When Lightning Strikes (20 page)

Chapter Twenty-Three

“
Did you just say the word ‘okay’? she asked him.

He nodded and smiled at her. “Do you like it when I speak to you in your language?”

She just stared at him for a moment.

“Yes! It surprised me, but yes!” She smiled back at him. “How can we make this work? I can’t stay here in your time forever and I don’t know how you would survive in my world if you came back. Who would look after your troupe?”

“I would survive in your world however I must. As for my troupe…they are strong and wise, and Marco would lead them well.

“But they mean everything to you! It has been your whole life. How could you just leave like that?” Her brows knit together as she spoke.

He began putting on his breeches. She pulled on her skirt as he pulled his shirt over his head and began gathering up the blanket and everything they would need for the ride back.

“You are correct. This has been my whole life. But what is there here for me?
A life of poverty? A life living from day to day with each being a struggle for survival? You have told me nothing….nothing of your world at all. And yet, I would gladly accompany you there simply because you would be in it.”

She shook her head. “Dominic, there is so much you don’t know. This place…this world can be so beautiful.
So untouched. You have no idea.”

She looked down at the ground. Should she tell him what planet earth was like in the year 2010? She decided to tell him just a little. Not enough to make a difference.

“Where I come from, it is not like this….peaceful, serene and untouched by man. My world is overpopulated. There is pollution. Man has made the waters unclean and the land. The air is dirty, filled with a grayish kind of smoke. There are still some areas that are beautiful but not like this.”

She paused. “But there are good things there too. Women no longer die in childbirth every day. Infants live to
maturity. We can cure diseases that the people in this century die from regularly. There are ways to travel…large machines made of steel on wheels…like mechanical wagons that drive on their own. We can talk to people who live very far away with phones.”

“Fones.
You used this word when I first picked you up. What is this  ‘fone’?”

“It’s a device…a thing which looks like a small box and you can pick it up and talk to people who live very far away and hear their voices and they hear yours.”

Dominic’s eyes widened in wonder as she continued,

“Men and women in my time live to be very old, usually to their late seventies or eighties.
Some live to be in their nineties and a few make it to one hundred…because we have medicines that can cure people of diseases.”

“I wish to learn more of this. Think of what it could mean
here
, if somehow we were unable to go back to your time and come back with your magic. People only reach an age of fifty winters maybe. Some live to see sixty or more, but it is so rare. Many women die as early as ten and five winters trying to birth their babes and just as many infants die in their first year of life from fevers or disease…especially those who have lost their mothers in childbirth. Sometimes a wet nurse cannot be found in time and the child starves. And then there is pestilence. You yourself know of this.” His blue eyes burned with intensity.

She hoped she hadn’t revealed too much…she could certainly understand his desire to be able to use the tools of modern medicine here in these rough times. But, she couldn’t suppress the tiny spark of hope that was growing within her that maybe he could come back with her when the time came for her to leave, whenever that may be.

“We must head back to camp now. Marco will be anxious and I know that Navarre and his men will come looking for you soon. At least when he sees that you are not Melissande, he will go. But, I do not trust him to go quietly and without causing trouble.”

Sarah’s heart began to pound erratically again. She had forgotten completely about this Navarre idiot! The whirlwind of
the past few days was hard to comprehend. She had arrived here, somehow survived, met the love of her life and now she was married! She kept pinching herself, expecting that she would wake up at any moment and discover it was all some kind of a dream, but it was not the case.

Right now, the issue at hand was more pressing than thinking back over this roller coaster ride she had fallen into. As far as she could tell, she looked at least something like this woman called Melissande and someone must have found out about it and passed on the news. Surely this Navarre guy wouldn’t be stupid enough to mistake her for the lady? No way! Dominic would see to it and he would protect her. She was after all, his wife now.

Dominic helped her to mount his horse and then climbed up behind her. She felt his strong forearms encircling her waist and she leaned back into the rock solid warmth of his chest.

They rode for an hour or so and Sarah knew they were almost back to camp. Apparently, Dominic knew of some shortcuts and it was much faster and more effective to ride a horse than to walk! She would have to remember that in the future for next time she needed to run away. She smiled to herself. She didn’t think she would be running from Dominic anymore in the near future, or ever. Not if she could help it anyway.

They rode onward and a short time later they came to the edge of camp. Dominic tensed up behind her and she saw why. There were soldiers in the camp and a few other outsiders milling about that had followed them. Navarre was already here.

“Damn.” Dominic’s voice was a whisper. “I was hoping we would have time to move from this place. Ah well, it matters little. You are wedded to me and you are safe. Navarre will surely recognize that you are not his wife. Do not worry, Sarah.” He hugged her to him from behind to reassure her.

A moment later they pulled up to the place where his wagon was. He helped Sarah to dismount from the horse and kissed her as he pulled her down into his arms. Marco was standing nearby watching the scene with a look of disbelief on his face  that his friend could show such bravado in full view of Navarre’s men.

“Ami!
You have returned. What is this…this amorous show of yours? Are you trying to get us hanged?” Marco said nervously.

“No. Marco, I will explain to you later. This is not lady Melissande de Lyonne. She is Sarah. Sarah
du Barbaronne
.”

He pulled Sarah forward and lightly touched the golden coin hanging from her neck. “We are hand-fasted.”

Marco stared at Dominic. “Mon Dieu, what have you done? How do you know this is not Melissande? Did her memory return to her?”

“She never lost it. As I have said, I will tell you the tale later after we have escorted Navarre and his men from the camp.”

