Heroes Live Forever (Knights in Time) (22 page)

“Did you?” He covered her neck with small kisses that teased her skin when he spoke. "I never favored soaps of a strong scent, I'm glad you like my choice."

Thor sidled close enough for Guy to lean over and lay a warm hand on Elinor's. “Do you see a white hart keeps us company?" He said, nodding towards the right.

“So, it does.” The gentle animal gingerly kept pace with them, then ran ahead a short distance and stopped until they caught up. It reminded her of the hart in Basil's tapestry.

"A coincidence," Basil said.

Elinor twisted around, "How did you know what I was thinking? Can you read my mind here?"

"Men can rarely read a woman's mind, even here. Women's thoughts are usually so fleeting, 'tis difficult for a man to get a fix on them." Basil clasped her hand in his before the swipe she took at him connected.

"What a toffee-nosed chauvinist you are."

"Tsk, tsk, name calling, and here of all places." He rested his chin on Elinor's head and held the other hand down too. "What's a chauvinist?"

"A chauvinist is someone,
usually a man,
who believes in the superiority of his own gender. The word derives from the name of a French soldier." Basil and Guy remained strangely quiet. She'd at least expected some argument. "What, no denial?"

"Well, my lovely lady, my beautiful, sweet Elinor--"

A set-up.
Elinor tried to wriggle her hands out from Basil's grasp. Whatever came next would deserve some retribution, but his grip held firm.

"I'm in a bit of a quandary. It’s difficult to argue with the belief that men feel themselves superior to women. After all, they are. However, you credit a Frenchman for creating a philosophy which is actually common knowledge. That’s the arguable part. The French aren't usually that astute.”

Basil frowned and pursed his lips in a failed attempt to appear serious. "What do you think Guy?"

A better actor, Guy managed to contain his amusement. "I must be the devil’s advocate.” He brought a hand to his chest in a mock gesture of sincerity. “I've always tried to be a fair man. If a woman chooses to take a superior position I feel it's only right to extend her the opportunity."

He played the part well and allowed for a dramatic pause. "I rather like it when the woman is on top. It leaves my hands free to play with her other bits."

Both Basil and Elinor rolled their eyes.

The hart pranced faster through the fields, disturbing nothing.

Basil nudged Saladin and they changed directions and rode towards a long patchwork of green meadows. Off in the distance, at the bottom of an escarpment, a herd of wild horses grazed.

"What do you think will happen to Guardian?" Elinor’s mother and father were animal lovers. They wouldn’t order Guardian put down because of the accident. She worried they might sell him. What would the new owners be like?

"Your parents will give him to your friend with the thoroughbred farm in Warwickshire. He’ll have a contented existence."

"How do you know? I mean, if it hasn't occurred yet, how can you know?"

Basil put a finger under her chin and turned her face to his, "Elinor, trust that some things I know." He gave her his best
I have secret information
look.

She relaxed against his chest. "Good, I wouldn't want him to suffer because of my poor riding skills."

"Your skill as a rider had naught to do with the end result."

Elinor took a moment to mull over the implication of his statement. She wondered if he'd foreseen her death.

Basil and Guy stopped at the edge of a glade more beautiful than any they'd passed. Granite stones enclosed a brilliant blue lagoon. Outcroppings of rock formed little waterfalls.

The knights dismounted and Basil helped her down. Neither accompanied Elinor as she walked about.

The pool was covered by an arched stone bridge with three steps and two pillars on either end. Another pair of pillars stood in the middle, one on each side of the walkway. Atop, lanterns burned, so no part of the bridge fell into shadow.

“Incredible. Have you been here often before?”

"I heard of it, but never--" Basil faltered a moment, "had the opportunity to visit." Something flickered in his eyes and then was gone as fast as it appeared.
Regret?

In the sky above the hill, an immense blue-white disc illuminated everything around her. An aura clung to it like a gossamer veil that thinned as it trailed outward. Leaves on trees and shrubs where its beam shone brightest had a translucent quality.

The knights allowed her to enjoy the wonder of the place. At last, she came back to them, thrilled by the experience and elated they'd brought her. "Do we stay here or go on?"

Basil clasped his powerful arms around her and hugged her tight. They kissed. A kiss not of passion but poignancy. Elinor noticed. She brushed off the difference, choosing to believe it had been her imagination. One hand slid to her lower back, and with great tenderness, Basil explored her face with the other. A kiss followed each touch and then he drew away.

"You must cross the bridge now."

Guy laid a hand on Basil's shoulder. Basil nodded and stepped back.

Mail clad arms encircled Elinor as Guy sweetly kissed her forehead. "Fair warning Milady, when next we meet, I shall give you a proper kiss." He wiggled his eyebrows and smiled a faint, lopsided, smile, letting her go, he remounted Thor.

Secure in Basil's presence and captivated by the beauty around them Elinor thought the comment odd. But considering where they were she didn’t over think it.

"Shall we?" She turned and started up the steps, then glanced over her shoulder to find the knights hadn't followed. A brief jolt of apprehension shot through her. "Aren't you coming?"

