

The Seven Spell

Dangerous

A Seven Spell Story (three)

T Stokes

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Re-edited, re-written, re-covered, re-formatted for all new e-readers and kindles, this is not a new story and was formerly published as The Seven Spell book three of the Seven Spell saga

Copyright 2013 T Stokes

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 rights are reserved worldwide.

ISBN 978-1-908210-86-9

All covers designed and produced by T Stokes copyright 2013 all rights reserved worldwide

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The Seven Spell

Dangerous

Chapter One

It had been a number of weeks since we had accidentally freed Tristan from the stained glass roundel that he had been consigned to by Aristide. We were sitting in the big kitchen of my house, all three of us, with Tristan and Oliver drinking coffee, enjoying each other's company. We were still elated to have Tristan back with us. Oliver suddenly took out his cell phone and called the Glazers.

He looked at his coffee cup as he was speaking, moving it around with his left hand, as he held his cell phone with the other.

Having reached Joshua Glazer, he asked to have the roundel made again, explaining that it was the one he had ordered with the angel in blue in the middle of two knights.

Both Tristan and I looked at each other smiling and giving each other knowing looks, and when Oliver ended the call, he caught sight of this.

"Well you two, we do keep saying we'll have it done. We haven't gotten around to it, and I have to get it remade because I liked it, but also something tells me that's the best thing to do. Chloe, you still have the pieces in Tristan's box so you can't pretend you're not attached to the thing too."

He laughed then, and both Tristan and I joined in for a few seconds.

Tristan stopped laughing and grew serious saying, "Just as long as you are doing it for aesthetic and sentimental reasons and not as some kind of safeguard from hocus-pocus."

I grinned at Oliver when Tristan said this and he grinned too.

Then Tristan continued, "You don't think Aristide will discover I'm still kicking around the estates do you? How could he, unless the twins told him, I think that unlikely. They are still convinced I went to Cornwall. There's nothing to make them think of talking about me to him. Not to mention they're not due to visit their mother for another six months, so no likelihood of running into him or Rene." He took a deep breath and shook his head at both of us. "I'm growing tired of ducking one Magus or another." Tristan was smiling then, but I knew he was tired of it because there was a very serious tone to his voice as he finished speaking.

I was about to voice my opinion when Tristan's cell phone rang. He answered, began frowning, and a look of total disbelief came onto his face.

"Sorry, sorry, Ivy please slow down. What's happening? Well when did he come into the museum, and what did you say he is wearing. Really, and you don't understand him. Diane speaks French. She doesn't, that's strange. Okay, okay, I'll come over, right now, try to be calm, what's he doing, give him something to eat and drink. Right now, I'm on my way."

Tristan put his phone in his pocket, looked at us, and said, "You're not going to believe this," but you know we would, and we did.

"There's a guy just come into the abbey museum café speaking a weird French language, says Diane, and he is dressed in what Ivy calls a 'medieval outfit.' He's acting weird, sort of scared but aggressive and shouting. They don't know what he's saying. He ran out and then in again a few minutes later still carrying on. I'm going over there now to deal with it, so anyone else up for sorting out this problem with me?"

He didn't have to ask twice. Both Oliver and I were on our feet as an answer.

We got into my Wrangler as Tristan's truck still had the springs coming out of the back seat of the dual cab. We might be immortal, but who wants a spring in their backside? As I drove, Oliver was asking what Tristan made of this event.

"Well it could be a drunk dropped in from somewhere, but who knows why he would be in medieval attire, unless there's a circus or something in town. Maybe it's someone who's a bit deranged. He's speaking French that Diane doesn't understand which is weird because she'd been speaking it for many years. Seriously, I've no idea what's going on."

Chapter Two

It was no distance to the abbey museum car park and we were there. I parked close to the entrance. The place didn't have many customers yet today. The summer school holidays were virtually over and many tourists were heading home to prepare for the new school year so maybe that accounted for it.

We walked into the cafe following close on Tristan's heels.

Ivy was running towards us as we went through the door of the gift shop area.

"Mr. Dearing, Tristan, he's gone. He went towards the abbey ruins carrying on in his language. We tried to give him coffee and a sandwich, but he seemed scared of us and ran off. Diane followed him. She was still trying to speak to him, and she saw him run into the ruins." Ivy was clearly upset, and Diane came back into the café just as she finished speaking.

"Tristan, he's in the abbey ruins and he's hiding in the crypt area. I followed him to the top of the stairs there, and then I changed my mind and went onto the walkway over the top of it. He's cowering at the far end where the little altar is, under the crucifix stone set in the wall. I can't make head or tail of what he's saying, sorry." Her own soft West Country accent was stronger than usual as she completed the sentence, obviously distressed.

Tristan looking concerned, said thanks to Ivy and Diane, and told them not to worry, if the man came back before he got back himself, to phone right away.

We set off at almost a jog to the part of the abbey where the crypt with the chapel at the end was situated.

We slowed to a walk as we perused the ruins ahead of us for any sign of the man.

As we got close to the crypt building, we could hear a crying sound. Tristan stopped walking and looked back at Oliver and me, as we walked slightly behind him, since he walks so fast.

"Sounds like he's very upset and in the same place Diane last saw him. That end of the crypt has great acoustics. I think it may scare him if he sees all of us, so how about you two silently watch from the walkway, and if he runs, try to head him to me. He will have to come up the stairs by the entrance to the walkway. There is no other way out of the crypt."

Oliver and I nodded and we stopped walking with Tristan and detoured into the walkway door. This was a fantastic archway, in Romanesque style. The rows of carvings very worn, naturally, but still very beautiful included, knights and angels, and knights on horses.

Tristan went down the stairs to the right of us.

Oliver was already looking over the glass barrier of the walkway and I looked in the same direction. The poor guy was there, but you could only see his back hunched over, as he crouched in front of the crucifix stone, that was set in the ancient wall.

He was crying a little now and murmuring in his language.

Tristan passed underneath the walkway and approached the man. He was speaking in a soothing voice in the Norman French I had heard him use before, and he had his hands held out by his sides. I thought maybe to show he had no sword or other weapon with which to hurt the poor man.

Our quarry stood up on hearing Tristan, and amazingly ran to him calling out. Amongst the words, I heard Tristan's surname, Dearing. At Tristan's feet, the man fell to his knees, and although Tristan tried to get him up, he stayed there sort of weeping and hanging onto Tristan's hands.

Oliver called, and not loudly, "Tristan, can we help in any way?"

The man looked up and stood up then. Tristan spoke to him, and held him by the forearm.

Looking back at us Tristan called, "You're not going to believe this." Naturally, I knew we would. "Poor Gui, that's his name, went down to the waterfall pool to collect Matin, who has been galloping off down there any chance he gets, and suddenly found himself without Matin, but the castle and the abbey in ruins."

Oliver looked at me, and I looked at him and shrugged, because sure, it was incredible, but I believed it.

"Who's Matin?" Oliver asked.

"Tristan's horse, well he was back in the eleven hundred's, one of his horses."

Oliver raised his eyebrows and then looked back at Tristan as he said to me, "So this guy has time traveled, is that it?"

"That's about it, Oliver," I replied adding, "How he did it is the question."

Tristan was coming along the length of the crypt with Gui, holding him by the arm, and talking to him in a low voice.

As they passed underneath us and started up the steps to the footpath outside, Oliver and I turned and went out to meet them.

The man was shrinking a little away and sort of bowing, as Tristan spoke to him and then us.

"I introduced you two as my very best friends, and as part of my present household. This poor devil is scared to death, understandably, luckily I know him. I don't know him well, but he looked after two of my horses for a couple of years. He knows me, naturally, as the son of Sir Edmund, and as one of his masters, so to speak. Sorry. Anyway, I'm bringing him home to the Dearing place. There's nothing else I can do until we figure out what's going on. I don't think he will run, but if he does you are going to have to help me catch him."

"Sure," I said, and Oliver sort of groaned. I looked at him and he half smiled.

I smiled at the man called Gui. He was young. I thought he may only be about nineteen, but here he was bowing and so on to people who were his own age, and a bit younger in my case. He looked at me with wary eyes as I continued to smile at him, and Oliver stepped towards him and offered his hand.