“Very well, then.” Marco shrugged and patted him on the shoulder. “Let us deal with our fine guest then. Oui?”

Dominic nodded and they headed toward the group of soldiers hovering near Indiri’s tent.

Navarre stood off in the distance watching the scene taking place. His soldiers were standing near the oldest woman’s tent laughing about something the damnable old hag had said. Apparently she was entertaining them in some way and they were enjoying it! She was enjoying it as well. That was the least of his worries right now.

He had watched as du Barbaronne had pulled into camp on his horse. There was indeed a woman mounted in front of him with long golden tresses. He couldn’t see her eyes from this distance but he could see that she was indeed quite stunning. Even more stunning was her resemblance to Melissande…she could pass as her twin. But this was not Melissande. Her skin was much deeper in color and she was much
more full of life than Melissande had ever been. He could sense it.

She was pulled in close to du Barbaronne and as she had dismounted he had kissed her in full public view. Obviously, she had told him she was not Melissande or he would not dare such a
thing. So, she was not masquerading as his wife after all. Who in God’s name was she then? Did it even matter? Perhaps she was just some whore that the gypsien had fallen for and of no concern to him. He was safe. Melissande was dead.

Suddenly he began to smile to himself. His mind began to play out a vivid picture and the more it came to life the more he liked it. This was too good to be true, actually. Obviously, du Barbaronne had feelings for this woman. A coin hung around her neck. Perhaps it was du Barbaronne’s. Had he hand-fasted with the wench?

He sincerely hoped it was so and in fact he was banking on it! For years he had planned on hunting down the gypsy and killing him, but not before making him suffer. This was going to be even better.

Navarre began walking toward Dominic and the woman with long purposeful strides. As he approached, the gypsy took the woman’s hand and pulled it to his chest.

“Well, well…..dear
brother
. It has been too many years since we last met, has it not? Perhaps in light of the situation it is time to make our peace. No?”

His eyes fastened themselves on Sarah and drank her in from head to toe. Her eyes were the same golden color as his dead wife’s. Christ it was unbelievable. Not to mention the witch was beautiful. No wonder the gypsien was taken with her.

Sarah stared back at this man called Navarre. He was tall and muscular and breathtakingly handsome in an almost pretty sort of way. His hair was long and golden blonde. It hung in waves to his sholders and a neatly trimmed beard framed his face. His teeth were sparkling white and straight and stood out against the tanned skin of his face. His eyes were a deep shade of turquoise blue and sparkled with intelligence and something else. Evil…psychosis…a little of both. It was like something out of scary movie come to life.

Navarre stepped forward and reached out toward her. She stepped back and he raised a brow to her as he cocked his head.

“My lady. Since when do you fear your own
husband
? Has your memory not returned to you yet? Obviously this little ordeal has relieved you of your normally submissive demeanor. I am sure I will enjoy this change in you when we are alone in our chambers this eve.” He touched her arm with one of his gloved fingers.

Hmm…he would have to explain her darker complexion to all that had known the real Melissande. But that would be easy. He would simply tell them she had been walking in the sun for hours and tainted her fair complexion. He would either kill her before the time passed for her complexion to have faded back to normal or he would think of some way to explain it and make sure she stayed in the sun enough to explain why she maintained the silky color. He liked it quite well actually.

He bowed toward Dominic. “Thank you from the bottom of my heart, brother, for taking such care of my lady wife. And I trust you have left her unharmed. Come, Melissande. It is time to go home now.”

He reached out his gloved hand toward Sarah. He smiled inwardly. The look on her face was priceless! And the look on the gypsy’s face was even better. He knew with certainty now that she meant something to Dominic. How he was going to enjoy bedding this witch, knowing she was du Barbaronne’s woman!

Sarah gasped. This could not be happening!

Okay. Calm down. There is a mistake. Obviously you look enough like Melissande that he is mistaken
, she thought to herself.

She took a deep calming breath and opened her mouth to explain.

“Sir, you do not understand. I….I am not who you think I am. My name is Sarah. Sarah Douglas. I mean, I was Sarah Douglas. I am now Sarah du Barbaronne. I have married your half-brother Dominic.” She curtsied to him, trying to look as respectful as possible.

Navarre’s forced his expression to a look of murky anger. In truth, he wanted to break into sardonic laughter. But he kept his features smooth and firm.

“My lady. You are wedded already.
To me
. I am willing to excuse this little diversion from our union, as your memory has failed you due to your injury. And I am quite certain that my brother would never have defiled you had he known who you were.”

He leveled his gaze at Dominic. “I mean, how could he have known who you really were if you were unable to give him the correct information?” He raised a brow and reached out to lightly touch the coin hanging at Sarah’s chest.

“Still I have hope that this little illegal union of yours has not been consummated?” He paused and took a deep breath. “Of course I am willing to forgive and forget the incident if you simply come home with me now, Melissande. To your
lawfully
wedded husband.” He pulled off his glove and offered her his hand once more.

Dominic stepped forward in that moment and spoke in a tone that would allow no argument.

“Navarre. Can you not tell this woman from your own wife? She is not the lady. So why do you insist that she is? Have your wits left you?”

Navarre’s face twisted into an expression of hatred.

“Since when do you speak to me thusly, with such insolence, Gypsien?! You have never seen my lady wife until now.”

Dominic spoke again. “You may intrigue and overwhelm the masses with your title and your countenance, monsieur. But you do no such thing for me. You are but my own brother, in truth. You do not impress me. You did not do so when we were ten winters in age, and you do no such thing for me now.” Dominic stood his ground.