Basil shook his head, "Not right now. You must cross this bridge by yourself. All will be well. Trust me." He made a little shooing gesture with his fingers urging her forward. Guy said nothing and fixed his attention elsewhere.

Elinor rushed over the bridge and ran straight to the bank of the stream. Basil stood by Saladin, "Basil?"

He didn’t move, didn’t speak. Alarmed and confused, she waded in. The long dress slowed her, the wet material dragging her back the direction she came from. “Basil?”

He ran into the stream and met her halfway as she threw herself at him. "I can go no farther Elinor, neither can you."

She shook her head in disbelief, refusing to give his words any credence. "You're wrong. You must be wrong. This isn't the way it's supposed to be." Elinor sought some sign, some indication Basil could be mistaken. His stoic expression was the worst possible answer. "I can't bear to lose you again. I can't." Basil caught her as her knees buckled.

They stood in the crystalline water as tears of grief racked her body. Basil rocked her, murmuring words of comfort, and patiently waited for her sobbing to subside. "Shh...You mustn't cry. There's supposed to be no tears here. It's not as bad as you imagine. Will you listen to what I have to tell you?"

She nodded yes, seeing no other choice.

"You gave me your unconditional love when I had nothing to give you. I spent my life thinking romantic love was an emotion of no value. With you, I saw what love could be. In your eyes, I was a different man, a better man."

He gently nudged her chin up. Resigned and heartbroken, his image blurred behind her watery eyes. "I've been given another chance at life. Love it seems is quite unique, while binding our hearts, it releases our soul."

"I don't understand. If you love me, why are you leaving?"

"This isn't our time. But, we will have our life together. One that’s complete in every way. We'll meet again."

Defeated, Elinor sagged against his chest. No soothing words could ease her pain.

"Truer words I cannot speak. I will come back to you." He cradled her face. "This is a promise I make to you. I broke the last one. I won’t this one. This is a promise yet to be fulfilled, but I swear by all that's holy it will be kept. You trusted in me as a ghost. Trust in me as a man. We'll be together sooner than you think. Believe and it will be so."

Basil's words offered cold comfort. Bereft of all except the smallest of hopes, Elinor clung to them. Her fragile hold on hope was all she had, and hold it she would. "What about Guy? Is he going too?"

"Yes, he’s also been given another chance at life. Long ago his fate mistakenly became entwined with mine. Now we're both free." Basil pressed his forehead to hers.

"It’s my turn to extract a promise from you-" His quiet request spoken with lips close and warm to her ear, she hesitated then acquiesced.

"You must promise to look for me. In another time and place, we'll meet. I may look different. But in your heart, you’ll know me. Trust your instinct."

"Do you think I wouldn't know you anywhere Basil?" Elinor challenged in a hoarse voice that cracked as she spoke. She cleared her throat and held tighter onto the front of his surcoat, the soft material bunching in her hands.

Basil laughed, and a small laugh even bubbled out of her. "Forgive an old warrior his caution. Plan well and expect the unexpected."

He hugged her close. Both took one last feel of each other. Basil buried his lips in her hair. Elinor ran her hands down his arms, over his back, his face. They would carry the memory of this last embrace until they met again.

Basil kissed her tenderly then pulled back. Water swirled around his boots as he returned to the far bank. “Watch for me.” In an instant, he mounted Saladin and the two knights vanished.

Part Two

London-Present day

Miranda Coltrane hurried to finish preparing the last two tapestries. Hugh Glencoe, a popular host on the channel she worked for wanted them for the set when he interviewed Ian Cherlein. A noted historian, Cherlein had produced and narrated a highly acclaimed television series on medieval life. Unlike many of his predecessors he infused the show with humor and colorful anecdotes. The program made him an in-demand advisor to movie and television studios on various historical productions.

Hugh was a nervous wreck over the interview. “Everything has to be spot on,” he told her.

Her reassurance that morning was ignored. He'd been up Miranda's nose all afternoon, rechecking and repeating every fact and detail she'd supplied him. Fantasies of choking Hugh and kicking Cherlein in the shins for all the aggravation he caused crossed her mind.

The company she’d worked at for three years owned several channels, all specialized in different areas of interest. Her channel produced historical programs. Since half of the shows involved English or European history the company kept a small studio and staff in London. For the most part, the Yank executives left them alone.

Dust motes filled the air as she shook out the first tapestry. Miranda quickly covered her mouth as a trio of violent sneezes exploded out of her. The initial attack over, she pinched her nose to stifle further blasts.

“Ugh!” She checked her new blouse for errant sneeze spray. “Thank goodness,” she said, seeing none. Thanks to a recent trip to Barcelona she had a great tan and her deep red hair shimmered with copper highlights from the sun. The sheen of the gold satin blouse against her darkened skin gave her a rather sultry look...in her opinion. She didn’t need the effect ruined with spittle dots.

Miranda laid the tapestries out on the floor. On her hands and knees, she began running a bar through the loops of the first. She was still on her hands and knees straightening the loops when Kiki dashed through the door. Her co-worker barely missed toppling over her.