by J. L. Jarvis
Brother Thomas leaned toward him. “What’s the matter, lad?”
Robert shrugged. “Nothing.”
Violet chimed in. “Nothing except that he’s probably fractured a rib or two.”
Robert looked away. “Och, ’tis just a few bruises.”
Violet resisted the urge to argue.
Robert ignored their concern for his well-being. “They’ve got to be stopped.”
“First, we must get the scroll back.” Brother Thomas stared at the table with darkening eyes.
Robert absently ran his fingers along a line in the table as he thought.
Violet watched him, but her mind was elsewhere. “They could have hidden it anywhere by now. There’s no way—unless…” Her eyes brightened as she and Robert shared a knowing look.
Robert leaned forward. “I must go back to a time before they took it.”
Brother Thomas’s silent stare was agreement enough.
* * *
VIOLET LAY AWAKE. After a long night with little sleep, morning came. As weary as she was, thoughts of the scroll, their attackers, and Robert weighed on her mind. Robert troubled her most, for she would soon have to leave him. That was why they’d returned to Perth. He would honor his promise to return her to the cave so she could go back to her world and the life she had known before. But that world wouldn’t be the same for her now. Nothing would without Robert. But that was her problem, not his.
A quiet knock sounded at her cell door.
“I’m taking you back to the cave.” Robert averted his eyes. “We must leave now if we’re to reach it before dawn. We’re more likely to journey through time when the cave gets the most sunlight.”
She wasn’t sure what she had expected him to say, but that made her heart sink. With as much cheer in her voice as she could muster, she said, “Okay.” She slipped on her shoes and stood, ready to go.
The sky glowed a dim gray through the mist as they made their way to Kinnoull Hill. All was quiet, except for Violet’s skirts brushing against the tall grass. From time to time, Robert cautioned her to watch her step, but otherwise, they were silent. By the time they reached the foot of the hill, Violet had imagined a dozen things she might say when they parted, none of which she would ever give voice to. When she dared let her eyes meet Robert’s, she saw the same troubled spirit. He, too, kept his words in check, for they both knew it was better that way. Instead, Violet kept her mind on the climb. She knew the path a bit better now, which helped. But the height had not changed, nor had her bothersome skirts. Still, they managed to reach the cave before dawn. Once inside, they stood facing each other.
When her eyes met his, her resolve faltered. “Thank you.” The words sounded formal, as if she’d said them at the close of a business meeting.
Dark eyes met hers. “Aye, well, you’re welcome.” He lifted her hand and stared at it as though he might say more, but he didn’t. He just stared at her with a determined expression.
The sun burned through the thinning mist to the back of the cave. Violet whispered, “I have to go.”
Robert nodded, his jaw set.
She turned and walked away. Their hands touched until the last step took her beyond his reach, then she turned and stood, waiting. The sun shone brilliantly into the cave as she took her last sight of Robert through tears. She felt a surge of power as though she were leaving, and a sob escaped. Then dark clouds blew in and darkened the sky, and the sensation of leaving was gone. Tears trailed down her cheeks as Robert pulled her into his arms. She clung to him and wept. Robert wiped tears from her face and kissed her.
“I don’t understand what just happened.” Violet buried her face in his neck and breathed in his scent. “But I’m glad.” She looked up, and his gray eyes softened.
“Are you?”
“Can’t you tell? You’re soaked through from my tears.” She smiled and smoothed her fingertips over his damp shoulder.
His intense gaze bore through her. “Why?”
Violet looked down to avoid his eyes.
“Say it,” he insisted.
“Why?” She looked up and shook her head. “What’s the use?”
“Because since I’ve met you, you’ve pushed me away.”
Violet took in a breath to protest, but he lifted an eyebrow, which stopped her. Of course he was right. But what good was it to pretend they could have any sort of a future—or even a present? She was on her way home.
He held her shoulders and made it nearly impossible for her to look anywhere but at him. “I’ll not force myself on you. Nor will I take advantage of your somewhat overwrought state.” He practically smiled.
She fought an urge to smile back.
He smoothed her hair back from her face. “All I ask is the truth.”
Calmed by his voice and his presence, she glanced outside but barely noticed the clouds rolling by, making way for the sun. She was with Robert, which was more important than anything else. For no matter what happened, she wanted to tell him the truth, so that he would know and remember. “I love you.”
That was all Robert needed to draw her into a kiss—and another. Untroubled by the tears spilling freely from her eyes, he was practically laughing. “I think I’ve loved you since I saw you hugging that cliff face.”
She grinned while wiping her tears, but her smile faded. “And then you were there, and you’ve been there when I wasn’t sure where or how to go on.”
“With me.”
“What?” She did not dare trust herself to believe what he had said.
Before he could answer, they looked outside. The clouds had all gone. Sunlight poured into the cave.
Violet looked at Robert. “Something’s happening.”
“Aye.” While the world changed before them, they clung to one another. Power surged through them, and the world went black.
* * *
ROBERT EXHALED in relief as Violet opened her eyes. She met his concerned look with apparent confusion, then she tried to sit up.
He swept his arm underneath her and helped her. “Are you all right?”
