

The Sealed Door

A Seven Spell story (four)

T Stokes

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Formally published as book four of the Seven Spell saga this is not a new story. It is re-edited, re-covered, re-formatted for all new kindles and all e-readers

ISBN 978-1-908210-85-2

Copyright T Stokes 2013 all rights reserved worldwide

The moral right of the author has been asserted

All characters, and events in this publication, other than those clearly in the public domain, are fictitious, and any resemblance to actual people living or dead is purely coincidental.

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return toSmashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

All covers designed, and produced by the author

All rights reserved, copyright T. Stokes 2013

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The Sealed Door

Chapter One

"Mr. Dearing it's great that you are here. We've drilled a camera hole in the sealed door area and I have to say what we can see from just this first glimpse is totally fascinating."

Don was smiling, and leaning forward to shake Tristan's hand, and at the same time, you could tell he wanted Tristan to follow him to the tunnel. He angled his body towards the kitchen door saying, "If you have the time I can show you the view we have with the camera. There appears to be another sealed door at the end of a chamber, a tunnel like chamber," he amended, continuing, "There's a water feature of some kind. A small pool and a place that looks like it could be a drinking fountain, in modern terms." He was jubilant, and I smiled at his enthusiasm watching him almost bouncing on the spot, with each piece of information he gave Tristan.

"That sounds intriguing," Tristan replied, and indicated his intention to follow Don by stepping towards the kitchen door.

"I do have time, and would love to look." He and Don were already through the kitchen door, and striding down the corridor. I followed to the edge of the big drawing room, and then waited to be invited further.

Tristan and Don were bent over the screen of a laptop computer. Lily was at the keyboard of another laptop, and she turned to me saying I could look too.

"Chloe, is interested too Don. Is it okay that she looks? Come over Chloe."

I went over to Lily, and looked at the screen. It was a dimly lit picture of the interior of the chamber, as Don had called it. I thought more like a tunnel, and I could see the water feature he'd mentioned only as a pool of some kind to the left of the screen. At the end of this tunnel was another closed up door, it seemed like it was made of soil or was stone columns covered in soil. It was hard for me to see.

Right then more light came from somewhere, and the picture on the screen was much more distinct. I could see the tunnel, or chamber, whichever they decided to call it, had another opening leading off it to the right. Only the entrance of this was visible. The drinking fountain feature that Don had talked about was more visible now on the left, but only because water seemed to be trickling like a slow, mini waterfall over the side of a carved stone area, into the small pool below.

It was all, as Don had put it, totally fascinating. What had me in awe was that it was below where I lived at least I thought it was. What room would be over it, I wondered.

"What do you think of it Mr. Dearing, worth taking a few stones out of the tunnel wall, and going into this chamber or tunnel?" Don addressed Tristan who was still glued to the picture on the laptop.

Stefan had lit up the chamber a little more, and now he came from the fireplace saying, "Hello, how do you like that?" He was beaming his excitement too.

He was carrying a computer, about half the size of my netbook in his hand, and clearly had been able to see what we could, as he raised it slightly, and turned the screen at us.

I smiled at him. "It's amazing," I said.

"Isn't it?" Lily added, nodding and smiling at everyone.

I stood back from her as Tristan said, "Go right ahead, and make room to get through the sealed door to the chamber. I can hardly wait to walk in there myself. I can't believe I didn't know about it in all these..." Tristan cleared his throat, and then continued, "Where do you suppose it is, under the kitchen or what? Well it must be under the garden don't you think?" And he turned to Don, who was so excited he couldn't stop smiling.

"We'll get the geophysics done in the garden because it looks like it may go that way, although you could be right, it might be under the kitchen."

Tristan was smiling too. "Please call me Tristan. Sorry, I don't know anyone's first name."

Don supplied his own name, and then introduced Lily, and Stefan. Tristan nodded at each of them, and they smiled back. He added that James Parker would be with them the next day and Leslie from the last dig. Tristan was smiling as he told Don he knew James, and of course Leslie. Then he looked from one to the other of them.

"I must apologize, and leave you to it now. I have to get back to work, but as soon as you've breached the sealed door, and can walk in the chamber let me know, I'd love to go in."

Don was nodding. "Naturally we'll keep you totally up to date, Tristan."

Tristan looked my way. I gave the archaeologists a little wave, and went ahead of him up the long hallway to the kitchen.

Once there, Tristan put his arms around my waist holding me close. He kissed me on the side of my neck, and then the side of my mouth. I was smiling, and moved to kiss him too. He kissed my lips gently, and then leaned a little away from me to look into my eyes.

"I can't believe what they found, and I very nearly gave my age away in there, and said I had no idea it was there, for the last eight hundred years." He was smiling, and his eyes were very blue. The kiss we'd exchanged just before Don's arrival in the kitchen had been melting, and I was feeling very in love with Tristan.

I didn't reply straight away, but kissed him again, and then said almost against his lips, "I noticed that. I think this is an amazing find. Where do you suppose the water comes from?"

He hugged me, and then we drew apart.

"Well it must just be some spring that comes out of the rock down there. There's no sign of damp in the house is there? I know it's very well heated. You know I made sure the central heating was a really good installation, with plenty of radiators."

I laughed at his seriousness.

"It's great Tristan, not that we are using it yet, but I guess in a few weeks. Oh no wait a minute, mom did have it on for two days that very rainy week after the big drawing room had flooded, it's excellent. I nearly boiled before I discovered I could turn down my radiators, with that silver dial thing."

He'd walked to the French door, and was now standing looking out at the garden with his hands in his pockets. He looked thoughtful.

"Why don't I know about that tunnel? I must have passed the sealed door behind one of the tapestries back in the eleven hundreds, just as I did the secret box in the tunnel. Weird stuff, don't you think?" He'd turned to me as I reached him. "I seem to have been going around with my eyes closed back then. I think I've said that before," he laughed.

I looked at him, and smiled a little.

"You weren't looking for secrets then. You were just living your life as a young person, unaware of the intrigue that was going on."

He took my hands, and put them against his chest.

"Chloe, you always comfort me, you never see any fault in me, but I was spoilt back then, maybe arrogant too, that's why I crossed the river where I did. I just assumed I'd be safe, that the ice would be just the way it always was and that I was untouchable." He started to laugh again. "The good freezing I got cured me of that notion."

I put my hands up around his face, and kissed him quickly asking, "Do you have to go back to work like you told Don?"

He smiled. "I do in fact, but I can be convinced to have coffee, and cuddle up to you for a while longer."

"Maybe I could come up to the greenhouses with you. It would be nice to watch you work for a while," I told him.

"Would it?" He looked surprised.

"Oh yes," I replied. I didn't want to be apart from him right then.

"What about Don, and company?" He wanted me with him, I could tell from his expression.

"I'll tell them I've got to go out for a while, and ask when they plan to leave. If they are anything like last time, it will be about seven tonight."

I left him in the kitchen, and scooted down to see Don, or Lily, whoever was available. Lily was alone in the drawing room. The men must be down in the tunnel. As I got close, I could see them on her computer screen, they were working on the sealed door in the tunnel. Already having made a column shaped opening, and a carefully placed stack of stones was evident on the floor of the tunnel.

"Lily, I need to go out for a while, when are you planning on leaving?"

She turned to me. "About six I think, is that okay?"

I nodded. "Sure, I'll only be a couple of hours at the most, and my brother Steven may come home soon. Please help yourselves to tea, coffee, and there are cakes, biscuits, and stuff in the fridge if you want anything."

I smiled, and left her. I went quickly back to Tristan. I took his hand and we went out to the old truck he was using that day.

When I was in the passenger seat it was easy to kiss his cheek through the open window as he was about to click the truck door closed. He sighed, and smiled as he closed the door. When he was in the driver side, he leaned over, and kissed me.

"I seem to be unable to stop kissing you today, but then you are kissing me back," he said smiling again as he let go of me, and started the engine. I just grinned, and looked out of the window.

Chapter Two

Tristan parked at the end of the Dearing house car park.

"The tiny parking space by the greenhouse is already full. Jo has the trailer in there today in order to load the conifer order. So we'll walk from here." He was still smiling.

I got out of the truck, but Tristan came around to me, and put his arm around my shoulders as we walked over to the greenhouses. It was just far enough for us to discuss the new tunnel-chamber some more

"Tristan, I can't help feeling that tunnel-chamber will hold some mystery since you know nothing about it." I said, and he inclined his head to me, and slowing down hugged me a little closer.

"Maybe it will, but at least on first glance there is no giant portrait of my father's secret love interest." He kissed my temple, and I smiled.

"That's true."

When we reached the greenhouses, I could see two people in the first one. They had the side sliding doors open, and were loading what looked like tiny empty pots arranged in rows in large flat boxes. They brought these into the greenhouse, and placed them along the workbenches in there. Tristan called out to them, "Jo, Andy, how's it going, did you get all the conifers loaded?"

A tall, redheaded girl, her long ponytail swinging as she turned sharply to answer Tristan called back, "We did, since you seemed to have gone for the afternoon. Andy thought we would do you the favor of bringing over the seedlings as well."

Tristan laughed. "Thank you both. I really appreciate the help. I have to go out to the 'White Wood' greenhouses later, and cut some flowers for the weekend wedding order."

The man with the girl, who I assumed was Andy, waited for Tristan and I to get closer then said, "Pleasure Tristan. We'll finish this, there are quite a few more trays, and then we'll get off home if that's okay?" He was smiling, and had dimples in each cheek, one of which made a crease right down the cheek. He smiled at me too, and nodded. Tristan told them who I was, and Jo called hello from outside the greenhouse. Andy smiled more as Tristan answered his original question.

"Thanks for this. It'll be fine for you to get going. I'll be here until late now, see you tomorrow."

We left that greenhouse, and went into the second one, this was much longer and Tristan stopped here and there to pinch out a leaf or turn a pot around. He was talking about the flowers for the wedding.

"I can't get the exact shade of pink that the florist wanted, in the rose they requested. I went over to see him yesterday to show him a different breed that was actually more vibrant. I think he liked it. He accepted it because he wanted the color."

I nodded in encouragement. When he stopped for breath, I asked him about the 'White Wood' greenhouses.

"Tristan, I didn't realize you had more greenhouses. I thought the 'White Wood' area had been made into a car park for the arts holiday accommodation."

He turned around gracefully to face me, and opened his arms to hold me.

"Yes the space there beside the house side of the woods is the car park, but through the woods are four more greenhouses. We used to own a house, and the land it was on as well, but the greenhouses were fenced off for us to keep, as they are part of the whole business. The house and the land beyond that were sold."

"Oh, what about the woods, are they still part of the Dearing estate?" I remembered him saying something had been sold that he'd not wanted to lose, and I wondered if this was it.

"They are, because it's part of a reforestation agreement we have with the county forestry commission that what we use we have to replace, which is cool, I think."

He smiled at me as I watched him talk. I wanted to kiss him.

"It is cool Tristan, and could I ask is that house and the land, the place you once referred to as having been sold by Jack? Don't answer if you don't want to." I added this as an emotion went across his face that was hard to interpret.

"Yes it was Chloe, it was where I was living, and it was supposed to be agreed that I could live there, since I run the horticultural part of the business, but it got sold. It's okay, I'm over it. I kind of like my room in the big house now, but anyway since I've actually bought the stables, I can live there if needs be. I wasn't impressed at the time. I had a sneaking suspicion Jack had done it not just for the money, but also to have me less independent. I was probably wrong, in retrospect it more than likely was just the money."

I didn't answer, but I was thinking Jack had a lot of different motives for things. I just looked into Tristan's eyes, and his expression softened. He put his forehead against mine.

"I need to get working. The pink roses are in the 'White Wood' greenhouses, are you coming over there with me?" He kissed me softly at the end of his question.

As if I wasn't. I was interested to see the place, and I wanted to be with Tristan.

I kissed him back. It gave me an intense feeling. It was like dissolving, and drifting into the atmosphere, whatever was going on with us, it was addictive.

"I am certainly," I managed to say.

He let me go. "Chloe, I just about can't think of anything, but you. I love you so much, and the last couple of months when you seemed more distant, plus there was Emma, Gui, and Corbett to deal with, I was so very sad. Last week I actually felt you love me more again, and I don't care what else happens, nor if you love Oliver as well, I just want you to love me too." He'd taken a breath mid-sentence, and it had added to the sadness of what he was saying. I just nodded before he kissed me again. I put my arms around him as he hugged me to him.

"Tristan, I love you, I do," I told him.

He took my hand, and we went out of the greenhouse and down to the truck, He drove us around to the other greenhouses. It was a short drive. It was along a single-track dirt road that skirted the woods, and passed a fenced-in house on the right side, before diverting once more through the trees, and into a clearing where four greenhouses stood almost side-by-side. There was a big gravel parking space in the front of these greenhouses, and another truck stood there. It was a white, a single-cab truck, with a tray top, and was a little newer than this red one we were using.

"Is someone here already?" I asked Tristan, as he parked next to the truck.

"Possibly not, it's sometimes just parked here because someone will come along in their own car, and then they use the truck for the day, and afterwards it gets left here. No problems it's safe enough. We all just drive anything that's available. We have multiple keys." He laughed as if he'd suddenly found that concept funny, and I smiled at him.

There was no one around, and Tristan took unmade-up boxes, and made them into the long flat ones I had seen him use. I watched him do a couple, and then asked if I could help. I found it harder than I expected at first, but soon got the knack. I made the boxes whilst Tristan cut flowers, and then put them in the boxes. We soon had twenty boxes of various roses, and greenery.

Tristan smiled. "That's it, and I want to get these to the florist right away, let's go." He loaded them into the truck, and we left. I noticed nothing had been locked up. I supposed it was the same as with the other greenhouses, but the plants must be valuable.

"Tristan, how come you never lock any of the greenhouses"? I asked.

"Well you know since they are all glass, if anyone wanted to get in they could, and no one comes out here anyway." He shrugged, and it didn't seem to matter.

I looked at the house that used to belong to the Dearings as we passed. It was a big house, very big and had a formal garden laid out in the front of it, as well as a wide drive up the side. That was all I could take in as we passed.

Tristan was delivering to the florist by the bridal shop, and he double-parked outside it, he glanced at me. "I don't care if I am double-parked. I just have to deliver these flowers. It will take hardly any time."

I asked if I could help.

"Thanks Chloe, but if you would just stay in the truck, and then if anyone asks questions, you can say we are delivering here for two minutes tops."

It was only two minutes as another guy came out of the florist shop to help with the boxes, and we were on our way again, this time back to my place.

The archaeology team was still there, the four-wheel drive, and little truck still on the driveway. Steven's little red car was in the drive next to mom's Cherokee. She always used a taxi to Heathrow when she went to the States.

Tristan parked in the lane, he stopped the truck, and turned to me.

"Chloe, I have a staff meeting at the stables at five, we have one once a month, and so I'll leave you now, but could I see you later, is anything happening?"

I wanted to see him.

"Tristan, that will be great. I'd like that." I smiled at him. He looked so happy, and as he leaned over to me, I reached up to hold his face, and kiss him.

I got out of the truck to go into the house, but Tristan met me as I walked around the front, and hugged me tight. I was laughing, and so was he.

He walked down the drive with me, holding my hand, and at the door hugged me again.

"I'll see you later," I told him, and he nodded.

Chapter Three

Inside the house, I went along to the big drawing room.

"Hello Lily," I greeted her as she turned to check who was coming into the room.

"Oh hello Chloe, come and look at the opening we have in the door. Tomorrow we are going into the chamber. There have to be a couple of safety checks first, but we've established that the chamber is under the garden path."

I was looking at the computer screen.

"Wow, you have different views now, more cameras I guess. Oh is that under croft, that must hold up the roof then under the garden? Wow, is that the water feature? It's bigger than I thought. How do you have the cameras so close if you've not been in the chamber yet?"

I was fascinated. This was going to be great fun actually going in there.

"Well they are all on flexible cables, like the head of a snake. We have fed them in, and turned them towards the places we want to see, along with rope lighting to help the view, but I have to admit, Stefan has actually been just inside the chamber to make sure of a couple of things."

"This is so exciting, I can't wait to see what else you find," I told her, and she laughed.

"I know, it's great work. I'm so lucky to do work I love."

I nodded at her. "I agree. I'm happy with what I do at the moment. I came down here to check if you would like coffee or some tea. I'm going to make some, and go back to my college assignment."

I made them all tea, and took my own cup up to my room, to start work again on the assignment I had left hours ago. As I passed the library, I heard soft music. I put my head around the door. It was Steven, and John playing acoustic guitars. I said hi as they looked up, and asked Steven if he was having dinner at home. He told me he, and John were meeting the other band members at Will's place, and getting burgers on the way so no.

I grinned at this, and left them to it.

It was maybe only half an hour later when Steven came to my door, and said the archaeologists were leaving, and so were he, and John. So I went downstairs, and saw them all off. I'd see them tomorrow before I went to work at the art and craft holiday project. The archaeology team had left things set up. Stefan said that James, and Leslie might be here the next morning quite early. I just smiled, and nodded, but I hoped that didn't mean six a.m. or something.

I had finished my assignment, finally, and went down to the kitchen for a drink of water. On the way down the stairs, my cell phone rang, and I took it from my pocket noticing it was Oliver calling.

He'd been working all day, and was working this evening too, so we were meeting Thursday night at the Kool Kafé where Will's band was playing the Thursday, and Friday night gigs.

"Hello Chloe, what's happening, are you having a good day? I miss you." It was nice to hear his voice, and I could picture his face.

"Oliver, how lovely to hear from you. It's been quite a day, the archaeology team found a chamber under the house. I spent some time with Tristan, and did a college assignment. How did your work go today?"

Oliver had been doing computer work, re-networking a small business in town, and setting up their intranet. I could hear he was smiling as he told me everything had gone really well, and he was working at the restaurant from seven until midnight.

He said he was interested to see the new archaeological findings, and asked laughingly if there were any wall paintings in the chamber. We talked for a couple of minutes, and then rang off, as he needed to get ready for work.

I was thinking of him as I went back upstairs, even after being so close to Tristan for most of the day, I missed Oliver, and would be very happy to see him Thursday night. I was back to my old ways of loving both he, and Tristan. It was not something I was proud of, I felt worse about it now than I had ever felt. I looked out of my window. It was growing dark and there was a chill in the air. I stared out, not seeing the view. I just felt so wretched about having such intense feelings for both Oliver, and Tristan again. How was this going to work out? I had practically told Oliver only a couple of weeks ago, that I loved him more than Tristan, but it wasn't true, if it had ever been. I felt bad for them both. What was the matter with me, how can someone be deeply in love with two guys?

I called Clare, she answered right away and I launched into my request.

"Clare, I was thinking maybe we could meet for lunch, maybe Friday. I haven't seen much of you for a couple of weeks."

Clare greeted me, "Hello Chloe, I'd love to meet you Friday, but I'm expected at a theatre meeting. Will you be at the Kool Kafé tomorrow? I thought everyone was coming out to see Will's band, so maybe we could meet there, and catch up. James will not be coming down until about nine, so what if we met for supper about six there?"

I told her that would be great, and asked how her work with the theatre was going. We talked for a couple more minutes.

I was thinking of finding something to eat for dinner, and had wandered down to the fridge, when my cell rang again.

"Chloe, hello." It was Tristan. "I was thinking maybe we could go up to the restaurant to eat. Would that be okay?"

I smiled as I answered him. "Tristan, that's a lovely thought what time were you thinking of?"

He nominated seven thirty, and I told him that was good because I wanted to clean myself up a bit.

I quickly took a shower, and as I dried my hair, I was thinking it seemed to be getting longer, maybe I could get mom to trim the ends when she got home from the States, they looked a bit dry. I put on my new sweater, and jeans. I put the new blue belt on, and then took it back off. I decided to leave my hair down for a change, and thought about wearing shoes with a bit of a heel, but then decided against it, and put my boots on. I took my iPad downstairs, and set some music going as I made a cup of tea.

Staring out at the garden, lit up as usual in white and yellow lights, I couldn't stop thinking about the situation I was in. I needed to talk to someone, and it was going to have to be Clare, but at least I'd only have to wait until the next day. I heard Tristan pull onto the gravel driveway in a vehicle, and went to let him in the front door. He looked lovely. He'd cut his hair. It was much shorter than he usually had it, spiked, and very slightly longer at the front, it really suited him and he looked great. His dark blue shirt brought out the color of his eyes, and made his hair look darker. He stopped in the doorway.

"Chloe, you look lovely."

I took his hand.

"I was just thinking the same thing about you. You changed your hair, it's gorgeous," I told him as we went into the kitchen.

He turned me around, and kissed me. I put my arms up around his neck, and kissed him back. It didn't matter right then about all the things I had been thinking before he arrived. It didn't matter that I loved both him, and Oliver. I couldn't help but kiss, and hug him close.

Tristan smiled as he moved back from me.

"Oliver is working at the restaurant tonight isn't he?"

I nodded in answer, and he continued, "Well if I am not as affectionate as I have been today, that will be the reason why, which you would probably have guessed, but I thought I'd make it clear."

I smiled at him. "I'd have guessed."

It was a little cold. Autumn was already well established. It had developed faster, and become colder than expected after our lovely summer. We decided I'd drive us up to 'Peacocks' in my Wrangler. Even so, when we went into the restaurant, we naturally went out to the terrace tables. I knew dad was thinking of putting some form of heating out there on the terrace, because everyone loved sitting at those tables, with the view of the lake close by.

"Do you really want to be out here Chloe, it's a bit cool?" Tristan asked, and we moved to just inside the restaurant, at the end tables, as Oliver came along to see us.

He looked great, and was grinning at us.

"Hello, this is nice to see you. I hope you both came to see me, more than for dinner. Excellent haircut, Tristan," he observed.

Tristan laughed. "Sorry Oliver it's probably about half, and half, half to see you, and half for dinner, and yes I thought it was time I changed my appearance, a little at least. You know, put people off the notion I don't age."

Oliver turned to me, looking lovingly at me and said, "Did you finish the assignment you had? Hey, how about that new find under the house?" He included Tristan then, looking from one to the other of us.

"I know, it's incredible, I can't wait to see it properly. I never asked, Chloe, did Don or anyone say anything else when they left tonight?" Tristan was talking happily.

"Lily, the lovely girl archaeologist, told me they've established that the chamber is under the garden path, and there are safety checks tomorrow, before they go in it. I saw vaulted ceilings on the computer this evening, before they packed up. It's all structurally sound down there by the looks of it. The water feature seemed bigger to me too. I think it could be a total blast going in there."

"Wow, it sounds excellent fun. I'd love to see it all, maybe I could drop by, and see it soon," Oliver said.

Tristan added, "Me too, what are we doing Friday?"

I grinned, and shook my head. "Me, nothing important so far, what about you, Oliver?" I asked.

He smiled. "Well not free until afternoon."

Tristan sighed. "Not free until about six."

I smiled. "We could meet at the house around six, how about that? Don, and team will be gone, and we can snoop big time."

Both Oliver and Tristan smiled, and nodded. "Okay let's do that," Tristan said.

"Are you ordering now, because I may have to go to another table if not?" Oliver asked.

We did order, and Oliver went off to pass it in.

I smiled at Tristan. He was sitting opposite me, and out of reach, which was a good thing. He smiled back.

"You'll be at the Kool Kafé tomorrow night Chloe and I guess so will Oliver." It was as if he was making sure of it.

I nodded at him. "Yes, we're meeting down there. I thought you were coming too. I'll be down there with Clare early. We're meeting to catch up."

"I'll come down, because the last time I was there, something spoilt the night for me." He was referring to Emma stabbing me and I smiled at him a little. He smiled, but then became serious, and put his hand across the table, which was an invitation to me to hold it.

I did hold his hand for just a few seconds. He sat back in his chair, and sighed, giving me a look that made me feel like risking kissing him, but I didn't.

Oliver brought our order, and grinned as he put it down.

"Your dad said I could take my break with you in half an hour, will it be an intrusion?"

Tristan spoke first. "Certainly not, it'll be good don't you agree, Chloe?"

I grinned at his friendliness, and courtesy. "That will be nice, Oliver."

When Oliver had gone I looked questioningly at Tristan, I didn't need to voice anything.

"Seriously Chloe, it's okay with me that Oliver join us. We are all friends besides everything else, let's not forget that," Tristan said.

I nodded. "Yes I know, I agree, and I can't tell you how wretched I sometimes feel about my behavior, I mean caring for both of you..." I tailed off.

Tristan just gave me a caring look. I didn't say more, what was there to say?

When Oliver came over for his break, he surprised us by telling us that he was thinking of having a party for his birthday.

"Oliver, when is your birthday?" I asked him smiling. I was delighted to hear this.

"Yes Oliver, when is it, and how old should you be?" Tristan grinned at us both, as Oliver had pulled a chair a bit closer to me than Tristan.

Oliver laughed. "It's in about three weeks, nearly four, the twenty fifth of next month, and I should be twenty."

I sighed. "Really Oliver, that soon. I suppose the years still add up, but we just will not show them huh?" I looked at Tristan as I said this, and he nodded.

"That's about it, Chloe. When is your birthday?"

Oliver looked at me with his eyebrows raised a little in question, and Tristan smiled again at us both.

"December fifth, and Tristan, I've been meaning to ask when your birthday is for months now, ever since Will and Steven's party in fact, but somehow didn't get around to it."

Oliver looked questioningly at Tristan too.

"Funnily enough, it's fifteenth of December, if I remember rightly, though I can't say I've celebrated it for a few hundred years actually." He didn't seem worried by this, but Oliver looked at me, and I thought I saw a look of sympathy go across his face.

I'm not really into star-sign stuff, but I had a friend in California who was, and almost planned her day around horoscopes that she looked up on the internet each night, so I knew my star sign, and I knew we were all the same one.

"Guys, we are all Sagittarians, do you realize, how weird is that?" I informed them.

"Well it is I suppose" Oliver shrugged his shoulders.

Tristan just shrugged too. "I know nothing about it."

I smiled. "Where will you have your party Oliver?"

"I don't know, it will not be a big huge thing, just a small get together."

"Perhaps we should all three have a huge joint party on the lawns on your birthday, Oliver," I suggested.

"We could, if it was not likely to be cold or throwing with rain" Oliver grinned.

"Also it doesn't seem fair to crash Oliver's day really," Tristan said, and added, "Plus I'd prefer not to draw attention to myself. People may ask how old I am, and it could get awkward."

I hadn't thought of this, and it appeared that neither had Oliver, as he looked thoughtful.

"Maybe we could just have a get together in the Kool Kafé, I'd be pleased to do a joint celebration with you Chloe, since your birthday is only eleven days later. Maybe it will be the last time we broadcast our ages, since we are never going to look any older than we do now."

Tristan sighed. "Sorry, I feel somehow as if I've put a dampener on your plans, Oliver."

Oliver shook his head. "No, not so, don't think like that, we'll secretly celebrate your birthday this year too, so don't think you are getting away with it."

Oliver was so nice. I looked at them both for a moment, both so attractive, such lovely guys. If anyone had said to me 'Chloe, you've to choose between them now, or disappear in a puff of smoke, and that's that', I couldn't choose, I'd have no ability to do it, and so would go up in a puff of smoke. It almost made me smile thinking this, but the fundamental seriousness of loving them both stopped the smile from reaching my lips.

"My break is up," Oliver was saying as I tuned back in.

"Oliver, we can all talk about your party on Friday evening," I suggested as he stood up.

"Okay, good idea," he replied, and for a few seconds it looked as if he was going to bend, and kiss me, but then he caught himself, and smiling at both Tristan and I, went back to work.

Tristan had a slightly sad expression on his face.

"He nearly kissed you goodbye then, you realize," he commented, and took a drink of his coffee.

I took a deep breath, and nodded slightly.

"You know once in the last couple of months, when we were a little surprised by events, you and Oliver were leaving in the Land Rover, and you both kissed me. Oliver on my cheek on the left as he got into the driver's side, and when I went around to the passenger side with you, then you on my right cheek. I don't think either of you noticed, and I didn't even think about it until a while later, but it was there."

Tristan laughed aloud. "Really?"

I was surprised at his reaction, and sat there silently for a moment gathering my thoughts.

"You really are not jealous of Oliver at all are you, Tristan?" I finally asked.

"No, you don't want me to be do you? That was a strange tone you used there?"

"What no, never" I answered.

"I start being sad, not jealous, but only when you seem to stop caring for me," Tristan elaborated, and he looked intently at me.

I answered him. "I lost sight of how much you meant to me for the barest time, and a little bit of that was thinking you might want to be with Emma. I'm so sorry. I don't know what I was thinking of." It was true, I don't know.

He smiled, and reached across the table for my hand, he didn't even look around to check who saw. He held my hand for a minute, and looked straight into my eyes, something that totally unnerved me, and I closed my eyes to break the spell between us.

"Maybe we should go Chloe, what do you think?"

Tristan waited until we'd gone halfway across the car park before he put his arm around my shoulders. He kissed my cheek as I got into my Wrangler, and laughed a little at the gesture, no doubt remembering what I had just told him.

When we got home, Tristan hesitated for a moment. "Chloe, I was thinking, it's not that late, you don't work until the afternoon tomorrow, maybe we could spend a little more time together before I leave."

I turned to him across the transmission. "I'd like that Tristan."

Inside we naturally went into the big kitchen. I checked the dishwasher, as I had put the dishes from the day in there before I left earlier. Tristan surprisingly didn't make coffee, but looked out at the garden lights, and the darkness that was the woods.

"I can't imagine life before you came to live here. I don't know what I used to do with myself," he said as I went to stand near him.

I took his hand. "I love you too Tristan," I told him softly.

Chapter Four

Thursday I let James and Leslie in the house at eight thirty, so not too early. They smiled, and said how exciting this old place had become. I had to agree.

I asked if they would have coffee or something, since I was about to make tea for myself, and left them in the big drawing room.

In the kitchen, I could tell Steven had not had breakfast, maybe not been down yet, which was odd as he was supposed to have gone to John's place early today. I looked out of the front kitchen window to see his car still out there.

When I had taken Leslie, and James coffee, I took my cup of tea up to my room, and called in on Steven as I passed. He was in his bed reading, and laughed at me as I poked my head around the door.

"Yes Chloe, I haven't left yet. We decided to meet at lunchtime, to do a bit of rehearsal, and hang out before going to the Kool Kafé. We're doing the set we did at our party since it was very popular so a late start."

I grinned. "You know we're all coming down to see the band again. It's very cool having my brother in a great band. I'm working this afternoon, and going to meet Clare after. I better look in on the archaeologists before I do that though huh?"

"That might be a good idea, see you later," he said turning back to his Kindle.

I took the hint, and went on up to my room.

I drank my tea looking out of my window, the sky was blue, and there was a bright sun, but the air through the open part was very cold. Something about the smell of the air reminded me of being in the eleven hundreds with Tristan, when it was winter. Maybe winter was on the way here now. I hadn't experienced an English winter before, and I was interested to find out just how cold it would be.

As I looked out of the window, I thought about Tristan, and the half hour we'd spent last night, before he went home to the Dearing house. It made me smile to think of his kisses, and the way he'd held me so close. It felt almost as if he'd decided to let himself love me again, after the Emma incident, and yes, after I had become a little distant from him.

I spent the morning doing some work to a new stained glass window design, and then before I went to work with Liz at the Arts and Craft holiday workshop, I made sandwiches for the archaeologists, and myself. Steven had let in Lily, Don and Stefan before he'd left for his rehearsal. I took the tray of food down to them, and Stefan came back up to the kitchen with me to carry their drinks. He told me they had been into the chamber, and it was so interesting. The other sealed door we could see was a preserved wooden door, but only compacted earth, and rubble was behind it. There was however, the start of a tunnel that they were sure led to the kitchen, except that it was collapsed about a meter, and a half in. They were excited about the pool, and the water shrine set in the wall. It was Anglo Saxon, and beautifully carved he said.

I told him I couldn't wait to see inside there, and would they be showing it to us soon.

He grinned. "I'm sure Don will. He probably wants the owner to see it all first."

I nodded.

"So Stefan, that's it then, you've found what there is to find. Will it get closed back up? I assume it's safe because of the great vaulting," I asked.

"No I think it will be left open. It is safe, remarkably sound, according to the experts we had in this morning. It's really up to the owner what happens next, though I think some preventative work will happen. You know a bit of safety stuff in case we've somehow destabilized the place."

I frowned at this, and he shrugged as if it was just routine stuff. He was the last to leave, and said they would be back the next day about midday to finish up.

At the arts and crafts venue, my afternoon workshop doing mask making with the children went very well, although it was hard work because some of them just wanted to be silly. They were just little kids though, and loved their masks once they had made them.

I went home to change, and then off to the Kool Kafé to catch up with Clare.

I found a park opposite the café, which was a lucky break, and probably available because of the time of day.

I went over to the café. There was no one at the outside tables, so she must be inside.

I saw her at a table close to the counter when I went into the main area of the café,

"Clare, hi, great to see you," I said sitting on one of the free chairs at the table.

"Hello Chloe, what's happening with you?" She smiled, her lovely eyes sparkling. She was wearing her fabulous engagement ring, and it flashed as she closed a printed document she was reading.

"I'm fine," I told her, and yet all I wanted to do was blurt out how disgusted with myself I was.

She looked at me, and laughed.

"No you're not, I can tell you want to talk about something, what is it?"

Samantha who was Clare's younger sister came up, and asked if I wanted to order, and did Clare want to order now I had arrived. Lily, not the archaeologist, another Lily, who helped in the café too, was behind the counter, and waved at me. I waved back. I knew her from my brother's birthday party as well as the Kool Kafé.

Clare, and I ordered cheeseburgers with extra salad, and Samantha went off. I hadn't replied to Clare, and now I sighed.

"Clare, I do want to talk to you. I hope you don't mind because you may be tired of the subject."

She started laughing. "I am guessing it's about Oliver, and Tristan then."

I smiled just a little, but I didn't feel in any way happy.

"Clare, I just had to talk to someone. I find myself still really in love with both of them and it just doesn't get any better. I found myself thinking a few weeks ago, that I loved Oliver more, but now I find even though I may have led him to believe that, I don't. It's such a mess. I feel wretched, about them. Oliver is such a lovely guy, and Tristan is so, well so dear to me, I feel like I am hurting both of them."

Clare sighed, and looked at me with a slight frown.

"Chloe, I hardly know what to say. Firstly, you are so lucky to have them both, the way they just accept the situation is frankly unheard of. The other thing is, I just don't know what you can do. Not to be too personal, but, well, how far into relationships with them are you?"

I looked at her, it didn't sink in very quickly what she meant, and she added, "You know have you..." but I got it, and replied.

"We kiss, lots, but no."

She grinned at me. "Sorry, look I know lots of girls who have thought they were in love with the boy they were currently seeing, and kissing, but then someone else came along, and they thought the same about that boy. I can only speak from what happened with James, and me. I knew he would be the one I wanted to get more serious with. I wasn't exactly seeing anyone on a regular basis when I met him, but I had gone out sporadically with a couple of guys. You know, I'd see a movie with one of them, and we wouldn't catch up for a week or so, and in between maybe have coffee with the other. I knew them in university."

She stirred her coffee that had arrived, and I took a sip of my orange juice. I put my glass down.

"Clare, I've never been out with a boy before I came here. I know that sounds weird, but unless I was in a group where other girls had brought along boys they were seeing, I didn't really even talk to them. Boys just didn't ever approach me, ever."

"Chloe, that's unfathomable, I mean you are so pretty" Clare shook her head.

"Am I?" I didn't think I was. "To be honest Clare it shocked me when Oliver was interested in me, and then Tristan too. I was surprised. Really I was."

Clare's expression was kind, and sympathetic/

"Chloe, maybe it's that, because you haven't had that kind of thing happen to you, maybe you think you love them because you have no other experience."

"No I do love them, Clare, it is real" I replied, perhaps a little too quickly.

She sighed. "What do they say? I think eventually one or the other will be fed up with it."

Our food had arrived, and I didn't feel even remotely hungry now.

"They seem to be okay with it."

I watched her cut her burger into four pieces, and I was thinking, perhaps she was right. Let's face it Oliver must be under the impression that I had started to love him more than Tristan. I had given him that impression, and had not even seen him alone to change that. Had I said the words specifically or had I said, I only thought I might love him more? I still loved him the same as ever, that had not changed. There was no change. It was just that Tristan had shone his light back on me, and I had fallen deeper in love with him again. I sighed.

"Your food will get cold." Clare broke into my thoughts.

I looked up at her having spent the time thinking, and staring at my food.

"Clare thanks for listening to me. Tell me about how you are going with the theatre."

She told me about what was happening with her work, and then James. I listened as I tried to eat a little of the food I had ordered. It was good to concentrate on her, and not my questionable behavior.

The band had set up before I arrived, and now appeared from somewhere. Will rushed up to our table smiling, with Steven, John and David following behind. They all dragged chairs up to the table, and had coffee before the place got crowded.

It was about seven thirty when the café started to become crowded, and the CD music became louder. The band, which had adopted the name 'Will's Band' as the real name, was not on until eight thirty, and then again at ten thirty, since it was Thursday, they would not go on as late as the Friday night gig.

They left the table about eight, just as Liz, Laura, and Corbett showed up to take their places at the table, being witty and saying how kind to have saved them seats.

I was thinking that Oliver was a little later arriving than he'd said he would be, when both he and Tristan came in talking, and laughing. It was good to see them, and Clare had seen me looking down to the doorway area half out of my seat. She turned to check who I was looking at, and then jogged my elbow.

"They are gorgeous no denying. Will they both kiss you hello Chloe?" I looked at her grinning at me, and realized she meant it kindly, and as a light-hearted comment. I smiled wanly at her, despite this, thinking it was unlikely unless we'd all just seen something appear from a different time or something. I suddenly thought about Gui's sneaker left behind in this time, and if Tristan still had it somewhere, just in case he could ever get it back to Gui.

Clare nudged me again.

"Sorry Chloe, I didn't mean that unkindly," she said, as I had probably gone quiet.

Tristan and Oliver had stopped at the café counter, and were ordering something from Lily.

"No it's okay, Clare, I didn't take it unkindly," I told her.

Tristan and Oliver came over to our table where they both smiled, and said hellos to everyone as they put their coffees on the table. Ben and his girl had followed them into the café, and almost immediately, both Oliver, and Tristan were engaged in a conversation with Ben. From the snatches of this conversation that I heard, it seemed to be about longbows. Laura and Corbett had stopped dancing, and were making their way towards us. Laura was smiling, and leading Corbett by the hand occasionally turning around to him, and saying something not audible from where I was.

At the table, Laura flopped into the only available chair, and Corbett joined in the conversation about long bows. I found it a little amusing, as although his English was remarkably good by then, Tristan occasionally seemed to translate or speak to him in Norman French, and Oliver in French, Ben too, which was interesting. I felt a little left out somehow, although I knew that was unreasonable.

I got up, and asked people in general at the table if anyone wanted coffee or juice or anything as I was going up to the counter. Laura said how kind, and that she would have some orange juice, but James had arrived, so he, and Clare were sitting with their heads close together, and I guessed they didn't hear.

I made my way through the thickening crowd. People were coming in now ready for the band's late session.

At the counter, Lily got my order of orange juice for both Laura, and me. I paid, and was about to pick up the glasses, and go over to our table when I felt my cell phone go off. As usual, I had it in the back pocket of my jeans, and it was on vibrate. I knew I would not be able to hear it, but I would feel it. I looked at the screen, and it was mom.

I answered. "Mom, I'll not be able to hear you, I'm in the Kool Kafé, let me call you back, I'll go outside." I put the phone back in my pocket, took the orange juice down to the table, and then went outside to call my mom.

The night air was cold as I went out of the door onto the street, where the outside tables had the chairs turned up onto them. I went over to one where only two chairs were upturned, and leaned against it, calling mom.

She told me my grandmother was ill, and she was staying with her for the next couple of weeks, so they would not be coming over at the end of the week. I was worried at first, but mom said it was quite a mild flu, but that gran's asthma had kicked in, and she was just playing safe by resting up. She asked me to make sure Steven was okay for school next week, and get in the shopping, was that okay could she count on me? I told her of course, to leave it to me. I asked her to give gran my love, and say to hurry, and get well. Then I asked mom about her work, and had she managed to get some done before gran had become unwell. We talked about her work for a couple of minutes, and then she asked me to tell Steven about gran. She knew he was playing in the band. She'd already spoken with dad. We rang off, and I put my cell back in my pocket.

I didn't go back into the café right away, instead I looked around at the clear night sky, and although I was cold, it felt refreshing to be out there in the night. Admittedly, there were lights everywhere, fairy lights, and colored bulbs. The Kool Kafé had maintained a celebratory façade all year so far. A man, and woman passed with a little brown, and white dog on a long lead, they were arm in arm, and talking. The little dog had one of his legs entangled in the lead, and they hadn't seen it. He was hopping, and trying to get his leg free. I watched him. I hoped that either they would see him, or that he would disentangle himself.

I realized someone was next to me, and turned quickly to see Tristan.

"Chloe, what's happening? I saw you come out here, and you seem to have been gone for a long time, so I came to check if you're okay."

I smiled at him.

"I'm fine Tristan, I just had to call mom back, my gran is sick and she's staying in California for another two weeks."

He looked concerned. "Oh no, how sick? I hope she'll be okay."

"She will. She has flu and asthma, but it's not desperate. She has to take care, that's all, thanks for asking," I told him as he slipped his arms around me, and drew me close to him.

He felt warm, and I shivered suddenly as I noticed how cold I was. He hugged me.

"Chloe, you're freezing come back into the café."

Instead, I kissed him, and he held my head to his, as we just kept kissing each other. He stepped back, and smiled.

"We better go in there before someone else comes along to check on you or both of us."

We held hands until we were almost in the main body of the café, when by mutual consent we let go, and walked side by side.

Oliver was drinking coffee near the counter of the café, and we went over to him saying hello. He looked interested in where we'd been without saying anything, so I told him about mom's phone call as Tristan went off to talk with Corbett, and Laura.

It was a strange night after that, the band was excellent, and the crowd really enjoying their playing, but there was something a little quiet about Oliver. I bought fresh orange juice because mine had been left on the table too long. Standing close to Oliver, it felt as if he was waiting to talk to me.

When we were all preparing to go home, Tristan who had driven down with Laura and Corbett said he would see Oliver, and me tomorrow, and he left with them. Oliver turned to me, and asked where I had parked. We went over to my car, and Oliver took my hand as we crossed the road. At the car, he turned to me hugging me close.

"Chloe, it's an age since I held you. I miss you," and he kissed me. "I love you," he continued.

I smiled at him. "Oliver, you are so lovely. Where are you parked? I'll drive you to the Land Rover."

It felt good to hold him, and something else, I needed to take care of him. I felt bad about everything.

"It's in the library car park, but I don't want to go home yet, take me there, and stay for a while, please?" he asked, and I nodded, then kissed him.

I drove him around to the library car park, and we sat in the car, he turned to me.

"Chloe, could I just come back to your place for a little while?"

I smiled, it was hardly any distance, and I needed to be with Oliver again.

"Okay Oliver, that will be really lovely."

Chapter Five

He'd followed me home for the five-minute drive. There were a few cars on the road out to where I lived, but more on the way from the area, no doubt coming from the tourist attractions around there.

When I parked, and got out of my car, I waited for Oliver to get out of his, and catch me up before we went to the door. I took his hand even though it was seconds to the front door. As I was opening the door a cat came from somewhere, a lovely white cat, small, and friendly, it wove around Oliver's legs.

"Hey, hello there," I said as I bent to stroke it. I could hear it purr loudly as it wove around my legs then rubbed its face on my feet.

Oliver smiled. "Did you get a cat? I love cats, but I can't have one because my mother is allergic to them," he said, joining in the stroking of the pretty animal.

"No Oliver, I've never seen it before. I wonder where it has come from?" I let us in, and left the cat on the front porch watching us. As I closed the door, it started to clean a paw sitting down on the doormat.

Oliver was only just inside the kitchen when he hugged me, and kept hugging me until I laughed, and asked if he wanted to have some coffee.

We both went over to the work surface to make it, and as the kettle boiled Oliver told me about his latest computer job. In between, he kissed me on the cheek then the nose, and then just as I was about to kiss him I saw the little white cat on the window ledge. Oliver followed my gaze, and saw it. The cat knowing somehow that it had our attention, rubbed its face and back along the window, and looked plaintively in.

"Let it in for a moment, Chloe, just in the kitchen here, it wants a drink," Oliver said. He seemed enchanted by the little animal. I went to the French windows, and opened one side.

"If it comes in then that's okay Oliver. How do you know it wants a drink?" I grinned at him, and went over to the kettle to make our drinks.

"I don't know, it's just a guess," he grinned too, and took the cup of coffee I offered him. We stood close together near the window, and looked out at the garden. There were leaves everywhere, blown from the trees. I realized the trees that had shielded one side of the garden from the lane were almost bare. It was definitely fall.

Oliver put his cup down on the table, and came back to me taking my hand, and turning me to him, he started to kiss me. I kissed him back, and held him. I could trace his backbone through his cotton shirt and I moved my hands up to his face, and held him as I kissed him. He was so lovely, and I loved him dearly. I thought as I kissed him, how much I'd like to make love to him, with him, why not? What if I lost him again and I hadn't ever felt that? I wanted right then to make love to him so that I'd always have that in my heart, no matter what.

Oliver was whispering something to me as he kissed me. I had to make myself listen because I was lost in his kiss, and his voice was very soft.

'I wish we could, but I just can't yet, because then I'd ask you to choose, it would have to be me. I'd expect you to tell Tristan he was just a friend. It has to be special, Chloe. I love you so much, but that would be the ultimate bonding for me. If making love with someone isn't special then what is it?'

He was kissing me, and I know I heard those words in answer to what I had only thought. I held him close, and kissed along his jaw, and down his neck, and he sighed.

I didn't speak, but I was thinking how easy it would be to go up to my room, and why not, why not make love to him? He answered me again, and this time I knew he was not speaking aloud, the whispers I heard were his thoughts. He was thinking if I told him I loved only him, then that would be it. If only I'd tell him that.

I stood back from him just a little, and I asked him, "Oliver, did you say something?" I held his hands, and he closed his eyes, and then opened them.

"No, did you, did you say something Chloe?"

I shook my head, and stepped closer again, looking up to be kissed. I could see questions in his eyes. I listened again. It's funny that I'd call it listening because it was like that, only not with my ears. Some part of my mind was able to listen. He was thinking, 'What's going on, I was sure we just talked to each other, god I'm losing it, I love her so much, and I want her so badly I'm losing my mind, get a grip Oliver.'

He was talking to himself the way we all do in our heads.

I could hear his thoughts, how was that possible? Then again, he'd heard mine. I must have put them in his head. This was spooky. He'd kissed me in that time and I hugged him tight. He was precious to me, and he wanted me to love only him, it made me sad. I caught myself, had I put those thoughts in his head? I listened, no, he had no thoughts, he was just kissing me, and as I kissed him back, it emptied my mind of anything, but the feel of his lips, and his face in my hands.

Suddenly the little white cat was there at our feet, threading through the slight gap between us. It meowed a couple of times, and Oliver let go of me smiling as he said, "It came in. It's so pretty," and he picked it up. The cat nudged him with its head against his chest, and then his hand, purring all the while.

"I could give it milk," I told him, and went over to get a little dish from the cupboard. I put some milk in the dish, and brought it to the cat placing it at Oliver's feet as he put the cat back down on the tiles. It sniffed the milk, and took the tiniest lap then looked up at us.

Oliver laughed. "It doesn't like it. Funny little cat, you don't like the milk, that's okay, we don't mind." He told it, and the cat seemed happy that we didn't mind our offering had been rejected. It wove through Oliver's legs one more time, and then ran with its tail flagging out the window into the cold, crisp night. I watched its little white figure disappear rapidly in the blackness beyond the garden lights.

Oliver had picked up the dish, and rinsed it out placing it in the dishwasher.

"Sorry Chloe, I didn't expect it not to like milk."

I smiled, and shook my head.

"It doesn't matter Oliver. I wonder where it lives?"

I went to close the window, and looked out along the patio before I did. I don't know why I did that but it was good that I did, because the other French door that led to the middle drawing room was open, and it swung out from the house.

"Oh, the middle drawing room door is open, I better close it," I said to Oliver, and he followed me down there.

"I have no idea how that was left open, unless Steven forgot it or something," Oliver took my hand as I said this.

He looked concerned. "Chloe, maybe we should look around the house. What if someone is in here?"

We went into each room downstairs, and had a look around. The big drawing room was a little spooky that night, maybe because we knew the chamber was down there.

Upstairs we looked into each room, and along the corridors into the bathrooms. My room was last, and we went into it. My window was half-open as I had left it. Oliver checked my bathroom.

"Chloe, maybe we should look down the steps here, someone could hide halfway down. It's possible," he emphasized, as I looked skeptical.

"I don't think anyone came in Oliver, I think maybe it was just left open by someone."

Oliver was a few steps down the old stairs that led from my bathroom down to the kitchen.

"I'm going to look, Chloe. I can't go home, and leave you without knowing there is no one in the place," he called up to me, and I followed him then because if anyone was on the stairs, I wanted to protect Oliver as much as he wanted to protect me.

There was no one, and we came back up the ordinary stairs to my room, as it was easier on the leg muscles. Oliver smiled, and pulled me to him.

"When do you expect Steven, and your dad home?" he asked.

I put my arms around him.

"Dad about one in the morning, and Steven is staying with John tonight."

"Okay, well I might stay until your dad is home because I don't feel happy leaving you now. I keep remembering the Max affair."

I laughed at this. "It sounds like something from a spy movie."

Oliver was holding me close, and I had my arms around his waist, we kissed each other. There were probably only twenty minutes or so before dad would get home. I wanted to ask Oliver about the thought stuff that I had experienced in the kitchen, but I didn't know what to say, maybe I should wait, and see if it ever happened again. Instead, I whispered against his lips that he was so very dear to me, that I loved him.

He sighed, and hugged me extra tight.

"I wish...I wish it was just me."

This time he'd spoken, and I leaned back from him with his arms still around me.

"I know Oliver, I know that, but I love you so much if it's any comfort."

He kissed me, and because his lips were on mine I knew what I heard was a thought, and not a spoken reply. 'I still wish you only loved me.' It felt sad.

Later when he'd left, and dad was home, I lay awake thinking about the bizarre and frankly unbelievable things that had happened. It seemed if I wanted to, I could listen to Oliver's thoughts, and could put my thoughts into his head as if I had spoken. Could this be some phenomenon of the immortality that I had been given by Tristan? I felt like calling him, and asking, but it was two thirty in the morning, and maybe he was asleep. Then there was the thing about thinking why shouldn't Oliver and I make love to each other, but strangely the most worrying part of that for me, was the implied idea that Oliver would leave me, and that I'd have that at least to hold in my heart. What was going on? I didn't want to panic, and have grown semi-used to weird stuff, but I felt a shiver go through me. Not fear, but a kind of recognition that something somehow had been claimed. How odd.

That was not the most bizarre thing that happened that night.

I had the strangest dream. I dreamed that the little white cat was on the end of my bed. It was asleep, and then it woke up, and came up to my face. It actually patted my face with the cool pad of its paw, and I woke up in my dream. It asked me to listen because what it had to say was very important. In my dream, I laughed at it, and said 'no you are a cat you can't speak'. The cat seemed to be saddened by that, and I told it 'I'll listen so talk to me then'. What it said in both my dream, and when I awoke in reality, and thought about it, astounded me. The cat told me that Oliver was not my destiny that Tristan was my destiny, and that Oliver was Lily's destiny, and would save her life, that she knew this for sure, and wanted my help. I asked how I could help since I loved Oliver, and could never stop, and the cat said you don't need to stop, and then it simply disappeared. In the dream I felt distraught, and called out 'come back cat, I love Oliver', then I really woke up, and I think I was saying that out loud to the darkness.

I sat up, and picked up my cell phone, it was four thirty in the morning. I got up put on the light, and walked to my window. I opened it a little wider, and put my head into the cold night air. I felt really scared, and then started to tell myself it was just a dream, because Oliver and I had found the white cat last night, and he'd loved it. I went back to my bed, and then had a real scare, in the place where the cat had been sleeping on my bed in my dream, was a mark, an indent of what the little cat curled up would have left. I put my hand onto it, and it seemed warm. This so spooked me I went looking around my room and bathroom to check if the real cat was in there. Maybe it had come back into the kitchen when Oliver and I were not looking. Maybe it really had been sleeping on my bed and that's why I had the dream. My subconscious had registered the fact that I couldn't put my feet there, or something. I was casting around for plausible scenarios. I couldn't sleep again for a long time, and must have suddenly fallen asleep because my cell woke me at eight, and I got up immediately as I knew I had stuff to do. I felt a strange sadness.

Chapter Six

I had to go for supplies from the supermarkets on Friday, and sort things out as I had promised mom. Steven came home with John, and they were going to hang out until about five, when they were off to meet their friends including Samantha, and Lily from the café. Steven had emailed mom as soon as he knew about our grandmother, and then stopped worrying when, for whatever reason, mom had been up, and immediately emailed back saying not to worry everything was fine.

As I did the shopping, I kept thinking about the spooky dream. I tried to convince myself it was nothing, but I couldn't quite believe it. I got heaps of stuff at the supermarkets, so that I didn't need to worry about shopping for another week maybe. At the checkout line up, I was thinking which Lily might the cat have been referring to. I loaded the shopping onto the conveyer belt for the cashier, and decided that it must be the lovely archaeologist girl, because why would it be the other schoolgirl friend of Samantha? How weird it all was.

The dream had quite put out of my mind that I seemed to be able to listen to people's thoughts, as well as put my thoughts in their mind. It was out of this world, but then again I had become immortal, how far out was that?

I got home, and put all the shopping away whilst eating a whole plastic tray of raspberries.

The archaeologists came along about one o'clock, and packed things up a little. They seemingly took their laptops, but all the lighting was left, and some safety gear, because they were coming back with another safety expert in a few days to assess things.

Lily and Stefan were still there at four doing some photographs, drawings and measurements. They came down to the kitchen for tea when I asked them, and sat at the big table. I found that Lily had her tea black the same as me, and we talked a little about the whole estate, and its history. Stefan left before Lily, she had another cup of tea as we talked about the places I had visited in England, and how I couldn't wait to do some touristy stuff again. I had so liked the Roman villa where Oliver had taken me.

She smiled when I mentioned Oliver, and said softly, "Forgive me, but I thought you and Tristan were together?"

I couldn't be explaining things to Lily as much as I liked her. I shook my head.

"It's all a bit complicated." I was remembering the dream anyway, and felt slightly awkward as I looked at her earnest blue eyes.

She didn't continue, but stood up from the table.

"I should go and finish packing up my stuff," she smiled, and thanking me for the tea, she headed down to the big drawing room.

I considered going up to my room to do some college work, but decided against it. I checked if Steven had laundry, thinking about what mom had asked me to do. I was loading a wash into the machine in the utility room, when the real little white cat appeared. It rubbed itself against my boots, and I stroked its ears, they were soft as silk. I talked to it as it followed me around the place until I had finished the tidy up I was doing.

"You were in my dream last night cat, and it was quite weird. Did you know in my dream you could talk, that's funny huh?" I told it, as it sprang up onto the draining board. It sat down, and watched me. I told it not to come into my dreams again thank you very much, but that it could hang around the house if it wanted to. I stroked it again. It was real, and soft, and somehow comforting that it was just an ordinary pretty cat.

I folded some dry laundry for Steven, school shirts, and the usual massive amount of socks, underwear and T-shirts he got through.

I was thinking about Oliver and Tristan coming over that evening, and about Oliver's birthday plans. I thought thank heaven they will be over quite soon now, about six, because I wanted the comfort of their presence. Maybe I could talk with Tristan about what to give Oliver for his birthday present. I wanted to get him something special for a gift, and couldn't think what right then.

The cat leapt down from its perch, and followed me around, but as I went upstairs, it stopped at the bottom, and sat down again as if to wait for me.

When I went back down to the kitchen from Steven's bedroom where I had left the pile of dry laundry, I realized the cat had gone. Maybe it had gone out of the French doors. I still had one open, it was warm enough during the day and I liked that connection with the garden.

I finished up what I was doing thinking mom would be pleased I had knocked off all the tasks she'd asked me to do today. I decided to email her, and then clean myself up a little, maybe put my hair down, and change my sweater before Tristan and Oliver showed up.

I was feeling very edgy, the dream kept on bugging me. I almost felt I would not be able to sleep that night because I might dream some other unsettling thing.

I was making sandwiches, and a bowl of salad, and fruit. I could put this out on the table, and we could eat before we looked at the new tunnel-chamber under the house. As I thought about this, and worked, I glanced out of the window, and I thought I saw the cat up the garden path run from one bush to another with its tail flagging behind it. It was nearly six, someone should arrive soon I thought.

Just as the water was ready for tea, the doorbell rang. I left the kettle to switch itself off, going to the front door because it had to be Oliver or Tristan, even though I had not heard a vehicle crunch into the drive.

It was Oliver, and he was grinning.

"Hello Chloe is Tristan here yet?" He asked as I took his hand, and we went into the kitchen.

"Not yet, why?" I asked smiling at him. He was so attractive. He had his khaki jacket over a pale blue shirt, as usual left out of his Levis.

"Because that means I can kiss you hello," he smiled, and letting go of my hand took hold of my face, and kissed me, very gently, and lovingly. I put my arms around him, and kissed him back. It made me sigh because it was so comforting, and delicious. I didn't mean to, but somehow I listened to his thoughts, he was wishing we had more time alone. I let go of him, and stopped my mind from listening. It felt suddenly wrong to go into someone's thoughts.

"Oliver, how are things going, have you had any more thoughts about your birthday party"? I asked him wanting to be normal.

He put his arms back around me, and gave me a little hug,

"Things are great, in fact there are not enough hours in the day work-wise" he laughed and continued, "About the birthday party, I thought maybe our favorite café, it's easy, its cool, and maybe Will's band would play for us." He had not let go of me, and I had not resisted putting my arms back around his waist, he bent his head to mine, and kissed me. I told him I loved him against his lips.

"I love you too," he whispered and we stayed there with our faces against each other's for a moment. Then I took hold of myself, and stepping away from him, asked if he would like coffee.

He smiled, and went over to the French window saying, "Thank you Chloe. I will have some coffee, and aren't you a little cold with this door open, it was really quite frosty when I left home."

I laughed. "You can close it if you want to, Oliver. You're right. I think it is letting in the cold now. I know summer has gone, but I still want to cling onto it."

As he closed the side of the French window that was open, he called, "There's that white cat over on the lawn, Chloe. Have you seen it today"?

I would have liked to share my dream with him, but I said that it had hung out with me for a while, when I was doing some chores for my mom, and then disappeared.

The coffee was made, and Oliver came over to the table. I turned to him as the sound of a car on the driveway announced Tristan's arrival. I had time to kiss his cheek, and he smiled because of this.

"Hey Oliver, I didn't hear the Land Rover where did you park?"

He was about to kiss me, and said, "Over by the fence near your mother's car," then he quickly kissed my lips, and I went to the door.

It seemed outrageous to kiss Tristan hello when Oliver had just kissed me, so I let him in saying Oliver was here, and coffee was available. He smiled at me in a way that made my heart thump a little, his blue eyes held mine for a fraction of a second, and I knew he would have liked to kiss me. I took his hand for the short distance to the kitchen, and then let go as I went over to the work surface where I was making coffee, and tea.

Tristan started to talk to Oliver. They talked about Corbett and a series of lessons he was giving at the local archery club now that his English was quite good. I took the coffee for Tristan and my own cup of tea to the table, and sat down with them. I handed the sandwich plate around, and ate one myself listening to this conversation. They ate a little, and Tristan asked what Oliver had decided to do about his birthday party, and if he and I were still going to do a combined thing. Oliver said he was all for it, and maybe we could let my dad in on the plans, so that people could be released from working that night.

Then he grinned, saying, "Let's go to look at the new tunnel or chamber whatever they are calling it, and then we can really plan this party, what do you think?"

"I'd like to look, everyone has gone haven't they, Chloe?" Tristan asked.

I guessed he meant the archaeology team, and I nodded.

"Yes, they were on their way out about five, so they must have gone." I smiled because they just seemed to come and go, and we accepted that.

"Will we need lights do you think? I have a new one in my car," Oliver asked, but I shook my head.

"No they said the lighting was to be left behind for the safety people."

We went down the hall to the big drawing room, and as soon as I saw a laptop on the table, I realized someone was there, unless they had left it on purpose.

"Oh, I thought they had taken their laptops," I said to both Oliver, and Tristan.

"Let's just go down there, it's really quiet I don't think there is anyone around" Tristan was already inside the fireplace, and I followed him. Oliver was just behind me, and took my hand to make sure I was down the steeper steps safely.

I was really impressed by the lighting that was rigged up, and interestingly it had been left on too. Usually the archaeologists turned everything off as they left.

We reached the sealed door in the tunnel that now had an opening on one side. The stones had been taken away from where I had seen them earlier, and placed in a neat pile by the other side of the tunnel. There was a human being sized opening in the wall. Tristan stepped over the little raised area that was left at the bottom on which a small tarpaulin had been placed, and then I went in and Oliver too.

The first thing you noticed was that the place was much bigger than might have been expected. That must be why they were calling it a chamber. The opposite wall holding what looked like another door was made of large blocks of stone, and the door had been cleaned of some of the compacted soil, by Don probably. To the right of this door was another tunnel, and on the left as we entered the chamber was the water feature. It was a reasonably sized pool set down into the floor, the Anglo Saxon carved stone features where the mini waterfall was, had been eroded slightly, but you could still make out creatures carved on there. We all approached the water pool at the same time.

"Wow, that's kind of lovely" Oliver said.

When we got to the edge, it was clearly shallow to the right, and deeper to the left, but you could still see what must be the bottom of the pool. It almost looked like there were steps, just a couple to go down into the pool at this right side. It was clear that the carved stone feature was to carry the spring into a carved bowl. This bowl was situated just above the other jutting out carved stone. I was studying it, trying to think what it really was, when Tristan spoke.

"I've seen similar things to this. It's where a Holy spring or healing spring is caught for people to drink. They might be on a Holy quest. The people would come to be healed. Maybe they would sit in the water pool, and take a drink as the water was caught in that carved, round area, like a shallow dish. Who knew this was down here? It's fantastic."

Right then a voice behind us said, "That's exactly what we think."

All three of us turned to the voice. I knew who it was. It was Lily.

"Lily, I thought you had all left, we just wanted to see the chamber. It's very cool isn't it?'" I said to her smiling, after all Tristan was the owner of this house, he must be entitled to be down here.

"It is very cool, Chloe," and then she looked at Tristan, and said hello to him. When she turned to Oliver, I was surprised by the intense look on her face. She introduced herself,

"Hello I'm Lily. I've been working on this dig," and she was looking at Oliver with unmistakable affection.

I watched Oliver, who was slightly in front of me, but I could still see his expression, and he was captivated by her, he seemed to hold his breath, and just didn't reply.

I spoke up "Lily, this is Oliver, Oliver this is Lily." He turned so that he completely faced me, and he seemed dazed.

I smiled at him, and then he turned again to Lily, and stepped forward with his hand out to shake hers.

"Oliver, yes, hello Lily."

I was bemused by this whole scene, and Tristan had come to stand next to me. We exchanged glances, communicating the question we both had in our minds.

Lily didn't let go of Oliver's hand very quickly, and they both seemed to look a little too long at each other. I couldn't help but listen to Oliver's thoughts, and all I heard was the name Lily.

She seemed to pull out of whatever was going on quickly at that point.

"Sorry Chloe, I realized I had left my laptop, and I needed it. I found the door ajar in the middle drawing room, so I came in just to get it and then disappear. I realized all the lighting was still on so I came down, and here you all were. Sorry I hope I didn't startle you.

Tristan for some reason nudged my elbow, and I couldn't very well look at him when Lily was speaking to me so I answered her.

"Hey its fine. I'm surprised about the door being open though, I remember closing it, but no problem."

Oliver found his voice.

"That was last night Chloe, maybe Steven opened it today."

I smiled. I didn't care really.

Lily was coming towards the water pool, and Tristan stepped away from me to let her pass. She indicated the deeper side.

"This side is where I think people actually got into the pool for healing." She squatted down by the pool staring in. We all went closer, and Tristan knelt by the edge.

"It's not very deep is it?" I asked. "You know for people to get into."

"No, but then they only need to be knee deep, or sit on the bottom, and take a drink from the water fountain," Lily said. She continued, "We think there must be an outlet for the water, maybe down there as the carved stone reaches the bottom of the pool. We're going to put a light down there to see it on Monday morning. That will be fascinating."

Oliver was standing close to her, and looking in.

"Yes" he said, and I felt he was talking about something other than, or as well as the water outlet.

Without warning, she leaned into the pool kneeling down, and had her arm in elbow deep. "There's something in the pool there, oh look at this," she laughed as she took out a decaying length of some kind of fabric, with the bottom of a zipper on it.

Tristan gasped, and took it from her.

"How would that have gotten down there I wonder," he said in puzzlement.

"Maybe the spring brought it down from somewhere, it's not necessarily significant," she said. She was still kneeling by the pool, and then I saw her catch sight of something else, she was pointing, and then put her arm in the pool again. "Now that does look significant" she started to say, and then she disappeared.

Tristan called out bloody hell, and started forward, but in that second Oliver had called out Lily, and stepped into the water feature, and was gone too.

I froze stunned and Tristan took hold of me.

"Don't move Chloe," he told me quite sternly, and then he hugged me to his body, as if he was shielding me from something. "When I let go, you must not move," he said, and I nodded against his chest, because I was shocked.

He'd dropped the piece of fabric thing Lily had given him, and picked up a loose piece of the stone that was by the side of the pool, he threw it in where Lily had her arm when she disappeared. I watched it, and felt like stone myself. I was cold with horror. The stone plopped into the pool, it sank down, and I leaned slightly to see through the dim water that it was just visible on the bottom, where large stones similar to the kitchen flagstones were forming a base.

"Dear god," Tristan said in a low voice, "another bloody portal." He'd taken hold of me again, and had me held against him, and he rocked me a little. "Chloe, are you okay, say something, you look very pale."

I sighed. I was totally appalled by what had happened.

"Tristan, I feel so shocked. What the hell are we going to do?"

He stroked my hair back off my face.

"Don't worry we'll get them back. It's such a shock to see this happen, we need to think straight about it."

I nodded again and he took my hand. He led me around the pool, and we looked down the tunnel to the right, which had collapsed about a meter, and a half in. Then we looked at the soil compacted sealed door at the end of the chamber. It was obviously the original wood, somehow kept together by soil, and a couple of stone pillars on either side. It was paneled and almost woven wood to hold the planks together. It looked ancient to me. A small part of the carved arch had crumbled, and the barest few roots of the above vegetation had crept down there. It was, as Don had said, yet another sealed door.

"Tristan, are we looking for something?" I asked him, and he put his arm around my shoulders.

He squeezed me a little, and sighed.

"No Chloe, I just wanted to get a picture of the whole chamber." He took me to the edge of the water feature again, and we stared in.

"I wonder what she'd seen," I said a little shakily, and Tristan shrugged.

"Who knows? I can't make much out down there right now, apart from the bigger shapes, she must be used to seeing objects that others can't in the soil, and so on, being an archaeologist, you know."

I nodded again, and remembered the fabric, with the zip bottom attached to it, and I looked down on the nearby floor to find it. Tristan must have thought of it at the same time, and he saw it before me. Picking it up he had let go of me and I felt as if I was about to fall down.

I suddenly felt very nauseous, Oliver, Oliver, I thought.

Tristan moved the big spotlight closer to the pool so that we could see the bottom more clearly. He looked at me, and frowned.

"Chloe, you look so pale." He took my hand, and we went up to the big drawing room leaving all the lights on. When we were in the kitchen Tristan started to make coffee, and I sat on the chair Oliver had been sitting on.

"Chloe, look at the time" Tristan said. "It must have happened at seven o'clock, first there was no portal, she was okay with her arm in the pool, then it must have been seven o'clock, and there was a portal, and she traveled, bloody hell." He was trying to make sense of it all, but that was true about the time.

He came, and sat next to me. He'd brought me a cup of tea.

"Tristan, did you see how Oliver was with Lily? It was a bit weird, as if he'd met his destiny for a few seconds there." I realized almost as soon as I said the words, 'his destiny' that it was a phrase from my dream, and a shiver went through me.

Tristan saw, and pulled his chair closer so that he could put his arm around me.

"I saw it, I know what you mean. Don't think about that. Think about what might happen now."

I turned my face to him. "Why did he go after her like that?"

"Well Chloe, it was probably a spur of the moment thing. Seriously I might have done it if I had been closer to the spot, but he'd done it in a second, and there you were looking like you were about to leap in too. Forgive me, but I couldn't let you."

I sighed again, it felt to me that I needed to cry, but I couldn't.

"Tristan, do you think they will be in the eleven hundreds now, but down in the house in the same place?"

"I think that likely" Tristan stood up, and started pacing the room. "If it's anything like last time that portal will open again at two in the morning. Oliver will know that, he will know to hang out there in the chamber, and come back. Don't you think Chloe?"

I shuddered. I still had the word 'destiny' in my head, but what Tristan said gave me comfort.

"Yes Tristan, you're right, thanks I feel a bit better now."

He stopped pacing, and sat down again.

"We'll go down there at two in the morning. I don't need to go home. I don't want to. I want to stay with you. You look so very pale."

I needed to pull myself together. I took a breath, and drank some of the tea Tristan had given me.

I got up, and started putting the food that was on the table in cling wrap, and then into the fridge. Tristan watched me.

"Are you sure you are okay?" he asked.

I probably seemed a little strange. I needed to do something. I wandered over to the French windows, and staring out looked for the little white cat that Oliver had been enchanted with last night. There was no sign of it. Probably it had gone home out of the cold night.

Tristan came to stand with me. He put his arms around me. I turned to him and put my head against his chest. I found myself listening to his thoughts quite without volition.

He was thinking, 'Chloe, I'm so sorry'.

I moved to face him, and reached my arms up around his neck.

"Tristan, don't be sorry, how could this be your fault?"

His blue eyes held such sorrow.

"I feel I've brought you a fair bit of worry and sadness since you met me."

I didn't let him finish I shook my head.

"I don't think that, I don't, I..." and he didn't let me finish, he kissed me gently, and then he leaned back a little from me.

"How did you know I was feeling sorry, am I that transparent?"

I suddenly wanted him to know about the listening to people's thoughts, well so far Oliver's, and now his.

"Tristan, let's go up to my room, talk, and think about things" I moved to take his hand, and he gave me a look. It was questioning, and loving at the same time.

In my room, we sat on my bed side by side, and then I pulled Tristan down with me so that we cuddled together, face to face.

He smiled slightly at this, and kissed my lips softly. I kissed him back, and started to tell him about what had happened to me.

Chapter Seven

"Tristan, something strange has happened to me, suddenly, with no warning signs at all I could hear Oliver's thoughts. It started last night in the kitchen after we'd all been to the Kool Kafé and Oliver came home with me for a little while. We found a little white cat on the front drive. Oliver liked it, and he persuaded me to let it in. We gave it some milk, but it didn't want that, and just kept weaving in, and out of our feet. You know what I mean, all cats do it."

Tristan nodded, he'd looked very slightly sad when he knew Oliver had come home with me last night. He kissed me again before I continued my story, and I smiled at him just slightly because he was so lovely.

"Well suddenly, I was listening to Oliver's thoughts, oh no, first I was thinking a thought, and he answered it, only the answer was in his mind, so I had put a thought in his mind, and then I could listen to the answer. I tried it a couple of times. He thought we'd spoken, and I didn't tell him otherwise. I tried it again tonight, just listening, and I could. I did it for just a few seconds because it doesn't seem right."

"Have you done it to me?" Tristan asked, a little frown creasing his forehead.

I nodded apologetically. "I heard you thinking you were sorry down in the kitchen. I didn't even try to listen, it just happened. Sorry Tristan."

He shook his head a little, but we were close together so he couldn't shake it much, and then he laughed.

"How extraordinary, can you do it with others beside Oliver, and me?"

"Well I haven't yet. I could try I guess to test it out. Do you think it could be part of the immortality stuff?" I wanted to kiss him. I moved my nose against his and then kissed him a little by the side of his mouth.

"Maybe it's a facet of that, maybe it's only with Oliver and me, because we are all so closely connected. What were you doing at the time? Oh wait don't answer that." I realized immediately that he didn't want to hear I was kissing Oliver, or whatever. Let's face it the thoughts Oliver and I had exchanged were not for anyone else to know.

I was looking into Tristan's eyes. They were so beautiful, such a lovely dark blue, and he was so very loveable. I loved him so much.

He sighed. "Thank you Chloe. I love you too, and your eyes are beautiful too, maybe you don't know that," he whispered, and it was a real whisper. We kissed each other with all the love we felt for each other. Seeking comfort for the worrying thing that had just happened to Oliver, and Lily, we hugged each other close.

"Tristan, I didn't speak those words, I only thought them," I said after a moment.

"I know, but I heard them clearly. It was hard to know you had thought them, because it sounded just as if you had spoken, but I knew you hadn't since we were face to face. It's a mystery, and fantastic. Is it frightening?"

I thought for a few seconds.

"Not really, no. It's weird, and I don't want anyone to know. I'll not use it, I don't think, unless it just happens like then." I sighed, and told him, "I did it to Oliver when he'd met Lily back there, because he seemed so stunned by her, and all I could hear was her name, Lily, in his mind."

Tristan didn't comment, but his silence was laden. He put a hand on my cheek, and I pushed my head against his hand it felt so good. It reminded me of the way the cat had done that as Oliver and I had stroked it.

"Tristan, have you ever seen a little white cat around the estate or roads, as you've traveled around between the greenhouses, and stables?"

"Well the only one I've ever seen lives over in the house we used to own. You know we drove past it after visiting the 'White Wood' area greenhouses. It's been sitting on top of the steps or pillars at the end of the drive once or twice, but other than that, no. Mind you having said that, the first time I saw it was years before the second time, but then it might not have been the same cat. Why, do you think it's significant?"

I had been thinking should I tell Tristan about the dream, and I decided to. I told him all about it, about the warm patch on my bed where the cat had been, and how spooky it was when I inadvertently used the word destiny about how Oliver had reacted to Lily.

Tristan listened intently, and a couple of times widened his eyes. When I had finished he hugged me a little tighter.

"Chloe, something is odd about that cat stuff. Where was it when you first put a thought in Oliver's mind or whatever you do?"

"Just sitting in the kitchen watching us. You know Oliver instantly loved that cat. He does like cats he said so." I didn't know how the cat could have any bearing on the thought stuff, but I did think the dream was strange.

Tristan was thinking, and then he said, "Mmm," and then, "I can't help thinking the cat has everything to do with your dream, and Oliver being so struck by meeting Lily. Frankly, Chloe, they had an impact on each other. Well she was giving him a look loaded with how interested in him she was. Sorry, I just can't not say that, because I think it all fits in. The cat's telling you Lily is his destiny, and then they meet, 'hey presto' he's smitten."

He was serious, and concerned, and I felt a shiver of fear. If the cat had something to do with it, were we dealing with magic again? Why pick on Oliver?

I felt my eyes fill with tears. Suddenly, they spilled onto my cheekbones, and ran sideways down my cheek to meet across my nose, and on down to Tristan's arm that he had around me.

'Chloe my love, Chloe darling, don't cry,' I heard Tristan clearly think, it was not spoken, and I weirdly registered, 'he calls me darling in his head.'

He was really speaking then, "Chloe, Chloe, we'll sort it out."

I started to kiss him with my wet face, and I was thinking 'kiss my pain away' and he did.

After a few minutes, it felt better, and I moved to sit up. We sat side by side, and Tristan took my nearest hand in his, and held on.

"Chloe, just getting back to the stupid portal in the chamber downstairs, I think it must be new. It can't always have been down there can it?"

I put my head on his shoulder as we leaned against the headboard.

"It can't have. In the eleven hundreds, if it was there, and people time traveled they would have totally spooked. They would have filled in the chamber, or hacked through the wall or something to find out what was going on. Maybe it opened as the other one in the waterfall pool closed. Tristan, what did you do with that thing Lily fished out of the water, that bit of zippered fabric?" I had suddenly remembered it.

"Oh yes that thing. It's on the work surface in the kitchen near the electric kettle. I forgot it, since I was worried about you, and Oliver, and Lily too if I'm honest." I nodded my head sadly.

"Tristan, let's go look at it. We could get a hot drink too maybe. You've helped me feel so much better, and we have a long wait until two in the morning."

He nodded, and let go of my hand. We each got off my bed at the respective sides, which somehow made me smile. I went into the bathroom, and washed my face. I brushed my hair too, and put it in a clip. I picked up a sweater that I had left on the chair in my bathroom.

Tristan was waiting for me by my window. He turned as I approached him putting my sweater on. It caught on the clip in my hair, and pulled out most of my hair from the clip. Tristan smiled at me, and gathered the escaped hair. He took the clip out, put it back in properly, and then kissed me. His hands in my hair, and the way he kissed me after putting the clip in my hair was one of the most sensual things I had ever felt. I closed my eyes, and he kissed me again.

We went down to the kitchen, and as I picked up the fabric with the bit of zipper attached, something stirred in my memory. I looked closely at the rusty end part, where the oval piece of metal was that you would have pulled the zip up with when it was new. Was that a cow horn logo? I took the thing to the brightest down light area, and looked hard. It was the cow horn logo that had been on my leather jacket zipper and on the buttons of the epaulets too.

"Oh my god, Tristan, this zip is off my leather jacket," I called across to him as he made coffee.

"What, no, it can't be Chloe. We threw that in the waterfall pool in eleven ninety or there abouts." He laughed at his own attempt at humor.

"It is Tristan and this fabric now it's drying out, it's looking like leather, very slimy, and decayed, but it is leather. Come, and look."

He came over, and took the thing from me.

"Bloody hell you're right it's leather. Are you sure about the zip, how can you tell?"

"It's the cow horn logo, look this is what it looked like new," and I got a post-it note from the end of the kitchen counter, and drew him the furry middle, and bull horns on either side that had been the logo on my jacket zip, and shoulder buttons.

He looked at my drawing, and then at the zip pull.

"It's a bit decayed, but yes I agree it looks like your drawing. How the hell did it get in that water feature?" It was a rhetorical question because as we looked at the zip piece, and then at each other we both said, "The waterfall pool."

Tristan was wide eyed.

"It must have sunk down as we hoped it would, but then, my god, Chloe, it's been down there for eight hundred years. Somehow, the waterfall pool or the Holy spring outlet brought it into the water feature downstairs. So that accounts for the bloody portal as well." His accent when he said 'bloody' made me smile, it was so English, but then it would be.

"The portal must have started as the other one stopped. What a weird thing to happen. No wonder there was no opening to throw Gui's shoe back, it would have been opening down there instead, but it's so odd it should happen at all. I can't say I really get it." I told him shrugging.

"Nor do I," he shook his head. "Look Chloe, your dad might come home, and wonder what's going on. I think I might move the truck up the lane. Then there'll only be Oliver's car next to your mother's, maybe you can just tell him Oliver's left it there for the night. Sorry, but if you and I are hiding out watching the new portal, he can't be worrying, and asking himself if you have two guys in your room. What do you think?"

I laughed at that, but it made sense. Dad would be home around one, Tristan, and I could be in the kitchen talking, and dad would scat up to bed, then we could go down to the portal.

"Okay Tristan, good thinking," I said, and he went out to move the truck.

I looked out at the garden lit up outside the French doors. I'd have liked to see the little white cat, because it somehow would feel as if Oliver was closer. I suddenly felt afraid for him again, and I thought 'when he comes back I don't care if he does like Lily just as long as he comes back.'

I hadn't eaten much that day, and I think it could have been my nerves, but I suddenly felt hungry. I went to the fridge, and got some raisin bread to toast, Tristan came back in the door, and I asked if he would like some.

"Yes please Chloe. I haven't eaten much at all today."

I smiled in commiseration. I made the toast, and he got some coffee going. It seemed he'd developed the knack of making tea so that I could drink it. I let him go ahead, and make me some.

We sat down at the table side by side, and before I started eating, I sighed, and said,

"Tristan, how did you really feel about Emma?"

Tristan put down his coffee which he was about to drink.

"Chloe, I thought I made it plain, it was nothing. I thought you didn't love me anymore or were moving closer to that, and I wanted to give you space. I just let Emma kiss me the once. I regretted it. I love you, I always have, and I always will. What's brought this on?" He sighed, and put his arm around my shoulders. "I know its Lily coming on to Oliver isn't it?" he said, moving a strand of my hair from my cheek, and kissing it.

