Claire Delacroix (30 page)

“I would see you safe in Cantlecroft,” he said gruffly, his protectiveness making Viviane want to kiss him senseless.

But first she had to win his agreement. “But you know that the archbishop lied to me before. He promised me an audience, but didn’t give it to me.” Viviane shook her head. “No, I don’t care where this is, I’m staying and that’s that. It’s not worth the risk to go back.” She cast her best smile Niall’s way.

But he was scowling at his toes and seemed to be summoning an argument.

It was endearing that he wanted to see everything set to rights, but it wasn’t important to Viviane that her name was maligned by people who were long dead and gone.

Although she was beginning to understand that Niall was the kind of man who finished what he started, who defended his woman - which is clearly who he had decided Viviane was - and ensured the truth was laid bare.

It was the kind of gallant thing that her Gawain would have insisted upon doing and Viviane decided that Niall’s arguments about love were easily outweighed by his deeds. Her heart skipped a beat or two while she watched him.

She certainly didn’t want to argue any more. In fact, she wanted just one more teeny confirmation that this man was the knight for her.

So, Viviane deliberately changed the subject to one that interested her a lot more than the issue of returning to Cantlecroft. It was a shameless effort to resolve the last obstacle between them, so that she could surrender to a little persuasiveness.

“What about my book?” she asked pertly. “What else did you notice about it?”

Niall held her gaze, though he didn’t look very pleased. “Your Gawain,” he said, his low voice filled with portent.

Viviane caught her breath. He
had
noticed! And he was just shy talking about mushy stuff, just like Barb said. Oh, this was too marvelous! They were stuck six hundred years from Cantlecroft with only each other for all the rest of their days. And no one could follow them to ruin everything.

“Yes?” she asked anxiously, more than ready for Niall to admit that he understood her view on love.

And that he agreed with her, of course.

Niall frowned. “He seems a man of intellect and great loyalty.”

Viviane wished he’d get to the point more quickly. “Yes? Yes?”

Niall took a deep breath and seemed to be searching for the words on the hardwood floor. “A noble knight who fulfils his pledge,” he said heavily, “regardless of the cost to himself.”

“Oh, yes, yes,
yes
! That’s my Gawain!” Viviane couldn’t wait to hear the acknowledgement fall from his lips.

Niall studied her for a moment, looking for all the world as though he was going to give her the worst news ever, instead of the best.

“But he embarks on this quest without the consent of his overlord.” Niall shook his head. “’Tis not done, Viviane, at least not by any man of merit. A pledge to an overlord cannot be broken, not at any cost, and no man is free to choose his course once he has made such a pledge.”

He sighed and sat down again as Viviane stared at him. “You shall have to change that, and make it Gawain’s overlord who dispatches him upon his quest. There is no other way it can be.”

Viviane waited, but Niall returned to his perusal of the books and the listing.

* * *

Chapter Fourteen

Viviane stared at Niall, even as she fought her disappointment. How could he have missed the point? Niall wasn’t a stupid man, not by any means, and she had been so sure that he would see through her characterization...

Well, Viviane wasn’t going to give up that easily. Maybe she could explain it to him.

Over a nice romantic dinner.

Viviane smiled hopefully, the prospect alone cheering her up. Niall was always ready to eat, after all. “The shop is closed,” she reminded him. “We could go for dinner.”

But astonishingly enough, Niall shook his head. “Nay, Viviane, ’tis impossible.” He shook the pen at her. “You have a book to finish writing and I, I have much reading to complete.” He smiled a slow, sexy smile that made her blood start to simmer. “But you have only to summon me when you wish to affirm the possibility of that coupling.”

No! Viviane couldn’t let Niall seduce her with his touch again, not before he admitted to having some feelings for her.

And admiration for her book didn’t count.

Viviane bounced to her feet and scooped up the reference book she had used. She waved the
Kama Sutra
under his nose triumphantly. “Oh, that’s all right, I can just check everything in here. You go ahead and read.”

