One Enchanted Evening (52 page)

Montgomery smiled to himself, then strode back along the wall to stop near Pippa, then pull her behind him whilst the last pair of traitors were collected and added to the group standing in front of the hearth.

“You’re crushing me,” she squeaked.

He gave her a bit more room, but put his arm behind him and pulled her against his back. “I’m allowing you to hold me up,” he said weakly. “By the saints, Persephone, I didn’t expect to see you here in the midst of this madness.” He shivered. “Martin would have killed me if you hadn’t been here.”

“He would have, the liar,” she said with a snort. “No, don’t turn around.” She patted his back, then slipped out from behind him. “Gotta go. I’ll tell you everything later.”

He would have stopped her, but he was suddenly in the midst of backslapping from his men and howls of outrage from Gunnild. He ordered his men to escort Gunnild out to the lone intact guard chamber in the outer gates, then turned toward the midst of the hall in time to see Pippa running past Robin toward the kitchens. Robin looked at him, shrugged, then exchanged a laugh with Petter over something before he too left through the kitchens.

Montgomery took stock. There were three guardsmen left, huddled uselessly in a corner. Petter and his lads were enjoying something François’s lads had brought them to drink, and Fitzpiers, Maurice, and Phillip were standing in a cluster, looking terribly fierce. He made certain Ranulf could manage the inside of the hall, then took himself out down the passageway and through the kitchens.

He caught someone slipping out a hole in his foundation just before he—or she, rather—managed it.

“Let me go,” Pippa said breathlessly. “I’m arriving tomorrow with a contingent of nobility.”

Montgomery felt a little breathless himself. “You came.”

She looked over her shoulder at him. “I’m assuming you wanted me to.”

He leaned forward and kissed her almost as thoroughly as he dared. “I believe the fact that we’re betrothed sheds light on that.”

“I don’t think you got quite around to that betrothing part, buster.”

He smiled. “I’ll remedy that as soon as possible.” He kept hold of her by means of an arm around her waist, then sat on the edge of the rock. “Whom shall I expect on the morrow?”

“Persephone, the lady of Alki,” she said, making herself at home on the rock with him. “Your brother was good enough to provide an escort for me.”

“I imagine he was.”

“He also brought a collection of unencumbered garrison knights who were tired of the damp, a few more horses, and some things to unpack in your kitchen.”

He kissed her again, because he couldn’t help himself. “And what did you bring besides your own sweet self?”

“Why would you think I’d brought you anything?” she asked archly.

He pursed his lips. “You’ve obviously spent too much time with my brother because you’re beginning to sound like him. And the reason I imagined you brought something with you is because you’re intimately acquainted with my sad addiction to all things twenty-first century.”

She kissed him quickly then pulled away and stood on the opposite side of his wall. “Hope the trunk in your solar has a good lock.”

“Pippa,” he said, reaching for her hand before she could escape entirely.

“Aye, my lord?”

He smiled. “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” she said.

“Oh, nay, not any more of this,” said a voice from the other side of the wall. Robin’s face appeared in the torchlight. “I had a delicious meal at Grandmere’s this morn and I don’t want to lose it. Come along, Persephone, before I’m too nauseated to stagger away from this rat-infested hole.”

“Robin?” Montgomery said.

“Aye?”

“Shut up.”

Pippa laughed, slipped her arm through Robin’s, then waved at Montgomery before she walked off with his brother to what Montgomery could see was a very luxurious, well-guarded, and quite enormous camp.

“Still time to bolt,” Robin said loudly.

“Not a chance,” she said, just as loudly.

Montgomery was going to kill his brother. After he thanked him for several things, namely his very useful and quite critical aid not an hour ago.

“He is besotted beyond all reason,” Robin bellowed. “If you didn’t agree to wed him, he would spend his days pacing a trench in front of his hall, waiting for you to change your mind.”

Pippa looked over her shoulder. Even in the faint moonlight he could see the expression of affection on her face. Aye, he would have. If he’d been alive to do so.

He waited for them to disappear into the darkness, then sighed and sat on the edge of the hole. He looked out over his keep and found that it was suddenly quite a bit more full of light than it had been but an hour ago.