I felt stupid, but at the same time, I just had to come out with this drivel.

"Yeah, his reaction to her was unexpected. He seemed so devoted to me, and yet there was this instant connection between them. Sorry Tristan, just checking if I ever lost any of your love when I was less connected to you, over that few weeks."

He put his other arm around me, and hugged me.

"You didn't, not even for a second. When I thought you were drifting away I was distraught, but I wanted your happiness, and it seemed like it was going to be with Oliver so..." He softly butted my face with his forehead in an endearing way, and I turned to him. I listened to his thoughts. It was getting easier to turn that ability on, and off. He was thinking that I didn't know how much he cared for me. I stopped listening.

Dad started to open the front door, and we went back to our toast as he came into the kitchen.

"Hi Tristan, how are you? I haven't seen you for a while. I expected Oliver to be here since his car is outside. How did you get on with that list of things mom asked you to do Chloe?" He was grinning at us both, as he walked over to the electric kettle. Tristan nodded at dad, and said, "Hello Mr. McGarry."

I quickly added.

"Hi Dad, I did the shopping, and cleaning, and laundry, and stuff for Steven that mom had asked for. Have you heard from her again? I sent her an email today."

Dad was making coffee and he turned around from the kitchen counter.

"She texted me. I think your grandmother is getting well fast, but mom will be there for another two weeks. That's okay isn't it Chloe? I miss her, but we'll cope huh?"

I smiled at him.

"Sure Dad, and oh, Oliver left his car parked there for the night, since mom doesn't need to get hers out, that's okay isn't it?"

"I can't see why not. So busy day Tristan?" He was still trying to get Tristan to talk.

Tristan smiled at him.

"It was busy even though the weather is cooling down we still have lots of events to provide for. Isn't there another wedding party on Saturday you are catering Mr. McGarry?"

Dad came and sat down with us.

"There is, and the crew delivered the marquees late. Can you believe at ten tonight? They have put the smaller one up for the initial guest greeting stuff, but the larger one, they will be back to put up at first light, they said. Well I guess sometimes things do happen to delay people, but it's tedious." He laughed then in his usual laid-back way, and picked up his cup of coffee. "I'm off to bed. Don't forget to lock everything up when you finally hit the hay, Chloe. Oh yes Tristan, how's that new investigation going, down in the depths of this house?" He laughed again, turning at the door to hear Tristan's answer.

"Very well Mr. McGarry, thank you," Tristan replied.

Dad said, "Call me Nick, please, okay goodnight."

Tristan and I both said goodnight almost at the same time, then looked at each other. Dad had started on upstairs and I kissed Tristan as his eyes met mine. Then we smiled at each other because, 'how was the dig downstairs in the depths of the house going?' It was going as usual, bizarrely.

We cleared up our dishes.

"Tristan we have almost an hour before the expected portal opening, maybe we should just hang out in my room, surf the net or something?"

Tristan said he could think of better things to do, but okay we could surf the net, and we went quietly up to my room.

As it happened, when we were side by side at my desk, we just fell into talking about the cat, and how it couldn't just be coincidence that I had started knowing what was going on in people's minds, at the same time as the cat had turned up. Given the dream, as well, we started considering if Max, or Rene, or whatever he wanted to call himself now, had shown up again. Then we abandoned that idea, as why would he have endowed me with what seemed like a useful ability?

Tristan looked pained at having to say it, but he said, "I think it's got to be something do with Lily. You just can't get away from the fact that she was named in your dream, by the cat. Some animals can almost read a human's mind from cues we give off, and frankly, I think some can actually read our minds. Maybe fantastic as it sounds, the cat was reading your mind and the ability transferred to you because you're special, as in immortal." He shrugged, and waited for my response.

He had such regard for animals it would have been credible for him. I didn't know what to think really, but given the weird experiences I already had, I was willing to give this idea credibility also.

"It may well be that Tristan. I can't say that's not what happened, because it just might have."

It was strange all of it.

"Do you think the Lily part is true?" I finally asked Tristan in a small voice.

He sighed, and then shaking his head, he answered, "Maybe. It's just too coincidental not to have some truth. I'm sorry Chloe."

I just nodded at him because I thought that too. The only thing that kept me from breaking down in tears then was the last thing the cat had said in my dream that I didn't have to stop loving Oliver.

Tristan looked at his cell.

"Chloe, we should go down to the chamber. It's nearly a quarter to two and we don't want to miss something."

Chapter Eight

We went quietly down to the big drawing room without a word. Inside Tristan put all the lights on, and as we went down to the chamber, he held my hand.

"You know Tristan it could get awkward on Sunday night to manage the portal like last time, because it's going to be the end of daylight saving. Do you suppose it will stick to the summer time or what? Always supposing it did." I finished because I realized I hadn't quite understood what was going on the first time.

Tristan stopped walking, and looked at me surprised.

"It's got to have some impact on what we call the hours it opens at, because our seven o'clock will be actually six. I'm confused already."

We walked to the edge of the water feature, and Tristan was looking around.

"Chloe, I don't want you to get too near the thing. I wonder how far the portal boundary extends?"

I stepped back from the edge, but said, "Tristan, I think you need to be in the water, you know Oliver stepped forward into it to follow Lily."

Tristan stood by my side, and then put an arm around my shoulders.

"I think you're right." He hugged me to his side, and I slipped my arm around his waist as we waited for the two am portal opening. Tristan had his cell phone in his left hand, and checked it.

"Chloe, its one fifty eight, and I'm sure my phone time is correct, any second now they'll be back."

I stared at the water feature willing Oliver to get out of it, wet but home again, and Lily too, she needed to come home too.

Nothing happened. Tristan was looking at his cell, then he put it in his pocket, and rubbed his forehead with that hand, then he sighed.

"Chloe, its past two, either it didn't open, or they couldn't get back for some reason."

He kept a hold on me, and we went forward to the pool. We just looked in there together silently. Nothing seemed to have changed at all, but then who knew really. The lump of masonry Tristan had put in there earlier was still there, but it might mean nothing, since it could have gone, and come back at the opening of the portal.

"I suggest there was no opening. I can't imagine Oliver not hiding out, and then getting back here." Tristan sounded worried as he said this.

I felt defeated, and I leaned on Tristan with my arm still around his waist.

"Unless they've been captured, or something worse."

He shook his head.

"No I don't want to think that. Let's wait for the nine a.m. opening, and if nothing happens then I'll go through at the seven p.m. one, and look for them." Tristan hugged me, and I nodded my head.

"Me too Tristan, I'll go with you."

He didn't answer for a few seconds, and then he said, "It's not going to happen anyway, they will be back tomorrow morning."

I didn't answer because I knew he'd stalled for time on saying I could go too, and I knew it was because he cared about me.

We quietly went into the kitchen, and closed the door, then Tristan turned to face me, his arms around me, he looked serious.

"I'm not going home. I can't leave you now, could we go up to your room, and try to rest a little."

I whispered yes because it felt like my voice wouldn't come out properly.

In my room, we cleaned our teeth, and I got out of my jeans, and got into bed in my T-shirt, and underwear. I told Tristan not to sleep in his jeans either, which we'd done before. He took his off, and got into my bed beside me in his T-shirt, and shorts. I turned to him, and put my head on his chest, and he put his arm around me.

"I wish this hadn't happened, Chloe. I felt sure they would be back at two, are you very upset?" He whispered.

I was really, but what would it change?

"Yes, but I'm hopeful they will be back tomorrow morning." I told him, and I listened to what he was thinking, it was, 'I hope they are too.'

He kissed the top of my head, and I looked up at him. He was such a lovely person, if he was my destiny I was lucky.

I moved upwards a little to kiss him, and he held my head as he kissed me back.

We held each other silently, and I could see the sky out of my window. I hadn't realized it was a full moon. I couldn't close my eyes without seeing Oliver disappearing, and I remembered when it had been Tristan disappearing that I couldn't get out of my mind. I wondered what was happening to him, and I sighed.

Tristan whispered, "Try to sleep, it will work out, it always has Chloe. Think of all the things we've been through."

I murmured, "I know," but I felt distressed. I didn't expect to sleep, and decided to look at the sky outside of my window until maybe my eyes shut by themselves.

Some time as the sky started to lighten, I fell asleep, and Tristan woke me saying,

"Chloe, its eight thirty we should get up, and go down to the chamber."

We got out of my bed, and I went into my bathroom, splashed my face with cold water, and cleaned my teeth. When I came out Tristan had his jeans and sweater back on, and went into my bathroom as I put my own clothes on.

We went down to the kitchen. I poured some orange juice for both of us, and we went along to the big drawing room. Tristan stopped at the entrance to the fireplace saying, "Those archaeologists are not back until Monday are they?"

I nodded at him, and we went down to the chamber. I couldn't say anything much, I felt too anxious.

We watched the water feature as the expected nine o'clock portal opening, came, and went without evidence, and without any arrivals.

I turned to Tristan, and put my head against him. I was too distressed even to cry.

He was distressed too.

"That's it then Chloe, we'll prepare to go after them at seven tonight. Let's go back to the kitchen, make some coffee, and think about what we might need."

I looked up at him, and I thought, 'I need to stay holding you for a few more minutes. I need to feel you against me.'

He must have felt the same, as we stood like that for a minute or so, and then he whispered, "Are you okay?"

I stepped back a little, and nodded.

"Yes, thank you Tristan, I really needed to stay close to you for a minute or so."

Tristan nodded. "Me too."

He held my face, and kissed me, and I let myself kiss him back, concentrating on the love that was in his kiss, because I needed to stop the terror that was building inside my mind about what had happened to Oliver.

When we went to the kitchen. Tristan made coffee, and tea, and I made toast. We sat very close to each other at the table to plan what we would do at seven that night.

"I don't really want you to come, because who knows what is really going on? You have your dad, and Steven to think about, but I know you will be devastated if I go alone. So I want to make sure we are prepared for anything when we step into that portal."

I managed to smile at him, and leaned over to him, kissing him on the cheek.

"You know me well, Tristan."

He turned his head to kiss my lips as I was moving away, and I put my hand up against his face, kissing him too. I thought again 'if he's my destiny, I am lucky, and I love him so much.'

This time I must have communicated my thoughts to Tristan, because he opened his eyes, and stopped kissing me.

"I'd like to be, and I'd be lucky too, if you were my destiny. I love you so much," he whispered.

We started to talk about basics to take with us at seven, not surprisingly, Tristan thought he would need a sword or two. We decided to drive over to the stables, where he had the cache of weapons he'd taken from the castle guard, when they came through the last portal.

I got my keys, and cell phone, and picked up my jacket. I felt better now we'd started to do something concrete towards getting Oliver, and Lily back. That waiting at the portal had really been desperate.

Tristan smiled at me as we got into my Wrangler to go over to the stables. I think he felt the same, but I didn't want to invade his thoughts again to check. We had a plan for what to take, and what to wear, but it still felt like a long day ahead before we could go after Oliver, and Lily.

Chapter Nine

Oliver's story

I had closed my eyes when I stepped into the water feature after Lily. I could still hear my own voice calling Lily and I opened my eyes. I knew instantly that we'd traveled back in time. I was standing in the water up to my knees. Lily was staring at me, the water up to her elbow.

"Oliver, why are you in the water, what's going on?" she asked me, and got up from her knees, looking around. "Where are the others, Tristan, and Chloe? Oliver the place has changed."

I stepped out of the pool, and took her hand.

"Lily, I know this is going to sound ridiculous, but you must believe, and trust me. We've traveled back in time. I've never done it before, but I've seen it, and know about it."

She turned to me her face quite close to mine. She was only a half-head shorter than Tristan, and me, so she was looking straight into my eyes. It was so strange the way I felt as if there was some bond between us. I'd never met her before. I liked her. I wanted to know her and I was a bit shocked by it because I love Chloe.

She leaned against my arm as I held her hand, and then she nodded.

"Okay Oliver I do trust you, and I believe you. I've seen some stuff too, which means I'm not totally freaked out by this, but how can we get home?"

I took a deep breath, and as I took in the surroundings, I told her about the portal opening times.

"We could get home at two in the morning, always supposing this portal acts like the last one." I said this even though I had no idea why there would be a portal here in the chamber.

She nodded as I spoke, and held onto my arm with her free hand. I kept hold of her hand over my arm. She had to be a bit scared. I know I was.

We walked to the door, which was where the archaeologists had made an opening. It wasn't sealed with stonework, but there was a very heavy looking wooden door, which was also behind an ironwork door. The ironwork door was made so that there were squares of space helpfully available to put your hand through, because it was locked at a big keyhole with no sign of a key. I put my hand through a space, and tried the wooden door latching. It was locked too.

Turning, I led Lily around the water feature. The place was dim, but not pitch-black, so there had to be light coming from somewhere. At the end of the tunnel to the right, which we'd been led to believe went to the kitchen I could see a dim orange glow.

I turned to Lily, and whispered, "Let's look down here, but really quietly."

She nodded, and seemed to be holding my arm a little tighter. We went towards the orange glow, the tunnel turned. It more than likely was where the tunnel in the future was blocked up by collapsed earth, and bits of the stone arched roof. At the end of the turn, the tunnel was lighter. A torch was set in a metal holder in the wall next to another door. The door was quite thin in width, and made of the same heavy wood as the one in the chamber. The torch light was low. It was burning, but obviously a few days old. I softly turned the door handle, nothing, it was locked, and I don't mind telling you I was quite happy that it had been. Who knows what we were going to find if it had opened.

Lily whispered, "Oliver, maybe we should be a little more careful. We should just hang out in the chamber until two in the morning."

I turned, keeping hold of her hand, and answered her.

"I know, I just tried the door instinctively I guess. Let's check back down in the chamber."

She smiled at me, and her smile lit up her eyes. Even in the dim light, she was beautiful. We'd reached the chamber. I realized the door, which had been dubbed the 'second sealed door' by Chloe, and Tristan, was intact. There was a latch on it, and I looked at Lily.

"I'm going to try it, because we do need to know if anyone is likely to come down here. Nothing so far seems to be used on a daily basis judging by the torch, and the locked doors."

She nodded saying, "Okay," softly.

She was still clutching my arm, and I didn't mind it. I used my free hand to try the latch, and the damn thing lifted. I looked at Lily, and she widened her pretty blue eyes at me. I became acutely aware of my wet jeans, socks and shoes, as I carefully opened the door when a draft of very cold air came in through the gap. I shivered slightly, thinking didn't Tristan, and Corbett say only a week or so ago that it was still summer here in the eleven hundreds? Maybe it was a different time we'd traveled to? I was creeping along a passageway. It was quite long, and suddenly came to a staircase, which spiraled on an angle up a couple of short flights to what looked, from where I was standing, to be another door in the wall. You could see it, as the spiral stair only had a column of stone in the middle to about halfway up, and was only flanked on one side by the wall. I looked again at Lily, and I suddenly wished Tristan were with me. This corridor had a couple of funny wall hangings on the walls. There had been one long one in the torch tunnel. The air in here was really was cold.

"Lily, maybe you should stay here. Who knows where that might lead, but I'd like to check just so I know what we are up against. We have to hang out here without anyone seeing us for a long time. I need to know if there is anywhere to go and hide, should anyone come through the other doors."

She started shaking her head at the beginning of what I was saying, and started saying she was coming with me as soon as I stopped speaking.

I sighed, and nodded, maybe it was better I know where she was, than leave her here. We ascended the spiral stairs. The stones were relatively worn where people would have stepped so it must be used frequently I thought. It felt precarious without anything to hold onto except the middle stone column, until we got halfway, and then the wall kicked in. At the door I stopped. I was thinking, come on Oliver you can do this.

Lily whispered, "Are you okay Oliver?"

I looked around at her, and she smiled encouragingly at me. I tried the latch, and it opened. It opened inwards, and we shuffled a little to let it swing over towards the wall, because the top of the spiral stairs had flattened out to only a small area. The door opened on what looked to me like a cupboard. The 'cupboard-room' was quite small. There were stacks of something in Hessian type bags against the wall to the right, and a wooden beam above them in the wall had things hanging on rough looking metal hooks, more like spikes, but they were blunt. There were tools of some kind, like a series of sticks really, with rough blades set in them. There was a tunic, and two lengths of fabric hanging up there. To the left of the stacks were baskets, and there was a barrel there too. From the smell that I registered, there were apples somewhere, maybe in the baskets. The floor was rough, but well packed down. There was another door, which was quite loosely made and daylight came through the joins of plank. I stepped into this little room, and opened the outer door. It swung out easily into a stable. A hay bale stopped it opening fully, and the smell of hay, and something rotting was a bit nauseating. I looked around quickly. It was obvious there were no horses in any stalls and the half doors at the end of the stables were propped open with another messy hale bale. It felt less cold here at the top of the stairs, and in the stable, but I felt uncomfortable with my jeans wet up to my knees.

Lily had let go of my hand, and arm. She was wandering around the stables. She suddenly let out a little sound, and bent to pick something up from inside one of the stalls.

"What is it Lily?" I asked her as she stood up. By way of an answer she held up a pair of the kind of little leather ankle shoe things, I had seen Gui and Corbett wear.

"Look Oliver, you could at least have dry feet."

She was smiling at me, and obviously so happy to help me that I felt a wave of affection for her.

I nodded, thinking they looked like they were small, and dirty, but who knows maybe they would be better than wet feet.

We edged closer to the outside door, and I carefully put my head around it. Outside it was still light, but the sun was weak as if it was late evening, so it must be the same time here as at home, the air was quite warm, back home it would be cold, and dark. Lily had her head next to mine looking out, and I could feel her body against my back. It was comforting.

I turned, and noticed a little door to the left of this one. It looked like it might lead back into the stables, but it couldn't. I knew that the place it led to must be over the spiral staircase, and part of the tunnel. I tentatively looked around, and then walked quickly to this door, and opened it. The blast of coldness from inside was sharp on my wet legs and feet. All I could see was big blocks of ice packed with straw. I closed the door. Maybe that was cooling the corridor below. It was not somewhere I wanted to hang out that's for sure. I turned around, and bumped into Lily. She was directly behind me, and I quickly caught her by the upper arms in case she might fall back. She gave me a look that was laden with some emotion, and as I let go of her arms she put them around me, and hugged me. I was strangely alarmed by this, but I can't lie, it felt good too.

Then she let go saying, "Thank you Oliver."

That must have been for catching her, who knows really.

"Okay this is obviously as far as we should go, because I for one don't want to come across Gui exercising the horses, nor a castle guard." It just came out of my mouth before I had time to consider that I might be telling her stuff she shouldn't know. Too bad, she knew we'd time traveled. I'd told her that I knew about portals, but I thought I better keep a check on what I said. She couldn't be allowed to know about Tristan.

She smiled. "So you've been here before?"

I sighed, thinking me, and my big mouth.

"No Lily, but as I said, I know some things about the portal."

"Tell me, Oliver." She took my hand.

"Sorry, not yet. Let's get back to the chamber." I wanted to establish some kind of parameters on what I said, and where we went. I kept hold of her hand as we went down to the chamber, and she carried the shoes she'd found. In the chamber, I let go of her hand, and went over to stare into the water pool. What was it she'd been reaching for when the portal had opened? I couldn't see anything of any great interest, but the carvings on the shallow bowl drinking area weren't worn very much in this time, and they were lovely. I'd gotten into this old stuff since meeting Tristan, and Chloe, not that I didn't already like the old places around the country before, but somehow I could appreciate the stone and carving more now.

I could see the outlet for the pool better in this time. It was a little indent with a rough metal grill over it to the extreme left, and slightly under the bottom of the carved stones, which were like a pedestal for the bowl that caught the spring water.

"Hey Lily, what was it you were reaching for when you fell into the portal opening?" I asked her as she came to stand next to me.

She took something from her combat trouser pocket, and held it up in the dim light. It was a ring. I put out my hand to take a closer look at it, and she put it into the palm of my hand.

It was gold and quite heavy, a big ruby with little pearls at intervals around it. It looked like something Tristan might have worn. I put it on my little finger and it was slightly big for me.

Lily smiled. "It looks very nice on you." She was very close to me, and I had the strangest thought, I wanted to stroke her hair. It was overwhelming, and I put out my hand, and did just that, across the side of her head, and then on down her ear, and her neck. It felt as if this was something I had done before.

She had put her arms around me, and had kissed me before I could even think straight. I moved back from her. This was not good, what was I thinking of? I turned away, and had to take her arms from around me. As I did, I could picture Chloe, and her lovely kind smile, her pretty face, her green eyes. I felt a wrench of sadness. I missed her.

Lily was gabbling, she was sorry, had she upset me, she meant no harm, she'd thought I felt the same about her as she did about me.

What was this? What did she feel about me? I had only just met her.

I sighed.

"No Lily I'm not upset, but a bit confused. What do you feel for me? How can you any way we've only just met? Sorry, I don't want to upset you either I..." She didn't let me finish.

"Oliver, I want you to know I meant no harm. Please don't close your heart to me. I've seen you around. I've liked you for a while." She was wringing her hands, the words she said were old fashioned, overly emotional for someone I had only just met, and yet I could feel a pull of attraction to her. I fought it off. This wasn't what I wanted. I wanted Chloe and I wanted her to choose me not Tristan. This was some kind of bizarre response to time travel I thought.

I took my cell phone from my pocket vaguely surprised at its presence, it might well have not existed. Wow, time does fly when you are creeping about. It was already nine. Thank heaven. Maybe when we got home at two am, I could just avoid this girl for the rest of my life. Maybe Tristan could explain the portal, and swear her to secrecy on pain of being run through with one of his swords. I felt a pang of sorrow at this thought. What was going on with me? I was losing my grip for sure.

Lily was staring at me as I turned to her and she tried a little smile. I felt mean about it, but I ignored her, and I bypassed her to sit on the bottom step of the two that led up to the second sealed door in my own time. I thought about being with Tristan, and Chloe. I imagined being next to Chloe sitting at the big table in the comfy kitchen, and then Tristan would leave, and I could hold Chloe, and kiss her. I sat there on the cold stone, and stared at the stone floor of the chamber. If I could just stick out these few hours without being mean to Lily, without losing my grip or telling her much, then I'd be home. I took my boots off, and chucked them to one side. I took my socks off, and put them on the top step hanging over the side, maybe they could dry off a bit.

Lily was standing by the water feature. I realized I still had the ring she'd found on my little finger, and took it off, placing it on the step next to me. I tried to arrange my legs so that my jeans, which were muddy now around the bottoms, from the stable floors no doubt, didn't stick to my skin.

Lily came over to me.

"Oliver, try the old shoes. You will only get colder with nothing on your feet," she said softly, and handed them to me. I couldn't just refuse her apparent kindness, and tried one on. It was surprisingly comforting, and I looked more closely at the other before I put that on too.

There was a furry lining, bits of straw or something were stuck into this, and I picked them out, and said, "Okay thanks Lily, they're not too bad." She picked up the ring, and put it back in her pocket. She sat down next to me.

"Oliver, I've made a mess of things, important things, will you listen to me for just a short time?" Lily was almost whispering.

I couldn't say no. I nodded at her.

She edged closer to me, and I let her warmth soak into me along my side.

"Oliver, many years ago, I was told that I had to find you. I wasn't told your name, just that I'd know you for sure when I saw you. I know that sounds silly, just hear me out."

I had made a sound of disbelief or something, derision maybe.

She continued, "I've been looking for you for a long time. When I first saw Tristan I thought it might be him, but I wasn't convinced, and having been led to believe I'd for certain know you, I realized it couldn't be him, and anyway it would be unlikely to be another witch, wizard, whatever Tristan is. Don't deny it. I know he's got magic of some kind."

Naturally, when she said this I made no comment about Tristan, but asked her what she meant by another witch. She'd put a shiver down my spine with what she'd said, and she took it that I was cold, and edged closer. She was warm, and I didn't mind.

"The person who told me about you was a witch. Look here Oliver, we just traveled back in time to what seems to me to be the Middle Ages. Don't forget I'm an archaeologist. I reckon the place upstairs is early medieval, anyway for you to accept this time travel, but not that I knew a witch, would be anomalous."

I smiled at this speech. She was intelligent, and articulate, and I liked that. Not that Chloe wasn't really smart too, I reminded myself.

Lily almost whispered, "Oliver, I know you are my destiny. I already care for you, and about you. Chloe has Tristan."

This was true, but not for her to say, and she didn't know how much Chloe loved me as well. I was about to stop listening, and stand up in disgust, but she took hold of one of my hands, and said, "Please stay, and listen. I need you to give me a chance, in fact my life depends on that."

I turned to her. She was looking down at my hand in hers, and as she looked at me, a thought came into my mind, 'Oliver there is no one for me, but you'. Now I was losing my grip. I was imagining what she was about to say to me or some damn thing.

She smiled at me. "Oliver, it would mean so much to me if you kept listening. I can see you are skeptical, but please give me a chance."

I nodded. Let's face it I was trapped here. I may as well listen to what she had to say.

"Okay Lily."

"The witch said that if I could find you, and you loved me even just a little bit, I'd be free of a spell that had been cast upon me. She said I have to win that little bit of love all by myself. It was a punishment you see for something I did. I've tried hard to be a better person than I was then, and I hope I've succeeded. I hoped there would be more time to win your love, even just a little love, but I'm running out of time. This is my last year to have found you. 'My deadline' is the last day of December this year."

I felt a strange fear, kind of like loss, and I looked into her eyes then. How could I not believe her after all the stuff I had witnessed with Tristan? How could I not at least try to help her a little, after Tristan had saved my life? Was she talking about her death when she talked of her deadline? Maybe, I thought. As I looked into her eyes, I felt a surge of affection that was like warmth in my mind. It filled every corner of my mind, and I wanted to help her.

The warmth receded as she continued her story.

"I know Chloe is a kind person. I've watched her a little with you, and with Tristan, and on her own. I've only watched occasionally, because I've had to go away with, well with my work. I've tried not to invade her privacy. I've tried to stay away as much as possible, but now I'm frantic enough to have watched her with you and with Tristan quite closely for the last week. I know she loves you, but she has Tristan too, she could let you love me I know she could. If you asked, if it was true, and you loved her and me, just like she loves you and Tristan."

I listened to this thinking it was possibly true, but even though Lily was lovely, and I had started to like her more for her honesty alone, I didn't know how I could actually love her the way I loved Chloe. She still had hold of my hand, and I put my other over hers, because I wanted to comfort her. She leaned against me a little. She bent then, and felt the bottom of my jeans.

"Oliver, they are dry, your jeans, maybe your shoes and socks are now. I'll get them for you."

I was surprised at this sudden change of subject and at my jeans being dry. I felt them myself, they were more than dry they actually felt warm. She was sitting by me again in a flash holding out my socks, and boots. They were all dry, and warm like my jeans. I was surprised, but put them on as she sat by me. The stone step was not as cold with her close, and I felt like hearing her whole story now before two am, when we would go home.

"Lily, what do you mean you know Tristan has some magic?" Let's find out just what she does know about the three of us, I thought.

I watched her lovely face, and her blue eyes were kind.

"Well Oliver, I've seen him change from his real form into the modern day persona he inhabits. Only a witch could take on another form. Then there is his ability with horses. They follow him after he has talked to them. I felt sure that he'd bewitched Chloe once, when she'd seen him by the pool, where he allows himself to appear as his true self. I don't know if that is true now."

She looked concerned as if I might be offended by that observation.

"So what made you think he'd bewitched her at the time Lily? What did you see him do?" I was a bit concerned, but not too much. I thought Tristan was one of the most straight up, kind and true guys I'd ever even heard of, never mind met.

She shook her head.

"Oliver, don't be worried, no, only that she'd seen him as his true self, but he was able to continue with her as if she had not. Oliver, have you seen him too, as his true self? Am I surprising you, am I turning you away from me?"

I only shook my head hesitant to say anything that would give away what Tristan was, and then I thought come on give her a bit of leeway she's so sincere. She's a nice person. So I replied.

"I have, and wow what a sight, but he's a good guy. You don't need to worry about him. I can vouch for him." I was tempted to take her hand as she looked earnestly at me. What harm could it do I thought, and I took her hand in both of mine. The look on her face of hope and pleasure made me feel like something had been stuck in my heart.

I've softened considerably since I met Chloe, and Tristan, and although I make a joke of some things, and seem light-hearted, I do feel things quite deeply. That weird chivalry thing of Tristan's has rubbed off on me too.

I found myself putting my forehead against hers, and I sighed.

"Come on let's hear the complete story. Isn't there more Lily? What were the times you watched us all?"

She moved her head, and shook it as if denying any harm or intention of harm.

"I didn't do much of it. I was looking for you. I saw you the first time at the restaurant that Chloe's dad has, you were working, and so was she. You both sat side by side on that little wall that looks out onto the lake. I could see then I was in trouble. I mean she loved you then, and you her. I thought she would drop you when she started to be in love with Tristan too, but she didn't. I had to go away for a while, and when I came back, she seemed to be more in love with Tristan, but to my horror, he went somewhere for a while, and she fell more in love with you. I did say that I had a few work trips to contend with, and when I came back recently it was clear to me that I'd never win any of your love, not even a little, if I didn't put myself in front of you. I know as soon as you saw me that you felt something, please don't say it's not so. I saw it in your eyes. You recognized me too."

I had to admit I was struck by her when I met her, and let's not forget I jumped into the portal after her, a complete stranger. I had felt compelled to do that.

I didn't want to say much, but I had to say, "Lily, it's true I did feel a jolt of something when I was introduced to you in the chamber, back in our time. You are beautiful, and somehow I felt I knew you, just something about you. I found myself leaping after you when you disappeared without even thinking about it. I can't explain that." I shut up, just listening to my own voice saying this stuff was too deep, and meaningful for my ears. It sounded like something Tristan might have said when he'd been brooding around the place. I shook myself. Maybe I shouldn't have said any of that I thought.

I looked at my cell. Damn it was only eleven thirty, I stood up, pity we hadn't been holding cups of coffee when we traveled here.

I turned around to Lily.

"Lily, shall we sneak a peek outside now it's dark? I'm a bit tired of this place, just for half an hour. No one will be around surely?"

She shrugged. "There might not be anyone around that's true. Okay if you really want to."

Chapter Ten

We'd reached the stables when she took hold of my hand. I let her. It was comforting for me too. We walked stealthily around the big house. I couldn't help but think of it as Chloe's place, and visualized it in my mind. The garden lit up, she would be at the French windows in the kitchen looking out, we would see the little white cat, and she would kiss me. I felt sad, and then even more so when we reached the front of the house, and it was different. Although you couldn't mistake where we were, and Lily gasped, "Oliver, it's so spooky to see this place now."

I agreed, and found myself putting my arm around her shoulders, she snuggled into me, and I felt a spike of attraction to her go through my body. I went to the front door. The place was in darkness, and it had been difficult to pick our way safely around the side of the house by the light of the moon, which I had noticed was a full moon. I had let go of Lily, and was trying the front door, which was in two parts, and shaped to fit into the stone arch above. It was locked, and I turned to Lily who had followed me.

"No chance of getting a cup of coffee here then."

She smiled in the gloom, and we stood out there looking at the darkness, the sky, the stars and the moon for a few minutes. We picked our way back to the stables, and the door to the chamber.

It seemed even darker now, and I looked down the spiral staircase saying, "Lily, it seems pitch black now after the light of the moon, take it slowly", and I held out my hand for her.

"Wait Oliver" she said, and fished about in the button down, knee pocket of her combat trousers. She produced what must have been a bunch of keys as it sounded so like one when she held them up, and fiddled with them. Suddenly a small beam of light came on, and I could see it was coming from one of those tiny torch key ring things people have.

"Good thinking Lily," I smiled at her. I had been tempted to use my cell phone for light, but was worried about the battery. I'd been lazy about charging it for a few days. I knew we would need to know the time to get home, and didn't want to drain the battery using it for light. We got back to the chamber. It felt a little cold down there now, and we stood close together near the pool looking into it. She quietly and tentatively put her arm around me, and I relented, putting my arms around her. It was only sensible to keep each other warm.

The last hour from one until two felt interminable. We both fell silent, and sat on the steps close to each other. I kept my cell next to me, and she told me hers was on the table back home next to her lap top, well Chloe's home she amended.

By two am, we'd both knelt by the pool with our arms in there up to the elbows, in exactly the spot Lily had been when she'd traveled here, and I had followed. Nothing had happened, we'd not gone home, and I felt a small dip of fear as we stood up, and shook the water from our bare arms. I rolled my sleeves back down, and watched her pull her sleeve back down her arm, from where she'd pushed it above her elbow. For some reason I wanted to hold her, so I did.

"Lily, I don't know why we didn't go home, all I can say is that it's supposed to open at nine in the morning next. We can try then. I hope you are not scared or anything." I had folded her in my arms, and she'd her arms around me too. She seemed to shake her head against my shoulder, as if saying no, but she didn't speak. I wondered what the hell we were going to do until nine in the morning, and then I thought about Chloe, and Tristan, they would have waited for us to appear too, having deduced the portal would open as the other had, at two in the morning.

After a few minutes we returned to the step, and sat down.

"Lily, why me? I mean why is it me you've been told to recognize by this witch? How could she know me or that I'd exist?" I asked her softly as we'd fallen silent again for a few minutes.

She turned to face me.

"I don't know, truthfully. I don't even think she knew exactly who it would be. It was part of the spell she put on me. It's complicated, and not all that interesting."

This was the first time I felt she was not telling the whole truth.

"Really, why do I suspect that's not the whole truth Lily?" I asked her, and as she looked into my eyes in the dim light, I saw a glisten of tears. She had tears in her eyes.

"Oliver, it's mostly true, the part about you is. It's just that I can't say much about the spell to you, that's part of the thing about winning your love by myself."

I was willing to believe that. I nodded, and was about to turn away when she shuddered, and a tear came down her cheek, and went into the corner of her mouth. I watched it, and wanted very much to kiss it away. This was diabolical I thought. I couldn't be thinking that sort of thing, and then I just leaned over to her, and kissed her. I was acting like some kind of idiot, and I stood up then.

"I'm sorry Lily I don't know what that was about."

She just nodded, but I saw the tiniest smile come, and go on her lovely lip. She had liked being kissed.

She was shuddering again, and I felt bad about that.

"Lily, you are obviously very cold, I think I'll go up to that cupboard thing at the top of the stable spiral steps, and get those bits of fabric. I know it's not pleasant, but we could wrap up in those, and wait until nine this morning at least a little warmer."

She nodded at me, and she took the key ring out of her pocket, and gave it to me.

"Use the little light, stay safe," she managed to say as she shuddered.

I went quickly up the stairs to the place where I had seen the tunic, and the fabric lengths. The outer door there was slightly ajar, and a bit of light somehow came into the stable cupboard, from the moon. I gathered the fabric up finding to my surprise the fabric lengths were actually cloaks, one had fur lining too, turned inwards so that you could not see it as you passed. The little torch was blinking on and off. It was one of those things where you have to screw the top on, and off slightly to get it to light, and then go off. I tried screwing the top on tight, and then opening it again slightly to get it to work better. In the darkness that descended as I made this small adjustment, I felt something run past my legs about lower mid-calf level, very fast, and soft. I hurried with the light thinking it had to be a rat, but there was nothing to be seen when I got the little light back on.

I went down the stairs, and into the chamber, I was saying to Lily as I came through the door, "Ugh I think a rat just passed me," but she was gone.

Chapter Eleven

I put the cloaks on the step, and went down the other corridor towards the torch in the wall. She wasn't down there. I was whispering her name in a loud whisper. Where the hell was she? Could she have been trying out the portal, it opened, and she was back home I asked myself, standing there in the middle of the chamber, astounded at her disappearance.

She couldn't have come up the stairs behind me I'd have known. I sat down on the step after a while, and then remembered the cloaks and stood to wrap myself in them. I looked across at the water feature. It was the only explanation, but it didn't make any sense because why would it have opened then. I checked the time, two twenty, could my cell have the wrong time, or the portal open at twenty past the hour? It was a question I couldn't answer. It had been seven when we came through. 'The first thing I had done was check the time wasn't it?' I asked myself. I felt tired, and just a bit alarmed. There would be no way she could have passed me on the stairs.

I stood, walked to each door, and tried them. They were still locked. Nowhere to go, no hidey holes in the walls, nothing in the torch corridor, that door still locked, damn it all to hell, where was she?

In the chamber, I swore out loud, and put the cloaks around me. At least my shoes, and jeans were dry, and I could stay warm until nine am. If that was when the portal would open, but it stood to reason that if she'd gone through she would have found Chloe, and told her. They would work out what time the next portal opening was, and throw something in like an apple to alert me, and I'd jump in, and be home.

I was thirsty, and considered drinking some of the spring water. I could just about lean over without getting in the pool, the tiny waterfall could fill my hand, and I could have a little drink. After all, I was immortal, so it couldn't harm me. I went over there, and held onto a piece of stone that jutted out in the left side wall of the water feature, and caught a handful of water. I just had a mouthful, it tasted grim, and yet I took another handful.

Back wrapped in the cloaks, and sitting on the step, I thought about everything Lily had said. It was fantastic, but wasn't everything that had happened to me since I met Chloe, and Tristan. I began to wonder what they were doing. They would be together in the house for sure waiting to get Lily, and me back. Would they have cuddled up to comfort each other like Chloe, and I had often done? Of course they would. It hurt a bit, not that I hadn't accepted Chloe loved Tristan as well as me, but I still, deep down, wished she would suddenly choose me. I had thought only a couple of weeks ago that she was going to.

I sighed to myself. Was I a fool? I didn't know, and I still don't. It was too hard to let her go, and so I was hanging on, but what if she ultimately chose Tristan? This was stupid and I thought, 'shut up Oliver you are driveling on, just roll with it all, you can worry when it happens.'

I stepped onto the top step, and sat leaning against the wooden door, thinking about tomorrow, well today only later. I was supposed to work at the restaurant at seven tonight, maybe I could call in sick. I felt really tired.

The next thing I knew the door was rattling against my back. I opened my eyes. Someone was trying to open it. Could I make it up the other tunnel to hide, or should I bluff my way through whatever happened? I could speak French, and had heard a lot of Corbett's French to try the bluff. Deciding upon this, I let the door open, standing back thinking 'better keep the cloaks on tight to cover my modern clothes.' It opened inwards, and popping her head around the door before coming into the chamber, was Lily.

"Lily," I said surprised, "where the hell have you been, and how did you get past me on the stairs? I've been thinking all kinds of things, but mostly that the portal had opened, and you got home. I never dreamed you would be out there in the dark."

She shrugged, and said, "Sorry Oliver. I was on the flat part at the top of the stairs. I just slipped out as you went down. I was going to try to get us something to eat, but I've had no luck."

I was amazed, and part of me couldn't believe I hadn't felt her go past me.

"Anything could have happened to you. I can't believe you did that." I was shaking my head in disbelief that she'd been out there in the night, in the eleven hundreds wandering about like that. I took out my cell, eight thirty, I had slept for longer than I had expected, and without any ill effects, it seemed.

Lily was coming towards me.

"Oliver, sorry, oh what are you wearing? I'm a bit cold now. Is it nearly time for the portal to open?"

I stared at her. She had no idea how serious what she'd done could have been. I did go to her though, and put a cloak around her, and held her for a few minutes.

"We'll soon be home, so no harm done Lily. It's half past eight, we'll get ready to put our arms in the water when you've warmed up." It was undeniably good to have her back, and I held her close to warm her up. She snuggled against me, she nestled her head against mine, and pressed up against me, her arms around my neck.

"You weren't seen at all Lily? Did you see anyone?" I asked her because I thought I heard something in the distance, sort of thumping, was someone else coming?

"No Oliver, no one saw me," she replied.

I was looking around, because that would be the pits just as it was time to get into the water, and go home, we were prevented by someone finding us. The thumps and rattling in the distance sounds continued, but no one appeared. I checked my cell, and we put the cloaks on the step, and rolled up our sleeves. Lily started laughing as we did this, and I shot her a look, what was the joke? Then I found myself laughing too as we knelt down with our arms in the pool up to our elbows, waiting for the portal opening. When it didn't happen this time I was really shaken, surely we were not marooned here in the eleven hundreds. We'd been waiting long enough I thought, and checked my phone. It was six minutes past. There couldn't have been an opening.

I swore, then apologized to Lily, but she shrugged saying, "My sentiments exactly," in agreement with my curse.

"Sorry Lily I can't imagine what is going on with the portal, maybe it just opens at seven in the evening. We will have to try it then, it's our only hope." I was worried now. It was too much to hope for that no one would find us, before seven tonight.

There were still distant sounds coming from somewhere. The house above seemed to be coming alive.

"Lily, stay here please. I am sneaking a peak at the stables. I think people have arrived, don't follow, it could be really dangerous, seriously."

I hoped she'd got the message as I went quietly up the stairs. The door to the cupboard part was closed, and I opened that very carefully. The outer door that opened onto the stables was closed. Lily must have done that I thought. I peered through the cracks formed by the planks of wood being put loosely together. There were horses in the stalls now, and a couple of wooden boxes that were not there before, had been put down randomly on the floor. New squidgy hay bales were at the front of one of the stalls, and I could hear talking. I shrank back from the crack as the voices got closer, but the men the voices belonged to were talking loudly, and as they came close to the stalls, were carrying some kind of luggage, which they stacked on one of the boxes, and went off again. I went back down to Lily.

"It looks like the house has visitors. That's what this place is in this time line. It's what they call a hunting lodge."

She nodded. "Yes I know. Maybe there'll be food we can get later on, now people are here, you have to be hungry Oliver, or thirsty, I am."

I shrugged. "I can stand it. It's not like we've been here a week." That had just come out of my mouth. I shivered. I hoped that was not some kind of forewarning that we were going to be there a week. Good lord, what if the portal only opened every seven days this time instead of every seven hours? I looked at the ceiling, and down at the floor. I looked anywhere, but at Lily, because I knew there would be fear in my eyes.

She commented. "Yes it's a lovely undercroft. Isn't it great to see it before it got old?"

What was I going to do? I took cover in this comment.

"It is Lily," I answered, but I still didn't look at her.

We had the cloaks on ready for if someone came upon us. I finally felt like I could look at Lily, "Do you speak French at all Lily?" I asked her.

She nodded. "Yes why Oliver?"

Every time she said my name, she seemed to be saying something she loved. I had noticed it last night, and today it was more noticeable. It had a weird impact on me. I both liked hearing it, and at the same time, it worried me.

"Even though the French will be a bit different, that will be what they speak, the people I mean, if they come across us."

She nodded, and then she came to me, and put her arms around me.

"Don't worry too much about me Oliver. I'm used to dealing with stranger things than this, believe me, and I want you to know that I can help you. I need you to remember that. I'm strong, fit and I can fight."

I was just a little surprised at this speech she made, she maybe was in our own time, but against a sword-wielding guy in armor, neither of us was going to be much use. All the same, I had begun wondering how I could get my hands on a sword. I tried to remember what Chloe had told me, about where Tristan had stashed a load of weapons, when they had traveled back in time. I knew it was in the main house. Could I sneak in there now people were around, pretending to be one of the group, and get a sword?

Maybe we should still just hide for the day, and try the portal at seven tonight. I went to sit on the step, and Lily came, and sat beside me.

She seemed warm now, and it was okay just sitting there together.

"How about telling me when the other times were, that you watched Chloe, and me, or Tristan?" I asked her because wasn't that stalking, maybe she was deranged. It had to be considered. I may be used to weird stuff going on surrounding Tristan, but she had no good explanation for why it was me she was supposed to meet. If she could give me one, I might feel differently, but right now, I was willing to think I was just being a guy, when I kissed her, and she was a beautiful girl. I may not act on the instinct normally, but I still had it.

Lily had looked down at her hands in her lap, and then she spoke softly without raising her head.

"I watched Chloe and Tristan on the garden path once. He'd come to see her really emotional about something. I could see that. I watched Chloe and Tristan when they were out horse riding once. I watched you and Chloe at a party on the lawns of the restaurant. You were working again with her, and you helped her with putting water in a tent. I watched you in her kitchen only a few nights ago when you, and she were kissing each other. Sorry I looked away a lot. I was making sure it was you, and not Tristan that the witch had told me about. After a while, even though I knew for sure it was you, I couldn't think of a way to get your attention. When James was talking about the new excavations to be done in Chloe's house, I immediately put in a request to be on them. I said I needed this for my postgraduate study, and I was lucky with my request. I needed to stand in front of you, and see your reaction to me."

She stopped talking again, and I thought, 'how the hell have we never seen her lurking about watching us.' I was about to ask this when the sound of the door being unlocked down the kitchen tunnel stopped me. I stood up, and pulled her up too. My first thought was to go up the spiral staircase, and hang out on the steps. Maybe the people coming through the kitchen door would not come up there. I almost pushed Lily through this door, and along the corridor, to the stairs, before I stopped, and held her hand. I was listening for any movement close to the door we'd just used, nothing happened, and after what seemed like a long time we crept back down. I listened at the door to the chamber before I opened it, and looked around. There was no one there, and I had Lily by the hand as we went down the two steps silently, and closed the door behind us. The old shoes I had used last night were still by the bottom step, so maybe no one had come down here, as I thought they more than likely would have taken them. I put my finger to my lips to indicate no talking to Lily, as I went silently up the tunnel that led to the kitchen. The torch had been replaced with a new one, but other than that, nothing was visible to indicate anyone had been in the tunnel. Well it was a corridor really in this age. I listened at the door, nothing to be heard, but there was a vague smell of cooking, probably meat. I didn't quite recognize the type of meat. I turned on my heel, expecting Lily to be behind me. I hadn't even felt or heard her leave, but she was gone. I assumed she'd gone back down to the chamber, but when I got down there she wasn't there.

This was too much. I thought 'she has to be deranged, she's a stalker, she's sucked me in, and now when I do get home, we have to deal with a nut job who knows about the time travel stuff. Tristan will have a meltdown, and then a horrible thought occurred to me, 'maybe I should just leave her here, she couldn't be telling anyone about the portal or anything else I had driveled on about, if she was here. She'd never figure out the opening times, and she'd be stuck here. Maybe she wouldn't have to worry about her deadline either then,' hell what was I thinking, what deadline she's made that up the deranged stalker that she is.

All the same, I went up the spiral staircase, and looked through the door into the stables. No one was there, so I stole into the stables holding the wretched cloak closed around my legs so my jeans wouldn't show through. There was no sign of anyone, and the horses stared at me as I passed them. They must have known I was sneaking around, and they too seemed to be quiet, and listening. I poked my head around the outer door, nothing, no one, the air quite warm, and the sun shining, a nice day actually. Maybe I could take just a little walk, because that chamber had really started to get to me. There was no sign of Lily, but wasn't that the cloak she was using in a heap by that little building full of blocks of ice. I went quickly to it, and picked it up. What was she thinking of wandering around in combat pants, and a hoodie. I opened the door to the place full of ice, was she loony enough to go in there? No, well thank heaven for that.

I turned around, and decided to take a path that went into a thicket of trees, for some fresh air, and to check if the girl had gone in there. I was feeling angry and stupid at the same time. The woods were fresh, and smelled good. It wasn't cold in there because lots of sun broke through the leaves, as the trees were not grouped so closely together the further I went along the path. I was thinking of turning back, when I saw a movement in small trees to my right, and I stood still. Instinctively I knew it wasn't a human in there, and I watched in shock as a little white cat came sauntering out from in between the herb like plants growing at the foot of the small trees.

It walked up to me, and circled my legs, rubbed its face on my boots, and then sat down at my feet. I do love cats. This one reminded me of the one Chloe, and I had seen. I didn't remember it having blue eyes as this one did, but then again, it could have. 'Weren't blue-eyed cats supposed to be deaf?' I thought, but I talked to this one, and stroked its lovely head? It had ears like velvet. Funny how some things don't change, eleven ninety, and there's a white cat wandering about near Chloe's house, just like a few days ago in my own time. It liked the attention, and rubbed its head against my hand as I stroked it. The softness of its fur, and the way it represented some kind of familiarity in this alien place soothed me. I picked it up, and it let me hold it quietly as I stroked its head. I walked down towards the stables. 'Maybe it was a stable cat to keep down the mice,' I thought. At the stable door, it wriggled to get free, and I put it gently onto the ground.

"There you go cat, bet you are off to catch mice," I said softly. It flagged its tail as it ran off, but stopped, and looked back at me before it disappeared around the corner of the building. I looked up, and at the house from this side. It had some kind of extra tower in this timeline. Sighing I went back down to the chamber, really there was no point in going further afield, what if Lily came back, and I was gone, we could be going around in circles looking for each other.

What was going on anyway? I was going to give her a piece of my mind when I next saw her, if I next saw her. I looked at my cell, and was surprised to find it was midday. It seemed odd to me that there were not more people around, and I considered why that might be, perhaps the visitors had not arrived yet, maybe the servants had come over to the place to get it ready for them, and they would come along later in the day. I was willing to accept my own theory, and decided to sneak down, and try the kitchen door. I would still like a sword. I carefully tried the handle. It was unlocked, and I opened the door slowly, and carefully. There was no one in there, but the fire was lit in a big hearth, and there was a hanging vessel thing over it, which smelled like cooking. The tables were laden with linen wrapped things, and there was a low basket full of apples, and pears. The end of one table had been left free, but it looked like people had used that area to have a meal, and on a wooden plate thing were a massive piece of cheese and a roughly shaped loaf of bread with the end torn off it. There was another basket on this table with little strawberries in it. By the entrance door in the right side wall was a box, and I could see it was full of candles. I noticed several dead birds then, tossed in a basket, which was on another box by the candle box. The birds were pheasants, and pigeons, and for some reason it made me shiver.

I heard someone, somewhere, calling out something I could not understand, and taking a couple of apples and pears I went quickly back to the chamber.

Still no sign of that batty Lily. I took the cloak off, and put it on the step placing the fruit I had stolen on there too. If I could keep my nerve until I had tested the seven p.m. portal, then if it didn't work I'd take a chance, maybe I could find Corbett Glassier's home. They might shelter me for the week, until I could try the portal again after seven days. It was something to hold on to that I had knowledge of Emery, and Emma, and could speak some kind of French to them, although perhaps Emma would be less than pleased to see me.

I decided to wash off an apple in the little waterfall, and eat it. I drank a little of the water again too because I had started to feel thirsty. It was a decent apple, and I felt better after I had eaten it. Should I sneak back out there, and try to find a sword before the house filled up with visitors? It was a risk that probably was not worth taking, after all I couldn't fight with a sword, I had no idea how to, and I couldn't even use a longbow yet, since I had not started lessons with Corbett.

What a mess this all was. I suddenly wished I was home in my office with my computers, and planning how I'd go to see Chloe after work. It seemed to me then, that I'd be stuck here forever. The portal wasn't acting anything like the last one. 'Who knows' I thought, 'maybe this is it, the damn thing works once, and that's the end of it.' It didn't stand to any reason though, mathematically there had to be another opening. At seven tonight there would be one I told myself. I started pacing the chamber, careful to use a soft tread, but I needed to move around. I had been pacing for a while, when a scratching at the door that led from the spiral staircase corridor, caught my attention. I went over there. Maybe the rat was back. I opened the door, thinking 'what the hell, it would be some distraction,' and the white cat ran into the chamber.

I smiled at it. "Hello there cat, you found me then. Let's hope no one else does, except that batty girl, who will miss getting home if she doesn't watch out."

I sat on the step, and it came over to me after doing a circuit of the chamber. It sprang onto my lap, and settled down there. I fondled its ears talking to it in a low voice about how I loved cats, and it was lucky, because some people I knew didn't. I realized it was asleep, and took my cell out to check the time, three p.m. Where was that idiot Lily? I felt suddenly bad about not going to find her, and I thought 'okay I'll give her another hour if she doesn't front up I'll look as far as I dare, and then it's up to her to get back here.'

The cat woke up, and stretched all four legs out at once like a ballet dancer, with its paws pointed. It made me laugh.

It walked from my lap onto the step, sniffed the fruit that was still on the cloak there, and then squeezing behind me started mewing at the closed door. Then to my great amusement, it sat up on its hind legs, and used its front paws to scratch at the door, in a series of really quick movements. I was laughing, and saying, "Okay I get it cat you want out, don't we all?" and I opened the door. It ran up the stairs.

I decided then to go check out around the grounds again. Maybe I could run across Lily. I felt bad about not trying to find her, but at the same time, I couldn't help wondering what she was playing at.

I got the cloak ready to put on at the stable doors, and went up there. The afternoon had grown warmer, and I wished I didn't have to wear the cloak. At least it wasn't the fur-lined one. I went quickly into the wooded area, and kept walking down to wherever it led. I came quickly upon a clearing, the grass sloping down to a small lake, and a waterfall. As I approached, I was high enough up on the slope to see beyond. There was a castle wall visible, one of those outer walls, and a gate in it, beyond that I could see buildings, and a church or something.

I looked down the slope, and realized it was Tristan's waterfall. There was the big holly tree next to a gated stair, going parallel up by another spring, which came out alongside the main waterfall, but to one side, so that it was separate. Wow, this was cool. The landscape had changed so much over the years. It was then I heard horse hooves, and I bolted back into the trees. I was behind a couple of trees, and the horses went past straight over the other side of the slope I had been standing on. It was too much of a temptation not to sneak over there myself, and I could see them going along another track which wound by a huge lake. I turned around, and went back into the wood. I'd have to find a bit more courage if I was stuck here for a week, find some people, and ask for the Glassier family.

Coming out of the wood to go to the stable I stopped still, because there was Lily, how extraordinary, she was going into the place full of ice, and she was in her underwear. I remained where I was hidden by a small flowering tree, which was covered in white blossoms, and I bent a little to wait, and see what happened next. Only a minute must have gone by when out she came from the ice place in her clothes. What the hell was going on?

She went into the stables, and I ran over there myself to follow her down to the chamber, or wherever she was off to this time. She'd closed the door to the cupboard room behind her, but it had no latch. There was a slight dip in the floor, which kept it open, hence the hay bale we'd found the night before keeping it semi closed. I went on down the spiral stairs, and into the chamber. She was by the water feature, and I got the impression she'd taken a drink from it.

"Lily, what the hell is going on? I can't begin to tell you how foolish you are wandering about out there, and I have to tell you I saw you in your underwear out there too. What were you doing, taking a wash in the nearby waterfall or something? You must be out of your mind. If you were caught like that, well god only knows what might happen to you."

She stood silently looking at me sadly. I shook my head. "Well?" I said as some kind of underscore for my question.

"Please don't be angry I'm back safe, and sound. I can't explain yet, but it is part of the spell I am under."

I put up my hand in a gesture that said don't lie, and shook my head.

"It's ridiculous. You want my help, and love, I might add. Yet you can't or will not tell me what the hell you are playing at, coming and going without a word. I went out there looking for you. We don't belong here Lily. They just kill people here, and you, wandering about in your underwear, well," I said pointing at her. "You could be accused of magic, burned at the stake." I wanted to frighten her into not wandering off again, let's get the fuck out of this time I was thinking, all my hopes pinned on seven p.m. being a portal opening.

She went really pale, and wavered about on her feet as if she was going to faint. I ran at her, and caught hold of her. She leaned against me, and I kept holding her.

"Okay, come and sit down. There is a little fruit I stole from the kitchen. You probably need to eat something," I said to her, dragging, and leading her to the step.

I pulled her down next to me, and leaned over to get her an apple. I handed it to her, and she looked at me her blue eyes so sad.

"Sorry Oliver, I'll tell you because it's getting worse, the spell that is, over the years it has worsened little by little, but now, as I am reaching my deadline it's worse every day."

I felt a wave of sadness for her, maybe she wasn't batty, perhaps I had been too harsh. I looked at her blue eyes, and again I had this weird compulsion to stroke her hair, I found myself doing it, and I sighed. "Go on Lily tell me."

She had the apple in her hand, and she leaned against me as I stroked her hair. It reminded me of the cat that had visited me. I was about to tell her about the cat when she began talking.

"The thought of being burned at the stake was so scary." That's all she said then she took a bite of the apple.

I put my arm around her shoulders, and we sat there for a few moments until she'd eaten the apple. I watched her stretch her feet out, pointing her toes. She put the apple core down on the ground next to the step, and sat back up into my arm as I waited to put it around her again.

She reached across, and took my other hand in hers, and turning a little so that she was looking at me with those lovely blue eyes she smiled.

"Thanks Oliver, I feel better now. The spell, it makes me turn into an animal. At first in the first few years of the spell, it would be two or three times a year, and then it started to be more. Each year it would get worse, until in the last two years it's every month, and in the last month every week, and in the last week every other day. It's my punishment, but if you can love me, even just a little, it will be broken, the spell I mean. I can have my human life back until I die. If not, if you can't love me at all, well..."

I supplied the answer for her. "You become the animal for good."

She didn't say anything more, and so I assumed this was it.

I hugged her because it seemed horrifying. She did feel familiar to me. How was that possible? I still didn't get it, the reason why I was the one who would free her from the spell. I didn't want to give her totally the wrong impression by my hugging her, I just wanted to comfort her, and I sighed.

"Lily, I've been thinking unkind thoughts about you, you should have told me this. I assume you turned into the animal when you disappeared, but if you had told me this story right away then I'd have been more understanding. I feel bad about it now, but you know I almost gave up on you."

She'd wanted to kiss me when I leaned back from hugging her, but I had moved away, and now she tried to get her face closer. Something about the way she moved was enchanting, her blue eyes pleading with me. I held her head to my chest, and rocked her slightly. I did feel something for her. I can't explain it. It was affection, and sorrow rolled into one.

She pulled away from me.

"Oliver, could you be a friend perhaps? Friendship involves a love of sorts," she'd stood up, and walked to the water feature then back, and was standing in front of me now.

I stood up too. I looked at her seriously.

"I'd give that a chance, if you stop acting weird, tell the truth, become friends with Chloe, Tristan, and me, like a normal person. Well, as far as you can. We'll accept you for what you are. You must know that. I know what you mean about friendship being a kind of love."

She put her arms out to hold me, and I was touched by this. I took her into my arms, and hugged her. I had my hand on her head, and her hair was soft. She stepped back her eyes wide.

"Okay, maybe that will do. Maybe if you care for me even like that, accepting me for what I am then the spell will lift."

Her expression of hope was too much for me, something happened to me. I felt this wave of affection, and I wanted to take care of her. I had felt like this before with Chloe. It was the beginnings of some kind of love I was painfully aware of that. I didn't know what it was that I felt yet I only knew I wished I didn't.

What I also knew, was that I was sick to death of the chamber, the weird stuff, the portal, and I hoped more than anything that the seven o'clock portal opened. I had begun to feel like a fool, kissing other girls when I was in love with Chloe, wandering about in a floor length cloak, stealing apples, not much fun. Not sword fighting, and riding horses, and any other thing that Tristan seemed to have done, but then again, you've got to know your limitations, and this was no place to try and expand them.

Lily had sat down again on the step a little way from me. I realized she was watching me, and smiled just slightly.

She cleared her throat.

"Sorry Oliver, it's the approach of my deadline that's made me try to rush things, and I know you must be confused, and you've been amazingly patient, kind, and affectionate. I wouldn't blame you if you didn't want anything more to do with me when we get home."

I didn't say anything because I almost wished I hadn't had anything to do with her down here in the chamber. I needed air, and the place seemed quiet enough.

"Lily, I'm going up to the stable to hang out for ten minutes, this place is starting to give me the creeps."

She nodded at me, and as I made my way up the spiral stairs, she didn't follow.

I checked through the door before I went out into the stables. Those horses were still in the stalls. I bet they would like a walk out too. It was years since I had ridden a horse, but I'd held Cedric's head, and patted Matin at Tristan's stables. They were great horses. I walked up to the stalls. There was a gray horse with big hooves in the first stall. It looked around at me, and nodded its head. The other stall had a dark brown horse in it. This was a more delicate horse, but tall, and with a wild look in its eyes. I was about to try giving it an apple from a barrel that was in the stable, when right then a young man came into the stable.

I turned around to face him, and he spoke that Norman French at me that I had tried hard to learn from Corbett, and Tristan. I nodded at him, what the hell was he saying? I pointed at the horse, and made a comment in my own French about the water, and hay. He stared at me for a few seconds, and then made a gesture with one of his hands. It was dismissing my intentions, and me. He went over to the boxes I had seen two men bring into the stable earlier, and opened the lid of the top one. He took out a rough looking tunic, and what could have been a hat, then with a sharp nod of his head at me, he went out of the stables.

I realized when he'd gone that I had been holding my breath, and said to the horse with the wild eyes, 'sacré bloody bleu horse that was a close shave'. I got some apples out of the barrel, and gave them to the horse. He crunched up the lot, and I gave a few to the gray horse who had put his head over the wooden beam at the end of his stall. The apples weren't the best, and a couple of rotten ones made the barrel smell a bit alcoholic. I tossed them out the door into the nearby bushes. Maybe the mice would eat them.

Deciding to make my way down to the chamber again, I had just started down the stairs when I heard shouts, horse hooves, and rumbling sounds. Probably the arrival of more people to the house, clearly I had just left the stable in time.

Lily was standing by the end of the corridor that led to the kitchen. She was very still, as if alerted to something. I stopped as I was about to walk into the chamber. I could hear voices, this time the French though harsher sounding, was easier to understand. I caught the words that told me they were talking about the visiting group who would be arriving about seven. I sighed inwardly. Of course, it would have to be seven. What were they doing now, coming down to get some sacred water?

Lily realized at the same time as I did that they were heading down to the chamber. She ran soundlessly to me, and we closed the door to the chamber. It seemed unlikely that they would come onto the stairs, but I was looking for a way of locking the door. It had no key, but it had a latch, which was held up at the moment by a block of wood. I took the block of wood out from under the latch, let the latch down as quietly as I could, and put the block of wood in the resulting top space. I was certain this would stop the round ring door handle from opening the latch, should they even try it. Lily had watched me, and she smiled slightly. We stood silently waiting for whatever was going to happen. Nothing did happen, they must have taken the water they wanted, and left. I took my cell out, and checked the time, nearly five thirty. Thank god, at least the time was not dragging too much.

Lily whispered, "I think we could try going back in there now."

I walked along the corridor, and sat down on the stairs.

"Why not stay here for a while, it's no better or worse than the chamber," I whispered back.

Having followed me she shrugged, and sat down. Lily produced the two pears from the bundled up cloak she'd been carrying, and offered me one. I shook my head, frankly, I was just too sick of everything to eat. She put both back in the cloak, and sighed.

I remembered I wanted to know more about how she'd spied on, or in her words watched Tristan, Chloe, and myself on the occasions she'd named, because I for sure would have noticed her hanging around.

"Lily, I feel sure I'd have noticed someone like you hanging around watching me, did you hide or what? You know on the occasions you watched us all."

She smiled, "Someone like me?"

I didn't answer she had to know what I meant.

"I hid yes. I've grown skilled at hiding over the years" she looked sad.

"Lily, what about why you were in your underwear out there today, it is part of changing into an animal?" I guessed she might lose her clothes as she changed into the animal, and maybe she hid her clothes or something.

"I've learned to get my outer clothes off, and come back for them when I realize I am changing, it would be okay, they change with me, but often in the past, when I changed back they would be a wreck, and drew more attention to me than anything. So I try to hide them somewhere I can get to them as soon as I am a human again. It's not easy. Sometimes it's not possible."

"So you do know when you are changing then?" I asked her wondering what the signs were.

"I do now, well I have done for a number of years, but it took a while for me to recognize the signs because they do vary."

She didn't seem like she was going to tell me, and I didn't want to quiz her. I nodded, and looked down at the step below the one on which I was sitting. What kind of animal might she turn into that wrecked her clothes? 'Wolf, werewolf,' perhaps I had been exposed to too much weirdness over the last year I thought shaking myself out of it. Werewolves didn't exist did they?

"So Lily what did you do that got this spell cast on you? It seems a radical spell?" I ventured that question instead of the one about what animal she was changed into.

"I spied on the witch, when she was with the man she loved," Lily's voice was shaky as she said this.

I turned to face her, she spied on a witch, the spell hadn't taught her much then. I was looking at her sad face.

"Lily, what was going on there, why did you do that?"

She shuddered slightly.

"I thought I was in love with him. I thought he was the one for me, and I had tried to take him away from her. He tried to tell me he only thought of me as a friend, he would be a friend, he valued that, but I couldn't accept it. She told me the man didn't love me, and that I had been mistaken about my feelings too. I only wanted him because she had him, and now I had lost his friendship too, she said.

Then she told me as she cast he spell, 'you will know when you really love someone, it's not like the fantasy feelings you've for Ari.' That was the man's name, she said 'if you are lucky enough the man you love will love you back, but failing that I take pity on you, and if you find someone who can love you even just a little bit for who you really are now, then the spell will lift'."

I listened to this story, it seemed incomplete to me, some key rationale was missing somewhere, but I didn't say anything.

She shuddered again, and I said, "Why not put the cloak on Lily if you are cold, come on." I picked it up, and put it around her. I sat close to her, and put my arm around her shoulders. I felt sorry for her. The wave of affection I felt for her came again as I put my arm around her. I'd be a friend to her if it would lift the spell. She seemed pitiful right now, her shoulders drooped, and she hung her head, it was real enough too, not an act.

It appeared right then that she might be reaching the end of her tether. Had she been a child when this spell was cast I thought? Maybe she'd been a young teenager that would make more sense. She heaved a big sigh, and I could feel her shudder after it against me.

"Lily, cheer up, I'll be a friend to you. I do care about you. Tristan will understand this story maybe better than me, and you can bet he will be a friend to you too." I wanted her to have some hope.

She turned her face up to me. It didn't seem that my comment had helped.

I looked into those sad blue eyes, and all I could think was why not take care of her for a while, what difference could it make to give her some affection, show her some love. I had all the time in the world after all. I could help her through this spell stuff, befriend her, bring her into the friendship with Tristan, and I, and Chloe of course.

She'd looked down again.

"I need you to actually like me for what I am Oliver."

I didn't reply. I didn't mean to do it. I just did it. I took her face in my hands, and kissed her. I kissed her because we were together in that horrible situation, because she seemed to be telling the truth, and was about as dejected as I'd like to see anyone. The other thing was I kissed her because that bizarre connection thing was in the back of my mind. I had known her the moment I saw her, that had to mean something. I might need to find out what that was all about.

I kept my arm around her shoulders, and hugged her to me.

"What exactly is that Lily?"

She shook her head.

"I'll tell you when we are home. I'll show you."

I sighed at this, not more convoluted stuff. "Lily, I appreciate people coming straight to the point generally. Try to tell me."

She shook her head.

"Oliver, what's the time, is it nearly time to try the portal?"

I got out my phone, and was shocked to find it was ten minutes before seven.

"It's nearly time. Wow that last hour went quickly. Come on we need to get in there, and be ready. Please let it work this time." I stood, and took her hand. I removed the wood from the latch, and put it back so that the door would open from the chamber side.

She was shuddering again.

"Keep the cloak on Lily it can't matter as long as your arm is in the water, you seem so cold." She shook her head, and put it on one of the steps, so I did the same with mine.

We were in the chamber, and it was five to seven as I put my cell in my pocket, and pushed my sleeves up. She did the same. We were almost side by side kneeling on the stone floor. I put my arms into the water up to my elbows. I had a sudden panic attack that maybe the portal wasn't working because we were not standing it in, but Lily had traveled with just one arm in the water I told myself. She had her arm in too now, and I was looking sideways at her, as the portal must have kicked in.

She gave a huge shudder, and instead of being Lily there in that chamber just as we were about to time travel, she was the little white cat. She sprang out of the water, like a rocket, and mewled, and then I was up to my elbows in the water with Tristan shouting, "Bloody hell, Oliver, we were trying to come to you."

I got up, dripping water from my hands, and arms, and Chloe was turning me around by them, she hugged me.

"Oliver, Oliver, thank heaven you are back."

Tristan had a hold of my upper arm now, and was patting my shoulder with his free hand.

"What's going on Oliver, where's Lily?"

"Yes," Chloe joined in, "where's Lily?"

I looked at them. They were dressed in cloaks like the ones Lily and I had found. Tristan had two swords pushed through a belt, and Chloe had a dagger, and a short sword through her belt. They each had a canvas bag over their shoulder, the strap across their body.

"What are you dressed like that for?" I felt a bit out of it, basically all I could really think of was Lily my little white cat, springing away from the water just as she was about to come home.

"We were coming after you Oliver," Chloe said, and then she put her arms around me saying, "Oliver, something's wrong, what is it? Do you know where Lily is, has anything happened to her?"

Tristan was close by. He watched with a frown of concern on his face.

"Come on Oliver, let's get you up to the kitchen, have some coffee, decent water, come on." He put his arm around my shoulders, and Chloe had hold of one of my hands, we went up to the kitchen, and I sat down on one of the familiar chairs. They were taking the bags from over their shoulders. Tristan started to make some coffee. Chloe got me a bottle of water from the fridge, and took off the cloak she had on, and then she took the weapons out of the belt, and put them on the table.

I took a drink of the water, and sighed.

"Lily, is back there, she took her arms out of the water just as we were about to travel. We've to go back for her."

Chapter Twelve

There was a cup of coffee in front of me, and Tristan was sitting opposite me with a concerned look on his face. I felt dazed. Did I look it? Tristan started to speak.

"Oliver, sorry to have to start with this heavy stuff, but what exactly did you say to Lily when you traveled?"

I was thinking fast, obviously, his main concern was that I had not blabbed to her about the other portal, or perhaps about him.

"Tristan, I hardly said anything, it occurred to me quickly to limit what I said, but obviously I did say I had come across this sort of thing before, and that I knew how to get us home. Little did I know the portal openings were so restricted this time around. Truly, I was actually shocked when it did open tonight."

I suddenly thought about tonight, and that I was supposed to be at work for Chloe's dad. "Chloe, I need to call your dad about my work shift. I'll never cope with it tonight, and I am late now," I said to her, as she too came, sat down at the table next to Tristan, and was looking directly over at me.

She'd put a plate of sandwiches in front of me, and now smiled her kind smile at me, which made me feel like going over, and being held in her arms.

"It's okay Oliver, I called dad early, and said you were sick, and just wouldn't make it for a couple of days, also I called Ben, and he stepped in for you tonight. He was already there at work, and said he could do with the money, so he would pull a double shift. Laura, of all people, offered to do your shift tomorrow, so you're covered. I called your mom, and told her you were detained at a computer job. She just accepted it without any comment, so hopefully everything is covered for you."

I felt grateful and wretched at the same time, here she was doing that for me, and I had been over in another time kissing another girl, who turned out to be a cat.

That's what it was. I had this sudden realization. I was convinced I loved her as a cat, not as the girl, which more than likely would be problematic for her. I sighed, and Tristan smiled at me.

"Oliver, what was Lily's reaction when you said you knew about the portal stuff? Where is she anyway? Do you feel like filling us in, or shall we get you home to the shower, and bed, and catch up with you tomorrow?"

I wanted to tell them everything. I looked first at Tristan, and then at Chloe as if I had been struck dumb, and it was only after a minute I started to talk.

"She kept disappearing on me. I was worried about her, and thought that maybe she'd caught a portal opening that I couldn't whilst I had gone out looking for her.

She's a cat, I mean really a cat, the little white cat, the one we saw Chloe, the other night. It has to be." I stopped talking then for a moment as Chloe gasped, and Tristan put his hand on her arm. They looked at each other, there was obviously some information I needed to know, but I started my story again. I told them everything, about seeing the waterfall in Tristan's time, about the stables, and the kitchen, and the visitors. I told them about the ring Lily had found, and then all about the spell cast on Lily by the witch.

Suddenly Chloe got up, and came to sit by me. She was close to me, so close I could feel her leg up against mine. I desperately wanted a hug from her, but I finished the story, saying that I had been willing to befriend Lily, and help her free herself of the spell before what she called her deadline. I added that the attraction I felt for her was totally about her being the cat, I felt sure of that, and if she needed someone to love her for what she was, then I did love her as that little white cat.

Chloe sighed, and Tristan put his hand up to his forehead, and rubbed his hand across it as if trying to think straight.

"This magic stuff Oliver, it didn't prompt you to tell her anything about us all? Sorry to have to ask."

I was shaking my head.

"No, nothing like that. She already thought you were a witch too Tristan, and all I said was that you were a good guy, and would help her." I had forgotten that bit, and now Chloe spoke softly.

"Oliver, why did she think Tristan was a witch, and aren't male witches wizards, or magi, or whatever like Max?" She was casting intent glances at Tristan as she spoke, and I wanted to know what all this secret staring was about.

"Chloe, Tristan, sorry I'm feeling a bit out of it. I forgot to say she'd seen you at the waterfall, Tristan, as you changed from appearing in your Norman clothes into present day ones, she thought that was you as a witch. As I said, she has watched us to make sure it was me, who could help her. I'm only sure that I can help her as the cat. I feel so sad that just as we were about to come home, she changed again, and leapt in the air away from the water, and now she's there on her own. Imagine that little cat trapped in the chamber, we'd closed the doors, she'll be frantic. Also, she has no watch. She'll have no idea of time to be there at the portal to travel." I stopped, Chloe had taken my hand, and Tristan stood up. He went to make more coffee.

"Oliver, we'll get her back, we'll go tomorrow, and get her, and then we'll deal with the portal. You need to eat, rest, and think straight. Please don't worry." Chloe said softly as she held my hand.

Tristan turned around to us from the other side of the kitchen.

"Oliver, we were on our way to get you tonight, good job we didn't put our hands in the water, or we may have passed each other, maybe we need to synchronize our phones."

"I had my hand in the water Tristan," Chloe said, and we both looked at her. Tristan was frowning, and I was thinking what was going on, because if it had been the other portal she would have traveled.

Tristan brought over the coffee, and sat down. I drank some, and then took a sandwich, now I had told them the story I felt a little hungry.

"Chloe, if that's so, then you would have traveled, you are sure?" Tristan asked her.

I swallowed.

"Unless the portal has changed, and you can only go one way at certain times," I thought this very possible.

Tristan nodded.

"Very likely, damnable thing, that would mean come here today, go there tomorrow, unless anyone has a better idea." He sighed, and I joined in, frankly, at this rate anything could happen.

Chloe pushed her chair back, and got up. She started to pace the room, much like Tristan does.

"This is a nuisance, if we go tomorrow then we know we have to come back the next day, or be stuck there longer. Add to that the beastly summertime thing tonight, who knows what effect that may have on the opening." She stopped walking, and came to sit back down near me, which was a relief. I needed her closeness.

"I think all we need do Chloe is leave our phones on the summer time, not change them, switch off auto update, and use that seven o'clock because there is no summer time, winter time stuff back then." Tristan was pushing his hair back from his forehead, the way he used to, and it was funny because he'd had his hair cut now. I felt so relieved to be back with them. I smiled, and then laughed a little.

"It's so good to be with you two again," I told them.

Chloe smiled, but her tone was serious when she said, "I can't help but worry about the time change stuff. If only we knew from which end of the two sides it started. I mean like did it start in the past or here when the original portal opened?"

I understood what she meant even though it was a strange question.

"I get what you're saying Chloe, but I agree with Tristan, the best thing we can do is make sure our phones stay on the old time tonight, and use that."

Chloe shrugged.

"Look can we just cover our backs, and try the six o'clock as well each time we need to travel?"

Tristan stood up, and then sat back down, he seemed to be deciding if he should speak or not, and then he said softly.

"We can do that, Oliver and I, but Chloe I think you need to stay here, keep the place free of archaeologists. There's Steven, your dad, people who may ask about Oliver, and I. Really I think this time we must contact Aristide. I know it was the last thing we wanted with the first portal, but this time let's just do it, ask for his help. We can't have a portal under the house, especially since people back then use the water feature. We can't take the chance that some medieval person will be wandering down the corridor when Steven gets in from school or whatever." He stood up, and started pacing the kitchen. Chloe was surprisingly quiet. I had expected her to object immediately to being left behind, but she was thinking, and took a drink of her tea. I think Tristan was expecting her to object too, and he turned around looking intently at her, as she remained silent.

I was about to say something when Chloe spoke.

"Okay I'll stay, but if you are not back on Monday night, I am coming over Tuesday, you can be sure of that, and I'll bring Corbett too. Do you want me to contact Aristide whilst you are gone?"

I was shocked at this, firstly since Chloe was this mega spirited girl who always wanted to be in on the action, but also because she was offering to contact Aristide. I had expected her to stop that notion in its tracks. I looked over at Tristan. He smiled at Chloe, his look was full of love as he did this, and I felt almost bad about seeing it. I looked down, and then Chloe took my hand again, and held it tight, she said, "Oliver, how are you feeling? Shall I take you home? I can pick you up tomorrow late afternoon ready for the evening traveling?" And she grinned at this comment.

I wanted to stay with her and Tristan for a little longer.

"Not yet Chloe, could we plan what is happening tomorrow Tristan?" I asked.

Tristan came back to the table, and Chloe let go of my hand. I wanted her to stay near me, but she went off, and was making toast.

Tristan told me that I could have the stuff Chloe was going to use for her journey, and that we were keeping it really simple, pretending to be ordinary people visiting relatives. The Glassier family, if anyone asked, we would find Lily, lie low, and get back home.

I listened to this optimistic plan.

"It may prove slightly more difficult than that, if Lily is a cat at the time, and it is twenty four hours of hanging about. She could be a cat two or three times over that period."

Tristan laughed.

"Okay, we'll take gloves in case she scratches when held near water."

Chloe laughed too, she'd put raisin toast, and orange juice in front of me, as I had not eaten the sandwiches, only taken a bite. For some reason I couldn't laugh or eat. I pictured Lily leaping away from the water. Chloe realized something was wrong, and again took my hand. Tristan got up, and taking some toast from the plate Chloe had put in front of him went to make more coffee. He poured his last cup down the drain as he'd simply left it to go cold. He waited for the kettle to boil standing looking out of the French windows, and I looked at Chloe. I actually felt an expression come into my eyes, sadness, or something. I really wanted to hug her. She gave me a look that cheered me up. It felt as if she'd actually told me she loved me.

"Call Aristide tomorrow Chloe, just tell him, a portal had opened at the waterfall which closed itself, now one has opened in the house, Oliver went through it, and you need help," Tristan had turned to us.

"Sure Tristan, but what if he asks more questions?" Chloe smiled at him.

Tristan shook his head.

"Keep it that simple just ask him to come to help. Make the call about five thirty. We'll still be here with you, and try to get him here by Wednesday. Let's get it over with."

I was thinking of the 'what ifs'.

"Tristan, what if we don't get back Monday night?"

He grinned. "We will, I'll make sure of it."

I had no answer for that. I hoped it would be true because really I didn't want Chloe to have to come after us, as I knew she would, if we didn't get back. It was one thing if we went as a group, but entirely another if she was traveling alone.

I said I really wanted to wash my hands, and could I go up to a bathroom. I went up to the one on the first floor landing.

When I got back down to the kitchen, Tristan, and Chloe were standing together looking out of the French window. They looked good together, and it crossed my mind that maybe I was supposed to be with Lily after all. It was fleeting, and unwelcome, and I went to stand next to them.

"I'll bring you another sword tomorrow Oliver, and think about anything you may want tonight, bring that too, as long as it will fit in the canvas bags over there on the table." Tristan moved from Chloe's side, and she turned to me.

"Oliver, I need to tell you something, especially now we know Lily is the white cat."

I instinctively knew this was what their secret looks had been about earlier on, and I nodded.

We went over to sit with Tristan at the table, and Chloe just started right into her story, the way she usually did.

"I had this dream, the white cat was asleep on my bed, and then it woke up, and told me Tristan was my destiny, and you were hers, as in Lily's. The strangest thing was Oliver. There was a little warm spot on my bed, as if the cat had really been there."

I was shaking my head, and was about to speak, but she continued.

"There's more. Suddenly, about the time the real white cat was with us, in the kitchen the night we let it in, Oliver, I started to be able to put thoughts into a person's mind, and surprisingly, I can listen to a person's thoughts."

This was a bit shocking. I looked at her, had she really said what I thought she had?

"You mean you can read minds?" I asked her in almost a whisper.

"Oliver, I can listen to people's thoughts is what it seems like, if I tune in, and if I want to put a thought of my own into their head, I can do that. I know it sounds fantastic, but we are immortals so maybe it's a side effect." She was smiling a little at me, and I realized she was totally serious. Then a thought came into my head, I love you Oliver, I missed you so much are you okay. It had to be Chloe, and I hoped she was listening when I thought, I love you too, Chloe, and I'll be okay. She must have been, because she smiled a big smile at me happily.

Tristan sighed, and shook his head.