“Aye? What is this?” Niall plucked the book out of Viviane’s hands before she could hold it away. His eyes widened as he turned the pages. He tilted his head, then turned the book halfway around, his gaze flicking to Viviane’s.

“Perhaps we should take another wager on the illustrations in this volume,” he suggested, turning the book so she could see.

Viviane blushed.

“Aye, it fair looks impossible.” Niall inverted the book again, the twinkle in his eyes when he suddenly looked up catching Viviane off-guard. “Shall we try this manner? Indeed, these illustrations seem designed to make a man feel...persuasive.”

Oh, there wasn’t going to be any persuading done around here soon! Especially not when Niall refused to give her the slightest hint of any emotional ties.

How could he
not
love her?

“You’re impossible!” Viviane retorted, snatching the book and headed out of the shop.

“You have but to call me,” Niall shouted after her.

“I have work to do,” Viviane retorted with a toss of her hair. “You said so yourself.”

Niall shook a finger at her. “Aye, Viviane, I am much interested in the ending of this tale. Write hastily!”

It wasn’t much consolation that he seemed to forget even his persuasiveness after that. In fact, he bent over the market guide with a frown, as though Viviane wasn’t there at all.

She turned and stomped out of the shop in her new rubbers, quite certain that this wasn’t the way her love story was supposed to work out. If
she
had been writing this story, well, it would have been a lot different.

But all she could do - and incidentally the best way to regain Niall’s attention - was to finish her book. It was as good an excuse as any to get back to work.

She wouldn’t so much as think about feeling a little persuasive herself.

* * *

It didn’t help that her argument made sense.

Niall scowled at the market listings, not truly seeing any of them. How could he fault Viviane for not wanting to return to the site where she was condemned to be executed?

Worse, how could he persuade her to do it?

Aye, her argument was reasonable, for the archbishop
had
failed to keep his promise. Though that had been before a man pledged to the archbishop’s own service argued Viviane’s case. Niall was certain that no man of good character - as he knew the archbishop to be - could condemn an innocent woman to die. Nay, ’twould be wrong.

When they returned to Cantlecroft, all could be set aright.

If
they returned to Cantlecroft. Niall tapped the book with one heavy fingertip. For truly, Viviane had no good reason to return. Her mother was dead, as she had already confessed, and apparently she had no other ties. She certainly showed no inclination to return.

Should Niall tell her of his obligation to his sister? Would that sway her decision?

There was an idea! Aye, he knew that women could be tender about the welfare of children and certainly naught good was likely to occur for his nieces and nephews in Niall’s absence.

Save the addition to their numbers.

He drummed his fingers, wondering how he would make this argument. Ideally, ’twould be phrased so that Viviane could not refuse, though he sorely disliked even the thought of deceiving his lady. And he certainly was not a man quick with the sweet words that women found so appealing.

Niall was still pondering the matter when Barb returned to the shop, her keys jingling as she unlocked the door. “Helpful book?” she asked, nodding at the volume in Niall’s lap.

“Aye. ’Tis most informative.”

To Niall’s surprise, Barb crossed the floor and pushed her hands into her pockets as she halted beside him. Her gaze was probing. “Viviane’s book is good?”

Niall smiled, recognizing protectiveness when he saw it. “Aye, she has a gift, ’tis clear.”

Barb pulled out a chair and sat down beside him. “Look, I want you to be straight with me. I know that you and Viviane have got some kind of thing going here, and that every guy alive would want to tell his woman that she was brilliant at everything she did, if only to make sure she didn’t hold out on him, but you can tell me the truth. Is it
really
good?”

Niall held her gaze. “I believe so,” he said firmly. “But you would know better than I.”

Barb shook her head and got to her feet. “I can’t read it unless she asks me to. Writers are sensitive about stuff like that.” She pursed her lips and considered Niall. “I just don’t want you leading her on.” She looked at him hard one more time. “Don’t hurt her.”

Niall’s softened heart twisted a little at the lie of his presence here, but he managed to hold this stern woman’s gaze. “I will not.”

Barb nodded. “Because this is really important to Viviane.”

