his heated body. While the pump wasn’t difficult, the repetitive motion was muscle-numbing and he was thrilled when they called a halt. Word came back that the building was a loss but the fire was out and wouldn’t spread.

  Hours of pumping had taken their toll and he soaked his shirt again. As he covered his torso with cold water and wiped his face, he heard the sound of horse’s hooves.

  He spun to find the black rider heading straight at him, but this time he could see the face clearly since the hood was thrown back. He wasn’t surprised to see Nora, but what concerned him was the fear on her face.

  She stopped feet from him. “You have to help Kat. Irwin has taken her! Jurgen tried to stop him, but he’s been shot.”

  Braeden looked over the people standing around and all the pieces clicked into place. The fire was a distraction. Throwing his wet shirt on, he grabbed the saddle. “Hold on to the pommel, I’m coming up.” He mounted Gunpowder and took the reins. “Where?”

  “The stables. You can talk to Jurgen. I think he has an idea where Irwin might take Kat.”

  “Thanks. Now hold tight.” Braeden kicked the beast into a gallop and raced down the dirt road. Nora squealed and grabbed the pommel tighter. He rode into the barn and dismounted in a heartbeat, leaving Nora to slide from the horse’s back by herself. His stride took him to the man who sat against a tree out back.

  When he stood before Jurgen, he clenched his fists, wanting more than ever to grab the man by his collar and yank him to his feet, but even he could see the growing blood stain on Jurgen’s shin. That had to hurt like hell. Good. He kept control of his anger and his voice. “Where’s Kat?”

  “Irwin took her. He plans to wait somewhere until late tonight and then cross outside of Sleepy Hollow. You’ve got to save her! If she crosses after midnight, she will turn to ash unless you two had congress already today.”

  “Ah, fuck.”

  Jurgen’s face paled as his last hope slipped
away. “Go! But watch out. Irwin is mad and he has a gun. He’s spouting about Ichabod’s revenge and he’s staying on this side of Sleepy Hollow until midnight because he wants to watch her dissolve. The bastard.” Jurgen’s face fell in defeat. “I never wanted to see her hurt.” He lifted his gaze. “I love her.”

  “Yeah, so do I.” Braeden turned to find Nora standing with Daredevil.

  “I could only get the reins on him. I can’t lift the saddle.”

  “Ludo usually does that for you, right?”

  She blushed. “Yes.”

  He grabbed the reins and mounted bareback. “Don’t worry, I’ll get her back. Just tell me where to look.”

  After Jurgen gave him three possible places based on Irwin’s ramblings, Braeden rode as if Brom’s ghost were racing them. Daredevil seemed to sense his urgency and they whipped between trees and flew over rocks. After looking in the first spot, an abandoned cabin, he felt the chill of the night air. He’d taken his watch off when he pumped the water but he’d stuffed it in his back pocket. Letting Daredevil walk toward a small stream to drink, he pulled it out. It was already after eight and he had two more places to check, if Jurgen was right.

  Braeden refused to contemplate possible failure. He’d not found Kat just to lose her. That was not an option, but shit, he’d had no idea Sleepy Hollow was so big. Not knowing exactly where he needed to go didn’t help either. “Come on, Daredevil, we have to find her.” He didn’t blame the villagers for fearing to go near the boundaries after dark. From what Nora said, no one knew precisely where the lines were and so stayed inside at night.

  After another hour, Braeden exited a cave made from boulders low in the ground. A partial moon made the outside lighter than the interior of the cave, but not by much. He still had one place left. Pulling out his watch, he grimaced. It was almost ten. Not only did he need to find Kat and take care of Ichabod, he also had to make love to her by midnight. He’d settle for no sex and wait a year as long as he knew she was still alive, but even as he willed himself to make that sacrifice, he refused to accept it. The last place was an old schoolhouse. She had to be there, and he had to find it.