“What are you smiling about?”
She came out of the bathing chamber, a towel wrapped around her glorious hair.
“Nothing. Mayhap a surprise for later.”
“I love surprises, and speaking of…” She went over to the bed and handed him two bags.
“I know you know about the boots, but the other…well, I hope I chose wisely.”
He took the first bag from her and took out a pair of finely crafted boots. “The leather is so soft.” Slipping off his loafers, he tried on the boots, walking over to the tall looking glass to admire them.
“I thank ye, my lady. Such a fine gift.”
She stood next to him. “They suit you. I can’t wait to see how they look with your new tunic and hose tomorrow.” Then she led him back to the bed and pushed him down. “Now close your eyes. No peeking.”
He did as she bade him, curious as to what she was so excited about. It took him only a moment to know what she had placed in his outstretched hands.
“They are beautiful.” He caressed the daggers, tried them in his boots, and, for the first time since traveling across time, he felt like a new man, better than he was before and whole. Thomas took the blades back out, examining each one. He read the inscription on the one with the emerald in the hilt.
“Who is Dr. Seuss?”
Laughter filled the room. “He’s a very smart man.”
“Aye, he is.” Thomas touched the words. “‘You know you’re in love when you can’t fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.’”
Pulling her close, he inhaled her scent. “’Tis true. My dreams pale compared to you.” At last he had come home.
SEVENTEEN
Penelope had been so busy finishing up projects for work that she’d lost track of time until she heard music fill the house and looked outside to see it was dark. When she came downstairs, she could see what looked like a hundred candles nestled in hurricane jars, flickering on the screened-in porch.
“My lady, will you join me for a stroll on the beach? Then a glass of champagne and your St. Germain?”
Thomas was dressed in his new black tunic and hose, his sword hung at his hips, and he was wearing the second pair of boots she’d insisted he needed, these in black. He looked every inch the medieval knight come to take his damsel away into the night to ravish her. My, wasn’t she getting fanciful? It was the effect he had on her—she’d stopped worrying what anyone thought of the two of them, and simply enjoyed the wondrous feelings that came with being helplessly and totally in love.
“I’d love to walk on the beach.” She took his offered arm and padded barefoot out to the sand, and as he always did, even at night, he picked her up as effortlessly, as if she were a pillow on the bed, and carried her over the strip of sand that was always hotter than the rest of the beach. Breathless when he put her down, she felt the breeze cooling the back of her neck and ruffling his hair, which was touching his shoulders. Usually he tied it back, but tonight it was loose, and made his gray eyes turn silver in the moonlight.
Other men she had dated either didn’t care what she did or weren’t interested, but he wanted to know everything about her work, his interest genuine. Tonight she felt like she’d waited her entire life to find him, and hoped one of Rainbow’s friends would come through soon with a way to furnish him with identification so he could survive in the modern world. He’d been teaching men and children to fight with swords. A farmer rented them a field he wasn’t using in exchange for teaching both his sons to use swords and daggers. People paid well, and she hoped perhaps he could start some kind of sword-fighting school, or when he had papers, maybe teach. After all, he had lived through the time period, so he could tell the students things they wouldn’t find anywhere else.
She rinsed off her feet at the outdoor shower, and Thomas brushed off his boots before they settled on the outdoor sofa and he poured her a cocktail. Classical music played softly, and after she’d finished half a glass of her drink, he held out a hand to her.
“Dance with me.”
A gull called in the distance as they danced with candles all around them, softly talking. The song ended, and Thomas poured her another drink, sitting beside her, taking her hands in his.
“I followed the stars to find you. Every step, every choice I made, led me to you.” He cleared his throat and knelt at her feet. “I have no gold or home to offer you.” Then he pulled his sword and laid it across her lap.
“I give you my blade and my body. I will protect you and cherish you. Loving you throughout time. Will you marry me, Penelope Merriweather?”
Her hands shook as she pulled him up beside her.
“Thomas, I love you with all my heart and soul. I’ve waited an eternity to find you, but there’s something you need to know about me… I have been married before.”
“My love, I would expect you to be widowed—you are a grown woman, not a girl. It does not matter.”
At that moment, Penelope, who never had regrets, regretted her choices with all her heart. With every fiber of her being, she wished he had been the first. A sigh escaped, and she knew he was not her first love, but he would be her last. If he would still have her once he knew.
“No, I’m not widowed. I’ve been married and divorced eight times.”
He looked out at the water and the stars, and for a minute she thought she’d lost him.
“Look to the sky, my lady. Can you not believe the fates would send me to you? Those men were fools, and if they could not keep you, then it is because the fates decreed you belong to me. But I must tell you: I will never let you go. I will love you until there is no more breath in my body, and then I will love you from beyond.”
She was crying so hard that he didn’t hear her, and she had to blow her nose.
“Oh, Thomas, I love you with all my heart. There will never be another, only you. If you’ll still have me, I’ll marry you.”
He pulled a cloth-wrapped bundle from underneath a pillow and held out the most beautiful necklace.