“Aye. I see that now. ’Tis why I intend to aid her in seeking this publication.” Though he had not even thought of doing such a thing, as soon as Niall uttered the words, he knew they were true.

He knew her tale of Gawain was important to Viviane, for her eyes shone when she spoke of it, and doubly so when she spoke of finding a publisher.

Aye, he would aid his lady in her own quest. ’Twas only fitting.

Barb looked surprised. “Really?”

“Aye. She needs to know that I am a man she can rely upon, a man who will attend to her concerns, see her safe and see her fed. ’Tis this role that an honorable man takes in marriage, though Viviane is dubious that I shall do it well.” Niall nodded, his mind made up. “I shall aid her in this, to prove to her that her will is of import to me.”

And then, somehow, he would persuade her to consider the import of
his
will, perhaps by confessing the tale of Majella. Somehow, he would convince his lady to return to Cantlecroft, that he might both clear the shadow of conviction from her name and fulfill his own pledges.

First, the book manuscript.

Niall fired a glance at Barb. “Have you objections to a change over these ensuing days? I would have Viviane work on her tale while she so desires.”

“I need her in the shop.”

“Aye, ’tis that I would address.” Niall tried his best smile, but Barb’s frown did not waver. “I know full well that I am a poor substitute for my lady’s abilities, but perhaps there is some labor I can do for you in her stead.”

While Niall watched, a curious glimmer dawned in Barb’s eyes. Had he not known her as well as he already did, he might have guessed that this stern woman was softening toward him.

“Is this fitting to you?” he prompted when she said naught.

“Yeah.” Barb nodded and looked away, folding her arms across her chest. “Yeah, I could use some help with those new shelves and there are a couple of cartons out back to heft in here for stocking. You up for heavy work?”

“Aye, I am capable of this and much more.” Niall pushed to his feet and offered his hand. “Shall we make an agreement?”

Barb regarded him skeptically. “You’re going to do this, just to give her the chance to work on her book?”

“Aye. ’Tis a simple enough exchange.”

Barb stared at him for a long moment, then shook her head. “You are something else, aren’t you?” she asked softly as she took his hand. Her grip was surprisingly strong.

Mercifully, Niall was spared the obligation of a reply, for he knew not what he would have said. Barb turned and walked quickly out the back of her shop, flicking out the lights on her way.

Niall stood in the dark for only a moment before he decided ’twas time he returned to Viviane’s chamber anyway. He lifted a book that had rested beside that illustrated volume of hers and smiled to himself as he fanned through the pages.

Aye, this wench was as slender as Viviane, though she had not the perfect breasts of his lady. Niall paused to consider a particularly appealing illustration, his desire to be persuasive rising to the fore.

’Twas time, he resolved, for his lady to cease her labor this day.

* * *

Viviane couldn’t believe it when Niall came back to her room and told her what he had done. He wanted to help her get her book published! His was such a touching gesture that she had a hard time quibbling over his insistence that it was for duty alone, that a man must support the wishes of his lady.

In fact, her resistance to him was sufficiently weakened that when he showed her the book he carried and suggested a little research, Viviane didn’t even mind the wicked glint in his eye.

Neither did she mind what happened after that.

And Niall seemed to take the challenge in stride when Viviane insisted on keeping her rubbers on.

* * *

It took Viviane the rest of the week to get the book into shape, to make the changes Niall suggested and to sufficiently research her love scenes. Barb typed up the manuscript on her computer when the shop was slow - as it increasingly was - and printed it out on that lovely white paper Viviane found so appealing. It almost looked like a book already when it was finally done.

And Niall had chosen three publishers who might be interested in the work. Barb showed Viviane how to write a cover letter, then on Saturday afternoon, Viviane and Niall took the whole thing down to the little copy shop in town.

Viviane’s heart nearly stopped an hour later when the clerk at the postal wicket in the drugstore took the three parcels from her hands and dumped them into the bin behind the counter.

“Tuesday delivery in New York,” the clerk chirped, then looked over Viviane’s shoulder. “Next!”