It was all because of Pippa.

He smiled to himself, then heaved himself to his feet and walked across his courtyard. The princess had come to rescue the prince. Preparing the hall for her reception on the morrow was the very least he could do in return.

He was very grateful to be alive to do so.

P
ippa
sat on the horse Robin had loaned her, took a deep breath, then looked around her and was overcome yet again by the generosity of her future in-laws.

Anne and Amanda had taken her under their wings that first afternoon at Artane and pressed on her every conceivable medieval frill. She might have been lacking hot showers and bagels, but she had enjoyed luxury camping, perfectly delicious meals, and the company of souls who loved Montgomery very much and were full of stories about him they thought she should know. Robin’s were told, she had been convinced during a lesson or two in swordplay, to help her see the error of her ways. Jake, Amanda, and Anne told her only what they thought would convince her she was doing the right thing—not that she’d needed any convincing.

She supposed she would have time enough in the future to talk to Jake about his adventures, find out how Jennifer had survived without chocolate, and meet Abigail, who was apparently married to Montgomery’s brother Miles.

“Paranormal oddities,” Robin had said, more than once, with a knowing nod, also more than once.

Pippa wasn’t going to wish those oddities to be anything but what her mother would have said they were: the long, long reach of Karma finally delivering on what had been paid for in advance.

Then again, perhaps that was giving credit where it wasn’t due. She wasn’t sure even Karma could manage to deliver something as wonderful as a man who paced in front of his barbican as he waited for his future bride to arrive.

Montgomery strode down his bridge, then hopped off the end and walked over to take the bridle of her horse. He smiled up at her. “Good morrow to you, my lady.”

Pippa almost fell off her horse into his arms, but Robin cleared his throat so loudly that she didn’t dare. She contented herself with looking at the man she loved and being grateful that she was two feet from him instead of eight centuries. She held her hand down and had a lingering kiss on the palm for her trouble.

“Oh, by the saints, none of this,” Robin said, urging his horse forward and almost sending Montgomery into the moat. “This is the lady of Alki, and she isn’t accustomed to such familiarities. I can see I’ll need to sit between the two of you constantly until the wedding. And as you can see by my company, Montgomery my lad, we’ve come for a long engagement.”

“Not unless you’ve brought food, you haven’t,” Montgomery said pointedly.

Robin pointed over his shoulder at a wagon behind him. “Compliments of Grandmère, who would like to come but is feeling poorly. She sends her good wishes, things for your lady’s pleasure, and a demand that you both present yourselves at her hall as soon after the wedding as possible. Nicholas, Jennifer, and the lads are a day behind me, as well as Miles, Abigail, and their terrifying brood. Nick sent a message to Mother and Father, who have invited you to come eat through their larder after you’ve made the required visit to Segrave. I believe they have extended their hospitality to last through the restoration of your hovel here. I understand Isabelle has also issued an invitation for a lengthy stay where you might sun yourself amongst her grapes.”

“Very generous of them all,” Montgomery said.

Robin pursed his lips. “Aye, think of me fondly whilst you’re in lovely France and I’m freezing my sorry arse off in the north.”

“I will,” Montgomery promised, then he promptly ignored his brother in favor of Pippa.

Pippa tried not to blush profusely as Montgomery led her horse across the bridge as if she had indeed been a very fine lady. It was difficult to access her inner diva while on horseback where she wasn’t entirely sure she wouldn’t land facedown in courtyard muck, but she did the best she could. She couldn’t say that she wasn’t profoundly relieved to put her hands on Montgomery’s shoulders and let him help her off her horse.

“No kissing,” Robin bellowed from behind them.

Montgomery bent and whispered in her ear. “Do you know who he reminds me of?”

“Kendrick?”

“Exactly, the poor lad.”

She laughed and pulled away from him before she was the one who would be creating rumors about her entirely inappropriate pre-wedding behavior.

“I suppose you could wed her here in the stables,” Robin said distinctly. “Don’t see any holes in these walls.”