Gui looked at it and then at Tristan.

"He doesn't know what to do, so watch out he may kiss your hand there, Oliver," Tristan told him, and Oliver pulled his hand back sharply.

We walked up to the café and took Gui in there. Tristan got him to sit down, as Ivy brought him sandwiches, coffee, and some water. Tristan told him to eat and drink, and then sat next to him. Oliver and I sat down too.

Tristan said, "Gui has been running around all night, almost mad, back and forth looking for the castle, back to the waterfall, and again amongst the abbey ruins. He fell asleep in the crypt for a few hours, and then ran around again, only this time to find the abbey café and shop open. It appears he had followed Matin to the waterfall pool where the horse had been bolting to any time it could. The horse had been drinking at the pool and he had run to it, just as he was about to grab the reins, Matin took off, and he fell in the edge of the pool. When he got out it was to find the castle gone, no Matin, the whole landscape changed, and the abbey in ruins. It's a wonder he didn't run further afield, but he kept thinking he would find things back the way they were, that he had perhaps been in a dream. Who can blame him? What the hell is going on this time, I ask you?"

Tristan looked exasperated, and his blue eyes sparkled.

I smiled at him he was so gorgeous.

Oliver leaned over and said, "Tristan, watch out, Ivy is hovering about, she may hear you. We need to think of a cover story for this, not just for her, but for everyone, don't you agree?"

Tristan looked around sharply to check if anyone might have heard. "I agree, sorry Oliver, I just didn't think. He spoke more quietly.

Gui had started to shrink back a little in his chair and I looked kindly at him, and nudged Tristan so that he turned his attention back on the poor guy.

Tristan talked to him again, and Gui seemed a little happier. Tristan stood up then and he immediately did the same. We all did in fact, and I had to smile to myself at how Tristan could so easily adopt his title and privilege when he needed to.

"Right then, we are taking him to the Dearing stables. I've told him that he must be in my service until we find out what has happened at the castle, and that I'll send word to them. I've made him think that he has wandered into another estate of mine and it has a ruined abbey. That the people on this estate speak a dialect of Old English that he might not have heard before. There were many in his time so this will be plausible for him. There's an apartment at the back of the stables, and I'll ask him to live there. He'll do it because I'm his lord. I need to sort him out some clothes, and ask the others not to park any vehicles in the yard for a while. He more than likely will freak out a few times until he gets used to being in this time. What a pest, sorry, I do feel sorry for him, but I can do without babysitting." Tristan finished speaking with a sigh, and after he said something else to Gui, we all walked to the front of the café.

"Tristan, he may have seen vehicles already, and how do we get him to the stables other than in the Wrangler?" I asked, as we stood there on the path in a group.

"Bloody hell," Tristan said. "Okay I'll tell him that vehicles go like boats on the water, wind pushes them, only on land."

Oliver started laughing, and I elbowed him to stop as he was by my side, but it was infectious, and I started to laugh too. I was looking at Tristan's face and saw him try not to laugh, lose the battle and laugh too. Gui was looking at us as if we were mad but had a tiny smile on his face. Who knows what was going on in his mind?

We approached the Wrangler and Tristan was steering Gui at it and talking to him. Oliver sat in the front passenger seat, and Tristan pushed Gui into the back seat and sat next to him. I started the engine and got on with driving because as I saw it, the sooner we got him to a stable and horse the better.

I looked at Gui in the rear view mirror, and could see he was afraid. I felt sad for him and hoped we could figure out a way to get him back to his own time soon, although, I thought, that's going to depend on if we can figure out how he got to this time. I sighed. Oliver heard me and put his hand on my arm across the transmission. I glanced at him and he looked lovingly at me.

Chapter Three

We were at the Dearing stables quickly and I parked outside the stable yards in the lane there. Tristan bundled Gui out of the back of my car, and then strode off towards the stables. Gui followed him, and so did Oliver and I. It more than likely looked like we were part of Tristan's household as we straggled out behind him in a procession. I couldn't help thinking it would be harder than Tristan thought to keep Gui from freaking out.

Tristan took Gui through to see Cedric and Starbuck as he talked with him, showing him around the stables, and then we followed Tristan to an apartment at the back of the stables. I didn't know it existed but then why would I? The place was really quite comfortable, and Tristan must have told Gui that he was to live there because he fell to his knees with a big smile on his face, and I think he was saying 'merci', which sounded a bit different, but even I know that's the French for thanks.

"Tristan you can't just leave him here, he'll not know how to work things, like the stove and lights and stuff, and he needs clothes." I was looking around me. The place was fitted with white metal radiators as in all the Dearing buildings, and there was no fireplace. Gui would more than likely expect to boil his water not get it hot out of a tap. Then there is the fridge and no need for candles. I was thinking that maybe I should show him how to work stuff.

Tristan looked exasperated.

"I know. I realize, but seriously I don't feel like babysitting him, and he will not expect it, remember he is my servant, and he'll be distressed if that changes."

"I'll show him. I'll tell him I'm your maid as well as friend or something and that I'll show him around his house and you will go to get a servant to bring him clothes." I was looking earnestly at Tristan and he smiled nodding.

"Okay, but Oliver, will you stay here just in case he bolts or something?"

Oliver grinned. "I certainly will, in fact this will be interesting to watch."

I gave him a look that meant, 'watch out', never mind watching, but he just grinned back at me.

Tristan told Gui something, pointed at me, named me, then he turned on his heel, and left, like the lord of the manor he actually was.

I felt like giggling at this but wanted to help Gui out. I took hold of his sleeve and pulled him to the light switches, after turning them on and off a couple of times, and having Gui look terrified then amazed I got his hand and made him flip the switch so that he turned on the lights. Then I went to the stove and showed him the gas ignition every time the knob was twisted. He jumped back several times. I got a pan from out of the cupboard and filled it with water then showed Gui how the gas would ignite and the pan could go on top to boil the water.

I was aware that Oliver was smiling as he watched and I gave him a smile back. Next, I turned on the hot tap and made Gui put his hand under it until it came hot. I showed him how to turn it off and then did the same with the cold tap.

"Oliver, you have to show him the bathroom, because it's not okay for me to do that." Oliver burst out laughing, and Gui was scared by this, but I took him through to the bathroom and showed him the taps, then went out the door so that Oliver would show him the rest. Don't ask me what they did, but it took seconds, so I hoped Oliver hadn't flaked on that job.

I showed him the bed. Then I saw the TV in there, should I show him that I thought? Maybe not yet.

Tristan was back with some jeans, a sweater and a jacket, plus some bed linen and food. He threw the linen on the bed and pushed the clothes at Gui, saying something. Gui was jabbering and bowing. Then Tristan asked me if I would show Gui the food and the fridge.

I took the bread and one of McPherson's fruit pies, and showed Gui them before putting them on the work surface. Then I got cheese and cold meat out of the bag Tristan had put on the table, and showed Gui how to put them in and out of the fridge. In the bottom of the bag was some fruit, yes you guessed it, apples, lots of them. I put these by the pie and bread.

Turning to Tristan I was hoping he had made it clear that Gui could eat this stuff.

"Tristan, you did tell him the food is for him, and what about something to drink? He will not know to drink the water?"

"I did tell him it was food for him and that he can drink the water, that it's not bad for him on this estate." He sighed then and sat down on a kitchen chair. Gui went to him and sort of bowed a little, and said something. Tristan replied, he turned to Oliver and told Gui something including Oliver's name.

"What did he say?" Oliver asked, and Tristan told him.

"He wanted to know your name and if you were another groom. I think I need to talk to the other stable staff and say he's from another country or something and can't speak English. This is such a pest, I just don't have time for this, sorry, I know I sound mean." Tristan sighed again, and I felt sorry for both him and Gui.

"Tristan, we've to find out what's happening and we have to look after him, because what if I hadn't stumbled across you right away when I went back in time? You would have hoped someone would help me, surely?"

I went to him and leaned on the table near him, looking at Gui who was standing there in a pitiful way.

