The Witch's Journey Page 10
“Yeah, that lawyer’s been calling for a while. I’ve ignored his messages.”
“You haven’t touched your food. As always, it’s delicious.”
“You can have mine, although it’ll be cold now.”
“I’m accustomed to cold food. When seas are stormy, my ship’s cook must serve hardtack and cold stew.”
“Your life’s different in many ways.” She sounded maudlin again. “Have you decided what you’d like to do today?”
“I’d like to watch this baseball or see the changing leaves your father spoke of.”
“The leaves are really pretty here, too, but the red maples trees are fantastic. I’ll talk to Newt again about Maine. As for seeing the Red Sox play, their season’s over. I’d say another time, but obviously that won’t happen.”
“You’re sorrowful I must go back?” he said.
Instead of replying, she started clearing the dishes.
“I’ll put these in the dishwasher. I like walking in the rain, but today’s damp; we may even get snow. It might be a good day to start a fire, wrap up under a blanket, have popcorn and hot chocolate and watch something on TV.”
“Wrapping up under blankets means something entirely different in my time and doesn’t include these foods or activities.”
“Hot chocolate was likely rare, popcorn not a thing, and television wasn’t invented until…”
He surprised her by pressing the button on her phone and asking the question.”
“Hey, Siri, when was television invented?”
“Sorry, I didn’t understand,” the female voice replied.
Angelique laughed, which made his heart glad.
“Maybe she can’t understand your accent. Television was invented in the 1920s but typically they weren’t in the majority of homes until maybe forty years later.”
“Will you avoid any question you don’t wish to discuss for the next twenty-five days to avert conflict?” Faolan asked.
“I’ve avoided things I don’t want to discuss most of my life. A month should be a walk in the park.”
“Let’s do that.”
“What?”
“Wear warm garments and walk in your Boston Common. I saw the item hanging by the door for keeping off the rain.”
“An umbrella,” she said. “We should really get you more clothes, too. Before you tell me you’re uncomfortable with me spending money on you, I’ll donate the clothes to a homeless shelter after you’re gone.”
“People of my time, even ship captains, don’t have a wide assortment of garments.”
“Probably not, but unless we want to spend half our time in the next twenty-five days doing laundry, we should get a few more things for you.”
“Arduously tossing your garments in the spinning machine is most time-consuming. Then the strenuous task of removing them from that machine, placin’ it in the other and pushin’ the button is surely quite back-breaking?”
“Oh stop it!” She laughed and snorted.
“Perhaps you should set aside the entire day for such rigorous activity for exhaustion will soon overtake you.”
“You’re very funny, Captain!”
She tossed a melon rind at him and he threw it back. He dodged another then lifted her into his arms and spun her about. She put her arms around his neck and stared into his eyes. The attraction was overpowering.
“It’s not walking, drinking heated chocolate or observing the shiny black mirror I’d like to do with you, Angel,” he said lowering his lips to hers.
The kiss was instantly passionate. She moaned and he carried her inside, started toward the bedroom, but she ended the kiss.
“Faolan, we really can’t. Even if we decided to just be foolish and impulsive, I still haven’t bought condoms.”
“Do you purposely avoid that, too?”
“At least I have to stop and think, not just act on these physical urges. Put me down before you rip your stitches open.”
“Or before you change your mind and let me take you to bed.”
“Let’s get our coats.”
He reluctantly set her down.
Chapter Eleven
He held her hand as they walked, and she didn’t protest.
“Here’s the location of the Great Elm. It blew down in a mighty gale in 1876 but it was over two hundred fifty years old. It was apparently sixty-five feet high. Its trunk twenty-five feet wide.”
She pointed to a small blue-green plaque.
“In this very spot murderers, thieves, deserters, natives, pirates and witches were once hanged. I’ve always been drawn to this location. Apparently the Sons of Liberty met here to plot the Revolution and British soldiers camped here during the Siege of Boston. The Great Elm was sometimes referred to as Boston’s oldest inhabitant.”
“Let me guess, you were a guide of tours here, too?”
“Was it obvious that was a practiced speech?”
“Not at all. I see your love of history.”
“If I don’t send you back it would likely change history. Maybe your ship wouldn’t intercept weapons going to the British during the Revolution or the tea won’t be sent to be dumped in Boston Harbor. I can’t let my feelings cloud the need for you to return.”
He sighed again but nodded.
“Tell me about the people back in your time,” she said.
“There are fifty men in my crew. Johnny Coates is my first mate. I hope he’s managed to keep the men in tow but hasn’t killed anyone.”
“You’re serious?”
“It happens rather a lot.”
“What’s the name of your ship?”
“The Nola.”
“Your wife’s name?” she guessed.
He nodded.
“It must have been terrible to lose someone you hoped to spend your life with.”
He looked sad but didn’t reply.
“Are you friends with this murderous Johnny Coates?”
“Friends of a sort. My crew are loyal to me.”
“Have you killed a lot of men?”