"Sorry, but I think it's something to do with the cat, with Lily, that story she told you Oliver it has gaping holes in it. I mean how old was she when she fell in love with this witch's boyfriend? Her story seemed to indicate she'd been under a spell for some years, and yet she can only be our age now, well you know what I mean." He grinned suddenly, realizing what he'd said.

I nodded.

"I agree Tristan there's something not right with the story, but she undeniably is under a spell, because she does become the cat, I've seen it happen."

Chloe nodded.

"I think there must be some link between me getting this ability, and the cat, well Lily, but I don't know what that link is. When she became the cat Oliver, and sat with you in the chamber, was she like a real cat, or did it seem like she was still Lily looking like a cat?"

I thought about this question.

"It seemed for sure that she was a cat, I didn't know it was her. I was thinking here we are eight hundred years in the past, and there's a white cat hanging about just like when I was with you Chloe. When she told me she changed into an animal, I wasn't thinking a cat, I was thinking, you know weird things, wolves, werewolves." I laughed at myself saying this, and they smiled.

Tristan got up.

"When we get her back I want some answers from her, especially now she has seen this portal stuff. We need at all costs for that to be the only thing she knows, for everyone's sake, keep the immortal stuff quiet." He seemed to be gathering up the weapons he and Chloe had been going to take, and the bags and cloaks.

"I'm taking these to the stable apartment out of sight, and now I'm not in the past, I want to call in on the horses. If you need me call, but otherwise I'll come over tomorrow about four, Chloe. Is that okay with you too Oliver, you can make it a bit later if you want a bit more rest?" He smiled, and headed towards the kitchen door. I nodded at him in reply as Chloe got up, and went with him to the front door, and then obviously out to his truck. She was gone for a couple of minutes.

When she came back, I stood up, and hugged her.

"Chloe, I'm desperate to hug you. I can't tell you how good it is to be back with you and Tristan."

She hugged me, and then put her arms up around my neck, and kissed me. It was like being home. I felt loved, cared for, and safe. I kissed her. It was so different from that stuff with Lily. This was real, and true.

"Oliver, shall I take you home? You have to be exhausted," she asked me, as she kissed me again.

"Soon, I want to tell you something Chloe." I was taking a chance, but I felt I had to say I had kissed Lily.

We sat down, and she was close to me holding my hands.

"I kissed Lily back there in the past, kissed her, hugged her, and comforted her. I love the little white cat, but only want to help the girl Lily." There I had it out of my mouth, and the more I said that about the cat, the more I realized that it was true.

Chloe smiled, and leaned over to me, she kissed me.

"Oliver, of course that happened, and if you had come back in love with Lily it would be okay, as long as you had come back, and as long as we were still all friends, and together. When you didn't appear at the opening times, I was frantic to have you back no matter what."

I sighed. "Chloe, this destiny thing the cat in your dream talked of, Lily said that to me, I was her destiny, and Tristan was yours. Do you believe it at all?"

Chloe looked lovingly at me.

"I think she does, but I think she may have made some mistakes in her thinking. There's more to her story, and she's frantic because of her deadline. I'd like to help her, when we get her back let's help her, Oliver. If it means you give her some affection that she needs, how can that be wrong? Have you told her you love her as the little white cat?"

I hadn't had I? I had begun to feel tired, and dirty. I wanted to take a shower, and then cuddle up to Chloe. I answered her.

"No, maybe I need to do that, and the spell will lift. You know what Chloe, I still don't know why it has to be me that lifts the spell? What's so special about me?"

Chloe laughed at that, and hugged me, then as she leaned back away from me she shook her head saying, "Oliver, you are about the most special person I've ever met, well you know, there's one or two others, but really, you are so special, so lovely, and kind." She laughed, and hugged me again. I was touched by the way she'd answered. I closed my eyes putting my head against hers. She kissed me, and said, "Let's get you home Oliver you do seem tired, and you have that trip to make with Tristan tomorrow. Just get Lily back, and then we'll sort everything out."

It must have been the relief at being back, and perhaps the stress of the waiting around at the portal in the past, but I did feel more tired than I had expected to feel.

I nodded. "Okay Chloe."

I was thinking of driving myself home, and started to get my keys out of my jacket pocket. I found Lily's keys there too, with the little light on the key ring that I had used on the spiral stairs. It was a sad thing to find because when she turned back into Lily this time, she would have no light for the stairs or if the visitors to the hunting lodge let that torch in the wall holder go out. I sighed, and showed them to Chloe telling her they were Lily's keys.

"Oliver, I'll drive you home. It will be better if your Land Rover doesn't move. It makes the story about you being sick more plausible, since my dad has seen it there this last couple of days, and when you go off with Tristan into the past tomorrow, it will be better that it's still there. Unless you are determined to drive yourself of course." Chloe smiled at me, but just for once, the warmth of her smile didn't help me as I put Lily's keys back into my pocket, but I nodded, and stood up to leave.

We were out at her car, and as I climbed into it I couldn't help thinking of Lily, why was she in my mind, just the way I used to think of Chloe when I was not with her. Maybe there was something to this destiny stuff, no wait, what was I thinking, it was just the cat stuff.

We were at my place, and it was so good to get home again. I let myself in the front door, and Chloe followed me. Going straight into my office area, I checked my email inbox list, and Chloe watched me from the doorway.

Without warning, I thought again about that destiny stuff. I kept picturing Tristan standing next to Chloe, was he her destiny?

"Sorry Chloe, I can't help thinking there may be something to that destiny stuff Lily said, if not for me, for you, and Tristan. Seeing you two together tonight, it's harder for me than usual. I did think a couple of weeks ago that you were about to choose me, you know, we seemed headed for, well something else. I was almost sure of it, but now..."

She stopped me talking, having walked up to me quickly, she put her finger on my lips, and shook her head.

"Oliver, please stop this, don't go there, it's Lily, she has messed with your head. She's messed with all our heads, maybe not maliciously, but all the same. Please Oliver I love you dearly. Wait until Lily is back, and we can talk properly then, when maybe she has given us the full story. Truly Oliver, I think there is more. I wish I could choose. I wish I could, but I can't. I know it's selfish. I know maybe one day you will get tired of it, and perhaps find someone else who only loves you."

I listened to this, and I felt a sadness that I couldn't explain to myself, she would never choose just me. I felt as if I had finally accepted that. I still loved her. I wanted her right then, and I bent my head to hers, and kissed her. It was hard to let go, but I did, and I managed a smile.

"I love you Chloe, that hasn't changed, maybe I am just spooked by the whole Lily thing."

I walked her to the door, and watched her drive away. I was to phone her when I was ready to go back to the hunting lodge the next day.

Chapter Thirteen

I went straight in the shower, and put on clean clothes. It felt great.

I made some coffee, and noticed my mother was still up, her lights blazing through the back study windows onto her herb garden. I decided to go around, and say hello, after all tomorrow I'd be gone again for another twenty four hours. This thought somehow amused me, and my inherent happy spark came back on. I took a drink of my coffee, and went around to see my mother.

She was working, and looked up at my knock on her window. She came over to the big, picture window, sliding doors, and let me in.

"Oliver, you're home, that's lovely, have you eaten tonight? I can make you some bacon and eggs if you would like. You can tell me all about your work trip."

I nodded at her, and smiled.

"Actually mom I can think of nothing nicer than bacon, and eggs right now."

I followed her into the big kitchen, and sat down at the wooden table watching her zoom around cooking. I didn't want to lie to her, so I skirted around the subject of where I had been, by talking generally about websites. The food was in front of me quickly, and she sat opposite me smiling. Dad was in London, and would be back on Tuesday morning. She was proof reading the text of a new picture book for young children she told me. The story was funny, and she'd seen the illustrations and they were very fine drawings of cats she said. It gave me a little shiver to hear this, co-incidence I know, but weird somehow when life does that stuff. You are singing a song that you've not heard for years then suddenly, and that very day it pops up as the theme song for a new TV show or something.

"Mom, we've never had a cat have we? You know what with your allergy to their fur. I love them I wonder why?"

It was just a casual question, but as I said it, I couldn't help thinking that somehow life had manipulated me into this conversation.

She shook her head, but said, "We've never had a cat of our own, but when you were very young, maybe four, and we'd just moved here, there was a big old house over the back. The garden stretched for half the street there, and a cat would come over the wall, not often, maybe every few weeks, but you would run after it, and stroke the thing. It followed you around the garden, and sat with you in the sandpit we used to have, just watching you. Funny little thing would run off when I came out to the garden, but that was okay since I couldn't get near it anyway, and when you had cuddled it I'd sneeze until I changed your jersey. Then the place got sold, and they put up those three detached houses there instead."

I watched her smile again at the recollection of me as a young child, and it touched me.

"Mom, I suppose you don't remember what color the cat was?" I asked her smiling back at her.

"Oh yes, it was white, pure white, and quite a small cat really, though obviously fully grown, at the time. A bit like one of the cats in the book I am working on." She smiled, and picked up my empty plate before I could do it myself. I went over to her at the sink as she rinsed it off, and put it in the dishwasher. As she stood up, I gave her a hug.

"Thanks Mom that was really nice food. Shall I make some tea or something?"

I made tea, and she started to tell me about the latest email from my sister. I had to admit to her that I hadn't written for a week. We took our tea into her study where she had a couple of armchairs facing out to look at her garden. We sat there companionably, and I told her I was popping down to Somerset tomorrow for the night, to do some maintenance on the network I had put in for the advertising company a few months ago. It was a lie, and I felt rotten saying it, but I had to cover my absence, and I didn't want her to worry because I knew she did, all the time. We talked for a little while longer, and then I left her to go back to her work for an hour.

In my own place, I went into my office, and got my netbook, taking it to bed with me. I'd just re-check my emails then get some sleep.

As I fell asleep, I was thinking about that cat I had played with as a child, the memory of that cat had been missing until now, and I could picture it on the high back wall as I went out to the sand pit with my toys. Could it have been Lily? No surely not, I thought as I drifted off to sleep.

Chapter Fourteen

It was nearly midday when I woke up the next day, the day we would go to get Lily back. There was a cold wind coming in through my kitchen window, and I thought about what to wear tonight, and if I wanted anything to take with me. I'd stick with jeans, T-shirt, and my jacket again, which would need cleaning when I got back this time. I should take a LED torch, and matches. Should I take anything for Lily, what if her clothes had been wrecked this time when she turned into the cat? What could I take, she was almost as tall as I was, but other than that, I didn't think anything I owned would fit her. Chloe was not as tall, so her jeans wouldn't do. Maybe I'd call Chloe, and get her to come over, so we could buy a couple of things before the shops closed this afternoon. I made coffee, and phoned Chloe. She answered right away, and was so pleased to hear from me it was hard not to smile, and tell her I was missing her, and as I said it I realized it was true. She was coming over in an hour, and so I went down to my office to do a little work on a website I was building. I was engrossed in that, when she arrived, and I heard the Wrangler pull in front of my big window. I looked at the photograph I had of her on my desk. I did love her. I'd just roll with it all. I couldn't think of a reason why I shouldn't.

I went out to her, and she leaned over the transmission, and kissed me when I was in her car. I caught hold of her head, and gently held her there, because I wanted that kiss to last a little longer. Her hair was soft, and the way she kissed me back was enough to have me resolved to keep going the way we were with our relationship, until something pointed me in a different direction, if it ever did.

As she drove us to the retail park, she told me she'd been down to the chamber that morning, and looked at the place. She told me about a fragment of zipper and leather that she was sure was from her leather jacket, left there in the waterfall, in the eleven hundreds, when she and Tristan had time traveled.

As we walked across the car park to the store at the retail park, I put my arm around her shoulders, and hugged her to me, I wanted to get back to that special closeness we had. I wanted to feel her fingertips on the skin of my back as I kissed her. I stopped in front of the store we were going into.

"Chloe, maybe we can spend the afternoon together, it would be nice to have done that before I have to go back through the portal."

She smiled saying it was a great idea. I kissed her again before we went into the shop. She gave me a special look as we drew apart, I know she loves me, that look tells me so.

Chloe thought we should get Lily some leggings and a long shirt just in case her clothes had been torn. It was something she could wear under a cloak. She could even wear the leggings under her combat pants if they were torn, Chloe said, adding that it would save us worrying about sizes too much as the leggings were stretchy. I bowed to her female clothes knowledge, and we were soon on our way to her place. Chloe had been laughing as we were in that store, as she always expected to run into Laura, no matter where she shopped. It was good to be with her, and as we parked on her driveway, I got out of the Wrangler, and picked her up in a hug as she got out of her driver side door.

We took the things for Lily into the big drawing room, where the things for the journey that night were on the table next to Lily's laptop, and cell phone. I took her keys out of my jacket pocket, which I was carrying rather than wearing, since it was a bit grubby, and put them next to the cell. Better they were here, than go back in time again. Chloe took my hand as I put my jacket down with the things for tonight, and pulled me to her. She held both my hands, and kissed me gently, and then she said, "Let's get coffee or whatever, and go up to my room." Tristan had been down that morning with those bags, and a cloak, so that everything would be ready. The only things not there were the weapons. 'Maybe he was bringing them later,' I thought.

We went down the hall to the big kitchen where we made coffee, and Chloe got some orange juice. It was good to be the one there next to her looking out of the French windows. I half expected to see a white cat out there, and I put my arm around her as we leaned on each other.

We took our drinks up to her room, and perched on her desk, and chair. Chloe showed me the bit of leather jacket, and zip, which she'd dried out, and brought up there. We went to sit together on her bed. It was natural to cuddle up, and deciding to take all the affection I could get, I started to kiss her. It was really so good, that when she traced my backbone with her fingertips, and kissed me I didn't want it to stop. When she took her hand away from me, I put it back. This amused her, and we ended up grinning at each other, but she kissed me lots, and told me she loved me. It felt like I had been coated in some kind of warmth, and then that reminded me of Lily, and my mind filling up with warmth when we'd been together in the chamber. I started to tell Chloe about that, and the way I had thought I could hear Lily say something to me, even though she hadn't spoken aloud, and Chloe sat up suddenly.

"Oliver, that's the putting a thought into someone's mind ability I told you about. She must have that, so she has messed with our minds, as I said last night."

I responded to her gently.

"Well we don't know that for sure. I could have just imagined it. Maybe I was just warm, the place was warmer than I first thought, because suddenly my jeans, and boots were dry. Lily handed them to me or I would not have known. I expected them to take ages to dry."

Chloe was kissing me again, and I sighed just drifting into the kiss with her. I told her I loved her, and I realized we'd fallen back into the loving way we had with each other. I thought thank heaven, because I do love her so much.

We talked about my birthday party. She asked me what I wanted for my birthday, and naturally, I had to tell her it was her.

I whispered, "Just as long as you are with me, Chloe, that's all that matters."

The time went very quickly, talking between kisses, and sooner than I'd have liked, we went down to the kitchen where we got sandwiches, and sat down to eat next to each other. I was thinking that I could hardly believe I was going to be twenty in three weeks. Tristan would be here soon, and then there would be no more kissing Chloe, I smiled to myself, she must have kissed him goodbye this morning, when he sorted out the stuff we would be taking with us.

"Oliver, what are you grinning about?" Chloe asked me, and I laughed, and just told her. She grinned too, but didn't comment. Maybe that was for the best.

She did lean over, and kiss me though, and whispered.

"Good luck, and take care, and come home. If you have to come back alone tomorrow night do it and I'll go with you to find the others on Wednesday, promise me?"

I nodded, and whispered, "Yes" just as the doorbell went. That had to be Tristan.

Chloe went to answer the door, and I heard Tristan saying hello, and asking was I here, they came into the kitchen, and he gave me a pat on the shoulder saying.

"Hey Oliver, how are you, did you get some rest? I brought us a few weapons, but I have to say I don't want to use them. Let's try to be really under the radar, and peaceful, what do you think?"

He was unloading a couple of swords, and daggers onto the table as he said this, and I nodded then said, "Yes I agree, firstly because I've no idea how to use these weapons, and secondly I feel a bit worried about actually hurting anyone. It sounds cool you know, when it's not going to be real, but I will not fight unless it's for my life, hope that's not too 'unknightlike', if there is such a word." I grinned at Tristan because this is how I did feel. I had come to the conclusion that I was a different fish from Tristan even though I liked him I couldn't be like him.

Tristan laughed. "Absolutely agree Oliver, let's get in there, get Lily, and get out. Chloe you can call Aristide anytime you like. Can I make coffee? Do you want any more Oliver?"

Chloe smiled at me, and then at Tristan. He was amusing her.

"Sure, make coffee, and I'll call Aristide."

I watched her call Aristide, and I was thinking she was strong, and brave, and funny, and so pretty. She was talking to Max, well Rene. She was saying, 'Well okay that's great, any help, can I fill you in on the details when you arrive, Friday is the earliest, thanks Rene, it has to be done soon. We just can't have this going on. Really, well that's good of you, thank you. Call me as soon as you are on the way from the airport. Thanks again Rene, bye.'

Tristan had been listening closely, whereas I had not heard the beginning of the conversation, he said, "What's going on, why Rene, can we trust him? Did you say a Sufi retreat is where Aristide is? Damn he would have been bad enough, but Rene, well..."

Chloe was listening, and thinking, then she said shaking her head, "I don't know Tristan it just might be better. Rene seems to have matured or mellowed, and he's not quite as astute as Aristide. I want to keep you a secret, and I think we can do that with Rene, rather than Aristide. I hope I am not underestimating him." She smiled slightly, and shrugged.

I had no comment to add, and watched Tristan, he was drinking coffee, and staring at nothing in front of him, the way he did sometimes just before he was about to come out with a plan. Then instead, he just shrugged his shoulders.

"Okay Chloe, we have no options. We want this thing closed. Rene will have to do. What do you think Oliver?"

I sat up a little, having been slumped in my chair, just watching Chloe.

"I suppose we have no choice, and he is powerful, as a Magus that is, plus if Chloe thinks he has mellowed or whatever, maybe it's okay it's not Aristide. We can only wait, and see really." I didn't know what else to say, after all this magic stuff was unpredictable.

Tristan nodded, and sat down. We spent about half an hour going over the details of what I had experienced in the chamber, back in time. Plus the ideas Tristan had. We were to pretend we were visiting the Glassier family if found, and questioned. Hopefully we could just hang out, find Lily, and get back without violence, but would take weapons for self-defense if we needed it.

Chloe said, "Don't stay, come home tomorrow night, and go back again if need be, since this stupid, portal thing is in an open door, close door pattern. I can't think why it would have gone to that pattern."

Tristan nodded and I shrugged, because who knows why it even existed at all?

We drank more coffee, had another sandwich, and then got ready to go.

Chapter Fifteen

I felt the slightest twinge of worry as we out our hands into the water. I noticed something glistening in there, to the right hand side. I was about to tell Tristan and Chloe about it, when with no warning, or even knowledge it was happening, we had traveled.

Tristan came to his senses quicker than I did.

"Oliver, this is it we've come back in time. I see no sign of Lily." He was standing up, and looking around. I followed his lead, and looked around.

"Not so far, but maybe she's hiding on the stairs or something." I took a few steps down the corridor that led to the kitchen, no sign of her, and the torch was burning well, so that had been replenished.

There was no sound from the kitchen, and then suddenly lots of loud talking, and laughing. People had just come in there from somewhere.

Tristan had come along behind me, and I turned to look at him, he'd heard the people, and was silent, nodding at me as he turned to go back to the water feature chamber. Once there, he tried the door with the big metal grill over it. It was still locked. I was about to open the door to the corridor that led to the stable stairs, when I saw the shoes I had used last time I was here. They were just tucked in on the left side of the steps. I picked them up, and then put them down. Tristan looked at me with his eyebrows raised, and then grinned.

"Let's check up there. We need to locate Lily or the cat as soon as we can."

I agreed, and nodded as I opened the door. We walked along the cold corridor. When we got to the stairs, about three steps up were the cloaks Lily and I had used, folded neatly. I pointed at them telling Tristan they were what we'd used. The fact Lily was not wearing one might well mean she was currently a cat. I hoped it would be easy to locate her. I hoped she was okay.

We'd reached the top of the stairs where the small flat landing was, and I carefully opened the door to that little room, which was more like a cupboard. Looking through the gaps in the door planks I could see a different horse in the stalls, more hay bales, and a barrel at the end of the stable that had not been there a day ago. Tristan was peering through the gaps too, and then he just pushed the door away, the hay bale was there again stopping the door swinging too far, and we edged around it to walk into the stable.

"Well, well, I didn't know anything about that staircase, or the chamber. This is the hunting lodge stable all right. Chloe and I put apples in that barrel last winter. Wow it's warm in here." He was amused, and walked around to the horse, patting it, and giving it apples. The horse immediately bonded with Tristan. You could see it. No wonder Lily had thought that was magic.

"Tristan, I'll just check in this weird place full of ice, if Lily's clothes are in there we know she's a cat at the moment."

Tristan turned to me, and grinned.

"The icehouse, you found that then, okay let's look." He was out the stable door without looking around first. He was home it seemed to me, and I was relieved to be with him.

There was no sign of Lily's clothes, and Tristan closed the door turning to me.

"I've no idea where to look, what could she be up to, do you've any clues?"

I had no idea, and shook my head, but suggested we check the woods and the lake area first. Tristan nodded, and strode off towards the woods. We'd only gone up the path a short way when a thunderous sound started, and Tristan grabbed me, and threw me into a clump of ferns, and small bushes, as three, maybe four horses passed us. They were galloping, and the people riding them clearly didn't see us, because the group went straight on making for the edge of the woods, where the woods became the sloping grass area I had already explored. A sharp piece of tree branch was sticking in my thigh, and I had my right hand on a patch of small stinging nettles.

"They've gone Oliver, castle guard actually. I wonder where they are off to in such a hurry at this time of the evening?" He was standing up, and brushing bits of vegetation off his cloak. I stood up too giving my hand a shake, those nettles had started up a rash on the palm of my hand that I hoped would soon be cured by the immortal blood I had. I took the piece of branch out of my thigh. A little blood came out of the tiny hole made in my jeans. I was rubbing it, and shaking my hand alternately. I grimaced at Tristan, and he grinned.

"That will soon go away, a minute or so maybe, sorry, I just instinctively threw us down there."

I grinned back at him. The healing ability had started to work, and the nettle stings were gone. I couldn't feel the place where the branch had stuck into me either, so that was on the mend. We walked to the edge of the wood, and Tristan sighed when he saw the view of the outer walls, and buildings beyond.

"We need to look around for Lily. I don't know where to start really, I have to admit," he said, and I nodded in agreement. It was a surprise then, when we saw her. She was about halfway up the opposite slope of land between buildings, and she was being dragged into our view by what must have been the group of castle guard that had just passed us.

It was obviously Lily. We were a way off from her, but she was in her combat pants, and hoodie, which seemed dirty and torn even at this distance.

I gasped, and Tristan had his hand over his mouth as if he was shocked to see this sight. I know I was. We watched as she was tied up at the wrists, and led quite quickly behind a horse up to the castle. She had to run, and I was horrified.

"Bloody hell Tristan we have to go, and help her."

Tristan ran his hand through his hair.

"I agree, but what can she be thinking of appearing like that, in combat pants?"

I leapt to her defense.

"Tristan, she may well have just changed back from being the cat. She looks in a mess, poor Lily, and she must be really scared."

Tristan nodded. "Yes I know, let's go over there, and find out what happened, someone must have summoned the guard."

We walked over to the other side of the path, and the slope. It was a much longer walk than I had thought, and we had to weave around a hillside to get to the first set of buildings. People were around these buildings, coming, and going. There was a cart loaded with what looked like big lumps of tree, and another loaded with sacks, some of which had grain spilling out onto the floor of the cart. One of the buildings had big wooden doors open, and I could see stacked barrels. Tristan walked right up to a man who was standing with a horse by the side of the cart with wood in it.

He spoke to the man, and pointed off in the direction we'd seen Lily get dragged. The man was saying something back. It wasn't good. I couldn't understand a word of this, and I stood there watching the man's expressions, and hand gestures. He was laughing too, as if there was something funny about seeing a girl get dragged behind a horse. I felt angry.

Tristan stepped back to me, and I followed him a few paces away from the hearing range of the man he'd spoken with.

"They think she's a witch, she actually changed from a cat into a woman in front of these people. They held her down with sticks, and poles until the guards came, he was the one who had ridden to get the guards. Fortunately, they said, she hadn't bewitched anyone before they arrived, and had cried that she wasn't a witch, even though she had to be. I asked where they would take such a dangerous creature, which made him laugh. Apparently, she'll be put in chains, and then in a special part of the castle cells, because she might be able to cast spells on people, if she's in the main prisoner area. Damn, I think I know where that is, the special part, and it's very hard to get to it. It's on the other side of the castle compound, not in the castle, but halfway up the natural rock outcrop. There is a guardhouse at the bottom of the rock, and there'll be no way we can pass by in a friendly fashion. Looks like we'll have to use the weapons after all, sorry Oliver."

I shrugged. We had to rescue Lily.

"Okay Tristan, maybe we should wait until nightfall, and try to surprise the guards, but are you sure of where she'll be?"

"I think that will be the place, they will be afraid of Lily actually, and want her out of the way and probably killed as soon as possible."

I took a deep breath. "Tristan, why wouldn't they just kill her straight away?"

"Oh no they can't do that. They have to report to the lord, and that's my Uncle William at the moment, but she might be killed tomorrow morning, if we don't get her back tonight" Tristan was shaking his head, and looked very serious. I groaned, and looked in the direction the guards had taken Lily.

"Tristan, we need a plan."

He nodded. "Let's head back to the hunting lodge, and make a sound one. It will not be dark until after nine."

We walked silently back down to the path area, which then split, and we walked up the left half, to the wood that led to the hunting lodge.

We passed a young woman with a child tagging along, and a chicken of some kind wedged under her arm, they didn't really look at us, and I put my head down too. At the edge of the wood, we could see people and horses in the entrance to the stables, and so we hung around in the thicket.

"We could try distracting the guard, as if we were bringing supper or something to the prisoner, and then rescue Lily," I suggested to Tristan, as we stood around in the trees.

"Well that's a good idea, except they will not feed Lily, but we could be taking supper to the guards. There'll be one at the bottom of the rock where the prison cell is, if this is the place I know about of course. Then a guard at the bottom of the stairs that lead to the cell, he will be the one with the keys to the cell."

"How do you know all this Tristan? I'd have thought that you were kept away from things like that, as the son Sir Edmund."

"Well my brother and I did explore as younger children. When I was about ten there was an alleged traitor kept prisoner in there, and we crept along to see. Plus the back area there has a lake, where things are delivered by boat to the castle, and we would go there to take a ride in a boat now and then. That cell is built up there on the rock so that the prisoner can't escape at all, because it simply juts out over a lake. It will be horrible in there for Lily, because the place was actually hardly ever used, and so it will be extra dirty, and uncomfortable."

I looked around at the stables. There was still a lot of activity.

"If we could get the bottom guard to let us in to give the other guard supper, then we could perhaps, knock him out, and rescue Lily," I said to Tristan not wanting to let go of the idea.

Tristan leaned against the trunk of a tree, and was thinking for a few seconds.

"Oliver, it's a decent plan. Do you think we could get food from that kitchen next to the chamber, is it possible? Now the other thing is, the 'bottom guard', as you call him, will not let the two of us go up to the 'stairs guard.'

I'll need to stay with him whilst you take up the food. I'll knock him out, follow you, and distract that guard, so that you can go and get Lily. Somehow we need to make that work, because seriously they will not hang around with her as a prisoner, we must do it as soon as possible."

I nodded at him, and looked at the time on my phone, nearly nine, it would be dark soon I guessed.

The stables were suddenly free of people, and Tristan went ahead of me towards the doors. I followed him, and inside we went straight to the small room, and down to the chamber. At the end of the corridor, before we went through the door I stopped, and listened, nothing to be heard. I opened the door, and we went into the chamber.

Tristan sighed. "Oliver, I have to tell you, that although it sounds like we have a decent plan, all sorts of things could go wrong, and we'll only get the one chance to rescue Lily. If I'm recognized up there at the castle, things may get, well...weird. I want you not to join in if they do, run like hell back here, hide, and take the portal opening tomorrow night."

"Tristan, I can't do that, seriously, I need to help you no matter what," I told him.

"Oliver, I know the place, and maybe could escape or talk my way out of something. You must save yourself, and get home to Chloe if anything goes wrong. Will you do that for me?"

I looked at his serious expression, and shrugged, and then I nodded, but I didn't mean it. Like hell, I'd try to help him, for heaven's sake what else would I do?

We needed to get something that would do to take to the guards for supper, and I went along the corridor to the kitchen. There was no sound from in there, which must mean no one was there. Maybe the guests had just left, and the servants would come tomorrow to sort the place out. Tristan was behind me, and I nodded at him opening the door quietly. We went into the kitchen. The table was full of food, and the fire was still in the hearth.

Tristan looked around, and got a basket. He seemed to know what food to take, and had the basket filled in no time. He gave me two ceramic flagons. They were not that heavy, but obviously still full of something. I heard a door bang somewhere down the house corridor, and we went quickly into the chamber.

"That was too easy, I can't believe it," Tristan was grinning as he said this.

I nodded, and added, "Maybe the worst is yet to come, Tristan."

He grinned again. "Maybe" he said.

He was looking into the basket, and he separated some of the food out, wrapping it in a loosely woven, linen-like cloth he'd taken.

"We have to be here for a few hours tomorrow, we don't know if Lily has eaten anything since you left, so maybe we need to put some food by, because the kitchen may get completely cleared up."

I watched him put the linen wrapped food into the far corner. In the gloom there, it was almost hard to see.

Chapter Sixteen

We set off back to the castle before it was really dark. I carried the flagons, and Tristan the basket. We'd put those two cloaks on the top too, because we might need them. I had the bag over my shoulder under my cloak with the clothes for Lily in it. We'd risked keeping them in the shop plastic bag, because as Chloe said it would be no good taking them if they got wet or muddy. Tristan suddenly started to talk about Chloe. It was spooky since I had just that second thought about her.

"You love Chloe don't you Oliver, I can tell, have you ever loved a girl before her?"

I was surprised by this question, and wondered what had brought it on.

"There was a girl when I was seventeen I thought I loved for a while, and then I realized it wasn't love really. I haven't had serious stuff happen, more from choice than anything I think. You know I've met, and dated girls, it's always been friendly stuff. I've never felt the way I feel about Chloe before." I felt a little odd telling Tristan this, and glanced across at him, but it was hard to gauge his expression in the twilight.

"Why do you ask Tristan, you love her too I can tell that?" I asked in a friendly way.

"Well, it's so hard sometimes isn't it? She'll never choose between us, she loves us both, and just once or twice, I've wished she would, choose, I mean."

I knew what he meant, and yet I couldn't think of anything to say to this.

I was silent for a minute as we started on the path around the side of the castle. There were a few people around, but they took no notice. We looked just like them, carrying a basket, dressed in our cloaks.

"Tristan, in all the years you've been alive, have you never loved another girl, surely there have been others?" I didn't want to pry, but since he'd started the conversation, I was interested to know this.

He was smiling I could tell by his tone of voice.

"I was in love about ninety years ago. Actually, Chloe is a little like the girl I was in love with, dark hair, pretty, intelligent. I met her in the 'White Wood'. I was visiting the Dearings of the time, Jonathon's father in fact, and was staying at the house we used to own next to the 'White Wood'. It's sold now, has been for about fifteen years I think, well Jonathon Dearing's father Sebastian, was giving a party at the house, he was a bit of a Gatsby character. I met her there too, the evening I had come across her in 'White Wood'. Her name was Anna. I spent lots of time with her that summer, nineteen twenty. She was just twenty. I thought I had found someone I could be with for a while, and then suddenly she disappeared. She knew I was in love with her too. She'd moved on from the house she was living in, down in the village. No message, no more contact, it broke my heart for a while."

He'd stopped walking, and I stopped too. We were at a wall, which stretched around the hillside as far as I could see, he sighed, and then turned left, and I followed.

"Sorry Tristan, I didn't mean to pry. It just seems odd not to have been in love in eight hundred years," I told him as I followed.

"It's okay Oliver. I've never really had the chance to tell anyone things about my life, and it's okay really. There was one other girl in the sixteen hundreds, but she left me quite quickly after we met when she realized I had no real wealth, well not that I could claim. I don't think I loved her, I was lonely I think. It's remarkably hard to meet anyone when you are on the periphery of society, which is where I've spent most of my life. Moving around doesn't help either."

We were at a gate, and Tristan called through it in his Norman French, and we were let through by what might have been a guard, but he seemed unarmed, and sat back down on a wooden stool leaning against the wall after he'd let us in.

"I told him we'd brought food for the men guarding the witch, and he was happy enough to let us through. It will be getting back out that is the problem, when we have Lily with us."

We were at the bottom of a rock outcrop where the castle seemed to have been built into it, and I was surprised to see a quayside, and a lake lapping at the stairs that led up to the path we were on.

The area was deserted. The guardroom at the bottom of the rock was lit outside and in by the same sort of torch that was burning in the chamber kitchen corridor. Tristan walked straight up to the place, and called the guard out. He was talking with him, and went into the guardroom having taken a flagon from me. It was under a minute, and he was back out.

"Right he will not bother us for a while," Tristan grinned, and I looked inside at the guard, who appeared to be sitting on a bench, looking at some food that was on a small wooden table in front of him.

I looked at Tristan puzzled, and he grinned again.

"Knocked out, and posed, let's go." He gave me back the flagon. I followed him thinking that was fast work. We went up the stairs, and Tristan called ahead that we were bringing food. When we were on the landing, where the cell door was guarded by a man in chain mail with a sword, Tristan pulled a bench towards the guard, and began putting some food from the basket onto the bench, chatting all the time.

Then he got the flagons from me, and gave the guard one, but as the guard took it, he raised the other, and swung it at the guy's head like lightning. The guard dropped down fast, and Tristan took the keys from his belt. Looking at my surprised face he said, "We've to hurry Oliver, he'll be okay, so will the other. I needed to get on with it, knocking them out was the only way."

I just nodded at him. We had the door to the cell open, and I stepped inside just behind Tristan. The place was in semi darkness, a tiny stub of candle lit in a pool of its own wax in the middle of the floor. There was a rough wooden pallet to one side of the small space, with what looked like a small piece of sacking on there, which was dirty, and frayed.

"Lily," I whispered. I could see no sign of her, and then from under the pallet walked the little white cat. Tristan looked at me, I looked at him, then I grabbed it up, and holding it tight by my side under my cloak, we turned, and left quickly. At the bottom of the stairs, the guard was still staring at the food in front of his sightless eyes. Tristan picked up the spare cloaks from just inside the guardroom where he'd left them, we bundled the cat in one, and I carried it with the other over my arm, as double protection from prying eyes. The cat struggled a little, and mewed, but it was muffled in the fur lining of the cloak as we approached the man to be let out of the wall gate. Tristan had brought the second flagon with him, and handed it to this guy as we passed out into the relative safety of the outer bailey. A few paces down, Tristan started to laugh softly.

"Easy as anything. Is it luck or fate Oliver I ask myself."

I was a little in awe of his ability to just deal with this stuff, and looked at him with a smile.

"Lucky she's a cat again I reckon. The guy on the gate would have had that flagon wrapped around his head otherwise wouldn't he? Incidentally what's in the flagons?"

He was still smiling. "A sort of beer, nasty stuff Oliver," he replied.

We were at the outer wall, and through into an area where a building that looked like a village hall and a church was. Tristan asked, "How's the cat? Maybe you should check if it's still breathing. You have it very tightly bound up there Oliver."

"Oh god, I never thought of that how awful would that be, if I accidentally killed the cat, bloody hell," I quickly unwrapped it, and it was fine, disgruntled, growling, but fine. I wrapped it back up saying it was okay to Tristan.

We had reached the split in the path, and were now in the woods. As we walked along, Tristan checked the time, nearly midnight he told me groaning.

"What a pity the bloody portal doesn't open at two am we have so long to wait until seven tomorrow night."

"I agree," I said.

In the stable Tristan stopped and looked at the solitary horse that was left in a stall. He talked to it, and stroked its neck. It was the big dark horse with the wild eyes. I watched as it seemed to become calmer, and inclined its head to his hand. He gave it apples, and then we went down the stairs to the chamber. The place was quiet, and I thankfully let the cat out of the wrappings. The cloak had white cat fur all over it, and I put it in a roll on the floor by the side of the step.

Tristan got the linen wrapped food, and took what seemed like a tiny chicken from there. He broke some pieces off, and gave it to the cat.

I watched this fascinated. He really cared for animals, and they loved him back. The cat ate the food, and then sat down to clean its face. Tristan grinned.

"It's really a cat. I mean no sign of Lily at all. I thought when you called Lily, and it appeared from under the bed in the cell, that maybe she knew her name, but I think now it was just that the cat knows your voice."

I had sat on the step watching, and now nodded.

"I think that too. When she's a cat, she's just a cat. Weird stuff don't you think Tristan, and maybe frightening, even though she has done this for years she said."

"Years, that's interesting, because, Oliver, how old must she have been when this spell was cast on her? There's more to her story, there has to be."

I nodded, I agreed. I had been willing to listen to her story, and wanted to help her, but next time she was Lily, she needed to tell us the whole truth.

The cat had finished washing its face, and looked around. It saw the rolled up cloak by the step, and walked over, then climbed onto the roll, curled up, and closed its eyes. I shook my head with amusement. It had decided we were friends.

"Maybe we should try to sleep a little Tristan said, and then he sat down near me, and stretched his legs out, using the other spare cloak as a head rest against the door. I took the canvas bag from around my body, and because it contained the clothes for Lily, found it was okay as a pillow against the door for my own head.

I was not really sleepy, but closed my eyes thinking about Chloe. When I got home, I'd spend a whole day with her. I remembered the time we'd spent that afternoon, and I let myself think about kissing her. I thought about how there would be any chance of having her choose me, maybe I should just make love to her. Well give it a go, if she refused me then whatever, but if she responded then I'd ask her to choose me. I'd get her a ring like James got for Clare, well maybe not exactly like that one, and tell her...hey wait a minute that's reminded me of something sparkling in the water feature as we traveled today. I got up, and went over to the pool. I was looking in, and Tristan opened an eye.

"What are you doing Oliver," he asked.

I peered into the water, it was difficult in this light, and I remembered I had the small LED light in my jacket pocket. I got this out, and aimed it around the water, and sure enough, there was something sparkling in the water to the right of the drinking fountain part. I knelt down, and fished it out.

It was a gold ring with a big blue stone in gold claws. I went over to Tristan.

"Check this out Tristan it will be valuable no doubt," I put it into the palm of his hand. He looked at it as I shone the torch on his hand.

"This is unbelievable, it's mine Oliver, it came off my finger as I drowned in eleven ninety, well I assume that, or when I clambered out onto the bank. I was wearing it, and a ruby ring too which I never saw again." He laughed, and then he gave it back to me. "Keep it Oliver, it's yours," he said smiling.

"What no, I can't do that, take it back Tristan," I said holding it out to him.

"Put it in your pocket Oliver, one day you might just want a ring. Frankly I don't need or want it, why shouldn't it be yours?"

I was stunned into putting it in my pocket because hadn't I just been thinking about getting Chloe a ring. I remembered the ruby ring that Lily had found, and wondered if it still existed. Maybe she would have lost it from her torn clothes by now.

I put the bag behind my head again, and closed my eyes. Tristan was an incredible person, but I'd try and get this ring back to him somehow.

I must have dozed off for a half hour maybe, because suddenly I was aware of splashing. I opened my eyes, it was Lily, and she was splashing water onto her face at the pool.

I stood up. "Lily, you're back, how are you?" I asked her, and Tristan was standing now too by my side. Lily stood from having been kneeling at the pool.

"I'm okay, and so glad you came for me. I was terrified in the cell. I thought for sure I'd be killed horribly." She sighed, and slumped a little.

I went to her, and hugged her.

"Don't worry, we'll get you home. I told you Tristan would help, and here he is."

She looked at Tristan as I let go of her.

"Thank you Tristan, I'm really grateful for this."

Tristan nodded at her, and went over to the cloak, which was rolled on the floor. He shook it out, and put it around her shoulders.

"Come, and sit down with us, we need to wait it out until a portal opening tonight at seven."

We were all sitting on the step, and leaning back on the door. I didn't know if I should ask her any questions yet. I decided not to.

It had been an uncomfortable night, and we were completely awake by five am according to Tristan's cell phone. We'd each got up from the step a few times in the night walking around before we tried to get comfortable again for another snooze. There was nothing to do but wait, we had twelve hours, if it could just be uneventful I was thinking, when I noticed Lily start shuddering beside me.

"Oliver, let me onto the stairs I am changing again, please, please," she said in a hoarse voice.

I looked at her. She was very pale, and the shudders came in waves that shook her body harshly.

Tristan stood up, and looked at her in a concerned way.

"Lily, do not run away if we let you onto the stairs," he said.

"Tristan, she's a cat when she changes, and doesn't know what you've said to her, besides the top door is closed up, we did that yesterday."

Tristan sighed. "Okay, sorry."

I opened the chamber door, and she went out into the corridor very unsteadily, the shudders getting worse. She bent over, and groaned a little as she pulled the door almost closed behind her.

Tristan was pacing the chamber, and I turned to him.

"She just doesn't want us to see her change into a cat. I can understand that, but as macabre as it sounds I'd like to see it, it has to be fascinating."

He stopped at the far end of the chamber.

"Yes I understand that. Poor girl, our helping her so far hasn't lifted her spell. I wonder what exactly will?"

It had to have been three or four minutes, that we'd left Lily to do her thing, and Tristan was getting edgy. "Come on Oliver open the door, or I will," he said urgently.

I opened the door, nothing. Maybe the cat had walked off down the corridor, and was sitting on a step right now cleaning its face. I said this to Tristan as we went quickly along to the stairs. On the way up them, Tristan was cursing, and I was worried, because as we turned the spiral I could see the landing at the top, and she wasn't there.

We got up there, and the door, which I know we'd closed, was open. It opens inwards, and it was swung all the way back to the wall of the landing.

Tristan whispered. "Bloody hell, I knew this would happen. I didn't want to let her out. I should have made her stay. We could have turned our backs. Too late now, wait Oliver someone is in the stable." He held my arm just as I was about to push the slatted door to the stable open further.

I froze, and looked through one of the cracks holding my breath. It was the same man I had come across before, who had dismissed my garbled mix of modern French, and Norman words. He was putting fresh hay, and a container of oats or something in with the wild-eyed horse. There had been activity overnight obviously or early this morning, because there was another horse in the stalls too, a white horse, with a lovely face, a diamond shape in black on his nose.

Tristan was very still beside me as the man came towards the cupboard room we were standing in, I thought 'what next,' but he didn't actually get to us, he turned about a meter away, bent down, and picked something up.

Damnation it was Lily the cat.

Chapter Seventeen

I was thinking, if he'd heard about the capture of a witch who could become a cat, she was done for, and I think Tristan was too because he suddenly went out of the door, and approached the man. The man was surprised, and let out a string of words which I didn't understand. I was still in the cupboard room, and something told me to stay there, as I heard Tristan start talking, and take the cat from the man. He led the man out of the stable talking, with the cat in his arms. I could just see them turn down towards what I knew would be the side of the hunting lodge through the slatted door.

I waited there in the cupboard until I thought I had waited long enough. I clutched my cloak around my jean clad legs, and entered the stable.

The sun was really bright for the time of day, the birds were singing, the air was calm, it was going to be a lovely day. I walked to the stable entrance.

Where was Tristan? I walked carefully around the corner of the hunting lodge, no sign of him. He must have gone all the way to the front of the house. This was a pest, should I go back to the chamber, and wait? Had we closed the door down there? What if someone came from the kitchen for spring water? I was thinking all these things when I heard the sound of horses approaching. I shrank against the bank of flowering shrubs that lined the walkway, by the side of the lodge. Where were they coming from? I couldn't tell, but there was a wider path alongside this walkway and the bank of shrubs, maybe they were coming along there.

Before I had a chance to hide, they were there beside me. Three men on horseback although not apparently armored, their clothes were more like those of noblemen than anything else.

They stopped on the path, and called over the bank of shrubs to me. Good lord, what the hell were they saying, and how would I get out of this? I caught some words I thought I recognized from Corbett, the words for met with and young woman, and dressed. I figured that noblemen or not, they were looking for Lily. I shrugged, and shook my head saying in my own French, and repeating their words too that I had met no one.

I thought they were going to dismount, and grab me, they seemed so perplexed by my answer, then the one furthest away from me, said something to the others, and they turned their horses, and rode off.

I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding, that was getting to be a habit I thought. Unscathed then, after yet another bizarre encounter, maybe they just thought I was an idiot, and not worth the bother, which is what I think the man in the stable had decided the time I met him.

I had reached the front of the house. It was so weird to think Chloe would be there in this house back in our own time. I hoped she was okay. I missed her, and being home. I was thinking I really hope Max aka Rene, or vice versa will close this portal for good, when Tristan appeared from out of the trees that were across from me, and the big entrance to the hunting lodge. I waited thinking thank heaven, as he walked very quickly towards me. As he reached me, I realized he had a lump in his cloak by his side that could only be Lily the cat.

"Did those guys riding horses stop you Oliver?" He asked in a whisper pushing me along, back to the side of the house with his free hand.

"They did, but they seemed happy enough to leave me alone, and go off that way," I answered pointing in the general direction the group had gone. "Who were they do you know?" I asked Tristan.

"I'm pretty sure one of them was my uncle William, and the others maybe are visiting. Can you remember what they asked you?"

He was hurrying along, and I strode along beside him.

"Not really Tristan the language you guys speak is so hard. I thought they were looking for a young woman who may have been half or strangely dressed."

"Obviously Lily, if that's what they said. I'd guess my uncle might be involved because of me, she was caught by the villagers not far from the waterfall, he might think she's something to do with me, and what happened to me."

By this time, we'd reached the stables, and went in there. Tristan strode straight up to the cupboard room, and I followed, once inside he handed Lily to me, and I put the cat under my arm holding her tight against me as she was starting to struggle. Tristan pushed the landing door closed, and was inspecting the latch.

"What are you thinking? That we need to somehow lock it?" I asked.

He looked around at me, and then back at the latch.

"Yes, but there seems no way to do it" he said, and opened it up going back into the small room. I was holding tight onto Lily. She was struggling, and growling, and her fur was shedding everywhere all over the cloak, and my jeans. If anyone saw this, they would know I had encountered a cat.

Tristan was back with one of the weird tool things I had seen, and jammed the latch with it against the wall.

"That will do for a start," he said grinning, and then, "Put the cat down Oliver she can't get back into the chamber without us, and the run about the corridor will help calm it down."

I put her down on the step at my feet thankfully. I'd heal quickly, but she'd given me a good scratching, as I had not put on the gloves Tristan had brought for me this morning.

The cat bunny-hopped down the steps quite quickly, and as we reached the corridor, she was running back at us obviously having been to the end, and found no exit. She stopped at my feet, and decided to weave around my legs, and be friendly. Cats know how to gain your cooperation, and this was a strategy to do just that. I smiled, and bent stroking it, what can I say I like cats.

"Oliver, I think we need to maybe hang out on the stairs for a little while. The guy I approached in the stable was telling me there was going to be a visitor to the springs this morning. He was going for breakfast in the kitchen, and his wife, who is one of the kitchen maids, told him. I think they must visit through the other locked door, because it would not be okay to expect them to go through the kitchen. Oliver, this stuff is uncanny. I had no idea this happened, no idea about the water feature, although I didn't come here much really, well hardly at all until later as a visitor myself."

He'd stopped halfway along the corridor where there were a couple of low steps, which Lily and I had sat on waiting, the last time I was here. The corridor went a little lower then after these steps. It was extra cold here too, and I figured this must be directly under the ice -house. Tristan sat down, and pushed his hand through his hair, it was so much shorter than when he used to do it, that his hair stood up on end this time at the front. I kind of liked the look. I had to use gel to get my hair to do that, which I hated. You could never get any of the stuff that didn't have a perfume you really didn't want. I joined him sitting with the cloak wrapped around me, the cat sat on my feet, and feigned sleep.

"What's the time Tristan?" He took his cell phone out of the top pocket of his jacket. He seemed oblivious to the cold in this part of the corridor, and had his cloak half off.

"Thankfully that whole escapade used up a fair chunk of time. Its eight thirty give or take," he said putting his phone away.

I was interested in what he'd said to the man in the stable who had found Lily, and asked Tristan this as we settled down to wait on the steps for a while.

"I told him the cat belonged to my wife, and was our mouser, and rat catcher. I was responsible for letting her out, which was going to get me a scolding, as we didn't want it to be mistaken for the witch cat. He'd heard of that naturally, and told me that the witch had disappeared in the night, and all the guards could remember was having food delivered to them. He said she'd obviously cast a sleeping spell on them, and I should get my cat home quickly as there were people out searching for the witch."

"Dear god Tristan, what madness, no wonder your uncle Tristan got you away to Cornwall after you thawed out."

"Yes, it's hard to comprehend, but people didn't know any better then, and it got worse too further on in history. Well not to dwell on it, we have Lily now and better keep her with us no matter what, until we go home tonight. We've been lucky so far you know, I think."

I glanced at him. "I think so too," I added.

My thoughts strayed to Chloe, and I was thinking about what she might be doing now. I was tired of this stuff. It was not the adventure I thought it might be. I just wanted to get back to my computer work, and real life.

I smiled at Tristan.

"Not that I wanted a big production Tristan, but this waiting around is a bit of a drag."

He grinned.

"It is, but it's better than being in a real fight, and seriously, Lily could have been anywhere. In many ways we were lucky she was captured. I hope Chloe isn't having any trouble with the archaeologists. I sent Don an email asking him if he could leave the work that had to be done until Wednesday. I had so much work on, and wanted to meet with him about the possibility of a window for people to look through at the water feature. I didn't hear back, naturally since it was Sunday, but let's hope that went okay."

I thought it probably worked out fine, but even if they came to the house they would be gone by seven anyway wouldn't they? I said this to Tristan, and he nodded. I stretched my legs out, the little cat stirred, and stretched too, and I wondered how long Lily might be a cat this time.

Tristan stood up, and started pacing up, and down the corridor, which for some reason I found really funny, as he also tried to make his footsteps soundless. He saw me grinning, and shrugged.

"I just feel so constrained here, when Lily turns back I was thinking if we cloaked up, maybe we could take a walk in the wood or over to the lake. It sounds stupid, as I've said it to you aloud, but seriously, if we took care, and hid properly if we needed to, it might help the time go."

It was ten thirty when Lily finally turned back into herself. I had paced up, and down after Tristan. We'd listened through the chamber door, but decided it was just as bad waiting in there as out here. We saw the cat start to shudder just like Lily does, and it ran to the end of the corridor, and up a couple of the steps. Tristan was just saying he thought Lily must be changing again, when she did, it was weird. She seemed to just fade out as a cat, and fade in as Lily, and the air around her seemed to be shuddering.

She was very pale when she walked to us, and Tristan, who had brought the extra cloak down from the stable again, put it around her shoulders, and asked her if she was okay.

She nodded, and tried to speak, but she couldn't, and she stood there looking bedraggled, and frail. I thought she probably needed a drink.

"Lily, do you need a drink or something?" I asked. I was thinking of going into the chamber, maybe the food was still there that Tristan had taken from the kitchen. She nodded, and this time her voice was a whisper.

"I do need to drink if possible."

I listened at the door, and Tristan was behind me.

He said softly, "Let me go in, if anyone is there I can at least speak the language."

I looked over my shoulder at him, and nodded.

"I think the place is empty. I can't hear anything."

He opened the door quietly, and looked in, then stepped down into the chamber. I followed him, and so did Lily. She went straight to the water feature, and using the same stone handle that I had used, leaned over, and got a couple of handfuls from the water that ran over the stone bowl area there.

Tristan had found the food in the linen wrap. I waited for Lily to move from the water feature, and got a couple of handfuls of water myself. We went back into the corridor after Tristan had also taken a drink from the spring.

Lily sat down in her cloak, and sighed.

"Sorry Oliver, Tristan, I feel so tired now. I need this spell to be lifted soon, another five weeks of this accelerated changing seems hard to bear right now."

I decided to tell her there, and then about my thoughts.

"Lily, I have to tell you, I do love you as the cat. I really like cats, and if you need to be loved for what you are now, and that's a cat at times, then I can do that. I love you as the cat, you're a lovely cat." I thought that pretty much defined my stance, and maybe hearing that would lift the spell.

She sighed, and smiled.

"Thank you Oliver, I don't know any more if that's what the witch who cast the spell meant by loving me for what I am, I really don't. Everything that seemed so clear to me a couple of weeks ago is jumbled for me now. You and Tristan are so kind. I thought you had to love me as Lily my human form, but then maybe not, it's becoming hard to think straight."

I looked at Tristan, and he returned my glance. We were thinking, maybe she was becoming more cat than human as she approached what she called her deadline. I could see Tristan was about to ask her a question, and then he seemingly changed his mind, and raised his eyebrows at me.

Tristan leaned against the corridor wall, and looking inside the linen wrap offered Lily a piece of cheese, and a chunk of rough looking bread. She took it, and pulling little bits of each off at a time, started to eat. He offered me some kind of pie, but I shook my head. I'd take an apple if there was one, and he threw me an apple. We stood around for about twenty minutes. Lily finished her food, and Tristan stuffed whatever was left in the linen wrap inside his canvas bag. I knew mine contained my torch, Lily's spare clothes, and some matches. I asked her if she wanted to change, as her clothes were quite torn and dirty, but she shook her head.

"No thank you Oliver because I may change into a cat again, and they would get wrecked."

Tristan wanted to try taking a walk outside. It was only eleven thirty, and we had seven hours to wait for the portal to open. It was worth going out so as not to be cooped up in the corridor or chamber all that time. We decided to chance it, and started up the stairs for the stable. At the top of the stairs, before we got into the cupboard type room, I turned to Lily.

"Please Lily if you are about to turn, I'll cover you over with the cloak so that we can scoop you up as the cat, and keep you safe, is that okay?" I hoped it would be okay. I wanted to look after her. Well not to mention, we could not be on some wild goose chase after her as the white cat, if she ran off.

She smiled.

"Thank you Oliver, not many people in my life have wanted to keep me safe."

I nodded at her. It felt sad to know that. I wanted to ask about her parents, but didn't. I thought I would do it when we got home. I'd sit down with her, and ask everything. Maybe she would not turn again because I had told her I loved her as the cat, surely that was what the witch meant when she cast the spell. I was thinking about this as Tristan beckoned me into the stable, and I was thinking too, that he was showing huge restraint in not asking Lily any questions. He must be saving them for later too.

We were in the stable, and Tristan couldn't help himself he was talking to a horse, the wild-eyed horse had gone, and in its place was a smaller gray one. As Tristan left it, and walked a few paces away, it whinnied as if asking him back or maybe saying goodbye. Lily had been watching, and she looked at me, her expression almost as if she was saying I told you so. She couldn't still think Tristan was a witch, surely.

We walked close together into the woods, it was great in there, the air cooler, and somehow easier to breath, and I felt happy we'd come out of hiding.

There was not much to hear, beside our own tread on the leaves, twigs, and bits of branch just rustling in the undergrowth, birds, and far away in the distance some kind of bells were ringing.

Tristan suddenly started to hum some tune softly, and as we walked, I recognized it as Will's Band's new song. Lily glanced at Tristan, and then at me, and I smiled at her, but apart from Tristan humming softly we didn't speak.

At the edge of the wood we stopped.

"Let's go down to the waterfall Tristan, it's so different from how it is in our time, I just want to take another look," I suggested. Tristan thought for only a moment, and then nodded.

"Okay, but not for long, and as we approach if anyone is down there we need to turn back quietly."

We walked to the right, and over the slight hill to see the slope leading down to the waterfall, no one was around.

When we got down there, to my complete amazement Tristan got something from his canvas bag, and as he placed it on the bank of the pool at the waterfall, I realized that it was Gui's sneaker that we had never been able to give back to him. I looked at Tristan, stunned. He was a mystery, in the midst of the mess with the new portal, Lily, and everything, he'd thought to bring Gui's shoe. He saw me looking, and grinned.

"I wanted to at least try to get it back to him. I almost sent it to him at the castle this morning, via the man I met in the stables who had found Lily. Then I thought better not associate Gui with us, it might get him into trouble if we are caught or worse, caught with Lily, since she's a witch." He smiled at Lily, and I grinned too, but Lily went even whiter than she was, and stood very still.

"How do you know that? No, I mean who says I'm a witch?"

I felt a bit puzzled, didn't she realize that's what the people here thought. Something was a little off about that comment. Tristan was looking straight at me, he was frowning, and yet he said nothing. I waved my hand at Lily in a calming way.

"Lily, didn't you know that's what the people thought you were?"

She dropped her head, and replied.

"I didn't know any of what they were saying, it all seemed so horrible."

I went to her, put my arm around her shoulders, and smiled at her.

"Okay Lily, try to forget it now." It was all I could think of to say, and standing a little away from us Tristan was still frowning at me.

We stayed by the waterfall for a short while. I washed my hands in it, and so did Lily. Tristan walked around the massive holly tree that grew near the Holy spring, and drank some from his cupped hands, so I followed, and did the same, it tasted better up here than down in the chamber.

We went back the way we'd come into the woods, when a group of people, all poorly dressed, and carrying baskets, or pots, came into view on the slope at a little distance from the edge of the woods.

We didn't look again in their direction, and we entered the woods without incident. The short sword I had in the belt of my jeans was hitting against my leg as I walked, and I thought about trying to change it to the other side of my belt to give that leg a rest, and let the other get the beating for a while, when Lily stopped walking. I turned to her, and saw she was shuddering badly. The spell hadn't been lifted then, I was thinking, as she threw the cloak to me. I watched fascinated as the air around her seemed to vibrate with her shudders, and she was the cat in seconds. I threw the cloak over the little white cat, and it immediately started trying to get out of the side, burrowing a tunnel. Tristan was quicker. He bundled the cat up in the cloak, and then tucked it under his arm. It had to be warm in that cloak, it was the fur-lined one, and I felt sorry for Lily, as the sun was hot that afternoon. I looked at my cell phone for the time, and was very pleasantly surprised to find it was nearly five, thank goodness. I was desperate to get home now.

"What's the time Oliver it must be late afternoon by now?" Tristan asked, and I nodded as I told him.

"Yes, it's nearly five, thank heaven, I'm tired of this aren't you?"

He smiled. "I am," he stated simply.

Chapter Eighteen

The woods were quiet again, apart from our crunching, and as we reached the edge, I expected to be able to go back down to the chamber, and hang out for the final couple of hours. That was not to be. There was a large cart at the entrance to the stable, and people going in and out unloading stuff. I looked across at Tristan, and he handed me the bundle of cat as it had started struggling. We stepped back a few steps, and squatted down on a fallen log. I tried to give the cat some air, and it mewed pitifully as I uncovered its face. It started to struggle again. I tried to calm it down, stroking it. Tristan got some meat out of the linen wrap he still had, and gave it some as I got it to sit down being stroked on the edge of the cloak. As much as I love cats, this 'cat-sitting' had started to get old. I thought this, and then grinned a little at my own impatience. The cat ate the food, and decided to sit down after to clean its face. I was thankful, and raised my eyebrows at Tristan. He looked sympathetically back.

We'd been there for at least twenty minutes, there was no sign of the people at the stable going away, now they were talking loudly, and hanging around the cart. Another two people arrived on horseback, and dismounting, joined in the chatter. They were better dressed than the ones who had been unloading stuff, but still seemed like ordinary workers of some sort. The horses were led into the stables, and at last, half the people there got into the cart, and trundled off. There were still at least four in the stables by my count. I was worried about the cat. It had woken up, and wanted to wander off again. Tristan watched me being gentle with it, and then got up, and bundled it back in the cloak.

"Sorry Oliver, we simply can't let it get away."

I understood, and was thankful he'd put it back in the cloak. I somehow didn't want it to dislike me. I nodded at him.

It was six o'clock, and those four people were still in the stable. This was going to get worrying very soon.

Tristan ran his hand through his hair, and it stuck up on end.

"Oliver, I might have to go and check what's going on in there. We need to get down there for seven. Chloe asked us to check at six, but I think that was overkill. Well I hope it was, since coming here it was seven by our cell phones. I think I might just wander in looking for the man I met this morning, his name was Edwin, just casually mention that food, and wine are available in the kitchen. Then if they go there, we can make a break for it into the chamber."

I nodded, but I was smiling, he'd said the words 'cell phones' in Chloe's accent. It was really funny.

"What's so funny Oliver? If we don't get down there soon, that cat will become a problem, and we don't need to be stuck here another whole day."

Tristan was standing up as he spoke. I told him about the accent he used on the words 'cell phones', and he just looked at me with a slight shake of his head.

Then he walked over to the stable. I could see him through the branches of the small flowering tree in front of me. Lily the cat was struggling in the cloak, which he'd handed back to me. I watched for a few minutes, could something be wrong? There had been no movement over there in the stable.

Right then the four people, and Tristan came out of the stable. They went off around the side of the hunting lodge, and Tristan followed them. At the break in the path, where it became two, separated by a bank of hedging, he waved them off, and turned as if he was headed for the castle. He glanced back the way they had gone, and then ran over to me.

"Come on Oliver let's get down to the chamber before they get back looking for the terrible liar I've become." I grimaced at him as I held the cat tightly, and ran with him to the stable, what with Lily, and the short sword sticking in my leg I felt like someone totally uncoordinated, and it seemed funny enough for me to start laughing. Maybe I was dehydrated or something.

Tristan made sure the top door was closed with the long handled implement he'd used before, and we quietly went down the stairs, and corridor to listen at the chamber door. It had been worth going out in my opinion anyway. I was glad to be back here ready to go home, but I was glad I hadn't spent the entire afternoon down here. There seemed to be nobody in the chamber, and there was no sound. We opened the door, and stepped in. Tristan crept up the kitchen corridor, and listened at the door then he came back down to the chamber. He shook his head at me, and smiled.

"Sounds of merriment, maybe I am not such a liar after all. Not much time to wait now Oliver. Is that door locked?" He was saying, as he walked over to the door that must lead into the tunnel in our time.

He tried the squared metal gate door, and then the wooden door through one of the gaps, just the way I had. Both were locked. He came over, and emptied the remaining food onto the linen cloth, which he'd spread out on the step. It looked horrible. The chunk of pie that was left looked as if it had sparrows in it, featherless of course, but tiny little bodies. It was gross, and the cheese next to it was sweating. Naturally, I wasn't going to eat any of this stuff. Tristan looked at it, and then at me. He shook his head as if in agreement with my unspoken opinion, and pushed the lot off the step onto the stone paving nearby. Maybe the cat would eat some.

We sat on the step, and watched the cat, which was doing a circuit of the chamber. Surprisingly, when it came to the kitchen corridor it looked down there, and then walked by completing the circuit, and starting another one.

Tristan sighed.

"I hope everything is okay at home. I hope Rene is able to help us, he's coming on Saturday isn't he?"

I thought it was Friday, and said so to Tristan, who nodded, and then added he thought I was right, yes Friday.

I was thinking about Chloe, and how I had earlier made up my mind to try to get her to choose me, but now I was thinking maybe not. Maybe it would just spook her, and I couldn't do that, because I loved her. I'd get her to come out to Kool Kafé with me on my own soon though. I wanted her in my arms, and we could plan the party, my birthday was going to be soon, and we'd done nothing about it.

Tristan sighed, and got up. He looked at his phone, and put the canvas bag over his shoulder. He looked at me.

"Ten minutes Oliver. Let's get to the side of the water feature. Grab the cat." I was shocked into action. I hadn't realized it was so close to seven, maybe I had dozed off just then when I was thinking about Chloe. I grabbed Lily into the cloak, and she made this weird little squeal as I held her fast against me. Tristan, and I were at the side of the water feature, and I was looking in. There in the water, directly under the stone bowl shape area, where the water came over in a mini waterfall, was a chunk of stone looking very like a ruby from out of the treasure Tristan had in his box, which was still secreted in Chloe's room. I was staring at it, even in the dim light it seemed like a ruby, how odd. Maybe people threw things in here, like at the Roman shrines, valuable offerings to some unseen god.

Suddenly there was a shout. I had Lily under my arm, and was kneeling down at the water, about to put my free arm in there. Tristan stood up from the squat he was in, and grabbed his sword from his belt.

"Get in the water," he said urgently, as a man with a very large axe head, on a very long pole came running at us from the entrance to the kitchen corridor. I wanted to help Tristan, but I had the cat, and Tristan had kicked the pole in the air to one side, and was menacing the man with his sword. It had to be close to travel time. I was thinking come on Tristan get in here too, as I stood up to my knees in the water with Lily struggling in the cloak.

I shouted it out, "Tristan, get in here too, come on."

He ran back towards me, and the water feature. The man took the opportunity to reclaim his weapon, but as he came towards us both now standing in the water, we traveled. I was half expecting to find he'd come with us, but the sight of us vanishing must have held him back from jumping into the water himself, because there was just Tristan, and me, still holding Lily in the cloak, and Chloe was calling out.

"Oliver, Tristan, oh no, where's Lily?"

I stepped out of the water, dripping all over the stone floor, put the cloak down, and the cat leapt out. Chloe was holding me, hugging me then she was off hugging Tristan. He had his sword in his hand, and was looking over her shoulder at me, with a grin on his face. She let go of him, and turned back to me.

"Oliver, it's so good to have you both back," she hugged me again. "So Lily is a cat again, don't worry I have the door closed, how are you, has it been horrible, were you fighting someone Tristan?" Chloe was talking, and hugging us both again. I started to smile. It was good to be home, I hugged Chloe tightly the next time she came to me, and she looked up at me as I let her go with such love in her eyes I wanted to kiss her, but naturally I didn't.

Tristan had put his sword back in his belt, and was about to go out of the chamber. He was smiling, and saying, "Let's go, I bet you can't guess what I really want right now?" Chloe grinned at me, and we both said coffee at the same time.

Tristan had gone ahead, and I called after him, "Wait Tristan I think there's a lump of ruby in the water here. I had turned, and looking in the pool of water, which seemed to have a greenish tint in this time, I saw that the ruby was still there.

Tristan came over, and so did Chloe.

"Oh yes it looks like it is, how bizarre. I can't imagine anyone throwing a ruby in, a silver coin maybe, but not a ruby." He stepped in, and retrieved it, since we were both wet through up to the knees, it hardly mattered that he step in there again.

He handed it to me. "There you go Oliver, finders' keepers."

"What no, no way I am keeping this. It can go in the collection of stuff in your box," I said, and threw it to Chloe who grinned as she caught it, and put it in her jeans pocket.

"Let's go eat, and get some coffee," she smiled, and she took us both by the hand, and we went up to the big drawing room, where the cat was sitting on the table next to her laptop, cell phone, and keys.

Chloe had let go of our hands, and Tristan grinned at me, he knew she had hold of both of us, and he kept smiling at me, and raising his eyebrows. It clearly amused him.

Chapter Nineteen

Chloe picked up the cat, and brought it down to the kitchen with us. She closed the kitchen door behind her. The heating was on, it felt warm in there, and I noticed the night was dark, and windy through the big French windows of the kitchen. It felt doubly weird that I had just been in a summer's day heat.

Tristan had started making coffee, and Chloe had left some soup on the stove. She was stirring it, and toasting cheese sandwiches. When she'd put food in front of us, and Tristan had handed out coffee, she stood next to the table.

"You're both wet. Do you want me to get you something to wear, and I'll put your jeans in the dryer?"

"It's warm in here Chloe, I'll be okay, how about you Oliver?" Tristan asked, and I nodded.

"I'll be okay too, and my jeans are a bit scruffy to put in the dryer."

Chloe went over to the fridge, and got a plate of chicken. She cut some up, and put it on a saucer for the cat, and then took out Charlie's drinking bowl, and put water in there for the cat.

Lily was eating the chicken, and then had a drink of water. I looked at the little cat, and I was just thinking that she'd been a cat for a long time this time around, when Tristan said exactly that. I nodded in agreement.

Chloe asked, "Oliver, have you tried to lift the spell by telling Lily you care for the little cat?"

I put down my cup, and nodded as I answered, "Yes I did make it plain to her, but it hasn't made any difference, well not so far."

Tristan asked Chloe about the archaeologists, and anything else that may have happened, but seemingly, no one missed us except her, and nothing eventful had occurred.

We took it in turns to tell her about what had happened in the past, and she widened her eyes at the part where Lily had been captured. Then was shaking her head, as we told her how we rescued Lily. Tristan down played it all, and shot me a look as if to say don't say much. Chloe was having none of it, and quizzed us. She finished up saying that she hoped Rene would be able to close the portal. Then we fell silent for a few minutes because that was a worry.

Chloe suddenly smiled again.

"I've booked the Kool Kafé for our party. Clare was thrilled to sort out the catering and the music with her mom. Will has called and insisted on the band doing a couple of sets, and now all we have to do is send out invitations. My dad has insisted on picking up the tab too, so it's all fixed. Cool huh?"

Tristan grinned at me.

"Chloe, that's great, thanks, and I'm calling your dad tomorrow to say thanks to him too."

Chloe smiled, and was about to say something else when the cat turned back into Lily. She was by the sink having started to clean her face, after eating, and now Lily stood there very bedraggled, and pale.

Tristan stood up, and went to her. He put his arm around her, and brought her to the table, saying he would make her coffee, would she like coffee or tea. She sat down, and looked around at us all waiting for her to speak. Chloe went to the fridge, got her some water, and sat next to her.

"Lily, you just relax for a few minutes, and then we'll get you up to the shower, and arrange for you to get home." Lily took the water, and drank some. Tristan had made her tea the way he makes it for Chloe. I got up, and got her some soup. It didn't look very hot so I warmed it quickly, and put it in front of Lily.

She burst into tears. We three looked at her then at each other. Tristan shook his head, and sat down with the second cup of coffee he'd just made. I looked at mine, and moved it around on the table a couple of times. We were waiting for Lily to stop crying.

After a few minutes during which time, Chloe brought her a box of tissues, and Tristan shot me a few looks, that I interpreted as him wanting to talk with me. Lily stopped crying, and took a sip of her tea.

"Thank you so much, you are all so kind. It's so long since so many people have been so kind to me, I mean looking after me the way you've." She sighed, and Chloe pushed the spoon at her saying eat something. She took a couple of spoonfuls of soup, but then stopped, and asked me if I still had the clothes, Chloe had sent for her. I nodded, and got them from the canvas bag that I had thrown down with Tristan's, by the kitchen door. They were pristine, still encased in the plastic bag, Chloe had made sure was tied up tight to keep the clothes fresh, and dry.

Tristan took the opportunity to get me into the hall.

"Oliver can I have a quick word?"

I put the plastic bag of clothes next to Lily on the table, following him out there.

Chloe gave me a questioning look at Tristan's request, and I just shrugged at her, because I didn't know what he was thinking.

In the hall, Tristan said he thought he would get home, get cleaned up, and then come back for an hour or so, because he would like to ask Lily a few questions, find out where she lived, and make sure she was not about to do anything we wouldn't want her to.

I had to grin at those words, but said, "Okay, I'll do the same, it's already eight, maybe we should do that now, then perhaps we could get back by just after nine."

When we were back inside the kitchen, whatever Chloe had said to Lily in the short space of time seemed to have cheered her up, and she was smiling a little. Tristan told Chloe our plans, not saying he wanted to quiz Lily, but saying we wanted to hang out a little more with them both.

Chloe came to the door with us, and because Tristan had walked down to Chloe's on Monday night, I told him to get in the Land Rover, and I'd drop him home.

I looked at Chloe as we got into the car. I'd have liked to kiss her, but of course, I couldn't. I glanced at Tristan as I started the engine. He was looking at Chloe in her doorway. I guess he felt the same.

I dropped him home, and took off to my own place. It was a relief to be driving my Land Rover home. I was looking forward to cleaning up, and getting into some clean clothes. The eleven hundreds just weren't for me.

As I pulled up in front of my home, I wondered what exactly Tristan was going to be saying to Lily.

Chapter Twenty

Chloe

Tristan and Oliver had gone to get showered and changed. I sat next to Lily. I was so pleased to have everyone back, but I was really hoping that in the next few days we could clear up what was really going on with Lily. I wanted to help her, but at the same time, she couldn't keep hold of the idea that Oliver was her destiny, because he wasn't. I felt a pang of guilt when I thought this, but even so, I was sure he loved me, and couldn't simply transfer his love to her as a human.

"Lily, how are you? Let me take you up to a bathroom, and you can get cleaned up, then maybe we can talk about things."

She stood up, and picked up the bag of clothes without a word. I took her up to the second floor bathroom, and left her there telling her I'd get her some underwear.

I ran up to my room, and found her some plain cotton underwear, not a bra though, as mine wouldn't fit her, just a T-shirt to go under the shirt I knew we'd bought for her. Outside the bathroom, I called through the door, and then popped the things around the door onto the little chair that was by the sink.

Steven used that bathroom, but I knew it was clean, and there was plenty of soap, shampoo, and clean towels in there. I waited for a few minutes at the top of the stairs thinking should I stay there hovering around. My cell received a message, and I took it from my pocket looking at the screen. Tristan, it was so good to see a message from him, such a relief to have the guys back, I smiled as I read the text.

He told me he loved me, and had missed me, it gave me a little shiver, and I texted back the same message to him. I knew I wanted to say the same to Oliver, and so I sent him a text too. I loved them both still very much.

Lily came out of the bathroom, and we went down to the kitchen. I had the heating on quite high because it had been cold that day, but I offered to get her a sweater from my room. She shook her head. Her hair was still slightly damp. She must have used Steven's hairdryer, but hadn't really finished her hair off. It was pushed behind her ears, hanging down her back clean, and glossy. When we were in the kitchen, I made tea. Oliver had messaged me back, and I put my phone down in front of me on the table next to my cup. I looked at Lily who was holding her cup in both hands.

"Lily, Oliver has told you he loves you as the cat, and it's made no difference to the spell. I think you may need to think again about how the spell can be lifted. You must tell me what really happened when the spell was cast on you, seriously, we want to help, but we can't help thinking there is more to your story than you've told Oliver."

She sighed, and looked down at her cup of tea. Would she tell the truth I wondered? I found myself really tempted to listen to her thoughts. I suddenly pictured Oliver jumping into the water feature after Lily, and how she had, as the cat, told me her destiny was Oliver.

Once, a while ago, Oliver had told me his heart belonged to me. I could at least make sure anyone else entering it was trustworthy. I listened to her thoughts.

She was thinking that she must not let me know she was a witch, that she deserved the spell when it was cast upon her. I sighed inwardly. I knew it. I knew there was more to her story. I was looking straight at her face when she finally looked up at me.

I smiled at her, and said, "You must tell the truth Lily how else can we help you? Tristan, Oliver, and me, all want to help. Start at the beginning, please."

She nodded, but I didn't expect the truth right away.

"When the spell was cast I was eighteen. I spied on another witch who was with the man she loved, and the man I thought I loved too. That was nearly seventy years ago. It's a 'seven spell' that was cast, and it was designed to last seventy years. If I can't lift it by the end of this year, December the thirty-first, I don't become the cat forever as I let Oliver believe, in fact, I die. That's why I've become frantic to lift the spell. I am so close to the deadline. This is what happened. I am able, as a witch myself to appear as other things, a blue butterfly, a blackbird with a yellow beak, a peacock sitting regally on a balustrade, a white cat." She paused as she finished this part of her speech, and I realized she'd paused to check if I recognized any of the creatures she'd been. I did of course remember them all.

I nodded at her, and gave her an encouraging look, so she continued.

"When I appear as that creature, I can listen, ordinarily hear you understand, to what people say, watch them. I can project my thoughts into their minds, not always, and only one seed here and there of an idea, you understand? I can't read minds so I have to watch the person's actions to know if my seed has taken root.

I used a white cat appearance to spy on the other witch with the man, and she knew because I tried to seed the idea that he didn't love her in his mind. He was a wizard. He'd hidden that fact from me, and he knew I had tried to manipulate his thoughts. They both knew, and she cast the spell that meant I'd become an ordinary white cat for a period of time each month, then week, then day for seventy years. She told me if I met a man who could love me for what I was, after she'd cast the spell, it would be lifted. I don't honestly know any more if she meant a cat, or a witch who turns into a cat, or a girl who appears as eighteen years old when she's really eighty-eight. I'm tired of it all, and almost can accept that the spell will never be lifted, and I'll simply die at the end of the year. I didn't mean you any harm. I genuinely thought Oliver was the one."

She stopped talking, and sighed before continuing.

"I had been watching Tristan thinking it could be him for a couple of years off and on. I watched him, and then you came along, and Oliver. It seemed that he might be the one because somehow I recognized him. He seemed magical, sunny, and so lovely when I was the cat, he was enchanted with me I knew it. Oh sorry, I mean that I spied on you both, as a white cat, when I was listening, and watching you. I know I also came around as the real cat, you know there is a difference, when the spell is working on me, and I am a cat I really am, there is no casting a thought into anyone's mind, no listening. I knew I was changing when I was here doing the archaeological work, so I know I'd have prowled around here as a cat."

I got up, went around the table, and held one of her hands.

"Thank you for the truth Lily. So when you were asleep on my bed you were the witch, when Oliver and I found you on my doorstep you had to be the witch then too, because you tried to put a thought in my mind didn't you?"

She nodded a little pitifully.

"I tried to get you to think you would lose Oliver so you might as well let him go. I did turn into the real cat later, and when I was in your house too, it was me who left the middle drawing room windows open so that I could get in. I looked after Oliver, just a little when we time traveled, dried his clothes, and shoes, let him sleep. I know he looked after me as the cat."

I nodded, and took a deep breath. I wasn't about to tell her that whatever she did to my mind had resulted in me actually being able not only to put a thought onto someone's mind, but to listen to their thoughts as well. I wanted her to know we would help her all we could.

"Lily, a young man we know, a Magus, is arriving this week, sooner than we first expected. He will arrive on Thursday to try to close the portal for us. He has cut short a visit he was making elsewhere to come, and help us. Lily maybe he will know how to lift the spell, he knows about seven spells, he knows a lot." I told her hopefully, and she looked at me as I sat next to her, and smiled a little.

"Thank you Chloe, for not being really angry with me, and for wanting to help me. Maybe this Magus will be able to help."

Chapter Twenty-one

I thought I heard a car come into the drive, and I knew it would not be Steven as he was staying with John that night, so it must be Tristan or Oliver.

I stood up just as the doorbell rang, and it was Oliver. At the door, he kissed me. I sighed, and kissed him back, because it was so good to touch him again. He smiled at me, his lovely smile. He was so dear to me.

We went into the kitchen, and Lily turned to greet Oliver. He smiled at her, and seeing her sad, pale face, gave me a look, and walked over, put his arm around her, and hugged her sideways. "How are you Lily?" he asked her, and she nodded saying she was a little better.

I had started the process of making coffee, and some more tea for Lily, and heard Tristan's car park on the gravel. I went to the door, and opened it before he rang the bell. He looked closely at me whispering, "Love you," and hugged me to him. I stood back from him, and put my hand against his cheek. We walked into the kitchen, and both Lily and Oliver looked at us expectantly. Tristan said hello to them, and finished making coffee, I stood near him, and made tea for Lily, and myself.

When we were all sitting at the table I decided to bring it into the open that Lily was a witch, and as I said that Lily had told me this, Tristan actually nodded, and murmured he'd thought so. Oliver looked at Lily with an expression on his face that told me he was a little hurt somehow.

"I think Lily needs our help. Anything we can do at this stage because her deadline, doesn't mean she becomes the cat for the rest of her life, it means she dies."

Oliver gasped, and looked stricken.

"No, surely not, isn't that really harsh, was this other witch your enemy? I did think she was a friend of some kind when you first told the story. I'm so sorry to hear that Lily, and sorry I can only love you as the cat."

I realized he felt bad that he couldn't save her, and wanted to help him too.

"Oliver, we were thinking, maybe Rene might be able to help, he's very powerful, and maybe he can lift the spell because, of all things, it's a 'seven spell'."

Tristan made a sound like a 'humph,' and a clearing of his throat, and then he joined in.

"Don't despair, Lily, we'll help you somehow, and you have a little time left. We need to get that portal closed. Then we'll concentrate on you. There'll be something we can do. I know it was many years ago, but do you think this other witch is still alive?"

She seemed to cheer a little, and drank some of her tea. I watched her. She was lovely. How could she have lived for all those years, and no one had fallen in love with her? Maybe there was some destiny involved after all, but not the one she thought. Could the other witch have known?

She answered Tristan.

"She went away shortly after the spell was cast, with the man she loved. My sisters and I lived in the village then. I never saw her again, but she may be alive. She was older than I was, but she was also very powerful. She may have used youth spells to stay younger for longer, though you can only use so many of those. They will not keep you alive for longer than a couple of hundred years, or perhaps a few years more than that, depending on your own DNA. Why do you ask Tristan?"