"I know and I would. I'll look after him, but in ways that he will understand. I wonder if Brett would look in on him a few times today and tonight." Then he took his cell phone out and called Brett. I didn't know who Brett was, but he appeared at the door shortly after, so he must have been in the stable area somewhere, and part of the staff here.

Oliver had come over to me and dragged a chair up to sit near me. He nudged my arm, and I looked down into his lovely brown eyes. He looked inscrutably at me and then grinned. Obviously, he was hugely amused. "Oliver, this is serious stuff," I said to him. He still grinned.

Tristan had been talking to Brett and it seemed that he would look in on Gui. I heard Tristan tell Brett that Gui was foreign, and from a 'backwater village', and so would not know much about modern amenities.

Brett laughed at Tristan and said, "That includes trousers eh, Tristan?" and he slapped Tristan on the upper arm.

Tristan spoke to Gui again, and then smiling at Oliver and me he said, "Let's get going."

Oliver and I followed him out of the door as he and Brett went ahead to the stables. Brett went in there and Tristan turned to us and said, "Sorry, I know I seem like a jerk. Let's go and get some coffee, we do need to think about what's happened here."

Chapter Four

I drove us home and we clattered into the kitchen. Oliver was talking about the idea that a Magus in the past might have done this, but I thought differently, why would he do this to an ordinary person like Gui who was only chasing after a horse from the master's stables. Tristan had already started making coffee when he joined the conversation.

"No, from what Gui said I think there is some kind of passage from the past to our time in the waterfall area."

"What, as in the legend you told me about when I first started asking you about the waterfall Tristan? I thought you said you'd made that up?" I was looking at him as he gave Oliver coffee. I went to the fridge, and got some orange juice and sat down with them both at our big kitchen table.

"I did make it up. I mean that it's just happened."

Oliver sighed. "How though, Tristan?"

I suddenly realized what had happened. I felt sure of it as I stood up from the table and almost shouted.

"It's the seven spell, it has to be. It must be still working or something, bringing people back here like Aristide brought you and I back Tristan, far out!" I sat back down as both Oliver and Tristan looked surprised at me standing there.

"Almost exactly what I was about to say." Tristan was smiling as I sat back down.

"I'm smiling," he said, "but it's not funny, only you were Chloe."

"I think it's the seven spell too, but I think maybe the waterfall and the pool have kept the spell alive, not that it independently exists."

Oliver made a phew sound, shaking his head and added, "Whatever the ownership, the spell is in existence. We can only imagine the mechanics, but let's face it, the thing can only just have started working, because we would have had other visitors by now wouldn't we?"

I agreed nodding at Oliver. "That's more than likely. I guess no one remembers exactly when we came back from eleven ninety do they?"

"Well I don't. I didn't exist at the time," Oliver stated, and seemed slightly put out.

"Oliver, I know, but you came back, thank heavens." I wanted to comfort him, but naturally couldn't go around and cuddle him in front of Tristan. Our not touching much when we were all three together bond was back, although it was not quite as strict as it used to be.

"Now you ask, I think it might be about seven weeks, approximately. This is too easy to figure out, so maybe we are on the wrong track. Can anyone think of any other reason for Gui time traveling?"

I burst out laughing. It sounded so funny and ridiculous out loud, and then I stopped. Both Oliver and Tristan were only smiling a little, because it wasn't funny was it?

"No, I think it's about that too, that's why I asked you. I think that maybe he stepped in the pool at the right 'seven time.' Maybe no one is due here for another seven weeks."

"Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but think of all the other seven amounts Aristide told us about. The time traveling can be done at seven seconds, seven minutes, hours, and so on. He may have come at the seven seconds, and we've no way of knowing when the next seven time period ends and begins."

Oliver drank his coffee after that speech.

Tristan was quiet. I looked at him, and almost together, we said,

"I think it's the seventh week that it's started up," we both stopped talking, looking at each other, and then at Oliver who grinned again.

I continued, "I do think that. I think it's the waterfall at it again. It's linked to Tristan in so many ways. All that magic rattling around must have set off the spell, and the next time a significant 'seven time' slot came up after Tristan came back with me, abracadabra, a passage in time is created."

"I was only down there last night too, about seven o'clock," Tristan mentioned.

"About seven o'clock," I cut in, and Oliver made a 'ha' sound and tapped the table with his knuckles. He had been swinging on his chair, and put all four legs down on the flagstones as he made the sound on the table, it all kind of emphasized what I was saying.

Tristan was looking at us both, "What?" he said, and then I saw him realize, his blue eyes widened, "You think I set it off?"

"Did you touch the water?" I asked gently, and he nodded in answer. "Then I would say at seven o'clock magic Tristan touches the water on the seventh week after it has been spelled to bring him back from the past, and there you have it, a time travel seven spell."

"I agree," Oliver said.

Tristan sighed, he drank some coffee, and then he said, "Please don't call me magic Tristan."

Oliver grinned and I said, "Sure, but do you think that idea is plausible?"

"I do Chloe," Oliver said, and looked at me smiling his kind smile, which meant he was thinking he loved me. I know that from experience.

"We should go and look at the place, maybe we even have to guard it. Someone could be coming through it right now." Tristan was very disgruntled.

We all looked at each other with horror.

"Do you think anyone would come after Gui? Someone must miss him," Oliver asked.

"The thing is," I tried to be calming. "They will not know where he's gone, and how many of them would even step into the pool at the waterfall. He did it by mistake. Let's not panic, no one else may ever come through."

Tristan, the chain coffee drinker, was making more, and turned around from the work surface.

"That's more than likely true. Yes let's think like that, but the other question is does it work the other way, how do we get Gui back to eleven ninety? He clearly thinks he has come to wherever I went with my uncle Tristan, so we are lucky with that at least."

Oliver stood up. "Sadly I have to go to work. I'm working for your dad Chloe this afternoon, and I don't think he will be happy if I cry off. I have to be there in a little over half an hour, for the afternoon shift until six fifteen, so it's adieu."

"Since when did you use the word adieu, Oliver?" Tristan asked grinning.

"Hey, I speak French, just not your kind," Oliver said, as he went out to the hall.

I went out to his Land Rover with him and halfway there he put his arm around me, and hugged me to him.

"Chloe, are you doing anything tonight after my shift, it would be great to see you alone?" he said softly.

"Oliver, I would love to see you, call me as your shift ends though, just in case there is another Gui crisis," I told him, and we were at his car. I put my arms up around his neck and kissed him. He kissed me back and hugged me tighter. Then letting go he climbed into the Land Rover, and drove off.

As I walked into the hall I could hear Tristan talking, he must be on his cell phone I thought. Entering the kitchen, I saw that I was right. He was over by the French windows, and I heard him say, 'Okay then Brett,' and he ended the call.

He turned saying, "Just checking on Gui. Brett says he came out still dressed in his weird clothes and saw Brett in the stables brushing down Starbuck, disappeared then came back in jeans and sweater, and started brushing Cedric. So it seems like he is okay. I think the clothes will be too big for him, but he can't wear what he was wearing can he?"

I walked over to Tristan smiling. "We can get him other clothes soon. How are you feeling about all of this?"

He looked pained. "Weird, I thought all that 'servant and master stuff' was over. I don't like it, and I feel responsible for Gui, and I don't like that either. Then the question still remains what should we do about the spell in the pool?"

He sat down at the table again with the remains of his last cup of coffee. I went over and sat next to him, and he took my hand in his.

We looked at each other for a few seconds, and then he smiled at me.

"Maybe we could get Oliver to rig up a web cam down at the waterfall; we could all take turns watching it or something," I suggested.

"As good an idea as that is, it still entails us spending heaps of time watching, when nothing may happen, and we are all busy in one way or another. Wireless technology notwithstanding, we can hardly be glued to phones, netbooks or whatever.

No, I think let's play it cool. You may be right when you say who would go in the pool. It's the holy spring that people go to and collect water sometimes. I can't say I ever saw anyone use the pool for any other reason than to sit by it."

"I think that's odd Tristan, why wouldn't they use it to wash in, or something?"