“I know ye don’t care for rings, so I had this fashioned for you instead.”
She held up her hair while he clasped it around her neck, and that was when she noticed what had been bothering her. With a gasp, she took his hand. “Your family ring. Where is it?”
Tucking a lock of hair behind her ear, he said, “I gave it to the goldsmith in exchange for your betrothal necklace.” He touched the gold unicorn. “The gold from the band made your favorite beast.”
Tears fell again, and he caught each one on his finger, touching it to his lips.
“I know how precious your ring was to you. I didn’t need a necklace. You should have kept the ring.”
But he shook his head. “Nay, my lady. I wanted you to have it. I no longer need the ring.” He looked in her eyes, and she swore she could see his love for her reflected there. “They have been dust for hundreds of years. I must enjoy the life I have now, thanks to you. Before you, I never truly lived, but now I will never waste another day.”
She touched the unicorn, the emerald, the sapphire, and the diamond. “I will treasure it always.” Then she stroked his cheek, softly pressing her lips to his bare finger. Thomas took her face in his hands, capturing her mouth and branding her for all time. He had taken over every inch of her heart and soul, and she would love him until they were old and gray, strolling together on the beach a little more stooped over, their love growing deeper every year. Life was perfect.
EIGHTEEN
The next few weeks passed in a bubble of bliss for Penelope. They’d taken several trips to the outer banks and a weekend to the mountains. Yesterday she’d taken Thomas to Fort Fisher, where he peppered the tour guide with a million questions, and, recognizing another history buff—the guy had no idea—they talked and talked while she wandered, content. He had all kinds of questions about the Civil War and the blockade runners that the guide happily answered.
“Tell me again of this aquarium. Have
they caught a sea monster? I would like to see the beast that tried to take me down beneath the waves to its lair.”
He was driving, the top down, and seeing her medieval man wearing Aviator sunglasses, jeans, and a t-shirt made her smile, because she knew he had the daggers on his person, and the sword was in the trunk. He’d refused to leave it behind, and she’d explained how it really wasn’t appropriate to wear it everywhere.
“No sea monsters, but plenty of sharks and fish. Alligators. You’ll like gators.”
He expertly parked the car and took her hand as they wandered through the exhibits—as she’d predicted, he was fascinated by the alligators, and she told him how every once in a while after a big storm she’d see one ambling along on the beach, which always fascinated anyone around.
“Penelope, look—a monster is in the water with the sharks.” Thomas went up to the viewing area next to two young boys, and all three of them pressed their faces to the glass.
Quietly, she said, “That’s not a monster. It’s a man in a wetsuit and oxygen tank so he can breathe underwater.”
Before he could pepper her with questions, she held up a hand. “No, I don’t know how it works, but I’m sure we can stop at a dive shop and you can ask all about it.”
He grinned and kissed her on the cheek, to the disgust of the little boys next to him.
“You lads will be grateful for a kiss from your lady when you are older.”
“Never,” said one.
“Girls are gross,” said the other, and Penelope had to cover her mouth to keep from laughing at the identical looks of distaste on the boys’ faces.
It was late afternoon when they left and found a place for dinner in downtown Wilmington along the river walk. The nights were getting a little cooler, and they sat outside on the water, watching the sun go down.
Afterward, she knew just where to take him. “There’s a great ice cream place up ahead.”
Thomas looked down at her heels and pretended to pout. “I love the shoes you wear, but they slow us down when going to have this cream ice you talk about. Shall I carry you?”
“Don’t worry, there will be plenty of ice cream for you. As much as I love it when you carry me, we might draw a lot of attention.”
He laughed and kissed her fingers. “As my lady wishes.”
At the old-fashioned ice cream shop, Thomas must have tasted every flavor. The young guy grinned as he handed him sample after sample.
Thomas nodded at the kid. “Double chocolate brownie, peanut butter swirl, strawberry, and a scoop of mint chocolate chip.”
The bowl he handed Thomas was huge. “Want chocolate sauce, whipped cream, and a cherry too?”
Penelope grinned. “He’ll take the works.” She looked at Thomas. “Trust me, you’re going to love whipped cream.”
“Anything for you, ma’am?”
“A waffle cone with a scoop of raspberry and a scoop of lemon sorbet.”
He handed her the cones, and Thomas paid, whispering to her, “The swordplay lessons pay well.”
“Thank you. And don’t worry, I’ll share mine. I see you eyeing the sorbet.”
Hand over his heart, he winked at her. “I would never steal your ice cream…because I know you would share.”
“Shall we sit and eat and then we can walk along the river walk?”
“Aye, I like to watch you.” Thomas pulled out a chair for her and then got down to the business of eating. In between bites, he asked her about the Merriweather women turning gray early.
“From what I know, it happens to all Merriweather women—some go gray in their twenties, others not until their late forties, but we can’t escape it. Well, unless we color it.”
“Not like Rainbow.” He shuddered. “She is a lovely woman, but blue and purple hair are not as pretty as your sable with silver strands.”