Tristan was frowning a little.

"I was thinking we might hunt her down, and bargain for the spell to be lifted After all, surely it has served its purpose? Lily where do you live now, and do you want to go home? Is anyone there to be with you? I can put you up in the stable apartment or maybe Chloe can let you stay here. Maybe you should not be alone at the moment."

She looked from Tristan to me.

"I live in the house near 'White Wood', Tristan. I thought you knew that. Jack Dearing sold it to my family in nineteen seventy-four. You used to live in it."

Tristan gasped.

"Really, that's interesting. I thought I'd seen a white cat around there once or twice over the years. 'White Wood,' used to be called 'White Witch Wood' I suppose you know that Lily."

She nodded.

"Yes, actually my family has always had affection for those woods, and a history of attending the picnics there, and the parties that used to be held in that house. When my relative realized that house was on the market she couldn't wait to buy it. I didn't move there myself until about nineteen ninety-five. I sold the big house we used to have in the village, and moved in."

"Are all your family witches, Lily?" Oliver asked, and I watched her smile at him affectionately.

"No, it just pops up randomly. You know we are born like it, and there are only two of us at the moment, Anna, and myself. Her mother isn't a witch she lives there too."

I noticed Tristan look sharply at Lily when she said this. He dropped his gaze as soon as he saw me notice his interest. Then he looked back up at Lily, and asked her, "Lily, how old is Anna?"

Lily seemed surprised by the question, but answered, "She's twenty, just in fact, last month, why do you ask?"

Tristan seemed either relieved or disappointed or a mix of both, I didn't quite understand what was going on.

He shook his head answering, "Oh sorry Lily, just curious."

Oliver smiled. "I have a question, Lily, where did you live in the village?"

Lily smiled at Oliver again. I could see she still really liked him, and I couldn't blame her he was lovely, and kind.

"We had a really big old place on Cherry Tree Avenue. It doesn't exist anymore because it was bought, and promptly pulled down. There are three new houses on the site now."

Oliver grinned, and clicked his fingers.

"I knew it. Just now when you mentioned living in the village until around ninety-five I realized you must have been the cat I played with when I was little. My mother told me the other night about it. Until then I hadn't remembered, but that's why we recognized each other Lily. We met often when I was about four."

Lily smiled. "Oliver, it would have been when I was really a cat. I don't remember what happens during those times, but somehow you must have stayed in my subconscious because the moment I saw you recently I felt affection for you, and from you. I have to confess to trying to put that thought in your head too. I apologize for that. I can only do it as myself of course. When I'm the real cat I really am harmless."

Tristan got up, and asked if anyone wanted more coffee. He seemed a little pre-occupied, and I went to him at the sink where he was filling the kettle, and asked quietly if he was okay. He nodded, and smiled a little at me.

Lily had been quiet for a moment.

"You know I've been thinking I could maybe do something about the portal for you, just to fill in the gap before your friend arrives."

We all stared at her.

"Really Lily, like what?" I asked.

"The one thing I could do from this timeline is a repulse spell. It would mean that if anyone was traveling here having been in or touching the water at the right portal opening time the spell would just turn them around again."

"Really?" I asked. "That's cool. You are sure it would work since the travel channel is only in this direction at that time?"

"I think it would, yes I do," she answered nodding to emphasize her answer.

Tristan put drinks down on the table, and sat down again, this time nearer to me, and I gave him an appreciative look. I felt as if he needed some kind of support.

"I think you should do that then Lily, since there are a couple of travel times this way before Rene, arrives," he said, and Oliver nodded saying he agreed.

"He's going to be here Thursday did I tell you, not Friday now," I added, because I couldn't remember if I had told them that when we were all talking about everything that had happened.

Tristan smiled. "That's great. We need it gone for good. I can't help thinking it may pop up again somewhere else. It's a worry really. Where does that spring water go next, I wonder? Hopefully down through the metal grill, and into the water table. I still can't understand why it keeps happening."

I didn't know, but it had to be related to Tristan, and maybe this was the end of it. Maybe since Rene had been the one to open it right at the start, then he had to close it. I didn't want to share these thoughts right then because they were simply conjecture.

We sat quietly for a few minutes, and then Lily said she would like to go home tonight if that was okay with us all. She would call us tomorrow, and come over to try out the spell. Oliver went down to the big drawing room, and brought her cell phone and keys to the kitchen. We exchanged phone numbers. Tristan said he would drop her home since she'd actually come to the house in Stefan's truck from the archaeology department. They left shortly after that, and I went out to the old truck to see them off. I kissed Tristan on the cheek at his driver's side door. He smiled, and took my hand kissing it, he whispered, "I'll call soon," and drove off.

It was almost a relief that Lily had gone home, and I went back into the kitchen thinking this. Oliver stood up, and hugged me, "Chloe, I missed you so much, I just want to hold onto you for a while." He leaned against the big table, and held me close to him. I put my arms around his waist, and looked up into his eyes. It was great to have him back. I had felt very alone when both Tristan and Oliver had been gone. I had dad, and Steven, but it wasn't the same.

Oliver kissed me, and I kissed him.

"I missed you too Oliver," I told him, and hugged him tighter. I could feel the definition of his muscles. He might only be nearly twenty, but he was a man already. One of those boys who grew up between seventeen, and nineteen, and looked like a man, he was lovely, attractive, slender, but with all his strength already. I had noticed stubble along his lovely face when he'd come back from the eleven hundreds, and when I looked at him it seemed to me that he was older than his years.

"You still love me then?" he asked.

I nodded. "Of course I do Oliver, why wouldn't I?" I asked him, and I reached up to hold his face, and kissed him again.

He smiled, "Oh you know Chloe, this whole Lily thing it's kind of unnerving. The portal is bad enough without the Lily complication. I feel really bad for her. I wish we could do something to lift this spell. I just want things to go back to the way they were."

I smiled at him.

"Oliver, I'd like to help her too. I think she needs friends right now, imagine what it must be like knowing that in six weeks you will cease to exist."

Oliver looked pained. "I know, I wonder what it will be like if it happens, which I hope it will not, will she just disappear or not wake up, who knows?"

We hugged each other out of disquiet at this thought.

We arranged to call each other. Oliver wanted to contact my dad too the next day, and get back to work, but expected that it would be the day after tomorrow that he would fit into the roster again at the restaurant.

"Are you worried at all about Rene Chloe, we still need to hide Tristan don't we? Well his existence that is," Oliver asked as he kissed all along my cheek.

I shook my head, and I kissed him.

"No, not worried, but we do need to make sure Tristan isn't discovered. I wonder if the spell Lily can do is enough, and we could just call Rene up, and say it's all okay, you don't need to come over?"

Oliver shook his head meaning he didn't know, and I went out to his car with him. We kissed each other some more, and I didn't feel like letting go. Oliver must have felt the same as he hugged me to him several times before finally getting in his car. It was cold without his arms around me, and I went quickly back indoors as he drove away.

Chapter Twenty-two

Upstairs in my room I sat at my computer. I felt more alone now than when Oliver and Tristan were in the past for some reason. I wished they were there with me just talking, and hanging out. I had checked my emails, cleaned my teeth, and was about to take a shower when my cell rang. It was Tristan, and he was thinking about coming back to see me if that was okay.

I told him it was definitely okay, and I put my sweater back on, brushed my hair, and went down to the kitchen. He must have already been on his way when he called because I had no sooner got down there, than he was parking in the drive.

I opened the front door to him, and we went into the warmth of the kitchen hand in hand.

"Chloe, this stuff with Lily, what a shame for her, we need to try to help her. I almost feel like coming clean with Aristide, about my existence, and asking him for help."

I was shaking my head.

"No Tristan not yet, not until we have to do that, when there is no other option, I love you too much to risk something happening to you."

He smiled at that.

"You do? And here was I thinking you were more pleased to have Oliver back than me."

I didn't quite know what to make of this was he joking or was it real?

I looked into his lovely blue eyes, and kissed him.

"You know very well how much you mean to me Tristan, what's going on?"

He shrugged, and then kissed me.

I love him, and I love Oliver too, nothing had changed.

"Just sometimes, Chloe, I wish you loved just me. I wish I could stay with you at night, wake up with you, and it would be okay. It would be like Will and Liz, or James and Clare."

I was surprised at this. He was describing commitment that I hadn't thought of, even though I loved him. I didn't want to express surprise because that might indicate a lack of depth of the love I felt for him, but I think he sensed it.

"Sorry Chloe, I didn't mean to push you into anything or away from me by asking too much too soon," he whispered.

I suddenly realized that what he'd described was the same thing as when I had looked at couples in the Kool Kafé, and wished I was part of a couple. It felt sad somehow to say nothing to him, and so I told him this, and kissed him. He kissed me back, and we drifted into that lovely feeling of being wrapped in silk.

"I can't imagine you saying or doing anything that would push me away, Tristan," I told him, and he moved back from me a little to look into my eyes.

"I hope it never happens, Chloe. I'm really waiting for you to choose me. I seem to be less able to hide my feelings now for some reason," he said softly, and then smiled before he kissed me, which was so heart melting I didn't want it to end.

He told me he loved me against my lips, and I found myself running my fingers up inside his shirt against his skin, it was easy to do. His shirts were never tucked in. He sighed, and leaned back a little to look at me.

"Chloe, it's not easy to think you kiss Oliver like this. I have to ask you, do you...I mean do you kiss Oliver like this?"

I didn't want to talk about Oliver, it just wasn't right, and I was surprised Tristan was going this way.

"Tristan, what's brought this on, you seem so saddened?" I didn't really know how to describe his mood, and without thinking I listened to his thoughts, he was just thinking he loved me, and wished I'd choose him. I felt bad about listening. It was something I didn't want to do really. I had told myself not to do it to either Oliver or Tristan.

He was looking intently at me as if he was watching me for an answer to something unspoken. I loved him very much, and right then I almost wished I had only met him and not Oliver as well. I was still tracing my fingers along his back under his shirt, and suddenly that intensity I used to run from was back. I had stopped running from it, and usually moved towards it, because I knew it was part of Tristan's lovely personality. It often meant he was thinking he loved me.

He held me so tight against him, and I moved my face against his, it felt so good to be so close to him. He sighed, and kissed me, then whispered, "Chloe, tell me, are you waiting for one of us to make the move away from you? Like when you thought I had feelings for Emma, it was okay with you. If Oliver had come back through the portal in love with Lily what would you have done? Would you have acted the same way with him as you did with me, backing off, giving him space to love her? I just need you to know Chloe, when you didn't seem to be very hurt by my loss, when you sat opposite me in the restaurant, and I was with Emma, Laura, and Corbett, it was so painful. I was so hurt, that you were willing to just let me slip away."

I was shocked because I thought he'd understood what had happened then.

"Tristan, I was letting you go because I thought that was what you wanted. I loved you still, it hurt, but I wanted to give you the chance to have someone love just you, instead of well, what I do, love both you, and Oliver."

He was silent, and I felt as if he was considering what I had said.

"Chloe, the thing is, if one of us was to find someone else, do you think the one left, would perhaps feel that you are with them because they are still there. I'm sorry I'm not expressing this very well. Somehow I just want to make sure you love me, really love me."

I held his face, and kissed him. I sighed, I finally got it, this was all about him wanting me to choose him, and to be honest I wished I could. I loved him. I wanted him. I couldn't imagine not having him in my life, as more than a friend. I was kissing him, and telling him I loved him, never to think he was second best, or whatever that 'the one left' phrase meant. It was very intense, and I was thinking at the same time how much I'd like to make love to him, with him, right then, that to be so close to him, would be so good.

He stopped kissing me back, and though he made a little sound as he broke away from me as if he was in pain, he smiled a little.

"Chloe, I'd like that, well more than like, I want you desperately. I love you so much."

I realized I had put my thoughts into his mind, and I was sorry because if I took that step with Tristan it was a choice between him, and Oliver in his mind. I'd have made the choice, and that was what Oliver had thought too. He realized I was torn emotionally, and he hugged me.

"Don't be afraid. I can't let anything come between us, and would never ask you to do anything you were not ready for. I'm sorry. I was sure you told me you wanted that, I feel so afraid I'll have scared you." I couldn't let Tristan feel like that, sorry, and afraid, that wasn't okay at all. All this time I had been tracing his backbone, and the muscles of his back with my fingertips, and he'd shivered just a little, I stopped, and put his shirt down. I took one of his hands, kissed the back of it, and then held it to my heart.

"Tristan, please don't think like that, it's true I did tell you, it was my thoughts I just let them go. It's in my heart, I love you, and I can't let you think otherwise."

He kissed me, and we held each other close. It was getting late, and dad might be home soon. I didn't want to be found kissing Tristan, because I knew that right then the way I must have looked, was as if I had made love to him. His intensity was back, and I just soaked it up. Tristan sighed, and smiled at me.

"I know I'm more serious than Oliver. I try to lighten up a bit. I feel so happy to see you when I do. I couldn't believe it when you fell in love with me. I better go now. It's getting late. I'll go, just remember I love you."

He moved away from me, and took my hand to walk to the front door. Once there I was about to go with him to the old truck that he was driving, but he wouldn't let me, saying it was cold, and he would call me in the morning. I stood at the door, and watched him drive away.

I stood in the shower for a long time berating myself for loving the two of them, but by the time I got in bed, I was thinking maybe it wasn't so outlandish. If I had met them at different times in my life, when one had moved on or gone from my life in some way, if I had loved one, and then some years later loved the other it wouldn't be so outlandish. Look at all those second marriages. I felt deep down that I might have been excusing myself, and that I was letting myself off easy. I drifted off to sleep thinking about Lily, and how we could possibly help her.

Chapter Twenty-three

It was ten o'clock the next morning when Oliver called me. I was trying to knock off an assignment that I had outstanding for college. I knew it wouldn't get the kind of grade my other assignments had earned, but I just wanted it finished, and emailed.

Oliver sounded happy, and told me he was coming over, he'd spoken with Tristan who was bringing Lily over too, and we were going to get her to take a shot at repulsing the portal. Was that all okay, and I grinned as I said it sure was, let's get on with it.

Oliver came around within half an hour, and immediately hugged me, and lifted me off the floor with the hug. He kissed me, said how great it was to see me, and then was telling me that he'd called my dad, and was working tomorrow. The Wednesday night service was always busy, and he was working, Friday, and Saturday too, but would be around for when Rene came on Thursday. I smiled at his light-hearted mood, and kissed him back, as he'd kept kissing me in little bursts. Then my cell phone rang.

I expected it to be Tristan, but it was mom, and she was coming home tomorrow. She was bringing granny, would I make sure the room, and bathroom was ready, aired, and warm. We talked about how the weather had gone cold here, and I promised to make the place as comfortable as possible for granny.

We ended the call, and looked at Oliver.

"Oliver, I love mom, and granny, and want them here, but tomorrow, that means they will be here for Rene's arrival on Thursday. Can you believe it?"

Oliver smiled. "Don't worry we'll sort it out somehow, he's not staying here is he?"

"Well no Oliver, in the village actually, he chose that, but he will have to visit when they are around, and with granny here, well mom will not be holed up in her study as she usually is. I need to spend some time tomorrow sorting things out, get some shopping, and make sure the rooms are fine. That will be easy as I've kept them clean, and ready. Lily used Steven's bathroom last night." I was thinking about how to get Rene into the chamber, and then it hit me he could be an archaeological visitor with Lily, she had the name badges, and stuff to make it look real, mom wouldn't be suspicious of that.

I smiled at Oliver, and told him what I was thinking.

He smiled, and said, "Good thinking," and then kissed my cheek as he passed me to make coffee. I looked in the fridge, what was needed I thought, and then I checked the larder, it looked like a decent sized shopping run was needed.

Oliver came up behind me, and hugged me, kissing my neck, and then turning me around.

"If we get through this stuff with Lily quite quickly, I'll come shopping with you, and help get it done today, what do you think?"

I kissed him. "That's really considerate of you Oliver, thank you."

He was so kind, and it was always fun shopping with Oliver. He'd just made coffee when Lily and Tristan arrived, so he made more.

Lily, and Tristan were talking animatedly, and Tristan looked happy, as they came in, and sat down near each other. I gave them an amused look.

"Hey you two are happy, are you confident that you can do the repulse spell Lily? You seem better today."

She smiled at me, and included Oliver in her look.

"I didn't turn into a cat last night or so far today. I feel so much better too, maybe the fact you love me as a cat has helped Oliver. Tristan met my relative Anna, just now at the house, and she's coming over to help me with the spell in about half an hour. There's more, but is it okay to say Tristan?" She turned to face him as she asked this. Tristan seemed to hesitate for a few seconds, the question hung in the air between them, and then he nodded to say yes.

Lily smiled around the table at us.

"Tristan, knew one of our relatives in the twenties, she was called Anna, and my Anna is her descendent. Tristan tells me he has had a couple of spells cast upon him that have lengthened his life somewhat, and he almost thought my Anna, as a witch, was this same girl he knew back then, but no, it's not. Isn't that fascinating? She's very similar isn't she Tristan to the old Anna from nineteen twenty?"

I looked at Tristan as he nodded again. He seemed unable to put words together. Lily took his hand from where he'd rested it on the table next to his coffee cup, and she squeezed it visibly in front of us all. I didn't know what to think, something had happened obviously to draw them closer

Oliver was sitting on the other side of him and gave Tristan a nudge with his elbow, and finally Tristan spoke up.

"I thought last night when Lily mentioned a witch called Anna that it could be the Anna I knew in nineteen twenty, she was always in 'White Wood', and she came to a few of the parties at the old house back then when Jonathan Dearing's father was alive. We were very close, and then she suddenly disappeared. The fact that Lily's relatives bought the house as soon as they could, made me think maybe it was Anna, she loved the house, but it turns out it was this Anna's mother who bought it in memory of my Anna." He looked around at us, and the way he said 'my Anna' kind of cut me up a little. I wanted to hold his hand like Lily was doing.

I glanced at Oliver. He knew already about this Anna I could tell. He was looking at Tristan in a kind way, and he smiled saying, "Well how about that, it's a lovely story, does this Anna look like the girl from the twenties Tristan?"

Tristan nodded then shook his head.

"Sort of, and yet not really, her hair is the same color, she has the same laugh, and from the back I thought it was her this morning. She's nice, you will all like her."

Lily smiled a big smile at me, and I couldn't help but smile back, even though I was thinking about Tristan and who there might be in his past besides this Anna from nineteen twenty. Then I shook myself out of that thought. I don't believe in going into what relationships the person you are with had before they found you. Maybe that's because I am young, and there's nothing in my past, but then again, I've seen that kind of delving wreck relationships in movies, and can't help thinking the writers know from experience how stupid it is. Who cares what happened before you met them when they love you right now. I realized Tristan was looking at me, and I smiled at him, and remembering the night before I gave him my best 'I love you look'. His eyes were misty, and he gave me his 'I love you look' back.

I told them all that my mom was coming back from California with my grandmother the next day, and Tristan sighed saying of all days. I agreed, but then asked Lily if she would act the part with Rene in front of mom so that he appeared to be an archaeological visitor. She readily agreed, and Tristan thought that was a good idea, he also said he'd explained to Lily that Rene should not get to know he was alive, that one of the spells cast upon him was designed to imprison him forever.

I was surprised at this, not only had Tristan managed to get through chunks of his life story with Lily, he'd bent the truth in such a way as to make it not a lie, but not quite the real story. It didn't matter in the end. He would protect Lily if she needed it. He had to protect himself.

Oliver was looking at me. He raised his eyebrows at me as if there was something he would like to say, but couldn't. I half smiled at him. What was going on? Maybe there was something I needed to know? The doorbell rang, and I went to answer it.

I opened the door, and standing there was a girl I assumed to be Anna. She was lovely, smaller than Lily, about my height, her long chestnut hair just loose down her back, and her eyes, sort of blue-gray. She was striking really, her lovely nose almost a perfect shape, her cheekbones just a little high, she was dressed in jeans, and a blue sweater under a waxed jacket, with flat knee high boots that I immediately envied.

She smiled. "Chloe, you must be Chloe, I'm Anna I came to help Lily."

I smiled back.

"Anna of course, yes come in everyone is here." I showed her into the kitchen, and Lily stood up, took her hand, brought her to the table, and Tristan offered to make her coffee.

Oliver was looking at Anna, and as Lily introduced her, I could see he liked what he saw. This was not like the weird experience with Lily when he'd seen her. This was genuine interest. I felt a small wave of some emotion, was it jealousy or fear? It definitely reflected the level of interest Oliver was showing Anna, the way he was with her, reminded me of how he'd been with me when we'd met. I stopped looking, and just listened to the talk around the table.

Anna was a musician, and she was in a band. They were called 'Deep Joy'. She was a singer, clarinet, and guitar player, and she also gave music lessons. She'd heard of Will, but never seen the band. She didn't go out much apart from playing in the band, they were 'romantic alternative' as a music genre, and they had once played at Kool Kafé. I listened as the three of them talked, and I could hear the tone in Oliver's voice as he asked Anna questions or made a comment. It was like listening to him when we'd met at the restaurant when all the new staff had been on their break. This was the beginning of the end of Oliver and me in a romantic sense I told myself, and it was obvious she liked him, because let's face it who wouldn't?

Hopefully he would still be my friend.

Lily was saying that they would go down to the chamber, they had talked about it last night, and a repulse spell would be easy to cast together. It could last many years if Tristan wanted that, up to a hundred.

Tristan stood up with them, and then Oliver. I stood too, we could all go down there, and we could participate. It was what we all wanted so nothing could go wrong.

Down in the chamber Lily arranged us around the water feature. If we stretched out our arms, we could all hold hands.

Just as we were about to start Lily called out, "Oh wait, look there's something in the water again, hey it's another piece of jewelry," and she knelt down, and scooped up whatever it was she'd seen. She held it up, and it was a gold cross, not very big, but what had caught her eye must have been the light blue and quite beautiful stone in the middle of the cross. She stepped to Tristan, and stuck it in the back pocket of his jeans. "Let's get on with it now," she said smiling, and we all held hands again.

It felt poignant as I was holding hands with both Oliver, and Anna. They had their eyes closed as Lily and she took it in turns to say a repetitive sentence in ordinary language. Not the kind of mishmash of nonsense you hear in movies and TV shows that have magic spells in the story line. It was simply that the portal was to repel visitors from the other time. It didn't take long really, maybe ten minutes. As we all let go of each other's hands, and started to file out of the chamber, I had to ask how we would know if the spell had worked.

Lily laughed looking over her shoulder, she said,

"Oh it will have worked, really, don't worry."

Oliver was following me, and he leaned forward, and touched my hand. I half turned to him, and he smiled at me.

As we went back into the kitchen, I was thinking how strange it was that Tristan had talked the way he had the night before, and this meeting with Anna had happened the very next day. Anna had sat down next to Tristan, and Lily sat at the other end of the table. Lily had become pale, and I thought I could see her shaking. Oliver was sitting next to me, and he'd put his leg alongside mine by moving the chair along. He must have seen Lily start to shake because he sat upright, and called, "Lily, that shuddering, you're turning into the cat again aren't you?"

Lily nodded. Anna and Tristan stopped talking, and Anna went to Lily, and put her arms around her.

"Don't worry, Lily we'll look after you," Oliver told her.

She gave a huge shudder, and the air around her seemed to shudder too then she was the cat.

Extraordinarily the cat walked up to Oliver, and leapt onto his lap. It knew him no doubt about it. He stroked the cat, and grinned at us all staring at this spectacle. Anna was more than happy to sit near him.

"What's everyone doing this afternoon? I have to get some work done, but wouldn't it be really nice if we all went up for dinner at the restaurant tonight, well providing Lily was back from being a cat?" Tristan asked.

I was nodding, and Oliver liked the idea. I was thinking how fast the whole friendship stuff had grown between Tristan, Lily, Anna, and Oliver. I didn't know if I was included at that stage. I felt like an outsider, and hoped I wasn't acting like one.

Tristan asked Anna if she would like a lift home and what would we do about Lily.

I told them she could stay here or whatever Anna wanted. I had to go shopping, and Oliver said yes he was going with me. That merited a glance from Anna, but she then addressed Tristan, and said she would take the lift, and take Lily too, she hoped Lily would change back by this evening, and would call us.

She picked up Lily's cell phone that was on the table by the cup of coffee Lily had been drinking. Tristan said he would call about six to arrange when we would meet. Oliver carried Lily to the truck, and when Anna was sitting down he put the little cat on her lap, and gave her one of his lovely smiles.

We watched them drive off, and then Oliver put his arm around my shoulders as we walked into the house again.

"You're a little quiet Chloe, is everything okay?" He asked me, and I turned to him, and put my arms around him.

"Yes Oliver, just a little worried about the next few days." He kissed me, and it was just the same as always, there was nothing different, whatever he felt for Anna he still loved me.

We went shopping. He held my hand, we shopped, and he talked. It felt as if he was filling in my silence. Suddenly he said, "Chloe, I know about the Anna, Tristan was in love with in the nineteen twenties, is that why you are so quiet, you were surprised?"

I stopped at the breakfast cereal.

"He was in love with her?"

Oliver looked intently at me.

"Yes, he told me when we were back in time. We talked about a few things. I thought he may have told you already, sorry Chloe." Oliver looked contrite.

I smiled at him.

"It's okay Oliver, he hadn't said anything, but it hardly matters it was so long ago." I was thinking back to when he'd told me there had been no romantic involvements for him in a hundred years, or so. For some reason he'd wanted to erase Anna it seemed.

Oliver continued talking.

"No it matters I can see that. Look, he told me she just disappeared on him. It broke his heart for a while. If it upsets you, why not ask him to tell you about it?"

I shook my head. "No it doesn't upset me," I told him because that was true. It was listening to Oliver and Anna that had me quieter than usual.

Oliver leaned over the shopping cart, and kissed me. He held my face with one of his hands, and kissed me a couple of times.

"You seem somehow quiet and contemplative, tell me what's wrong?"

I couldn't very well tell him, I shook my head.

"No it's nothing Oliver," and I sincerely hoped it was just that.

We took the shopping home, and he actually helped me put it away. We checked the rooms that were for granny together, and he hugged me to him by the window there, where we'd watched Tristan and Corbett take Emma home.

I could picture the straggle of horses in the moonlight, and then seeing Laura creeping along behind them. I looked up into Oliver's lovely eyes, and I sighed.

"Oliver, remember I love you, no matter what, and you will tell me if you stop loving me?"

He leaned back away from me, but kept me in his arms.

"I love you, I don't know why that would change, and yes I'd tell you, but it's not going to happen. What's this about Chloe?" I felt that I shouldn't have said anything, and I covered it all up by telling him I was remembering seeing Tristan, and Corbett taking Emma home on the horses, that it just had sparked some memories. He looked at me as if he didn't believe me, and then decided to leave it alone. He kissed me, and hugged me to his chest.

"Okay, is everything finished now for your mother?" I told him yes, and we went downstairs to get coffee. It was quite late, and Steven came in humming. He went straight to the fridge as I was telling him how I was out for dinner, and could I get him anything before I left. He said no he would get some soup, and sandwiches later, right now he was going to practice. By which he meant his guitar in the library. He took orange juice, an apple, and a half packet of chocolate pancakes grinning at Oliver and me as he went.

Oliver smiled at me, and took his cell phone out of his shirt pocket.

"A message from Tristan, can we meet at the restaurant about six thirty, shall I message him yes?"

I nodded. "Sure Oliver if that's okay with you. I might go change. Did you want to go home first too?"

He shook his head. "No I'll stay with you for as long as I can alone, I don't get enough alone time with you." He smiled at me, his lovely smile, and then as I passed him to go and change, he caught my hand, pulled me onto his lap, and kissed me.

I was laughing now at this, and he laughed too. I went up to change as he decided to make more coffee.

I was thinking I'd wear my purple dress, because it would be nice to feel dressed up a little, and the restaurant was heated when I got there. I would put my warm jacket over it to travel. I put my hair up, and a little makeup around my eyes. I was not long getting ready, but when I went downstairs Oliver gave me a very appreciative look, and smilingly told me I looked gorgeous. We drove up to the restaurant in my Wrangler, and Oliver took my hand as we walked across the car park. It was already very dark and cold, the sky full of stars, and the moon looked out at us through a frosted glass cloud. I sighed because I felt I knew tonight would change things between Oliver and me. Unless I was mistaken. I know that sounds as if I have no self-confidence and the truth is I don't have much. It's been a mystery to me how I have these two lovely guys when not one boy in the past has even asked me out. It means that I easily believe Oliver or Tristan would change their mind about me.

Tristan and the girls had not yet arrived, we walked down to the end table by the windows, and I sat opposite Oliver, he took my hand across the table, and smiled.

"I always thought eventually you would be sitting opposite me here, and we would be quietly celebrating our engagement, Chloe."

I was surprised, and shook my head. "Oliver, how has that idea changed?"

"I've realized you will never choose between me and Tristan, and I feel as if the time you might have chosen me has passed. You've gone back to loving us both the same again." He was philosophical, his tone measured, and I felt very sad. He knew, he always knew.

"Don't be sad Chloe, I do love you so, and I'll always love you, I just wish that a few weeks ago when it seemed as if you were going to choose me that you had."

I looked down, and to my surprise, a great big tear came down my cheek. It dropped with a splash on the white tablecloth. It made a dark star shape, and Oliver gasped. He stood up, and pulled the other chair nearer to me sitting in it, and close to me, so that his thigh pressed against mine, and he took my hands in his.

"Chloe, don't cry, what can I do? I didn't mean to hurt you, make you cry, I was just saying how much I regret that time passing."

He'd asked Ben to come back when the others arrived to take our orders, and so we sat close together like that for a few moments. I tried to gather my thoughts. I was thinking maybe my green kohl on my eyes would be running down my face, and I looked at Oliver. He was distressed, and I tried a watery smile.

"Oliver, do I've green kohl rivers down my cheeks?" I asked him. He seemed to be about to speak, and then he shook his head, and looked around the room before he kissed me.

"I'm sorry Oliver. I do love you so, despite not being able to make that choice." I was thinking what was happening both Tristan, and Oliver were talking like this since they had traveled back in time. Maybe their friendship had grown, and they were thinking to back off from me because of it. It would be only what I deserved if I ended up with neither of them. Tristan would gravitate to Lily with whom he'd shared information today that he'd never shared with me, and Oliver would fall for Anna. I was thinking this when Oliver put something in my hand, and I looked down. It was a ring, an old ring, just lovely, and like something Tristan may have worn in his own time. I looked at Oliver questioningly.

"Chloe, I found that in the chamber when Tristan and I were down there. He said to keep it that maybe I may need a ring one day. Naturally I didn't want to, and put it in my pocket to get back to him somehow, but you know what, he did give it to me, and now I want you to have it, just so you know I did intend to give you one, one day."

I was shaking my head, was he saying some kind of goodbye.

He smiled. "Yes I want you to have it, because Tristan gave it to me only minutes after I had been thinking of getting you a ring, and asking you, well...to choose me. I love you, I always will."

I was really spooked by this, and I put the ring on my thumb, and took Oliver's hand.

"Oliver, is this some kind of goodbye, please don't do this."

He shook his head.

"No, no, nothing like that I just needed to let you know the extent of my feelings for you, I just wanted you to know."

It made me pull myself together, and I took the ring off.

"Oliver, this is what, the third time some kind of jewelry has been found in that water feature, well fourth if you count that chunk of ruby, don't you think that is weird? I mean could it be coming from the past?"

He watched me turn the ring over in my hand, and seemed to be thinking.

"Maybe, and yes it is weird, but if it stops then we know for sure it was coming from the past."

Right then the others came into the restaurant from the big window side, and Oliver moved a little away from me, but still remained close. He held my hand behind the table right up until the moment the others were sitting down, and Tristan had pulled a chair almost alongside mine on my left. Lily was back, and Anna was smiling at Oliver as she sat down. We all said hellos, and Lily told us she'd only been a cat for an hour this time.

Tristan looked at me, he had a question in his eyes, and a little frown of concern on his lovely face. I smiled at him, and he seemed to relax a little. The conversation touched on music, and then we got around to Oliver's birthday party. To which he said that it was mine too, we were sharing a party and they were invited, naturally. Anna said maybe she could provide some of the music. The band she played in was free that night. She would love to give that as a little present to Oliver, and me. I told her Will's band was playing, but it would be lovely to hear her music even if only a couple of songs. It seemed to be arranged, and as we finished eating everyone seemed to be happy, even I was happier than earlier. I had slipped the ring Oliver had given me into my jacket pocket, and zipped it up. It had scared me, and yet touched me deeply, what he'd done, and said. If he was attracted to Anna, he still loved me right now that was obvious. I realized they were talking to each other again, their heads a little closer than before. It was okay I wanted his happiness. I glanced at Tristan who was talking with Lily, and he caught my glance, and included me in the conversation, which was about Rene. I hadn't been listening I had been watching Anna, and Oliver.

When we left the restaurant, it was with the promise to call each other the next day, since Rene arrived the day after, and we needed to make sure we all knew what we were going to say, and do. Tristan had driven the girls over, and so left in the little white car with them.

Oliver and I were in my car when he leaned over the transmission, and kissed me. I turned my face to him, and put my hand up to his face to keep him there. I kissed him back, and didn't stop for a moment. He was smiling when I moved back from him, and I smiled back at him. What was the matter with me? He loved me, and I'd just take the love he gave me for as long as it was there. I started the car, and drove us home.

At my house, he came in, and we went up to my room. As I unzipped my jacket he came to me, took it from me putting it on my desk chair, and then held me close to him. He kissed the top of my head, and then my cheek.

"Let's just cuddle up for while Chloe. I'd so like to be close to you for a while longer tonight." We went over to my bed, and cuddled up on it as we'd done sometimes. He had an arm around me, and I had my head on his shoulder, and held his other hand across his body.

"This is lovely. I dreamed about holding you like this when I was in that miserable chamber. I find I'm not much of an adventurer after all." He laughed at himself, and I moved my head, and kissed him under the jaw where I could reach.

"Oliver, you don't have to be, there are so many great things about you," I told him. He wriggled down the bed to be face to face with me, and kissed me. I started to feel that drifting away feeling as we kissed each other. He was so gentle, and loving. We stayed like that for maybe fifteen minutes just kissing each other, and talking about things the way we usually did. I felt close to him again, and he told me nothing in the world was as good as being close to me the way we were then. It seemed to me that if he felt anything for Anna he didn't yet know it, and I hugged him extra tight, and he laughed. I didn't want him to leave, but when he said he would get going I didn't tell him that. I went down to his Land Rover with him, and he hugged me, kissed me, and sent me in, because it was a frosty night.

I took the ring from my jacket pocket, and put it with the one Tristan had given me between the roundels on my desk. In the shower, I thought that whatever happened, right now Oliver, and Tristan loved me. Surely, neither would stop just like that. I got into bed, and lay there staring at the stars in the cold sky through my window for a long time before finally I must have dropped to sleep.

Chapter Twenty-four

The taxi arrived with mom and granny at about eleven the next day. Steven had gone to school, but said to message him when they arrived. It was great to see them. I made tea, and took granny's case up to her room making sure the radiator in there was turned up high. We talked about the journey, and how she was feeling, and I made them toast as well as more tea. Mom went down to her study, booted all her machines, and put her laptop down there that she had with her on the trip. I took granny up to her room, and showed her the bathroom, which was next door, but exclusively for her use. She was thrilled with the place in general smiling and touching the place where the old stonework was, or the carved wood. She was going to have a rest before lunch, so I left her. I messaged Steven to say mom and granny had arrived safe, and sound. He messaged back saying, 'good,' which made me smile.

I told Mom about the archaeology going on in the big drawing room, guiltily adding that a couple of archaeologists would be round in the next couple of days to check things out, and that she needn't worry about them. I already knew them so I could deal with it. She asked me about my studies, and then about Steven, had he missed any school?

"Mom no we've been angels in your absence." I told her.

She rang dad, and they arranged for her and gran to go up to the restaurant for supper that evening with Steven, and myself. I had hoped to have that short time to touch base with Tristan, and Oliver, but couldn't refuse the request.

Mom and I made pasta for lunch, just a simple one with a little chicken, and lots of tomatoes. We'd made heaps, and put a bowl of it in the fridge covered in cling film. Granny ate hers, and had some cake for pudding complaining she would get fat at this rate. I laughed at her. She was nowhere near getting fat. It was nice to be with them. I put the dishes in the dishwasher, and said I needed to finish an assignment if I was going out that evening with them.

Upstairs I called Tristan, he was going to keep away from Rene unless it was imperative he show his face, so Oliver, and I were going to meet Rene in town. Then we would pick Lily up at her house. We would find out later if he could do anything about the portal.

"Chloe text me every step of the way," he said, and I laughed aloud at that. Before he ended the call, he told me he might try to drop by later that night.

I called Oliver, and arranged that he would come to my house, and we would get Rene and Lily in my car. We talked a little about what we would say to Rene, and then Oliver told me he missed me, and was happy to know I'd be at the restaurant that night with my family. He would see me because he was working.

We ended the call, and I called Lily who may well have been a cat right then, as she did not answer her cell phone.

That evening at the restaurant Oliver kept smiling at me as he passed, and then he stopped at the table to say hello to my mom, and was introduced to my grandmother. When he'd left she commented what a nice young man he was, and mom was there agreeing with her, and saying how she really liked him. I didn't say anything at all, instead I watched him as he moved around the place.

Before we left I found him in the room where the spring water was kept. He looked up from the fridge as I came in the room. He was smiling, and I told him we had to leave, and I'd see him the next day. I hugged him, and kissed him quickly. He smiled more, saying he might ring me after work.

I drove us all home. Steven was telling granny how he was in a band, and they were really good. I was half listening to their conversation, but at the same time, I was thinking about the plans for the next day. I wasn't sure mom hadn't once seen Rene. I hoped that if she had, she would have forgotten him by now.

By the time we'd all talked about our plans for the next day, and mom had agreeably decided she and granny would go off to the nearby town late morning, it was about eleven that night. I went up to my room, and sat at my computer. I had an email from college about the next assignment. I ignored that, and read one from Liz, and one from Joshua Glazer. Liz was asking about a present for Oliver's birthday. He'd been so good to the family, helping with their website she wanted to get something nice for him. I didn't yet know what to get him myself so that was something to think about. Joshua Glazer was asking about some Christmas designs I was working on, we were thinking of small roundels in a limited release, just for Christmas.

My cell phone registered a message. It was Tristan he would love to see me, and was out with Cedric if it was okay to call by. I smiled to myself, it had been a little time since I had seen Cedric, and he was a lovely horse. I called Tristan, and said I'd be at the middle drawing room windows if he let me know when he was calling by. Tristan had a smile in his voice as he said, "Well I'll come down from the edge of the woods then, so two minutes, if that's okay." I told him it would be. I cleaned my teeth, and brushed my hair, then put on my thick jacket to go down there, for all I knew I may get to ride Cedric.

Tristan was down there when I got to the windows, and Cedric was already on the lawn with his head down checking out the frosty vegetation. Tristan came into the room saying it was colder than he'd thought. I looked over at Cedric who had come down closer to the house. He had no saddle, but was in a coat, like a thick blanket. Tristan had his arms around me pulling me close, and saying Cedric is okay, he's warm enough for now. I turned to face him putting my arms up around his neck, and kissed him. His nose was icy, and it made me laugh.

He hugged me tight. "Chloe, it's so good to see you. It's hard to be away from you for even a short time. Maybe I can come by each night I have to keep away during the day, and see you. What do you think?"

I grinned. "Tristan, I can't think of a reason why not."

He started to kiss me all over my face, and smiled.

"Chloe, you're so pretty, have I ever told you that, and clever, and so lovable, how is it someone like you loves me? Grouchy old Tristan happier in a greenhouse than a nightclub, maybe I'm too old for you, and you need someone from the same era as yourself, like Oliver for instance."

I stood back from him.

"Don't say that Tristan, you are so special. Are you asking me to tell you how much you mean to me or are you dumping me?" I didn't really think that, but I was wondering what was going on.

"Neither, just thinking aloud I suppose, although it would be nice to hear you say you love me too."

I smiled at him, and kissed him instead, he had to know I loved him.

He glanced out of the window at Cedric who was standing in the bushes by the lawn just waiting for him. I didn't want Tristan to go yet, and I took his hand. He looked down at our hands, and smiled at me before he kissed me again.

"I should go, it's late, you've to meet with Rene tomorrow, and Cedric needs to go home," Tristan said. He let go of my hand, and held me close to him as we kissed each other again. "Oh wait," he said, and took the cross Lily had found from the back pocket of his jeans. "How about putting this in with the other stuff in the box Chloe, weird how this stuff keeps turning up don't you think?" I nodded, and told him I had mentioned that to Oliver. Tristan kissed me again, and went to the doors. The air was very cold when I opened the French window for him to leave, and I stepped out to walk to Cedric with him. Cedric came to meet us. I stroked his nose, and he made the funny grunting noise he sometimes made. Tristan kissed me softly again, and I held onto him for as long as I could, and then he left. He walked Cedric up the path, and used the little wall at the end of the garden to get onto his back, which I supposed was because there was no saddle. They disappeared into the woods as I closed the French windows.

I went up to my room, and straight into the shower to get warm. I checked my radiator to see if I had it on high, and then went to bed. I thought about first Oliver, and then Tristan as I fell asleep. Were they both now trying to get me to choose one of them, and what would that do to our relationship, all three of us, if I could?

Chapter Twenty-five

The next day I was waiting for Oliver to arrive. I called Tristan and we talked about the best words to use with Rene. It was imperative we kept everything as low key as possible. He needn't know we'd already traveled in this portal. It had been agreed that we would collect Lily first rather than the first plan of collecting her after Rene, so when Oliver arrived we got into my car, and drove to get Lily.

On the way, we rehearsed what we were going to say to Rene when we told him about the portal, and the answers for stray questions he might ask. We arrived at the big house where Lily lives with Anna and her mother. I drove up the wide, side driveway, and parked there. It was a few meters away from the front doors, and Oliver took my hand as we walked up to there. I smiled at him because he was so happy, and energetic. Lily must have been looking for us because we didn't ring the bell. The door was opened, and she stood there smiling before we had the chance. She looked pale, and had on a long coat, with a scarf wrapped a few times around her neck.

"Hello Chloe, hello Oliver. I haven't into a cat changed at all since I last saw you, so I hope that I don't suddenly become a cat as we drive along or something."

I nodded at her, but couldn't think of anything to say to reassure her. Oliver gave her a quick hug. "Don't worry Lily whatever happens we'll take care of you."

I felt grateful he was with me to do this stuff with Rene.

On the drive to pick Rene up in the next big village, where there was a good hotel Oliver reminded Lily that we desperately needed to keep Tristan a secret, and that we didn't want Rene to know we'd actually traveled through the portal. It was for good reasons, he said, and not to dupe him in any way. She seemed to understand, and as we arrived at the hotel, and drove into the car park she assured us we could count on her.

I called Rene on his cell phone before we got out of the car, and he came out to meet us in the car park. Oliver got out of the Wrangler, as Rene appeared from the swing doors of the hotel, and I followed. Oliver offered his hand, and Rene shook it. I reached them as Oliver was saying how good it was of Rene to come, and help us.

I smiled at Rene. "Hi Rene, did you have a good journey?"

He was just as elegant as always, his hair a tiny bit longer in its neat ponytail. He was wearing a sheepskin coat, which came to below his knees, with jeans, and boots. He looked well, and smiled at me, and it seemed maybe he'd mellowed, and grown up perhaps. Lily had come along just behind me, and I saw Rene suddenly falter in his small talk about the weather, and how nice it was to be here again.

I turned to see Lily and put my hand out to her to bring her forward.

"Rene this is Lily, Lily, Rene." I didn't say more because Rene had stepped forward, and taken Lily's hand. He bowed very slightly to her, and shook her hand in a gentle elegant way whilst looking into her eyes. I had to hand it to him, his air of elegance, and courtesy was engaging.

Lily was impressed by him in a way I couldn't totally read. She smiled, and said hello to him, but there was something else going on. It was not like that weird impact stuff between her and Oliver when they met. This was a more natural mutual liking, and it pleased me to see it. Rene sat in the back with Lily by choice as Oliver had offered the front passenger seat to him. I could hear them talking softly about where he lived, about books, about the theatre, and I wondered if his attention would help Lily. I drove us to my house, and felt such a relief when mom's car was not in the drive. We got out of the car, and I let us into the house.

I was offering coffee or tea, and Oliver was saying he would take them both down to the chamber for a first look. Lily smiled at us all.

"I'll take Rene. You can make refreshments if you want to, and I can explain the spell Anna, and I used. It's okay, really."

Oliver nodded, and almost steered me into the kitchen as Lily, and Rene passed us in the hall, and went on down to the big drawing room.

I filled the kettle, and Oliver stood next to me grinning.

"Hey it looks as if those two have really clicked. That's a piece of luck don't you think?" I gave Oliver a little smile as I got cups out of the cupboard.

"Oliver, I don't know. I've almost given up trying to read if people like each other on meeting. After all I thought you and Lily were destined for a few days."

Oliver took the cups from my hands so that I could get more, and we stood there by the work surface watching the kettle boil.

He suddenly put his arms around me, and held me tightly.

"Chloe, that stuff with Lily, you know it was overly dramatic because she was using a little magic, and I know her from my childhood as a cat. Is this observation issue of yours anything to do with thinking maybe Tristan likes Anna?"

The water was boiled, and I was pouring it on coffee, and tea, but I stopped with the kettle poised over a cup.

"Tristan, likes Anna? I had no idea, seriously," I stuttered.

Oliver sighed, and I finished making the drinks, then I turned to him.

"Oliver, are you sure? It seems unlikely from what he has said to me. You must be mistaken."

Oliver was again holding me, and I felt totally perplexed. Hadn't I noticed Oliver liking Anna, and Tristan wanting to see me more than ever? I shook my head. "You're mistaken Oliver. Has he said something to you is that it?"

Oliver shook his head saying, "I just thought I sensed it the other night. Tristan seemed distant once or twice, and sort of misty, you know how he gets, and I thought he might be remembering his own Anna from the twenties, and seeing her in Lily's sister."

I couldn't think right then, and I suggested we take the coffee, and tea down to the big drawing room, and check out what was happening down there.

When we got down there, Lily, and Rene were in the chamber so we left the drinks on the table, and made our way down there too. As we approached, they were coming along the tunnel talking about the archaeology, and how lovely the water feature was. We met in the tunnel. Oliver asked if Rene thought he could do anything about the portal, and Rene actually laughed. It was the first time I had seen him laugh properly, a real laugh, with real mirthful feeling.

"I don't think I can do anything. I think Lily has done as much as can be done. If I went through the portal, I could put a containment spell on it, but you know that's not very attractive as a solution because of the wait time to get back. I think the lovely Lily has achieved the best solution at the moment." As he said 'the lovely Lily,' he glanced her way, and there was a lot of admiration in that glance.

We went up into the big drawing room, and stood around drinking coffee, and tea. Rene asked us about the origin of the portal.

"When do you think it appeared?"

I shook my head as I answered, "As near as we can figure, about eleven days ago, although who really knows? Is it safe now, as far as far as you can ascertain?"

He smiled at me, and then at Lily, before he answered.

"I really think, as I said before, that Lily has done my job for me. Perhaps allow Lily, and her colleagues to put up their glass door, and forget the thing."

I watched Lily as Rene praised her again, and she seemed to glow under it. Could this be exactly what she needed to lift that cat spell of hers? Rene was a fellow witch, and here he was not just accepting her, but praising her. Then to my pleasure, he turned to Lily again.

"Lily I would very much like your company for lunch if you are free."

Lily was very pleased too. She took a deep breath, glanced very quickly at me, and then told him she would love to have lunch with him. Not wanting to let this bond between them slacken at all, I jumped in.

"You know Rene the restaurant on the estate here is open for lunch. Oliver and I are passing it, why don't we drop you and Lily there?"

He smiled a big smile again, and accepted.

We had dropped Lily and Rene off before Oliver spoke, and as I drove out of the restaurant car park, he started to laugh.

"That's it then, Lily and Rene. I see a new relationship, a real one at that, and possibly a lifting of her spell. What do you think?"

I was grinning because Oliver had summed it up well. "I totally agree Oliver."

I had nowhere to go, and neither had Oliver. We'd expected to be with Rene much longer. I intended calling him in a couple of hours because he'd made the journey here, and I wanted to thank him again.

I thought I'd contact Tristan, and tell him what had happened. I asked Oliver if he would like to come along to find Tristan. Oliver looked at me just the once, and then straight-ahead again, there was a note of disappointment in his voice when he said, "Okay then let's do that."

Tristan was in the first greenhouse, and it seemed really warm in there when Oliver, and I walked in, compared to the very icy weather we were having. He looked up, and frowned, "Nothing's wrong I hope. I expected you to still be with Rene." I smiled at him, and told him what had happened, and Oliver joined in about Lily and Rene hitting it off. He was grinning the whole time.

Tristan started to smile. "This is good news. Maybe it will help Lily, and good news about the portal. If Lily had told the truth from the start we wouldn't have had to contact Rene at all." He stopped talking, and shook his head slightly. "But then she might not have this chance that he could help lift her spell. Maybe this is destiny." He looked at us both, and I nodded.

Oliver said, "Yes" softly.

Tristan asked us if we wanted to go down to the house with him as he was thinking of having lunch, and so we walked down there. On the way, we talked about how to proceed with Rene for the next couple of days he was scheduled to stay in town. We decided it was only polite to ask him out that evening. Oliver suggested we take him to Kool Kafé, thinking it would be good to be there, and lay the ghosts of Rene being unpleasant. Plus we couldn't take him to the restaurant as he had already been there with Lily.

We spent about forty-five minutes with Tristan in the kitchen eating soup, and talking about the weather, the winter, the birthday party, and Christmas. Tristan told us Jack and Jonathan were coming home from Italy the week before Christmas. I glanced at Oliver.

"Tristan, how do you feel about that?" Oliver said in concern.

"It's okay, I'm over everything now, and I feel in control of how much Jack can do to me. That's if Jack he will even bother doing any more, since the estate is doing so well, and the art holiday project is booked out again for the Christmas holidays. Liz and Laura have extra staff. The whole place has started to hum along."

I hoped Tristan was right.

On the way back to the greenhouses we talked about how great it was that things had gone so smoothly with Rene, and the portal spell.

Oliver drove us back to my place, and on the way, I called Rene asking if he needed a lift anywhere, and would he like to join us for supper at the Kool Kafé that evening. Rene was still with Lily, and would get a cab to his hotel that afternoon. He would love to go to the café again, but it would be lovely if he may also bring Lily. Naturally, I said that would be great, we could pick Lily up, and then collect him to go to the café, and we arranged to do this about eight. When I ended the call Oliver was grinning, and said, "I told you so." I just laughed at him.

Oliver went home for the rest of the day because he had work to do.

Chapter Twenty-six

I found mom, and granny in the kitchen drinking tea, and looking at old photographs. I sat down with them, and picked one up. It was really old, and granny was not in it.

"Who are these people Gran?" I asked her, and it turned out to be her mother on holiday with friends, so my great grandmother whom I had never met.

I picked through the photographs. They were a little the worse for age, and two in particular seemed much older than the others. They were of people posing in unnatural stances with either poker faces or massive smiles on their faces.

"I didn't know we had anything like this," I said to my mom.

"No they're granny's. She's brought them because she's going to do a little digging into family history." I was surprised and smiled at granny.

I was casually looking at some photos, and found one that seemed less tattered than the rest even though it was old. To my absolute disbelief in the small group of people with his arm around a woman with a baby in her arms, was Tristan.

I almost yelled out, but contained it somehow.

"Granny who is this woman with the baby and this man? Do you know?" I turned it over, and there was a date scrawled on the back. 'Nineteen-fourteen, Brighton.' I saw my hand shake as I turned back to the picture side, and passed it to gran.

She smiled as she saw it.

"That's my mother as a baby, and she's in the arms of her mother, my grandmother. One of the men, the one in the boater, that's her brother, the other one I actually asked about when I was young. He was a good friend of the family at the time. They were about seventeen in this photograph. My granny and her brother were twins, although you may not be able to pick it from this photograph. My grandmother lost my mother's father, my grandfather that is." I assumed that by 'lost' she meant he died.

I took the photograph again from her outstretched hand, and looked closely at Tristan. He was dressed in the same kind of clothes as the brother. He had no hat, and his hair seemed parted down the middle, and with a long fringe. I couldn't help but think it, a strange and unpleasant thought. What if Tristan was the father of my great grandmother? We would be related. It was such a disturbing thought I dropped the photograph on the table, and got up agitated, and scared. I pretended to make fresh tea, well I did make fresh tea, but it was a cover for the turmoil going on in my mind. I was in love with, and kissing, my great, great grandfather, that's the term for him isn't it? Oh my god.

My mom, and gran were sorting out the photos again, and it seemed some were from gran's father's side of the family. They chatted about visiting a particular churchyard over the next few days. I put the tea on the table, and was planning how to steal the photo with Tristan in it, when I realized mom had it in her hand, and was looking at it. Would she recognize Tristan, it was a few seconds before she said how long ago it all looked, and how the people looked so much older for their ages than they did these days. I sighed, and drank some tea, and as they stacked the photos. I asked if they would like a biscuit or something with this fresh tea. I found a packet of something in the fridge, and in moving the stack to put the biscuits in front of granny I picked the lot up, looked at them on my lap as if doing only that, but below table level, I had the desired picture on one side of my knees, and put the stack back without it. With gran, and mom concentrating on placing the date, and identification of the people in each picture on another stack, I quickly put the photo in the back pocket of my jeans.

I very soon excused myself after that, telling mom I needed to do some study as I was going out to Kool Kafé that evening. As I dashed upstairs, and started pacing my room, I was thinking how many movies, and books had this plot line where the girl unknowingly falls for a relative. It couldn't happen very often in real life could it, surely not? I looked at the picture. It was no good I had to go to Tristan right then, and sort this out. I quietly went downstairs, and got in my Wrangler. I thought it was cold enough to snow. The sky looked light, and full up, just like when it snowed in the eleven hundreds when my love, my lovely Tristan and I were back in time.

I was in the Dearing house car park in no time, and I ran to the greenhouses. I saw Tristan in the light standing in the middle of the walkway of the first greenhouse, and I ran in there. I ran right up to him. His face registered surprise, then questioning, and then fear.

"Chloe, what's wrong? What is it?" He grabbed me by the shoulders as I caught my breath.

"Tristan, are you and I related? Look at this. It's you with my great grandmother as a baby. Look at it, are you my great, great grandfather?" I thrust the photo at him, and he took it.

He looked at it intently.

"My goodness, I remember when it was taken." He was smiling, and I was desperate for an answer. I opened my mouth to speak, but he continued, "I am not a relative. The fact is I can't have children. I investigated it at one point in time. I'm certain it's a facet of the immortality thing. I never mentioned it to you or Oliver in case I am mistaken, but now I need to tell you. There's possibly no chance of you having your own children, sorry Chloe." He gave me back the photograph, and took me in his arms, and I sighed against him.

"Thank heaven we're not related, it was a nightmarish thought," I said, and moved slightly out of his arms.

He looked sad, and held my face. "Do you care about the children thing?"

I thought for only a few seconds, I found that I didn't care, not then. I shook my head.

"No Tristan I really don't think I do. It's never been something I've given much thought to. I always thought I'd like a career, and to travel, and then there's the planet, over populated..." I was nodding, and affirming my answer. Tristan bent his head, and kissed me, and I kissed him back for a long time.

I spent the next hour with him talking as he sorted out a delivery of flowers, and made some coffee in the little office. It was so nice to be with him. He skirted the subject of the photo, and I thought it didn't matter how he knew the family, he might tell me eventually.

I left him packing up, and drove home. When I went into the kitchen the photos, mom, and gran had gone. I went down to mom's study, and they were down there. I handed the picture to gran.

"Look what I found on the kitchen floor just now, it must have been dropped," I said, and felt the tiniest twinge of guilt at the lie. Gran smiled, and took it. Mom was scanning the pictures up to her computer, and it went onto the pile there on her desk. I mumbled something about getting ready to go out, and went up to my room.

I did get ready to go out, and was just finished when Oliver arrived. He'd texted me before leaving home, and so I was at the front door as he rang the bell, and circumvented anyone else answering it. We headed out quickly with Oliver driving. He'd kissed me hello at the front door, and now was telling me about the work he'd done that afternoon. I listened, thinking if I could tell Oliver about the appearance of Tristan in my grandmother's photo. We reached Lily's place quickly, and once again she appeared at the door before we rang, and I smiled at this, because she must look out for us.

Once in the car she was very talkative about Rene, and how she felt such a connection with him, that they were on the same wavelength, and she felt he already cared for her. I was nodding, and smiling at her, and turned to her from my passenger seat, as much as my seat belt would let me. She seemed so happy, and glowing, her paleness gone, I hoped sincerely that Rene had cured her spell. I asked her if she'd mentioned it to him because we'd thought to ask for his help or advice.

"I did, during lunch. I told him what I was, and how it had happened, and you know what he understood perfectly. He said he wasn't proud of a few things he'd done, and had acted rashly when he thought he was in love with another girl. He told me he knew now that was not real love, now that he'd met me. He said, you are beautiful, clever, and he couldn't have wished for a better thing to happen to him than to meet me. Isn't that great?" She was bubbling over, and Oliver commented, as he pulled into the hotel where Rene was staying, that he was so pleased for her, and that she deserved this happiness.

As Lily went into the hotel for Rene, Oliver leaned over his gears, and kissed me saying yes this is so good for Lily and Rene too. I nodded smiling, and kissed him back as Lily, and Rene emerged from the hotel doorway.

They sat in the back seats together, and I really think they were holding hands. At the Kool Kafé, we talked for a little while as the music was low, about ordinary things, and I asked after Aristide was he well. Clare and James showed up. I could see Clare was shocked at Oliver and me sitting with Rene. When they approached, and said hello, Rene was gracious, and said to Clare that he regretted any unpleasantness that may have come from his time with the drama group. Clare accepted this, and moved on with James to another table.

When we'd eaten, and the music was a little louder Lily and Rene got up to dance. I could see that for sure he was in love with her, and I thought this would have to lift her spell, if it hadn't already been lifted this afternoon by his attention.

Oliver moved closer to me and in his usual gentle way took my hand.

"Chloe, I know there's something wrong, you just don't seem to be yourself."

I smiled at him. "Sorry Oliver, you always know. It's not that something is wrong it's that I discovered an old photograph of my grandmothers today, and it had Tristan in it. I mean he knew some of my ancestors. My great, great grandmother in fact, how odd is that? I always knew there was a connection between us, but I didn't expect to see him in an old family photograph."

Oliver was looking at me with concern, and interjected, "He's not a relative is he?"

I grinned at that, since Oliver had the same thought I had when I saw the picture.

"No he said not, but he didn't elaborate on his presence in the photo, and he told me something else which maybe you should know. He said immortality meant you couldn't have children he was sure of it, well then he said almost. Does that matter to you Oliver?"

Oliver thought for a few seconds.

"I've never given any thought to it, to be honest, but no I don't think it does matter to me. Well not right now anyway, what about you?"

I nodded at him.

"Those were almost the same words I said to Tristan, weird stuff the whole business."

Oliver smiled, and kissed me.

"I agree, but then what isn't surrounding Tristan?"

I put my hand up to his face, he was so lovely, and kissed him again.

"You and I are not weird Oliver. We just got caught up in events."

He gave me a thoughtful look. "That's true," he whispered as he kissed me again.

Lily and Rene showed up at the table, and proceeded to tell us that Rene had decided to stay for a few more days, he wanted to spend time with Lily. I was so pleased, and smiling at them both because this was it, she was saved, I felt sure of it, but just as I thought it, I saw Lily start to shudder. She was shuddering, and pale again even in the dim light of the café.

Oliver put out his hand to her.

"Lily, don't worry. Let me take you outside so that no one will see you become a cat."

She was about to get up, and a huge shudder went through her. Rene put his arms around her and whispered something in her ear. He held her close, he whispered again to her, and kissed her face as the shuddering subsided, and she didn't become the cat this time. She sat quietly for a minute or two, and Rene held her close against him. He kissed her face, and smiled at her.

"I think the spell is lifted Lily, my dearest love." He said very quietly, but both Oliver and I heard it.

Oliver ordered water, coffee, and orange juice for me as Samantha was passing. Lily and Rene held each other's hands smiling. Rene looked at Oliver, and then at me.

"You two must be in my destiny, as well as Lily's, how else would I've found her? I am so sorry the way we met each other was so unpleasant, but maybe that's the way it had to be."

Oliver grinned at him. "It's water under the bridge Rene. I'm so pleased you and Lily met too."

I nodded in agreement. I leaned over to Lily, and kissed her cheek.

When we dropped Rene off at the hotel, he told Oliver and me he would call us in a couple of day, and Lily went with him to the doors. Lily got back into the car elated, and told us she was spending as much time as she possibly could over the next couple of days with Rene, but would check in with us. We dropped Lily off at her big house, which had every single light on. She told us Anna's mother liked the place lit up at night. As she went into the front door, Oliver turned the Land Rover around in her driveway, and we set off for my place.

He parked in my drive next to my own car, and as we walked to my front door flakes of snow came silently down drifting in all directions, and shining silver in all the garden lights my mom kept on.

Oliver put out a hand to catch some, laughing.

"Snow, this is early, though it's been so cold, maybe we'll have a white Christmas."

He had flakes on his hair, and shoulders. It was coming down quite thickly suddenly.

Inside, we made tea for me, and for a change, Oliver wanted tea too. We watched the snow through the kitchen French windows. Oliver, his arm around me kissed my cheek, and I turned to him to kiss his lips. We decided he would leave soon as the snow might turn heavy and slippery on the country roads he would use. It had been a good night, and even though Rene was not now leaving for France as we'd hoped, he would be preoccupied with Lily, so Tristan was still safe. Oliver was working the next day, and evening, and was going to call me after his shift about nine so we stopped kissing each other, and he left, running to the Land Rover so as not to get too much snow on him.

I was in my room staring out at the snow covering the garden, and thinking about how I seemed to have been mistaken about Oliver liking Anna, when he messaged me to tell me he was safely home.

Chapter Twenty-seven

It could not have snowed much more in the night, because when I got up the next morning, there was hardly any to be seen, just a fine sprinkle of wetness under the bushes that looked snow-like. It had turned to a fine cold mist of rain, and everything was very wet.

I went down to the kitchen, which was toasty warm, and made tea. My mom and gran were supposed to be checking out a churchyard today. I imagined they would postpone that now in this weather. Some of her family must originate in this part of the country, I was thinking, when she came into the kitchen. I made more tea, and asked her how she liked the cold weather in comparison to LA and she laughed.

"Everyone asks that. It's so funny there are so many other comparisons, but people dwell on the weather."

Mom was soon in the kitchen too, and I left them talking about their plans to get a new coat for gran. I drove up to the Dearing house to find Tristan. I was sure he would want to know about Lily, and Rene.

Having parked in the Dearing house car park, I walked quickly in the cold to the greenhouses. I had decided my coat was neither long enough, nor thick enough for winter, and that I needed new boots too by the time I got to the little office, where I thought Tristan might be. Going in there, I was surprised to see Tristan, Liz, and Laura sitting in a little huddle near his office desk, and they looked up to see who had come in the door.

I smiled at them as they greeted me almost all at the same time, and I asked was I interrupting anything. Tristan spoke quickly.

"No, not really, though it must look weird, we three secretly gathered here. It's just we wanted to be out of the house. Jonathan and Jack have arrived home earlier than expected. We wanted to plan how to deal with anything that arose from it."

"Oh sorry, maybe it is family stuff I should go." I was about to turn away when Liz called out.

"No, don't go we've finished our talk, and anyway you of all people shouldn't worry about being in on any of what we said. We just wanted to make sure Tristan felt he could stay at home, and that we would be watching Jack for any nonsense at all, and supporting Tristan. I think you would agree with that plan Chloe."

I nodded at her, and then smiled at Tristan.

"You are okay then Tristan, about it all I mean?"

He smiled back. "I am really okay with it all, Chloe, so come and have some tea."

As he made me some tea, we talked about the estate, and how well everything was going, and then Liz reminded me she wanted to get Oliver a good birthday gift. We were all talking about what might be suitable when Laura told us she and Corbett were giving him a voucher for more lessons at the archery club. She said since Corbett would be giving the lessons it seemed a good idea. Liz was thinking of something techie, and I said that had been my idea too. Both Liz and Laura needed to go off to various workplaces, so it was soon just Tristan and me sitting together. When I was sure they had moved off down the path to the Dearing house, I told Tristan about Lily and Rene.

He grinned. "Well some good has come out of the wretched portal then."

He got up. "I need to do a couple of jobs in the glass area," he told me. I went through with him, and watched him pack a few little conifers into pots covered in painted snowflakes.

"Tristan, what's happening about the chamber, and tidying up the loose ends with the archaeology people?" I asked him.

He grinned. "I asked Don to leave it all until spring and then we might think about how the area could be displayed. The safety people were happy when they visited, and put in those few safety measures, so I said it seemed a shame to rush into anything. Don was happy enough. They've got all their photos, notes, and such. Why do you ask?"

He was loading boxes of the conifer pots through the sliding glass door, into the back of the old red truck as he talked. I stood a little away, and watched as I answered.

"I was thinking about just checking the water feature now and again. I have to say I am a little curious about the jewelry that keeps turning up. It's been a couple of rings, a cross, and a chunk of ruby. You think that it's weird too don't you, Tristan?"

I really did think it was odd. I had been counting which day was the day when someone could come through the portal, if the spell hadn't worked. I thought if jewelry appeared it might tell us this, and it would be today.

"Well I do think it's a little odd yes, but if it's coming from the past it will stop now." He smiled, and took off his gloves. I smiled at him as he held out his hand to take mine, drew me close to him, and kissed me. I felt a surge of love for him, and kissed him back putting my free arm around his waist. He needed to deliver the boxes of conifer pots that he'd loaded onto the truck, and since it was in the next town on from the one that had the good shopping center, I asked if I could go with him. Then asked if he could spend an hour, or something with me to find a warmer coat.

He laughed at this, saying, "A few flakes of snow, and the Californian is cold," and then he kissed me and added, "I'd love to."

We delivered the pots of conifers. I stayed in the truck, and Tristan got back in laughing.

"It's freezing now. I guess we'll get more snow, a little early, but the winters were harsher this last couple of years. You do need some warm clothes Chloe. How is your grandmother coping especially since she has been ill?"

I told him I thought she was fine so far, and that mom would take good care of her, but it prompted me to ask him how well he'd known those family members all those years ago.

He was driving in traffic, and said, "Well," then stopped talking. We'd crossed the town, and were heading back to the next one, where we were going to the shops, and he continued, "Well I knew your great, great grandfather before he died, that's all, and when he died, I stayed around for a short time, just to make sure the family were okay, as he'd asked me to. It's a long story, we're not related, I'll tell you one day." He didn't want to go on, and so I said nothing.

In the next town we parked surprisingly easily on the high street, the place was already decked out with Christmas lights, and decorations, and I suddenly realized it was only about five weeks away. Tristan took my hand. We walked quickly up the street, and went into the nearby store that I had previously favored for summer clothes. There were lots of coats to choose from, and I finally went for a navy blue coat, that promised to be warm, and came to halfway down my calves. It was very expensive, but because it was a classic cut, it would last a few winters I thought as I decided to buy it. Tristan was insisting on me buying a couple of thick sweaters. He chose a dark royal blue one for me as I looked at a navy blue sweater, with a 'bobbly' pattern knitted into it. I was impressed. The sweater he chose was really cool. I ended up with sweaters, the coat, and some gloves.

We drifted down to the café, and had soup, then looked in the shoe store. I was secretly hoping to find the kind of boots I had seen Anna wear. I picked up several styles as Tristan was over the other side of the shop, but found nothing as substantial as the ones I was looking for. I turned as Tristan came along behind me with a pair of boots himself, and found myself looking at the very boots I wanted. He was grinning when I asked about them, as they were guys' boots, but around the corner of the shop, there was a display of them, including the lady's version. Naturally, I bought some. We left to drive home after that, and Tristan was humming happily. I told him it had been great to be with him, and he smiled.

"It was really nice to be with you too, Chloe."

I'd have liked to spend more time with him, but he wanted to look in on the horses, and check in at home. We kissed each other in the truck, and then I went into the house with my shopping.

Mom, granny, and Steven were in the kitchen, and wanted to see what I had bought, so I modeled the coat and boots for them. I took my shopping up to my room, and was going back down to the kitchen, to have a cup of tea with them, when my cell rang. It was Oliver, and he was calling from work. He was working until midnight now, because Jen had rung in sick, so would call me later in his break he said.

Chapter Twenty-eight

It was Friday, late afternoon, and I was there with mom, granny, and Steven, having tea in the big, warm kitchen. The snow started to fall, and within a short time there was a thick covering on the ground to be seen through the kitchen French windows. Steven had gone over to the windows, to report on how deep he thought it was, and had seen a robin on the balustrade out there. I went to look, and sure enough, the lovely little bird was out there in the snow. Mom crumbed up a slice of bread, and I quietly opened the doors to toss it out for the bird. I needn't have worried about him flying away. He was really tame and moved only slightly back as I threw the bread out for him. With the door closed, he came down, and ate, the snow was covering up the bread as it fell again, but he was unconcerned. I had to wonder how such a tiny little bird could withstand the icy air out there.

I decided to do some design work, and went up to my room as darkness fell.

It was about eight o'clock when I had supper, and Steven who was eating at that time too, told me the band had cancelled their rehearsal, the snow had created some havoc on the roads. So it was no surprise when Oliver called, and said the restaurant was almost empty, people were phoning in to say they could not make their bookings. Dad was letting almost all the staff go home in case the roads got worse, he was staying for the next hour to help dad, along with Peter, who lived within walking distance, but Oliver with his four-wheel drive would drop him home afterwards. Oliver wanted to come back then, and spend a little time with me. I was concerned that it would be hard for him to get home, but he said no the old Land Rover had seen him through more snow than this, and it was just the slippery surface for ordinary front wheel drives that was the issue. I smiled saying to come over in that case, I'd love to see him.

Steven grinned and made some little comments about Oliver and me still being an item. I grinned back at him, but otherwise ignored him, and put our dishes in the dishwasher.

I stood watching the snowflakes drifting in the garden lights, and Steven went to his room humming. I was thinking of checking the water feature, and then decided to wait until Oliver arrived. Today was a day something could have come through the portal at seven, but so far, no medieval noble had graced the hall, so I figured maybe the thing was safe. It occurred to me then how quickly Tristan had accepted that the spell had worked, it must be because he has been so affected by spells all his life, and doesn't question their power, I thought. I decided that after seeing for myself what spells can do, maybe I too should just accept that the repulse spell had worked.

It turned out to be about ten when Oliver showed up, and he had dad in the Land Rover with him. They came in the house laughing. I'd gone back downstairs to make tea. Mom and gran were in the middle drawing room where the TV was, and came out to see dad. I asked them if they wanted tea. Ultimately, Oliver and I took our drinks up to my room as they occupied the kitchen.

We'd put our cups on my desk, and Oliver hugged me. I told him that I wanted to check the water feature, and why, so we agreed that later we would quietly go down there. We put a DVD on my computer, and sat on my bed chatting about the snow. Oliver thought it might last a few days.

We talked about the party we were having in only seven days. Oliver told me he couldn't believe he was going to be twenty, but at the same time felt older after everything that had happened this year. We fell silent for a few minutes each of us thinking about these events. Oliver turned to me, nudged my face with his nose, and then kissed me.

I sighed. "Oliver, I can't believe I've met you, and that you love me."

He smiled, and kissed me more. "You have to, because here I am."

We did go quietly down the stairs, and check the water feature. Lily had left a spotlight in the chamber, and we turned it on, but there was nothing to be seen in the water. We didn't stay long down there, as it felt a little cold. I closed up the glass doors to the big fireplace, and the drawing room doors, and we went back up to my room.

Looking out of my window we saw that the snow had stopped falling, and the moon was out there trying to shine from behind a bank of cloud, it was getting late, and Oliver decided to go home. His mom may worry because of the snow he said, and I nodded asking him to call, or text to say he was safe at home.

When I'd watched him drive away, I locked up, and went to my room. It had been quite a full day, I was thinking as I went to bed. I expected to sleep, but I kept thinking about how mistaken I'd been, when I thought I had seen Oliver becoming attracted to Anna, and how Oliver had thought the same of Tristan. There was no sign of either observation being true at all, I thought. This was the second night I had drifted off to sleep with that on my mind, and that's probably why I dreamed I could hear Anna shouting, as both Oliver, and Tristan drifted away in a boat.

Chapter Twenty-nine

Saturday morning was a surprise, there had been more snow in the night, and although it didn't look that deep to me, the news was full of how it had caused all kinds of disruptions, one of which was flights. The north of the country seemed to have suffered most, and even in this area, some roads were too slippery to use. Some had not yet been gritted, and so were impassable. I had the news playing on my computer as I showered, and dressed. I went downstairs to find dad in the kitchen on his cell phone talking with Marcel. They seemed to be giving up the idea of opening the restaurant, and he smiled at me as he rang off.

"Hello Chloe, it seems half the county is impassable, enforced holiday then, yippee."

I grinned. "That's good though right dad? You work too hard, and this is something you have no control over."

He nodded, and flipped the switch on the electric kettle for tea. We stood together looking out of the big windows at the snow on the garden. I had lots to do. I could catch up on my final assessment assignment for college, and finish the last two designs for Joshua Glazer, so after having tea, and toast with dad I went back to my room. I had been working for a couple of hours, and got up to stretch my legs.

I walked over to the window and was surprised to see Tristan out there at the edge of the woods on Matin. That lovely majestic horse was picking his way confidently down along there, his breath making small white clouds occasionally. I watched for a couple of minutes, Tristan on one of his horses in the snow, it was an evocative sight. He was just walking Matin along casually. When they reached the edge of what would be grass under the snow, he turned the horse, and they walked back. I opened the window, leaned out a little, and waved at him. He didn't see me, and I moved back in, closing the window. It was strange that he'd not glanced at my window, but right at that moment he turned onto the path that came down to the house, and looked straight at me. I opened the window again, waving, and this time he waved back. He was soon close to the house. I was freezing by this time, and turned to my big cupboard. I found my new coat, and put it on to lean out of the window.

"Tristan, aren't you cold? What are you up to?" I called down to him.

He smiled up at me.

"I'm fine and just having a great time with Matin here. Aren't you cold, hanging out of the window like that? Oh I see you have your coat on now."

I laughed. "Hey come in for coffee, Tristan, since you are down here. Will Matin be okay for ten minutes?"

He nodded, and dismounted bringing Matin along the path by the house that would lead to the French windows in the kitchen. I ran down the stairs, and opened them. Dad had gone somewhere, but the electric kettle had just been boiled again. Tristan stepped through the windows, and closed them behind him. Matin, who looked enormous between the house and the balustrade that denoted the beginning of the garden, stood quietly looking in at us. Tristan kissed me, and naturally helped make coffee. I kissed him back twice as we went back to look through the windows at Matin. The patio out there is quite big, and Matin had moved a little towards the table and chairs out there. He snorted, and investigated the potted plant on the table that had about five centimeters of snow standing up on it like an ice-cream cone. The snow on the table was pitted with little holes where moisture must have dropped from nearby leaves, and some bird foot prints. I told Tristan about the robin, and he nodded saying he liked robins.

I slipped my arm around his waist as he stood with his coffee, and we talked about how the snow, so lovely to look at, had created travel chaos. He only stayed about twelve minutes. We were going to call each other mid-afternoon. He thought it would be lovely to see me that evening. The sky was white with snow again as I watched him walk Matin to the path, and then ride him slowly up to the woods. I thought how much I loved him as I watched them walk into the woods, and then I thought how much I loved Oliver too. I was not getting anywhere with that issue, and it almost seemed normal to me because they had both become so much a part of my life.

In my room, I finished the second design for the Glazers. It was something I really loved. The design featured twig lights, a huge bunch of them bent in interesting shapes. I hoped that Joshua could tell me how the lights themselves could look lit up in the glass. It would be so cool to have that gold dust look on them. Oliver called, and said he was staying home with his parents as they didn't spend that much time together usually, and his mom was cooking a meal. I told him to have a lovely time with them, and that I loved him. He must have been smiling, as that's how it sounded when he told me he loved me too, and would contact me the next day.

I was smiling at the thought of Oliver as I attached my designs to an email for Joshua Glazer, and then my assignment to another email for college. My room seemed suddenly much darker, and I got up to put lights on, it was only about three-thirty, but the sky, heavy with snow had brought twilight early. I heard my cell register a message, and checked it to find it was Tristan and he was asking if it was okay to come down to the place, and naturally, I said yes.

The truck was old, but it was a four-wheel drive, and he had no trouble on the short drive over, especially since that was the route most of the farmers took out to the other rural areas. I was looking out for him, and opened the front door as soon as he was parked in the drive. I took his hand, and kissed his cheek. He put his hand to my face, and kept me there so he could kiss me back. I knew Steven was in his own room, and so was gran, dad and mom were in her study talking. We went into the big kitchen.

Tristan was smiling, and playful. He hugged me close, telling me he loved snow, and me. I grinned at him saying didn't he love coffee as well.

"Yes I do, and now I'll make some. Did you get through all the work you wanted to do today? I did, and now I am free for the whole night. Maybe we can spend it together, what do you say? We could go and have dinner in the big house. McPherson has cooked, and there'll be heaps. We could use the little garden room off the morning room, and it would just be us, what do you think?"

I was amused by this. "You mean a conservatory? Will it be cold?"

He grinned, picking up the cup of coffee he'd made as we stood side by side near the work surface.

"No as the house is heated, and so is that room. The room has a big window, but it's called the garden room because it looks out on the side garden, and sometimes we have breakfast there."

"Oh, okay, it sounds lovely, thank you. Have you seen Jack since he got back?"

Tristan nodded, and put his cup down.

"I have, it's okay, he seems perfectly normal, no sign of madness at all." He grinned again, and turned to me putting his arms around my waist. I reciprocated, and we started to kiss each other. It was one of those times when I felt such a lot of love for Tristan I let myself drift away in his kisses. I guess he felt the same because we neither heard anyone enter the kitchen until they noisily moved a chair probably to alert us to their presence.

It was gran, and I smiled at her. I held Tristan's hand, for some reason I felt protective of him. I told her his name, called him my friend, for some reason, alleged he'd called in to check on the archaeology. I told her we were going out soon, had she come down for a cup of tea I asked. I realized I was gabbling, but the look on her face as she stared at Tristan was one of recognition.

"Don't I know you, you seem so familiar?" she finally said.

Tristan, who had impeccable manners, said he didn't think so maybe he just had one of those faces.

I knew she was remembering the photograph as a look came on her face, and she didn't say anything. She crossed to the kettle, and started to make tea.

I excused us, and actually took Tristan down to the big drawing room. I opened the door down there, and we went in.

"Tristan, she knows it's you from the photo. I want to pop back up there, and try to do damage control. Is it warm enough in here for you just to wait for ten minutes, or would you like to go into the library?"

He sighed. "I'm okay here, but make sure she just thinks I am a look alike, please." His voice was sad, and he held my hand for a moment.

I walked up the hall to the kitchen. Gran was in there just finishing making a cup of tea.

"Granny, can I help at all, Tristan is down in the big drawing room..." I tailed off as she gave me a look that meant she was about to say something.

"Chloe, if that isn't the same young man from the photo you were interested in, only yesterday, then it's his twin. I don't know how it would be possible, but there was a bit of a mystery grew up around that man. In the family he was known as someone who never seemed to change. My grandmother was helped such a lot by him, he'd actually saved my grandfather from drowning, but unfortunately when my mother was only just born, my grandfather died. He had a bad flu, and they thought his lungs were damaged from near drowning that's why they collapsed. Well this young man then looked after her for a few years, even when he'd gone off to war he had money sent to her. Then after seeing her one last time, when he was on leave, he disappeared. The fact is she never believed as others did, that he'd died in the war. You know my mother wouldn't have existed if he'd not saved my grandfather that time. I don't know how it could be him, but somehow, as fanciful as it sounds I'd be willing to believe it was him."

I felt myself pale, and took her hand.

"Gran, it can't be him. It's just that he looks similar, the bone structure, and so on. We've just seen the photo, and it's fresh in our memory that's all. Will I get mom up here from her study?" I asked her.