Montgomery took a deep breath, no doubt counting to ten at the same time. “I’m going to kill him.”

“He got me here without trouble,” Pippa said. “That might earn him a reprieve.”

“A temporary one,” Montgomery agreed. He looked at the wagons behind her. “What, love, did you bring in those other wagons?”

“All kinds of stuff,” Pippa said, “including Robin’s bed. He wasn’t going to sleep in one of yours—”

She would have finished her sentence, but Montgomery had pulled her behind him and drawn his sword. She put her hands on his back, then peeked around him in time to see a rider come thundering into the courtyard. It wasn’t one of Robin’s men because he was wearing the wrong colors.

“Who is that?” she asked uneasily.

“Bloody hell,” Robin wheezed. “ ’ Tis Henry’s messenger.” He leapt down off his horse. “Where can I hide?”

“Behind your elegant, courteous wife,” Montgomery said with a grunt. “And don’t you dare slither out any of the holes in my foundation until you’ve introduced Pippa properly to the king. You’d damned well better have a decent history for her.”

Robin sighed. “Always the man’s work for me. Never a day of leisure, I’ll tell you that.”

“Rob?” Montgomery said.

“Aye?”

“No one’s listening to you.”

Pippa laughed at the dark look Robin shot his youngest brother.

“I won’t make it so you can’t kiss your bride, but I’m tempted.” He went to help Anne down from her horse, still muttering not quite under his breath.

Pippa felt Montgomery resheath his sword, then looked up at him as he turned toward her. She felt slightly more faint than usual, and unfortunately it had nothing to do with Montgomery. “The king?”

He felt for her hand and linked his fingers with hers briefly. “Why don’t you take Anne and Amanda into the hall and make yourself comfortable? I’ll see to this lad, then come find you and see you settled.” He paused. “I imagine Henry will be here within the hour. His outriders don’t proceed him by much.”

She wished quite suddenly for a place to sit down. “King Henry?”

Montgomery lifted an eyebrow briefly. “Welcome to 1241, my love.”

“I appreciate the extra-fancy shindig you’re throwing for me,” she said, not really caring if that translated well or not, “but shouldn’t I be fixing supper or something else useful?” she asked, feeling unaccountably breathless.

He looked at her, then pulled her into his arms and hugged her tightly. “Nay, love, you should simply go take a moment or two to rest yourself from your journey, then send one of Robin’s pages for wine for your pleasure. In a half hour, if it pleases you, you could certainly descend and confer with François about the menu.”

“Menu,” she managed. She cleared her throat. “Tell me he’ll know what to do.”

“He will,” Montgomery said confidently. “And Mandy and Anne will help you. I don’t even think you’ll have to ask.”

She shivered, once, then stepped away. She had to take a couple of deep breaths before she thought she could not hyperventilate. “Will he believe it?” she asked. “You know what I’m talking about.”

“Trust Robin,” Montgomery said quietly.

“Do you?”

“With my life. Without question.” He smiled, then raised her hand to his mouth and kissed it. “His faults are legion, but when it comes to family, he is absolutely ruthless in his quest to keep those he loves safe. If it eases you any, that is one of my brother’s traits I have vowed my whole life to emulate.”

She smiled. “I love you.”

“I love you,” he said, sounding as if he truly meant it. “Now, love, come you here—”

“No kissing!” Robin bellowed from across the courtyard.

A muscle in Montgomery’s jaw tightened briefly, then he blew out his breath. “He lives another day, but only because of his care for you. And because he will soon be out of the reach of my sword.”

Pippa smiled and pulled out of his arms. “I’ll see to chatelaine duties, then meet you later, on the roof.”

“You will not,” he said without hesitation. “I don’t trust those walls—though I fear after our king descends, the only privacy we’ll have is in the stables.”

She shrugged. “I like hay.”

“Let’s just hope we’re not using it for our wedding bed,” he muttered. He looked at the messenger dismounting in front of the hall door, then back at her. “I might need help tending horses later.”

“I’ll be there.”

He hesitated, then turned and pulled her into his arms so quickly, she gasped. “I’m not sure how to tell you how grateful I am you’re here.”