"Because they use the other river further up the estates nearer the castle, where the water wheel is, at least that's what I remember." He kissed my hand he was holding.

"I need to get some work done, there's a wedding in the ruins tomorrow. I've promised yellow roses, and cream, and white carnations for the seat garlands to the florist by two thirty. I have to go, despite I would love to stay with you."

He stood up. I walked with him to the truck he was driving, and at the door, he turned, holding my hands to his chest.

"We still need to move that 'Eleanor treasure' from the tunnel remember. The work starts next week on making that fireplace area and tunnel a place people can visit eventually."

I told him I knew and wasn't that what we were going to do today until the Gui incident. Tristan seemed to find that funny, he smiled, and letting go of my hands hugged me. "I still haven't thought what we can do with the treasure. It can't be left there, and we can't say we found it, since the archaeologists know what they found. Maybe it has to sit in my box, in your armoire, Chloe, until we figure out what to do with it."

He got into the truck and I spoke through the open window.

"Let's try to move it tomorrow evening. Mom is going up to dinner with dad, and Steven is out rehearsing with the band, after that mom may be around for a few days."

"I can be free about eight tomorrow evening for that, will Oliver be free too? But I may see you before then, if anything else happens," and he raised his eyebrows as he started the truck.

I watched him drive away and I went back into the house. I put our cups and glasses in the dishwasher. I closed up the kitchen French windows and went to my room.

Chapter Five

I too had somewhere to be. I was meeting with Joshua Glazer at three thirty to talk over some design ideas I'd recently submitted to him. I gathered my portfolio and my sketches for the new designs, the medieval series, where I used landscapes. Tristan had asked the Glazers for the one of the snow scene that I'd designed. He wanted it to fit one of his smaller side bedroom windows, and even that was quite a large window so I had to add a border to the design for him, making the middle panel more stable. Luckily, the window he wanted it for was a cottage style, side window, with a halfway horizontal frame, so it could fit in the bottom of that, and he could see it as he sat at his desk.

Since it had been up on the Glazer's site as a design, lots of people wanted a similar scene, and the sword design was proving popular too. It was excellent and meant I didn't have to go to university, but I was enrolled in an online graphic design course. That was okay and my parents were happy with the plan.

I was supposed to help Clare with a few scenery sketches to show the board of the new theatre group in town for the latest production. The new theatre wasn't yet built. Clare's theatre company was now called, The Newest Theatre Company, cool huh! They had a new board and a director-manager too. This time the production was Shakespeare. They had chosen a modern version of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', and I considered the sets they might need. I had an idea of doing them with photographs and having a projection of other scenery too. They had their finance grant awarded, but wanted to keep expenditure to a minimum for this production. I put all my ideas for the scenery to one side. I needed to call Clare about when I would see her.

I put my hair up, and changed into a shirt instead of my T-shirt to look a little more business like to meet Joshua Glazer.

I looked through my portfolio and made sure that everything I needed was there and off I went.

We had a good meeting, sorting out which of my new design ideas he wanted, and we arranged a deadline.

As I drove away a little over an hour later I was very happy with the way things were going and decided to work on my designs for a couple of hours, or until I heard from Oliver.

I was about halfway home when I heard my phone register a message received. There was a parking spot coming up. I pulled into it and checked my phone. I didn't want to find I had missed an urgent call for assistance with a time travelling incident. I made myself smile thinking this, but it wasn't funny. The message was from Oliver and he would be free about six twenty and could he come over. I messaged back that would be great.

Continuing on my way I thought about Gui, and I wondered if he was still afraid. He must be. Who wouldn't be? It might take him a week or two to adjust. Then I thought about how we couldn't send him back even if we found out how to because then he would know about the pool and its magic. He would have to realize the significance of the pool wouldn't he?

I turned into the big driveway in front of the house, thinking maybe he wouldn't realize, or maybe he wouldn't be sophisticated enough to put that two and two together, but then again, who could afford to underestimate him?

Mom was in the kitchen when I got in and asked if I would like something to eat. I said I would take a sandwich, since there was one on offer, and sat down with her at the big table. I told her about the meeting with Joshua Glazer and the design work I was to do. It was nice to talk these things over with mom for a while. I told her Oliver was coming over just after six when his shift ended, and she laughed saying, "You still haven't chosen which one is 'the one' have you?"

"Mom I really can't choose and why should I? I like both of them and they are my friends now, so what's the hurry to split us all up?"

"No hurry, just an observation Chloe that you do seem to have two very close friends who are boys. I get the feeling both of them think of you as more than a friend that's all."

I looked at her and tried to be as honest as I could.

"Mom, I know that, and it's not a problem, until it is I don't want to think about it. Do you understand what I mean?"

She nodded. "I do. I only hope no one gets hurt, especially you sweetheart."

"Thanks Mom." I couldn't continue the conversation.

She was going up to her office anyway, so she kissed me on the cheek, and off she went. I was glad of it, because I couldn't explain to her coherently how it all worked between Tristan, Oliver, and me. It was weird I knew that, but what could I do?

I went up to my room. I had some time before Oliver arrived.

I sat at my desk and drew the first design, but it felt like I had hardly done anything to it when a message chimed onto my phone. Oliver was just leaving the restaurant.

I went downstairs. It would take him about two minutes to get here so I started to make coffee just in case.

I heard the Land Rover as Oliver swung into the drive, and I went to the door.

Oliver walked up to the front door smiling. He put his car keys in his pocket, his arms around me, and hugged me close. Then he stepped back slightly, and kissed me on the cheek, before hugging me again. I was laughing by this time and he joined in.

"Oliver, have you eaten tonight? I asked him as we went into the kitchen and finished making the coffee.

"I did eat at break time. I just need coffee, which you have so very thoughtfully supplied." He smiled. He put the cup that he had taken from the work surface and came around to where I was standing.

"Chloe, I was thinking, let's go check the waterfall pool area before it goes dark. I feel like we should try to watch the place a little. We've a couple of hours of daylight left, maybe more, and the whole thing is fascinating, don't you think?"

I did think that and I had been thinking all day that we should go and check the place out. I don't know what Oliver hoped to see. Nothing was what I hoped.

"Sure, I was thinking to go check the place out a couple of times today. I'm surprised Tristan didn't suggest that right away actually. You know, just in case you can actually see the time travel passageway like in the movies."

"I was thinking more like checking out no one else is wandering around down there. I hope you can't see it, because if you can see it at our end, then it stands to reason you would at the other end. Then for sure we'll get other visitors."

Oliver laughed, and then stopped because I looked at him in horror. We had no way of knowing how the seven spell had deviated this time, and look at what happened last time a spell had been mixed with the natural world. Tristan had become immortal.

Oliver drank some coffee and then we left. The quickest thing to do was walk down there via the top path, and scramble down the bank to the pool. Oliver held my hand as we walked along, and we talked about this new spell development.

Oliver thought it was odd that the horse Matin bolted to the waterfall pool.

I told him the whole area looked different in the eleven hundreds, and the horse might have been looking for us, as we had ridden Matin and Meadow. We had been close to the horses and had walked them by the waterfall a couple of times. It wasn't far from the hunting lodge, which was now my house. Who knows the horse may even have been looking for Tristan. He seems to forge a special bond with his horses, and that horse was always his. By the time I had told Oliver all this, we had reached the waterfall.

We stood there looking at the falls and the pool for a few seconds. Oliver put his arm around me and I slipped my arm around his waist. We stood there companionably for a few minutes.

Oliver told me about his latest web design client, who every time they had asked for one thing, called the next day having changed their mind. We were both laughing about it and I tightened my arm around his waist, because he was so good to be around. Then Oliver turned to me and kissed me on the cheek.

I occasionally checked myself to make sure I still felt the same about him as I did about Tristan, and I did. There was still no difference for me. I still loved Oliver. I was cross with myself, and felt I had only had these thoughts now because of the conversation with mom. Although it was often harder to let go of Oliver and I didn't know why.

"Is anything wrong, Chloe?" Oliver asked. He always picked up on things.

I looked into his eyes. "Not a thing, Oliver, it's lovely to see you tonight."

He smiled and hugged me. "It's lovely to be seen."