She shook her head saying, "No Chloe, I am fine. I'll drink my tea here in the peace, and quiet, you go back to your friend. I feel a bit silly now saying what I did. He's very attractive, it seemed like you are more than friends when I came down here." She smiled, and I smiled back. I didn't want to say anything else because she seemed to have suddenly accepted Tristan could not after all be the man in the photograph. I nodded at her, and went back to Tristan.

He was nowhere to be seen when I got into the big drawing room, and the glass door to the big fireplace was open, so I assumed he'd gone down to look at the chamber for some reason. I went down there myself. Tristan came out of the chamber as I was walking along the corridor tunnel, and called, "Chloe, I don't know why I came down here, but Lily left us the spotlight, and I switched it on. Look what was in the water." He held up what looked from where I was, to be a necklace. He got to me sooner than I got to him, and in the dim glow from the rope light along the flagstones, I could see it was a pearl necklace, and there seemed to be a few precious stones along it here and there. Tristan gave it to me, and I looked closely at it, it was quite lovely.

"Tristan, where could it have come from? The portal would be a 'go to the past' opening today so it can't be that the spell hasn't worked and it traveled from the past."

"I know, isn't it odd, and it's in such good condition? I was thinking maybe the things are being washed down from somewhere."

We'd got back up to the big drawing room, and he closed the glass door on the fireplace. I saw him glance at the wall painting of Eleanor as he turned to me.

"Just speculation, but maybe the things are hidden somewhere in the wall above the drinking bowl area, and the casing, or whatever they are in, is breaking down. Then something drops down, and we find it in the water as that little waterfall thing brings it down there. What do you think?" He looked so earnest in his explanation I smiled at him, and stepped towards him holding out the necklace.

"That could easily be it, Tristan, it's in the wall, or maybe the carved area I agree. This is lovely, hey do you think it's more stuff that your father left for Eleanor? I mean you know he was leaving stuff everywhere, letters etc..." This had suddenly occurred to me. "After all, she would have been able to access that chamber easily, more easily than the funny little stone box set into the wall of the tunnel."

Tristan had lifted the necklace over my head. It felt cold as it touched my neck, and I shivered slightly. He kissed me where it had touched, and I caught my breath, turning my head slightly to kiss him. We kissed each other, and he sighed.

"I so love you Chloe."

Then he seemed to remember my grandmother, and asked what had happened with her. I took the necklace off, and gave it to him telling him what she'd said, and how she'd ended the conversation. He watched me intently, gauging how I was feeling about this new information she'd given me. I didn't comment, but I was thinking he was somehow connected with me in a deeper sense than I had known. I simply reported what she'd said, and fell quiet for a few moments.

"You know it was just one of those things that I saved your great, great grandfather. I mean, he still to my sadness died, and left his new wife and child."

I looked into his eyes, and nodded. "Tristan, I've always felt we have a special connection. Maybe this is it. Let's not dwell on it. After all we are together now, I'm the same as you, and I love you." I didn't want to make it any stranger than it was.

He looked relieved, and put the necklace in his pocket. He took my hand, and kissed the back of it.

"Oh yes about my father, you could be right. Maybe this is his personal stash, or it could be a second lot for Eleanor to make sure she got something. He was full of tricks as we've discovered, and she could have got into the chamber easily."

I nodded as we left the big drawing room, and I took him up to my room to avoid any more meetings with anyone.

We decided to go over to the Dearing house in about an hour, and Tristan put the necklace in his box that was still hidden in the big cupboard in my room. I watched him as he stood up, and moved his hair from his forehead, it was too short to have fallen into his eyes, but he still had that mannerism. I went towards him, and hugged him close. He was so very dear to me I couldn't imagine my life without him. He kissed me, and we somehow drifted to my bed, we cuddled up there, holding each other close, kissing each other. It was the loveliest feeling. I knew we were close to taking things a bit further than before. I had my hands up under his sweater at the back, and his skin was warm, dry, and smooth. He kissed down my neck, and along my shoulder, moving my shirt away. I wanted more. I wanted to feel him against me. It was like a craving, this strange need to feel more of his skin, kiss more of his skin, and pull him against me.

He opened his eyes at the same time as I did. We looked at each other, and kissed each other again. "One day Chloe, I think we'll need to talk about what will happen if, well if we make love to each other, because right now that's the only thing I can think of. I want to desperately." He laughed, and it must have been at himself as he shook his head very slightly.

I kissed him. I was serious, and I wanted to make love to him then more than I could say. "What will we say to each other?" I asked him, and I knew I had asked so that we talked about it, as he'd said, right then. I kissed him in between phrases, and Tristan kissed me back so lovingly it was delicious.

"Chloe, predominantly we'll talk about Oliver." He was whispering, and moved away from my lips as he said this, looking at me for my next comment. Dear Tristan, I couldn't blame him, he wanted to know if it would mean I had made a choice. I sighed, I didn't want to comment, I didn't want to think of Oliver when I had my hands on Tristan's skin, his lips close. I suddenly felt really selfish, and sad. I pulled his sweater down, and moved a little away from him so that our faces were not so near, and I wasn't tempted to just close the distance, and kiss him repeatedly.

He smiled a little sadly. "It's okay, I shouldn't have mentioned him. I feel as if I have to though, you know, because what would it do to him when he found out."

I didn't want to voice the words that came to mind. I thought maybe I just wouldn't let him find out, and that was in horrible in some way, and I closed my eyes against the thought.

Tristan shuffled up the bed, and sat up. I sat up with him, and put my head against his shoulder.

"Sorry Chloe, I can't think why I have to let myself worry about some other guy. I should just love you, and leave him out of the equation completely." I nodded against him, and he put his hand over my head then traced his fingers along past my ear, and down my neck. It sent a shiver through me. I moved, kissed him, and didn't stop. I felt the tip of his tongue against my lips, gently. It seemed the most natural thing to open my lips slightly, and touch it with my own tongue, just a little, just gently, and then I kissed him along his cheek, and down his neck. He opened my shirt, and traced along my side to my back running his hands along my back. I decided then it was going to happen I desperately wanted him just as he'd said he felt.

Then he stopped, and whispered.

"Your whole family is home, Chloe. Any minute now, Steven might come to ask if you are having dinner at home, or anything, your dad, checking to see if we've actually gone out as we told your grandmother. I love you, but maybe we need to stop, and consider that."

I smiled at this. I got up, and so did he. I went around to him as he stood there looking forlorn on the opposite side of the bed. Hugging him, I told him I loved him, and he was just the best, at which he grinned. I went into my bathroom, washed my face, and brushed my hair. I put on a sweater over my shirt put my boots on, and my new coat. Tristan watched me, and I watched him. I collected my usual array of belongings, phone, keys, lip-gloss, and we went downstairs to go to the Dearing house.

I called into mom's study, and told her where I was off to, assuring her that we were safe even in the snow. Outside the air calmed me down. It was crisp, and refreshing. Tristan held the truck door open for me. We drove quite slowly because the road was still not totally gritted all the way to the Dearing house, and Tristan hummed all the way.

It was obvious Tristan had planned that we would eat together in the garden room, the little round table there was set, and the place was warm, and lit by lots of colored fairy lights. You could see the first couple of meters of the garden as it was lit by lots of garden lights. The snow sparkled out there, and it added to the magical quality of the garden room. I turned to Tristan.

"Tristan, this is lovely, it's magical, so pretty, thank you." He was obviously happy that it pleased me. I put my arms around him, hugged him, and then kissed him. He left his face close to mine, and whispered that he loved me. I told him I loved him too.

We did actually eat dinner that night although there was a lot of kissing too. We seemed to be turning a corner together. I hadn't thought I could feel more for Tristan, but I felt somehow that I did. I told him so, and he was so happy.

I thought we might go up to his room, but around midnight he drove me home, and I had to say goodnight to him. I told him I didn't want to let him go that night, and he smiled saying he felt the same, but there was always tomorrow.

Chapter Thirty

In the next couple of days, I finalized the arrangements for the party Oliver and I were having at Kool Kafé, and saw Oliver for an afternoon. He was quite busy with work, but it was great to see him. He was as usual upbeat, and fun. I loved him too, there was no change in that, and we planned to see each other the night before the party for dinner.

I finally decided on a present for him, and dashed into town to buy it, the latest Smartphone, and boy was it smart. I loved it myself, and thought this was a good sign. Oliver was sure to love it. It had a space related name to denote how great it was. I popped the box in a gift bag, attached a tiny card with a ribbon wishing him happy birthday, and told him I loved him.

That same afternoon I got a text from Tristan, 'call me as soon as you can please.' I called as soon as I had parked in the driveway.

"What is it Tristan can you talk now?" I asked him as he picked up his cell.

"Chloe, it's Rene, I just ran into him and Lily in the village, but to my relief he's totally over revenge. He shook my hand, and said he knew what Aristide had done, and he couldn't begin to imagine how I had escaped that fate, but well done, and it was water under the bridge."

I was shocked, and had gasped in fear for Tristan when he'd mentioned Rene.

"Tristan, are you sure everything is okay with him, he's not lulling you into a false sense of security or anything?" I asked.

Tristan laughed down the phone.

"No, it's okay we had coffee together, and Lily was telling him what good friends to her you, Oliver, and I had been. It's a good thing we met Chloe, because she's coming to your party, and will bring Rene now. They're a serious item it seems. He's staying at the big house near the 'White Wood'. They will go home to France at the end of next week, and she intends to be there with Rene maybe indefinitely. You know we would have met at the party if not now. I had no idea he would be coming with Lily did you?" Tristan asked me.

I told him I didn't know either, and that the relationship between Lily and Rene was a whirlwind romance. We both laughed a little at the phrase, but then Tristan said he'd changed his mind about love at first sight.

"Maybe that's what happened to them, at any rate he's lifted the spell that was on Lily, she's sure of it. She has her life back now. She gets to live her life now. That's excellent isn't it?"

I agreed with him, and because he was so happy for Lily, and Rene, it made me wish I was with him. I asked if I could drive over to see him, where was he, and because he was out in town at a florist, he said he would call in as he passed maybe in half an hour.

The snow had melted, and the roads were clear. There was ankle high brown slush in some places, piled up on road verges, and in some shop car parks. Dad was back working all hours, and the restaurant was booked solid. The Christmas season had started, and we all knew that meant long hours for him.

I had noticed the town was busier. People had started to shop in earnest, and the stores were decorated with Christmas trees and glitter even though there was a month to go. It was very atmospheric. The snow that remained around the lawns of the restaurant was still white, and sparkled in all the lights that were on day and night now.

Granny was staying now until after Christmas, and we'd opened the other sitting room alongside the library, mom had bought a long couch, and a couple of armchairs, She got coffee tables, and a massive plant in there too. Then to my surprise a big flat panel TV arrived. The room was cozy too with the heat on, and the windows got the afternoon sun when there was some. She and granny arranged the middle drawing room so that it was more like a dining room, and left a corner area big enough for a Christmas tree.

I was in this 'new style' sitting room trying out the new chairs when the doorbell rang and it was Tristan. We went into the kitchen. Mom and granny were out shopping because Steven and the band had been around a couple of times, and nearly cleared out the fridge, and larder, she had said laughing.

I hugged Tristan close, and then held his face, and kissed him. I traced his cheekbones, and along his nose with kisses, and he took hold of my face, and kissed my lips making a little sound of pleasure. I felt as if I had melted just about every time I touched Tristan these days, and this time was no different.

We made coffee, and he told me again about meeting Rene, saying what a relief it actually was not to have to think about hiding out. When he had his coffee in front of him on the kitchen table, I took his hand, and looked seriously at him.

"Tristan, do you think Aristide will be as laid back about your escape from his spell as Rene? I hope so. He will not come after you again will he? I couldn't stand to have anything happen to you. It would kill me."

Tristan looked at my serious face, and kissed me.

"I think if Rene can be okay with it then Aristide will too, so don't worry, Chloe. I'll come to you at the first sign of trouble if there is any this time. We'll go somewhere, and hide because I can't stand the thought of being away from you either. That would kill me." He smiled slightly as he said this, and I got the idea it was a sort of joke, but not. We kissed each other again. I opened his shirt, and found another one, which I opened laughing, and then I kissed him all along his shoulder blades and down his chest until he stopped me with a sigh.

"Chloe, you can't imagine what that is doing to me. I need to leave in about ten minutes or right now I'd suggest we went up to your room."

I grinned at him. "Sorry Tristan I feel as if I can't keep my hands off you at the moment, it's not fair I know." I was buttoning his shirts again, and as if to emphasize the point that he was unavailable, he took his jacket from the back of the chair where he'd tossed it, and put it back on.

I smiled at this. "Where do you have to go Tristan?" I asked him.

"To deliver yet another load of conifers, this time snow tipped. Jo has been dipping them in glitter all afternoon," and he grinned at this. He finished his coffee between kisses, and arranging to meet Oliver and me at the Kool Kafé for the party the next night. I asked him if I could at least see him for a few minutes the next day, and we ended up deciding to meet for lunch. I watched him drive away, and then went inside because I was seeing Oliver for an hour before he started work at the restaurant, and I needed to change.

Oliver was early, and I dashed downstairs to let him in with semi-wet hair. It had grown to midway down my back. Mom was back, and I had just got her to trim it straight for me after washing it, and had not had time to dry it. That wouldn't matter since it was straight, and would just hang down past my shoulders anyway. Oliver kissed me hello at the door. He was dressed for work, and looked lovely. I loved him as much as Tristan, but just recently we'd not spent as much time together as before. He held me close, and told me he was missing me, as we seemed to have hardly seen each other for more than a week. I told him that was exactly my own thoughts, and I missed him too.

We ate some pasta that mom had made for us, and I told him about Tristan meeting Rene. He paused with a fork of food halfway to his mouth as I finished the story, and then grinned. "Bloody hell, I thought for a minute we were all in trouble again," he said, then put the food in his mouth. He was so endearing when he said this that I had to kiss his cheek even though he was chewing. We grinned at each other, and started arranging what time Oliver would come to my place tomorrow night, we thought we should, as hosts of the party get there a little earlier than the guests, and so he was coming over about seven. Dad had to have more than half agency staff at the restaurant the next night because of our party, but that was okay he'd said. I wanted to go up to the restaurant with Oliver just to be with him a little longer because we were laughing, and it was fun to be with him. I got my coat for the short walk home, because he needed to drive up there. I checked my hair was dry, and put a scarf around my neck, which anchored my hair at the bottom under my coat, and we set off. He parked the Land Rover under one of the big spotlights in the car park, and we held hands until he went into work. I kissed him, and hugged him tight.

He hugged me back kissing me again, and said, "Go straight home, and text me you are safe. I know it's the tiniest walk, but I want to know you are safe."

I smiled, and told him I would.

The walk home was quite fun. The lights all over the bushes, and trees, the fresh cold air, and moon in the sky were all so pretty. It took maybe four minutes, and as I closed the front door behind me, I took out my phone, and texted Oliver that I was home safe, and loved him. He must have been waiting for the text as I got one back right away saying 'good to know, and I love you too.'

Chapter Thirty-one

The next day I helped mom for a little while in the morning, and then went up to meet Tristan at the restaurant, where we were meeting for lunch. He arrived at almost the same time as I did, and caught up with me as I walked across the car park. He caught hold of me around the waist, and hugged me sideways to himself then leaned over, and kissed me. I turned to him, and pressed up against him, kissing him back.

"Hello gorgeous," he said, and I replied that he'd taken the words right out of my mouth. We went into the restaurant, and sat right at the end where we could see the lake. The restaurant was doing bistro type lunches now the tourist season was over, and we got steak sandwiches with extra salad in them.

Tristan was telling me about how he hoped Oliver would like the present he'd got him, well it was from Liz too, since Corbett, and Laura had teamed up to give their gift. He said it was a surprise so he would not tell me either, and then he said he wanted to give me my birthday gift alone. Oliver's birthday was actually today, but mine was next week, and I reminded Tristan of this fact. He smiled. "Yes, but it's a joint celebration so you get the gift early, maybe you will get another on your actual birthday too, you never know," he said happily.

He took a flat box from the inside pocket of his jacket which he'd hung over the back of the chair, and handed it to me, leaning forward to kiss me. I looked at it, then at him, and then kissed him again. I edged closer to him, and picked up the box opening it gingerly because what would I find? It was a bracelet, a circle of pale gold, and what must be diamonds, they sure sparkled enough to be real. I gasped. It was lovely, and would fit around my wrist with a little room to spare, but not fall down my hand. The clasp had a little chain on it, and set in the clasp, was a lovely blue stone, pale, and shimmering, it had to be one of those incredibly rare stones his father had left. I looked at him, and held my hand out to have him put it on, which he did, then I kissed him, and said it was truly lovely, and I loved it. He smiled, clearly pleased that I liked it, and said since he couldn't give me an engagement ring he hoped this was a good substitute until such time as he could. I knew he meant such time as I had made my choice between him, and Oliver, and it saddened me for a moment, and then he saw this, put his hand by the side of my face, and kissed me.

"I love you Chloe, it doesn't matter how long it takes," I knew he meant for me to make a choice, and I still felt sad.

We only had a short time for lunch, and I left my bracelet on. In fact, I had decided I'd always wear it except for when I was in the shower. I smiled at this thought, and Tristan asked me why so I told him, and he kissed me. I thought we couldn't get any closer.

I was wearing a dress for the party, mom had been shopping with me when I got it, and had wanted me to get one that was a 'little showier'. Her words, but I liked this one. It was dark royal blue, and had long sleeves, and a scoop neck. The skirt was straight like a shift, but was quite short, and I was wearing my boots with it. Mom was dismayed, "Chloe, wear shoes, and stockings," she said, and I laughed.

"No way Mom, the dress is enough." I had my bracelet from Tristan in my hand as I needed her help to put it on.

"Chloe, this must have cost a lot of money, it's really lovely," she said admiring it as she helped me fasten the clasp. I had some makeup on, and my eyes were especially made up for a change. I hoped the mascara would not end up all over my cheekbones. I was just terrible at keeping makeup looking good. I had my usual stuff in my coat pockets as I hate handbags, and just brushed my hair down my back, this would have to do. I couldn't compete with the lovely Clare, and the delicate Liz, and didn't want to for that matter, but I thought I looked okay really. Granny said I looked very chic even in the boots, and I smiled at her support, as mom gave her a look that meant she should have sided with the shoes and stockings idea.

Oliver arrived right on time, and at the door, he stood there looking at me for a few seconds, and then said, "Chloe, you look really lovely, beautiful, and sexy."

I smiled at him, and took his hand to go out to the car, he stopped halfway to it, and held me gently by the shoulders, and kissed me.

"I feel more like spending the night alone with you than going to a party," he whispered. We were going in my Wrangler, and that's where Oliver's present was. I had already called him, and said happy birthday that morning, and now I opened my passenger door, and took the gift bag that was on the seat giving it to him, and saying happy birthday again to him. He took the gift kissing me, and we got into the car so as not to get cold. I started the engine, and the heater, and he opened his gift. He loved it, and was instantly swapping his SIM over, and playing with it. I drove us to the café, and grinned occasionally at his delight in the present I had given him. I found a park about five car lengths away from the Kool Kafé on the opposite side of the road. Oliver turned to me as I shut off the engine, and leaned over to kiss me.

"Chloe, I have a gift for you tonight, but I can't give it yet," he whispered as I kissed him back.

"How mysterious," I smiled, and we got out of the car, and held hands running across the road in between the traffic.

We got inside to find Clare and her mom were already there helping Samantha, the other Lily, and a boy who I had seen work in the café once before. Everything was ready, and the band was setting up on the stage. Will bounced down from the stage to see us, saying happy birthday to Oliver, and same in advance to me. I grinned down at Steven who was with John just tuning up their musical instruments on stage. They would not come on until eight-thirty, and then would do a few songs, and come back on towards the end of the evening. It was Will's present to Oliver. We were all talking at once. James came along right at that moment. He said hello just as Laura, and Corbett arrived. I had thought Oliver, and I had arrived early, but it seemed not early enough. There were lots of people I didn't know, and they were part of Oliver's family, and old school friends. He was standing talking with a group of them when Lily, Rene, and Anna arrived.

I greeted them saying how nice it was to see them, and they told me about how they were going over to France for Christmas. Lily was so excited, and Rene clearly devoted to her, stood there holding her hand, and smiling first at her, and then at me. Anna asked if Tristan had arrived yet, and I said not as far as I knew, to which she stalked off leaving Rene, and Lily with me. They told me they intended leaving this Sunday, and would call around to say goodbye. Lily left Rene with me, and went off to get them coffee. I took the opportunity to mention that Tristan had said he and Rene had met. Rene immediately told me that he was happy things had turned out the way they did that he felt relieved all was well between Tristan, and himself. I didn't want to dwell on it so I turned the conversation to Lily and him leaving. I said that I guessed Anna would want to stay with her mother for Christmas, and maybe might visit them later. It was just a throw away comment really, on my part, just making conversation until Lily came back, but Rene looked puzzled, and frowned.

"Sorry Chloe, I haven't met Anna's mother at all."

It was my turn to be puzzled, and I added, "But they all live in the big house together near 'White Wood'...well I thought so."

Rene was shaking his head. "No Chloe, I'm sorry you must be mistaken. Only Anna and Lily live there, in fact Anna said her mother died some years ago when I was telling them about the sad loss of my own parents."

I covered my tracks as I saw Lily approaching, and said yes of course I had forgotten, my mistake, and he in his courteous way dismissed the whole conversation turning to help Lily with the two cups of coffee she'd brought.

I made my excuses as they sat at the table with their coffee, and I went down to Laura to ask if she knew what had happened to Tristan, it felt as if he was late now. I had only just asked her when he turned up with Liz and a big parcel for Oliver. It was a longbow, and Oliver was delighted with it. Laura and Corbett gave him an envelope, and inside was a voucher for lessons at the archery club. Oliver was very happy with this, and saying so as the band started to play. People began to listen to Will's lovely singing, and move closer to the little raised area of stage. Oliver, Corbett, and Tristan were talking in a huddle to one side, and I said hello to Liz who looked very lovely in a pink dress, which sparkled here, and there. She had on heels, and looked tall as well as sophisticated. We talked about dresses for a moment as she admired mine, and I hers, and then she was wanting to edge closer to Will so I left her, and walked to the back for a drink of water. I was thinking about what Rene had said, how strange that Lily and Anna would lie to Oliver, Tristan, and me about Anna's mother living in the house with them. It was a mystery.

I took a chilled bottle of water. I was unscrewing the cap, when Oliver came up behind me, and kissed my cheek.

"Hello Chloe, look Tristan and Anna are dancing so I wonder if that means I could safely dance with you."

I turned to see Anna and Tristan dancing. They were close together too. The song was a melody and was slow enough for them to dance with their arms around each other. I smiled at Oliver. "I think we could definitely do the same Oliver." He took my hand, and we went along to the dance floor. It was so nice to have his arms around me. We danced slowly and close together. Oliver whispered in my ear that this was the best thing so far about the party.

I grinned at him. "Surely not as good as the long bow Oliver?" and he grinned back.

"Better actually."

We stayed on the floor for a further song, and then moved away to the side watching others, and holding hands. It seemed to me that Tristan and Anna who were still holding each other close, and moving quite slowly, were also having some kind of meaningful conversation. Oliver noticed too, and put his arm around me asking if I'd like to go up to a table at the back of the room and have coffee with him. I nodded because I didn't want to be just staring at Anna and Tristan.

When we'd found a seat close to the back of the room and Oliver had some coffee in front of him, he leaned over to me, and actually kissed me again, quickly, and softly.

"This is lovely. I didn't expect to have you all to myself so soon" he said, and took my hand.

I smiled at him. "It is lovely Oliver. It's always lovely being with you." I wanted him to realize that I meant it, and put my hand over his as he held my hand. We sat there quietly together for about five minutes before people started seeking him out. Ben came along, and started talking about the archery club. I left them at the table, and walked down the room.

I was surprised that even though Tristan and Anna had left the dance floor they were still standing close together, and seemed to be talking seriously. I decided to approach, and check out their reactions to my arrival. Tristan smiled at me, and I thought I saw relief on his face when I was there in front of them saying hello, and how was Anna, and that I had not had the chance to talk to her when she arrived. This was true, but just a line from me at that moment. Tristan gave me a look, which almost amounted to a plea, and said he really would like coffee could he get us anything. He made his escape, and left me with Anna.

I didn't really mind I wanted to read her intentions, and as she watched Tristan move up the room, I listened to her thoughts. She was thinking how little he'd changed. I stopped listening almost as soon as I had begun because that was weird, what did it mean, how little he'd changed. Just to try to continue to try to read her I asked her about Lily and Rene going to France for Christmas. Would she be lonely, and then as if remembering said, "Oh, but you would want to stay with your mother anyway wouldn't you?" She didn't miss a beat, and agreed with this statement, which just mystified me. What was going on?

Will's band was going to have a break. Anna, who had said she and her band would play something tonight, went off with a young man and woman. They took up guitars, and all three of them played and sang quite a pretty song. Just the one, and then the CD music was restored. I watched her on stage. She was happy up there, singing.

When she was on stage, Tristan came and stood next to me.

"Thanks Chloe, I thought I was never going to get away from her. Suddenly she seemed hell bent on flirting with me. I was so glad to see you."

I turned to him, and frowned slightly.

"You guys looked pretty wrapped up in each other on the dance floor, Tristan." I don't know why I said that, it seemed jealous, and ungracious, but it just came out of my mouth.

Tristan actually smiled, he said, "Oh you noticed that, thank you," and I realized it had somehow pleased him that I had felt a little stung by their dancing so close.

I sighed, and smiled too. "Sorry Tristan it's just that she seemed to have her hands all over you. I've no right to stop you dancing with anyone, sorry."

He smiled again a big grin. "Chloe, it means you love me. That's how it feels to see the one you love with someone else's hands all over them. Don't be sorry. I feel quite relieved you said something instead of being silent like you were with the Emma situation."

I suddenly realized he was teasing me a little, and I took his hand, and pulled him a little closer risking kissing his cheek there in the semi darkness. Liz and Will came along, and started talking with us so fortunately the topic of conversation was totally dropped. I saw Anna a couple of tables away over Liz's shoulder, and it seemed she was staring at us, and probably at Tristan more than anyone. So far, it seemed to me, that neither Oliver, whom I had suspected liked her, nor Tristan, who it seemed she liked, was being anything other than polite and kind to her. Maybe I was wrong about it all.

It was about ten thirty, and Will's band was going back on stage. Oliver found me again, and he stood very close to me.

"Chloe, Will is about to give you the present I got you. I guess it may not glitter the way that the bracelet does that Tristan gave you, but I put my heart into it."

I looked at him puzzled, and smiled. Will started a few chords, and then turned to the microphone.

"Well folks here's a song for Chloe." People turned, and started to listen. I think maybe the impression was that because it was my birthday party too, he was going to sing the happy birthday song, but he launched into these lovely haunting opening bars of a song. A couple of people already swaying on the floor together moved closer to each other.

Oliver took my hand, stood very close to me, and the song continued. Will was looking at Oliver and me and then he turned a dazzling smile on Liz, who turned around, and looked at us grinning. The song echoed a little, the words simple, but the tune so lovely I listened, and watched Laura and Corbett on the dance floor. They dance so close usually, but to this tune they were glued together, it was almost indecent, and yet they made me smile.

Will sang.

"I wanted you to know that it won't be me who lets you go.

I'll be the one to stay, I'll never walk away, and I'll never let you go

I'll never let you go, no matter what you do it will always be you in my heart

I'll fight to get you back if you turn away, I'll fight, and not let go, and I can't begin to tell you how much you mean to me

It's not easy to use ordinary words, just know I'll never let you go, and if you leave, and we part you will still be in my heart

There's no way I'll let you go. I'll never let you go. I'll do anything you ask, except leave you

And if you decide one day that you need to walk away, then my heart will rip in two, and one half will go with you, because some part of me must stay with you, you know I'll never leave you.

I love you dearly, my heart belongs to you clearly"

The little chorus echoed under the instrumental break in the song,

"Lose you, lost in you, love you, lose you, lose myself, lost without you"

It was sad and happy at the same time. I was impressed with the melody, and thought the words were so sweet. Oliver had been silent, and then he whispered in my ear.

"Is it too much? I wrote it with Will for you Chloe, it's how I feel."

I turned my head to be face to face with him.

"You wrote it with Will? It's lovely, lovely," I kissed him quickly, and he smiled, and sighed.

"I wrote the words, Will the melody, and Steven too helped. He composed the little tune for the chorus to go with the echo words. I hoped you would like it, and not think it too much."

I had hold of one of his hands, and slipped my other arm around him.

"Oliver, it's the loveliest thing, thank you so much."

The song had finished, and Will launched into a cover of a much faster tune that got a few other people moving. I wanted to kiss Oliver more, but couldn't do that in such a public place so I got as close as I could, and told him I loved him. He smiled, looking into my eyes, and I thought, 'he means those words of the song. I was foolish to think he felt attracted to Anna.' Just then as if conjured up by my thoughts she appeared by our side.

"Oliver, dance with me. Lily and Rene are joined at the hip, will you?"

He glanced at me, and I gave the slightest nod as if to say it's okay, be polite if you want to. Oliver didn't say yes to her right away, he asked her how she was doing, told her he'd liked the song she and her band members had played, and then he said he would dance with her. I liked that approach. It was as if he'd established how they would be, but as they danced, it didn't stop her from flirting with him. I realized then that what I had seen before, was just Oliver politely, but almost stoically, reciprocating her flirting.

Tristan came along with James, and they talked for a few minutes about the archaeology in the house. James agreed with Tristan that it could wait until after Christmas, and maybe even spring, to be dealt with, because of the already existing glassing in, and protection of the wall painting in the big fireplace. He noticed the bracelet on my wrist, and said wow that's a sparkler. I just smiled. I didn't want to comment especially in light of the beautiful song Oliver had given me. James went off to find Clare, and Tristan moved a little closer to me.

"Chloe, the song Will sang for you was it requested by someone?"

I couldn't very well lie, and so I said Oliver, and left out that he'd written it for me.

Tristan nodded. "Thought so, the sentiments were very apt."

I nodded because they were not only apt, but also specially written. I couldn't say more. I wanted to talk to Oliver before I said anything more.

Tristan grinned, and said, "A lovely love song for a lovely girl, no wonder he asked for it, for you." I was wishing we could change the subject of the conversation when who should be back, but Anna.

She was either, on a mission, or obsessed because she took Tristan by the arm, and informed us, "I'll be monopolizing the lovely Tristan for a while, if that's okay with you Chloe?" I don't know why she asked, she clearly was unconcerned if I cared or not, and Tristan who was trying to move his arm, but without yanking it away from her looked pained.

I thought leave it, and said, "I'm off to talk with Liz so I'll catch up with you all later." I turned, and walked to the back of the room where I could seethe quietly for a few minutes because I felt Anna was provoking something, and I didn't know what or why.

I got a cup of tea from Samantha, who clearly thought it weird I didn't drink cola or caffeine drinks like some of the other young people, especially at a party. We exchanged a few words about the Christmas rush, and busy times for her mom's café, and my dad's restaurant, and then I went to a table near the back. A group of people that I didn't know had just vacated it, and there was no one around. I could hear the band, and I was hidden by the dim light from anyone's weirdness. I opened my mind up. I wanted to know what Anna was thinking as she clung onto Tristan at the edge of the dance floor. He seemed pale even from this distance, in the white glow of the fairy lights where they were standing.

I listened to her. She was thinking how gorgeous he was, his hair, his eyes, what it would be like to kiss him again. I have to say I got stuck a little on that 'again' part, and stopped listening to her thoughts for a few seconds, and then I tuned in to hear her wish he still loved her, should she tell him. It was too much for me, and I stopped listening. I was about to move when Oliver who must have come along from the back of the room sat down next to me.

"What are you doing up here on your own?" He said in my ear, and I turned my face to him. We were so close I closed my eyes, and kissed him. He kissed me back, and took my hand between his.

"Oliver, I've had the oddest encounters with Anna, and I'm trying not to be suspicious of her, but I can't help feeling she's up to something. I don't know what or why though."

He frowned a little, and nodded.

"I'm sure she isn't what she seems, but I don't know why I think that. When I've talked with her, she seems to be acting some kind of part, and I tried to get her to open up, but she's very guarded. I can't shake the feeling that maybe there is more to her and Tristan than meets the eye. When they were dancing it looked like a mutual cuddle to me." Then he seemed to regret saying that, and smiled wanly. "Sorry Chloe, it sounds as if I'm trying to set you against Tristan, I don't mean it like that."

I nodded. "No Oliver. It's okay, right from when she arrived she has been well...let's say 'after' Tristan. I think I'll ignore it, maybe she feels left out because Lily has Rene, and most people here are in couples."

Oliver smiled. "Or groups of one kind or another."

I grinned at that. "Oliver, dance with me to this slow tune, I want to hold you close, and that's the only way I'll get to." He was happy with this, and we did dance close as the song was followed by another which Laura and Corbett had requested. Oliver was laughing in a kindly way, saying they were unaware how indecent their dancing was, and I agreed, but at the same time, I told him, I admired them. It was getting late, and for some reason I felt tired of the place, and the strangeness that had come along tonight with Anna.

I knew we had to be there until the end, and I sighed to Oliver saying, "I wish I was home in my room cuddled up on my bed with you the way we do, so that we could talk, and kiss each other."

We went back to the table at the back of the room. Some people were beginning to leave, and said goodbye to Oliver, smiling at me too as they knew who I was. Oliver, and I sat with our heads close, and I told him what Rene had said about Anna's mother not existing, Oliver widened his eyes.

"Wow, that's a pretty big lie to have told us especially in light of how we had to wheedle the truth from Lily in order to really help her. If we did in the end that is, since it was Rene who really lifted the spell by falling in love with her. You know Chloe I have a little twinge of a problem with that, it's so Cinderella, I mean what a shame it had to be a man who saved her." Oliver was so sincere when he said this, but I laughed aloud at it. Not that he didn't have a point, and I quickly told him he did, but said it was part of her spell. It had to be a man who loved her since she'd tried to steal the one from the witch.

He smiled, and kissed me. "Yes I know."

We grinned at each other, and looked around as Clare, and James came to say good night. It was not long before half the guests had gone, and Samantha came out to clear away a little, we very nearly helped, but didn't as Ben and his girlfriend came along to talk for a few minutes before they left. I was looking around to check who was still there, and noticed Tristan and Anna were sitting at a table close to the front of the room deep in conversation. I saw Lily and Rene approach them, and the four came along to Oliver, and me.

Tristan informed us he was giving Liz, Laura, and Corbett a lift home, and at the same time Lily, and Anna were leaving with Rene. I looked closely at Tristan's pale face, he seemed distracted and edgy, and so I smiled a little at him saying, "Okay, take care," and quickly added how good it had been to see everyone.

When they had left, Oliver shook his head.

"What is going on, something is, something weird again, I just know it? So anyway that means I get to be with you on my own for a while longer. Let's check on Will, and Steven, and Clare's mom about the remaining guests. We can go home after that, and cuddle up just as you wanted to."

We found that Clare's mom was about to turn the CD music right down, and the café lights up a bit, hardly anyone was left, Samantha, and the other Lily were clearing up. Will, Steven, and John were packing up the band with the others, and looked up to say they would all make their own way home. Steven had his little car, and was fine. We picked up Oliver's presents from behind the counters, and went out to the Wrangler. Once inside we turned to each other, hugged over the transmission, we kissed each other, and I asked, "Oliver, that song, will the band record it for me? I want to have it always." He nodded, and kissed me again before I started the engine, and drove us to my place.

We went into the kitchen for drinks, and then up to my room. I kicked off my boots, and sat next to Oliver on my bed. We just cuddled up together. He was so comforting to be with, warm and loving, my lovely Oliver. I didn't say anything at all for a few minutes. I was thinking about Tristan, and Anna, and suddenly Oliver spoke.

"Chloe, I've to say this. I seriously think something is going on with Anna and Tristan. I don't like it, I don't like saying it, but I believe it is."

I kind of nodded against his shoulder. "I think you're right, but I wouldn't have believed it until tonight. He's shown no sign of it to me this last week or so. I can't help thinking it's either new or serious enough for him to have hidden it."

Oliver sighed. "Sorry Chloe."

I sighed too. "Its okay Oliver, you needn't feel sorry. Tell me about writing the song?" I wanted to just be with Oliver, not have half my mind on Tristan. We'd been so close this last week or so, and I could barely believe he had some serious relationship with Anna, but there you are.

Oliver moved down the bed to be face to face with me. He kissed me.

"It's just that I couldn't think of what gift to get for you that would reflect how much I love you, and I started thinking about just choosing a song, and getting Will to play it. Then I was thinking the words, and suddenly decided to ask Will if he would help me, and write the melody, as I said Chloe the words are what I feel. You know I'll never leave you. It will have to be you that goes. I did think once or twice that maybe I should stop seeing you, well just be friends, but I just can't let go of loving you, and when I am with you like this, it feels as if you really love me too, as much as I love you."

I kissed him when he stopped talking.

"I love you about as much as I could love anyone. Oliver I love you so much I can't express it."

We were kissing each other, and talking about the party and the people there when my cell phone rang. I raised my eyebrows at Oliver because we both knew it was going to be Tristan, so I took it from my back pocket, and answered.

"Chloe, I wanted to tell you how sorry I am things got so weird towards the end of the night, and that I just left so abruptly. I owe Oliver an apology too as it was his real birthday. Can I just say things got really weird. I was really being pestered by Anna, and she was saying some crazy things," he took a breath.

I took the opportunity to say, "Tristan, okay, Oliver is still here would you like to talk to him?"

I heard Tristan sigh. "Oliver is with you. Okay I'll talk to him."

I handed Oliver the phone, and he took it with a little smile, and a widening of his eyes. "Hi Tristan, what's going on?" Then I listened to his side of the conversation.

"Okay, yes, it's okay. I realize that. Well Chloe was concerned for you. We wondered if any trouble had blown up. She seemed quite intense when I saw her with you. Okay, seriously? Good heavens, and what do you think? Really. Tomorrow then, here's Chloe."

Oliver handed me the phone, and Tristan was saying, "Chloe, so sorry, I've just arranged with Oliver for us to have lunch tomorrow. I love you Chloe, please remember that."

I could hear a note of sadness in his voice, and I wished I could see him in person.

"Tristan, its okay, I'll see you tomorrow, and I feel the same about you."

Oliver looked away, and then back at me, he knew I had avoided telling Tristan I loved him. When we'd rung off I held Oliver's hand, we'd shuffled up the bed to answer the phone, and were sitting shoulder to shoulder. I held his hand, and traced along his fingers, and around his palm, he looked down at me doing that, turned his head to mine, and moved his cheek against mine. It was a gesture of love, and acceptance, he spoke, "Tristan, said Anna was really weird. She told him she was his Anna from the twenties. He doesn't know if he believes her, but she knows stuff that maybe confirms it is her. He says he always thought he would know her if he ever met her again, but it's been years, and she hasn't aged, and is a little different. How about that Chloe, weird enough?"

I stopped tracing his fingers, and before I answered, I kissed him. He smiled, and butted my nose with his.

"Oliver, that's weird, but no weirder than Lily, and her spell, and remember Lily told us that there is a youth preserving spell. Maybe Anna used it. It would have given her this amount of time at least, if Lily is correct. So maybe it is her, or this Anna just wants a boyfriend since Lily has Rene, and she's chosen Tristan."

Oliver grinned. "That's not really funny Chloe. She would be a serious fruit loop if that was the case, well maybe she is one," and then he laughed. "Sorry Chloe, it's not funny I know that, but what next, what next?"

I raised my eyebrows, and half smiled.

"I don't know Oliver it all merges into one big unbelievable story." I felt that it was highly probable Anna was the same one from the twenties, after all, the thoughts I had heard in her head might uphold that. I told Oliver I had heard her think, he hasn't changed, and she wished he still loved her, should she tell him.

Oliver widened his eyes.

"Chloe, it may not indicate she's anything but a fruit loop, but that's so cool, have you listened to my thoughts recently?"

I shook my head. "No I haven't. I don't do it to other people unless I really think I should."

Oliver turned, and put his arms around me, and he moved us both down the bed, and started to kiss me very gently, and lovingly. I kissed him back. It was easy just to drift away in this bubble of closeness we created. I held him close, and told him I was so happy to be here with him, it was so good to be with him. We spent about another twenty minutes together happily talking about the designs I had finished for the Glazers, and about his work, until Oliver said as much as he would like to stay longer, he needed to go home.

We went down to my Wrangler, and transferred his presents to his car, and then we arranged that I'd meet him at the library café where Tristan had asked us to meet the next day.

When Oliver drove away, I went inside, and immediately started thinking about Tristan. All through showering, and drying my hair, I kept thinking of Tristan. So that finally when I was sitting up in my bed, I got my phone, and messaged him. 'Sorry it's so late I'm worried about you, are you okay?'

I sat there looking at my phone waiting for an answer. Tristan always answered, well just about always, no matter how late it was. Two minutes stretched into five, and I found myself feeling sleepy, and leaned back onto my pillows. I woke up with a start. It was an hour later, no answer from Tristan. I put my phone on the floor by my bed, switched off my light, and went to sleep. It was odd that Tristan had not answered, and I fell asleep thinking that.

Chapter Thirty-two

The next day I woke up feeling edgy, I couldn't remember it, but I knew I'd had a strange dream. Downstairs mom and granny were in the kitchen. Steven was already up, and gone to John's place for their Sunday rehearsal sessions. We sat together, and I told them about the party as we had some tea and toast.

I wanted to contact Tristan, but I thought I'd just wait until lunchtime, and after doing some of my own laundry, I checked my emails, replied to a couple, and then got ready to go out. It was icy outside, and I put a thick sweater on as well as my new coat and boots. I started the engine on the Wrangler, and let the heater warm the cabin up a little before I drove off.

I parked in the library car park next to Oliver's Land Rover, and walked quickly around the corner to the café. The outdoor tables, and chairs had gone for the winter, and the striped awnings had been replaced with rows of multi-colored fairy lights and pretend icicles, which lit up in pale blue.

I went into the café and saw Oliver immediately. He was at a table about halfway down the café looking gorgeous as usual. I went down to him, and kissed his cheek. I pulled a chair out close to him, and he stood up to help me with it. When we were sitting down, I noticed a small group of girls a couple of tables away who kept glancing at Oliver, then talking to each other in whispers. I figured they were thinking how gorgeous he was, and if he was available until I showed up. He hadn't noticed himself, and had his netbook open on the table in front of him alongside a cup of coffee. The wait staff member came up to me, and I ordered a cup of tea whilst we waited for Tristan.

Oliver had stopped what he was doing, and closed the lid of his computer. He leaned over, and took my hand.

"Chloe, how are you, have you heard any more from Tristan?" I nodded that I was okay, smiling at him, he was so kind-hearted.

As my tea arrived, so did Tristan, he pulled out a chair opposite Oliver and me, and flopped in it. "Hello, sorry I'm a little late, I was tied up."

Oliver and I looked at each other and then at Tristan. It was on the tip of my tongue to make a joke of this introduction, but I thought I better not. When we'd ordered lunch Oliver who had let go of my hand, cleared his throat.

"Tristan, maybe you need to just come straight out with what's going on because we are a little worried about you."

I nodded my agreement silently.

Tristan sighed. "Have either of you tried to phone me since we spoke last night?"

I hadn't wanted to say I had tried Tristan after Oliver had left, but I nodded.

"Yes, I sent you a message asking if you were okay."

He frowned, and looked down at the table where he had his hands clasped together, then looked back up at us.

"Sorry Chloe," he said, and then nothing else, no explanation about why he'd not replied, or why he'd even asked us. I was puzzled by this, but didn't comment, if he wanted to tell he would.

He took a breath. "This Anna thing, it seems it is her, I mean the original Anna from the nineteen twenties. She used a youth spell, well more than one, since the first one took her up to a couple of weeks ago, and now she has another ninety years looking as if she's twenty. I didn't know it was really her until she told me things about us, about what we did together that only we would know. She bought the house, not a relative, and there is no mother. She and Lily have lived there together for a number of years."

I leaned back in my seat, and stared at him as he spoke. Oliver made a couple of low sounds, and leaned forward.

Tristan sighed, and continued, "I asked her why hadn't she come to me before. It seemed that Lily thought I was a witch, and they thought I used youth spells, but more importantly, she didn't come to me because Lily thought for a long time I was her destiny to lift her spell. Anna was desperate to contact me, and I disappeared for a while, well fifty years actually, but in recent times, she's only hung back because of Lily. Now that's dealt with she thought we could pick up where we left off."

I shook my head sighing. "And can you? I know you loved her back then, she broke your heart you told Oliver." I knew as soon as I had said this that I shouldn't have.

Oliver nudged my elbow, and quickly said, "It wasn't tale telling Tristan, we were just concerned for you."

Tristan didn't seem to care. He shrugged, and in a sad voice said directly to me, "I can't just pick up where I left off, because I got over her. I mean to say she just disappeared, not a word, and it's been ninety years, and I met you Chloe."

I felt miserable.

"Sorry Tristan I don't know why I was so unkind just then." I looked down at my hands on my lap, I did know, I was jealous, it was an unwelcome, and unpleasant emotion.

"I asked her why she'd just gone off back then, without a word. I felt she could at least tell me that now. It seems she was expected to marry someone her family had chosen, and then her mother fell chronically ill, something magic couldn't help with. She ended up caring for her mother for years, and married to a man she didn't love. I feel sorry about this, but she could have written, she could have told me instead of just disappearing. The other thing is, she didn't want me to know she was a witch and that her family was peppered with them, she thought at the time I was very anti witches. You see I had told her a little bit about myself."

Oliver gasped at this, and I looked back up at Tristan in alarm. He was pale, and he continued, "Not everything, only that at the time I was not aging because I had a spell cast upon me. She doesn't know the extent of things not even now. She thinks it's a spell like hers that it will last maybe another hundred years. I told her it was my father trying to cure me of an illness, and things had gone awry. She seemed to accept it so readily, now I know why."

Oliver shuffled in his chair, and moved his coffee around as the lunch order arrived. We fell silent until we were alone again, and then Oliver said, "Damn Tristan you were chancing it weren't you? I guess you came out with that stuff because you were in love with her."

Tristan looked dejected, and nodded. I felt so bad for him, and at the same time, I was remembering he'd told me he had not been involved with anyone romantically for a hundred years, who else was in his past that could cause trouble?

I asked him, and realized I was almost whispering. "Tristan, you hid her, you told me you had not loved anyone for a hundred years."

He went even paler, and shook his head as he answered.

"I did hide her. I tried to pretend she never existed, it's the only lie I ever told you. I did it because it was so awful when she left, I had opened up to her, loved her. After so long alone I thought I had found someone, and I felt such a fool for having believed in her. She'd hardly told me any truth at all during the time we spent together. I still feel like a fool about it all."

Neither Oliver nor I said anything to this. We sat there silently looking at Tristan who seemed unable to go on.

Oliver cut his burger in half, and then sat staring at it. I silently took his hand under the table, and he glanced at me. I couldn't think of anything to say to Tristan. I wished I could because he looked pale, and wretched.

Suddenly he stood up. "Look sorry, this is just awful, I think I should leave."

Oliver stood up too. "No, sit down, and we'll get fresh coffee, you can't leave, we need you with us."

I stood up, and moved my chair closer to Tristan, and then as he sat down again, I took his hand, and leaned close to him so that my arm and leg was against his.

"Tristan, whatever you need now, tell us, we'll help." Oliver had actually gone to the counter to get coffee, and I kissed Tristan on the cheek. He was cold. "Tristan, I love you, Oliver cares for you, what do you want to happen? Do you want Anna back in your life or what? Please say and we'll help you."

Tristan shook his head.

"No it's over between Anna, and me. For me at least. I don't think she wants to accept that. I wish she was going away with Lily because I get the feeling she's going to go all out to try to get me back. I feel like such a jerk saying that. I feel so bad for her, but I don't love her any more. She kissed me, and I felt nothing, nothing Chloe, it was so horrible. When I realized it was her the old Anna, I thought that when she kissed me I would feel the same about her as I used to, it scared me, but I knew I had to let it happen. I didn't feel anything, it was all gone, all the love I had felt for her, and that scared me too."

I was perplexed. "Why Tristan?" I asked him softly, as Oliver came back to the table, and put a hot cup of coffee in front of him.

He sighed one of his double sighs that sounds as if he has been crying, and then he said, "Because I thought it proves you can stop loving someone, given time. I just hadn't understood that until she popped back up. It seems to undermine everything I had come to believe over the last few years especially this one."

Oliver had edged closer to me so that I was firmly between the both of them, he groaned slightly.

"Tristan, how about not being so dark and sad poet about this? You got over her because you had to. She left you, not a word spoken, ninety years later you no longer love her. What's the big deal? Don't do this to yourself. Right now you love someone else, why think about how love can die?"

Oliver was so easily upbeat, and it was refreshing, I loved him for it.

"That's true Tristan it isn't flippant, it's being in the present, in the now. It's sad for her that she has held onto the idea of getting you back, but Tristan, ninety years, and it's only now that she has sought you out."

He sprang to her defense. "She kept away because she thought I hated witches, and then there was the Lily issue."

I looked kindly at him. "You do still care."

He was shaking his head. "Only for her plight, for her loneliness, for her desperation, I know what both feel like."

Oliver sighed again. "Then tell her you can befriend her, that you know what it feels like to be desolate. Let's not forget she married someone in this last ninety years. Has she got children?"

Tristan shook his head. "I don't know, certainly not by me I know I can't, I've had medical tests." Oliver grimaced at me, and then widened his eyes. We'd been given an answer to a different question. So Anna and Tristan had an intimate relationship as the saying goes. I didn't feel the niggle of jealousy this time, I just felt sad for them. Tristan must have realized what he'd let out, and fell silent looking down again at his hands, having let go of my hand he'd clasped them on the table in front of his cup.

I wanted to reassure him, help him, and protect him.

"Tristan, how can we help? Is she going to make life difficult for you? Maybe we should talk to Lily about it all."

He sighed. "I hope she got the message last night. We talked until dawn."

Oliver, and I looked at each other again, and I thought so that's why he didn't answer my message, but it was okay I understood.

About two thirty, Oliver said since he was working for dad at four he should get going to deal with a couple of computer issues. He would call Tristan he said and me too, he left us, and on the way out of the café he looked back at me with such a look of love it melted my heart, and I wished I could have kissed him goodbye. This loving the two of them could be hard sometimes.

Left alone with Tristan I took his hand, I moved as close as I could, and told him that I loved him, and did he want to come home to talk for a while. He nodded, we paid the bill, and left the table full of food as no one had touched their lunch. Outside the air was very cold, and what little moisture that was on the ground was crackling with films of ice. I took Tristan to my Wrangler, and we got in there against the cold. He seemed distant, and contained. I hoped he would open up.

"Tristan, will you please forgive yourself, let yourself feel whatever you feel, and please tell me what I can do for you." It was easy for me to say.

He finally sighed, took my hand, and he leaned over, and kissed my lips.

"Chloe, for the first time in a long time I felt out of control last night when I realized it was Anna. I don't love her nor want her in my life not even as a friend. She's not the same as she was, she's a little strange, and it feels...well dangerous that she lives on my doorstep. I've had enough of magic Chloe, and intrigue. I was stricken when she announced herself last night at the party." He was finally sounding like himself, acting like himself, and I leaned over to him, and held his face with my free hand kissing him.

"Whatever you need, just ask. Would you like us to talk with Lily, explain things maybe she would take Anna with her for a little while to France, so that Anna could try to get over you."

He nodded, but I could tell he didn't think this would work. I kissed him again. I felt very protective of him. It was nearly three-thirty. He decided against coming home with me, and said he had to get some work done. I told him I'd contact him periodically to check how things were going for the remainder of the day. We parted, and I watched him drive away in the opposite direction.

I had it in my mind to go over to Lily's place, and talk with her. I started the car, and then as I drove out of the car park I changed my mind about actually going to Lily's place, and decided to drive home, and call her.

At home, I went straight up to my room, and called Lily's cell, she answered almost immediately. I had decided to try to be diplomatic about the whole business, and asked her when she and Rene were actually leaving. Maybe we could just get together for a coffee or something before they left. She said that would be great that in fact they were not leaving until Tuesday now, so a couple of days later than they had planned, but that Anna had a bad cold, and was miserable with it, so she wanted to stick around that bit longer. I asked her to come over to the house Monday, with Rene to say goodbye, and she said they would come late afternoon if that was okay. I was pleased when I heard she was sticking around maybe tonight and tomorrow would be better for Tristan if Anna still had Lily.

I was to go to dinner at the restaurant with granny, Steven, and mom that night, and since Oliver was working, it meant I'd see him. I wished I could get Tristan there too, but I didn't know how to.

So at seven-thirty I found myself sitting at a table with my family for dinner, and Oliver passing by giving me loving looks. I got up after about fifteen minutes, and went into the staff area in the hope of seeing Oliver. I was in luck. He was taking slabs of mineral water from the little corridor of shelves to the cooling cabinet. As soon as he saw me he smiled, and came to me, hugging me close.

"Chloe, how did it go with Tristan after I left? What a mess he's in, I hope it didn't upset you too much seeing him like that."

I hugged Oliver back, and reached up to kiss him, he kissed me too, and we sighed together. "Oliver, I feel so sorry about what is happening with Tristan, but when you think about it, in all these years, there had to have been a broken heart. It's just a shame it involved magic for Tristan. Well a witch I mean." Oliver nodded, then he kissed me again, and I hugged him.

"Oliver, Lily, and Rene are coming around Monday late afternoon to say goodbye, so they are staying a couple of extra days, which has to be good news for Tristan, because Anna will still have Lily." He nodded agreement, and then we split up. He needed to work, and I went back to my family.

I was in my room about ten thirty when Tristan called me, he would love to see me, could he drop by? I was only too pleased to have him drop by, and I found him in the garden only minutes later. He was on foot, and not horseback saying he'd needed the walk, and the air, which was freezing, I told him. I took his hand, and brought him in through the kitchen French windows immediately putting him near the radiator, and putting water to boil for coffee. He took his coat off, and put it on the back of a chair, and then came to me as I started making him coffee. He put his arms around me, and his head against mine.

"Chloe, I love you, I always feel so safe, and loved around you. I'm sorry about the Anna stuff. I wish now I had simply told you about her, but at the time, I wanted to impress on you how much you meant to me, mean to me. More than that, I just didn't want to keep hitting you with my hundreds of years' worth of baggage. If you are tired of the shit that seems to follow me around I wouldn't blame you, you know if you decided to call it a day with me."

I looked into his eyes, and saw pain there.

"Certainly not, I love you, and seriously I'll do anything to help you, you just are never losing my love no matter what. Then there is Oliver, he considers you a good friend, and cares about you too. I know it's weird that I love you both, but at the same time I'd do anything for either of you, help you in any way, you have to know that."

He held me close, and sighed. "I know, I hope I know, tell me again that you love me, kiss me Chloe."

I told him I loved him, I told him several times, and kissed him in between. I was smiling then, and asked him if he believed it yet. He nodded, and hugged me tightly. We finally made him some coffee, and we stood at the big windows looking out there at the sky. It was full of stars, and very clear, the night air so cold, everything seemed clarified by it. I took his hand, I was thinking it was odd what love can do to people, here was Tristan so capable, so fierce when he needed to be, so business-like, and yet the old pain he'd felt with the loss of Anna's love had reduced him. It does that. I remembered feeling smaller and more fragile when I lost the other Oliver's love. It's a hard thing to understand unless you've felt it. I let go of his hand, and slipped my arm around his waist. I started to run my other hand up, and down his shoulder. He turned to me, and I pulled him close it was so easy to love him.

I said, "Come to my room, and stay for a while. Let me cuddle you until you feel stronger, and happier."

He nodded, and took his coat from the back of the chair, bringing it with him. He left his coffee on my desk when we were in my room, and hugged me close. I took his coat out of his hand, and put it on my desk chair. I was holding his hand, and took him to my bed where I hugged him close. I was holding him, and traced around his cheekbones, jaw, and down his neck. Then I kissed him, and whispered I loved him, and he sighed, kissing me back, and closed his eyes as I held him close, and we were quiet for a few minutes. He seemed tired, and I thought he probably hadn't slept since the night before the party. I asked him if he had a lot of work to do over the next few days, was there anything I could help with? He smiled

"Chloe, that's so kind, but I do have help. Jo, Andy, and Martin are in tomorrow. It's not so much being tired from work, but being tired from emotional turmoil."

I nodded. "Well just don't be dealing with it on your own, come for help." I kissed him again softly. He seemed calmer, it was nearly midnight, and his cell rang, he looked at it, and ignored the call. It had to have been from Anna, but I didn't ask, and for a couple of minutes he was silent, and then he said, "That was Anna, I suppose you will have guessed. It's going to be hard Chloe, I feel a weight of sadness for her, but at the same time, she contained herself for years when she lived only a short distance away, to be suddenly broken hearted, it seems just a little unbelievable. I feel unkind now, it's all so hard."

I nodded, there did seem to be a tinge of madness about the situation, but I was not going to say so, who was I to comment on any other girl's love?

He left about half an hour later. I hoped that he felt stronger, and less alone to deal with things. I took off my bracelet that he'd given me, and put it by the roundels on my desk. I took a shower, and checked my emails before I went to bed. I felt tired, but edgy, and vaguely afraid for Tristan. I was tempted to text him around one thirty when I was about to try to sleep, but I didn't.

Chapter Thirty-three

Sunday was a cold crisp day. There was sun in the sky, but it held no warmth. I was outside feeding the birds when my cell rang. It was Joshua Glazer, and he was calling to say we had a hundred orders each for two of the tiny Christmas roundel designs, and he thought I'd be pleased to know that. I was pleased. I told mom about it as I found her in the kitchen when I got in, and we had breakfast together. She and granny were going out for the day around mid-morning, and she asked if I'd like to come too, but I really wanted to find Tristan, and check on him, also Oliver was coming around late afternoon because he had this Sunday off work. I said I was busy finishing up the term for college, and stuff. She smiled, and nodded at the stuff, she probably knew I meant Oliver.

About one I had finished up everything I wanted to, and I messaged Tristan asking if he was okay, was he around to visit for a half hour maybe. He didn't answer, and I thought he must be busy. At two thirty, I tried again, still no answer. I decided that it might be good to walk up to the greenhouses, and if he was there well okay, but if not, at least I had taken a walk. I got my coat, wrapped a scarf around my neck, and set out for the greenhouses.

It didn't take long. There was no sign of him in the first greenhouse, and I went over to the second one. I had stepped around rows and rows of boxes with little berried plants in pots, and mistletoe wreaths, looking down to make sure I did no damage. I looked up, and it was then I saw them, Tristan, and Anna, holding each other close. He had her head pressed against his chest, and was kissing the top of her hair. I was in a precarious position. If I leapt back, I might crush boxes of plants, so I stepped sideways intending to leave by the side of the greenhouse. I was close to the sliding door, which was a quarter open, and I heard her say,

"Tristan, after the last two nights I thought you might still love me, we were so good together." She stepped back from his arms, and he dropped them by his sides. "Tristan, I love you still, I always did. You kissed me back just then when I kissed you. How can you say we are over?"

I was mesmerized by it. I stood very still with a big, trailing ivy plant covering my presence. I thought if I could tiptoe down the side, away from the sliding door I could detour around, and go back home, but I stayed listening like a thief. Tristan murmured something, and Anna said, "What, what, how can you? I just want to die without you, last night you didn't say that."

Tristan was suddenly audible. "Anna darling please" he said, and held out his arms.

I was stunned, Anna darling, and her words last night, the last two nights, were sort of echoing around in my mind. I went quickly to the side of the door, and detoured around as I had planned, when I reached the open path I ran home. I ran thinking, he called her darling, he said it out loud to her, he kept it in his head for me. Had he gone to her as soon as he left me last night, and the night before? Had he stayed until dawn because he wanted to? Was I jealous? I hurt. I did hurt because it seemed to me then, that everything he'd said to me the night before had been untrue. I hurt because of that, because of everything we'd said last night, and then he'd gone to Anna. Had he just ignored my texts today because he was with Anna? He called her darling. I ran around the side of the house. I was out of breath from the icy air, and from running all the way home. I ran out of the side path and onto the drive, and straight into Oliver.

Chapter Thirty-four

"Chloe, what are you doing, what's happening, are you okay?" He had me in his arms, and I was standing there just looking at him. Oliver was there, had he arrived early? I wasn't thinking very straight. "Have you come around early Oliver?" I asked him trying to catch my breath.

He looked puzzled and frowned slightly, and then he looked amused.

"What's going on Chloe? Have you been running around the outside of the house for some reason?"

I took his hand. "Oliver, I just ran a little down the garden. I thought I heard a car, are you early?"

He smiled. "I was working on a web page, and suddenly I saw your picture on my desk, and I just wanted to be with you. I thought hell I'll go now. I'm only a couple of hours early, is it okay, are you going somewhere?" He looked me up, and down seeing my coat, and scarf.

I shook my head. "No I'm not. Oliver it's lovely to see you. Come in, I'm so glad you came around early it's so nice to see you."

I stopped talking, and let us in the front door, still getting my breath back. The house was warm, and we took our coats off. I threw them over the back of a chair, and turned to Oliver. He hugged me.

"Chloe, are you sure you're okay? You seem totally spooked, or something, I don't know. What is it?"

As usual, Oliver knew, he was stroking my hair, and then ran his fingertips down the side of my face as he talked to me.

I sighed at last breathing normally.

"Oliver, no, I'm fine, I am," I put my arms up around his neck, and kissed him. He kissed me back, and kept kissing me. I let myself drift into his kisses. He was soothing away my pain, he was wrapping me in silk with his gentle kisses, and his caring touch. I let myself get lost in him, and I found the love I felt for him just taking over. I was moving his sweater, and his shirt away from his sides, and his back. I was running my hands along his body where I could reach, and pressing hard against him. I stopped kissing him for just a moment, and asked if I could get him anything, a cup of coffee, or anything.

He put his face against mine, nose to nose.

"Maybe later, maybe we could just be together like this for a while. It feels so good."

I leaned a little away, and looked straight into his lovely eyes as he smiled at me.

"Oliver, let's go up to my room, I want you to myself," I told him, and it was true I did want him to myself. I didn't want mom coming along, and talking to him about computers. He looked at me with a slight amused frown, and then let me take his hand, and I grabbed our coats from the chair taking them with me up to my room. I put them on my desk, and turned to Oliver. I was so happy he was with me. I started to kiss him, and he responded kissing me until I felt like liquid.

He was so gentle, and loving. I started to take his sweater off him, and he let me. I was kissing him, and unbuttoning his shirt, and he kissed me, and told me he loved me. I had his shirt open completely, and started to trace around his body, kissing him. He sighed, and took my sweater off, and I helped. He looked into my eyes. He was questioning me, and I just nodded, and kissed him. The whole thing was so nice. He unbuttoned my shirt, and kissed down my shoulders, and then he hugged me really tightly to him. He was kissing me again when I pushed his shirt down his arms, and onto the floor.

I started on his jeans, and he stopped me.

"Chloe, this is, this is serious, I'm so in love with you, are you okay, really?"

I nodded. "I'm more than okay, I love you so much, I just want this now. Oliver let's get in my bed, I need to be with you." He kissed me again, and we went over to my bed. We took our jeans off, and got into my bed, I held him close, and he held me, his touch was so caring it sent shivers through me, and he was kissing me until I felt dissolved. I kissed him back, and we drifted into it all together.

It was lovely, lovely delicious, and indescribable because it belongs to Oliver, and me. We made love to each other, and I felt that I'd love Oliver forever. It had a huge effect on Oliver too, he kept me very close afterwards, and told me that was it, the words of his song for me, I could multiply that sentiment by at least a thousand. He kissed me, and told me he loved me so much, he thought he would drift away like a helium balloon if I didn't keep hold of him, because he was so happy. I laughed at that, and tightened my hold on him. I was kissing him, and he held my head to his kissing me back, whispering he loved me against my lips. He ran a finger across my lips, and then along my cheek to my ear, holding my face, and kissing my lips. I felt so loved. His touch was so gentle, and caring.

We snuggled up under the duvet, and started to talk to each other the way we usually did. He told me about the work he was doing, and customers at the restaurant, and the book his mom was editing. I told him about Joshua Glazer's call, and how I had finished at college for the semester. I started to trace my fingers around his body, and moved my face to his to be kissed, and we looked at each other, it was like a communication between us, a special thing, because the next minute we were making love to each other again. I closed my eyes after this time as I rested my head on his shoulder. He held my hand across his body, and kissed my forehead. I think we slept for about half an hour then, just wrapped up in each other.

It was dark outside when I opened my eyes, and Oliver hugged me. He smiled as he kissed me, and I smiled back. We each went quickly in the shower, because we could hardly appear anywhere looking the way we did, which was just like we'd been totally into each other all afternoon. We kind of helped each other dress the way we'd helped each other undress, and we kept kissing each other in passing. I went to brush my hair, and Oliver came with me, and kissed me as I tried to clip up my hair, and then he was brushing his hair, and I kissed him until he stopped, and held me tightly against him. My body responded to his touch with a surge of feeling that surprised me. I pressed against him. I knew he felt the same way, and he took a deep breath.

"Chloe, I can hardly breathe, I think if we don't stop now, we'll have to go back to bed." I smiled against his lips, and kissed him because I wanted him too.

We did get downstairs, made coffee, and toasted sandwiches, but as he brushed against me, or our hands touched on the coffee jar or cups, we just stopped, and kissed each other. He put his arms around my waist as we waited for the water to boil, and I leaned against him.

"Do you have to go anywhere tonight Oliver? I asked him, and he shook his head.

"Even if I did, I wouldn't be going now. I want to stay with you as long as I can. Did you have somewhere to go, with your family or..."

I cut him off with a kiss. "No, nowhere I was just asking because I hoped you could stay tonight for a long time."

Oliver in his lovely way smiled a little. "I'd stay forever if you wanted me to," he whispered.

We sat down to eat, close to each other. I had allowed myself to forget how we'd got to this point today, until Steven, and John came home.

Steven came into the kitchen. "Hi you two, you're not going to Kool Kafé then? We just saw Tristan, and that girl he was dancing with a lot at your party down there, didn't we John? Mom not back yet? She asked us for dinner. We'll get some snacks, and then do some practice in the library."

He placed a CD in front of me on the table. "Compliments of the garage sound studio Dave has, but when it's recorded properly in the rental studio you will get a better copy." He was gathering food, and cola drinks. John smiled at Oliver, and me, and then they both went off to the library. I picked up the CD, and turned it over, and over, they had quite professionally printed on it, 'Chloe's song', and it was in a blue cover.

Oliver gave me one of his caring looks, but he didn't say a word, nothing about Tristan at all, especially I noted, none of that you have to choose me stuff, that he'd previously said would need to happen if we made love to each other.

I put down my CD, and stared at it. He watched me as I struggled with the knowledge that Tristan was at the Kool Kafé with Anna, then he moved closer, and put his arm around my shoulders, he kissed my cheek.

"Chloe, do you want to tell me what happened earlier today, did you already see him with Anna somewhere?"

I couldn't lie to Oliver, especially not now. I turned to him.

"Oliver, I saw him in the greenhouse with her, and I was shocked because he'd more or less said categorically that he didn't want her in his life. It looks like that was a lie or he was fooling himself. It's not like him to lie, so maybe he was fooling himself. Whatever the reason I think she's a bad influence, well maybe that's not the right expression. I think she has done some damage to him."

Oliver sighed. "Chloe, when you raced around the corner, and bumped into me, you didn't, well you didn't do what you did because of what you saw did you?"

Oliver was hurt I could see that in his eyes. I took his hands.

"Oliver, I've wanted to make love to you for weeks, you have to know that, don't you remember?"

He smiled a little sadly. "So it was about me today not Tristan?"

I sighed too. "Oliver, how can you not know, it was all about you, as soon as I kissed you, please believe me." As I said this, I was checking had I used Oliver to stop the pain I felt about Tristan, and I thought not. I loved Oliver, and I had wanted him for weeks that was true.

I was looking into Oliver's eyes, and then he sighed.

"I couldn't bear it if you had just made love to me because you were upset about Tristan."

I was so upset for Oliver, and I put my hands up to hold his face. I kissed him.

"Oliver, did it feel as if I was making love to you because I love you? How did it feel?"

I kissed him again, and he closed his eyes, and then smiled just a little.

"It felt great, it felt like you love me, I felt loved."

I smiled a little at him. "You are, and right now every time I touch you I want..."

He kissed me, and stopped the words on my lips, and then he nodded.

"Me too," he said.

Suddenly in his usual way he seemed to accept it all, and he smiled happily.

"Let's go to my place for a while. I can hardly make love to you when your mom, Steven, and John are kicking around downstairs."

It reminded me of when I was very close to making love with Tristan, and the events of the last couple of weeks paraded through my mind. Maybe I had mistaken what was happening with Anna today, I thought. It was no good speculating about it, and I truly just wanted to be with Oliver right then. If Tristan needed someone else, and that was Anna, then I wanted him happy. It had always been that way. I wanted both of these lovely guys happy. I loved them.

Oliver sighed. "What are you thinking about Chloe? I can guess, it's Tristan now isn't it? I should never have commented on him."

I smiled at Oliver. "I have to tell you the truth Oliver. I was just thinking of him, and I was thinking, why did he tell us that bullshit in the library café yesterday? If he wants Anna he must know, because I want you both to be happy, he only need have said."

I kissed Oliver on his nose then his lips. I whispered, "Oliver, let's go to your place I want to be close to you, and I can't face trying to be ordinary, and maybe having dinner with mom, Steven, and John, and granny all talking to you."

He laughed at that, and we cleared away our dishes, got our coats from my room, and after I called in to Steven that I was going out with Oliver, and to tell mom I'd eat out, we left. Oliver drove us in his Land Rover, and on the way, he was humming the melody of the song he and Will had written for me. I liked that.

Chapter Thirty-five

At his place, he first checked his computers in his office area, and then wanted to know if I'd like tea, or water or anything, and I put my arms around him.

"I want you Oliver," I told him, and smiled at him as he took my hand, and we went along to his bedroom.

About midnight, Oliver was holding me very close.

"Chloe, I think maybe I should take you home soon, or we may end up falling asleep, and waking up tomorrow morning. I think your mom might notice that."

I smiled at this, and wriggled free, moving so that I could kiss his lips.

"She may notice that, but it's hard to leave you," I told him.

He smiled. "It's hard to let you go. I'm working for your dad tomorrow. Maybe I can come to see you after. It's an eleven until six shift so it will not be late, and I can say goodbye to Lily, and Rene then too." I kissed him between words, and he was smiling, and trying to finish the sentence. We left his place about twelve thirty, and as we were getting into the Land Rover Oliver's phone rang. It was Tristan.

"Hello Tristan, what's going on? Yes I have, well maybe she's somewhere she can't hear her phone. I'm certain she's fine. You could try her later or tomorrow. Sure Tristan I understand, well what happened. Really, okay. Take care. See you maybe tomorrow then." He raised his eyebrows at me as he put his cell phone away, and then leaned over, and kissed me.

"Chloe, what's up with your phone, he's been trying to ring you for the last two hours, and is distraught. I tried to reassure him, well you heard me."

"I've it on silent. I wanted to be with you, and not have anything else going on, Oliver," I told him, and he looked intently at me.

"Check your phone, and see if he has left any messages, truly Chloe, he's like, demented that you are not answering."

I shook my head, after all Tristan had ignored my calls, but I hadn't silenced my phone to get back at him.

"Okay I'll check Oliver. I noticed you didn't say I was right here with you." I smiled at him, and he smiled back.

"No because I wanted to give you the chance to answer him or not" he said.

I leaned over, and kissed him.

"I'll check now, but I may not answer him because it's been so absolutely delicious being with you, I just don't want to think about anything, but you tonight."

Oliver put his hand on my head keeping my face close to his, and kissed me.

"I love you Chloe, I don't think I'll be able to sleep tonight without you, so if you are awake too, message me, and I'll call you." I nodded, and he started the engine to take me home.

I looked at my phone. There were three missed calls from Tristan, and two texts. I read them, 'Please call me Chloe, I have to talk to you', and 'Chloe what's happening, I'll be in the garden at midnight I really want to see you, if that's okay'.

I sighed. It was way past midnight, and by the time I got home it would be around one in the morning. I was almost relieved, because how could I see Tristan after today with Oliver. I put my phone back in my coat pocket, and my hand on Oliver's leg. I just wanted contact with him.

"Chloe, is something wrong, did you read the messages from Tristan?"

I nodded. "Oliver, I did read the messages." He grinned at me, and at the traffic lights, I reached over, and kissed his cheek.

"Oliver, I don't know if I can call or even message Tristan tonight, even though he does seem as if he really wants to talk to me, because of you Oliver, I just want to be with you," and I found that as I said it I really meant it.

"Well you know I love you, but he sounded shocking when he called, and I feel bad for him." We were at my house, and Oliver parked just outside the entrance to the drive, I wondered if Tristan was anywhere in the garden right then.

Oliver came to the front door with me, and hugged me tight.

"I just want you to know that today has been so special for me Chloe. I love you dearly. Remember to message me if you find you can't sleep, otherwise I'll see you tomorrow."

I nodded at him, and put my arms up around his neck, kissing him, and pressing close to him. "I love you too Oliver," I whispered, and then he let me go, and I went inside. I watched him drive away, and closed the door.

I went into the kitchen to get some water to take up to my room, and then went very quietly up there because it seemed like everyone else was asleep.

I took a shower, and was drying my hair when I noticed my phone light up, and I knew it meant I had a message. I put a long T-shirt on over my sleep shorts, and sat on my bed to check the message. It was Tristan 'he knew it was so late, but if I could just say I was okay, it was so unlike me not to answer my phone'. That was true, and I suddenly felt sad for him. I was supposed to be his friend as well as anything else. This was no way to treat a friend, just ignoring him. I called him, and got in my bed pulling my duvet up around my waist to keep warm. He answered immediately as if he'd the phone in his hand waiting for my answer.

"Tristan, sorry my phone was left on silent. I just saw it light up on my desk, and saw the message from you. Are you okay?"

"Am I okay? Are you? I was so worried when I couldn't get in touch with you, especially since I did expect Steven to tell you he saw me with Anna in Kool Kafé this evening. I have such a lot to tell you, and I was hoping to see you tonight, but maybe I can come over tomorrow morning, and fill you in on what's been happening. It's a nightmare."

I was tempted to say come over now, but I could smell the slight hint of rosemary, from the shampoo that Oliver used on my pillow as I leaned back on it, and so I said yes come over as soon as you want tomorrow. Maybe you can tell me some of the story now, on the phone.

"Okay, it's just that I've spent some time with Anna, last night, and today because she's so upset that I don't actually love her anymore. She called last night after I had left you, and I went to see her since she was saying all kinds of ridiculous things. Then today she came over to the greenhouse when I was working. She somehow got the impression that because I've been kind to her over the last couple of nights, I still loved her, that there was hope. She was reminding me of how we used to love each other back in the nineteen twenties, and it got quite distressing. I tried to comfort her, but she constantly tries to kiss me to convince me we are still in love. It's very wearing, as I do care about her, about her distress, and her misery."

He stopped talking then for a few seconds, and I was about to say something when he began again.

"I did take her down to Kool Kafé, thinking that was a good place, out in the open, and she may not cause a scene there. We had coffee, and I told her she needed to accept that I could only be a friend now, that it had been too long, and I had made myself move on after years of being heartbroken over her leaving. I really don't know if she has accepted it yet. It's so hard Chloe, because you know once upon a time I did love her, and we seemed to be so close, and yet she could just leave. Part of me just doesn't get that she bought that house. She has all the lights on at night to remind her of the parties we went to in the house. I think she's a little crazed. I just don't get how for the last ten years, when I've been home at the Dearing house she didn't make contact, and now she's acting like this. Chloe do you hate me for spending time with her over the last few days?"

I was shocked by his use of the word hate, and by the desperation in his voice. I realized I had been mistaken about the scene in the greenhouse, and he probably called her darling because of the time they had spent together in the twenties. It would be because of that love they once shared that he'd tried to comfort her.

"Tristan, how could I hate you, no I don't hate you. I felt confused today when I knew you were with Anna, but in reality, I've always said if either you or Oliver grew tired of our situation, and found someone else I'd understand. I thought for a short time that you had fallen back in love with Anna. I only want you to be happy, you must know that, and no I'll never hate you, I love you." I told him, and it was all true.

"Chloe, I thought when you didn't answer my calls that maybe you had decided to give up on me. I wouldn't blame you. After all, it seems like as soon as I had left you last night I was off with Anna. Then Steven must have said he saw me with her, did he?"

I sighed. "He did, but it didn't matter really Tristan, that's not why I didn't answer your calls, I didn't hear them. Are you sure you can't get back the relationship you had with Anna? I mean are you sure you don't want it, or to try for it, because it seems to me that you two were really in love back then."

I heard him sigh, and it was one of his double sighs. I knew he was upset, and it was such a sad sound to hear.

"Chloe, I feel so bad for her, but no, I don't love her nor want to get back what we had. I feel there's still more to this story of hers than she's telling. As sad as it sounds, I don't entirely trust her, and her emotions are so dramatic, yes, dramatic, it does seem like she's slightly crazy."

I was sad to hear all of this, and feeling miserable really that I had taken his 'Anna darling' of comfort for something else, when he was clearly distraught about everything.

"Tristan, how did you leave things with her today, because Lily and Rene are coming around tomorrow late afternoon to say goodbye, I was thinking of talking to Lily about Anna. What do you think?"

He sighed again. "I don't know to be honest, I really don't. I dropped her home at the house about nine thirty, she seemed to be okay, calmer. She said she understood now, and was thinking of packing up the house when Lily had gone, and going away for a while. I was relieved when she said this, but is it true? I don't know. Thank you for listening Chloe, sorry to go on so, especially since it's so late. I better let you get to sleep, and come over tomorrow maybe mid-morning now I've kept you up."

He was sad, and I felt sad for him.

"Tristan, its okay, I wish things had been different, you seem so sad, try to rest, you haven't had much rest for a few days. Come over tomorrow."

He ended the call after that, and I felt sad for him as I leaned against my pillows with the slight smell of rosemary. I picked one up, and hugged it to me. I couldn't help but think of being with Oliver today and tonight, it sent a surge of longing through me. I messaged Oliver. 'I miss you.'

A message came right back. 'I miss you, and right now I'm hugging one of my pillows that smells vaguely of rose, like that conditioner you use on your hair because I wish you were here with me'

I smiled, and texted back, 'same with me, only your shampoo is herbs, we are both hugging pillows', and I put a smiley at the end of the message. He called me then.

"Chloe, I wish you were with me. It's hopeless trying to sleep."

I told him about Tristan, and he listened saying the occasional oh, then he told me he was glad I had contacted Tristan that no matter what, he considered Tristan a friend. We eventually rang off, and I shuffled down my bed still hugging my pillow, and thinking about kissing Oliver.

Chapter Thirty-six

I didn't wake until mid-morning Monday, and when I realized the time, I leapt out of bed, running in, and out of the shower. I stripped my bed too, and took my linen along with another wash down to the utility room. I couldn't have the reminder of Oliver again that night. It made it way too hard to sleep. I had set the wash cycle going, and made a cup of tea when Tristan appeared at the French windows with Charlie. His breath was coming out in white mist, so it must be very cold out I thought. I opened the door to have an icy blast come through with Tristan, and the old dog. Charlie was happy to see me, wagging his tail, and checking out if I had raisin toast or anything for him. He was wearing a plaid dog coat, and I fondled his ears as I found him a pancake.

Tristan was pale, and stood quietly watching me fussing the old dog, and then he rubbed his eyes, and came over to me. He hugged me, and I hugged him too.

"Tristan, how are you doing, you look tired, and sad?"

He let me go, and stood a pace back looking intently at me.

"You look lovely, glowing, so lovely, immortality suits you."

Then he looked around, had anyone been there it would have been too late, but there was only Charlie.

I frowned at him. "Tristan, you're not okay, come here, talk to me."

I stepped to him, and held him. I took his hand, and got him to sit down. I had my chair alongside his so that I could cradle his head against me. I stroked his hair, and kissed his forehead, and the frown he had in the middle of his eyes.

He sat up, and took my hand.

"Just so you know Chloe, whatever Anna may tell you, I did not spend the night with her. I mean I have not made love to her over the last two days. I promise you that."

I was stunned, it was so unexpected, and so close to home too, because hadn't I just spent the last two days doing just that with Oliver. I was staring at him, and I know I must have looked pained, and then I leaned forward, and took his face in my hands and kissed him. I kissed him over and over thinking what the hell is going on. What the hell is Anna doing to him?

