Time Travel Romances Boxed Set (137 page)

Ryan was good with TLC, at least the kind
plants needed.

He liked to think that the plants people
picked said something about the kind of person they were, and
Barb’s choice spoke volumes. The iris leaves were like swords,
their edges sharp enough to cut. A Siberian Iris was a tough plant,
bred to survive brutal conditions and harsh winters.

Yet still it made a fragile and beautiful
blossom, one of stunning color that was carefully sheltered behind
those sharp leaves. A delicate core. Ryan bent and studied the
bloom, impressed as always by the detailed craftmanship of Mother
Nature.

He smiled when he saw the next bud lurking
below, just a tip of blue that would emerge into splendor by the
end of the week. That was all the encouragement he needed to pull
out his shears.

There was a vase in Barb’s kitchen with a
fantastic surface texture and millions of metallic hues depending
how the sunlight caught it. It held a place of honor on the kitchen
shelf, even though it was always empty, and Ryan had a pretty good
idea what Barb was saving it for.

Spring was a time for fresh starts.

*

An hour after the ferry chugged out of
Fulford Harbour, Barb yawned on her way into the kitchen. She
always slept late after the sabbat. She plugged in the kettle
sleepily, and pulled back the drape to study her new garden. She
still couldn’t believe it had come to be there, and had to prove it
to herself a couple of times every day.

Making a garden had been quite a process and
a lot of work. But it hadn’t cost as much as Barb had feared -
mostly because of Ryan’s connections and the hard labor both of
them did, moving rocks and soil. In the end, the effort made the
garden feel more like Barb’s own.

And she had enjoyed Ryan’s company. He had a
way of listening,
really
listening, that she liked. He
didn’t make her feel impractical and foolish for wanting a garden,
or even for her reasons why she wanted one, though Barb hadn’t
parted with those secrets easily.

And the resulting garden was exactly as she
had always imagined it would be - with a few critical improvements.
Ryan had done such a beautiful job. It looked as though it had
always been there. Barb smiled slightly at the nodding white flower
that
hadn’t
been there the day before, and knew very well
who had put it there. She’d look closer after her shower, but she
already knew she’d like whatever he had brought.

He was a man who paid attention to little
things. Barb liked that.

She turned and caught her breath when she
saw her special vase in the middle of the kitchen table, exactly as
she had always envisioned it. Her hand rose to her lips and she
crossed the room slowly, hardly able to believe what she saw.

Her iris had bloomed!

And the flower was so beautiful. It was
delicate and faintly ruffled, a fantastic hue that proved on closer
examination to be shades upon shades of saturated blues. There were
tiny beard hairs on three of the petals and they were of brilliant
sun-drenched yellow.

Barb touched them with one finger and was
amazed that such beauty could come from one plant, especially one
that had until recently been so very unhappy.

There was a note tucked beneath the vase,
the bold masculine printing very familiar to Barb after all the
garden sketches she had seen.

“
Beauty
triumphs!

Celebrate with me - and dinner -
tonight?”

Barb chuckled to herself and traced Ryan’s
strokes with one fingertip. She supposed that accepting the
invitation was the least she do after the man had saved her
plant.

And coaxed it to be happy again.

*

But it wasn’t the blue iris blossom on her
kitchen table that made Barb greet Ryan with a smile.

It wasn’t because Viviane finally had a call
from a publisher who wanted to buy her manuscript. It wasn’t even
because Monty paid his balance that afternoon - a vigilant Majella
by his side.

It wasn’t even - as Barb insisted - that
Viviane and Niall were going to move out or that Niall’s
apprenticeship with Derek was working out so well. She tried to
convince her date that all of these things were responsible for her
buoyant mood.

But Ryan, a keen observer of details, knew
better than to believe her.

*

Author’s Note

After all these references to Gawain and his
adventures, you may be wondering why the full tale of that
legendary knight is not included in the book. Part of the reason is
that there are so many stories about Gawain and they have been
fitted together in many different ways over the centuries.