We still had our arms around each other when I became aware of something behind me, a sort of a pressure on my calves, and I turned and looked down to see Charlie. He was sitting there directly behind me and leaning on the bottom of my legs.

I laughed and bent to stroke him saying, "Charlie you sneaked up on me."

Oliver grinned at me making a fuss of the old dog.

"I wonder where Tristan is? He's usually around too." I looked around.

"I hope not, since we were rather close together." Oliver whispered with a slight raise of his eyebrows. I gave him a conspiratorial look.

"Maybe it's Liz who's brought him for a walk, and she hasn't gotten down the bank yet."

Right then, Tristan arrived along the route that would have taken him past the Norman ruins and the church.

"Hello Tristan," I called, "how come Charlie beat you to the pool?"

"I let him off the lead at the start of the walk, and I went into the church because Jack has asked me to check the materials in there, especially the generator, and when I came out he had ticked off." Tristan reached us. He was smiling and seemed happy to find Oliver and me down there.

"We came to see if we could actually see the place where the time passage is," Oliver told him.

Tristan frowned.

"I hope it's not visible." He turned to look at the approximate spot where we'd returned from the eleven hundreds.

"I don't see anything. Have you seen anything?" he asked us.

I looked at the spot Tristan had looked at, and shaking my head said, "Nothing so far."

It must have been the wrong thing to say because right then in the edge of the water appeared the front half of a horse. It was a black horse, and Matin was black. We all stared at the horse as he came fully into being. He had exited the edge of the pool where the reeds were thick and turning around he whinnied, and pranced back to the pool edge. It was Matin. We were mesmerized by the whole thing. Stock-still we watched as he stepped into the reedy water and disappeared.

Tristan was the first to speak. "I can't believe what I just saw, that was Matin, and he not only came, but went back in time again."

"Yes," I said, still looking at the pool where the horse had vanished.

We collectively walked to the edge of the pool.

"I thought it would close up behind the person, or whatever, didn't you, I mean immediately, like no going back?"

Oliver was waving his hand around over the top of the reed pad in the space where Matin had come and gone.

"Oliver, don't get too close. What if it's a portal now and not linked to slots of 'seven times'? Be careful you might fall through it." I didn't want to have anything else happen to Oliver.

Tristan had his cell phone in his hand and called to us,

"Can you believe it? It's just after seven o'clock. If the 'portal' as you have called it is linked to a 'seven amount' of time, then it will be open again in seven minutes. We've missed the seven-second time limit walking over here. This is bloody well worrying." He finished saying, and still holding his phone, he too waved his hand about where the horse had disappeared.

"Guys if you time travel, I'm not coming after you," I said, with a small laugh. I really wanted them to get away from the portal, so I went forward and grabbed both their hands and pulled them up the bank a little. I would have gone after them though, but I guess you know that.

"It's still linked to time periods, or we would have been in the eleven hundreds by now." Tristan somehow thought this was funny and laughed.

"That was freaky how the horse turned and went back through. Maybe it opens both ways this time. Instead of just one way travel there is two way travel," I was still holding both Oliver's and Tristan's hands.

They looked at me. "Maybe," Tristan said, and Oliver nodded.

I think we were all a bit shocked.

"I think we should watch out for Charlie going near the place," I said, letting go of their hands.

Tristan got the dog's lead out of his pocket, clipped it to Charlie's collar, and he slipped it around his wrist.

"What's the time Tristan?" Oliver asked.

Tristan took out his cell phone, which he had slipped back into his pocket.

"Time to watch the portal again actually and he turned to look at the place in the pool where something may appear.

We stared at the reed pad waiting. Nothing happened. No one or thing came through.

"Is it past the time or what Tristan?" Oliver asked, finally looking at him instead of the pool.

Tristan looked at his phone. "It's seconds past the seven minute time slot. Let's give it until seven seconds have gone too. Yes, I think that's gone too. Oliver maybe you can test it."

Oliver gave him an amused and quizzical look. "Sure Tristan I'll get my sonic screwdriver." I found that hugely funny.

"Maybe throw a stone or something." Tristan didn't get the reference, and he was looking around for a stone. Oliver picked up a piece of fallen branch and threw it into the place where we thought the time travel spot was. The branch fell onto the reeds and water. Nothing happened.

We all stood there looking at the branch.

Almost smiling Oliver said,

"Well, it seems to have closed up then," with a shrug of his shoulders.

"What do you think would be the next seven time? We've had minutes and seconds there if it was counting down, that's sort of the end, but what happened to seven days?" I felt there was something a bit wrong with our deductions, although Aristide had counted the sevens from a set time he hadn't really told us what happened with the time in between.

"I haven't a clue Chloe," Oliver said, looking pained. "I don't think we have the original spell here we have some variant of it. If we think Tristan kicked it off at the seven-week mark, it's not seven days since Gui came through, and here we are seeing Matin. Counting seven minutes from the horse's appearance gave us nothing. Even supposing nothing and no one was there to come through, maybe we have the time slots all wrong."

Tristan breathed a big sigh. "Oliver's right, Chloe. I feel like we've no way of knowing if Gui came through seven hours after the seven week start point."

"Can we hazard a guess though Tristan? What exactly did he say about the time when he fell through?"

"That it was evening, and it was still light. He had left the horses in his care, amongst them Matin, to graze near the bottom lake. When he went to round them up, Matin bolted. He left his assistant with the other horses to take back to the castle. He chased Matin, night was coming in fast, he grabbed at the horse fell in the water, and that was it, he more or less was here. I told him he must have knocked his head and wandered along before he realized he had strayed far from our castle and lands. I told him that he must have, since he ran all night. He was so happy to have found help that he was ready to believe anything, I think."

"He must have come through at a 'seven time' after you activated the spell Tristan, like seven minutes later. Did you hang about at the pool or just pass by touching the water on your way?" I was determined to try and put some parameters on what was happening.

Tristan looked downcast. "I passed through. I can't believe it. Gui must have come through as I had reached the abbey car park, or something as close as that. I guess it would have started to go dark as he had the courage to come from the woods and church area. It has started going dark around eight on an overcast day and what with the woods and so on..."

Tristan needn't bother telling us how dark dusk was in the woods near the church we had experienced it.

"So on the seventh week, at seven o'clock, magic Tristan sparks off the spell, then seven minutes later some poor sod from the eleven hundreds falls in the pool and gets sucked into our time." Oliver looked at Tristan and me for some kind of agreement.

"I can't fail to agree with you on that Oliver, but does it tell us anything else, and don't, don't call me magic Tristan, please."

"Tonight at seven o'clock, our time of course, Matin comes through, seconds later he goes back. Seven minutes past, nothing, maybe Matin has gone back to the lake or the castle, who knows, but maybe the return part of the spell works straight after the time limit." Oliver was looking from one to the other of us.

"I'm probably wrong, it's just a thought, maybe the travel is two way at each time slot, but one thing you have to admit it's a bit of a co-incidence that something happened tonight at seven o'clock just as it did last night." Oliver put his hands in his jeans pockets and stood there on the bank looking gorgeous and sincere.

"I think there's something in that explanation. It really fits, although maybe Matin turned and used the seven-second slot to get back. I don't think we can rule out the possibility that the passageway is open for both coming and going at each time slot." I was patting Charlie as I spoke. He was a bit tired of being on the lead.

"I have to say if it's only open at seven o'clock each evening our time, Oliver, it will be so much easier to deal with. We'll have a window of maybe fifteen minutes to watch the place each evening," Tristan sounded much happier and let Charlie off his lead. The old dog walked around him on the bank a couple of times then sat down on his feet. Freedom it seems was just a state of mind for Charlie.

"There could be all manner of permutations though, Tristan." Oliver started to say, but Tristan shook his head,

"Are they more likely, Oliver?"

"Well I'm more a mathematician than a clairvoyant, Tristan, but all things considered, I'd say there were other likely scenarios, more likely?" he shrugged. "Still not enough data to go on before that question could really be answered."