I stopped kissing him, and looked into his eyes.

"What the hell is going on Tristan? This girl is destroying you. How can she love you when you look like this?"

He took a deep breath. "She's crazed. I just wonder what the hell has happened to her actually, over the last ninety years to make her into this, well, weirdo is the only word for her. The threats she has been making over the last couple of days, the weirdness, all I can say is please will you believe in me Chloe no matter what she says?"

I sighed, and shook my head in dismay at what might have been happening to Tristan, he thought I was shaking my head to say no I didn't believe in him, and his eyes filled with tears.

I was panic stricken. "Tristan, yes, I believe in you, I believe you. I was shaking my head in sadness at what is going on. What is going on? What threats has Anna made? Tell me."

He shook his head. "Just that she was going to tell you I am in love with her, and stuff about how we've got back together again, lies basically designed to stop you loving me, and maybe even Oliver from being my friend. I don't want to go into it too deeply, if you could just believe in me."

I nodded this time to make sure he understood.

"I do, I do really, and Tristan I think you have to try to avoid her. Do you think you can?"

Tristan sighed again, and stood up, and he started pacing the floor.

"Thank you Chloe, I am trying to avoid her right now in fact. She called me a while ago, and said she really needed to see me again. I said I was out working, and would call her when I got back home, but that was a lie. I am reduced to not only withdrawing the kindness that comes naturally to me, but telling lies, again."

I decided right then I was staying with Tristan for the rest of the day, and this evening I was definitely talking to Lily about Anna. I started to make coffee for Tristan, and told him that I was staying with him for the rest of the day, did he have to go anywhere for work. He actually smiled, and joined in making the coffee.

"That will be so great Chloe, just to be with you, I've felt very lonely this last few days."

I was dismayed. I hadn't thought anything like this. On the contrary, I had suspected he wanted to be with Anna. I hugged him.

"Tristan, you said you would come to me if there was weirdness with Rene, you really need to apply that thought to any weirdness from anyone."

He laughed then, and hugged me back.

"Chloe, I so love you, I don't know what I'd do without you," he said softly.

We took Charlie back to the Dearing house in my Wrangler, and I went with Tristan over to the greenhouses. We loaded boxes of holly stems into the back of his truck, which was squeezed into the tiny parking space by the sliding door. Then some boxes of red and white rose sprays alongside them. Tristan covered the boxes with a special cover saying the cold weather could damage the roses. It was good to be with Tristan. I tried to cheer him up, with talk about Christmas, and how I expected to be able to celebrate his birthday, which was shortly after mine. I told him granny was staying for Christmas, and how mom was making the place cozy. He knew I was trying to cheer him up, and at the first florist, when he parked to deliver the roses he leaned over, and kissed me saying it was so good to have me around.

We had delivered the holly. We were on the way back to the greenhouses, because there was a company holding a celebration dinner in the Abbey conference rooms, and Tristan was putting in the floral décor with Martin that afternoon, when my cell rang. It was Oliver. He was on his break, and checking if everything was fine, and had I seen Tristan. I told him I was with Tristan, and that he'd a hard time with Anna, which we would tell him about later. I said come over as soon as you finish at six, Tristan will be there too as I am not letting him out of my sight today. Oliver laughed at that, and said to tell Tristan that was so lucky. I smiled as we rang off, dear Oliver he was so kind, and so centered. I told Tristan what Oliver had said, and he smiled.

"It's good to be with you Chloe really so nice."

We'd reached the greenhouses, and Martin was already stacking crates with pots of big red and white flowers by the parking space. He was carrying these through the greenhouse from the front where a trailer had somehow been brought up the path to the front end. They really needed to do something about parking and loading here, but I didn't voice that opinion as Tristan jumped out of the truck, and started loading the crates into the back of the truck. I got out squeezing down the side to help, but there were only six crates. Then both Tristan and Martin brought over a large potted tree each. They were like balls of mistletoe, and some other greenery intertwined with gold leaves, and gold ribbon bows here, and there, on the top of their trunk, but they were real trees. I thought they were so pretty, and they had to be stood on the floor of the dual cab with boxes to keep them from moving.

The weather was getting colder, and it looked very dark for mid-afternoon.

"Let's get this done Martin, and then we are finished for today. It might snow actually, what do you think?" Tristan called to him. Martin agreed, and took off down in the direction of the Dearing house. Apparently, his van was in that car park, and he was meeting us at the conference center. We got there quickly as it's not far. Tristan let himself in, and I followed. The main room was set out with tables, and chairs already, and Tristan started bringing in the crates. I tried picking one up, but it was too heavy, so I started putting the pots of flowers on the table centers. Martin arrived, and the job was soon finished. They put the little trees on either side of the raised stage area, and then Tristan went around checking the pots of flowers, straightening a leaf or a petal. He was happy with it when we left, and Martin drove off in the opposite direction to us.

Tristan, and I went up to the Dearing house, and had a cup of tea with McPherson who was sure it would snow later, and kept emphasizing her point by looking out of the big kitchen window. We left in the dark, it was freezing, and Tristan hugged me to him as we walked to the Wrangler, leaving his old truck in the Dearing car park. I started the engine, and got the heater going. Mom's Cherokee has heated seats, but my old Wrangler doesn't so we were a little cold. I leaned over, and kissed Tristan on the cheek.

"I enjoyed being with you today Tristan."

He turned his face to get kissed on the lips, and smiled, he sighed then, and it sounded like relief. "Me too."

He took his cell phone out of his coat pocket, and checked it as I drove us out onto the big drive that would join the road, and grimaced.

"I've had it on silent because of you know who, and there are five calls, and two messages. I'm not even looking, deleted, deleted the lot."

I immediately remembered having put my cell on silent, and regretted it now, but I had made up for that since, I told myself. We were at my home, and I parked almost out front of the door. Tristan got out, and was nearly at my driver's side before I was opening my door. I put my arms around him to hold him for a moment, and he almost lifted me out of the car. I was grinning, and held his hand even though we had two paces or something really short to get to the porch.

Inside the house was warm, and the lights were all on. Steven was home from school and he was in the kitchen making a milk shake, and stuffing mini chocolate biscuits into his mouth. He turned around as we came in, swallowed, and grinned.

"They say it's going to snow again, and the forecast is for a white Christmas, cool huh?"

I nodded, and Tristan smiled too.

"Yes it is. We use the top field by the river to slide down when the snow is deep. It's such a good slope you can get up a reasonable speed. They sell quite serviceable toboggans in the village hardware store if you're interested."

I turned to Tristan. "Hey that sounds fun. I haven't done anything like that since I was really young."

Steven was interested.

"I've never done it. I'll call into that store tomorrow. I know the one you mean. Dave and I were in there for a screwdriver a few days ago." He was on his way out of the kitchen.

Tristan sat down, and held out his hand for me to come and sit near him. It was just after five, and I was thinking about the arrival of Rene, and Lily. They had said late afternoon, and this was quite late so maybe they would come along soon. I sat close to Tristan, and held his hand in both of mine.

"I think Rene and Lily may come by soon, Tristan," I said, and he nodded slightly, he leaned over, and kissed me. I kissed him back, and right then my cell rang. I had it on the counter by the kettle, and got up to answer it. It was Lily, and she said they were running a little late would it be okay to come by about six thirty? Anna had decided to come over too if that was okay since she was going away for Christmas. I told Lily that was fine.

Tristan had watched me, and then walked over to stand by me. He put his arms around my waist. I smiled sadly at him.

"That was Lily they will be over around six thirty, and sorry Tristan, but Anna is coming too, I said okay because she's allegedly going away for Christmas." He bent his head to mine, and kissed me, then rested his forehead against mine.

"I feel like she can't hurt me now, when I am with you, now you know how things really are, and Oliver will be here too, he's coming over right?"

"Yes he is. It will be okay she's not going to be able to get at you, with any luck she means it about going away," I smiled at him. We kissed each other a few times, I still loved him the same as ever. It seemed nothing had changed even after becoming so entangled with Oliver. I was really surprised. I thought that would have made some difference to the intensity of my feelings for Tristan, at least taken the edge off wanting to make love to him. To my shock, nothing had changed in that area, and I stopped myself from doing anything else by moving my arms up around his neck, and hugging him to me. I said let's make coffee, and broke away from him, but at the same time, I kept hold of one of his hands. He let go, and started to make coffee, he was happy now, and it was good to see. We talked about Liz and Laura, who were supposed to make a short visit to their mom in France, but were thinking about not going this year. They felt it was time to change the habit, now they had Will and Corbett to think of. They were talking about asking Melody, their stepsister to come over here instead. Oliver had arrived mid conversation, and we switched to talking about what had been happening to Tristan for the last couple of days.

Oliver kept close to me, sitting as near to me as possible, and when I went to make him coffee followed, and he deliberately put his hand over mine on the jar. It sent a surge of emotion through me, and I glanced at him. His eyes were dark as he gave me a look full of love. I was acutely aware of him as he moved past me to sit down, and brushed my arm with his.

It was important not to do anything that would hurt Tristan, and I chose to sit opposite them both as we talked about the fact that Anna was going to front up with Lily and Rene.

Oliver grinned. "Hey she'll have to lever herself between you and I Chloe, to get to Tristan this time, agreed?"

I laughed. "Yes for sure" I said, and the doorbell rang almost on cue. We all looked at each other, and then I went to answer it.

Rene and Lily were there smiling, and just behind them was Anna who looked lovely, but slightly strained. In the kitchen I made coffee. Tristan had moved to the end of the table, and Oliver was next to him, there was nowhere to sit close to Tristan, and Anna had to sit next to Lily.

We talked about the weather, and commented how a few flakes of snow had started to fall in the last few minutes before they arrived. They said they would not stay long, and then Lily smilingly said how she was so glad to have sorted things out with our help, and to have met Rene. She'd looked at him lovingly, and taken his hand.

Anna joined in right at that moment. "We want to just check the repulse spell before we leave since we'll both be gone for a couple of months to start with."

Rene shook his head. "I don't think it is necessary myself. The vibration was strong when I checked, but I suppose it will do no harm to check it again."

Lily was looking down at the coffee cup she had in front of her, and didn't say anything.

I looked at Oliver, and then Tristan, who shrugged slightly. I guess none of us knew enough to comment so after a few minutes more, we went quietly down to the chamber. I flicked on the spotlight as we went in through the opened wall as the rope lights didn't do much in there. We went to the water feature. It was there trickling away, little spangles of light catching the mini waterfall. It not only looked benign it looked pretty in the white light. I was standing quite close, and Oliver was next to Tristan blocking Anna from being there next to him.

Rene spoke, "I can feel it. Lily can't you? It's still fine, very strong, nothing is coming through that."

Anna spoke. "Look down there just below the carving part there's something in the water." We did look, it was a gold chain, and a big cross was attached just lying there with a large ruby center.

"Wow, that's cool, we haven't been down here to look, but we think this stuff is falling out of some hidey hole," I said to anyone listening, and I knelt to fish it out.

Tristan knelt beside me. "No I'll reach in Chloe. It is a little deeper than you think at that end." He put his hand into the water as I stood up, and right then Anna started shouting, she was shouting something like you can still go, and repulse will stop you from coming home, repulse stay forever, or something, and Tristan had disappeared. I shouted "No Tristan," and jumped into the water pool. Oliver was shouting, "No Chloe, not again" and I felt him grab at my hand, and catch hold of one finger. I thought he was trying to pull me back, but he wasn't, he was coming with me, and I heard the splash as he landed in the water alongside me.

I could hear Rene's voice calling out like an echo, 'en caps, and seacombs' I felt a strange wavering in my ears, and I was looking around at Oliver. I put my hand up to hold his arm, and steady myself. I saw Tristan on the side of the pool with his hand in the water. He was looking right at me with surprise on his face. We all three had traveled back in time again. The chamber was empty of the spotlight, Lily, Rene, and Anna. The wavering in my ears had stopped, and Oliver was helping me out of the water.

Chapter Thirty-seven

"Chloe, are you okay? Oliver, I'm so sorry this has happened. I can't believe you two just came straight after me," Tristan was standing up, and came to us in two strides.

Oliver and I stood there on the side of the water feature, the legs of our jeans wet through. Mine were from mid-thigh down and Oliver from his knees.

"Damn Anna to hell, and back, this is bad, we have no way back. I wish I had remembered the sequence of coming, and going because she clearly has," I said to them both trying to squeeze a little water out of the bottom of my jeans, but because they were so skinny they were just stuck against my legs.

Oliver hugged me into his side by putting one arm around me. "Are you cold Chloe?" He asked in a concerned tone.

I nodded. "Yes just a little though, Oliver," and I held out my hand to Tristan as he stood watching Oliver hold me.

"Tristan, are you okay?" I asked. He nodded, and put a hand in mine. I pulled him close, and put my arm around him so that I had an arm around Oliver, and one around him.

"I had no idea the go part could still happen did you?" Oliver asked as we stood together staring at the water.

"No, but then I didn't think about it. I just trusted the thing didn't work, and it doesn't from this side. We are in a mess. I can't think how we'll get back," Tristan said in a concerned voice, and I nodded.

"Wait, surely Rene will lift the repulse spell, Lily, and Rene would surely be able to, and at seven tomorrow night we can go home. Although my disappearance will not go unnoticed by my family this time," I said sadly.

Tristan walked to the end of the water feature, and back. He seemed to want to have me put my arm around him again, and Oliver had not let go of me so I slipped my arm around Tristan again.

"I don't know. It may not be that simple for Rene and Lily. Who knows what might be needed? I never expected this did you? I feel like an idiot for not suspecting Anna may do something like this." Tristan pushed back his hair, which stuck up on end.

Oliver let go of me, and so I let go of both of them, he walked to the end of the kitchen tunnel, and looked down it. The torch at the end was lit, and it sent a dim glow up the tunnel. He walked back, and stood very close to me.

"Let's take a look around. It will be miserable here tonight since we are wet. Maybe we can get some clothes or something from inside the house. We took the cloaks we had back home last time so I guess they are in the stable apartment or somewhere huh Tristan?" He said quietly.

Tristan nodded. "Yes, in the stable apartment which is where I wish we were right now, anywhere, but here in this time. I am so sorry. I feel this is my fault."

Oliver shook his head.

"No Tristan it's not, how could you know, or any of us for that matter? How could we know Anna would turn around, and do this? It's senseless, and she can't love you that's for sure." He took my hand, and then let go again as Tristan turned to us from the chamber door.

"Thanks Oliver, okay let's take a look outside. First check the stable to see how many visitors might be in the hunting lodge, and then yeah we'll try to get more comfortable for tonight at least. Maybe Rene will be able to do something for tomorrow night."

Tristan walked over to the chamber door, which led to the corridor and stairs up to the stables. He carefully opened it, looked along the corridor, and then back at Oliver, and me. We went to the door, and followed him along the corridor.

Oliver kept brushing my hand with his, and I eventually looked at him as we started up the steps, he smiled a little at me, and mouthed the words I love you. I couldn't help but smile back at him, and I took his hand to go up the stairs.

At the top on the little flat area where the door swung back we crowded silently into the room that was more or less a little storage area or cupboard, and I let go of Oliver's hand as he leaned forward with Tristan, and looked through the door slats.

"Empty," Tristan said, and pushed the door open. The messy bale of hay that kept the door half closed when pushed out was there as usual. We walked into the stable. The air was warm, and it was still light out. The hay smelt fresh in the stable, and the whole place was lit up by the evening sun that streamed through the open double doors. We all walked towards them at once, and looked out.

"Shouldn't it be autumn by now, even here, it was only about seven weeks behind our seasons wasn't it?" I asked because this was not an early October feeling evening to me.

"Well it could still be good weather here, Things were different back then as I remember. Sometimes it felt like summer for a long time then suddenly it was a bad winter," Tristan answered.

Oliver stayed close to me. It felt somehow as if he was protecting me, and I thought right now he could be home, if he hadn't come after me. I wanted to hug him, and I wanted to hug Tristan too out of sheer disappointment at our plight. How come I hadn't been suspicious of Anna? I had been blindsided by this event, and felt cross about it all.

I turned to Oliver. "If there are no horses maybe there is no one in the hunting lodge this time. Let's check the place from the front, you can see right in some of the windows."

Tristan stepped out of the stable.

"That's true, look I'll go, I speak the language, just stay here, and I'll come back for you."

I touched his arm as he was turning. "Be careful Tristan," I told him.

We watched him walk around the corner of the house. Oliver was holding me around the waist by now. "Chloe, I very nearly died on the spot when I saw you leap after Tristan into the water, there was no way I wasn't coming after you or him for that matter. I'm never letting you out of my sight here either."

I smiled at him, and kissed him.

"Thanks Oliver for coming after us, and everything, I feel so glad you are here with me if I have to be here, that is." He kissed me back, and then we walked slowly to the corner of the house, and looked down the side where the double path was. Tristan was nowhere to be seen. I looked across the slope to the rest of the garden, and the woodland. There was no one around.

Right then a big black horse came galloping along the side path, the one over the hedge that veered off into the wood, which I knew led down to the waterfall. I felt sure the horse was Matin, but how could it be he was back in our time, it must have been a horse that looked like him. Oliver had watched the horse too and now looked at me with raised eyebrows. I shrugged, and he smiled at that. Something about the way we were so bonded helped me feel positive even in the face of this impossible situation.

He was holding my hand now as we walked down the path to the front of the house. We'd gone about halfway, and could peer into the window that was to be a French door to the middle drawing room in our own time. There was no sign of habitation, and suddenly Tristan came around the front of the house, and saw us. Oliver had let go of my hand as we'd both put our hands up to our temples to better see into the room. Now he just stood very close to me as Tristan came along the path.

"We're in luck no one is around at all. The house is packed up. It looks like a while since there were visitors, and certainly no one is expected, there are no signs of preparation for them."

Oliver spoke from my side. "Excellent let's go in there." Tristan was looking around at the garden area, and I told him about the horse, he agreed it couldn't be Matin as he was safe home in the stables.

We were walking down the path all three of us together, and he commented on the place.

"You know the garden is in full bloom. I'd have expected some evidence of autumn. It feels like a summer night, and it's still very light, do any of us have our phones. Mine is in my coat pocket in the kitchen back in our own time."

I had mine. I had put it in my back pocket when I took my coat off. "I do Tristan why?"

Oliver had patted his pocket too. "I do as well," he said.

"Just wondering what the time is?" Tristan said.

I looked and it was seven thirty-five, and I told them this.

Tristan shrugged. "Okay, well no sign of sundown, not really, and there should be if this is the beginning of October. I wonder if we've somehow deviated from the usual travel pathway. I know that sounds ridiculous, but it still feels like summer here, or at least late summer. What do you think?"

I agreed it felt very summery, but how would that have happened deviating from the usual time travel path.

We were inside the house, and Tristan was getting candles, and checking the supplies left around. There were, as usual, lots of apples. He grinned as he tipped a basket to show us the apples. We took the basket and the candles up to the guest rooms. Tristan insisting we go up there, as it was the safest place.

Oliver had never been in there, and spent a few minutes looking around saying how much nicer it was than he'd expected. Tristan was smiling, and he gave me a look because that was what I had done, when I first saw the place. He kept smiling, and said he was going down to the Holy spring to get some water, because that would be the only stuff he wanted to drink.

"Immortal or not" he grinned. He seemed happier than I had seen him for a couple of days, and I guessed his knight personality had kicked in.

We looked around in the cupboards, and there was a cloak in there as well as a few fabric lengths of linen that could have been meant as towels or something similar. Oliver felt we should all go to the Holy spring, it seemed better to stay together he reasoned. We left the candles, and apples in the guest room, and left by the front door after taking two pitchers from the kitchen. Oliver wanted to know why we couldn't just boil the water, and Tristan told him that it wouldn't be good to light a fire when guests were not expected at the hunting lodge. It would raise suspicion.

We walked over to the waterfall, and Holy spring. The sun was just starting to go down a little, and the sky was glowing with rose color amongst the blue. At the Holy spring, we filled the pitchers, and then went back to the lodge. It was getting dark in there, and Oliver suddenly asked how we were going to light the candles.

Tristan laughed. "Now we know about the tunnel to the water chamber feature we know there is a torch there in the wall, and it's still lit right now so that's what we'll use, which is great as I've grown to hate pyrite stones."

I smiled a little, and added that we didn't have one anyway to which Tristan replied there was actually one in the candle box in the kitchen.

As darkness fell, I started to worry about mom, and granny, my car was in the drive, so was Oliver's, people would start to question where we were. I sat quietly on one of the lovely carved chairs, and having taken off my jeans to dry them, I wrapped a length of linen around my legs.

Oliver came, and squatted in front of me, "Are you okay Chloe, you seem quiet." He didn't seem to be worried about Tristan seeing him take my hand. I glanced at Tristan who was sticking candles on the spike holder thing, and lighting them with the candle already lit from the torch.

He'd heard Oliver, and said over his shoulder. "Yes are you okay Chloe?"

I nodded, and told them I was okay I was just thinking about mom, and granny. Oliver stood up, and dragged a chair over from near the table to sit next to me. Tristan watched this, and got another, which he placed on the other side of my chair so I was in the middle of them. I felt loved at least, if not a tiny bit sad now that this time travel had happened.

We were quiet for a few minutes sitting there in the candlelight together, and then Tristan said, "I think Rene will at least try to help. Maybe Lily is under the influence of Anna. I mean she was happy to test the repulse spell even though she must have known like Rene that it was unnecessary. Or then again, maybe she just didn't expect Anna to do such a thing. She timed it all so well didn't she?" He finished, and looked at me, and then Oliver for affirmation.

I nodded. "She sure did Tristan, and I think maybe Lily wasn't in on it. I just don't think she would have engaged in that kind of thing, after we've helped her so much."

Oliver sighed, and I felt his arm against mine at the top near my shoulder, where he could lean a little to be close to me. I was comforted by it, and wished I could have his arms around me. I glanced at him lovingly. Then I added, "I think Rene was trying to help as we all disappeared. I could hear him shouting, but I couldn't make out what he said."

Tristan sat up a little. "What did you hear Chloe?"

I had to think a little to try, and remember as much as possible.

"All I can remember is him calling, en caps, and seacombs, sorry I've no idea what that meant, didn't either of you hear it too?"

Oliver groaned slightly, which always made me smile.

"En caps, and sea combs, well that sounds like a helpful thing to have called out, sorry no, I heard nothing. I was just intent on following you, Chloe. I thought I had missed catching hold of your hand for a second there."

Tristan smiled at this. "I was already gone I think, and it doesn't sound complete, maybe you just heard snatches of what he was calling out."

We sat there silently again for a few minutes, and then I got up, and said I really had to use the bathroom, and Oliver looked surprised.

"There's a bathroom?"

Tristan grinned. "Well there's a facility of sorts through the door there behind the screen."

I turned as I was walking to the place.

"It's a hole in a low wall Oliver." I grinned, and went through the thin doorway making sure the screen was well in place. I hoped at least the wooden seat thing was clean, and to my surprise it was a new one, they must have put that on since the winter I was here with Tristan. I was grateful to find water in the big jug in there, and washed my hands pouring water over them. I used the edge of the length of linen to wipe my hands, and then went back to find Oliver, and Tristan talking together in low voices. They looked up at the same time as I walked into the room, and stopped talking.

I could only imagine that they had been saying something they thought I shouldn't hear. I wasn't having any of that kind of behavior I mean we were all in this situation together.

"Guys what are you talking about, I should be in on it, especially if it's something you are worried about." I went to sit back down between them both, and Oliver answered.

"Sorry Chloe, I guess we didn't want to let you know that we are actually not hopeful about getting home tomorrow. If Rene was already trying to help us by calling something out, and it didn't work, well Tristan was thinking Anna is a much older witch than he is. He's a Magus, but you know she's older, and so she might be more powerful. We were wondering about going straight away to another Magus to get a spell to remove the repulse."

I listened, and then sighed.

"Where would we find a Magus, only the same place as Tristan's father did. It's a bloody long way guys."

Tristan laughed, and Oliver made a little sound of amusement.

"Chloe, you sounded very British when you said 'a bloody long way' just like Tristan in fact."

I smiled, but wanted to know where they were going to find a Magus so I asked them again.

Tristan answered.

"Well you're right. I don't know anywhere except where father found one, but the fact is what else will we do? Tomorrow night if Rene doesn't bring us back, then I think we are stuck going for a Magus. There may be someone here in the district even, but I don't know a safe way of finding them."

Oliver groaned, and I had to admit it was a daunting task.

"We need money to buy horses, and supplies if we are going to do it and Tristan when we get there how do we know who to ask for, oh wait a minute we could ask for the family name that Rene has."

Tristan nodded, but was silent. Oliver was thoughtful.

"Did you pick up that jewelry on your way through the portal it could be worth something, maybe three horses?"

I smiled at this. "Hey, that's true, we should locate where that treasure is dropping from, and get it to fund the trip."

Tristan spoke. "I was thinking of going down to my Uncle Tristan he may have information on the whereabouts of the Magus my father used. He might mistake me for the original Tristan, and tell me stuff, or I could just tell him the whole weird tale, and ask him. I don't know, maybe I'm wrong." Tristan suddenly faltered as he was speaking. I think he realized how hard it was going to be all over again.

Oliver moved his arm so that it rested close to mine again, and I looked around at him. I wanted to be hugged. I wanted to hold Oliver or Tristan, preferably both. I just felt scared all of a sudden. Oliver had an expression of sadness, and love as well in his eyes. I looked down at my legs wrapped in the length of linen fabric.

Tristan found his voice again. "I think if the seven o'clock 'go back portal' doesn't work tomorrow night then we'll hack away at the carving, and try to find where the stuff is hidden because I think it is another place my father stashed things. We'll need money, and that's the first way we can get it, the other way is going to tournaments and fairs where I can swordfight for prize money."

Oliver groaned his little 'what the hell' kind of groan, but he didn't speak, and neither did I. We sat there for a while longer, and then because there was nothing else to do, but try to get some sleep, we sorted out the bed. Tristan put these long cylindrical cushion things so that they were between me, and him, and me, and Oliver, and of course I was in the middle. It was almost funny because we'd been very close to each other in my bed, but I guess not the whole three of us together, and that made the difference. I was still in my linen wrap, and Oliver had done the same leaving his jeans to dry overnight on the back of a chair. Tristan was fully dressed. It was mildly cold in the hunting lodge guest room, as night had fallen, so we pulled the coverlet things over us. The cushion separating me from Oliver came down to the top of my thigh, and I pushed my right leg up against his, for his warmth, and to feel his comforting touch. He looked at me, and smiled a little. As we lay there, the candles were flickering a little in some draft from somewhere, the window covering was not down, and I could see a couple of stars in the sky out there.

I had my arms down by my side, and I felt Tristan take my left hand. I turned my head to him, and smiled. He looked sadly at me, and sighed.

So there I was with my right leg from the knee down, pressed against Oliver's leg, and my left hand held by Tristan, it seemed at once sad, and yet comforting. It was necessary to make these vague attempts at modesty.

Sometime during the night, I found I had kicked the pillow between Oliver, and myself to the bottom of the bed, and I half woke to find I was cuddled up against him, and he was holding me with one arm across my body. I moved back to my own segment feeling worried about Tristan. It might have been because of that, but the next time I woke, somehow I had got around the cushion between Tristan, and myself, and was cuddled up to him, and he was holding my hand as I had my arm over his waist. I smiled to myself, what would anyone make of this stuff, I thought as I turned over onto my back, and lay there with my arms by my side again. It had woken Tristan, and he took my left hand again in his. I went back to touching Oliver's leg with my own right one, and looked at the sky through the window, it was slightly lighter out there, and maybe it was nearly morning, which would be good. I was awake for ages, until it was light. Oliver had woken too, and he wriggled down the bed so that he could just about have his head on my shoulder. It made me smile. He didn't do it for long, and then went back to having his leg pressed against mine. I felt tentatively around for his hand, and took it. It was weird, and yet really nice to be holding hands with the both of them. I figured the more comfort we could give each other the better because you know we were in a real mess, and I had no idea how we would really get out of this one.

Chapter Thirty-eight

The sun was out, and Tristan got up. Oliver too, he went to the chair, and got his jeans on, Tristan felt the bottom of mine, and then handed them to me smiling just a little. I stood up, and put them on letting the linen fabric fall to the floor, and then I picked it up, and folded it placing it on the bottom of the bed, after all, it may be needed. I straightened the bed up a little, putting the cylindrical cushions at the end of the bed too. No one spoke, and then Tristan said maybe we would like to have something to eat, well apples at the moment, but he might work on that later.

I washed my apple with some of the Holy spring water, and took a bite. It was a juicy apple actually, but I couldn't finish it because I was suddenly thinking of Steven, and mom, and the fact that there was no cover story this time for my absence, was such a worry. I put the apple on the wooden plate that was on the table with the same board game I had seen back in the winter, when Tristan and I had stayed here.

I sat down on the edge of a chair there, and thought about drinking some of the water. I was thirsty. Tristan had brought drinking cups, with no handles from the kitchen. They seemed to be made of fine marble, but I thought they couldn't really be. I poured some water in one, and took a drink, it was not too bad, and since I couldn't get sick, I drank all of it just to re-hydrate.

Oliver did the same, and then he suggested, "How about we go for a wander today out into the woods or around that lake. I can't face being cooped up in here all day."

I nodded, and said I agreed. Tristan sighed, and asked us what the time actually was. It was only eight thirty, and we decided to go out then for a walk, maybe before it got busy outside.

We went out carefully. It was deserted outside, and there was no one around, thankfully. Tristan had been down to the big room at the end of the house, which was to become the big drawing room in my time. He'd checked the paneled cupboards there to see if any of his weapons were remaining from the wintertime when we were here. There was a bow, a short sword, a larger broadsword, and a dagger. He got the lot, and tooled up like some weird character in a computer game or movie.

Oliver raised his eyebrows. "Expecting trouble are you Tristan? How about you hand me something? That lot has to be heavy."

I waited for the reply, and Tristan grinned, then he handed Oliver the bow. There were only a few arrows in the container that went with it.

"There you go, Oliver, maybe you could bag us a rabbit. Oh no on second thoughts we can't cook it so maybe just hang on to that just in case."

Oliver took the bow, and answered, "You realize I've only had two lessons with Corbett, and this bow is so totally different from a modern compound bow, that I can't promise I'll hit a barn door for you."

We wandered out through the usual wood, and then turned, and went down to the waterfall. We were almost there, just over the top of the slope leading down to the waterfall, when Tristan, who was slightly ahead of us stopped, and looked quickly at us with alarm on his face.

"Bloody hell, that's Corbett down there at the Holy Spring" he whispered.

"No Tristan it can't be, he's home with Laura, happy, and no doubt having breakfast," I said, and then I saw the man down there turn, and to my complete amazement, it was Corbett. We stopped still, and I took hold of Oliver's arm, "Hell, it is Corbett, but how?" I said.

We watched Corbett, put down his water carrier, and stoop to pick up something in the edge of the waterfall pool, and then take a little step closer to the water as he picked whatever it was up, his bag he had on his shoulder fell forward a little, and then he disappeared.

"Bloody hell," Tristan breathed, and Oliver said, "What the hell?"

I knew instantly what the hell, the waterfall pool portal was open. Corbett was just now gone through it, and we'd traveled back in time differently after all. We'd come back to an earlier time than we should have. How it had happened was anyone's guess, but mine was that Rene, calling out had somehow changed the path, and here we were in late summer time, not late October as it should have been. No wonder the garden looked good, and the weather was warm, and more to the point no wonder the big black horse had been galloping past us yesterday. It was Matin, and around two this morning when I had been cuddling up to Oliver in my sleep he would have been on the lawn at my house with dad, and me.

Oliver spoke again. "Er, that was spooky, and also very cool, we are seeing the past. Well you must know what I mean."

I laughed. "This is good news guys we can go home."

Tristan rubbed his forehead. "How has this happened, we are back further than we should be?"

"I think it could have been Rene, trying to stop us going, it's bent the trajectory somehow," I said.

Oliver laughed, "The trajectory? Oh well I suppose it's as good a word as any, and I think you're probably right, what else could it be?"

Tristan sat on the grass. He put the broad sword down beside him, and sighed loudly.

"If we go home we are there already, you know there'll be two of each of us, how will that work? We'll still be out of time."

I knew what he meant. I sat down next to him, and so Oliver followed suit, and we all three sat there staring at the waterfall.

"I think we should do it, maybe we can hang out there somewhere, and just as the other us would be tricked into going through the portal by Anna, we stop her. Something like that." I was looking from one to the other of them thinking that would be a better thing to do than trekking to the Holy Land, where a war was going on, in search of a Magus.

Suddenly Oliver smiled. "We stand a better chance of fixing the situation from our own time even if we are a few months out of that time. We could find Aristide, and get his help. Let's face it this is so 'out there' that even he might be fascinated enough to help us."

Tristan started to nod. "Yes I think you may be right, it beats the hell out of traveling to the Holy Land. We would only have to go to France," and then he started to laugh.

I smiled at this, and said "My sentiments exactly."

"Well then that's settled. I feel better already, but we have to go through this waterfall portal at two in the morning you realize, because we need to test the other one?" Oliver said. I nodded, and leaned slightly against him thinking.

"Yes we should try the water feature portal at seven tonight because Rene might try to get us home to the right time. Maybe he doesn't even know our path deviated. Then if nothing happens we'll go through here at two am, okay?" I said to them both. Oliver put his arm around me, low near my waist, and I pressed against it slightly. We sat there for another five minutes. None of us said anything at all.

Tristan started to stand up so we followed. "I'm starving," he said. "I wonder if I can get something decent to eat from the castle. I didn't eat anything, but breakfast yesterday."

I sighed. "I didn't eat much yesterday either, but I don't feel hungry really."

"I only started to feel hungry when I realized we can do something concrete about our situation. What about you Oliver?" Tristan asked.

Oliver nodded. "I'm okay, so far, how do you propose to get food from the castle?"

"I thought I might just walk up there, and get some from the kitchens. I know the way, and I am Tristan Dearing after all." He laughed as if this was really funny. I didn't think it was at all, but it was true he was Tristan Dearing.

Oliver said maybe we should go too, but Tristan insisted we wait for him.

"This place is safe enough, just stand around in the trees if anyone comes," he said, and off he walked.

I shrugged, and turned to Oliver. "I feel as if this place is safe enough too, don't you? It's kind of becoming a 'home from home' place."

Oliver grinned. "I suppose it is, but only because we don't show our faces. I think if we were really out there in the community we would be in trouble." I smiled at that comment, and nodded my agreement. We watched until Tristan had disappeared up the field that was in front of the castle, and then Oliver turned to me, and put his arms around me. I held him, and he kissed me.

"I've wanted to kiss you all night. I couldn't believe it when I woke up, and you were cuddled up to me. I just lay there as still as possible because Tristan was there."

I grinned. "Sorry Oliver it was in my sleep, and then..."

He stopped me by ending my sentence himself, "And then you cuddled up to Tristan. I know I saw it. It's hard to see I might tell you, but only to be expected. I decided to find it amusing because you were asleep so..."

I kissed him. "It's weird though right? Sorry Oliver." I couldn't think of anything else to say. He hugged me, and we were quiet for a couple of minutes. I wondered what he was thinking, and then I remembered I could listen if I wanted to, but I thought I wouldn't, it didn't seem right. Pity I hadn't listened to Anna though, in that chamber.

"I know you and Tristan haven't become as close as we have. I know you love me. I'm okay with everything in case you are wondering," Oliver said softly.

I nodded, but couldn't reply, it was too hard to think about. He kissed me again and right then I heard a noise like a trundling, and a horse snorting. I tried to let go of Oliver. He widened his eyes at me, and kept hold of me, backing a little into the cover of the nearby trees.

Across the slope came a wattle cart pulled by a horse with huge hooves. In the back of the cart were a few sacks containing something, and some lumps of wood. Sitting with his legs dangling from the cart was a young boy holding a piglet. The man steering the horse was looking straight ahead, but the boy looked at Oliver and I with his big eyes, he seemed sad, sitting there holding his piglet. I couldn't help, it I smiled at him, and waved a little wave. He broke into a big grin, and waved back. The piglet sensing a chance to escape started struggling, but he held it firmly as the cart went on down the slope, and joined the track that would take them past the church, and on into the castle bailey.

Oliver shook his head. "You shouldn't really be attracting attention to us Chloe, but he liked that you waved to him, and he was certainly in charge of that piglet," we both laughed, and stepped back out into the full sun of the summer morning. Oliver put his arm around me as we stood there looking down on the waterfall from the edge of the stand of trees.

"Chloe, I was thinking if this portal exists down there in the pool, maybe the one in the chamber doesn't anymore. Maybe we should just go through this one at seven tonight instead of hoping Rene will bring us back through the chamber portal. Maybe we should just get on with sorting something out in our own time. Well almost our own time." Oliver said quietly, and thoughtfully.

I had to admit that he could well be correct, after all this was such an anomaly going back to a different time from the one it should have been. I thought for a moment.

"Oliver, that's a reasonable assumption, well it's very possible. Let's ask Tristan when he comes back what he thinks. I have to admit, I'd prefer to go at seven, and not in the middle of the night. Although where we are going to go is another question."

I suddenly realized there was no way we could have any of our own stuff. I couldn't just take my Wrangler or my VISA card. I was thinking this, and turned to Oliver. He saw my disquiet, and held my face.

"What's wrong Chloe?" He asked softly, and he kissed me. It was lovely to be comforted by Oliver. I didn't feel half as bad as I could have because he was with me.

I kissed him back, and said, "I was just thinking Oliver, we'll need stuff, especially money, and how are we going to get that?"

He gave me a hug. "Hey we'll work things out, somehow, we just need to sit down, and think things through. You know decide on a plan."

"Exactly my thinking," I heard Tristan's voice, and spun around. Oliver let go of me, and we saw that Tristan was just behind us.

"Sorry I didn't mean to creep up on you," he said looking at us with a kind expression on his face. He must have seen us hugging, and maybe even Oliver kissing me, but too bad, it was done.

"How did you go Tristan? I guess you didn't encounter trouble," I said to him. He smiled. "Yes, and no, I think the kitchen staff will be asking Uncle William if I've come back from Cornwall for a visit. I do have some food and stuff you two will eat I think. Roast chicken, pheasant, and some reasonable bread too. You have to be hungry by now. Why don't we have a picnic, and then talk about the plan we need?"

He put a linen bundle on the grass, and opened it out. The roast meat looked quite nice, and there was a lump of decent looking cheese as well as bread. We sat down, and Oliver told Tristan about his thinking on the portals.

Tristan frowned. "You know what Oliver, that's not unreasonable, maybe we should just get on with it. Then Chloe's worry over money, that is an issue because we can't do anything without it."

We'd eaten a little of each thing, and Tristan wrapped it all back up.

"We should take this into the coolest place in the house so it doesn't go rancid because let's face it, this will have to be supper before we go."

We took a drink from the Holy spring, and walked back over to the hunting lodge. On the way, I suddenly had a couple of ideas.

"Hey we could stay in the annex, the west wing holiday accommodation is just standing there at this time. Seriously, Tristan you know the security code to get us in, and out, we can sleep there, and hang out until we sort out what we need to go over to France and find Aristide. Also, I have an American Express card that I haven't been using. I could carefully go into my bedroom, get it, and that Chloe, will never know. We can't use anything that will change the future, and that can't, well only that I'll owe money on it, but Tristan then in the real time, you could maybe sell a little ruby, and fund what we've had to do in this past, if you get what I mean."

"Chloe, you are so good at this stuff, clever, and resourceful, I so like that about you." Tristan was happy. "I think that's a good idea. Do you think we'll remember what we do when we do get back to our own time, or should we be leaving ourselves notes or something?" He grinned at this idea.

Oliver who had been silent said, "I really think we'll remember because we exist already. I mean we are already in the future. We'll live this as something separate. Well that's what I think. I suppose there's no vehicle kicking about the Dearing estate we could use that wouldn't be noticed as gone?"

Tristan grinned. "You know I think there. Is we could use the white tray top, each of us who work around the grounds will think another one of us is using it. We all just drive anything, there's another clapped out old van too, but that's used for hauling smelly stuff, so we don't want that, but yes, I really think we could borrow the white tray top. I've my keys too in my jeans pocket, fortunately."

When he said that I thought of mom, and how she would be looking for me by now. I felt sad that she would have the worry of it all. Oliver saw me become downhearted, and asked, "Are you thinking about your family Chloe. I was thinking my mother would not be missing me yet. My car is at your place. I may get away with another day before she starts to worry. What about you Tristan?"

"Yes I'll be okay, not missed for a couple of days I'd say, Andy, and Jo will just say, 'where the hell is he,' and get Martin in, maybe another helper too, and just get on with the jobs. I'm sorry about things for you Chloe. It will not help that my coat is in your kitchen will it?"

I hadn't thought about what might make things worse, but maybe they would, Oliver's car and Tristan's coat. I decided I couldn't think about it. I had to concentrate on fixing what had happened. I shrugged.

"I feel sad for my family who will worry I've been kidnapped like Oliver was, and maybe get the FBI in, but what can we do, nothing."

Tristan smiled sympathetically saying, "There is no FBI here Chloe, it will just be the local police, but I see what you mean."

We sat silently for a couple of minutes, and then Tristan stood up.

"Let's get back to the house, leave this food, and plan how to appropriate Chloe's American Express card, the tray top, and what else we'll do."

We all stood then, and walked through the woods back to the hunting lodge. Remarkably few people were about, and those that were, didn't even look our way. They seemed intent on their own business, and passed quickly. That was just as well because Oliver and I were not covered over with cloaks. I had my sweater tied around my waist over my shirt, and jeans. Oliver had done the same with his favorite jacket, and his sweater. He had the bow slung over his back. Tristan had his swords, and dagger stuck through his belt. They were on display really as he had the cloak we'd found for him thrown over his shoulder as we walked. I think we'd become so used to weirdness we didn't bother to hide the way we looked. We had nothing to hide it with anyway.

Back at the hunting lodge, Tristan put the food in a cupboard place that had what looked like marble shelves. It seemed quite cool in there so the food would not be too spoilt. We went up to the guest chambers, and sat down to think.

"We have to be careful not to be seen by anyone, so we'll need to guard each other's backs when we go for the credit card in my room, and the tray top truck, then after that it will not matter, we can find Aristide," I started saying.

"Oh no bloody hell, we need our passports, just to show at the airport or wherever, but we do need them. Tristan you don't have one do you? Damn how will we get those, creep about in our rooms I suppose, but what about you Tristan?" Oliver suddenly said worriedly.

I had forgotten this, but it was true we would need them, Oliver, and I looked at Tristan, who was crestfallen.

"I'd forgotten that, well I could stay behind, you, and Chloe could go if you can sneak your passports out of your rooms. We have to go in Chloe's room anyway."

"Damn it, maybe we could ring Aristide, and ask him to please come over, I don't want you to be left behind Tristan, all kinds of things happen when people split up in bad situations." I was sincere in this, but he laughed.

"It's not like we're going into a hostile environment Chloe, we all know it well, we even know what happens so really you two could go, and I could hang out in the holiday rooms. How long would you be gone, a day at most? We know where Aristide is at this time. He's in Sète isn't he?" Tristan was still smiling.

Oliver frowned. "No I get what Chloe means we should ring Aristide, and ask him if he would meet us, maybe he would come over to Dover on the ferry. We could offer to pay. If he will not come then Chloe and I will go, but I think we should be careful of having important documents from the past on ourselves as future people, I don't know why, but I feel suddenly cautious."

I smiled. "Maybe it's because the future changed so radically for you last time we messed with the past Oliver."

He laughed, and I smiled again, but Tristan looked pained.

"Sorry Oliver, I'll never quite get over that," he said.

Oliver smiled at him saying, "I wish you would Tristan, since it was all fixed up."

We looked at each other. "So that's settled then, we'll go through the seven o'clock portal at the waterfall" I thought it was settled too, and then Oliver sighed, and leaned forward.

"Do you remember if we watched the beastly waterfall portal that night after Corbett had come through, because if we did then we are going to see ourselves? What a pest."

I sighed almost a double sigh, the way Tristan sometimes did.

"We did check, we did, damn it, we checked at seven after the four o'clock didn't open, but we didn't check the two am, well that's that then we have to go in the middle of the night after all." I was so cross, and I was remembering too, that Tristan had come to me late that night to tell me about Jack selling the hunting lodge. I suddenly wanted to hug him so badly that it was like a pain. I looked across at him sitting there innocently watching me with his lovely blue eyes, and I gave him a look I hoped he would interpret as love. I think he did because his eyes misted slightly. Maybe he was remembering that time too.

"Okay well in that case, we might as well try the water feature at seven tonight, then rest up, and go through the waterfall portal at two in the morning. In the meantime I'd like to get out again, this waiting around gives me the creeps," Oliver said standing up, and stretching a little.

"I think we'll need candles for tonight. We burned through the ones I brought up yesterday," Tristan said, and he stood up too. "I'll bring some up here, and whatever else we need from the kitchen, and then we could go down to the spring again for water, that will get us out." He was going out the door as he finished speaking, Oliver came to me immediately, and hugged me close, and he kissed me.

"I so want to hold you, and kiss you every time I look at you. It's going to be so hard being with Tristan all the time, but that's not meaning I don't want to be with him. It's just because we, well you know, this isn't coming out right, sorry Chloe" he said, then kissed me again.

I nodded. "I understand Oliver." I kissed him one more time, and then I moved away from him. I didn't want Tristan hurt by him finding us kissing each other maybe for a second time.

Oliver smiled at me. "Sorry Chloe, your skin is all pink from the stubble on my face." I went to the water pitcher, and poured some water into my hand to splash on my face. It had been the right thing to do because Tristan came in just at that moment.

"Are you hot Chloe?" He asked as he put a stack of candles on the table, and dumped the linen cloth of food unceremoniously by them.

"No just feeling grimy," I said, and smiled at him, hoping the pinkness had gone.

We picked up the two water containers that were empty, and went off to the waterfall, and Holy spring. We walked through the wood to the slope so that we could hide if need be, Oliver was asking if we remembered what had happened the day after Corbett had arrived because that would be when we needed to get my credit card. Tristan and I were sure that was the day Oliver and I went to buy some clothes for Corbett, and Gui, which would be a good time to sneak in, and get the credit card. "If we avoid the archaeologists," I reminded them.

We were merrily plotting our actions for taking the card, and the tray top, when we reached the edge of the woods where we could walk down the grassy slope to the waterfall pool, and spring, and Tristan stopped dead, and put his arm out to stop Oliver and me from going any further.

He whispered, "Oh my god, I don't believe this, that boy down there once saved my life."

Both Oliver and I were already staring at the figure by the Holy spring. They were dressed in blue, and had some armor over one shoulder, and down one arm. A sword and dagger in their belt, but the boy as Tristan called the person was bareheaded, his dark hair was in a bob, and he pushed one side of it behind his ear as he splashed water onto his face from the spring. There was a horse grazing nearby, and it had a round shield attached in some way to the back of the saddle, as well as some rolled up cloak type things, and a couple of what could be called saddle bags.

As we stood there, I realized I was holding my breath. The shield was predominantly blue, with some kind of creature in a Y shape with a threesome of leaves, and silver V shapes. There was another sword on the saddle back too. Tristan still had his arm out in front of Oliver, and me, so I took his hand, and held it by my side. He glanced at me as I did this.

Oliver whispered. "That looks more like a girl than a boy to me Tristan, despite the armor, and abundance of weapons."

Tristan shook his head at Oliver, but didn't speak. He began backing into the woods, and we followed him without a sound. I was very careful not to step on any of the branches that were around because I imagined that warrior boy down there could hear an enemy at distances, not that we were, but you know what I mean. I was intrigued by the boy. He seemed bizarrely familiar, but I figured it could be all the blue he was dressed in that was doing it, as I do love that color.

We'd huddled in the stand of trees that grew close together, some of the pine branches were spiky, and caught my hair. Tristan saw, and got it free for me. His hand grazing my neck where he smoothed my hair down made me shiver, and I looked into his blue eyes to see a look of complete love in them.

Oliver moved slightly, and said softly, "Well tell us the story Tristan, there has to be one. You had a pretty strong reaction to the boy down there, who I still think is a girl, in fact I think is very similar to Chloe, lovely heart shaped face, pretty nose..." I jogged his elbow, and shook my head at him in an effort to get him to shut up. Tristan grinned as he saw me do this, and then looked down at his feet. We stood there waiting for Tristan to make a move again. It must have been ten minutes, and I had begun leaning a little on Oliver as he was very close to me.

"I think we'll venture forth, and check the spring again now," Tristan said softly. Oliver and I looked at each other, and then followed him as he went quietly back to the edge of the woods. We looked cautiously down at the waterfall pool. There was no one around, and Tristan stepped forward, and looked around the grassy slope and to the right of it where it had a further sloping dirt path upwards that would in fact take you to the hunting lodge eventually, if you walked that way.

He turned to us, and beckoned. We went down to the spring, and filled our water containers. Oliver asked again what the story was surrounding the boy, and Tristan smiled.

"Well he's a bit mysterious. I never found out all of his name, just Gaston, the rest was really long. He's some aristocrat from southwest France, I think. He had a strange accent. He was always dressed in blue, and he had the fleur-de-lis on his shield, and tunic. He was younger than me, by about two years, so at the time he saved my life he would have been fifteen. I was traveling back from a visit to relatives, when I decided in my arrogance to deviate from the group of family, and friends I was traveling with. It was approaching twilight, and we were not far from home, but I found myself in a completely different area of woodland. I was attacked by robbers, and was fighting them off, but there were five of them, and only me. I thought I was done for as I had only downed two of them, and lost a sword in the bargain, when riding like the devil, Gaston arrived. He fought back to back with me, and turned the fight around. I truly believe if he had not come along, that I'd have been killed. He came back to the castle with me for a couple of days, and told me a little about himself. How he was traveling to broaden his outlook on life, how he'd been trained in fighting since he was four. He was brave, and skilled, and well spoken, he had to have been educated too. I saw him once more at a fair when I was about eighteen. He was sword fighting for a hefty prize. He won it too. Maybe he looked pretty enough to you Oliver, but he was swift, and deadly with a sword. Funny though now I think back he did have the same nose as you Chloe, and hair color, as he got older he would probably have been very handsome."

Tristan grinned at us both as we listened to his story.

"I wonder why he's here now Tristan? It's after you left for Cornwall by about six months, maybe more, and he would be about seventeen. It looks as if he may have come back to visit you without knowing you had drowned, and gone away" I said seriously.

Oliver agreed with me as he picked up the water container. Tristan looked wistful.

"Maybe," he said, then he picked up the other water container, and we went back to the hunting lodge. A woman and a child passed us. The child, a boy, was holding a basket full of little strawberries, and the woman carried a basket that seemed to be full of weeds. They looked once at us, and hurried on. I smiled to show we were no danger to her, but she put her head down.

As we neared the hunting lodge double path, there was a man on horseback leading two horses. We stayed back until he had gone left up the wider path, and had his back to us, and then we went quickly to the front of the hunting lodge, and into the porch. Tristan had made sure the door could not be locked, and it was evident no one had been in the place. We went back up to the guest chambers with the water. Oliver said he had to visit the 'boys and girls room,' and Tristan started to put the candles on the spikes of the wooden X-cross shape that held them.

I went to him, and put my arms around him.

"Are you okay Tristan?" I asked him, because he seemed to be somehow still wistful. He turned to me, and looked over my shoulder, probably checking the entrance to the room that Oliver had gone into, and then he kissed me quickly, and softly.

"Thank you Chloe, I'm fine, and I needed to feel you close to me, so thanks for that." I kissed him, and then stood close to him then handing him the candles.

"You don't think the water feature portal will work do you?" I questioned him, and Oliver came back into the room, and interjected.

"I don't."

I grinned as Tristan smiled saying, "Me neither. I think Rene will still be working on how to get the repulse spell off." I nodded, and didn't say anything because I thought the same really.

"Do you think we should approach Rene when we get back home, and not Aristide?" I said to them both.

"Oh no, I think despite everything it needs to be Aristide because Rene is involved in this, and we can't do anything that might affect the future like we said before," Oliver answered. Tristan nodded.

"Okay that's true," I agreed, thinking we were really up against a big problem, and I hoped Aristide would be open to helping us. It seemed like a massive ask to me, especially when right now he thought Tristan was consigned to stained glass, and we'd kept his freedom a secret.

I had fallen silent just standing close to Tristan, and the candles had been stuck on the spikes. Tristan suddenly spoke, "I'm going down to the kitchen again. There's a smaller version of the tunnel torch in there, unlit, I think it would be handy to light it, and bring it up to the room here. We may need light to get through the wood at two in the morning." He went off then, and I remained where I was leaning against the table, and thinking. Oliver came over, and stood next to me, leaning against the table too.

"You're deep in thought Chloe, are you worrying?" He asked.

"I was thinking that it's going to be hard contacting, and talking with Aristide, you know we avoided him all this time, because of Tristan's safety, and I just hope he will help. He could turn around, and be rid of us all by not helping. We would have to come back here, and trek off to find a magus at that point."

Oliver slipped his arm around me.

"I think he will help, I do. I just have a hunch that it will be okay."

I leaned against him, putting my head on his shoulder.

"You're always so positive Oliver. That's so comforting, but are you just trying to cheer me up because I'd rather know what you're really thinking." I said softly.

He laughed. "No I really think it, I promise. I just feel as if some kind of jigsaw piece is falling into place."

We fell silent again. I felt tired, and stayed there against Oliver thinking about mom, and granny. They would be frantic by now. Even though I don't see much of mom, she seems to know where I am most of the time. I suddenly realized Tristan had been gone for quite a time.

"Hey Oliver, how long do you think Tristan has been gone? He should be back by now don't you think?"

Oliver stood upright, and frowned.

"You're right, sorry I'd gone in a dream then. He should be back here. I hope he didn't meet anyone in the kitchen, and get into trouble. Okay let's go look. I think we should take a sword and a dagger just in case," he said, handing me a dagger, and getting the big sword himself.

I raised my eyebrows.

"I hope we don't need to use these Oliver," I commented as I followed him out of the door. We quietly went down the flights of stairs to the bottom of the house.

Tristan was not in the kitchen, and we cautiously opened the tunnel door, and looked down there in the chamber, no Tristan. Oliver frowning led the way back, and we stood at the front doors for a moment.

"He might be out there, we have to look, or I could go, and you just stay here by the door in case he turns up." Oliver was opening half of the big front doors.

"No Oliver we don't split up, that would mean all three of us would be in different places, no we stick together."

He looked at me, and frowned a little, then smiled slightly.

"Sure, I know you're right, but let's be careful okay?"

Chapter Thirty-Nine

We went out onto the front of the house. It was a bigger frontage than it is in our own time, led off to woods, and had those double pathways. There was also a large double square of gardens in front about twenty-five yards to the front in a straight line. Dividing this from the hard soil frontage was hedges of box, which had been squared off by the castle gardeners. I could hear some raised voices from that direction, and I started off down there.

Oliver took hold of my hand, and we got to the hedges. I could just see over them, and there was Tristan being held at sword point by a man. Another man had Tristan by his arm, Tristan was just standing there, and he seemed relaxed. He was saying something, and shrugged as best he could, as if they were making a mistake. They didn't think so, and the man with the sword gave Tristan a little prod with it. I flinched.

Oliver whispered, "That didn't go in, he's just threatening Tristan."

I was having none of it, and I took off into the fray. I went straight for the man holding Tristan. I noticed he had a short sword in his belt, but since he wasn't holding it, I figured he would have to let go of Tristan to get it.

I slashed his hand across the back where he was holding Tristan. I seemed to have some kind of surprise advantage because he yowled, let go of Tristan, and took a few steps back. I glanced back to see Oliver put the sword he had to the other man's back, and say something in French.

The man turned, and stepped back holding his sword for battle with Oliver. I thought 'oh no, Oliver can't sword fight.' Tristan had thumped the other man whose hand I had slashed, and taken his sword from his belt in that moment I had been looking at Oliver.

Oliver raised the sword above his head holding it with two hands, and said something again to the man. Tristan came up alongside, and spoke in his Norman French. The man tried a blow at Oliver who to my surprise expertly avoided it, and brought his sword down on the man's weapon, which was sent to the ground.

I saw pain on Oliver's face, but he kept his grip on the sword he had, and then Tristan stepped forward with his sword to the man's chest, he spoke again to him, and this time the man started backing away. The other one had sat up, and groggily stood up wavering on his feet. I gestured my dagger at him, and he joined the other man. They both said something, and backed off down towards the dirt lane at the front of the garden area. Tristan called again to them, and they walked off quickly up the road.

He turned to us. "Thanks, they were bent on trouble, and I had no weapon. They took me by surprise too. I must be more tired than I thought." He grinned then, and punched Oliver on the upper arm.

He kissed my cheek. "Well done Chloe, that cut you gave him was just the right thing."

Oliver had been silent, and now he said. "This sword is so hard to handle, when it made contact with his I felt the jarring all the way through to the top of my head, how do you fight with these things?"

Tristan laughed. "You did Oliver, and that was great. How did you know to raise the thing right up like that?"

Oliver smiled. "Computer games."

I sighed. "Do you think they will come back, what did they want?"

"Well in short, me. They thought I was likely valuable to the castle guard, some stranger who looked remarkably like the dead son of Sir Edmund, maybe I was worth some money."

"Tristan, how odd, who would think like that?" I said, and he shrugged.

"Lots of low life really. This is a cutthroat world Chloe, like any other. If you hadn't come out looking for me, since I had no weapon they would have got me to the castle, and I'd be in some kind of fix."

"What were you doing out here Tristan? I thought you went for the torch," Oliver asked.

Tristan grinned. "Strawberries," he said, and pointed over at one of the squares of garden. It was teeming with strawberries.

"Strawberries?" Oliver followed my gaze.

I shrugged. Tristan smiled again.

"I just thought they could be better than the rather warm and sparse supper we have facing us. I used to come down here, and get them when I was young. They have always grown in this garden. I think they are wild."

Oliver shook his head. "Okay, let's get some, and go. Do you think those two will come back?" He repeated my question.

Tristan shook his head.

"Probably not, and anyway they have no way of knowing where we'll be. I'll just check if they are really gone." He ran down to the dirt lane, looked along it in both directions, and then came back to us. "I think they took off. They have no weapons now, and might think better of coming back. Let's get inside. I've no idea what the time is." He walked over to the strawberry garden, and picked up a shallow basket bringing it with him. We went quickly to the hunting lodge, and once inside Oliver looked at his phone.

"It's ten to seven, wow. I had no idea it was so late. It's funny isn't it how the phone just keeps time like a watch when there are no signals to pick up, just as well though."

Tristan was going to the kitchen tunnel door, and I followed. We went down to the water feature chamber, and put the weapons on the side of the pool. Tristan had left the strawberries on the big kitchen table, and we stood there looking at the water. I knelt on the edge looking in. The pool seemed brighter than usual. Tristan knelt beside me, and Oliver sat down, and began trailing his hand in the water.

"It's nice and cool. Have we decided not to look for the treasure that might be in the carved bit or the wall above?"

I looked at Tristan as I put my hand in the pool, and splashed a little water about. I had no faith in the portal working.

Tristan answered, "I think we have, because it may influence the future in ways we don't know about. We can look or not, when we are back in our time. Let's face it stuff just appears in the pool having been washed down from somewhere in our time, we could just let it do that."

I was just listening, and then I realized something.

"You know how the zipper part from my leather jacket appeared in this water feature in our own time. Well that had to have been washed down by the waterfall pool as that's where we tossed it in eleven ninety, so that no one would find it, and invent the zip too early. Well, maybe the bits of jewelry have been washed down from the waterfall pool."

Oliver who was a little way off, sitting trailing his hand in the water, as if he was in a boat on the river, nodded.

Tristan smiled at me. "Maybe so Chloe, that's a good deduction." We became quiet, and I thought it had to be past seven. I took a deep breath. The air down here was remarkably fresh really. There must be a way for it to be exchanged, another opening somewhere.

"It's got to be past seven," I said, and moved to get my phone from my jeans pocket. I looked at it, nineteen-eleven. "Well that's the end of that. Rene hasn't been able to remove the repulse spell. Let's go back to the chamber, and make sure we have the plan properly in our heads for two in the morning."

I stood up, and Tristan did too, steadying me as I pushed my phone back into my pocket, but I thought that it might be a gesture of comfort too, and I smiled at him.

Oliver came over to us, and said, "It's what we expected so I don't feel disappointed."

As we went back along the tunnel to the kitchen, he took my hand. I looked at him quickly, and smiled. In the kitchen Tristan took the smaller torch from the cavity carved into the stone wall, and went back into the tunnel to light it. Oliver had let go of my hand, and now stood close to me holding the big sword he'd picked up to bring back from the chamber. Tristan had picked up the other sword, and dagger, sticking them in his belt, so I picked up the strawberry basket as he came back holding the lit torch. He went to the front door, and checked it was locked, and then we went back up the stairs to the guest chambers.

I put the strawberries down on the table. Tristan stuck the little torch in the wall by the fireplace, and then took the weapons from his belt, and put them on the table where Oliver had placed the big sword. Oliver sat down on one of the lovely blue and gold chairs by the fireplace, and stretched his legs out. I went to the one by the bed, and sat down.

"I don't know why, but I feel tired, how about you two?" I asked, and Tristan nodded

"Just a little, it's the hanging around that does it."

Oliver smiled at me. "It's like being in an airport only worse as there are no cafes, shops, or TV lounges. I'd so like a cup of coffee right now."

"Guess what Oliver, you can have as many as you like about two thirty tomorrow morning because the holiday accommodation is equipped with a kitchen, and loads of little items for the rooms. There is no real food, not yet, but I know there are boxes of all kinds of biscuits, coffee, tea bags, tiny sized toothpaste, shampoo, and stuff, all ready to be put out when Liz gets it ready for the guests. The beds are not made, but all the linen is there washed, and ironed. Yes, and there are even robes, and funny toweling slip-on things, well slippers I guess. The idea being guests could opt to buy the robes when they had found how nice they were to wear on their stay. I hope no one notices lights, and such, but they shouldn't. The wing faces in the opposite direction from our main house, we need to make sure we stay on the 'White Wood' side of the building though just to be sure."

Tristan hadn't told me this much, even at the time I had started to help with the arts holiday venture, and I didn't stay in the place. I worked at the arts holiday workshops so had never known this. I grinned at him. "Snooped about did you Tristan?"

He grimaced. "No, not really, just a little after I had taken you there, and you started helping with the marketing."

Oliver sighed. "I can just about hold out for coffee at two thirty then," and he laughed.

"We could eat some of the stuff we have, if it's edible, and rest up a bit before we go. Let's face it by the time we get there, and then sort ourselves out a little for a couple of nights stay, it will be close to three maybe later. We need to get up and get the credit card from that Chloe's room about three pm, and it would be good if we already had sneaked the tray top so we could go off to the stores, and buy a few things, like underwear, and a couple of T-shirts." Tristan was in full planning mode, and I smiled.

"Yes we do need a few things, and a phone for you too Tristan since yours is back in the future."

Oliver grinned. "Sounds like a title for a movie. Hey wait I think we might find our phones have some kind of trouble, because we all exist there already, and will be using the phones. God how complicated. I feel sure there'll be some impact, but I don't know what. Maybe we could just buy three inexpensive pre-paids from the supermarket. I mean how awful would that be if sent you a text Chloe, and it went to that time's Chloe, or we called Aristide, and he called us, and it went to that time's people?"

I had to admit I hadn't thought anything like that, and Tristan couldn't have either as he said, "Oliver, trust you to think of some complex tech related probability, but true enough, we can't risk any cross contamination of events at all."

I sighed, the sooner we were off with Aristide away from possible bumping into people the better. I wandered over to the food, it looked horrid, and I was too tired to care really, so I went over to the bed, and lay down. Tristan had watched me, and he gave me a look that seemed to say he would like to do the same. I shuffled into the middle so that there was space if they wanted to take a rest, and closed my eyes. I was thinking of the events that were going on in the time we were going to, as long as Aristide helped us straight away we could avoid the arrival of Emma, and the taking Gui home. We could avoid the opening of the holiday accommodation.

I remembered the night back then on the actual day we were going to. Oliver, and I had gone to the Kool Kafé, it had been the first time I had felt the longing to make love to Oliver, although I had not totally identified it as such back then. I wondered if Oliver would remember. I opened my eyes. Even though I was tired, I knew I couldn't sleep. I lay there silently maybe for another ten minutes, and then I got up.

"I can't sleep despite I want to," I told Tristan and Oliver who were sitting close to the table, and then I realized they were playing the funny little game that was on there.

"How do you know how to play?" I asked Oliver.

"I don't, we're just using it like checkers. Do you know how to play it for real Tristan?" He replied.

Tristan nodded. "It's very close to backgammon."

They seemed to have finished, having come to some kind of impasse in the game, and Tristan sighed. He got up, and lit the candles. It was still light outside, but was growing dim in the rooms, because the light coming in through the high up windows wasn't much.

"Do you think we should take any swords with us to the waterfall tonight Tristan? What if we meet with trouble, and we have nothing?" Oliver asked.

Tristan seemed to think for a minute. "Maybe a dagger and the smaller sword, I'll leave the rest in the secret stash in the big drawing room. I don't think there'll be anyone around, well I hope not."

He got the other weapons, and told us he would do that now.

"Why not try to eat a little even if it's just strawberries. You can wash them with spring water."

When he was gone I took a few of the berries, and put them in the drinking cup with some spring water then tried one, it was really sweet. I gave one to Oliver who took it, and then keeping hold of my hand kissed the back of it. I grinned at him.

"This time is having an influence on you Oliver." He grinned back as Tristan appeared. I washed more strawberries, and handed them around, none of us ate any of the remaining meat.

I drank some of the spring water too having thrown away the water I had washed the strawberries in down the hole in the low wall in the next room that acted as a bathroom. Then I checked my pockets, and looked around the room deciding to tidy it up a little. There was little to do, but somehow I wanted to leave it as we'd found it. Tristan got the idea, and put things back in their places, including the lengths of linen, and the cloak we'd found. He put the game back in order, and wrapped up the food.

It had become dark outside, and the candles were flickering. Tristan lit the other set, and put the cross holder down on the table.

"Maybe we should rest for a couple of hours. Can you set your phone to wake us if we fall asleep Chloe?" I nodded getting my phone out, and doing just that. With some awkwardness, we went to the bed, and each lay down on it. We didn't bother with the modesty cushions, and after about two minutes, Oliver started laughing.

"This is so weird isn't it?"

Tristan replied, "It is."

I said, "Totally."

He kept laughing now, and again until I said, "Oliver, what's going on?"

He sat up, and leaned against the bed head putting one of the cushion things behind him. I sat up too, and so did Tristan.

Oliver still grinning said, "Sorry it all seems so ridiculous. I was thinking about having knocked that sword out of that man's hand. I mean to say, I had no idea what I was doing. Then there is contacting Aristide, and asking for a spell or whatever to get home, why would he help us? Really?"

Tristan sighed. "We can only hope he does, because the alternatives are quite a lot more difficult."

"Oliver, it's funny, but not, it's ridiculous, but it's true, we are in this fix. I'm going to contact Aristide. I think I'll have a good chance of getting him to listen and help because he sent me into the void, and got us out again. Well what we thought was a void. I've got the heart remember?"

Oliver sighed. "Sorry I wasn't really being flippant. It all just seemed funny suddenly. How could I forget that comment about your heart? It nearly killed me when I heard it, because I knew then that it would be you going into the void."

Tristan made a little sound. "Oliver, I'm so glad you did what you did in the garden, and also really glad it was no worse, that you didn't injure, or have to kill the guy. It's a dreadful thing to live with when you have, you never forget. When you've killed even in real battle, you want to undo it, but you can't, it's so final, the regret is phenomenal."

I knew Tristan was speaking about himself, and I wished I could hold him.

"Tristan, I'm sure that you've only done what you had to," Oliver said quietly.

"What will you say to Aristide, exactly, because I think we should plan it." Tristan was changing the subject.

"I'll say I have a bizarre magic spell problem that I am desperate for his help with, and I can't get out of the country, could he come over, and meet me. I think that's the simplest way to start," I told them.

Oliver said, "Mmm," and then, "It will certainly make him ask you more questions."

Tristan was nodding in agreement, as I glanced at him.

He said softly, "I hope it goes well. I can't tell you how sorry I am that this has happened, and once again it's because of me that you two are in some kind of danger."

"You have to stop that kind of thinking. We could have chosen not to follow you in the chamber when Anna did her deed, but we didn't," Oliver said quickly.

I took hold of Tristan's hand.

We were quiet for a few minutes, and then Oliver said, "I can't wait to get back to nearly home."

I laughed. "What do you mean nearly home? It is home."

"No it will not be home until we are in the time we left, that's home," Oliver insisted.

I thought about it. I understood what he meant, in some way.

"I'm not very good with old stuff, I like modern, and new. I like my time it's special to me, and it's the one I lived in most recently," Oliver was wistful.

"I understand that Oliver," Tristan consoled.

I was left thinking if the fact that Oliver and I were closer was the reason why that time was so special to him, I didn't comment.

We somehow shuffled down the bed again to try, and get some rest, but it seemed impossible. We started to talk over the plan for tomorrow, and listed it, take the tray top, get the credit card from Chloe about three, go buy some stuff we need, phone Aristide, have a night's sleep, drive to wherever he agreed to meet us, try, and get his help.

"Tristan, did Liz get a laundry service to do the linen for the holiday accommodation?" I asked.

He answered as if slightly amused. "Why and yes she did, that's a funny question out of the blue."

I looked over at him. "Well if the place had its own utility room with washing machines, and dryers, I was thinking maybe I could wash my underwear at least overnight. I can't face the thought of having to put on my dirty clothes tomorrow after being able to shower tonight," I said a little embarrassed.

"Me too" Oliver said "And when we buy a few things I'll have to wash them before I wear them, sorry, but I will."

Tristan burst out laughing. "You two, really, you're immortal, dirty clothes or unwashed new ones can't hurt you, but you're in luck, there is a guest facility. Liz said she thought that would go down well, you could send it to staff or do it yourself. There was no intention to do our own linen, but there are three washing machines, and dryers, so your wish is granted."

I smiled. "Thank heavens, I know it can't hurt us, but it's psychological. I'll know they are dirty."

Tristan laughed, and I joined in. We quieted down, and I checked my phone, it was eleven, and we had three hours to go. I closed my eyes, and thought about the next day. I didn't sleep I just kept churning the thoughts repeatedly in my mind. Then I must have dropped to sleep for the last half hour before we were due to leave for the waterfall. The sound of my cell alarm woke me, and I sat up to see both Tristan, and Oliver already up, and making sure things were ready.

Chapter Forty

We straightened up the bed and moved the water pitchers to the 'bathroom'. Tristan got the little torch from the wall. Everything was ready. Oliver had his jacket on, and I put my sweater on, and checked my pockets. Oliver picked up the linen cloth of food, and we went down to the kitchen. We left the food on the table there, and went out of the front doors. The night was clear and cool. It was dark on the way through the woods, and we did need the torch. We got down to the waterfall pool, and checked the time. We waited until the few minutes before the portal would open. Tristan put the torch out in the pool, and then holding hands at just the right moment we stepped onto the reed pad area that we knew was the portal. There was not much evidence that we'd traveled to start with, but seeing the change in the vegetation, and the height of the bank of trees, shrubs, and ferns leading down to the waterfall, I knew we had. Tristan was the first to step off the reeds, and then Oliver and I did too, I think just in time to stop our boots from going into the water.

"Yes, it happened, we are almost home," Oliver said.

I smiled at him. Tristan had let go of my hand, but Oliver hadn't, and I wanted to stay holding hands with him.

"We should just get on with going to the holiday accommodation wing of the Dearing house. You'll be able to have a cup of coffee Oliver," Tristan said, and I knew he was smiling as he said it.

As we scrambled up the bank to the top path I felt such relief to be home, it was hard to believe we still weren't out of trouble. Oliver had hold of my hand, and Tristan turned to help too. It was dark, and slippery. There must have been a little rain. I let Tristan take my hand because it was good to be all of us together starting the adventure that would hopefully get us home to our own time.

On the top path, we started to walk over to the other path that we could join to get to the greenhouses, and from there down to the Dearing house, and the west wing holiday accommodation. We hurried, as who knew if Tristan would be out and about on Cedric. After I said that aloud, we all laughed a little, but it was interesting the way we'd started to call the other one of us, the past one of us, by their name, and refer to them as if they were other people, or characters in a book.

At the west wing, Tristan led us down to the side entrance where the security panel and door was. He punched in his number, and the door swung open. Going in he closed the door again, and left the security system off saying the scanners would get us if he put it on, but the door was locked still. He put on a couple of lights, and from behind the little office, that I already knew about, he got three card keys for bedrooms, and then we went down to the kitchen.

Oliver put on a couple of down lights by the work surfaces, and started looking in cupboards. Tristan went straight to some boxes stacked by the end wall, and got out an electric kettle, and handed it to Oliver then he opened a large door that led into a walk in cupboard, and brought out teabags, coffee, and a box of biscuits.

Oliver started making drinks, and Tristan asked me to go with him to the linen cupboards. They were alongside the wall of a corridor leading into the utility room, and he got us towels, robes, and bed linen. I had a stack of it in my arms, and he took some to carry to the kitchen before we went to any rooms. Oliver had made coffee, and tea, when we got back, and as we dumped the linen on a nearby table, he grinned.

"Well so far so good, come and have this tea, and coffee. Where are the rooms Tristan?''

"They're next to each other on the ground floor on this side of the wing. We need to be careful also if we need to make a quick getaway, then the ground floor will be better. Having said that though, I think tonight, and tomorrow night will be totally safe, but thereafter I think things start happening here. Can you remember Chloe?"

I was drinking my tea, and contemplating eating a biscuit, I thought for a moment.

"Maybe we have a week before anyone comes here, but we don't need that Tristan I want Aristide to get us back as soon as possible. I don't know what we'll tell people, those that realized we were missing of course, that so worries me."

Oliver gave me a kind look, and asked if I wanted some more tea. Tristan sighed, and said he'd no idea what I could say. It was going to be really hard he knew. I went to the kettle, and stood by Oliver as he made us more drinks, and then I did eat a couple of biscuits thinking about what I could possibly say to mom, and dad. I had no idea either, and decided to ask Aristide if he could make some kind of forgetting potion, or something for me to slip in their drinks. I knew this was a long shot, but I could think of nothing else. We went along the corridor with Tristan, and he let us into rooms, and left us with the card key, and linen.

"Oh sorry I forgot, there are welcome packs to get for you, soap, toothpaste, and stuff, I'll be back" he said, and went off down the corridor.

He was back quite quickly. I had made my bed, the pillow, and duvets were in the room on a set of shelves by the hanging space for guest's clothes. He left me the pack, and went off to his own room next door.

I immediately took a shower, and put on the robe, and toweling slides. I was going to put my clothes in the washing machine. I decided just to wash my underwear, T-shirt, and shirt. The jeans would have to wait. In the utility room, I found Oliver also clothed in the robe, and stuffing his things in a machine, he smiled at me.

"Hello, do you want to add your things? I'm not doing jeans or my sweater, so your stuff will be okay with mine."

I put my things in the machine with his, and he looked in the cupboard over the machine, and found detergent. After we set it going, he put his arms around me, and kissed me. He tasted of toothpaste.

"We could dry the stuff when we get up, that will mean we can go to sleep for a few hours now. I suppose snuggling up together is out of the question?" he smiled. I nodded at him, no matter how much I'd like that it was totally inappropriate, and that was why he was smiling, he knew it too.

We went back to our rooms hand in hand, and he kissed me at the door as he left.

I lay down on the bed on top of the duvet. It was quite warm in the room, but I didn't want to open the window in case someone saw it the next day. I went to sleep quickly, and woke up when Tristan was knocking on my door.

Chapter Forty-one

"Chloe, its well after eleven. Chloe, are you awake?" He was saying, and I got up, and opened the door.

"Hi Tristan, sorry, I must have been more tired than I thought."

"It's okay, just that Oliver wanted to start drying the clothes you washed last night, we're not sure how to dry your things."

I nodded, and told him I'd come along to the utility room I just wanted to clean my teeth. He smiled at me, and went off.

I got to the laundry area, and found Oliver standing with a cup of coffee in one hand reading the label on my T-shirt.

"It's okay Oliver everything is cotton, chuck it all on hot for forty minutes that should do."

We left the things drying. I had forgotten about my socks, and thought I'd get a pair of sandshoes or something at the shops today as my boots were shearling lined, and really warm. They were great for the winter we'd left behind, but the weather we were in now was warm. We had a lovely September I remembered.

I was telling Oliver this as we went to get tea whilst our stuff dried. Tristan was making coffee, and he grinned at us. He was dressed in his clothes. It hadn't bothered him to put back on his clothes. Oliver teased him about it, and he said well when we get a few things today I'll launder them I promise. We sat around the table there in the silver and white professional kitchen. It was sparkling new, and clean, the sun coming in through the big window despite there was a big tree out there, close by. I felt okay, I felt happy. I was with the two guys I loved, and we were going to fix things. I smiled at them both.

We made a list of things it would be good to get from the shops, ate some processed fruit that we found in another crate full of the stuff. It was in little cartons, fruit in its own juice. Then our clothes were ready, and we went off to our rooms to dress.

It was one thirty, and we decided to walk over through 'White Wood' to get the tray top truck if possible. Tristan knew the way although there was not much of a path. He was telling us how he'd desperately wanted to go, and see the horses at dawn, but knew he must not. It took about twenty minutes to get to the 'White Wood' greenhouses, and there in front of the first one was the white tray top truck, but someone else was there too.

Andy was there, and he was sitting on a turned up box outside the first greenhouse eating a sandwich. His blue car parked alongside. We stopped as soon as we saw him. He had his back to us, and yet I'd have expected him to hear us. Moving back behind the thickest group of bushes, and trees we shrugged at each other.

Tristan whispered, "Lucky he's listening to his iPod or he may have heard us. He'll only eat his lunch, and then go, hopefully in his own car. We just have to wait it out."

Some time went by, and I sighed taking out my phone, it was two fifteen, and I was starting to fret when just at that moment we heard a car engine start, and the crunch of tires on the gravel. After a minute or two Tristan moved off to the greenhouses, Oliver, and I followed. The tray top to our great relief was still there, and Tristan got his keys out of his pocket smiling.

"Excellent, we have transport," and he opened the cab at the passenger side, and helped me in. Oliver got in the back seat, and as Tristan went around to the driver's side, he leaned over, and kissed my cheek. I was grinning at this when Tristan got in the truck, and he smiled at me, I'd have liked to kiss him, as he was so happy to have the truck for us. I thought I'd do it at the earliest opportunity.

We drove down to the lane that the hunting lodge, my current home, was on, and parked right at the end a good way off from the entrance. We sat there waiting for this time's Oliver, and Chloe to leave, sitting slumped down a little so that no one would really see us. The windows were quite tinted too, so that would help I thought. We saw them drive off just after three, and it felt so strange to see this.

I turned to Oliver. "Maybe you can come with me, because the archaeologists know you are with me this afternoon. It will look like we've not gone out yet."

Oliver nodded. "Good idea," and got out of the truck.

We crossed the lane, and went in through the unlocked front door. I knew it would be unlocked because of the work going on in the big drawing room. Oliver and I took the stairs to my room two at a time, and as I went into my room, I felt a wave of nostalgia for it. This place had really become my home.

I went straight to my desk where there were some drawers. Right at the back of the third one, in a spare wallet, my American Express card was just waiting for me. I took it, and put it in my pocket, turned to Oliver, and grinned, "Let's go Oliver."

We hightailed it down the stairs, and out to Tristan who let out a sigh of relief as we got back in the truck.

"So everything is fine then?" he asked as he started the engine.

"Peachey," I replied.

Oliver thought we'd better go to the town in the opposite direction from the ones we normally shopped in so as not to meet people, such as Laura.

I laughed, because it was a known fact I couldn't go shopping without bumping into her.

We got petrol on the way to the other town, and some bottled water. On the outskirts of the town was a massive supermarket, which we pulled into.

We got pre-paid cell phones in there, and phone credit vouchers, some toiletries, and bread rolls. Tristan said there was a big chain department store a little further on, and so we drove there. Inside we got some underwear, T-shirts, a sweatshirt each, and I got some canvas shoes too. After some thought, we decided on getting another pair of jeans each because, what if? Alongside this store was one of the lovely food stores where we got cold meat, salad, fruit, and ready-made sandwiches to eat right then.

We sat in the truck with the windows down, and ate our sandwiches. We'd achieved everything we'd hoped to. It felt like things could continue to go right. I offered Oliver the front seat when we were about to drive back, but he declined saying it was just as roomy in the back.