According to Arthurian chronicles, Gawain
was the nephew of Arthur, the son of Arthur’s sister Morgaine
(sometimes called Anne). Like Arthur, there is some question that
the character may be modeled after an historic figure, an
illegitimate son of a king of Lothian and Orkney who was denied by
his father. Some tales call Gawain the son of a fairy, cast out by
his parents and raised by a childless fisherman and his wife.

There is also speculation that Gawain is the
medieval version of a Celtic solar hero. This is evidenced by
Gawain’s strength waxing until midday, then waning thereafter in
several tales, and can also be supported by the persistence of
unusual elements in stories about Gawain.

No matter his origins, Gawain was reputed to
be the champion of women, a courteous and fearless knight who was
both noble of spirit and golden-tongued. He crossed water to win as
island ruled by women (Avalon?) and besieged the
Castellum
Puellarum
(Castle of Maidens) in several tales. He also is
often portrayed as the diplomat who reconciles differences at
Arthur’s court. His symbol is the pentacle (a five pointed star
often associated with paganism); his sword was named Excalibur; his
destrier was named Gingalet (‘of good staying power’).

Gawain figures prominently in three
different stories of the Arthurian cycle, though his role (like
that of most of the players) changes in each version. It has also
changed over time, several of his stories being rolled into
Arthur’s mythology.

The first tale is that of Gawain’s rescue of
a woman of otherworldly origins. After a series of ordeals -
battles with demons, the ‘terrible kiss’ of a serpent, and
nightmares - Gawain rescues the lady in question and she gratefully
bestows her sexual favors upon him.

The trials here are somewhat bizarre, even
in medieval terms - hand-to-hand combat was a much more typical
test! - the kiss of the serpent in particular hinting at the old
association of snakes with the Goddess. The besieged lady’s
characteristics suggest that she may not be mortal. In many
versions, she grants Gawain a token or talisman which magically
protects him from harm after his success. It has been suggested
that this tale is one of Gawain being tested as the earthly consort
of the Goddess and that winning the challenge makes him her
champion.

The second tale of Gawain is that of the
Riddle Test, much as Viviane tells Matthew in the archbishop’s
dungeon. Medieval people loved riddles so that part of the tale
isn’t unusual, although the riddle is. Those familiar with pagan
symbols will recognize the two aspects of the Goddess in this tale
- that of the Maiden and the Crone. Hers is not a passive role,
either, for she challenges knights - who bow to her will! - and
demands Gawain’s kiss. Additionally, courtesy is given greater
weight than military ability, though this story purportedly
predates the romances of courtly love by a number of centuries.

The final tale involving Gawain is perhaps
the most telling one in terms of exhibiting his Celtic pagan
history.
Gawain and the Green Knight
tells of the arrival of
a large knight completely green in hue (yes, even his hair!) at
Arthur’s court during the Yule festivities. He challenges the
knights to cut off his head - none take the wager except Gawain. To
Gawain’s astonishment, the stranger doesn’t defend himself
(although he is much larger than Gawain) and Gawain successfully
beheads him with a single blow.

To everyone’s surprise, the Green Knight
then scoops up his head, and demands that Gawain meet him in a year
so that he can return what he was given. Gawain keeps his word,
even knowing that he will be killed. In several versions, this tale
is entwined with the other two above, so that the token given by
the lady saves Gawain’s life.

Of course, the Yuletide festivities at
Arthur’s court would coincide with the Celtic pagan celebration of
the winter solstice. Traditionally, the day of the solstice (the
shortest day of the year) was considered a day ‘out of time’ - in
Gawain’s story, this is the date of his meeting with the Green
Knight. This contest with a much older (albeit green!) knight also
echoes the sacrifice of pagan kings - a ritual which ensured that
the Goddess’ consort was always a virile champion.