His eyes grew serious. “It’s often a matter of kill or be killed. I’ve taken more lives than you’d want to know about.”
She stared off into the distance.
“What do you see?”
“I call them echoes. I can almost always see ghosts, but I also see events that took place when they were alive. Witnessing hangings is very disturbing.”
“Sure, it would be.”
“Hello, Ann and Goody.”
“You’re speaking to spirits?” Faolan asked.
“Ghosts are people I don’t know. Spirits are the ghosts of people I knew in life, but yes these two ghosts were hanged as witches. Back then, women were basically hanged for having breasts and a vagina.”
He stared, obviously uncomfortable.
“Eighteenth-century men don’t care for that word either?” She smiled. “I only meant women were often hanged just for being female.”
“Why do you make that face?” Faolan asked.
“I’m looking at Grouchy Gus. That’s not actually his name. I just call him that. He’s a ghost who really dislikes me. Maybe he’s angry at women in general. He wears a tricorn hat and ragged clothes. He has long scraggly hair, a shaggy beard and a bottle of whiskey. He scowls and grumbles, but won’t speak or look at me. I presume he died here, yet I don’t think he was hanged. I don’t see echoes of him.”
“I’d like to see these ghosts and echoes,” Faolan said.
Angelique stopped, placed his hands on her temples and he jumped.
“By all that’s holy!” he exclaimed.
“You can see them?” she asked.
“I can. How did you do it?”
“Sometimes if I’m especially close to someone, I can make them see what I see.”
“You’re especially close to me?” he asked stepping nearer.
“You were summoned as my perfect man.”
She was startled when Faolan suddenly pulled her to hi
m as if shielding her.
“What is it?” she asked.
“Those people over there are running,” he replied. “There must be something untoward after them.”
She smirked. “They’re just jogging. That’s a running path.”
“Why do they do this?”
“To stay fit; keep their bodies, especially their hearts and lungs, healthy.”
“Do you do this running, jogging activity?”
“Never! If you saw me running there really would be something chasing me. I like a brisk walk, swimming, doing yoga and karate, but definitely no running. It makes me feel very special you’d be willing to protect me, Faolan.”
“With my life,” he said and she knew he meant it.
“Let’s go to some stores. I want to get you clothes, a phone and a transit card. I’ll give you a key to my house. Then you can come and go when and where you want. There might be places you’d go if you weren’t with me. You should have a night or two out with Newt or maybe Tristan and Danhoul.”
“Again you spend your coin on me and once more you think I should be apart from you.”
“I don’t go to noisy dance clubs and dislike the night scene. I pick up too many negative energies. I prefer to hang out with homeless or elderly people and animals. I do have to walk some dogs later. I volunteer at a shelter.”
“Can’t dogs in your time walk on their own?”
“They must be on a leash.”
“That must be unpleasant.”
“They actually like it. It’s for their own good, so they don’t get hit by a car and if they bit someone, they’d get put down.”
“Put down?”
“Euthanized. Killed,” she said.
“That’s rather harsh. They’re perhaps justified. There’s some people I’d gladly bite, too.”
That made her smile.
“What can I do to pay you back?”
“Actually…I’ve been wanting to clean out my attic to possibly make another apartment. There’s lots of stuff from previous owners. If you help me move and sort through things, take some to the garbage or thrift shops, I’ll put payment into an account and get you a card so you can use money on what you’d like.”
“You have a deal, Angel.”
*
“What’s this delicious food?” he asked.
“Pasta. I suppose you wouldn’t have tasted that. I love pasta but my ass would be huge if I ate it as much as I wanted.”
“Your arse is perfect,” he said.
She smiled.
“I’d like to show you my world in my time,” he said. “Although I think you’d not wish to live without your many devices and luxuries.”
She looked at his mesmerizing eyes.
“I could manage with no luxuries and devices. Simple comforts would be difficult to do without. No toilets, hot water and always-available baths would be tough. I also wouldn’t be thrilled about the unsanitary conditions or living with the threat of diseases now eradicated.”
“Would you like more wine?” he asked.
“I’m already tipsy.”
“You don’t like bein’ out of control.”
“You’ve already figured me out?”
“Angel, I doubt I’d accomplish that even if we spent a lifetime together.”
Those words had her fighting tears. “Did Tristan set your phone up?” She changed the subject.
“He did.”
“Did you arrange for a night out with Tristan and Danhoul?”
“I’ll go drinkin’ with the other men one night if it pleases you.”
“That defeats the purpose if it’s only done to please me. So, Newt’s agreed to drive us to Maine this weekend, if you’d like?”
“I’d like to do whatever you wish, Angel.”
He stared at her with such unhidden passion, she took several deep breaths and his eyes offered an unspoken request.
“I’m going to bed…alone!”
“The sun’s barely set. I’ll promise not to hint of beddin’ you again.”
“Okay.”
“Now you wear a guilty expression.”
“You’re here in this time because of me. I won’t sleep with you, but I admit I don’t want you to sleep with anyone else.”