As we approached the Dearing house Tristan was worrying about passing to get to the car park that had been made for the holiday accommodation, but we saw no one, and found there were a couple of trade vehicles in the car park for camouflage, they would have belonged to trades people finishing off the arts workshop buildings.

We got back into the west wing with our shopping, and immediately got to work laundering the few clothing items we'd bought, and Tristan found some big black plastic bags to serve as suitcases for the stuff. We charged our phones, and put the SIMS in, loading the credit onto them, and then sending each other our numbers. Whilst the clothes were drying, we sat at the kitchen table, and I called Aristide.

He answered his phone, and I launched into the planned speech I had thought of. He said he was intrigued, but wanted more information, and so I ended up telling him the whole story. He told me he would help, but there would be a price, and I was thinking, not blood please, when he said he would like a favor, not now, it would be in the future some weeks after we'd returned. I couldn't imagine it being that difficult so I said certainly, we would agree to that.

We arranged to meet the next morning in Oxford at Gloucester Green. Aristide would fly he said, and then there was an excellent bus service to Oxford from Heathrow, he continued as if we didn't know that. I asked if he would like us to book him a room for the night, and he said that would be a good idea. He would text on landing, and then we could meet him as he got off the bus. He was actually looking forward to it he said. I thanked him for coming to help. I called the hotel at Pear Tree in Oxford, and booked four rooms with my credit card, we'd better all be in the same place tomorrow night I thought.

We smiled at each other after this, and talked for a moment about the favor Aristide may want in payment for helping us.

"As it's not blood I don't care what it is," Tristan grinned.

Oliver went off to get the clothes from the dryer, and I turned to Tristan.

"Tristan, I must kiss you, I keep wanting to, but it's not okay with both you and Oliver around, as we all know." I started to say, and he held my face, and kissed me. It was so good to feel his kiss, and I held on to him for a moment kissing him back until I thought I should stop because Oliver would come back. It didn't feel remotely wrong to do this, and he whispered he loved me.

We'd started to make coffee when Oliver came in the kitchen. He'd folded the clothes into a stack, and shared them up into what belonged to each of us. I took mine to my room along with the plastic bag, and some toiletries I had bought. When I got back, Oliver and Tristan were discussing how easy everything had been since we came back to this time. I added that it was because we already knew the time, and what happened in it. We were going to hang out there that night, then Friday morning take some of our stuff with us, and drive into Oxford ready to pick up Aristide.

We'd put our few groceries in the fridge there, and turned it on at the mains. Tristan said we might have to stay here Saturday night so we would leave things as they were when we left tomorrow morning. I agreed because I was sure we did have another week before anyone started coming into the west wing. I thought if Aristide could get us home to our real time Sunday night or Monday night we would only have been gone for a week, maybe I could say I had run away with Oliver or something, but changed my mind, and come home. Well I had no idea what to say, and this was as wild as anything else, and certainly the police would think that excuse possible. I didn't tell Oliver or Tristan because it was so weird, and part of me hoped Aristide would help me out on that score.

It was early evening, and we decided to hang out in Oliver's room, and watch TV for a couple of hours. Tristan turned the other twin bed around so we could sit against the wall, and Oliver threw us some spare pillows from the cupboard in his room. There was an older movie on, I hadn't seen. It had a very famous female singer in it, and was about a girl who wanted to be like this mystery girl, played by the female singer. The mystery girl would communicate to her boyfriend using the personal columns in the newspaper. It was a very cool movie. I loved it. I watched all of it, sitting there on the extra bed next to Oliver who seemed to like it too. Tristan went for coffee during the ads, brought me juice, and sat a bit closer each time. The movie was a good distraction from the seriousness of our actual situation.

We split up after the movie, and went to our rooms. Oliver texted me about half an hour later saying he missed me dreadfully, and would I be totally freaked out if he came and kissed me goodnight. It seemed incredibly sweet. I went to his room, and knocked softly on his door. I kissed him goodnight, and he hugged me close.

Back in my room, I put together my stuff ready for the next day. I felt a bit sad to know I'd be in a hotel room the next night, because this was close to home, and I hadn't realized just how attached to my new home I had become.

I was thinking about that when my phone cheeped again, it was Tristan, was I asleep, he was thinking about tomorrow, and he felt surprisingly nervous. I knew he wanted to talk to me. I had just showered, and was dressed in the robe that belonged to the holiday apartment. I thought about getting dressed, but then I texted him just come, and talk for a little while, I opened my door, and of course he was there.

His hair was wet, and he was in one of the new T-shirts, and the new jeans, he'd said he would wash his clothes today, and he had. They had been left in the dryer as we watched the movie. He kissed me on the cheek like an old friend as I let him in the room, and then we sat on the chairs by the desk. He picked up the card that detailed the accommodation facilities, which I had noticed was on Oliver's room desk too, and started rolling it up, and unrolling it.

I had never seen Tristan do that sort of thing. He ran his hands through his hair usually when he was stressed. I took the thing away from him, and pushed my chair close to him to be able to put an arm around his shoulders. He put his head on my arm just briefly as if taking comfort, and then looked straight into my eyes. His blue eyes were searching mine. I thought he was looking for an answer to a question he'd not asked. I felt a surge of love for him. I kissed him, and he turned to me. He began to kiss me, and I could feel his incredible intensity surround me.

It was hard to stop kissing him, but I did.

"Tristan, why are you nervous about tomorrow, is it all about Aristide?"

He nodded. "It's just that the last time I had anything to do with him, it was quite frightening. I wonder what he will make of the fact I escaped. The thing is Chloe, how do I explain that, without letting it out that we are immortal?"

I thought for a moment.

"Tristan, maybe that method of freeing you isn't the only one. Maybe we could say when Oliver and I broke the stained glass, instead of killing you, it freed you, or maybe he will not ask. I'd say don't meet with him, let Oliver, and I meet with him, but what if that means only Oliver, and I get sent home? We could say we found another witch who freed you, and leave it at that. Maybe he will not even ask."

"No he will. He'll be intrigued, it's something so unusual he will ask," Tristan shook his head to emphasize his belief.

I kissed him again, and held his face.

"We say we found another witch, who freed you just before the whole roundel broke. Hey, we could say it was Lily. I'm sure she would help us out by saying it was her if he asked, but somehow Tristan I think he will hardly mention it, if we just say we found a witch to help us. He seems so old school, and honorable. Let's not worry over it." I kissed him again because he was so lovely, and so vulnerable right then.

He was so fierce sometimes, like when we were facing those thugs in the garden, and yet any sign of someone being in danger because of him, seemed to reduce him to vulnerability. He clearly thought Oliver and I were in some danger from Aristide, and yet we thought it would be Tristan that was in danger.

He smiled a little. "You think I'm overreacting? It's just that I don't want you or Oliver in any more danger."

I shook my head. "I know, and we'll not be." I stood up, and so did he. I was going to hug him, and take him to the door because it was getting late, and we had such an important day the next day. He started to hug me close, and then we walked to the door, he kissed me, and I kissed him too, hugging him close. I did so love him. I don't know how we became so intense, but we did, and it was so easy to end up on my bed.

He held me so gently, but the intense feeling that we generated together was addictive. It had been a couple of weeks since Tristan, and I had come close to making love to each other, and we just picked up where we left off. To say that being with Tristan was fantastic is an understatement, it was so totally overpowering I could not have stopped, unless he'd demanded it. He didn't, he was telling me he loved me, and took my kisses as if they were gifts. I don't even know how he got undressed we were just so totally wrapped up in loving each other.

Maybe an hour later Tristan was still holding me close.

"I feel I have to go back to my own room Chloe," he said softly. I knew that the unspoken part was because Oliver was in the next room. We kissed at the door, and I got into my bed. I started to think about what I had just done. I couldn't undo it, and I didn't really want to, but I had complicated things even further now. It's all very well loving both Oliver, and Tristan, but now, I felt that somehow I had gone too far with it.

I loved them both so much, and I should have protected them from the emotion that might come from knowing what had happened. It was beyond my scope of experience to know what to do next, a week away from being nineteen, and having felt quite grown up since I was about fifteen. I suddenly felt like a silly little girl. Most of my friends back in California had experienced what I had not, by at least seventeen, but I had been ignored by boys, and got on with study instead. I had been given responsibility because of my mom, and dad working so hard and it had matured me, but not in a way I knew what to do about this kind of situation. I had been accused of being too serious by one or two friends. Now I thought maybe that's what they would say, if I told them how miserable I was, about what I felt I had just done to Oliver, and Tristan.

I told myself that I loved them, I'd do anything for them, we were three immortals, and we belonged together. We all loved each other. I'd not think about it. I'd get on with this situation we were in, and think about it later.

I must have just suddenly fallen asleep because my cell phone alarm going off woke me the next morning, and I ran in the shower right away to wake myself up.

I was down in the kitchen with the stuff I was taking to the hotel, and making a cup of tea when Oliver arrived down there. He'd brought his stuff too, and dumped it on the counter.

He hugged me. "Chloe, kiss me now, I love you, and I so miss you, even when you are in the next room, and all I can think about is holding you close."

I felt sad, and I hugged him back. "I love you too Oliver," I told him as he kissed me. He was his usual gentle, sweet, loving self, and I tried not to think about the night before. I kissed him back, he loved me, and I loved him, I needed to protect him. We made him coffee and toast, I couldn't eat, and I blamed it on being nervous about meeting Aristide.

Oliver was just about to go see where Tristan was, when he appeared. He was vibrant with happiness, and smiled at us both as he made himself coffee. He sat very close to me.

Oliver grinned. "Tristan, are you at all worried about meeting Aristide?"

"Not anymore, Oliver."

We put our dishes in the dishwasher, gathered our things, and left.

Chapter Forty-two

Oliver was going to drive to Oxford. Tristan tossed him the keys, and opened the door for me. He held my waist as I got in the truck, and he gave me such a smoldering, and loving look as he closed the door I hoped Oliver hadn't witnessed it. It was so intimate.

We got to Oxford, and we'd still not heard from Aristide. We found a parking space, which was quite a difficult feat, and a little way off from the bus station, but just as we'd parked, Aristide called me.

He was in Oxford he'd just arrived, sorry for not having rung from Heathrow, but he'd found the bus easily, and it was ready to go so he'd simply taken it. He was in the little café opposite the market square, and I told him we would be there in a short time we were just walking from the car park.

I saw Aristide at an outdoor table, a cup, and a newspaper in front of him. He didn't look up until we were quite close, and I watched his expression to gauge what he felt when he saw Tristan. He registered a little surprise, and then covered it, standing up to greet us, and shake hands with us as if we were at a business meeting, and for all I knew it might well be one in his mind.

We pulled up a couple of extra chairs to the table, and Oliver asked Aristide if he would like another cup of coffee. Oliver went into the café to order us drinks, and I launched straight into the issues.

Aristide listened to the details again.

"As I said before I can help you, and I am particularly happy that Rene was there when this happened. Tell me again what you think you heard him say as you traveled in time because it is most certainly that, which allowed your path to deviate. He was trying to help you, you may not believe this, but I know of the witch Anna, yes I know a lot about her. Could I just ask if she's the reason why Tristan is sitting before me now?"

He looked at Tristan directly when he said this even though he'd been talking to me, and Tristan sighed.

"Well it is because of a witch, I'd really rather not say who."

To his credit Aristide simply nodded, and continued speaking again to me.

"Chloe, I need first your assurance that when I call for my favor you will all respond to pay the price for what I'll do to get you all home."

I nodded. "Yes, you have my word." Oliver and Tristan told him that he had theirs too.

Aristide seemed a little older or wearier than the last time I had seen him.

"I've lately been worried about something I did as a much younger man, and it somehow has started to affect my present family. The favor will concern putting that right, but I do not want to go into detail now because it isn't the right time.

I'll need you to write a letter to me, and tell me everything that happened here today, what we agreed, and what I did to help you go home to the future time you should be in. Put your cell numbers in that letter, as I will contact you when I need you. When you are home in your own time do not post that letter, please give it to Rene to deliver to me.

You say he's coming home for Christmas with a woman he loves. I am delighted to know this, but when I've helped you, I must forget what I've done. I'm concerned about meddling with the future, you see. You are from there. It's amazing. I am totally intrigued, but I can't allow myself to continue to know after I've helped you. The fact that I can now call upon you to help me in my troubles is a gift. I didn't think I'd ever have the opportunity to undo what I had done, but I know now I can. Does that seem like a riddle, it's not, nor meant to confound you, it is like something meant to be."

He stopped talking, and drank some of the coffee Oliver had put before him. I was thinking how bizarre it all was, and was about to ask what he would do to send us back when he cleared his throat, and started to tell us.

"You will need to go back through the present portal," he laughed a little shaking his head. "That in itself is so very interesting to me, that portal, how it came about, and you say it just closed, how very odd. Well you will need to go back through it, and to the new portal at a time it will open, which you tell me is seven in the evening. It doesn't matter at all which way the portal would let you travel, so you can go as soon as you like, any day you understand?

You will need to pour a potion I've prepared into the water, and I'll teach you how to put the correct emphasis on the words of a sentence, which I'll write down for you, because at precisely seven you must say those words as you've poured the potion into the water. You need to be standing in the water. What will happen? I think you want to know."

He stopped talking, and drank again. I was nodding at his question, but knew it was rhetorical. He smiled. "You will go home back to the time you need to be in, and the portal will be contained, by that I mean it will be suspended, no coming or going will be able to happen, in time it will decay." He laughed, "Just as we all do."

I smiled at him. "Aristide, that is marvelous, how can you manipulate time so easily, you could do anything with that skill?"

He frowned a little. "But no Chloe, I'm not manipulating time, the portal exists by itself, I know not how. What I am doing is changing the way it works for that short moment. I believe it will work, really I do, but there are no guarantees. Should you find it does not work then the price is void, and you must seek me out again. I'll endeavor to help you in another way. However this way would be better for your families at home."

He coughed a little then, and took another drink of his coffee. I looked at Oliver, and he instantly knew I was thinking the old Magus might need some water or another cup of coffee. He stood up, and asked if he might get Aristide some water or coffee.

When he was gone, Aristide turned to Tristan.

"You've found dear friends, and I am happy for you. It also seems to me that this brave girl loves you very much. Take care of that. I once allowed myself to forget what a gift it is that someone loves you, and I regret that."

I didn't know why he'd said that, his words had a strange reverberation about them. I looked at Tristan who was nodding at Aristide. It was one of those moments that you know are significant, but at the time you've no idea why, and it seems fanciful to pursue.

"You know, I said I'd stay overnight, but I'm going home this evening, there is an eight o'clock flight. It's a very short journey. I do get remarkably dehydrated on flights, but that's all. I am still strong, even though old," he smiled again.

I was thinking fast. "Aristide, we can check into the hotel at three, and you can teach us the inflections, and give us the potions in private. We can hardly do it here in the street. We could have a meal together, and then drive you to Heathrow, what do you think?"

He took a deep breath. "It sounds very agreeable."

The sun was going in, and out of clouds, when it was out it was very warm. Oliver had brought me some bottled water too, and I took a drink. He smiled at me from the seat he had near Aristide, and his love for me was there in his eyes.

It was close to twelve thirty so we decided to find a place to have lunch, and wandered off to do that. Aristide ended up wanting to go up the Carfax tower, which he and Tristan did. Oliver and I waited below. We held hands as we waited.

After that we found a café, and had lunch. I paid the bill with my credit card out of courtesy, and smiled to myself about the mysterious account I'd have arrive from the States, it prompted me to ask Aristide if we would forget the adventure as we got home. He told me no, we would not, we'd lived it separately, and Oliver grinned saying he thought that.

I asked Aristide if he could give me any kind of forgetting potion for my family as I was growing worried about how to explain my absence, and he laughed.

"You will find it unnecessary. I want you to have that as a surprise Chloe, a pleasant surprise, courtesy of Rene, who if I know him, is even now in the future trying to get you back, but this Anna she'll have thought of everything. He will not be able to lift her spell from the future. A deep thinker that boy, he's grown up you know since that horrible, and unfortunate encounter with you Oliver." He smiled a little at Oliver who smiled back, a silent agreement to let bygones be just that.

We walked off to where the truck was parked. It had a ticket, but at least it was not clamped. Tristan drove us up to Pear Tree, and we checked into the hotel. We all went into one of the rooms, and sat down around the table there. Oliver moved the menus, and TV information from the tabletop, and Aristide opened a briefcase he had with him. It was a canvas briefcase, and looked more like a sheet music case than anything else, he took out a sheet of paper, and on it the words were printed, 'travel now, travel we can, and then end, and suspend'.

It seemed way too simple to me to be a magic spell, especially said by we three novices.

Aristide must have read my mind because he said. "It may look as if, how can there be magic in it, but I've aligned these words with the potion, and it has power believe me, enough power? That's the question."

I sighed. I had to believe it would work or maybe it wouldn't, maybe negativity was catching. He taught us where to put emphasis on the words, and drilled us for about half an hour until he was happy with it. Then he produced three vials of something, from the music case. It looked a smoky rose color, and I was surprised there were three vials. He told us we had to place the tiniest amount on the tip of our tongue, and pour the vial into the water as we stood in there, and then say the words all together and exactly as he'd taught us. I was willing to accept it all right then. Hadn't this guy sent me into the past to get Tristan, and brought me back? He knew what he was doing.

I smiled at him. "Thank you Aristide, we'll write the letter for Rene to deliver to you tonight, and go tomorrow night. I can't tell you how grateful I am for this." He nodded at me, but the smile he also gave me was tinged with a little emotion I wasn't sure how to interpret, was it regret or sadness, or maybe I was imagining it.

Time had gone quickly. Aristide said he would like tea only and not a meal before we went off to the airport. So we went down to the hotel restaurant to have a cup of tea, and then we put our room keys in the slot for check out, and left to drive to Heathrow.

Tristan drove us, and we were quiet on the way there. Aristide seemed content to look out of the window in his front passenger seat, and I was next to Oliver in the back holding his hand.

We saw Aristide into the airport, and he left us then saying should the spell not work to contact him again, and to remember when he contacted us, we must come to do the favor for him. We told him we would, and said goodbye. I thought it was time I had a turn of driving, and just needed a little help with directions.

Oliver commented that it was a pity about paying for hotel rooms that were unused, but that he was actually pleased to go back to the Dearing house holiday accommodation.

Tristan agreed, but said the hotel room had been necessary really to learn the spell, and we all three laughed at the sight we might have been, doing that drilling in a café or on a park bench.

We were very careful as we parked, and got out of the truck back at the Dearing estate, we needed our stuff that night, and got it from under the tray top cover keeping a watch in case this time's Tristan wandered by. We got inside quietly laughing a little at our newly acquired stealth skills. The vials had been in the glove compartment wrapped in a T-shirt that Tristan had taken from his overnight stuff, and now we sat looking at them where we'd put them on the kitchen table.

Oliver was eating a sandwich, and Tristan got up to make one. I picked one of the vials up, and held it up to the light.

"Chloe, don't drop it," Oliver said, and I knew he'd thought of when he'd somehow dropped the roundel Tristan was imprisoned in. I put the vial down, and smiled at him. I hoped he could see how much I cared for him in that look.

Tristan made me a sandwich too, and we talked over what we were going to do about going home, we had to get back through the waterfall portal first, so it would have to be the two am slot that night we took.

We sorted everything out that need dealing with, put things in order that we'd moved, and got ready to go to the portal with our plastic bags of stuff. Oliver booted the computer in the reception area, and we composed the letter for Aristide that we would give to Rene. When it was printed out, we put it with the vials on the kitchen table. Tristan said he would move the tray top to the Dearing car park, and though it may seem slightly odd it was there, it would be visible to greenhouse people, and himself. They would all think one or the other of them had put it there instead of the 'White Wood' greenhouses. He'd stuck the parking ticket behind the sun visor saying hopefully one or the other of them would pay it or ask him to. Then he grinned.

I wanted to shower before we left, and so I went up to my room, packed the rest of my things in the black plastic bag, and had a shower. I took the linen from my bed, and went down to the utility room with it. There was a big laundry hamper down there that belonged to the laundering company Liz had contracted, and I put it in there with the towels, robe, and slippers. Oliver had the same thought, and brought his along the corridor as I went back to the kitchen with my things. I went to my room one last time, and checked it was all in place. Tristan came out of his room as I was closing the door on mine, and I gave him my key card.

We decided to hang out in Oliver's room for the few hours until we had to go back to the past again. Sitting there on that spare bed with the TV on, but not really watching it, both Tristan and Oliver were very close to me. I felt like holding hands with the both of them, but didn't.

"Do you think we'll have left everything okay, so as no one will know we've been here?" I asked both of them.

"Well since we have, and no one did, as it's already happened, my guess is no one knew," Oliver said enigmatically, and laughed. Tristan was laughing then too, "Well put Oliver, and more than likely true," he said.

I smiled. I loved them both so much. Tristan went off to get coffee, and I turned to Oliver.

"I know we need to go at two, but I wish we could go tomorrow at nine, then we would only have a day to wait in the hunting lodge for the portal opening at seven. I just find the thought of going there again for a night, and day a bit daunting."

He moved a strand of hair from my face, and kissed me where it had been across my cheek.

"I know what you mean. I feel a bit of a booby saying it, but I feel the same. I wonder if we could convince Tristan to chance going to the waterfall in broad daylight. I wish I could remember if anything significant happened that tomorrow morning, but I can't."

I was thinking back to the time, and it occurred to me that tomorrow might be the day Tristan, and I come here to photograph the place for the advertising I had promised Liz. Then again, maybe it was the day after that, I sighed, and told Oliver what I had been thinking.

He shrugged. "Maybe we better go at two am despite hanging out in the miserable chamber again for so long. Chloe when we get home I want to spend a whole day with you on my own somewhere no one will find us. I'm beginning to feel desperate to have your skin against mine again. I do love you so much."

I kissed him quickly, and whispered me too, because it was true, there was no difference in how much I loved Oliver, and wanted him, despite what I had shared with Tristan. I sighed over the whole thing, and Oliver looked kindly at me.

"Don't worry Chloe, it will all work out," he said, and kissed me. He was commenting on the time travel, and I smiled at his kindness.

Tristan was fumbling at the door, and Oliver went to open it. He had a tray with coffee, and a cup of tea for me, and some biscuits. He grinned as he came in holding it.

"Hey I thought we should fortify ourselves for the trip, and I was thinking," he stopped talking, and put the tray down. "I was thinking we will not need the things we bought. Why don't we hide them here, and retrieve them when we actually get home. That way we've nothing to carry, but the vials in our pockets. There is an empty top cupboard above the last linen press in the corridor, the things could go in there, not that there is much, but what do you think?"

Oliver shrugged. "I don't mind at all. I might put a sandwich in my pocket, but as for the other stuff, okay, leave it. As long as you think it will not jeopardize the future."

I smiled. "I have to have spare underwear, and a toothbrush. If you really think the future will not be influenced by us leaving things, then okay." There really was not much. We each had a couple of pairs of underwear, and a T-shirt plus a pair of jeans, what could it matter, I thought.

Tristan was giving me the tea he'd made, and touched my hand. It gave me an electric shock, well that's how it felt, and he felt it too because he took a deep breath looking at me with his blue eyes wide.

He turned to pick up his own coffee.

"I can't imagine why it would influence the future. I mean really if anyone found it, before we retrieve the stuff, the place will have been open, and full of guests, and they would simply think someone had left the things behind by mistake."

We sat together again. There was not much time before we would leave to walk down to the waterfall, and I was suddenly glad of it, let's get on with going home I thought. We finished sorting things out. I got what I wanted from my stuff, and Tristan put it up in the linen press top. We got the vials in our pockets, and I stuffed the pair of underwear in my back pocket along with my toothbrush, which had toothpaste on it, because hey it would be useless without. I had wrapped a bit of cling wrap around it, with both Oliver, and Tristan laughing at me. Oliver who had jacket pockets as well as jeans pockets put some biscuits and the two sandwiches we had left, in his jacket pocket because as he said it was still possible the whole thing would not work. Tristan had the letter for Rene, and we checked the place over for evidence of ourselves. The only real sign was used linen in the big blue hamper, but that would easily be overlooked.

The night was only a little cool, and there were lots of stars out, the moon up there too. We walked quickly, periodically looking around because who knew if this time's Tristan would pop up, as he said himself that he wandered about a fair bit in the night, which made us all laugh a little, though we did it as quietly as we could. Going down the bank to the waterfall was easier than I expected because we could use our cell phones for a little light.

At two a.m. we went back to the eleven hundreds. Stepping out of the reed pad, and seeing the changed vegetation made me sad, and I looked to hold Oliver or Tristan's hand, and found both. They knew I had hold of each of them, but I think they felt the same as me because as we were on the bank of the waterfall pool where the water split into the Holy spring, and the ordinary waterfall. We all turned, and looked at the place where the portal was. Oliver sighed, and Tristan led us off up the slope to the wooded area where we could walk to the hunting lodge.

Chapter Forty-three

We were at the edge of the wood when Tristan stopped us, and we could hear a carry on coming from the stables of the hunting lodge, people singing, laughing, and loud talking. We each looked at the other with a resigned expression. Even in the darkness, I could see Oliver was not favorably impressed.

Tristan whispered. "Looks like there may be guests, though I may have to go, and check, this might just be the advance party or who knows just some travelers find an empty barn, and spend the night there." I sighed as he let go of my hand, and Oliver made his little what the hell groan. Oliver did not let go of my hand, and I glanced at him smiling when he groaned, it was funny, and eloquent at the same time, because you knew just what he was thinking from it.

I whispered to Tristan. "Well how will you know which of those people these are?"

He leaned a little toward me to whisper back.

"I will when I see if anyone is actually in the hunting lodge. I'm going to look, so you and Oliver need to stay here." I sighed, and he interpreted it as concern for him, which it was, he smiled a little smile, and it felt as if he was about to kiss me, but then he stood back, and walked quietly around the back of the stables heading for the front of the house.

Oliver put his arms around me, and pulled me against him. I was happy to be held close, and we stood there looking at the stables together. We must have been there seven or eight minutes, when a movement at the edge of the house caught my eye, it was a small boy, and he was coming straight towards us. Oliver saw him too, and stopped hugging me to hold my hand as the boy approached. He was clearly as shocked by our presence as we had been by his, and dropped a dead bird he was holding, not crying out, but gasping loudly.

Oliver spoke to him in French. I knew he'd said something about friends, and the bird, which he picked up, and gave back to the boy. He took a sandwich out of his jacket pocket, and making a sign for quietness by holding his forefinger up to his lips gave it to the boy smiling. The boy took both his bird, and the sandwich, which he sniffed. We moved a little so that he could pass us, and he did, looking around once at us before he disappeared into the darkness of the trees.

Oliver grinned at me, and held me close again.

"See I told you those sandwiches would come in handy somehow," he whispered.

I smiled against his shoulder, and squeezed him around the waist. He kissed the top of my head, and we turned to watch the back of the hunting lodge, and the stables again.

It seemed an age before Tristan appeared at the corner of the hunting lodge, a sword visible tucked into his jeans, and a dagger in his hand. Oliver sighed, and let go of me. I took his hand, and we glanced at each other. We both had a look on our faces that asked what Tristan had been up to because he was decked out with weapons.

When Tristan was with us, Oliver asked softly.

"What happened did you get into a fight or just take the opportunity to get tooled up again?"

Tristan smiled broadly. "We may need the weapons, but I have to admit it is second nature for me to have them about my person, nothing happened. There's no one in there. I don't know who this lot in the stables are, but the house is totally empty, and exactly as we left it."

"We saw a little boy. He came past us about fifteen minutes ago. He had a dead bird. Oliver gave him a sandwich, and he went off that way," I told Tristan, and pointed in the direction the boy had gone.

He grinned. "In a cellophane wrapper?"

I guessed he meant the sandwich, and nodded to which he grinned even more.

"Well let's hope he eats the thing, and ditches the wrapping before he gets home." I didn't ask why I just hoped we had not inadvertently put the boy in some danger.

Oliver sighed, and asked, "So what are we going to do, go around to the house or hang out here until we know this isn't an advanced party for guests arriving at dawn?"

Tristan smiled. "It will not be. There would be house servants in the lodge right now, and there is nobody. These guys will most certainly move on at dawn. That's one of the strange things about this place it's not all that well guarded really, only when guests are here that is."

He looked down at Oliver holding my hand at that moment, and a little frown came, and then went between his eyes. As we walked quietly around the hunting lodge to the front door, I caught hold of his hand, and he glanced at me smiling a little. We reached the front door without any problems, and went in there. Tristan had the door unlocked, and a candle lit by the stairs. He seemed to have some method for locking, and unlocking the door without a key. We went up the two flights of stairs, and along the corridor to the guest chambers, and found Tristan had already put candles up there. We all sat down around the table near the fireplace. "Right, we just need to hang out until seven o'clock tonight." Oliver stated the obvious.

We were quiet for a couple of minutes, and then Tristan got up, and put the letter and his vial on the table. "I'm going for water before daylight," he said, and Oliver stood up.

"I'll come too," he said.

Tristan shook his head. "No Oliver, please stay with Chloe. We are too close to getting home for me to feel safe leaving her alone. It's okay I have a sword this time, and I'll be fine." He picked up the water carrier that we'd actually left there by the door, and left.

Oliver shook his head.

"We'll give him twenty minutes, and then go look for him," he said, taking a cell phone from his pocket, and looking at the time. I stood up, got my toothbrush, and vial out of my pocket, and put them on the table. Oliver took the remaining sandwich and biscuits out of his pockets, and his vial too. We both sat down, and stared at the things on the table. Oliver glanced at his cell phone a couple of times, and then he moved closer to me. He leaned over, and kissed me, so I took hold of his face, and kissed him back.

He grinned.

"Well at least we are all together here in this place, that's the best part." I smiled at him nodding because I agreed.

It had been twenty minutes, and Oliver stood up.

"We'll go look for him whether he likes it or not. I don't know why he would expect anything else."

We were at the door when Tristan came in, and we stood back from it as it opened inwards.

"We were just about to come looking for you," I told him.

He frowned. "Well it's good I got back then because those idiots in the stable have spilled out onto the grass at the back, and are right now, throwing ice around from the icehouse. The fools. They appear to be suffering a surfeit of wine, with any luck they will meander off down country very soon."

He put the water down on the table, and turned back to Oliver, and me.

"You know what? I'll actually be not just pleased to get back to our own time, I'll be ecstatic. I'm really tired of all this now." He took his sword and dagger from where he had them stuffed in the belt slung low on his hips, and put them on a chair.

I glanced at Oliver, and he looked sympathetic.

"Tristan, we all feel the same I think, but it's not long now. If no one comes to this house tomorrow we'll leave, and never come back."

I thought, but didn't say, unless the potion doesn't work, and we are stuck hanging out here again until the waterfall portal opens.

I think Tristan thought it too because he frowned slightly, and seemed sad, but then he nodded, and took off his sweater.

"I think I may just get some rest for a while, that will kill a bit of time." I registered the phrase, and thought about what it might mean really, who could ever want to kill time when in the end it is so precious.

He lay down on the bed, and folded his arms over his chest. Oliver and I watched him, and then I followed suit. I shuffled into the middle so that Oliver could be next to me. I felt for Oliver's hand, and held it. I couldn't hold Tristan's hand so I rested my hand on his hip. It was only a minute before he moved to take my hand, and hold it on the bed between us.

Oliver with usual cheeriness asked if we wanted to practice the spell, but I groaned, and Tristan said, "Not yet please."

We all laughed a little, and then fell silent. It had been quite a long day, and I closed my eyes hoping to sleep. I did sleep, and woke up when rays of sun hit my face from the top window, to find I was cuddled up to Tristan, and he was holding me. I moved a little to get the sun out of my eyes, and he loosened his hold on me. He seemed to still be asleep so I carefully moved so that I was in the middle of the bed again, and turned my head away from the sun, I wanted to go back to sleep so that the day would go quicker. I had my eyes closed, and I felt Oliver move a little closer to me, he put his hand against mine, and I drifted off to sleep.

I woke up sometime later totally wrapped around Oliver. I had my face against his, and before I moved, I softly kissed him. He opened his eyes, and then sat up.

"Hey where's Tristan?" He said, and I looked around to see Tristan's place on the bed empty. Oliver got up, and walked to the table. He got a drink of water, grimaced after drinking it, and said, "Chloe, he would have seen the way you were holding me when he got up, let's hope it hasn't hurt his feelings."

I sighed, and just didn't say anything. Oliver continued, "I wonder where he is, we should have put the cushions back between us, although we are all fully clothed, and really it was pretty harmless stuff."

"What was?" Tristan came from the room that was the bathroom, his hair was all wet around his face, and he was shaking water from his hands as if he'd washed his face, then he ran his hands through his hair, and it spiked up a bit like Oliver's hair.

Oliver stared at him for just a few seconds, and then said, "Oh there you are, I must go wash my hands, and face. Is there still enough water in there?"

Tristan grinned "Yes Oliver, there is" he watched Oliver go into the room, and make sure the screen was over the opening to the room. Then he came to me, as I was just about to clean my teeth. I had my toothbrush in my mouth and the marble cup of water in my hand. He put his arms around my waist, and started to pull me close. I took the toothbrush out of my mouth as he kissed my cheek.

"I know he meant that you were cuddled up to him when you woke up just now, but you were wrapped around me most of the time we were asleep, it was great" he said, and then he smiled, and gave me a happy look.

I raised my eyebrows slightly, and smiled a little. He let go of me, and I cleaned my teeth.

When Oliver came out of the bathroom I went in there myself, threw the cup of water I had used to clean my teeth down one of the hole's there, poured clean water in the bowl, and washed my face, and hands. I had bought a little fold up hairbrush from the supermarket, and when I was finished in there, I walked out brushing my hair to find Oliver, and Tristan leaning against the table. They were talking quietly together, and both looked up as I came from the bathroom as if they didn't want me to hear what they were saying. I grinned at them putting the brush on the table next to my cell phones.

"What are you two plotting? I've seen that look before on both your faces," I asked them.

I was trying to braid my hair, and Oliver stepped forward to help me.

Tristan replied, "We were just talking about Aristide, and I'm really good at braiding hair, let me help."

I had not given Oliver the chance to help me, and I didn't give it to Tristan either. I pulled my hair to the side of my head, and braided it myself putting the hair tie on the bottom as it hung over my left shoulder. I was not having either one of them watching the other do something like mess with my hair it was way too personal. They watched me as I looked at my cell phone, and saw the time.

"Hey, how cool, it's already past noon, so we only have around seven hours to wait."

Tristan smiled at me, and nodded. I guessed he'd already seen the time.

Oliver became a little serious.

"We're going to practice the spell words Chloe. Let's do it a couple of times now, and again until it's time to go. We don't want anything going wrong because we didn't say the words properly that would be awful."

I agreed, and so we got the paper with the words, and practiced for a while. The first time we did it, we looked at each other then fell about laughing, but after that, we seriously practiced. We felt that we were saying the spell exactly as Aristide had taught us.

"What were you two saying about Aristide when I came out of the bathroom?" I asked them as we put the paper down again next to our vials of liquid.

"Well," Oliver began, and he glanced at Tristan. "We were just wondering what that favor might be. We can't imagine it not being an important task because, what he's doing for us is quite something, don't you think?"

I nodded. "I agree, I guess we just have to wait, and see."

We decided to take a careful look outside to find out what the mess might be like after the revelers rampage last night. The air was warm, and there was a smell of some kind of blossom. We walked carefully around the house to the back, although there was a back entrance Tristan was not confident of locking, and unlocking it so we used the front door. There was no sign of anyone, and nothing to be seen outside the stables except a couple of large blocks of ice slowly melting in the sun. We looked inside the stables, apart from two bales of hay arranged as if used for seating. There was nothing out of its usual place.

Tristan shrugged. "Well I take back my assessment, they've done little really, except waste a couple of blocks of ice." We went down the stairs to the passageway, and along to the chamber where the water feature was, it looked innocent in the dim light. Tristan checked the torch, and found it quite low. He decided to bring the hardly used one out of the kitchen where we'd replaced it, after using it ourselves the last time we were there. He lit it with the other, and put both in the wall holder.

"I doubt anyone will think anything of that, but even if they do we'll be long gone," he said as he completed the operation.

We went back through the stables, and around the house to get a little more fresh air before we went to sit in the guest rooms and wait for the last few hours. We dawdled along the path by the hunting lodge, and stood in the sun at the front of the house for a while, until feeling hot, we went and stood in the shade of a tree to one side. We discussed the prospect of facing our families after very nearly a week away. I reminded them that Aristide had said it might not be as bad as we feared, and Oliver sighed.

"How can it not be? Maybe he just means they will be so glad to see us they will not go completely ballistic."

Tristan laughed aloud. "Maybe Oliver."

It was happily close to five in the afternoon, and nothing unpleasant had happened, so we went back up to the guest room for the last two hours of the wait, and Tristan locked up the front doors with the long piece of metal that fit into two slots on either side of the door. There would be a key, but in its absence, he used the extra locking device. Upstairs we sat down in the chairs, and drank some of the remaining water. Oliver found the little packet of biscuits he'd brought, and we ate them talking about what we would do with the cell phones we'd bought when we got home. I was in favor of cutting up the SIMS, and sending the handsets to a re-cycle depot, and they agreed that would be a safe thing to do. We felt we could just assimilate the bits of clothing we would retrieve from the holiday accommodation, but the phones, they were different somehow.

"Even so, if we get weird vibes from any of the stuff we should destroy it," Tristan said, and Oliver glanced at me before he nodded.

We tidied up the guest room, put the water containers in the bathroom, made sure we had everything, and went down to the chamber.

Five minutes before seven, we stood together in the water feature, and got out our vials. Tristan had the paper with the words on it, but we knew them by heart now. As the minutes ticked by, we put the tiny bit of rose fluid on our tongues, and then poured the rest in the water with us.

Chapter Forty-four

At exactly seven by Oliver's phone, we said the words. I thought at first it hadn't worked, because I couldn't see properly, and then suddenly the chamber was flooded with light from the archaeologist's spotlight. Rene, Lily, and Anna were there on the side of the water feature, and there were words echoing around.

"Encapsulate this time in seconds." Rene was calling them, and as we stepped out of the water, Oliver was holding my hand, and Tristan was checking to see if Oliver was okay too.

Lily burst into tears, and Anna ran away. Rene started smiling.

"I don't know how you've done it, but excellent, you're back, and my meager spell worked, it's only a few seconds since you went through the portal. Where's Anna gone?" He finished, looking around as she ran off.

Lily was hugging Oliver, then Tristan, then Rene, and then me. We didn't go after Anna, and Tristan produced the letter for Aristide, giving it to Rene. We decided to go up to the kitchen, and tell the story. Tristan and Oliver got paper towel, and were trying to dry off the bottoms of their jeans a little, the heating was on, and the place was warm so they said they would be okay. I had forgotten it was winter here, and the darkness outside was strange to see. There was a sprinkle of snow on the patio, visible in the garden lights. I felt tears come into my eyes. I was so very pleased to be home.

Tristan started to make coffee, and Oliver was looking in the fridge for something quick to eat.

He announced, "Being safe and sound at home now has made me hungry."

I told them I'd just go change my jeans because I was wet up over my knees, and left them to go to my room. I changed, and washed my hands with my soap thinking thank heaven I am home, and then I went down to the kitchen.

Tristan had started telling Rene the story, and Rene was turning the letter in the envelope addressed to Aristide over and over in his hands. Oliver smiled at me as I came into the kitchen, and brought me a cup of tea and as Tristan was continuing the story Oliver seemed to be taking care of everyone.

I sat down near Lily, and Oliver sat close to me, and passed the plate of food to me. It was an assortment of bits and pieces from the fridge, but I wanted to shower, and change properly before I ate.

I waited until there was a gap in the conversation between Tristan, and Rene, who was asking questions, and then I said to Rene.

"I can't believe we were only gone for seconds. That was so great that you called out those words. I thought you had called out 'encaps, and seacombs'. When I told Aristide what I thought you had said he knew what it really was, and told me I'd have a nice surprise, that my family wouldn't be worried about me. Thank you Rene, you as much as Aristide saved us."

He smiled. "I am pleased to. I could hardly believe my eyes and ears when Anna did what she did, and speaking of her, Lily do you think she'll be okay? Where might she have gone?"

Lily shook her head. "I don't know, probably home, she surprised me. I had no idea what she was going to do. I thought she was just keen to come, and say goodbye to you all. I thought she was just concerned that the repulse spell may need checking. I was shocked when it happened. I don't know what to do about leaving with Rene now, what if she's going to do some other horrid thing to you all?"

"Well we could go after her, and just check your house. Try calling her Lily," Tristan said, and as Lily did this, he continued to the rest of us, "I'd like to know why she did it."

She was not answering the phone, and we decided to go over to their house, because the question of where she was might mean none of us was safe. I got my coat, and Tristan found his from the back of the chair, and was grinning as he put it on. Oliver said he had a thicker coat in his Land Rover.

We all piled into my Wrangler to go over to Lily's house. I had the heater on full. It was weird being cold after reliving the lovely September weather through the portal. The sprinkle of snow had stopped, and most had just become moisture that was now starting to freeze here, and there. We drove into Lily's driveway. All the lights in the house were on as usual. We parked, and followed Lily into the house.

It had almost been an hour since Anna had run off. There was no sign of her in the house, and Lily looked down on the part of the driveway that was hidden by the big gates, from a window in the huge stairwell as we searched upstairs.

"Her car has gone," she said simply, and we went downstairs to the drawing room in the middle of the house, where there was a fire in an ornate stove on one side of the room. The radiators were on, and the place was lit up everywhere. Every single light was on, all over the house as we'd searched for her. On the oval coffee table in front of a green leather Chesterfield, was a note. The writing looked hurried. I handed it to Lily as I saw it was headed up 'Dearest Lily'.

She read it, and then read it again aloud.

"Dearest Lily, I have to leave. I was consumed by jealousy, and regret over Tristan, but what I did back there in the chamber was really stupid, an act of desperation. Please do not worry nor think badly of me I'll contact you again eventually. Lock up the house I'll be gone for many years. I hope you are happy with Rene. Love as always, Anna"

Tristan sighed, and shook his head. "I'm sorry everyone, for my part in this sorry stuff, what can I say it had been ninety years. I had made myself stop loving her many years ago. Time had moved on. I am sorry Lily that you've lost her."

Oliver did his little groan, but very quietly, and he took my hand standing slightly behind me.

Lily let out a big sigh. "Please, Tristan, you don't owe anyone an apology. I think I'll let her be, she'll lick her wounds, and contact me as she said maybe in a few years. She'll be okay, you know. She has lots of resources. She's strong, and as you've discovered ruthless when she wants to be. No let's forget it now, if we can that is."

We drove back to my house, and after having coffee, and saying they would fly out tomorrow night to France, Rene, and Lily drove off.

Tristan sighed. "Bloody hell, thank heaven that's over. Do you think she has really gone or should we all three be looking over our shoulder?"

Oliver answered, "I think she's gone, seriously I do."

I nodded. "I think so too Tristan. I think she has gone off. There's more to her than we know, remember what Aristide said."

Tristan nodded. "I think she's crazy. I said it before, and I meant it. Let's try to forget about her."

Oliver grinned. "We can focus on a little celebration for Chloe's real birthday, and guess what, a proper party for yours."

I smiled. "Yes Tristan we must celebrate your birthday."

He didn't say anything at all just drank the rest of his coffee.

Oliver said he would get going because he felt scruffy, but he would call later. I went out to the Land Rover with him, and kissed him.

He smiled. "I'll call later, Chloe. I know it will be hard to be apart from you tonight."

I went back into the warmth of the kitchen.

"I better go, and get cleaned up too. It will be so strange not to be with you and Oliver tonight," Tristan said, and he laughed at himself. I knew he had no car, and I got my coat, and keys to drop him home.

At the Dearing house, I turned to him.

"Tristan, if there is any sign of Anna, anything, the slightest inkling of trouble, call immediately please."

He raised his eyebrows. "I thought you agreed she'd really gone?"

I nodded. "I did, I do, I'm just saying that because I love you."

He smiled, and leaned over to me to kiss me, and be kissed. When he got out of the car, I waited until I had seen him open the door with his keys, and go inside before I went home.

Mom and granny had come home when I got in, and they were making dinner.

"Hey Chloe," mom said. "Are you in for dinner, and have you had a good afternoon? We are a bit later home than we expected. I suppose Steven, and John are starving."

I smiled, and nodded.

"I'd like dinner mom, thank you, and yes I've been delivering flowers with Tristan, and then we hung out a little, it's been an interesting afternoon. I'm going to take a shower okay. Hello Granny, had a nice day?" She was nodding, and smiling. I left the kitchen, and took the stairs two at a time to my room.

I was in the shower for ages, until I felt clean, and when I was dressed, I took all my things down to the utility room, and stuffed them in the hamper. I'd launder them the next day I thought. I realized my bed linen was in the washing machine, and put it in the dryer. I had other stuff to use, but I thought I might as well get this stuff dried.

I was already feeling a few withdrawal symptoms from not being with Oliver, and Tristan. It was just so odd not to have them around.

I went into the kitchen, and joined mom, granny, Steven, and John for dinner. As I ate, I wondered what Tristan was having for dinner, and I hoped McPherson was around to cook him something, and then I thought about Oliver, what would he be eating. I stopped myself from thinking about them by asking mom, and granny what they had been up to all day, and listened as they told me.

I helped clear up after dinner, and then went to my room. I looked at the cell phone which I had placed on my desk, and then at the empty vial next to it. I threw the vial in my little rubbish bin amongst tissues, and an empty bottle of shampoo. It would be concealed there, and I'd take the plastic bag to the wheelie bin tomorrow. I looked at my real cell phone, the one from the present time, hoping for a text from Oliver or Tristan, but there was nothing. It was nearly ten o'clock maybe they were still sorting themselves out, after all I had mom make me dinner. I made my bed, and sat down at my computer, and as I did, my cell rang. It was Tristan.

Chapter Forty-five

"Chloe, you don't know how much I'm missing you. It's so odd not having you, and Oliver around. I never expected to feel so solitary."

"Tristan, I feel the same way. I was thinking about you during dinner. Mom made dinner, and I was there thinking what were you eating. Was McPherson around and would she cook something for you," I told him.

He was smiling when he answered, I could hear it in his voice.

"She was, she always is, and yes she'd made dinner, after all it's like we've never been gone for everyone around us. It feels good to know you were thinking of me. I love you so, is there any chance I can come down, and see you? I could climb the ivy to your room."

I smiled at that. "Tristan, I'll let you in the door, please come down, we can watch a movie or something together." As I said it, I was thinking of something other than watching a movie, and I wondered if he was too.

I rang Oliver, and when he answered, I could hear music.

"Oliver, is everything okay? Have you eaten dinner, where are you?"

He answered happily. "Chloe, I was just about to call you. Yes, everything is fine. We have visitors at home. I had quite forgotten, and we had dinner. I'm still round with my parents so I'll text you later, but I miss you so much. I feel as if half of me has gone, and it's because you are not with me. I love you."

I smiled as I answered him. "I love you too Oliver, I miss you too, but I'll see you tomorrow for sure." We ended the call, and I was glad I had called him, and knew he was with his parents. The season for visitors, and parties was in full swing, I had forgotten that.

Next week would be my birthday, and I knew dad expected me to have dinner with everyone up at the restaurant because I had already had the party with Oliver and friends, so it would be a family thing. I started thinking about what to give Tristan for his birthday, which was almost ten days after mine, and ten days before Christmas. I had no idea, and decided to ask Oliver what he was doing about a present the next day.

A text registered on my cell. Tristan was parked up the lane. I went down, and let him in the front door. He kissed me as soon as he was through it, and said no to coffee, so we went up to my room.

We were very soon holding each other close on my bed. We kissed each other, and Tristan sighed.

"I've only been away from you for about two hours or something, and it felt like a week. I had to come over."

He kissed me again, and I smiled against his lips.

"I feel the same. It's because we just spent nearly a week together in the other time."

Tristan smiled. "And because we made love to each other, which I so want to repeat, but not here with your mother, and grandmother downstairs, that doesn't seem right somehow."

I laughed at that. "Tristan, we were hardly in an empty house the first time."

He hugged me. "I know, and it worried me, but I love you so much, I just stopped thinking about anything, but you right then."

We stayed cuddled together for about an hour, talking about what had happened, I guess we were debriefing really. It had been so bizarre, and we'd been so lucky Rene was in the chamber when Anna did her deed. Tristan shuddered when we said that.

"I don't even want to think about it all anymore, but I'll say this, how different is Rene from the one we knew back when he kidnapped Oliver?"

I smiled, and kissed him, hugging his shudder away. "I know, who would have guessed?"

I was starting to want to do more than just kiss Tristan, and I moved his shirt and T-shirt a little to feel the muscles of his stomach, and back. He pressed against me as he kissed me, and I moved my hand further along to his backbone. Just touching his skin seemed to move us into intensity. I opened my eyes, and whispered against his lips, "Make love with me Tristan."

He opened his eyes, "Are you sure?"

I was nodding, and unbuttoning his shirt. We got under my quilt. Just like before it was so good, so intense that I couldn't let go of him not for a second, and he must have felt the same way because he didn't stop kissing me the whole time. We were holding each other close, and it was much later, when he whispered, "I need to go home, so as not to spook your parents tomorrow morning. I mean you're old enough to know what you're doing, but even so, they might worry."

I nodded because it was true, they might worry. We kissed each other, and got dressed. I took him down to the front door, and watched him walk up the lane to the old truck. He was going to text me when he was safely home. I had insisted on it, and so about five minutes later he called, and said he was home in his room, and he loved me.

I had got into bed, and was thinking about what had just happened. This time I couldn't find it within myself to be sorry at all. I loved Tristan dearly.

Chapter Forty-six

I felt a little strange the next day. It hadn't felt complicated the night before, but now I knew it was. The light of day was highlighting the complexity once again of being in love with both Tristan, and Oliver. How could it end well, but then it needn't end badly either, it would depend on how they reacted if they ever found out the relationship I had with both of them had actually progressed. That was the best way of naming it in my mind. I didn't want to face the ordinary human jealousies that might eventuate. It was too frightening.

Oliver was working at the restaurant today until midnight, Tristan had work too, lots of Christmas deliveries, and set ups to deal with he'd said. I was going to help mom with some Christmas shopping, and I went down to find her, and ask what time we were going out. She was in her study, and granny was at the big picture window in there with a cup of tea staring out at the frosty garden. Mom had a sofa in the window, where it jutted out, and a radiator had been installed there.

"Hi Mom, what time are we heading out?" I asked going over, and kissing granny on the cheek.

"In an hour if that's okay, do you want to drive us?" She replied.

"Are you coming Gran?" I asked because I was thinking my car might be a bit cold for her until the heating really got going.

"I'm staying home today, since Steven has started his school holiday, and he has John round, but more than that I'm feeling a little tired, and can chill out here as you might say." She smiled at that comment, and so did I.

"Okay Mom, we can go in my car if you like. The heating takes a while to cope with this icy weather, but otherwise, fine." I went into the kitchen to get tea. Steven and John were in there eating bacon and toast. Steven grinned at me.

"Chloe's song is up on iTunes if you're interested, and there is a real CD over there for you," he said, indicating the kitchen work counter that extended by the door, and had become a little bit of a desk space. "We cut the real version. It's really quite a cool song. I think Oliver should write with Will more often," he continued as I picked up the CD, and looked at the real cover that had been chosen.

To my surprise, it was a photograph of my stained glass window design that Tristan had in his room. It was the snow scene with the shield in the snow in the foreground, and the figures at the back trekking through the countryside to the Tarrant estate. Well that had been my inspiration. For some reason it brought tears to my eyes. Here was both Tristan and Oliver before me. The song written by Oliver because he loved me, and the picture I had designed after being in the eleven hundreds with Tristan, who had saved my life, and loved me too.

I turned to Steven. "Thanks guys it's great I feel really emotional, sorry."

Steven grinned, and so did John. "That's what music is for Chloe. I feel pleased to have been in on that song, it's very cool." Steven said.

I thought he's very grown up, or aware, one of the two, maybe both, to have said that. I smiled a watery smile at them, and made some tea. They clattered off to the library shortly after, and I took out my cell phone from my back pocket, and texted Oliver. He took only a moment to respond, 'I love you too, call me?'

I called him. He was just finishing putting in more RAM, and installing a virus scanner on a few laptops for a local company, he told me. He was smiling as he said it. I could hear it.

"The whole job is so basic I feel a bit bad about charging at all, but I have to as it's my business, so I am charging a minimum for my labor, and cost for the components. Big softy will go out of business if I'm not careful."

I smiled too. "You are so kind Oliver, but you do need to charge. I was just given the real recording of the song you wrote for me. Steven had brought it home, and I had to call. It made me cry. I wish I was seeing you today. I miss you."

Oliver softened his voice. "Chloe, me too, I wish I was with you now. Don't cry. If you want to we can spend the whole day together tomorrow, and night too," he added in a whisper. I could imagine him saying it. He would have that kind, but light-hearted look in his eyes. If he was here he would hold me just as if I meant everything to him, and I think I did. We decided I'd go around to his place the next morning, on my way back from meeting with the Glazers about my stained glass designs. We rang off, and I put my cell in my back pocket, I was happy to have talked with Oliver.

I took the CD, and the remains of my tea up to my room, and finished getting ready to go out with mom. Maybe I could get a birthday present for Tristan today with her. Maybe she had some ideas, because I could not think of one thing to give him.

As I put some kohl around my eyes, and brushed my hair, I thought I didn't know what music he liked. He had some CDs on his shelf in his room. I knew he had an iPod, and he hummed lots of songs, so he liked music, but how awful that I didn't know what he owned or loved. Suddenly I thought about the few books he had on his shelf. I had no idea what they were, he had e-books on his laptop, there was a folder there, but I hadn't looked into it. He had a kindle in the bottom of his armoire that matched the one in my room. I had noticed it when Oliver and I searched for clues to free him from the stained glass windows. It looked as if he didn't use it, but who really knew? Then something suddenly hit me. I hadn't let myself think about the difference in how I felt making love with Tristan compared to Oliver, the word compared made me cringe, there was to be no comparison.

Strangely, now a difference was spotlighted, it felt as if Oliver and I were the same. It was like being home when I was with him, his gentle loving ways were intoxicating, but I knew him. We talked, and laughed, and told each other things as we cuddled.

I loved Tristan, his intensity made me tingle, we crashed together, and it felt fantastic, but there was some tiny part of him, which he held back, that's what I realized then. I didn't know enough about him, although I had uncovered his past, and we'd found out so much together, when we made love there was a secret Tristan somewhere.

Oliver was so open, he trusted me with his love, and I almost burst into tears thinking that Tristan was still afraid of loving me, even though he did. I couldn't fault him for that after all I was in love with Oliver as well as him, he knew that, maybe he was protecting himself from the pain he thought he might eventually get. I sighed, and sat down on my bed. What was I doing, actually making love to both of them? I must be crazy, it was wrong. I pulled my boots on, thinking how could I protect them both, I mean really you can't go around doing this stuff. Then I sighed, did I love them then, that I could do this stuff, and I knew I did love them. I'd die for them, that was the saying wasn't it, the old song lyric, sung a thousand times in a thousand songs, written in books, movies, poems, Shakespeare. I got up, and put my coat on, made sure I had my wallet, and grinned because now I had the American express card in there too. I had better check the outstanding balance tonight on the internet, and pay it, because that may well be overdue by now. This made me giggle, and lightened my mood, as I went downstairs my car keys in my hand ready to go out with mom. I had decided that it was all okay, as long as I loved them both. As long as they felt that love, then how I showed it couldn't mater could it? The one other thing I had decided was that I'd find out more about Tristan and his ordinary everyday likes.

I texted him as I waited for mom, 'are you listening to music right now, what is it?' There was no answer, and then as I was about to start the engine I heard the answer on my cell. I quickly looked, and then dropped my phone in the space for coins, and stuff near the transmission lever, and started the engine.

He'd texted, 'an old band you will not know them, song, don't break my heart, reggae.' To say I was spooked by that answer is an understatement. I couldn't think straight for a few seconds, and then I got on with driving because mom was saying Chloe where do you want to go first, and telling me the shops she would like to look in.

We'd been shopping for about an hour and a half when I said to mom that I couldn't think of what to buy Tristan for his birthday. She was intrigued by the fact that it was his birthday just over a week after mine, asking how old was he because wasn't he a tad older than Oliver and I, maybe. I wished I hadn't said anything because how could I answer her, but in the end I didn't have to because we ran into Clare, and James. They said they were about to grab a coffee because Christmas shopping was so stressful, and we decided to go with them.

We finished the shopping with me still not having bought anything for Tristan, and at home, as mom, and I unpacked the shopping we'd bought, she reminded me saying, "Hey you didn't get anything for Tristan."

I shrugged at her comment. I didn't want to be engaged in an age question again, and gran came along at that moment too, so it was just forgotten. Later that night I texted Tristan again, and asked if he had a favorite movie. There was an answer straight away, he liked lots, and couldn't choose just one. I was at my desk, and I called him. "What are you doing Tristan?"

"I'm going through the invoices of people who still owe the payment for the supplied goods, why?" He told me.

I sighed. "Tristan, is there lots? Is it bad?"

He laughed. "Not so many, so why are you asking what I am doing?" He asked again, and I could tell he was smiling.

"Just wondered. Tristan have you got the time to tell me three things you know I don't know about you, now I mean?" I asked him, and he laughed again.

"Well I like the color blue like you, but my favorite color is actually purple, well violet I guess you might call it. It's the blue purple...what else, you know so much about me," he said, and I felt sad, because I didn't feel as if I did.

"Do you've a favorite flower Tristan?" I asked sticking to the standard type of questions. He must have been thinking because he took a few seconds to answer.

"Well I really love lots, but I think it's a tree I'd choose if I had to, the Magnolia tree. What's this about Chloe?"

I smiled into the phone. "Tristan, I wanted to hear your voice, but there are some things I don't know about you, not important things I guess, but just little things that might bring you closer to me. I know you love apple pie, and coffee." I finished, and waited for him to speak again.

"Interesting. How much closer would you like me to get, because I can be as close as you want, just say the words," he was smiling again.

I smiled then too. He did have a sense of humor, and suddenly I realized I did know him, very well, what had I been trying to do, excuse my own behavior. Tristan was kind, brave, fierce, and vulnerable. He loved animals, and they loved him. He loved plants, he worked hard, and he was generous. There were a hundred things I knew about him really if I admitted it. I was saddened by myself, what was I thinking of?

"Tristan, maybe I could drive up and see you? Just for an hour," I said rather than asked the question.

"I'd like that. It's cold out though you know," he answered, and I told him I didn't care, and would be there soon.

I got my coat, and car keys. On the way out I put my head around the door of the 'new' living room, and said I was popping up to see Tristan for an hour. Mom called out take care the road is icy, and I left.

It took minutes to get to the Dearing house car park, and then I walked quickly to the greenhouse office. The door was unlocked, and I just knocked, and went in. Tristan turned around from the desk, and smiled.

"Hello Chloe, it's great to see you," he said, and stood up to meet me, and hug me. I hugged him back, and grinned at him.

"How are you going with the office work?" I asked, as he carried another chair up near to his for me.

"Nearly finished actually, tell me about this file of information you are compiling about me?" He was smiling. I smiled back.

"No Tristan, nothing like that, of course, I was just filling in some gaps."

"You feel you don't know enough about me Chloe, I understand. It's this Anna stuff isn't it?' He looked a little sad.

"No, no Tristan. I hadn't given her another thought actually. I do hope she has gone, have you checked?" I replied.

He nodded, and he looked at me his eyes kind. "It is about her, okay, I've checked, the place is locked up, Lily has even put dust sheets around. There is no sign of anyone, okay?"

I sighed, I thought, it's maybe better he thinks this than know what it was really about, that I had thought I didn't know him, and I felt bad about it all. I leaned forward, and he knew I wanted to kiss him so he leaned forward too, and kissed me. We looked into each other's eyes. I felt such a strong connection to him in that moment and I shook my head very slightly, what had I been thinking? He raised his eyebrows very slightly, and questioningly. I knew he wanted to know why I had shaken my head. I held his face. "Tristan, you do know I love you, no matter what, remember that."

He seemed just a little puzzled, and then he nodded. "Okay, is something wrong Chloe?"

I shook my head firmly at this. "No, nothing Tristan. I'll sit here until you've finished your work."

He checked about ten other accounts on the computer, printing out a letter, and copy of the invoice. I guessed these were reminder notices.

He shut down the computer, and picked up the paperwork, locking it in a small file cabinet that was next to the bigger unlocked one. He glanced at me now and again as if checking to see that I was still there. I smiled at him, and stood up.

"What are your plans now? I told mom I'd be about an hour so I could spend a little more time with you if you want?"

He smiled back. "If I want, I can't think of anything I'd rather do." We walked over to the Dearing house, and down to the kitchen there. Charlie was in his basket but there was no sign of McPherson, and Tristan asked if I'd like tea or anything. I went to stroke Charlie, who decided this was great fun, and got up to wag his tail, and waddle from me to Tristan, and back. Tristan patted him, and looked up at me.

"So Chloe, the day after tomorrow is your real birthday, what's happening? I thought it was a family evening in the restaurant, but maybe I can see you in the afternoon for a short time?"

I nodded. "Yes it's a family evening, but I thought maybe you, and Oliver would like to have lunch out somewhere with me. Maybe just the library café, but that would be nice. It wouldn't be my birthday without seeing you both."

He smiled. "Yes, that's good." He came over, and hugged me. "Tomorrow is so busy for me. It's great you came to see me tonight." I held him close, and rested my face against his neck just under his jaw. I was soon kissing him again. It was inevitable. When I opened my eyes moving my lips from his, he had his closed, and he opened them to find me, and kiss me again. His blue eyes were very blue, and dark, full of emotion. We quietly and softly kissed each other's face. It was a declaration of love on both our parts.

We arranged to meet at the library café the day after tomorrow, and I smiled at him.

"Tristan, I can't tell you how much you mean to me. I feel so lucky to have you in my life," I told him, and it was true, that's how I felt. We kissed each other once more, and he walked out to my car with me, he watched me drive off.

At home, I thought about how I was seeing Oliver the next day, and I knew in my heart that we might end up making love to each other. I felt a little worry over the whole issue of loving both Oliver, and Tristan. It was only getting more complicated.

I sat down at my computer to make sure I had anything I needed for my meeting with Joshua Glazer the next day, and then went to bed.

I was thinking what to get Tristan for his birthday on the fifteenth. I so wanted it to be a special gift, and yet I couldn't think what to give him. I drifted off to sleep thinking about it.

Chapter Forty-seven

The next morning Steven was home when I got up. His school had finished for students in his year, and he was so happy about this. I said to him that he knew Tristan didn't he, and did he have any ideas about what I might give Tristan as a birthday gift because I just couldn't think of anything.

Steven grinned. "Well I don't know why you are even asking me, I don't know him that well. What about one of your stained glass things, maybe he could hang it on his wall or something.

I sighed. "Yes, I'm asking you because any ideas are worth considering when you have none yourself. That's not a bad idea Steven, thanks." I wandered off. It was an okay idea if you didn't know the story surrounding stained glass, and Tristan.

Driving into the town to see Joshua, the traffic was considerably heavier than usual because it was only twenty days to Christmas. I parked in the Glazer's car park, and even that was almost full. Saying hello to a couple of the craftspeople, and giving Ben a quick hug, I went through to the offices for my meeting. Joshua was always great to meet with. He got down to the 'nitty-gritty' right away, and was always so positive. I was very grateful he'd given my designs a chance. It had been a successful move.

When I drove away it was with a brief for a couple of spring designs for full windows to be submitted end of February, plus I had one of my tiny Christmas roundels, with the gold dust look for my gran's Christmas present.

I parked outside Oliver's home. I was getting down from the Wrangler when he appeared at his door smiling happily.

"Chloe, hello, how did the meeting go?" We kissed each other on the cheek as I went in. I carried the little Christmas roundel with me, and showed it to Oliver. He was delighted with it, and wanted one for his mom. I called Ben, and asked if there would be one available for Oliver, or were they all spoken for. He said there was time to make one for Oliver, and he would bring it to the restaurant himself, in about ten days. Oliver was telling me he had a sweater for his mom's Christmas present, and hilariously the same for his dad, as he was running short of ideas on what to buy people for Christmas. I told him I was totally witless when it came to deciding what to get Tristan for his birthday, which did he remember was only ten days off. Oliver hugged me, and kissed my forehead.

"I remember, and I know what you mean. I was thinking of something to do with flowers, and then I thought no that's not personal enough. I'd like to get something special for him."

I smiled at Oliver. "Me too," I told him.

We talked about the work he'd just finished, and I told him about my new design brief from the Glazers. He thought it was a great idea to have lunch the next day, and then said he would see me in the restaurant at night with my family, since he was working. We just kept chattering about things until suddenly he stopped, and kissed me gently, holding me close.

"It's good to see you, to be alone with you, I feel as if I haven't been alone with you since, well since the last time you were here." It was not long before we became very engrossed in each other. I stopped thinking about anything other than being close to Oliver, and the gentle loving way he was kissing me.

I stayed with him all afternoon, and we made love to each other, as I knew we would. It was approaching early evening, and I heard my phone register a message. I widened my eyes at Oliver who had heard it too, we were face to face, and he smiled slightly.

"Answer it Chloe, remember what happened the last time you were here with me, and didn't answer your phone," he urged me. I thought he knows it may be Tristan, and yet he feels safe enough in how I feel about him to do that. I turned away from him to pick my phone up off the floor, and looked at the message. It was Lily, she'd heard from Anna, who was in Istanbul, and sorry for her actions. She wouldn't come back to the house for a long time maybe never, Lily texted.

I told Oliver this.

"That's a relief," he smiled.

I messaged back saying I was pleased Lily had heard from her, and even though it was a sad thing, I was glad she'd decided to stay away as I worried for Tristan.

A message came back. She felt the same, and would keep in touch.

Oliver was kissing my shoulder as I read this message out, and then he said thoughtfully, did I think Lily would have told Tristan. I shrugged a little.

"Maybe, I can't message him right now, not when I am here with you, and we are like this."

Oliver nodded. "I know, I do, don't think about it yet. Stay a while longer. Are you hungry I could get us something to eat."

I snuggled back up to him. "I'm not hungry. I just want to be with you, close to you. It feels like I'm home when I'm with you," I told him, as I kissed him.

"I feel the same way," he said softly.

It was about eight when I finally thought I should maybe get going.

Oliver shook his head.

"I don't want you to go, but I realize you have to. It's been such a lovely day with you. I hope we don't have to leave it so long to spend this kind of time together in future." He smiled at me, and I knew what he meant.

"Well the past got in the way didn't it Oliver?" I asked him, but a wave of anxiety went through me because of how Tristan and I had got together in that intervening time. I wouldn't think about it because when I was with each of them I gave them all my love.

I finally left at nine thirty having had a shower, and made myself look presentable. Oliver hugged me at the door, he watched me get into my Wrangler, and drive away. I felt like half my heart was still there with him.

At home, mom, and Steven were in the kitchen making a snack, and I decided to have some too, because I realized I hadn't eaten since breakfast. Steven asked me if I had found the present I was on about that morning, and I had to admit I hadn't.

Mom grinned. "Is this for Tristan?" She asked, and I nodded not wanting to say much.

"Why not do some artwork of him? You could do a drawing of that fabulous horse he sometimes rides...well both of his horses, the black, and the white one. Get a really good frame for it and that would be a nice present Chloe," she said.

I was surprised, that was a good idea, but at the same time I thought maybe I needed to stay away from what I had drawn, and I thought why not photograph the horses? A photograph, a poster sized one in a nice carved frame that would be good I thought. I decided that I'd start on that as soon as I could. I thanked mom for the idea saying I liked it a lot.

I went up to my room thinking I'd start on that present on Saturday, and I checked my emails before I thought about messaging Tristan, asking had he heard from Lily.

He called me instead of messaging back. "Hello Chloe, I did hear from Lily, she told me about Anna, and I'm pleased to hear it. It's good news don't you think?"

I told him I thought that too, and we talked for a short time about what he'd been doing that day. I shifted the conversation away from what I had been doing by asking him where he would be tomorrow morning before we met for lunch. He said he had to work, there were floral displays to deal with, why was I asking? I told him I was thinking how nice it would be to look in on the horses, and he was touched by this telling me I should go along to the stables, Brett would be in there all morning. We rang off reminding each other about lunch tomorrow.

I went back downstairs, and found mom in her study. I asked her if I could borrow her camera to photograph Tristan's horses. When I had the camera, I popped into the living room to see granny for half an hour, and then decided I'd get an early night.

It wasn't hard to sleep that night.

Chapter Forty-eight

The next morning I was getting ready to go over to the stables with mom's camera quite early.

I got downstairs to find two deliveries of flowers, one from Oliver, and one from Tristan wishing me happy birthday. Mom was very impressed, and helped me find vases to put them in water. I left one vase in the kitchen, and put the other in my room. I thought I'd switch them around each day so that one day I could see Tristan's flowers, and the next Oliver's, in my room.

I drove over to the stables, and once there found Brett cleaning them out. I told him what I wanted to do, but that he must not let Tristan know, as it was for a present. I didn't want to say birthday present since Tristan was so wary of anyone knowing. We took Cedric outside, and Brett posed him. The lovely horse seemed to know he was being photographed, and looked regally at the camera. Then Matin had his turn, he wasn't so happy about the fact he wasn't yet going for a run, and Brett had to pose him three times, which was funny.

At home, I uploaded the photographs, and had a look at them closely. I had taken several shots, and was sure I could get a couple of good posters out of them. I realized time was flying by, and went downstairs to find mom, and tell her I was off to have lunch with Tristan, and Oliver. She laughed aloud at this, but then said have a good time as I went off to the café by the library.

Both Oliver's Land Rover, and Tristan's truck were in the car park when I arrived, so I parked nearby. I went into the café. It was quite crowded and warm in there. The back of the counter was lit up with more fairy lights, and they had put up a Christmas tree. I saw Oliver, and Tristan halfway up the café, and headed towards them, smiling. They both half stood up as I got to the table, and I sat down carefully in a chair which occupied a small space between their table, and the next one, which was full of people. I smiled again, and thanked them for the flowers, and they each looked happy, and then at each other as they realized they both had the idea to send flowers.

We talked about how busy everything was, and Oliver said there were a few family parties, and dinners that he was expected to attend. Tristan said he had so much work, but that at least he would get a quiet Christmas afterwards, as the family was having no visitors this year. The twins had decided not to go to see their mother this year, and there would only be an evening when Will and Corbett were at dinner with them so that was okay he said. Finally, I asked Tristan what he might do for his birthday, should we invite anyone or just go to the Kool Kafé?

He said he really needed to keep a low profile because it did inevitably lead to questions otherwise, and I had to admit that mom had asked about his age when I had mentioned his birthday.

"No Chloe, did she, what did you say?" Tristan asked dismayed.

I shook my head. "It's okay, we met Clare, and James so the topic was dropped. I will avoid saying anything in future," I assured him. He nodded, and Oliver cast a glance at me. It was loaded. I thought it might be that he was thinking, as I was, that in the not too distant future we would be in the same position as Tristan.

We split up after about an hour, and a half, and it would have been lovely to kiss them goodbye, but naturally, I didn't. Instead, I told them about my idea of having the flowers in turn in my room, and the kitchen where we hung out so often, and they both smiled. We would have looked like old friends from an outsider's point of view, smiling, and getting into our respective cars to go off to wherever.

I went home to process the photographs I wanted for Tristan, and send an email to Sandy my dad's PA. I wanted to ask her if they would be better printed at the professional printers she used. As I got ready to go out with my family for my birthday supper at the restaurant, I was thinking about a frame for the photograph, and then where I might buy one

When we arrived, Ben was working. He grinned at me as he took our orders. I introduced him to gran. When he'd left, she commented was there no end to the lovely boys around here, and I had to smile.

We spent a pleasant couple of hours there, and dad came along to have pudding with us. Oliver had walked past a few times, and stopped once to ask if we had everything we needed. I gave him a look which more or less told him no, I wanted him, and he gazed at me before he went away. It made me feel very loved.

Around midnight he texted me, and told me he loved me. I sighed, I knew it, and I loved him too. At around twelve thirty Tristan texted me, and told me he loved me, I sighed again, I loved him too. Nothing had changed.

I heard from Sandy the next morning, and sent her my work that I wanted professionally printed for Tristan. I also heard from Liz because I was going to help her a couple of times in the holiday arts workshops.

I did an internet search for frames, and found a craftsperson in the next town, but one. I decided to visit their workshop gallery, and went off there with the information about the size of the photograph.

The roads were icy, and there was an accident on the roundabout into the town center so the whole trip took me all afternoon, but when I arrived home in the early evening, I had a gorgeous frame for the print. It was pale wood, and carved up one side into a tree, the top, and opposite side had no carving just a simple line in the middle, but the bottom had a twist of trailing plant leaves carved there so that it looked as if the plant trailed off the frame. It was just right, not too busy, and would go perfectly with the horses print. I hoped Tristan would like it, but I knew he would like the photos of his horses, so that was halfway to a good present.

Oliver came around after his shift had ended around nine, and I showed the frame to him. He thought it was a cool idea. Just the right thing for Tristan, and was saying he still had no good ideas when I suddenly thought about the silly questioning of Tristan I had done a few days earlier.

"Hey Oliver, I know, you could get him a tree. He really likes Magnolia trees, but there aren't any on the estate. Maybe we could look up a plant nursery, and check out if they are available in a big pot or something. Seriously, I think that would be great. He could plant it where he wanted it then."

Oliver smiled. "It seems like a plan Chloe, certainly I have no better ideas. Let's do it." He gave me a hug as we stood by the table where he'd placed his coffee. It was lovely to see him, and I hugged him back. We started to kiss each other, and I suggested we go, and check out nearby plant nurseries on the internet, which meant going up my room.

Once up there we sat at the desk together, and checked out where we could get a magnolia tree from for Tristan. It looked like we were going to have to drive down to the bottom of the next county, and between kissing each other we planned to go there early tomorrow, and get a potted tree. Oliver stood up, and went to the window.

"I haven't heard the weather forecast. We should look it up just so we don't get stuck in any snow." He was looking out at the sky. "The sky is so clear, look at the stars up there. I think it will be freezing, but dry." He smiled at me, and as I went to look out there too he pulled me close, and kissed me. We stayed there for a few minutes, holding each other close, and generally telling each other how much we cared about each other.

We checked the weather, and decided to leave about nine the next day, we would miss the rush hour, and get down there, buy the tree, have lunch, and get home before the afternoon rush hour.

Oliver was having fun and said he wanted a cool carved plant pot for the tree, or a hand painted one at least, and generally being light hearted as usual. The only time he was serious was when it was time to leave, and he didn't really want to. We kissed each other lots then.

I went down to the Land Rover with him, and as he drove away, I thought it would be lovely to go off the next day with him, and get the tree for Tristan.

Chapter Forty-nine

Oliver came to collect me the next morning, and we went off happily to the garden and plant center where we knew we could get a tree. They looked expensive, but we didn't care, and as we reached the outskirts of the town ready to get onto the motorway, Sandy called me, and told me that the prints would be couriered to me the next morning. I was happy with that, and told Oliver I was going to take the frame, and the prints into the picture framers near the Glazers to get the whole thing done professionally. We listened to a new CD Oliver had, and talked about everything as usual so the journey seemed shorter than I expected.

We parked, and went in. There were so many plants, trees, pots, and flowers. The place seemed to stretch on for miles. We found an assistant, and they found us a magnolia tree, but it was very unspectacular. It had the beginnings of buds, was guaranteed to bloom in the spring, and was quite large, but right then it didn't look like much. We explained it was to be a present, and we would like a pot that might go with it until it was planted in the ground, because it was in a black plastic pot, which was really quite flimsy. It needed to go in the ground the assistant told us. I was looking around at the lovely flowers, and suddenly had an idea. We could get a bigger pot, and put the magnolia in the middle still in its own pot so as not to disturb the roots or whatever. Then fill the outer sides with soil, and lovely flowers, which would look pretty until Tristan planted the tree properly. The assistant was only too happy to do this, and Oliver chose a square terracotta planter with a simple design around it. The whole thing had to go on a trolley, and be loaded into the Land Rover by two guys. The top of the tree scraped the roof of the Land Rover, but nothing would break so we went off to have some lunch in the adjacent restaurant.

My phone rang again, and this time it was Tristan. He asked me where I was since my car was at home, but I wasn't as he'd dropped by. I told him I was off shopping with Oliver. He went a little quiet, and then asked if I'd be around in the evening, and could we perhaps meet, and have supper together. I glanced at Oliver, and asked where he was thinking of, did he want to meet Oliver, and I, perhaps along the high street in town.

I wanted it to seem like we were shopping in that local town where he and I had shopped quite recently. He said okay then what time would be good, and I said maybe six thirty. I thought we needed to get home then get the tree to Oliver's or someplace to hide it, and then meet him so we would need time. We rang off having arranged that, and I told Oliver I thought Tristan sounded a bit down.

He looked concerned. "You don't think he's having trouble with Jack again do you?"

I didn't think so, and said maybe he was tired, he had such a lot to do at the moment, and Oliver smiled, and shrugged. "Okay."

We got back on the road, and Oliver told me he'd arranged to keep the tree at Ben's place for the next week, so as we approached home he turned down to Ben's house. They had a huge conservatory at the back of the house. Oliver and Ben levered the pot onto a wheelbarrow, and got it there safely. Ben's mom, whom I had never met was there saying she would look after it for the next few days. We stayed and had a cup of tea.

Ben was working that evening so we left after that, and drove to Oliver's place. We spent an hour there hanging out with his mom who is a complete sweetheart. I had only briefly met her, and talked on the phone so it was nice to talk properly with her. She invited me to a Christmas gathering they were having in just over a week's time, and I was happy to accept because Oliver was beaming his pleasure at this invitation.

Before we went to meet Tristan, I rang mom, and told her where I was, and what was happening for supper. Oliver gave me a hug, and kissed me. We'd gone into his stable conversion, and he was changing his sweater. I held him close, and kissed him.

"Oliver, it's been so nice going off to get that tree, and being with you all day, so nice."

He smiled, and kissed me again.

"I know. I wish I was going to be alone with you for the night, and we could stay here, to cuddle up, but at the same time it will be good to go and catch up with Tristan."

The town was so busy. All the shops were still open, and even though it was dark, the place seemed light from all the Christmas lights. There were trees lit up, special outdoor lights, awnings full of fairy lights, and light spilling from shop windows. We parked up at the Church car park overspill, and I took Oliver's hand as we walked down to the path. He stopped before we got to the high street, and kissed me.

"I need to kiss you, you look so lovely," he whispered. We kept holding hands even on the High Street, and then as we approached the café there, just down from the shoe shop Oliver let go, and I smiled at him.

Tristan was already in the café, and was at the front almost against the window. We saw him straight away. He was looking out at the passing people, the colored lights on the Christmas tree behind him putting red streaks in his hair.

I smiled at him through the window, and his expression brightened. We went in, and sat down saying hellos. I glanced at Oliver just to give reassurance, and then kissed Tristan on the cheek. He inclined his head slightly to my face, and it felt as if he'd really needed that gesture of affection. He asked what we'd bought, and I said not that much really, presents, but I still had lots to do.

Oliver asked how his work was going, and then after we'd ordered Tristan said he was flat out. There was an area of the 'White Woods' that provided mistletoe, and holly. He needed to get some cut and delivered in the next few days to the local Christmas tree supplier who would sell it in big bunches, and garlands. We talked a little about the weather, and how cold it was, but still with no sign of more snow.

I smiled at Tristan as he talked about the twins having got a massive Christmas tree already installed in their drawing room, and had planned to decorate it this weekend. He was supposed to help, Liz had said, I knew this weekend was his birthday, and I hoped we would celebrate with him even though he seemed to be withdrawing from the idea. It occurred to me to ask why the family, Liz, and Laura especially, had never shown any curiosity about Tristan's birthday, but I didn't ask. Right then Oliver announced that he expected Tristan, and me to come to his place on Tristan's birthday evening. We could go on to the Kool Kafé from there, it was time he said, that Tristan had a birthday cake.

Tristan smiled. "Thanks Oliver that's really thoughtful," he said softly, and simply.

It tore me up a little because I reasoned that Tristan must have been lonely sometimes, maybe often, in his life. We had another cup of coffee, and then Tristan said he should leave as there was a little paper work that he should attend to.

We stood up, and were out on the sidewalk before he turned to me.