Tristan sighed, and I did too. It would be a lucky break if it was only the seven o'clock and surrounding time slot. It had to be something like that because there was no doubt in my mind that Tristan had set it off. Spooky really, because he could have wandered down here at six or two in the afternoon, and nothing would have happened. It seemed that the unwanted nickname of magic Tristan actually was a fair description of him.

Oliver broke the silence that had fallen upon us.

"Let's go, shall we? Just standing here isn't a help. Not that I know what might be, but we may as well leave."

I looked up at him and smiled. "Yes, let's go. Are you coming Tristan? Come and have coffee before you take Charlie home."

Tristan sighed again. "I need to get back to my place. I have to go through a few things with Jack, and I'll check on Gui and Brett too, before he leaves. Are you coming over to Chloe's tomorrow night, Oliver, we're going to shift that 'Eleanor treasure'? It would be good if all three of us did it and got it over with before Chloe's mom came home, since we never got it done today."

Oliver was looking sympathetically at Tristan.

"I'll be doing the afternoon shift again for Nick so yes I'll come over. Do you need any help tonight Tristan?"

Oliver is so nice he would naturally ask that.

Tristan shook his head. "No thanks, I better just get on with it all." He smiled at me and then at Oliver and clicked his fingers at Charlie who had wandered off to one side, and was rolling in a patch of small leaved ferns. Tristan was striding off the way he had come as if nothing had happened here.

Oliver came closer to me, and we watched Tristan disappear with Charlie a little behind him.

"Well then, we may as well get going," Oliver said, and took my hand.

We climbed up the bank full of vegetation, and were out on the top path.

"Tristan seems very down about all this," he said, as we set off to my place.

"Yes, he does, but then it is serious, Oliver, he has a person from the eleven hundreds staying in his stable apartment."

"Oh yes, I agree. I'm just saying that it seems to have hit him hard, and that's why I offered help."

I let go of his hand and put my arm around him, thinking he was a kind person.

"I feel sorry for Tristan sometimes. He seems to have a lot of work to put in at the Dearing estates, and there has been so much other stuff to contend with. We've been in on some of it, but we're not carrying his history are we. You know, as in already living for more than eight hundred years. I didn't know I didn't exist when that time travel stuff messed me up, it just happened, but Tristan, he knew Aristide was putting him in the stained glass," Oliver said in a concerned tone.

I looked at him as we had reached the front door. "Oliver, you're right. I wish this hadn't happened because Tristan deserves an easier time."

We were into the kitchen and Oliver was still thinking about Tristan.

"He can quickly switch from being with us and hanging out to being the aristocracy though, don't you think? The Norman lord comes out in him sometimes, that's if he's not brooding around like a poet." Oliver smiled gently at me. He meant this kindly, and it was very true.

Oliver made his coffee. We sat at the big table just as Steven, and John came in.

"So last year of school then Steven," Oliver said. "How does that feel?"

Steven grimaced. "It will feel better when it's over. It seems like the system here is very different from in California. I'm missing some attendance time because the terms haven't matched in our move. I don't expect to do very well academically, but as long as I can go on to study music somehow, and play with the band then it will be okay."

Steven and John were gathering up various items of food and drink. "We're off to do a bit of practice down in the library, so see you later. Oh, yeah Will is coming over about nine-thirty, Chloe, if the doorbell goes, and we don't hear it."

I smiled at them as they went off, and not for the first time I thought it must be great to have musical abilities.

Oliver had finished his coffee. "Chloe, I need to go. I want to do some work to that website and submit it tonight, before they can change their mind again. Maybe if they see the site then they will settle down to a choice soon."

I went to his Land Rover with him, he took my hand and then hugged me, and I kissed him goodbye. I watched as he reversed past the other cars in the driveway to go home. As he drove off, I went back indoors and up to my room to get some of my own work done.

I did hear the doorbell and was halfway down the stairs to answer it, when I heard Steven let Will in, so I hung over the rails and called hello to him.

Chapter Six

I was late getting to bed because I was absorbed in my work for Joshua Glazer, and probably had only been asleep for a couple of hours when I heard a horse whinny, and there was a bit of racket under my window. The day had been lovely, sunny, and it was still warm. I had my window open for some cooler night air. Surfacing from a dream I didn't quite remember, I went to the window. 'Tristan was making a lot more noise than usual with Cedric.'

I hung out of my window ready to say 'shush', and on the lawn, now grazing quietly, was a black horse. It was Matin. He still had reins hanging from his neck. They seemed to dangle simply from a v-shaped strapping, so that he had no bit in his mouth. The v-shaped strapping went around his neck and the top of his front legs to meet in a diamond shape on his chest, and it looked more like decoration than reins. 'Maybe that's how Gui led the horses, on one of these strapping things whilst he rode a different horse.' I thought this, as I got my jeans and a shirt, and taking my cell phone I went down to Matin.

As I went through the middle drawing room to the French doors there, I checked the time on my cell phone. Two-thirty-two, so much for the time travel passage only being open at seven o'clock. That theory was dead in the water.

I approached Matin, talking to him as I had done when I was back in time near that Smithy, when Tristan had been off sword fighting for money. I think he recognized me. He looked up and at me sideways. I turned away from him to show him I meant no harm then I went towards him again. He took a couple of steps towards me and snorted. I turned away again. If he reared up that was it I was going indoors. When I looked around again and went to him, he followed me, sort of turned to meet me, and walked at my shoulder. I was impressed by this, and took hold of the strapping, which turned out not to be leather, but some kind of woven cloth. It had patterns on it like a guitar strap. I said to him, "Matin, you are such a lovely horse I bet you would like a bit more than grass to eat tonight."

I called Tristan and he answered his phone after only about three rings. 'Did he ever sleep', but I still apologized for the hour of my call, and told him Matin was on the lawn.

"No," he said, and then, "we were wrong about the seven o'clock thing then. Can you manage him? I'll be over as soon as possible. Sorry Chloe." He sounded a little down.

"Don't be sorry, Tristan, it's not something you've done. Its okay. He's happy eating grass at the moment." I ended the call, and as I put my cell phone in my pocket, dad appeared at the French doors.

"Chloe, what's going on? Is that a horse?" Dad was a bit sleepy.

"Dad, hi, yes its Matin he's got out of the Dearing stables somehow. I know him. I just called Tristan."

"Oh, so are you okay? Can I help? How long will Tristan be?" Dad yawned. He looked tired.

"Dad it's okay, really. Tristan will be here soon. He'll come through the wood, possibly on another horse. Seriously, you can go back to bed; everything is fine. Fortunately Matin woke me up playing on the lawn, he's a valuable horse."

"I'll go back to bed if you are sure everything is okay. I have to be up again in about three hours. We've a lot of work on in the next few days over and above opening for usual service, plus Steven and Will's birthday party soon. Sure you are okay?" Dad was rubbing his eyes, and had stepped back into the house. His feet were bare and I smiled affectionately at him.

"Dad, go back to bed everything is okay and under control. He's a good horse see how he's just standing here with me?"

Dad went back to bed and I decided to start walking to the edge of the wood with Matin. He followed peacefully, giving the occasional funny soft grunt type noise.

As I had thought, Tristan came out of the woods, but not on Cedric. He was just striding along, in his jeans and riding boots and a tartan shirt, I hadn't seen before.

I stopped and waited for him to get to the horse and me. I didn't want Matin bolting. Instead, the horse whinnied and walked towards Tristan sort of nudging me along with his shoulder. I laughed at this, and Tristan got hold of the strapping, patting the horse and saying things to him in his Norman French.

"What about this then Tristan? He's a smart cookie to get here from the pool. Maybe he expected to find the hunting lodge. He must have scrambled up the bank."

Tristan had been checking the horse out.

"Yes, he has a few, but minor, scratches. He could have got them anywhere, the holly tree maybe. A horse would have no trouble getting here from the waterfall. I'm just surprised he knew the way."

"I wonder what time he came through? I found him at two thirty, so there's another opening we didn't factor in, or.." I was calculating how many hours between seven and two thirty. "If he wandered about for a half hour before I found him, which is feasible, it could be there was an opening at two, which is seven hours after the seven o'clock slot."