Hopefully, you found Niall of Malloy a
suitably honorable consort for Viviane and her otherworldly token.
Viviane, incidentally, is the beauty in the Arthurian cycle who
begged Merlin to teach her all of his magical tricks. In this case,
the pupil excelled the master, and Viviane imprisoned Merlin with a
spell when he grew displeased with her prowess. She has also been
associated with the Lady of the Lake, the keeper of Excalibur,
which makes a nice little circle back to Gawain.

*

Love Potion #9

Italy, August 1420
– A gypsy named
Lilith sees her lover hanged for a crime he didn’t commit. On the
gallows, he swears to return to her. Convinced that one day, he’ll
be reborn, she searches for a fabled elixir – rumored to grant
immortality…

Toronto, August 1999
– Waiting has
taken its toll on Lilith, now a fortune teller with a gift for
matchmaking. So she concocts her strongest love potion ever. She is
certain her magic has worked when the spitting image of her one
true love moves in next door. A very practical – and skeptical –
single father, Mitch Davison is intrigued by Lilith’s passionate
welcome, yet suspicious of her motives. After all, he’s never
believed in magic – and hasn’t believed in love since his wife left
him. But when Lilith doubts her own intuition, it’s Mitch who must
convince her that the greatest gift of all is the talent to follow
your own heart…

*

Praise for Love Potion #9

“
A brilliant fantasy
romance. Claire Cross proves that she is one of today’s
superstars!”

Harriet Klausner

“
Love Potion
#9
is a keeper! The characters are likeable and real, the
dialog is fast and funny, and the writing is witty and delicious.
The multi-talented Ms. Cross wields her pen like a wand to give
readers a truly magical and spellbinding love story, making
believers of us all.”

Tanzey Cutter for Old Book Barn Gazette

“
Four and a half
stars!
Love Potion #9
is utterly charming,
mixing a centuries-old myth and a modern day love story with a
fast-paced plot that keeps you laughing and wondering if you can
really believe.”

Romantic Times

“
The plot bears the
stamp of a master storyteller - Ms. Cross’ style is irresistible.
Passion is spiced with humor and flavored with emotional conflict.
Fast and exhilarating,
Love Potion #9
had
me spellbound to the last word.”

MT for Rendezvous

“
Get ready for a
rollicking good time. Claire Cross is at her best, which means a
treat for all her fans. Characters written with pathos and humor
keep the reader on the edge of tears and laughter as we discover
the mysteries of love, romance, sensuality and passion at the hands
of the master. Hang on to your hats, ladies, this is one sexy book.
If you aren’t a fan of Ms. Cross yet, this book will definitely win
you over. Smartly written with more than an ample touch of
comedy,
Love Potion #9
will rise like
cream to the top of the charts.”

Kathee S. Card for Under the Covers

“
Love Potion
#9
is a delightful, enchanting and magical book…This is one
for your keeper shelf!”

Rita Hyatt for WCRG on AOL

“
Claire Cross does an
excellent job of blending passion, romance and humor in this
story…This book is definitely one I could dive into over and over
again.”

Sharal Heinemann for All About Romance

“
Cheers to Ms. Cross for
having written a wonderfully endearing fantasy romance that readers
will have a difficult time putting down – and an even harder time
forgetting.”

Brenda K. Johnson for New Age Bookshelf

“
I laughed so hard, my cat
got up and left the room.”

Jennifer Dunne

*

Love Potion #9

by

Claire Delacroix

Smashwords Edition

Cover illustration by Judy York.

Cover by Kim Killion.

Copyright 1999, 2011 Claire Delacroix,
Inc.

All Rights Reserved.

Without limiting the rights under copyright
preserved above, no part of this book may be reproduced, stored in
or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form,
or by any means, (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording,
or otherwise), without the prior written permission of both the
copyright holder and the publisher of this book.

This is a work of fiction. Names,
characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the
author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance
to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events,
or locales is entirely coincidental.