"Chloe, do you need a lift home, I pass, as you know, it would save Oliver going out of his way to drop you." He looked a little uncomfortable as he said this.

Oliver who was standing very close to me, moved his arm a little, so that it was against mine, and answered, "That's true Chloe. I don't mind at all going your way, but, Tristan is passing, and it's quite late what do you think?"

I looked straight at Oliver, and his expression was kind, and gentle.

"Okay Tristan, where are you parked?" I asked him, because I knew he needed me. It turned out he'd parked in the same car park as Oliver and I, so we all walked up there, in the freezing cold. We passed people muffled up in big coats, boots, and hats, the lights glowing on their faces as they passed the shops, and decorations. At the car park, I went with Tristan to his old truck after giving Oliver a special smile as he walked on to his Land Rover.

Tristan opened the door for me, and gave me his hand as I got in the truck, it made me smile, and he smiled. "What, what is it?" he asked.

I answered again smiling. "Just the way you do that, it's really nice, you know offer to help me into the truck. I know it's kind of old fashioned, but it's nice somehow."

He kissed my cheek before he closed the door, and walked around to the driver side. I knew deep down he'd offered to drop me home because he wanted to be with me, and that was endearing. I had spent the day with Oliver, but Tristan needed a little time now, and I turned to him as he sat down.

"Tristan, how are you feeling? You seem a little tired or sad. I hope there isn't anything wrong at home, you would tell me wouldn't you? There's no flare up of Jack or Anna?"

"No Chloe, nothing like that. The truth is I miss you. I miss you because we spent all day, and night together in the time travel event we just had. I miss you in general too. I wish I could see more of you." He shrugged a little, and smiled as he said 'time travel event'.

I nodded at him. I loved him. It was not far to home, and we were quiet on the journey. When we got to my drive, I turned to him.

"Tristan, do you have to go and work? Will you come and have a cup of coffee, hang out a little?"

He smiled. He seemed to have been holding his breath, and he took a deep breath then nodded. "Okay."

I got out of the truck, and he waited for me to reach him. I put my arm around his waist to walk the short distance to the porch, and then before I opened the door I turned to him. He looked so lovely in the garden lights, his hair blown by the winter breeze just slightly onto his forehead his eyes darkened. He was very attractive, very sexy. I put my arms up around his neck, and brought his head to mine. Right then I just wanted my lovely Tristan to know I loved him. I kissed him softly, and told him so. He moved his nose against mine, and kissed me back. He whispered he loved me too. I hugged him close, and kissed him again, then opened the door.

Warmth greeted us in the hallway, and I could hear lots of laughing, and talking coming from the middle drawing room. I took Tristan's hand, and we went into the kitchen. There was food on the table, plates of sausage rolls, and little triangle pastry things. I picked up the electric kettle, and started to make coffee, and then as Tristan helped, I smiled at him.

"Let's go, and check the mirth coming from down the hall." I took his hand, and pulled him close. He kissed me, and then we went down the hall to check the middle drawing room.

It was Steven, mom, John, and gran. They had a Christmas tree that was taller than the room was high, and very wide. They were holding it sideways as Steven sawed a little off the top where it was thinnest, and easiest to saw. The perfume of pine needles, and tree filled the room, as they got it upright in the space mom had made for it when she re-arranged the room.

Steven turned to me, and gave me the part that had been cut off, and the saw, as he helped to arrange the tree so that it did not crush against the wall. Mom saw Tristan, and smiled hello to him, gran turned, and did the same. I said we were making coffee if anyone wanted it or tea.

Tristan and I made coffee and tea for mom and gran as well as ourselves. John, and Steven had hot chocolate. We sat at the kitchen table for about ten minutes, and mom was asking Tristan about the work he had on for Christmas, and saying how busy the restaurant was. She suddenly turned her attention to me.

"So Chloe, you were out shopping all day what did you buy? Have you taken it up to your room already?"

I widened my eyes at her as if to say shut up mom, and then filled the silence with,

"Oh I didn't get much in the end. I couldn't make up my mind about things, and I forgot it was in Oliver's car when Tristan brought me home."

She got the message, and went on to say that she was going out with granny the next day. She wanted to get some new Christmas tree decorations, and maybe we could dress the tree this weekend. I smiled at her.

Damn this weekend was full of people wanting to dress trees, when Oliver and I wanted to give Tristan some kind of birthday celebration.

Steven left to drop John home, and pick up something from Will to do with the band. Mom and granny drifted down to the living room to watch some TV. I turned to Tristan.

"Yikes Tristan, everyone wants to dress Christmas trees this weekend, but we are, with no excuses, celebrating your birthday."

He smiled a little. "It's okay. We don't have to do much about my birthday, seriously. I worry about people knowing anyway."

I reached over to him, and kissed him then said quietly.

"Come up to my room, and be cuddled for a while, or will that really put you behind schedule with the paperwork."

He shook his head, and I thought maybe he wasn't coming to be cuddled, but it was about the paperwork.

"I can't think of anything I want more right now than to be with you a little longer" he replied.

In my room, he went immediately to the window, and looked out at the night. I walked over to him, and hugged him. He turned around, and leaned back against the window ledge, pulling me close. It was good to hold him. He smiled, and held me really tight.

"I so needed to see you tonight," he told me.

I knew I had to take delivery of the prints the next day, but I wanted to find out if there was any time I could be with Tristan, and I asked him if he had any time in the afternoon or evening that we could spend together because I was helping Liz the day after. In between kisses, we decided that I'd meet him at the greenhouses, and go over to the Dearing house for a little while in the evening.

I held him very close for a while, and asked him about Jack, making sure he was happy staying at the Dearing house and nothing unpleasant was happening. He wanted to know if I had been down to the stables to see the horses, as he'd not had chance to ask Brett, and I told him yes, and Cedric was as usual gorgeous, and Matin as usual high spirited. I put my hands up around his face, and kissed him all over it. He sighed, and moved his face so that I kissed his lips. When he decided to go, I went down to the truck with him, and said I was already waiting for the next evening when I'd see him again.

Chapter Fifty

The next morning the prints were delivered early, they looked great, and I drove straight into the picture framers near the Glazer's place. They could have it ready for Friday morning, which was good as it was just in time for Tristan's birthday. I called into the shops, and got some presents to cover the fact that I hadn't done any shopping at all the previous times. I bought simple things for everyone, tokens of love.

Before I went over to see Tristan, I called Oliver, and thanked him for his consideration the previous evening, when Tristan had asked to drop me home. He told me that he knew what it was like to want to be with me, so it was easy to be gracious. We rang off after saying we would contact each other the next day when I was home from helping Liz out at the arts workshops.

I had a cup of tea with mom and gran before I left home to go to the greenhouses. I parked in the Dearing house car park, and walked over to the greenhouses. The white tray top truck was squeezed into the tiny park by the sliding doors of the greenhouse. Andy was loading boxes onto the back behind existing crates, which had mistletoe, and holly stacked in them. I went in by the top door, and walked down to find Tristan in the office. He was talking on the phone, and put out a hand to have me go to him as he turned, and saw me. I put my hand in his, and leaned slightly against his shoulder as he finished his telephone conversation. He stood up, took my other hand holding both to his chest, and he kissed me softly.

"Chloe, you've saved my life coming over. I'm about to drop from dealing with bizarre last minute orders, no lunch or coffee, and a surfeit of stressed out people."

I smiled at him, and took my hands from his to hold his face. I kissed his nose, and then his lips.

"Tristan is it finished, or is there any way I can help?" He still had his eyes closed from my kiss, and then he opened them, and gave me a look that was totally dazzling. I was trapped in his gaze as he put his arms around me, and held me close.

Then he stepped back a little. "Well I just need to check that Andy has all the order for the tree supplier in the next village, and then I am calling it a night."

I walked with him to the tray top truck, and he talked with Andy, he signed something on a PDA then Andy drove away, and Tristan closed the sliding doors. I had turned my attention to some seedlings on the opposite benches. They were just poking their heads out of the soil, and some had the little black seed on the tip of their fresh green leaf head. Tristan put an arm around my shoulders. We went into the office. He tidied the desk, and logged off the computer. He ran a hand through his hair, and then took his jacket from the back of the desk chair, and putting it on, he took my hand.

"Are you parked near the house, Chloe?" He asked me. I nodded. We walked down there. The night was becoming misty, but the mist was icy, and I shivered even in my wool coat. There was ice on the top of the low wall, where some moisture had been, and on the leaves of the bushes we passed. At the Dearing house Tristan asked me if I minded that he go, and shower. I could stay in the kitchen, and have tea if I wanted. I said maybe I could make us tea, and coffee, and bring it up to his room.

There was no one in the kitchen not even Charlie, but there was a roast in the oven, you could see it through the big glass door, which was about my chest height in the wall. The stovetop was adjacent on a bench, and then a counter butted onto that, where the electric kettle, and toaster plus other assorted appliances were standing. I knew where the cups were, and set about making the drinks. When I took them up to Tristan's room, I met Laura on the stairs, and she held his door open for me to take the drinks in, saying that we should get together soon, because she hadn't seen me for a while. She, Liz, and Corbett were decorating their tree on Saturday evening, and then going to the Kool Kafé, did I want to join them. I sighed inwardly, but smiled, and told her that I had to be somewhere else, and thanks anyway about the tree decorating invite, but I'd see them at the café. She grinned as she closed Tristan's door behind me, and I took our cups to the desk putting them down just as Tristan came out of the en suite.

"Did I hear talking, was that Laura you were talking with?" he asked, and I grinned.

"It was, and she asked me over Saturday to dress the tree, naturally I had to decline her kind invitation, as we are going to Oliver's, and then the Kool Kafé. You are still coming Tristan?" I finished as I walked to him.

His hair was wet, and he had bare feet. His jeans were low on his hips, his T-shirt had little wet patches here, and there as if he'd put it on whilst he was still wet from the shower. I felt like tearing it straight back off him, but exercising extraordinary restraint instead, I put my hands up into his wet hair, and held his head to kiss him. Tristan put his arms around me, and held me tight against him. We moved little by little to his bed, and then sort of sank onto it, without stopping kissing each other. Once there however, we started grinning, and sat up.

We got the drinks, and sat back down on the bed leaning against each other's shoulder, as Tristan, in between drinking his coffee, told me they had a wedding enquiry at three that afternoon, could they supply a huge amount of flowers on Saturday, like that's two days away he laughed. He'd organized it, but would not deliver them himself. Martin was doing it Friday morning, at five am. Tristan shook his head.

"No thanks I have enough to do."

"So you had enough flowers to cover an order as late as that Tristan, in the cool room?" I asked.

He smiled, and took my cup from me putting it onto the low chest that was by his side of the bed.

"In the 'White Wood' greenhouses, cool room, and woods, because we said winter displays would need a fair bit of greenery that was seasonal. It's okay. I was surprised how we got it together so well."

Then he started to kiss me. I let myself fall into his delicious kisses, and kissed him back holding him close. It was easy to stay longer that night than I had intended. Easy to make love with Tristan as he held me as if I was the most precious thing in the world, kissed me so lovingly, and wrapped me in his strange, and compelling intensity. I traced my fingers up, and down his arm from his wrist to just below his ear, and we were talking about going downstairs to eat when he suddenly took my hand, and kissed the knuckles. He sighed, and then he said, "Chloe, I love you so much. We seem to have moved quickly into a deeper relationship, don't we? What does it mean?"

I was a little surprised by this, and didn't know what he'd asked me.

"Tristan, I love you, it means I love you, I'll never stop loving you," I responded, and I saw his eyes mist up a little. He swallowed, and looked at my hand in his, and then back into my eyes. The blue of his eyes was beautiful right then, he kissed me very gently.

"Let's go, and eat, it's quite late now," he said, and we dressed quickly, and quietly. He found a sweater from his cupboard, and tied it around his neck. He ran his hands through his hair, and pulled on his boots. I was dressed, and looked out of his window. There was a thick mist now out there, almost fog. It looked cold, and coated the tree branches with wetness. Tristan took my hand as we went down to the kitchen. McPherson was back from wherever she'd been, but then it had been a couple of hours.

She looked with interest at us as we walked in.

"You two have left it late. Luckily the roast was a fair size, so there's food left, but it's no longer hot. What can I get you, microwave it, or toast you some sandwiches?" We opted for the latter, and Tristan made coffee as she got us the food. She made tea for herself, and for me all the while talking about the how busy the stores were, and how Christmas got madder, and madder each year. Tristan looked at me, and smiled a few times at her chatter. He sat close to me, and put his foot alongside mine, his leg against mine, and it felt good. I glanced his way, and had to stop myself leaning over, and kissing him. He knew it, and looked at me longingly for a few seconds.

He turned his attention to McPherson, and told her about the wedding order, and that coupled with the usual seasonal requirements he agreed Christmas got madder, and madder. She liked that, his attention, his agreeing with her point of view. I smiled at her, she was so nice, and I wondered what she knew about Tristan because clearly she cared for him. Had she been at the estate long enough to realize he never aged? She seemed like an old employee, someone who had been around a long time. She caught my stare as I contemplated this, and in her eyes was a smile. I thought she does know things, maybe one day I'll ask her. She said she needed to go, and take care of some things in the dining room soon after, and we were left alone.

Right away, Tristan kissed me, and I held his face to mine, returning his kiss keeping his lips against mine for a few more seconds. I kept hold of his face, and told him I loved him so much. He sighed, and put his forehead against mine.

"I love you too Chloe" he replied. Charlie came wandering into the kitchen from somewhere, and found biscuits in his bowl by his basket, he took one, and went to sit by the radiator that was on the wall opposite the table. He looked so funny with the biscuit in his mouth, padding over to sit up against the warmth.

I wanted to ask Tristan about McPherson before she came back.

"Tristan, how long has McPherson worked here on the estate, here in the house?"

He gave me a thoughtful look. "More than ten years, why do you ask?"

I looked at him with raised eyebrows. "Ten years, and she has never asked you about why you don't age. She must know something?"

He shrugged. "Well she knows one or two things, we don't need to worry about her seriously Chloe, don't worry about it." I didn't say more because the subject seemed closed for Tristan, he must know he could trust her.

Tristan got me my coat as I was leaving, and he came out to the Wrangler with me. I kissed him, and told him I'd call soon. It was very cold, and I sent him in the house starting the engine, and the heater. The journey home was very short. What I thought was a fox, streaked across the road in front of me, and I slowed down so as not to hit it.

When I got in, I messaged Tristan to tell him I was home, and then took a shower. I checked my emails, and went to bed. I was helping Liz in the morning, and needed to be at the workshops for eight thirty.

I went to sleep thinking about what McPherson might know about Tristan.

Chapter Fifty-one

The workshops were great fun. I had a basic drawing class for adults to do this time both morning, and afternoon. The day went quickly, and I was home about five thirty when Oliver rang me.

We talked a little. He was to start work at six, and was already at the restaurant having arrived early, as he'd gone straight there from a computer job. We arranged to meet Friday late afternoon to finalize details about Tristan's birthday. I was taking my present for Tristan down to Oliver's house.

I spent some time with gran down in the living room as she unpacked the Christmas tree decorations, she, and mom had bought that day. I realized the whole of Will's band was in the library when they started up with a song, and then continued with my song. I told gran it was my song, and that Oliver had written it with Will as a birthday gift, and she was very impressed. She smiled kindly. "So Chloe, which one of them is the one for you really? Oliver, or Tristan?"

I stopped smiling, and looked away from her. I shook my head, and looked back.

"Granny, I can't choose, they both mean so much to me. I can't lose either, does that make me a bad person?"

She frowned. "Not even remotely. I'd say lucky rather than bad. They are both so lovely. They know about each other I take it?"

I nodded a little bleakly at her. "They do. They seem to accept it so far."

She patted my arm. "It will no doubt resolve itself, one or the other relationship will progress you'll see."

I didn't want to smile, but I tried to for her, because both had progressed, and I was no closer to resolving anything than at the beginning, when I had first realized I loved them both. I was deeper in trouble as a matter of fact. I said I was off to see Steven, and left her to her unwinding of tinsel, and fairy lights.

I did look around the library door, and say hello to the band, but didn't stay, instead I went down to mom's study to find out what might be happening for dinner as I was thinking of calling Tristan to either go somewhere to eat, or come down to eat with us. She was just finishing some work off, and then was about to rustle up pasta, and apple cobbler for the boys and did I want to have dinner. I could ask Tristan down too, there would be plenty. She already had the cobbler, two dishes of it in the oven, and the pasta sauce was ready to heat. I listened to this thinking maybe Tristan would come down to eat. I told mom I was going to call him, and would get back to her.

I went to my room, and called Tristan, his voicemail was on, so I guessed he was driving or with a client. I sat down at my desk thinking. It had been disquieting when granny had asked that question. The gravity of the situation was in the spotlight yet again, but it would not shine a light on any answers. I loved them both. I couldn't let either go in preference for the other. I'd not think about it. I couldn't think about it.

My cell rang and it was Tristan he'd seen his missed call. I asked if he would like to come down to the house, and that all the guys in Will's band were down here, and mom was making dinner. He apologized saying he would be working until ten. He had no choice, and so we ended the call after a few minutes.

I had dinner with everyone at home and it was quite fun. Steven told us about the gigs the band had in the next few weeks. It seemed they had one every week right through Christmas, and the New Year holidays. Steven, and John only had about six months left of school, and they were elated by this. I left them all talking about this wonderful event with mom, and gran saying I had some work to do for Joshua Glazer. The truth was I didn't have to start that work yet. I still felt ruffled by my gran's question.

In my room, I sat down on my bed with my netbook, and aimlessly surfed the net for a while. It soothed me, and I went downstairs about an hour later to check out if mom needed help clearing up the dinner things. I found the lot tidied away, and the dishwasher loaded, with granny making tea. She told me the boys had done the clearing up. I took tea down to mom in her study, and then took my own up to my room.

Friday morning I drove off to collect the framed print of Tristan's horses. The misty night had cleared to a sparkling day. The sun was out, and although it was not warm, the sky was actually blue. The air was crisp, and cold, and somehow it was more Christmassy than the mist had been. I parked in the Glazer's car park to go to the picture framers. They had done a good job, and I had them gift-wrap it in dark blue tissue paper with a silver bow. That took a while, as it was quite big, but was worth the wait. One of the young men in the shop carried it to the Wrangler for me, and placed it carefully in the back.

I went home, and spent the afternoon wrapping Christmas presents, and stacking them at the back of my desk ready to put under the tree when it had been dressed this weekend. I had left the present for Tristan in my car so when it was time to go over to see Oliver I put a little eye makeup on, and after cleaning my teeth I left putting my coat on as I went down the stairs.

It was going dark even though it was lighter than usual for the time of day because the day had been so bright. The air was icy now. I wondered if the rumors were true, and it would be a white Christmas.

Oliver bounded out of his front door to the car as I parked in front of his place. He put his arms around me as I got out, and kissed me. I laughed at his exuberance. "Oliver, I have the present for Tristan in the back of the car. What's happening with the one you got him?"

Oliver was still grinning.

"It's in my office, Ben, and his dad brought it over about an hour ago. They think it's for a relative. I felt bad about telling them that, but at the same time I could hardly say it's for Tristan could I? Plus, Tristan is almost a relative isn't he?" Oliver really meant this, and I smiled.

"Well in more ways than one Oliver," I responded. We walked to the back of my Wrangler, and got the picture out to take into Oliver's office.

We put it on the sofa by the window, and I stood back to see Oliver had put a blue ribbon around the plant pot, and tied it in a loose bow on the side. I turned to him.

"That's perfect Oliver," I told him. He hugged me, and kissed my cheek as we turned, and went over to his kitchen. He was still grinning, and he opened his fridge door to show me a large transparent plastic box, containing a cake. I looked at him.

"Hey, is that a birthday cake for Tristan? Where did you get it? You didn't make it?" I asked.

Oliver laughed. "Good heavens no. I had it made at the bakers in town, and look it's iced with Happy Birthday Tristan." He took the container out of the fridge, and held it out for me to see the cake. "You know what is funny? They would have put his age on it, or candles they offered too. I couldn't have them trying to fit what, eight hundred and fifty on there could I?" He put it back in the fridge. I watched him doing this. Dear Oliver, he was so kind.

I moved to hug him when he'd stepped back from the fridge. I held him close, and he kissed the side of my face, and neck.

"So Chloe, what's the plan for tomorrow? How are we getting Tristan here, and at Kool Kafé we can't tell anyone it's his birthday, so we should go early evening have something to eat, and then when everyone rocks up we can just carry on as normal."

I smiled. "By normal you mean as if we are not there for any special reason?" Oliver nodded.

"That's it, okay, what about getting him here. He's still up for that?"

I sighed. "I think so, well yes, I need to call him, and get him to pick me up in the truck, and come over because otherwise he'll not be able to take his presents home with him. The tree will be just that bit tall for the back of my car."

Oliver started to kiss me, and leant against his kitchen cupboard pulling me against him gently.

"Let's go to the café now. I feel like getting out into the cold night," he said. We drove down there in my car, and parked opposite. The place was not yet busy as it was that time between the end of rush hour, and when everyone decides to go out on a Friday night.

We held hands as we crossed the road, and stood outside for a few minutes watching the few people who were around go by. There were still a couple of tables out there by the windows, and Oliver sat on the edge of one of them, and held me around the waist.

It was very cold, the air almost reverberating with it. The lights all over the street, and Kool Kafé shimmered on the icy air. He kissed me, and I kissed his nose, which was cold, and that made him smile. A couple passed us, and smiled in empathy at our display of affection, they went into the Kool Kafé, and we followed them. Oliver made for a table at the back end, and we sat down. Clare's mom came along to take our order. We talked to her for a minute or two. Samantha was having the night off she said, and even though she had Lily, and two other staff they were very busy, so she thought she would do some of the waiting on tables herself.

We watched the place fill up as we drank coffee, and orange juice, and decided to leave before it got too crowded. There was a local band on that night, but we didn't want to stay for it, as we would be down there again the next night. As I drove Oliver home, I asked him how come Dad had been able to free Liz, Laura, and himself from the restaurant Saturday night, since she'd told me they were coming down to the Kool Kafé that night.

Apparently, it was his scheduled day off, but he didn't know about Laura, though Liz was covered for the week by agency staff, as it was her arts holiday workshop duty week.

We were at his place. I wanted to hang out with him for a while, but for some reason largely to do with Tristan I knew, I determined not to get too serious with him. He asked if I might be helping dad out at all over the next couple of weeks, and I considered this.

"You might have a point there Oliver I'll check with him on that," I said as we went into his place.

We did end up on his bed, but not in it, just cuddled up together for a while talking. He hugged me close, and kissed me as I was leaving.

"It was great to see you Chloe, message me when you get home, and tomorrow too to say what time you, and Tristan will arrive." I kissed him, and hugged him too, a couple of times because he was so special, and I loved him dearly. When I got home, I messaged him, and he replied straight away.

Chapter Fifty-two

The next day I was determined to get Tristan down to Oliver's by mid-afternoon. I called him, and said please can we get to Oliver's by about three, knowing he would make it a little later, he did, and said he would pick me up at four. It only took minutes to get to Oliver's place, he reminded me.

I was in the kitchen waiting for him, and when the doorbell rang for some reason my heart thudded a little. I so wanted Tristan to have a happy time for his birthday. At the door, I hugged him, and took his hand pulling him inside for a couple of minutes. I kissed him, and he smiled.

"If this is a birthday kiss, can I please have another?" So I kissed him again, and he held me close to his face, not letting go, kissing me back, until I felt that lovely satin atmosphere feeling.

It was hard to stop, but I did, and we went over to the old truck. There was fog again outside, a cold fog, and I hoped it would not come down very thick that day.

We arrived at Oliver's place, and he opened the door to us as we parked by his own car on the gravel area in front of his house. He grinned, and said happy birthday to Tristan softly, looking around in a parody of someone being clandestine. I laughed, and pushed them both into the house. We took Tristan into the office area. The print I had for him was on the sofa by the window where Oliver and I had put it the day before. The tree was standing there on the floor by it, Oliver, and I said almost together, happy birthday Tristan.

Tristan looked at us, and then at the presents. I pushed him gently towards the gifts, and he stooped to look at the tree. He stood up, and smiled.

"It's a magnolia, that's so nice of you, thank you Oliver. It's great, so thoughtful." He was obviously pleased with it, and emotional too, his voice caught a little when he said thoughtful. Then he picked up the present I had for him, and he sat down on the sofa to take off the gift-wrap. He was careful with it, then he realized what the gift was, and he looked up at me with this look of total love on his face.

"Chloe, this is great too. It's captured the look on Matin's face when he gets snooty so well, look at Cedric the poser. I love this. I love these gifts, thank you." He stopped talking, and sighed, he looked touched, and a little tearful.

Oliver said, "Don't think that's it. You're not getting away with just gifts. I'm off to make coffee so come to the kitchen when you've put the picture down."

I knew Oliver had given Tristan a little space to compose himself, and I sat down next to Tristan, and held his arm. I kissed him.

"Tristan, we love you, you know that, come, and have some coffee." He smiled, and kissed me quickly. We put the picture back down on the sofa, and I took his hand to go over to the kitchen.

Oliver had the cake out on the little table in his dining alcove, and he'd made coffee. He was just finishing making me a cup of tea. Tristan saw the cake, and laughed.

"You two are so sweet, that's so sweet."

I told him it had been Oliver's doing, and he smiled at Oliver.

We had a piece of his cake, and I laughed giving Oliver a little hug when we found it was a coffee cake under the icing. He'd really thought about that cake. We decided to come back for the gifts, and piled into Oliver's Land Rover to go down to the Kool Kafé. Tristan wanted to know where we'd found the magnolia tree, and we told him about our trip down to the next county to get it. He said he knew now how I had taken the photos of the horses. It was when I had gone over to the stables without him. No wonder Brett had been slightly cagey when he'd asked if I had visited.

It was good to be all three of us together in the Kool Kafé. We'd ordered, and were talking about the Christmas things that would be happening. It looked like it might be a few days before we could all see each other again, and so this was a special night.

Just as we'd finished eating Liz, Laura, and Corbett arrived. They headed straight for us.

"You didn't dress the tree Tristan, this is why. You're all closeted down here in the lovely crowded atmosphere of the café" Laura smiled as she said it. I looked around. The place had become crowded, and there was a party atmosphere, she was right.

It was not long before Laura and Corbett were entwined on the dance floor. Liz talked with me about the rest of the holiday workshops. Tristan and Oliver had started talking about archery.

It was around eleven when we left. We had a good evening, and I really think Tristan had enjoyed himself. We all helped with the magnolia to get it into the back of the truck, and the picture was propped on the floor against the back seats of the truck. I went back into Oliver's house as Tristan did this, and kissed him quickly.

"Thanks for making this a lovely evening Oliver," I said, and he smiled his kind, and loving smile. He came out to wave us off, and Tristan said thanks to him too for the great present, and the cake.

As we drove home, I said maybe I could come home with him to help him take his presents out of the truck, and he glanced at me, and smiled.

"I'd like that Chloe, but we'll take the tree to the greenhouses okay?"

He parked the truck in the tiny space outside the greenhouse, and got down from the truck. He opened the sliding door, and walked down the side of the place coming back with a trolley. We got the tree down onto it easily as it was almost the same height as the back of the truck. He took the tree down through the greenhouse to the office area, and left it there.

We drove over to the Dearing house, and Tristan parked. He picked up the picture, and I smiled at him as he turned, and kissed me over it. We took it up to his room, and he put it leaning against the wall where he could see it from his bed. He said this softly, and put his arms around me.

"Chloe, it's been such a lovely night. I can't believe how much thought, and care you, and Oliver have put into it all. It's touching."

I hugged him, and started to kiss him. He asked me if I'd stay a little while longer, and I nodded.

It was more than a little while longer when he drove me home. He hugged me close at my door, and told me he loved me so much. He texted me to let me know he was home, and I sighed. It had been delicious being with Tristan again.

Chapter Fifty-three

Christmas rolled down on us, I helped dad, I helped Liz, and I went to Oliver's mom's evening thing. I went over to the Dearings when they had an evening thing, and then we had a little family Christmas day. It was over, and New Year had to be thought about.

I drove over to see Oliver two days before the end of December. He'd said on the phone the night before that he couldn't take another day without seeing me alone. He picked me up in a hug as I got through his front door, and then more or less carried me, kissing me to his bedroom. I was wrapped in his warmth and gentleness in no time. We spent the evening together, and talked about the parties that were going to be happening at the restaurant over the next few days. He was working most of the time, and I was helping too. He kissed me as we talked, and I held his face to mine, and told him I loved him dearly.

The first break we all had, after that evening I spent with Oliver, wrapped in his arms, and his love, was the day after New Year's Day, and Tristan was coming over to Oliver's place. He was bringing the stuff we'd left stashed in the hotel linen cupboards from when we'd time traveled. He'd retrieved it, and we were going to dump it. We thought that was the safest thing, and then we were going to have lunch together.

I was already at Oliver's place. I had been there for a couple of hours. I couldn't resist making love with him. We'd kissed each other longingly in his kitchen when I arrived. I had moved my hands along his waist, and held him close. He'd sighed telling me he loved me against my lips. It was just so natural.

When Tristan arrived, we were back to talking, and making coffee in his kitchen. Oliver's hair was still wet from the shower, and I had made sure mine was dry.

We all agreed about not even looking in the big plastic bags that held the stuff from the holiday accommodation, and Tristan laughed saying he'd taken a quick look when he'd retrieved the stuff, just to make sure that it was ours, and not some extra linen he was about to chuck away.

We threw the bags in the big wheelie bin that was at the side of Oliver's garden, and went back into his kitchen, smiled at each other, and decided it was time to go out for lunch. I remembered my bracelet was in Oliver's bedroom, and I went down there to get it saying my coat was down the hall. There were coat hooks along the bottom of the hall by a cupboard, and my coat was there, but when I came out of Oliver's bedroom holding my bracelet against my wrist to fasten the clasp, Tristan was half out of the kitchen, and glanced at me. He saw me trying to fasten it, and offered to help.

We went for lunch, and planned to go to see Will's band at the Kool Kafé on Friday night together.

We'd gone for lunch in my car, and I dropped Tristan back to the truck on Oliver's driveway afterwards. As Oliver got out of my car he ran his fingers down the side of my face, and told me he loved me. I smiled at him.

Tristan drove off first as he had to get back to work, and I drove home too thinking about how much they both meant to me.

I was going to do some design work for the spring stained glass window that Joshua Glazer had asked for, and went upstairs to my room.

I had been working for an hour when Tristan rang me, and asked if he could wander over for a short visit. I said yes I'd love to see him.

He arrived soon after in the old truck, and I held his hand to go into the kitchen. He let go, and put his arms around me hugging me close. I hugged him back, and then asked if he would like coffee. We'd made it before he really started talking.

"Chloe, I love you so, I wish we could spend a little time together soon, alone. Do you miss me at all? When I got that stuff from the hotel, it reminded me of that lovely night we spent there together, and I know we spent some time together like that not long ago, but I, I feel, I feel maybe you do leave me alone, and maybe that's because you are with Oliver. Sorry I find it hard to talk about how I am feeling, about this."

He'd stopped talking at that point, probably because I was looking at him with concern. I realized he was saying I was choosing to be with Oliver instead of him. At least that's what I thought he meant.

I shook my head. "Tristan, I'm always so happy to see you. We've all been so busy, I wish I saw more of you, I do. I do love you so." I moved to him, and put my arms around him. "What's going on Tristan, you sound jealous. I'm surprised. Don't you know I love you so much? There's no way I love you less, or want to be with you less than Oliver."

He looked away from me. When he looked back, his eyes were full of pain.

"I don't know why Chloe, I just see you and Oliver together, like today. You seem so close, so, so cozy. I'm sorry, I miss you is all, I'm missing you, maybe it's just this last couple of weeks."

I held him close, and then I held his face so that I was looking into his eyes.

"Tristan, you mean the world to me. I can't imagine life without you. I love you dearly." I sighed, and allowed myself to listen to his thoughts. I needed to know what he was really on about. It was the first time I had done that for a long time, and I had to focus. I kissed him, and listened, all I could hear was my name, and then not thoughts, but feelings, that shocked me, could I recognize what others were feeling now. He loved me, he was afraid, suddenly his thoughts were clear, 'please don't stop loving me now you and Oliver make love to each other, please Chloe, love me.'

I was really shocked, how could he know? What made him think I'd stop loving him? After all, I had not stopped loving Oliver even though there was Tristan and I. I was aware my heart was beating faster.

"Tristan, please believe me I love you very much. I love you more than ever, don't think for one second I don't."

He sighed, and let me kiss him again, and then he kissed me too, and hugged me close. "I'm sorry Chloe, I just miss you. Maybe I'm being stupid. I don't know what's wrong with me. Come home with me. I need you near me. Will you? Just be with me for a while."

I smiled at him. "Come upstairs let me just deal with the work I have up on my computer, and then I think we should spend the rest of the day together." He smiled, but there was still some kind of pain in his eyes. This was so weird.

I hugged him, then took his hand, and got him up to my room, I re-saved my work, and Tristan looked over my shoulder.

"I like that so far, Chloe. Is that the beginnings of the new work for Joshua?" He asked smiling. I told him it was, and closed the program I was using. I turned to him, and kissed him. Surely, he could see in my eyes how much I loved him.

It was nearly dark, the winter nights not lightening at all yet, and there seemed to be a fine rain falling as I glanced through my window when I went to put my boots on. Tristan went to the window. I pulled my boots on, and picked up a sweater. I stood beside him at the window. "It's raining a little," I said unnecessarily, and Tristan turned to me.

"Chloe, I wish now I had not come down to see you. I'm dragging you away from your work, and it's become a horrid afternoon, already dark with this rain. I think maybe I should just go."

I shook my head. "You are joking, as if I am letting you go or not going with you. I want to be with you now. That's just cruel, saying spend some time with me, oh no I've changed my mind," but I smiled at him too, because I was kidding around as well as being serious. He smiled sadly. Poor Tristan he seemed to be getting himself in some kind of mess.

"I feel childish, and silly now I've kind of accused you of not loving me enough, and choosing Oliver. It's mean of me to do this." He smiled a little again sadly.

"Tristan, I've not chosen Oliver over you. I still love you both. I can't choose...it's still that way. I'm sorry. Let's go. I'm not letting you go now, no way." I smiled at him took his hand, and we went downstairs.

Then in the kitchen where his coat was, he put it on, and turned back to me.

"No Chloe, I feel really bad about this. I want you to go on with your work. I'll call you tomorrow."

I was so disappointed. I sat down on a kitchen chair, and looked at him,

"If that's what you want, okay, I don't know what to say Tristan."

He went to the front door. I stood, and followed him. I'd have gone with him to the old truck, but he put his hand up to me as if to prevent me from doing that. I felt tears come to my eyes as I watched him leave. It was impossible to understand what had just happened. I went back up to my room, and opened my work up again. I sat there in front of it. I was thinking about what might be the story here with Tristan, he clearly still loved me. He had to know I loved him.

I went downstairs, and made a cup of tea. Gran was leaving at the end of the week, and she and mom were off somewhere. I made tea, and took it up to my room. I had started work again. It was maybe a half hour after Tristan had left, and my cell rang.

It was Oliver.

"Chloe, the most awful thing has just happened. Tristan just rocked up, and calmly asked me if you and I were making love to each other, had we progressed to that? I was shocked. I looked at him as if he was mad, only because I couldn't believe he'd just straight out asked like that."

I gasped as I listened to Oliver, and my heart started to thud again.

"Oliver, what did you say?"

He sighed, and carried on. "I never said anything. I looked at him, and I asked had he lost it, what was he thinking of coming down here, and asking me that. I'd never say what we were doing together, no way not to anyone, that's between you, and me. He seemed contrite, but he more or less asked again in a roundabout way, and this time I said, even if we were, I'd not be telling him, that was not my style, and that would be the same for you and me, or for any other girl I was involved with. I didn't go in for kiss, and tell." Oliver's voice was downcast, and reflected concern

I sighed. I was shocked. I was surprised Tristan would do this. What was the matter with him, and then I thought it's my fault, I should have expected this, isn't this natural? I suddenly remembered way back Oliver saying almost jokingly, did I think either one of them would be jealous if the relationships went to the next level. Maybe this was it? I had let the relationships go to the next level, and this was it.

I had been quiet, and Oliver said, "Chloe, are you okay, are you still there?"

"Yes, sorry Oliver, I'm just shocked, it's not what I expected of Tristan at all. He can't know categorically that you and I have, er, have become that close, he's guessing, and seemingly jealous. What do you think?"

"I'm shocked too. He was so sad with it, there's no way I've told him, no way, you believe that?" Oliver asked.

"Oliver, I know. I don't know what to do about Tristan though, this is weird" I replied. I heard Oliver sigh.

"It's horrible, you know what Chloe? If I suspected you and Tristan had moved into that kind of relationship, there's no way I'd be asking. It's not my style. It's not the way to go about things, besides which, we both have known almost from day one that you love us both."

I felt sad, and tearful. "Oliver, when I'm with you, you know I love you don't you, I give you all my love then?" I asked him.

"Chloe, it's obvious. I know you love me, and it never enters my head to be jealous of what you might do with Tristan when you are with him, although it's obvious you love him too. He's afraid of losing you, I'd say, though why he thinks he's going to is beyond me. Perhaps he's assumed we are making love to each other, and thinks that's it, you've chosen me, and sooner or later you will drop him, and it's hurting him just thinking of it. It would kill me if we split up." Oliver was so centered, so honest, and open.

I wished I was with him. "Oliver, you are so lovely, you might be right about Tristan, thanks for not just being a guy, and telling him what he wanted to know. Sorry I don't mean that to sound so horrible to boys, but I've heard from my girlfriends that guys can taunt each other with that sort of thing."

"Chloe, this is so unsettling, he left here quite dejected, should I go after him?" Oliver was clearly unhappy.

"Oliver, that's so good of you, but I think maybe I should find him."

"Ring me in an hour. I'm working for your dad six thirty until close. It's four thirty now, try, and get him to have dinner with you up there. Ring me either way in an hour just before I go to work. Chloe, are you okay?"

I smiled he was so nice. "I'll call you Oliver, and I am okay."

I called Tristan as soon as Oliver and I had ended the call. His phone went to voice mail. I left a message, "Tristan, I need to see you, please call me."

Chapter Fifty-four

I got my coat, and keys. Driving to the Dearing house, I was thinking that this was my fault. I should have kept it all at kisses no matter how much I loved them. This was natural, this fear, and jealousy Tristan had. I was the one acting out of order. I knew it, and I thought I could handle it, but now I didn't know what to do. That was right wasn't it? As I drove, I began to let myself off the hook again. I had never given Tristan anything but all my love when I was with him, he was afraid for no reason, if that was what was wrong.

I parked at the Dearing house, and walked to the greenhouses, he was not there. I hadn't noticed the truck in the car park, and it was not squeezed down the middle of the greenhouses. Where was he? I rang him again, no answer. I rang Liz, she answered, but she didn't know where Tristan was. I walked back to the Wrangler, and sat in it. The rain had stopped, but left a mist behind. It was not that cold compared to how cold it had been a few days earlier.

I suddenly thought he might be at the stables, and I started the engine, swung around in the big car park, and arrived at the stables a few minutes later. The truck was there, and I sighed with relief, I walked into the stables, but he was not there so I went around the back, he must be in the apartment. Sure enough, there were lights on, and I knocked on the door. The door was opened quickly, and he stood there looking at me.

"Chloe, it's you, how did you know I was here? Come in, thanks for coming over." He seemed so happy to see me. I got into the little hall, and then hugged him close.

"Tristan, I rang you, your voicemail was on, I left a message," I was hugging him. I took hold of his face, and kissed him, over, and over.

He kissed me back, and hugged me tightly to him.

"Sorry Chloe, I was driving, and I was just about to call you."

We made it into the living area, the open plan area included the kitchen at the other end, and the kettle switched itself off with a click. I let go of him except for one arm around his waist.

"Okay Tristan, I was so sad when you left. It's horrible seeing you like that. I didn't expect you to feel this way ever really. I know I'm lucky you and Oliver have always accepted that I love you both, but I should have known eventually, one or the other of you would find it unacceptable."

I felt I was going over old ground, but I guessed that's what love, and relationships do.

He sat down, and he pulled me down to sit next to him. "Sorry Chloe, I didn't expect to feel this sudden pain, it's hard to explain. I just can't imagine why you would still want me when you and Oliver have, have, well what you have now."

I was very upset. I took his hands.

"I don't know what you keep referring to, but I love you very much, and I'm never going to stop. I'm never going to be able to choose between you, and Oliver, so you can be certain I still want you. Tristan, what about Oliver thinking that about you and me. It could be him thinking this stuff, this stupid stuff. You and I have become closer. You know that, what the hell is this all really about?"

He sighed, and shook his head.

"Does Oliver know about us?" he asked.

I sighed, and looked down at our hands clasped together. "Tristan, this is wrong, we don't talk about this stuff. Stop it."

My cell phone rang, and I answered, it was Oliver.

"Hello Oliver, yes I've found him, its okay, hope you have a good work shift. Call you tomorrow."

Tristan watched me answer the phone, and then he sighed.

"So sorry Chloe, forgive me?"

I kissed him by way of an answer. I took his hand, and we cuddled up together on the sofa there. I tried to make sure he knew I loved him. I asked him why he wanted to compare himself unfavorably to Oliver, and he shrugged.

"I've always thought when I see you together just how good you look, he's from your era, you look so happy together. I'm too serious, old."

He'd said similar things before. Was it going to be like this every so often, he would spook, and think I might leave him, and be silly for a couple of days? I smiled at him.

"You are such a mix of things. You undervalue yourself so much it's unbelievable. When I am with you, it's so good, I'm so happy to be with you. How do you get in these fixes, what goes through your mind?"

He took a deep breath. "It's just about love. Being loved by you, it's been the best thing, and being friends with you, and Oliver, just great. I feel afraid sometimes about what I'd do, how I'd go on if you did choose, you did find you could choose between us I mean, and it wasn't me. We've been through so much together, good, and bad, my life would be so empty without you."

It was my turn to take a deep breath.

"To use your English idiom, bloody hell Tristan, this is needless worry, I love you. I could never leave you not now, not unless you said go, unless you said you didn't want me anymore. You're stuck with me." I started to kiss him, and it was just the most natural thing in the world to move into the bedroom, and stay for a long time.

Chapter Fifty-five

The next day I called Oliver, and we arranged to meet at the library café for coffee that afternoon. I did a lot of work on my new designs, and then drove over to the café. The Land Rover was parked in the car park, and as I got out of my car, Oliver jumped out of his car, and met me. He picked me up in a big hug, and swung me around then he kissed me. He held my head to his, and I hugged him to me. He had his face close to mine, and was kissing me again, and again, smiling in between. A car came into the car park, we were not in the way because we were around the side of the Wrangler, and Oliver was holding me so tight, I put my hands up around his face, and kissed him back.

We'd our arms around each other when we heard Tristan say, "Hello Oliver, Chloe, I was about to get coffee. Sorry I, I'll go, I didn't know you would be here." He walked quickly back to the truck, and drove away.

I had called after him, and Oliver had too, but we knew he'd been hurt by what he'd seen. We went into the café, and debated how much of the hugging and kissing he might have witnessed, and then I rang him.

"Tristan, please come back, please come and have coffee with Oliver and me, don't let this develop into a big thing."

He answered that he was busy, and had only stopped for a coffee to take away, and he'd call.

I sighed, and Oliver took my hand across the table.

"Let him have some space, we were just hugging, and kissing"

I was worried though, about him. I couldn't settle, for half an hour I fidgeted, couldn't eat the toasted sandwich I had ordered, let my tea go cold, ordered more, and in the end Oliver said he couldn't stand to see me worrying over Tristan, and we would go, and find him, and make sure he was okay.

Oliver followed me to my place, and parked the Land Rover, then got into my Wrangler. We drove over to the Dearing place. Tristan was nowhere to be seen, and then we checked the greenhouses, no sign of him. He was not at the stables, and I started to worry.

I rang him, no answer. I took us back home, and Oliver came into the house with me, I tried Tristan's phone again, no answer. Oliver was exasperated.

"He's acting like a child, this is sulking. We were only hugging. He's seen that before."

I sighed. "We were all over each other. We were engrossed in each other."

Oliver shrugged. "Okay."

We made coffee, I tried Tristan's phone again, no answer.

Oliver stayed with me until about eleven. We tried Tristan's cell phone several times, no answer. We thought about going over to his place again, and then Oliver said he thought Tristan must know I was calling, and he'd not answered, maybe he needed a bit of space.

"I've been thinking Chloe what I might feel like if I found you, and Tristan jammed up against each other in the car park the way we were. Well it would hurt, but then I'd say to myself, it will be me next time, she'll be kissing me next time because she loves me too." I looked at him sadly, and I did kiss him right then. We tried to watch a DVD, but I know neither of us really saw it. Oliver held my hand most of the time.

When I saw Oliver off that night I felt a sense of loss. I wished Tristan would answer his cell, and I did try him again a couple of times with no answer.

Chapter Fifty-six

The next morning I got up. I had not slept really, and felt very out of it. The day was cold, and I looked out of my window to see a heavy frost on the garden.

I went downstairs after standing in the shower for ten minutes trying to wake up, and thinking of Tristan. There was an envelope on the mat down in the hall, the mail must have been delivered earlier than usual I thought as I picked it up. It had a Dearing crest on the back, and I tore it open as it was addressed to me, there was no stamp, and my hands shook as I held the letter.

Tristan had gone. He couldn't stay. Oliver was the right choice for me. Oliver loved me, and Tristan hoped we would be happy. He had to leave because he was too close to me or some other drivel. I couldn't focus properly I couldn't believe what I was reading. I called Oliver, and told him. He told me he was coming over right away.

I sat down at the table, and read the letter again. It was agony. I called Liz, and asked her if she knew where Tristan was, she said no he must be out early at the greenhouses or the stables. I thought maybe this was a mistake, he was at the greenhouses as Liz said, if she had no letter then he may still be around.

Oliver arrived, and hugged me. He read the letter.

"Bloody hell, what's going on, this is ridiculous." We tried to find Tristan most of the morning, and then Oliver had to work, and Liz called me, she'd found a letter from Tristan, he'd gone.

I felt numb for a while, and then I thought well it's my fault, if I hadn't been selfish enough to keep on loving both him, and Oliver this would not have happened. He has left the home he loves, his horses, his greenhouses, and it's my fault.

I went down the hall to mom. "Hey Mom, you know when granny leaves tomorrow afternoon I was thinking of going too, going to UCLA. That was always my plan you know." She was surprised, but it was arranged.

I went up to meet Oliver at nine o'clock after his shift ended, and told him. He broke down in tears, and asked me not to go. We went down to my house, and he sat down in the kitchen on one of the chairs as if he was really tired. He cried a little, and then he begged me not to go. I held him close because I love him so much, and I tried to get him to realize it was because of me Tristan had left his home, and everything. Oliver said he couldn't take it, it wasn't his fault, he loved me. How was he going to carry on? Tristan had chosen to go, he was still here. He loved me so much. I felt nothing, but guilt.

I said. "You and Tristan find someone who only loves you, not someone else as well." I kissed him, and then I left him in the kitchen, and went up to my room. He must have left the house because I stayed in my room, and packed a few things, not much, nothing that would remind me of Oliver or Tristan. My cell kept registering messages. They were from Oliver. Then it was ringing, ringing, it was Oliver. It nearly broke my heart not to answer him, well it did break my heart, and I found myself sobbing as I sat at my desk putting my designs, and work on a pocket hard drive, to take with my netbook back to California.

Around midnight I went down to the kitchen, and got some tea, there was a note on a post it stuck under my coat that was on the back of a chair. It was from Oliver, he loved me, and always would, please don't go.

I put it in my coat pocket, and hung my coat up on the coat stand in the hall.

I didn't sleep again that night, and was so relieved when we left for the airport at midday.

My cell had at least fifty messages on it from Oliver. I switched it off.

Chapter Fifty-seven

Tristan

I don't know why I did it. I know now it was completely the wrong thing to do, well if I am truthful with myself, it was downright ridiculous, and foolish. I hadn't expected Chloe to leave, just up, and leave. It was the last thing I thought might happen. Maybe I hadn't thought at all, because right now, and for the last few months, Chloe has been in California with her grandmother, and I've been down here in Cornwall, on the edge of the old Dearing estate in a semi derelict cottage.

I don't even want to think about Oliver. I know he's heartbroken. I saw him twice right at the beginning in the first month she was gone. He came down here to see me, he broke down in tears begging me to contact her, and tell her I was coming home, and please would she too, come home. I said that I'd think about it all, and he sat down on the old sofa I have in the corner, and cried.

I asked him then, again, if he and Chloe had actually made love to each other, and he looked up at me his eyes swimming with tears.

"Tristan, even if we had I wouldn't be telling you, nor anyone else, no one, do you understand, because how we might express our love, with the people we love, is private. It's not up for discussion ever, not with me. Have I ever asked you? No, and I will not. There may have been a time when I asked Chloe about you, did she love you, stuff like that, but even that went away. Hey Tristan what happened to the philosophical guy who loved unconditionally? I can't believe what you've done, what you've done to Chloe, yourself, and me. Tristan for the love of God please come home, and call her, she will not answer my calls or messages, she may answer you. When you first left, and Liz told me where you were, I resisted the temptation to tell Chloe, and then you asked me not to tell her. I've honored that, but I am tempted, let me tell you, to try and use that as leverage to get her home. I can't believe this Tristan, after all we've been through together, and you knew she loved the place, had made it her home, she loves you, what the hell are you thinking of? You know my number. I hope I hear from you in the next couple of days, because seriously this is such bizarre behavior."

He'd left after that speech, and I just let myself fall into a hole of despair. I knew I was acting out of character that was the worst thing, but I'd let myself slip into a place I felt I couldn't come out from.

When I left, I wrote this stupid letter to Chloe, it basically said that I couldn't stand not being the only guy she loved anymore, that I knew she, and Oliver had taken their relationship further, just as we had, and that it had somehow, and unexpectedly hurt me. That I had decided to retreat from the whole thing, leave the Dearing estate as it was too near her for me not to be thinking constantly of her. I told her to be with Oliver, that he loved her, and I hoped they would be happy. Can you believe that? I can't, after everything I had ever said about being able to wait for her, and understanding she loved us both.

Did I hope she would drop Oliver for me at that point, I don't think so. I think it was pain, and protecting myself from more of it. I was sure at the time that they had made love to each other. You know what I mean by that, more than kissing, I don't want to have to spell it out. Well now, I am not so sure they did.

I didn't tell Oliver about Chloe, and me. To be fair I agree with his stance on that, it's no one's business. I wondered if Chloe had told him, but I think not. Not from the way he talked when he came to me that couple of times.

She never confirmed that they had made love, she never answered when I asked. She just looked at me as if she'd never expected me to ask. I had insisted on knowing, and she'd said, she couldn't believe what I was asking, how I was acting, that she loved me, she loved Oliver, and that she thought we were all so close, such friends as well as anything else, what was happening. I hadn't answered. I had left.

I think now I had been mistaken. I'd never seen anything other than her usual affection for Oliver. It was the bracelet in his bedroom that had done it. Maybe there was a different explanation for why it was there. Maybe I read into it something that was not true. I'm rambling, I feel like such a fool. I lost Chloe. I love her, and always will. I lost Oliver, and I miss him too.

Liz had berated me. "Have you lost your mind, even I know Chloe loves you, what happens to the business, we need you. Jack thinks it's his fault, and that you decided after all you couldn't forgive him for what he did. Laura and Corbett are so miserable, well Corbett especially. The horses are pining. Brett says he can't do anything with Matin. What are you doing down here, the place is barely upright, please stop this nonsense, and come home. I can't believe what you are doing. Andy is only just holding the garden business together. Chloe has gone home to the States. Bloody hell Tristan do it for me I need you."

I had shaken my head. "Please understand Liz, she never tried to get me back, she just left for California, she hasn't answered Oliver's calls, have you tried to contact her. She just let me go. She just let me go. I just need some time. I'll call in a few days." Liz had stayed in a hotel that night, and rung me from there. "You're a fool Tristan. I'm shocked."

This place I'm living in, it used to be the home of a couple I knew, way back. They had their suspicions about me. I pretended to be the son of the man who had given them the cottage to live in for their lifetime, and I visited them as this son. You understand I was the man. They had said how much like him I was, that it was just like seeing him, even down to the way I spoke. I felt bad at that comment, but I had so wanted to see them, as they grew old, as they neared the end of their life.

I had given them the cottage, and they had looked after part of the woodland down here on the edge of the estate before it all became English Heritage. They had been friends as close as any I had known, made me welcome as both the father, and then the son. Old Gareth had fished, and walked with me, his wife Maggie had fed me, given me a bed in the house any time I turned up. They had done that out of love. The man they knew as my father, me, reminded them of their dead son. He'd never come back from a particular war, a senseless war, as they all are, ultimately.

When I came down here the last time, Maggie had made me coffee in this kitchen, she'd made me sandwiches, and sat down before me.

"Tristan, I know who you are. I don't know how it's possible, but I feel certain you are the father, and the son, you don't have to tell me, nor be afraid. It's been good to know you, to have been able to hear about Matthew from you, which meant the world to me. For giving Gareth his dignity back, this home. I feel I may not see you again, and I wanted you to know that six years ago, when you turned up telling us you were Tristan junior, I knew then who you were. It warmed my heart that you cared for us so much you would try and pass yourself off as your father's son, telling us he'd died in a car crash."

I hadn't said anything I had just stared at her, her kind face, her bright blue eyes. Her hair was white then, as was Gareth's, she was freckly, and wrinkly, but her heart was young. I never went back again, but I did send cards, and little notes for a while.

You know what nearly re-broke my heart when I came down here those few months ago, I went through the place, and there was old furniture still left that had belonged to them. There was an old chest of drawers in the room that had been designated for their son, should he ever return. The fact is they knew he wouldn't. I hadn't seen him actually die, but I knew for certain he had. Well, in this chest of drawers, with some folded tissue paper were all the cards I had sent, the notes too. Folded into the tissue paper, it brought tears to my eyes.

I still own this broken down cottage, and about half an acre of the surrounding woodland, the stream that goes by, I have some kind of rights to it, maybe I should give it away, the land that is. I haven't seen the deeds for a long time. They will be with the other Dearing papers. Then again, I may need it someday, and it is lovely here. This part of the woods has some very old trees, some five hundred year old trees, almost as old as me.

It's been nearly three months. The spring is here. The whole countryside is blossoming. I wish I hadn't done this. I wish I could go back in time, and change things, not do it, undo it. How ironic that with all the time travel I've done, I can't do that.

I miss Chloe so much now, that I've woken up in tears for the last few nights, when I've finally gone to sleep, that is.

I made a dreadful mistake. I still don't know for sure why I did it. Oliver said in his last phone call, that I had maybe had a short lapse of reason, and that he knew Chloe would forgive me, if I'd only contact her. Tell her I was going home to the Dearing house to meet me there. She only wanted me home, he'd said, well before she left.

I haven't heard from him in about four weeks, or Liz. Laura rang she called me all the names under the sun, and then burst into tears. I had never expected that.

What should I do, to make it right? Will Chloe answer if I call, or text? Oliver hasn't when I've messaged him. I've left it all too late. I've wrecked what was the best thing I had in my life for a very long time.

The wind does get cool at night, and because most of the glass is broken in the windows of the other rooms, I stay in the back downstairs room, which was Maggie's best room. She had an overstuffed sofa in here the last time I came, and an oak coffee table, flowers in a vase on the window ledge. This window is semi boarded up. The curtains she had are still up, they are frayed, and dusty, and a sizable spider lives in one of the folds. The fireplace is still good, they must have had the chimney swept, and then it had not been used, because it didn't smoke when I lit a fire the first night I was here. There is no electricity, though the place is near enough to existing facilities to have it, the supply had been turned off years ago. No gas, a bottle had to be installed, I hadn't bothered. The water was on. I had to run it for a long time to clear the pipes. You can walk down to the lane about a half mile away, and get a bus into the village, though it doesn't run that often.

What can I do? I don't know how to get back what I've lost through my own foolishness, my own petulance.

I told myself, what about just swallowing your foolishness, and texting them, Oliver, and Chloe, well Liz too, but mostly Chloe. I'd just send a text, is there any way you can forgive my stupidity. I need to go home, will you?

It was night, and there was an owl out there in the wood. I could hear its call. I suddenly realized I missed the call of the peacocks. They would have started their rounds of the restaurant grounds, and the Dearing house gardens too. I made a cup of tea. I had taken to drinking tea lately. It was because I knew that somewhere Chloe might be drinking it too.

I was surprised to hear a message come onto my cell phone, the sad little sound I had assigned to the action echoed in the back room, where I sat looking out at the night through the gap I had made, by levering one of the boards off.

I swooped on the phone, maybe it was Chloe. Maybe she'd decided to contact me. It was Aristide. 'I am asking you for the favor you owe me, in payment for helping you return to the right time, I am sure you remember that. I'll meet you at the café in your town, the one by the library. We know that one well. Please be there Thursday at two in the afternoon. Aristide.' I looked at the message on the screen for a few seconds. I read it again. Today was Wednesday, well late Wednesday. I'd need to pack up early tomorrow morning, and go. I'd call a taxi to get me to the train station. Unless there was a train tonight, maybe there was, I'd call, and check.

I started to collect my few things, and stuff them in my backpack. There was a train, I called a taxi, and went around the old place making sure everything was left orderly. I don't know why I did that, maybe it was in memory of old Maggie, she'd always kept a neat home.

I was outside waiting for the taxi. I saw the moon in the sky just sail out from behind a cloud. It was framed in silvery clouds, like a beacon up there in the sky. I felt as if it too was calling me home.

When I got home I had to ring to be let in, Liz came with McPherson, and threw herself at me in a hug saying "Tristan, thank heaven you are back, are you back, you better be, I can't believe it."

It was not long before the whole lot had been rounded up, Corbett, and Laura, even Jack, and Jonathan, everyone was so pleased to see me, old Charlie nearly wagged himself off his feet.

We'd made peace over coffee, and after everyone had gone up to bed, I told McPherson I really had to go to see the horses, I'd take Charlie, and she'd smiled, and told me she would make my bed. I had said no it's okay, I can do that, but she'd insisted, and so I went to see the horses. I told them I was sorry, so sorry I had just gone away, and left them, Cedric had forgiven me right away, but Matin had taken five minutes, and the others were okay, maybe Starbuck had sulked for two minutes, but I stayed, and talked to them, it was so good to be home.

I got to the café early. I hadn't expected anyone to be there, but Oliver was, he looked so pleased to see me, I felt the tears come to my eyes. He stood up, and hugged me. I hugged him back, and he was so happy. He told me so, he said let's get back to the way we all were, the best of friends. I wasn't able to speak properly for a while I was so grateful.

He'd made everything right with me in a moment. He'd forgiven me. He looked okay, there were dark circles under his eyes, so he hadn't slept much either I deduced. He was wearing a blue striped shirt. It weirdly matched the new awning on the café front. I had taken a little drink of my coffee when I saw her.

Chloe, she was crossing the road, and for a few seconds I thought she had her hair cut, but as she got closer, I realized it was in a loose braid, and the front part, which I thought had been a short cut, was an optical illusion. She looked great, she was wearing jeans, she always wore skinny jeans, but these were very skinny, she had a new leather jacket too, over a white T-shirt. She seemed taller, and maybe just a little thinner, the jacket moved back away from her body as she put keys in her pocket. She looked fierce somehow, like a warrior. Her sunglasses were black, and hid her eyes.

She was at the table, and Oliver was asking if he could hug her. I was desperate to touch her. I spilled my coffee because I was shaking, and my heart was flipping about. I had coffee on my jeans, but it didn't matter. I was crying which I hadn't even known about, until the tears fell on my hand, and I looked expecting it to be coffee. I saw them hug.

Chloe was smiling, she took her sunglasses off, and when she turned to me, I felt my breath catch she looked so good. She had makeup on her eyes, like some kind of dark blue stuff, more than I had ever seen her wear, but it looked good. She was lovely, so lovely, then she was in my arms, and I never wanted to let her go again.

We sat down, and even though I don't remember the words, I knew we were going to talk later because Aristide was arriving, Oliver had seen him, and I turned slightly to see for myself.

Chapter Fifty-eight

Oliver

When Chloe left for California, I told her I'd die without her. I know it sounds melodramatic, but that's how I felt, and still do. I asked her to see reason, maybe Tristan had left, but I was still there, I loved her, needed her, I was desperate. She said, "Oliver, I know you love me, and I love you, but because of my actions, my loving both you, and Tristan, he has lost his home, everything he loves. He's walked away because of me, the only thing I can do is go, leave you both to have a life that is with someone who only loves you."

"He chose that Chloe, please don't do this to me. I haven't chosen to go."

I actually begged her not to go. I said the words, please I'm begging you, she was tearful, she kissed me and held me so closely I thought she was changing her mind about going, but she was saying goodbye.

I sat down on the kitchen chair, and cried. I actually sobbed because I couldn't believe it was happening, not after we'd become so close. I thought we meant everything to each other. I said to her, "Chloe, I've not told Tristan about us, I never would. I don't know why he suddenly has this notion in his head. It's not me. I haven't done it."

She sat down next to me, and kissed me, she said she knew, and that she hadn't said anything, and never would, but that somehow he had this idea, and despite everything we'd all ever said, or meant to each other, suddenly it was driving him from his home. She couldn't be a part of that kind of loss. She left the next day, back to California with her grandmother.

I called her, I texted, I emailed, I called, and called her, left messages, sent her international delivery flowers, she never replied. I nearly cried myself sick and I know you must think that's weak, but I love her, I love her so much. It's as if my heart is torn open. I feel small, tired, and hopeless. I can't sleep much, nor eat much, I really think if I wasn't immortal I'd have died, as it was, I did lose a little weight. There are dark marks under my eyes.

I keep hoping that she'll answer one of my calls or texts, I text her every night, and morning. I've written her another song. Will is working on the melody, I am sending it to her when it's finished, and recorded properly.

I went to see Tristan a couple of times. I'd have liked to shake him. I still don't know why he did what he did, it seems ridiculous, to lose the place you love, the girl you love, your family, and your friends. I told him he'd get no answer from me when he asked, had Chloe and I made love to each other, frankly I'd never ask him the same thing, even if I suspected, because who cares? Chloe loved me too, she loved me, and maybe she still does. I was happy when I was with her. She gave me all her love when she was with me, nothing should have come between us.

I begged Tristan to ask her home, to come home himself. Begged him, because you have to try, you have to try to fix things, no matter what. I know he's just down there festering in that ruin he's living in. I don't get it. I just don't.

Liz is incandescent besides upset, she's trying to run the whole show by herself, and Laura does what she can. How is it possible Tristan of all people has been able to act like this? I talked with Liz for a long time only a few nights ago, she said she wondered if he'd a breakdown, perhaps he has. After all, he'd had a lot to put up with, especially in the last few years from Jack.

Privately I was wondering if Anna had somehow done this, and I called Lily. I asked her straight out could it be Anna, and Lily said no, she knew where Anna was, and that she hadn't put a foot wrong. There was no way Anna was at the bottom of this stuff.

I've stopped talking to him, stopped answering if he calls or texts, the fact is, I don't know what to say to him anymore. I can't say it any plainer to him what needs to be done. When Tristan pops up next to the caller ID or message, I just reject it. I did feel bad the first few times, but now I think the hell with it, it's been nearly three months since he just left, and sent that loopy letter to Chloe.

That made me so cross, it hurt her so much, and for her to then take the blame, say she had to withdraw so that he could come home, I was about to draw my sword. Well if I had one, as it was I just set about begging, first Chloe, then him.

I've asked Steven how she is so many times I think he's tired of it. He says she's going to classes at UCLA. Ben says she still designs for Joshua, they do everything via email, and anyway it's only been three months or something, he said.

It's spring. The winter was a fizzer. We got another fall of snow that lasted a week, which was about two weeks after she left, and then just cold, and fog. The weather today is sunny, and warm, it reminds me of Chloe, and it's the same kind of weather as when I first met her. I've been trying to bury my sadness in work, and once or twice worked all night on a computer job, just so I became so tired I'd drop the next night, instead of tossing, and turning, wondering if I should actually get a plane to California the next day.

Ben tried to get me to go out with a girl friend of his girlfriend, if you get what I mean. She was quite pretty, small, blonde, and nice. I did meet her with them in Kool Kafé. It was a disaster. He left me alone with her for ten minutes, and I couldn't take it. I told her I had a cold, and was going home, nice to have met her. Ben was a bit put out the next day at the restaurant, but he soon got over it.

Is there any point in anything when the person you love, and are desperate to see will just not answer your calls? She must know I love her still, she's punishing me too why can't she see that? She's punishing herself you see, for loving both Tristan, and me.

I'll text her tonight because I can't not, maybe one day she'll answer, and it will have been worth just keeping up the hope, and the texts. I did once tell her I'd never let her go, and that's about it really, I have to keep trying to get her back until, well, until there really is no more hope.

I finished work in the restaurant at nine, and took my time going home. It felt so lonely there, even though my parents were next door. I had just got in the front door, having wasted almost half an hour in the kitchens talking to the two wait staff on their break. I had got in, and made tea, which I drink more of now because Chloe did, when I felt my phone go off in my back pocket. I knew I'd received a message, and my heart started to beat faster, could it be Chloe? Please let it be Chloe.

It was Aristide, and his message, though a little cryptic was still plain. He wanted payment 'I am asking you for the favor you owe me, in payment for helping you return to the right time, I am sure you remember that. I'll meet you at the café in your town, the one by the library. We know that one well. Please be there Thursday at two in the afternoon. Aristide.' I read it twice, that was tomorrow, the old guy didn't hang about once he'd decided to collect, oh well perhaps that was a good thing no time to brood on what the favor might entail.

I went in the shower thinking the message didn't even seem to want a reply, he just said be there, and we would be. I smiled at this, I felt as if it was the first time I had smiled since Chloe had left. What was I supposed to do tomorrow, oh yes that website job, just adding the cart, simple I'd do it tonight.

I got to the café early. They had the tables and chairs out on the paved area at the front. I chose one where I could see down the street as well as across it, so that I'd notice when Tristan, and Chloe, arrived either from the car park, or from the road.

The tables had little pots of flowers on them. I was sitting there for a few seconds when a woman came out to ask me for my order. She was new, I think, well I hadn't seen her waiting the tables here before, and she took my order for coffee, and iced water. I was nervous about the whole thing. Last night I had been tempted to call Tristan, but I resisted it. I had texted Chloe, but for once, the message was undelivered. I hoped that was because she was on a plane, and not that she'd thrown her phone away.

I saw Tristan as he came around the corner from the car park, he was looking down at the ground as he walked, his shoulders hunched. His hands in his jeans pockets, the blue shirt he was wearing flapped back away from his navy blue T-shirt. He looked a bit unkempt, his hair had been cut though, it was spiked up a bit, and I broke into a smile as he reached the table, stopped, and ran his hand through the non-existent fringe. Up close, I could see he had the same blue-black shadows under his eyes as I had. I stood up, and closed the gap between us. I hugged him. it was so good to see him. I was smiling, and getting him to sit down

"Tristan, its bloody good to see you. How are you? You look like I feel. Let's start over. I desperately want us all to be friends again"

He hugged me back, and when he sat down, he had tears in his eyes.

"Oliver, it's good of you to greet me like that after all I've done, thanks I'd like that, I so want to make things right, to go back to what we had. God only knows what I was thinking of, I've had time to regret it in a thousand different ways. Have you heard anything from Chloe?"

I know I had a sad expression, and I shook my head in a negative. He looked down at the table, and then because my coffee had arrived he ordered some, and then he wiped a tear off his face with the back of his hand as if he was a child.

"So Tristan, when did you arrive back?" I asked him, hoping to put him on a more even emotional keel.

"Last night, late, Liz was overjoyed, well everyone has been," his voice wavered a little then another tear slid down his cheek.

"Sorry Oliver, I'm cracking up here. Yes everyone has been so, so forgiving," he said, and he looked down again at the table.

I wanted the guy to know he hadn't started the third world war, and we could fix it all now.

"Hey Tristan we can fix everything, it's been bad, but it's over, anything I can do to smooth the way, you know." I stopped speaking as his coffee arrived.

In my peripheral vision, I knew Chloe was arriving. I turned to look. She was crossing the narrow road towards us. She was in jeans and boots, and a leather jacket. I felt my heart start thudding in my chest. I stood up, and sat back down. I didn't know if she would take my hug or if I should offer it. I stood up again. She looked taller or thinner. She was at the table, and Tristan stood up. He knocked his coffee over, it spilled all over the table, running through the metalwork pattern, and down onto the pavement.

I stood up, and my voice sounded strange to my ears.

"Chloe, Chloe, it's like heaven to see you, please, I've just hugged Tristan hello, may I hug you too?"

She smiled, she took off her sunglasses, and she had those shadows under her eyes too, but her eyes were ringed with dark blue kohl. She was so pretty, her hair down her back in a braid. I looked longingly at her lips.

She said. "Oliver, please do hug me."

I took hold of her, and crushed her to me. It felt like heaven, my heart was thudding, and tears somehow were coming from my eyes. I let her go, and looked around to see Tristan putting his coffee cup upright, trying to brush coffee from his jeans with one hand, and wiping tears from his cheek with the other, and I gave Chloe a gentle steer towards him.

She made a small sound as if she was crying, and had sobbed. Tristan put his arms up for her to go to him, and he was shaking. Chloe was suddenly in his arms, and he was hugging her to him. He had his eyes closed tight, and I looked away. Let him hug her as long as he needed to.

We sat down close to each other, just the way we used to.

I sighed in relief. "It's so good to be together again, we need to talk, but here comes Aristide."

I saw him round the corner of the buildings by the car park with his usual grace. His gray hair had white streaks in it. He was dressed in a suit that looked very expensive. He was already smiling at me. Chloe, and Tristan turned slightly in order to see him. The woman waiting tables was back at ours.

Chapter Fifty-Nine

Chloe

I can't concentrate. I don't know why I am even bothering to come to college, half the time I have to go away and look up all the information I should have gleaned from the lecture. I keep thinking about Oliver. I wanted to go back to him. I wanted Tristan too. It had seemed the best thing to do, for me to leave, to leave them to get on with separate lives, but it was so painful, so desolate.

I thought it best not to answer Oliver's texts, and calls. A clean break wasn't that what everyone said was best when you had to give something up?

I was on the verge of giving in, the pain of loss had not lessened, the desperate need to see Oliver, hear his voice, the fear when I thought that I might never see him, or Tristan again in my life, that we were all three finished forever.

I thought about Tristan, how could he have done this, what had happened? After all he had ever said about not being able to let me go, and not minding that I loved Oliver as well as himself. I had thought and thought about what could have triggered the whole thing.

His sudden questioning about had Oliver and I made love to each other, and you know what, it had to have been the day he called by Oliver's. He knew we would be there, we'd arranged it, he was dropping the things off that he'd retrieved from the holiday accommodation, the stuff from when we'd time traveled, and Aristide had helped us. We'd decided to bin the lot, just so that no cross contamination could happen, the cell phones had long gone, and now we would just ditch this stuff in Oliver's garbage bin. We were all going on to the library café to have lunch. The sun was out in the crisp cold day, it was the day after New Year's Day. I had been at Oliver's for a couple of hours we'd been very close to each other, yes, and I had taken my bracelet off, the one Tristan had given me for my birthday. I had put it on the dresser in Oliver's bedroom because I couldn't keep it on, not when Oliver and I were together like that.

Well I went along there to get it, not thinking, not considering Tristan would wonder why it was there, or why I had needed to take it off that morning.

My own fault, all of it. I knew all along it was somehow wrong to love them both, and even worse to make love to them both. I had to give them their lives back by removing myself. I couldn't get over the fact that I had caused Tristan to lose his home, which he'd grown to love so much, his horses, and the greenhouses that gave him peace.

Oliver, dear Oliver, I had put him through some pain in the last three months, and yet he still texted, called, he wouldn't give up on me. Tristan had never said a word. I didn't even know where he was.

I had enrolled in some classes to try and submerge my grief in study. That had not worked. My old friends had rallied round, which was a bit of a surprise since I have to admit I had neglected them after the first couple of months in England.

They took me out a couple of times, and even though I wasn't looking, not at all, it was the same old story. Not one guy approached me. I wasn't asked to dance once, not even a hello. I stood around at the two parties as if I was invisible.

For the first one, I had let my friends do a makeover on me. They did my makeup, and hair, chose me a dress from one of our group's wardrobe. So you know I did fit in. They urged me to ask someone to dance or to flirt. I told them I had no idea how to do that, which is true. I have no idea how to flirt. I thought okay the next time I go out with them I'll ask a guy to dance.

So the second party loomed. I bought a dress under the guidance of my most fashion conscious and popular friend. They did my makeup, and told me I had to wear heels. So that night, I had on high-heeled shoes. It very nearly killed me to ask a boy to dance, mostly because the shoes hurt as I stood around as usual. I needn't have bothered, he grimaced at me, and indicating his friends on the other side of the room, he sideways walked to them at the same time as telling me he was busy. It was crushing, because I looked like the other girls, the dress, the heels, I don't know why no one ever liked me. Well boys that is, the only two whoever did were on the other side of the world, and I was supposed to be further distancing myself from them, by breaking Oliver's heart, and forgetting Tristan. Some hope, they were all I ever thought of, night, and day.

Gran knew I hardly slept or ate. She knew I was in pain from leaving England, and she said only two weeks ago, "Chloe, go back, that's where your heart is, try, and fix what it is that made you leave."

I had nodded at her, tears filling my eyes. Perhaps I could go back, even if Tristan chose to stay away. I would ask Liz to tell him I was home. Would he please come home to talk with me at least. I could go to Oliver, and say how my heart was in two without him. He would want me home, if his texts were anything to go by.

The thing is though, after three months I felt as if I had done something that I could not go back from.

The way Oliver had asked me not to leave him, and I had, would he forgive me for that, or would he always remember I had ignored his pleas, and left. He'd cried too, and I'll always be able to picture that, it very nearly had me staying, because I love him so much, so much, but the thought that I had made Tristan leave his life on the estate by my behavior left me no choice, but to go.

I had left everything, the bracelet, the CD with my song on it, clothes I had bought there, and especially things I had chosen with Tristan.

The treasure that belonged to Tristan was still in my armoire. Hopefully mom wouldn't have cleaned up, and found it. I had left the roundels on my desk and the ancient rings beside them. I had left everything I loved behind in an effort to remedy what I thought was my fault, Tristan losing his home.

I was surprised to find I had only lost a tiny bit of weight, even though I hardly ate, that's the immortality thing. You can't die of a broken heart. You just have to endure the pain. My hair was longer, and I had taken to wearing it in a loose braid down my back just for the ease of it. Was I different? Maybe. I had tried to become harder in my heart, but it was difficult.

It was spring, and in Riverside the huge trees that lined the street my gran's house was on were in bloom. Leaves sprouted from branches that had looked like totally bare sticks a week ago. I thought about England, the weather here now reminded me of when I first got there, of the waterfall, and meeting both Oliver, and Tristan. I felt like sitting down, and crying. It was lunchtime, and students were everywhere, in groups, or couples. I sat down, and let the tears fall down my cheeks, my sunglasses hid it quite well, and the dappling of the sun through the leaves of the tree behind me, that would hide it too I thought.

I decided to reply to the next text that Oliver sent to me. I couldn't stand another minute of being away from him. I had my cell phone in my jacket pocket, and just as I had made the decision it rang. I had changed the ring tone because the other one reminded me so much of Tristan.

It was Steven, and he was just checking to see how I was. Oliver had asked about me again. He was looking forward to half term holidays, the band had gigs, and weddings had started up again in the grounds of the restaurant. It was good to talk to him, and I said thanks for the call Steven because I was feeling lonely.

Before we ended the call he said, "Why not come back sis, everyone misses you, go to college here."

I told myself Oliver would text that night, he always did, and I always ignored him, tonight I'd answer.

I was staring at my orange juice on the table in front of me, no one had come to my lunch table, and that was okay, my friends had different lectures today. I didn't have a class until two so I had time to waste, maybe I'd call Oliver, and I estimated it was about now in England that he would be thinking of texting me.

I picked my cell phone up from the table where I had put it after talking with Steven, and as I did, the thing received a message, it spooked me, but I hoped desperately that it was Oliver.

It was Aristide. 'I am asking you for the favor you owe me, in payment for helping you return to the right time, I am sure you remember that. I'll meet you at the café in your town, the one by the library. We know that one well. Please be there Thursday at two in the afternoon. Aristide.'

Well, well, a diversion, good old Aristide, wonder what the favor will be, whatever it will be, it has to be paid to him. I gathered my stuff, and went to the car park. The old mustang gran had given me to use was parked like a big splodge of lemon ice-cream between the sleek silver, and metallic blue sports models of fellow students. I got into it, and called the airline, could I get a plane that was the question. I was in luck. I could get on a flight that night at ten thirty. I gave them my credit card number, and drove to gran's place.

She was out, and so I got my stuff together. I called mom, who I knew would still be up in England, and I told her I was coming home was there any chance she could get me a car to collect me at Heathrow around nine thirty her time tomorrow morning. She was surprised, but pleased I was coming home, she said there would be someone waiting for sure. She asked why the sudden decision to come back, and I said I just needed to, I missed everyone, and everything, and that was true.

I found I didn't have that much stuff, but I packed my new dress, and heels. I'd wear the new boots I had, and my jeans, and jacket. I sorted my room out, so that gran had no cleaning to do after me. I washed the linen, and found I was singing as I went around the place doing things. Gran arrived with a friend, smiled, and hugged me when I told her I was going home that night. They were going to have tea together at the little café, down near the small shopping area, and I went with them, and actually ate a whole melted cheese sandwich, and a piece of cherry pie. I called a cab to go to LAX, and when it was time to go gran hugged me again, and said to call her when I arrived. I nodded, and thanked her for giving me a place to stay, and being so lovely to me.

On the plane, I tried to sleep a little, and must have, because I dreamed. I dreamed I was hugging Oliver, and he was saying over, and over that he loved me, and please never to leave him again. There was a driver in Heathrow waving a card about with Chloe McGarry on it, and I went over to him grinning, that's me I told him.

At home, mom was jumping up and down with delight at my return, and I flopped down on a chair in the kitchen. It was so good to be there. I had tears streaming down my face. Whatever happened, I was never leaving again. She made tea, and I phoned gran who was happy to know I was safe home, mom spoke to her for a couple of minutes, and then we let her go saying we would be in touch again soon.

I had left my suitcase in the hall, and I stood up, and was taking my jacket off, mom said, "Chloe, you seem a bit thinner, and have you grown or what, no, your boots have heels, did your friends get you into those?"

I grinned at her. "I have more in my suitcase mom, and a dress, and makeup, but I don't think I'll wear of it much." She laughed, and asked if I'd like something to eat. I took a drink of my tea, did we've any pancakes I asked her.

I had showered, and put the eye makeup on the way my friends had taught me, just around my eyes, and a tiny bit of lip-gloss, it made me feel braver somehow. I put my jeans on, and a clean T-shirt. I was going to get there just a few minutes early. I wondered what would happen. I started to get butterflies in my stomach when I thought about seeing Oliver, and Tristan, well if they had answered Aristide's call that is. Who knows, maybe they hadn't, but I hoped so. I didn't know what I'd say to either of them. I hoped it would not be awkward or hostile.

I drove to the place in my Wrangler. That was great. I love that car. I parked just down the road from the café, and walked up crossing almost opposite the café. I saw them at a table outside. The sun was out, and I was wearing sunglasses. I felt my legs go a little like jelly, and my heart started to thud a little. I knew Oliver had seen me, he lit up in a smile, and I wanted to run to him. I felt as if that narrow road was the longest walk I had ever taken. I saw them stand up. Tristan had spilled his coffee. Oliver was asking me, yes asking me, if he could hug me. I was almost desperate to be hugged, it was so good to feel him against me, I wanted to cover his face with kisses, and tell him I loved him so much, but I kept myself back from it. He'd let me go, and I felt his gentle push, he was heading me towards Tristan who was fumbling around, he had coffee all over his jeans. I had taken my sunglasses off, and now I was in his arms. I felt him shaking, and I hugged him very tightly, Tristan my lovely Tristan, how I loved him. My hand at the back of his head, his hair was still short. I wanted to kiss him too.

In some kind of dreamlike way we were going to be okay, we were all three sitting close to each other, we'd to talk, but Aristide was here. He was walking towards us, the old guy, silver hair, dark blue suit, elegance personified.

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 The Task story five in Seven Spell stories is available now

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