"Damn it, I so hoped we only had to deal with seven o'clock at night, perhaps that means there is an opening every seven hours." Tristan was visibly disappointed. I went to him and put my arm around his waist as he stood by Matin.

"Tristan if it's every seven hours, that's at least better than being some random permutation we can't even guess at."

He was looking at Matin, then turned to me, and put his free arm around me. "You're right about that, if it is every seven hours. I hope it is. I don't feel I can cope with some random occurring thing."

I hugged him a little. "Tristan whatever there is to cope with, you have Oliver and me to help. You do know that?"

He nodded, but I could tell he was tired and dispirited.

"Tristan, would you like me to walk back with you and Matin to the stables?" I asked him. I felt he needed company.

"It's so late, Chloe, I feel bad about it."

"I'd like to, come on," I said, and since I had my arm around him my setting off walking got him walking too.

We reached the edge of the woods, and Tristan changed his mind,

"Chloe it's dark in here. Cedric knows his way, but Matin doesn't. I think you need to go home. I'll call you tomorrow, okay?"

It wasn't okay. I wanted to help, but I told him if that was what he wanted, it was okay. I turned to go, I reached up, and kissed his cheek, and he moved his face to kiss me back.

I walked back to the house. I opened the French windows, and stepped inside. I turned to lock them, and I saw Tristan was still there, at the edge of the wood watching me.

I went up to my room, and looked out of my window. He and Matin had gone.

The whole episode had unsettled me. I went into my bathroom and washed my hands. My feet were cold, and I put them one at a time under my shower to warm up.

It was nearly light when I fell asleep.

Chapter Seven

I was awake at seven, but after checking the time on my cell phone. I turned over and closed my eyes again. I felt so tired.

Despite my best efforts I couldn't go back to sleep. My mind kept churning around the whole problem of the times that the time travel portal might open. I wanted to find out what was going on, so that it would be of some help to Tristan. I looked at the time again. It was almost eight, and I suddenly decided to go down to the waterfall. I would test the portal now. If it opened every seven hours, it was due to open at nine, by my calculations.

I was thinking of calling Oliver, as I cleaned my teeth, and then I decided I would go on my own. Dressed in jeans and a shirt, I grabbed a couple of apples and a peach from the fruit dish. I had nothing else to test the portal with at my disposal, so fruit would have to do. I figured it would do as well as anything and actually might be less conspicuous since it was natural. I got a plastic bag out of the re-cycle tub in the utility room to carry the fruit, and left the house.

It didn't take long to get to the waterfall. I was on a mission, and at the poolside, I got out my cell phone to check the time, five minutes to nine. I bet to myself that they would be the longest five minutes ever, as I positioned myself close, but not too close to the thick reedy pad that seemed to act as the portal.

I would throw in the apple at exactly nine, a peach at seven seconds, and the last apple at seven minutes, calculating that if it all worked, then four this afternoon would be the next slot to test. I used my phone for the countdown to nine o'clock. At exactly nine, I threw in the apple, and for a split second, I thought that the portal wasn't working, and then it disappeared. I accidentally let go of the peach too and it disappeared.

I still had another apple for the seven-minute slot, and I got it ready to throw. I heard a cry, not a loud cry, but with a definite note of surprise. I turned around and unbelievably on the pad of reeds, and taking a step from the reeds, was a young man.

I was shocked, because 'what the hell?' as Oliver would say. The young man was dressed in a dark blue tunic over some kind of dark hose, and he had ankle boots on. He had a belt around the tunic, patterned in blue and red. Over his shoulder, he had a fabric bag, and in his hands, he held the apple, and the peach that I had thrown through the portal. He was good looking. His hair was a light brown, and was cut quite short for a man from the eleven hundreds. I took this in as he stepped towards me. He seemed surprised, and a little wary, but not terrified. I figured he didn't know what had happened to him. I still had my cell phone in my hand and as he spoke, I called Tristan. If Tristan had his voicemail on, I was going to be in trouble.

The young guy was a couple of steps in front of me. He was speaking Norman French, although it sounded slightly different from the way Tristan spoke. He looked at the phone in my hand against my ear, and then looked me up and down. His eyes were the same pretty, blue-gray as Will Radford's eyes. This guy wasn't a fearful groom from the Dearing castle as Gui was. This man must be higher up on the social ladder I thought. I smiled at him because a smile is universal right.

He looked at me suspiciously. I heard Tristan answer his phone and in a rush I said, "Tristan, I'm at the waterfall pool. I was testing the portal, and someone has come through it, a young man. Wait no, no sign of a weapon. He's speaking your language. Tell me something to say to him. Sorry what, repeat it, word-by-word Tristan."

'Tchi qu'est vote naom?' I said to the young man.

I hoped it had come out right, but it was so hard to say, so I waited for him to reply.

He smiled even though I had to say the words a couple of times, and then he replied.

"Mon naom est Corbett. Tchi qu'est vote naom?"

I knew he had told me his name, and if I wasn't mistaken, he had asked mine. I tried to emulate the 'mon naom est' part, but it sounded a bad rendition and I added Chloe. He seemed to get it and repeated 'Chloe.'

Tristan was still on the phone and almost yelling, "What's happening."

The stress of the whole thing made me giggle, and the young man smiled, and offered me the apple. I very nearly fell about laughing at that, but managed to talk to Tristan. "Tell me how to say come with me," I asked him.

"No," Tristan said. "I'm already on my way. I'll be there very soon. Stay there, and be careful."

"Wait Tristan, which way are you coming? Drive to my place, take the top path and the bank."

"I am, Chloe, I'll be there soon."

I put my phone in my pocket and stood looking at the newest addition from the eleven hundreds. He was still happy, and again he offered me the apple, so I showed him the one I hadn't had time to throw. He smiled, and bit into the one he had. He chewed and then he spoke again. Naturally, I couldn't understand and I smiled at him. At this rate, he would think he had happened upon the village idiot. Why didn't he realize the landscape had changed, maybe he was the village idiot? At that moment, he did realize his surroundings were different, and I could see the change in his emotions on his face. I held my free hand out to him because he started to look afraid. Looking at him as kindly as I could, I kept my hand held out, maybe he would get the picture, and I could get him up the bank to the top path.

He didn't get the picture. He stepped back, and I said his name to him and smiled. I tried a little bow, to seem courteous and non-threatening. I pointed at the rough path up the bank, and held out my hand again. This was hard going. I was going to have to learn some of this Norman French I thought. Suddenly, he took my hand, put it on his arm, and stepped towards the path, where I had pointed. He must have thought I needed help to get up the path. It was harder to get up the bank with my hand on this guy's arm than it was on a wet day with two hands free, but I kept going grabbing at the large ferns here and there to help myself up.

Suddenly, who should be crashing down the bank in front of us but Tristan. The new time-traveler, to his credit, stepped in front of me as if to shield me and said something like 'arête, as well as other words to the person who became recognizable to him as Tristan.

Tristan was smiling and talking to the young man. They clasped arms for a few seconds, then Tristan was leading the way up the rough path, and I still had to receive the dubious help from Corbett as we followed.

At the top where we joined the paved path, I heaved a sigh of relief.

"Tristan, stop now and tell me what's going on. Do you know this guy as well?"

"I do. It's Corbett Glassier, and he's one of the craftsmen in the eleven hundred's Glazer family. He helped with the stained glass window that saved my life, at least the first time from the fever." Tristan spoke then to Corbett who turned and bowed to me, saying something which included my name.

I smiled at him and inclined my head in a nod instead of another bow.

"Tristan, what was he doing at the waterfall?"

"Better still, Chloe, what were you doing at the waterfall?"

"I think I told you I was testing the portal, at what I thought was the time slot after Matin's entry early this morning."

"But Chloe, Corbett stepped into the portal when you kept throwing fruit in there. He was at the holy spring, and saw the apple appear, shortly followed by the peach. He stepped into the portal zone and was picking up the fruit because it was strange that it appeared from no-where and there you have it, he traveled here. If you hadn't been throwing fruit into the portal, he wouldn't have stepped into it. You know what, Chloe? I can so do without this extra person to deal with."