“I can cope,” he said with a sexy smile. “You needn’t feel guilty because you brought me here. I’m an adventurer, Angelique. You’ve afforded me the greatest experience imaginable and the most special adventure in meetin’ you.”
He always knew just what to say to make her melt.
“Do you sense we’ve met in a past life?” Angelique asked.
“There is a familiarity within your eyes I don’t wholly understand.”
He stared at her so desirously, she walked away.
“Don’t leave, Angel. Let’s view something on your shiny black mirror.”
“Okay.”
*
Angelique watched Faolan’s face, thoroughly entertained by his expressions. How peculiar it must be for him to see television.
“You actually like watching this Scot bed his woman?” Faolan’s voice depicted disapproval.
“I don’t not like it,” Angelique replied.
He seemed so amusingly perplexed, she giggled.
“I thought you might enjoy the adventure, the swords and time-travel aspects.”
“It is entertaining.”
“Wait till you see Uhtred.”
“That doesn’t sound like a Scot.”
“He’s a Viking with a sexy Scandinavian accent. He’s hot, too, also with a great ass.”
“You think a contemptable Viking is…hot, as you say? Do you have any notion what havoc they caused?”
“I probably know as much as you about Vikings. Lots of archeologists have studied them. If we took a DNA sample we’d likely discover you have Viking blood.”
“You wound me, Angel!” Faolan declared.
“You’re tall, strong, apparently a little ruthless and love the sea.”
“I have no desire to watch this…Viking bed his woman.”
“Is the notorious Captain Mahoney actually a prude?” She laughed till she snorted. “Should we watch Mr. Darcy, then? He’s an Englishman.”
“You think I’d find improvement in that consideration?”
“Is there any people you like besides the Irish?”
“I don’t dislike entire nations. I’ve been doing business with the Dutch recently.”
“The Dutch?”
“Aye, from Holland.”
“I know where they’re from. Oh my God! What if you’re dealing with the Dutch who smuggled tea to the Sons of Liberty? If I don’t send you back, maybe the Boston Tea Party wouldn’t have happened, which might change the time frame or events of the American Revolution.”
“Sure, my first mate would ably continue in my stead. Perhaps we should make the best of our time together then,” he seductively said.
“Is that an inference to sex, Faolan? I could’ve sworn you said you wouldn’t mention that. I shouldn’t have suggested this provocative show.”
“Let’s watch the bloody Englishman you seem enamored with then.”
“Actually, my English love is Heathcliff.”
“Is he a rogue or a gentleman?”
“He’s a tormented soul who lives without the love of his life. Eventually his ghost walks the English moors lamenting his regrets for what might have been.”
“Sounds dreadfully morose!”
“I’d be okay spending all eternity as a spirit, if I could walk the hills and seashores of Ireland with my soulmate.”
“I only like to think as far ahead as tomorrow,” Faolan admitted.
*
“Oh my freakin’ God, Faolan; keep that damn door closed!” she scolded the next morning, walking by the spare room and seeing him naked. His back was to her but still—what a remarkable sight!
She went to the kitchen. Completely flustered, she paced. He joined her not long after.
“You didn’t do that on purpose so I could compare your ass to Jamie or Uhtred?”
“I would not!” He sounded affronted.
She sat down, used her powers to finish preparing oatmeal though she almost never resorted to magic for simple tasks.
“You’ll just have to stay with Newt or maybe Danhoul and Tristan until the night of the full moon when I can do the spell. They have that other guy, Timothy Byrne, staying with them now who they introduced us to at the pub. They could show you both around.”
“You honestly wish to be rid of me because you briefly caught sight of my arse?”
“You know I’m on the verge of just giving in to these desires and being with you.”
“Wherein lies the problem with that?” he joked, his own eyes filled with desire, his voice huskier.
“Please don’t push this. I told you, I’m not the kind of woman who has one-night stands.”
“It would be well over a fortnight stand.”
“I can’t, Faolan.”
“Have you ever done anything impulsive, Angel?”
“Hurtling an eighteenth-century pir—er—privateer through time was more than a little impulsive.”
“I’m sorry you’re regretful. You actually want me to reside with Newt or Tristan and Danhoul?”
“We could still spend time together during the day.”
“You think this dynamic attraction only present at night?”
“Of course not, but…”
“If I promise to keep the door closed when my arse is bared, may I remain in your home?”
She smiled. “That would help a little.”
Gazing at his muscular forearms and biceps, his broad masculine shoulders, she longed to rip off his damn shirt, kiss his neck, touch his chest and…
“Your lustful thoughts provoke lovely blushin’ of your cheeks.”
She turned away.
“We’re to go on this coastal ride to the other state tomorrow?”
“Yes. I’ve booked three rooms. There’ll be no accidental sightings of your arse.”
He grinned. “What’ll we do today?”
“Later, I have to go to see the damn lawyer who’s been hounding me. His office is on posh Newbury Street. Not really Mom’s style. Do you want to come?”
“I’ll accompany you wherever you wish.”