“A perfect answer.” He’d finished his ice cream and was eyeing the rest of her sorbet. “Go ahead, finish it, and the waffle cone is the best part.”
“Penelope? Why do you still have the name Merriweather when you have been married before?”
“It’s something we’ve always done. Family tradition. Will it bother you if I keep it?”
He looked thoughtful for a moment. “I would like you to have my name, but I understand family tradition and duty.”
“Could you be any more perfect?” She leaned across the table, and he met her halfway. His lips tasted of sorbet, and that unique scent of him filled her senses, making her wish to hurry home.
Walking along the water, she wasn’t paying any attention when she heard the voices.
“Give us your money and your phones and no one gets hurt.”
Three men stood in front of them, knives drawn. Thomas pulled her behind him and stepped forward.
“You better back off, dude. We ain’t fooling around.”
The older one said, “We’ll cut you and take your woman.”
The change in Thomas was instantaneous. Where before he had been wary but curious, now he balanced on the balls of his feet, and in a flash he had both daggers before him.
One of the guys ran as Thomas laughed.
“Come then, let us see what worthless bastards you both are.” He stepped closer, landing a blow to the jaw of the older man with the hilt of his dagger. The guy went down with a groan and didn’t get up. At that, the other dropped his knife and ran.
Thomas snorted. “Puny men in this time of yours, Penelope.”
Instead of being scared, laughter bubbled up. He was so disgusted that they didn’t put up a fight, and she knew she hadn’t been in any danger with him there to protect her. He’d put his own body in front of her, for which she loved him even more, if it was possible.
“Take me home and let me show you how grateful I am.”
This time he swept her up in his arms. “We will make haste.”
NINETEEN
Tomorrow was the fall solstice and the day of the wedding, so today they planned to relax on the beach and enjoy the day. It was going to be a really small wedding. Her friends from her solstice parties and Mildred. Rainbow would officiate on the beach, and that night, under the full moon, Thomas and Penelope would celebrate the solstice and spend the rest of the night learning each other’s bodies.
She’d asked him if he wanted to go away for a honeymoon, but he knew she had a deadline, and so they would wait, and when it turned cold in November they would take a Caribbean cruise—if his papers had come through by then. Otherwise, they’d go to the Florida Keys and laze around on the beach.
She opened the freezer to get ice out for their iced tea, and laughed.
“We had three gallons of ice cream in here two days ago. Where on earth do you put it all? I swear I’ve gained five pounds these past few weeks.”
Thomas peered into the freezer as if he could conjure up more. “’Tis surely enchanted. I heard it call to me late at night.”
With a laugh, she hugged him. “Believe me, I can relate.”
The tone of her sister’s voice was what drew Penelope downstairs, her hair pinned up, makeup done for her wedding. They would be married under the full moon if it didn’t rain. The weather guy was predicting intermittent thunderstorms, and while Rainbow said rain on your wedding day was good luck, Penelope hoped it would hold off. Her friends were busy decorating the downstairs in case they had to move the festivities inside.
“How exactly are you going to contribute? Do you expect my sister to take care of you?”
“Mildred! Enough.”
But Thomas pulled Penelope close and kissed her cheek. “I have been teaching men to fight, and I am working with the blacksmith to improve his sword-making skills. While I do not bring gold to my marriage with your sister, I am being paid, and I will protect her and cherish her, love her until the end of time.”
Mildred thrust a small, tattered book out at Thomas. The scent of old books met Penelope’s nose, and a feeling of dread swept over her. “Even knowing your sister, J
osephine, was forced to marry your enemy, Roger DeChartes?”
“Where did you find the book? We looked everywhere.” Penelope was furious. Her sister had obviously had the book for a while and waited until the wedding to make a fuss.
Thomas was reading the page Mildred had marked. “Roger always did want my lands.” He shut the book with a snap, a look of pain on his face, and said softly, “I cannot aid her. An ocean of time separates us. There was nothing in here of Heath. I must believe he did his best to protect her.”
“Well, I’m sure Rainbow could send you back,” Mildred said.
“Mildred, she tried,” Penelope said. “It didn’t work. Why are you doing this today, of all days?”
Her sister was dressed for a funeral, in a severe black pantsuit. “Going for number nine? It’s ridiculous. None of your marriages ever last, so what makes this one any different?”
“At least I put myself out there, open up my heart, even if it does get broken. You, you’ve hit the wall. Let yourself go, become old and closed off.”
A sharp pain pierced her heart that her sister couldn’t share her joy in this day, couldn’t see how happy she was with Thomas, that she had finally found her soul mate.
“So what if I married and failed eight times? At least I gave my whole heart each time.”
Mildred snorted. “That’s not all you gave.”
“Oh shut up.” Unable to stay mad at her sister, Penelope laughed, pulling her into a hug. “I know you mean well, but try and be happy for me. It’s bad enough Alice is off sailing somewhere and couldn’t be here. I need you with me.”
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