“Yes, I think so.”
They stepped out of an ancient stone structure and into a field with no one else in sight. Colored leaves seemed to murmur in the trees as a breeze made her shiver. A short distance away was an octagonal stone chapel.
“What is this place?” she asked.
Robert’s eyes fixed on the chapel. “I’ve heard it described. If I’m not mistaken, it’s Laon. We’re in France.”
“I don’t understand. I was going home. You were with me.”
Robert felt as disconcerted as she looked. “It’s a Templar chapel. I was going to come here after you went home. My parents were here when King Philip’s men arrested the Templars.”
When Violet opened her mouth to ask a question, soldiers appeared on the horizon.
Robert gripped her arm. “God’s wounds! It’s happening now. We must go to the chapel!”
They ran and ducked inside the chapel, where a Templar spoke in hushed tones to a nun.
Wasting no time with formalities, Robert said in French, “The king’s men are coming. We must—”
The Templar and nun turned, alarmed. Robert froze, his eyes fixed on the Templar.
Violet took in a sharp breath then whispered, “Brother Thomas!”
The Templar looked strangely at her and answered in English. “Do I know you?”
She nearly said yes, but the truth was that it would be years before he would know her. How many? Her accountant’s mind started to calculate. The time between now and the sixteenth century would be two hundred fifty-two years. But not counting the years that they time traveled past, what was left? Robert had not been born yet but would be in less than a year, so that meant that another twenty-five years would pass before she would meet Thomas. Her head hurt.
Before Violet could reply, Robert appeared to regain his composure. “Sir Thomas?”
“Yes.”
“You speak English?�
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“I do. What troubles you?”
Robert visibly shook off his shock at finding Thomas there and focused on the immediate threat. “The king’s men are riding this way. They’re rounding up Templars. If they find you here, they’ll arrest you—or worse.” Robert looked sharply about. “Is anyone else here?”
Thomas shot a dark look at Robert. “No. Come with me.” Grasping the nun’s elbow, he led the way to a heavy oak door that led to a small room.
Violet whispered to Robert, “But if no one else is here, then he must be—”
“Aye.” Robert tightened his hand about hers and gave her a pointed look that made clear his desire for her to be silent. It was clear to him as well that the people before him were his parents. The man he had known all of his life as Brother Thomas was his father. How could he not have told him?
“Mademoiselle, you must hurry.” Thomas sent Violet and the nun through a heavy oak door that led to a small side room, then he turned to urge Robert to enter.
“One moment.” Robert went to the altar. “Where is it? Where’s the scroll?”
Thomas hesitated and glanced toward the altar.
“Hurry! Get the scroll. You cannae leave it behind!” Robert cast a nervous look toward the outside door, where the king’s men would soon enter.
Thomas scrutinized Robert for a moment, then he went back to retrieve the scroll from under the altar. They rushed into the side room, where Thomas sprang a hidden latch. A panel swung open to reveal a tunnel. One after the other, the four people climbed into the narrow passageway and proceeded along its dark path. The latch closed with a click just as the king’s men burst into the room off the chapel. Having made their escape, the four followed the tunnel to its end, where a ladder led up to a hatch that opened in the midst of a thick copse of trees surrounded by farmland. Inside the tunnel, they hid, waiting in silence for darkness to fall, alert to any sound that might signal the soldiers’ approach.
No one dared even whisper. In that stillness, Robert suffered. His one saving grace was feeling Violet’s arm slip through the small space left by his bent elbow. She rested her head on his shoulder and put her other hand over his. They couldn’t talk, but he knew that she understood how his life and his place in the world had been shaken by Thomas’s actions. There was no longer anything he could count on, except that his life had been built upon a lie. Even if he could talk to his father, what would he say? In the present year, he had not yet been born. Neither parent knew him or what was to come. If he told them who he was, what help would it be? He couldn’t confront them and ask them to justify choices they had not yet made. Telling them what to do would, at best, confuse them and, at worst, further alter the path his life would take. He had no way of knowing what the ramifications would be. The better course was to wait until he was back in his own time to confront Brother Thomas, or rather Sir Thomas, as he would have to address his father for now since he was a Knight Templar. That assumed he would make it back to that time. For now, he didn’t know whether he had a future beyond the next few minutes or hours.
Violet slid her fingers along his palm and twined her fingers in his. He wasn’t facing this alone, and that brought him comfort.
10
THE DOLMEN
The king’s men left sometime in the hours before dawn. The four travelers emerged from the tunnel and looked about. Robert briefly but clearly explained that he and Violet had come through the dolmen from some distance hence. When Thomas and his mother accepted that without question, he knew they were aware of its power. So the four of them made their way there. The moon hung low in the sky and, with the faint glow of dawn, lit their path through the trees.
They were faint shadows making their way, which was better for Robert. As close to the surface as his feelings were, it was better that his companions not see him, lest he betray how he felt. He needed more time to find his way through the tangle of emotions before he could manage to look his father in the eye. It wasn’t in Robert’s nature to sidestep the truth. After all, he was a warrior trained to confront whatever got in his way. He faced his fear and ran straight toward danger to fight for what was right. Now he couldn’t even confront his father to ask him why he had raised him with the lie that his father was dead. What sort of man let a young child believe that? But the man before him had done nothing wrong yet. And the woman before him was his mother. Months from now, she would die giving birth to him. He wanted to thank her for all she had done—and would do—for him. But how could he do so without telling her that the man before her was her unborn child fully grown? No, it was best to say nothing.
They arrived at the dolmen as sunlight brushed the horizon. Violet slipped her hand into Robert’s and strengthened him. For the true strength of a warrior lay in his heart, and now Violet was there. The sun was fully upon them. The couples held hands as they lifted their faces to its bright warmth.
Robert extended his hand. “Sister—?”
“Sister Claudine,” she said with a faint smile as she grasped Robert’s hand.
And then they were gone.
* * *
ROBERT RECOVERED first and sat up, relieved to see the familiar stone walls of the Dragon Hole. Thomas stirred, and the women soon after. Sister Claudine tucked in wisps of hair that had escaped from her wimple. Her hair was straight and black, like Robert’s. They slowly made their way down to the foot of the hill, where they rested before embarking on foot for Perth.
Once safely on the ground, Robert discreetly studied his parents. Sir Thomas was much the same, but he had the exuberance of one who had not yet suffered loss. Sister Claudine kept a proper distance from Sir Thomas, barely looking at him. Only once did Robert catch a fleeting glance between them, and that single glance was evidence enough of their love. The look in her eyes was enough for Robert to understand why Sir Thomas would break any vow to be with her. Her gentle brown eyes suggested inner warmth that would be hard to resist. Robert found comfort in seeing the love his parents shared, but the comfort was tinged with the sorrow of knowing their fate.
Robert stole glances at Violet whenever he thought he might falter. His sense of who he was had always been his foundation. As little more than a foundling, he had constructed a sense of his worth based on sheer will and a vision of who he wanted to be. And he had achieved it. He was a strong and honorable knight who not only believed in what was right, but he acted upon it with all of his might. When he’d found out that Brother Thomas was really his father, he felt angry, betrayed, but most deeply hurt. But Violet was there. For how long, he couldn’t be certain, so he chose to save that question for another time.
An hour later, they arrived at the Blackfriars Monastery, where Robert was relieved to discover that there was not a second Brother Thomas already there, but there was a young abbot, who would have been in Perth just before Robert was born. So they seemed to have arrived at least near the time they were supposed to. Father Abbot arranged for them to be fed then came the questions. Robert did his best to hide his surprise as Sir Thomas launched into a tale of how he and Sister Claudine had left their monastery in France to seek a different way to serve God. Thomas claimed they had come over by ship from Calais to Leith, where they had met up with Robert and Violet—who were married, according to Sir Thomas. For safety, as well as propriety, they thought it best not to travel alone, so they all came together.
“Is that not so, Sir Robert?” Sir Thomas met Robert’s eyes with a composure that Robert admired.
A few seconds too late, he replied, “Yes.” His nod was a bit too pronounced, but it was the best Robert could do when presented with so thoroughly false an accounting of their journey together.
Thomas continued. “Our travel companions must regrettably leave in the morning to continue their journey.”
“Oh, and where to?” Father Abbot looked straight at Robert.
“Inverness.”
And that, along with some cordial conversation, was the extent of Robert’s part i
n the lie. During their walk to Perth, Robert had cautioned Violet not to speak around others, lest she reveal her strange accent and prompt more questions than they had answers for.
Father Abbot turned his attention to Sir Thomas and Sister Claudine. “Of course I will have to seek permission with the bishop for your transfer, Sister. As you know, you cannot simply move about as you please. There is a process, and it can take time. In the meanwhile, you are welcome to stay here.” His eyes drifted to Sister Claudine, whose cheeks were stained with a blush.
Robert suspected the color in her cheeks came from fear. He imagined she wasn’t used to lying. With a quick glance, Robert checked to see if the abbot might wonder the same, but the young abbot regarded her with an altogether different look in his eyes. It was one of appraisal, which made Robert uneasy. But a quick glance at Sir Thomas showed no similar suspicion on his face, so Robert decided he had misread the abbot, and he set aside his concern. So matters were settled with relative ease. His parents would settle into life at the Blackfriars Monastery, and Robert and Violet would leave in the morning.
Sir Thomas leaned forward. “There was one additional matter remaining.”
Robert shot a pointed look at his father. “Sir Thomas, the hour grows late. Any other matters in need of discussion can surely wait until tomorrow.”
Sir Thomas returned Robert’s glance with narrowing eyes then gave him a nod. “Yes, of course.” Turning to the abbot, he said, “It's been a long and tiring day for all of us.” His eyes swept over the women then returned to the abbot. “May we please have your leave to retire for the evening?”
“You may. We shall find time to speak in the morning.”
They all rose and bade farewell to the abbot before proceeding down the hallway to their rooms for the night. The women were first to be escorted to their cells. When Sister Claudine turned to bid them all good night, her eyes settled on Robert. His throat tightened, but he managed a cordial good night. She lifted her eyes to his and smiled. He hoped to always remember that smile and the kindness in her eyes.