His tone wasn't exactly nice, and I felt a bit hurt as well as annoyed. It must have been in my expression, and maybe the way Tristan was addressing me must have sparked some protective instinct in Corbett, because he stepped to my side and addressed Tristan. He had his hand up with the palm out as if to emphasis what he said.

Tristan's look of surprise was amusing, and then he took a deep breath and told Corbett something. I was definitely going to learn this language. It couldn't be that hard. Oliver could teach me the ordinary French, and I would surely be able to work out how that related to this Norman version. I was standing there thinking this, and not really listening to Tristan when I realized he was now speaking English to me.

"Sorry Chloe, Corbett thinks I was discourteous to the strangely dressed, but pretty, and amiable lady. I told him we were friends, but that I was worried about you being down by the waterfall alone. That's true too, Chloe. It's out of concern that I went off the deep end then, sorry. What if it was some heavily armed thug that came through the portal, and I found you run through with a sword?"

I nodded my acceptance, and resisted the urge to mention my immortality. 'Tristan must be stressed to forget this,' I thought.

I smiled at Corbett. This guy was cool. He hadn't freaked out at all yet and here we were inches from some fairy lights. Corbett smiled back at me with a small bow.

Tristan watched this in fascination.

"We need to take Corbett somewhere. He's not going to be fooled by the, 'you were knocked on the head' story that Gui believes, so we may have to answer his questions a bit more honestly. Already he knows he's not where he was before picking up the fruit." Tristan ran his hand through his hair and sighed.

"Let's take him to my place first Tristan. We could sit down and calmly go through everything." It was all I could think of.

Tristan said some words to Corbett, and we all three walked off to the house. I managed to fall a step or two behind Tristan and Corbett, because I wanted to watch Corbett's reaction to things.

He looked around him, but with interest, not fear

He realized I was behind and stopped, and then he angled his body to fit me into the space between himself and Tristan. Tristan shot me a look. I guessed he wasn't at all happy about Corbett's arrival, and his apparent desire to fit right in.

Chapter Eight

At home, the kitchen was empty. I knew instantly that Corbett realized this was the hunting lodge, you could see it in his lovely gray-blue eyes, as he looked around.

I pulled out a chair for him and brought him water from the fridge in a glass. Then thinking about what he might have been offered in his own time, I got bread rolls, cheese, and cold chicken, and put them on a plate in front of him.

Tristan watched this, and then he spoke to Corbett. I made some coffee for Tristan and Corbett. As I was doing this, my cell phone rang, it was Oliver, and walked out onto the kitchen patio to talk to him.

"Oliver it's lovely to hear from you. I'd love to see you. So much has happened. Bring your work clothes so you can go straight to dad's restaurant. I think you might want to stick around once you hear what's been going on. That's great. Tristan is in a flap. See you then." I was so pleased Oliver was coming over.

When I was back inside I found Tristan had finished making the coffee and was sitting to one end of the table.

He looked at me sadly, as I came in through the French doors.

"Chloe, I'm sorry I'm being so weird. I'm finding this all so hard to cope with. I put Matin in the stables last night. Gui was almost overjoyed to see him this morning and I had to say I brought Matin over to this estate. I asked Gui to look after him as well as the other horses. I told Brett and the others Matin used to be mine when I was living in Cornwall, that I had him brought up as I missed him, but forgot to tell them. They seemed to accept that. I have to get some clothes for Gui, and now for Corbett, seriously, I need to integrate them quickly.

The horse perhaps doesn't matter, but the people do. Corbett has asked what is going on. We know each other from when I was young, although not very well. Also, as I said, he was in on the stained glass that my father commissioned to save me from the fever, and he was in on the secret about the glass and the Magus. He knows I left with my Uncle Tristan a few weeks into the new year of eleven ninety, and he knows this place is some kind of variant of the old Dearing estate."

Tristan stopped speaking then and drank his coffee. Corbett watched and then tasted the coffee that was in front of him. He seemed to like it.

"What have you told him Tristan, because it seems to me that you may as well tell him the truth and in doing so, some of your stress will be alleviated. He could stay in the big house, you have the rooms, and you could tell your family he's a visitor from the Cornwall estates, or France, or something. It's a solution until we know how to deal with either the return of these people, or the closure of the portal. Incidentally, I'm testing the next opening, because somebody has to get a handle on the pattern that is occurring otherwise we'll never be able to fix anything." I was watching Tristan's face as I told him this. He seemed somehow relieved, but there was a trace of sadness in there too. 'What was wrong with him' I thought?

I heard Oliver's Land Rover on the drive and went out to meet him. Tristan had stayed with Corbett in the kitchen, and that was good. I wanted to see Oliver's lovely happy face and to feel his arms around me. I stood to one side, outside the wide front door, and waited for him to get out of his car. He did put his arms around me as soon as he reached me, and I looked up at him. He smiled and kissed me quickly, before leaning back and asking softly, "What's going on?"

I hastily told him, he raised his eyebrows, and made a soft whistle sound.

"The horse, and now another guy. I'm not keen on Tristan's attitude. I think you're right we've got to know the pattern of the portal openings. I'll help you. When did you say you thought the next one was?"

I told him I thought it was four this afternoon, if the pattern was just seven hours after each seven-hour time slot, you add on seven hours to the time the portal last opened to get the next opening time.

Maybe that was it. The pattern was every seven hours, plus the minutes, and seconds slots, immediately after, and on it kept rolling.

"The four o'clock slot is in the middle of my shift for your dad, but I'll get the others to cover for me and duck out, what will it take, minutes, my break will probably cover it." Oliver smiled at me.

He kissed me again, and I held him close to me for a little longer this time, before we went into the house.

Tristan looked at us quizzically raising his eyebrows.

Oliver introduced himself by looking at Corbett, slightly bowing, then put his hand on his chest and said his name. Corbett got the picture. He stood and nodded a bow back to Oliver saying, "Oliver." I liked Corbett. He could easily fit in here in no time.

"Tristan, Chloe has told me what happened and I think she's right we have to monitor the opening. I'll go with her at the four o'clock time slot to check it out. In the meantime how can I help you out with everything before my shift starts at one thirty?"

A range of emotion passed across Tristan's face, but the one I was concerned about most was irritation. Here was Oliver offering help and it seemed to have been the wrong thing to do in Tristan's eyes.

"Oliver, it's good of you to offer to help Chloe with the next time slot, but please try not to bring more people through to us. I need clothes for both men, but other than that right now, I want to come to some kind of understanding with Corbett about what place he has come to and what it means."

Oliver nodded. "Okay Tristan, how far removed from the French I know, is the Norman French you speak? I'm asking because the other day I felt as if I understood some of what you were saying to Gui. Only the accent and the harsh sound of some of the words is very different?"

Tristan smiled a little at this. "It is like that, it's harsher and some words are different. I think Corbett will pick up what you are saying after a while rather than you pick up his French. I'm counting on it really because he's going to have to stay at the Dearing place until we work out what to do about the portal."

I was watching Corbett as Tristan spoke. He was intent on both Oliver and Tristan's expressions.

Oliver went to make some coffee. He asked Tristan if he and Corbett would like a refill.

He gave me a look of resignation as he passed by, followed by the tiniest smile.

Tristan suddenly started to talk to Corbett. It seemed like he was telling Corbett the truth as I had suggested, from the expressions on Corbett's face, and his interjected questions.

Oliver had given them coffee and was sitting next to me, and he sat forward watching the conversation. Tristan turned to him and said, "Oliver do you think you could go and get an assortment of clothes for Gui and Corbett. Not too much, as Corbett especially will want to choose his own if he's here for very long. Will you have time for that before work?"

Oliver nodded. "Sure as long as I go soon."

I offered to drive Tristan and Corbett to the Dearing house, but Tristan said they were going to walk. He asked for one other thing, could Oliver put the clothing in a travel bag, so it looked as if Corbett was an ordinary traveler?

When Corbett and Tristan were leaving through the French windows Corbett bowed and smiled at both Oliver and me.

Tristan said, "See you later then," and walked up the path, Corbett followed him.

I watched them for a few seconds and so did Oliver and then he said,

"I know this is weird, and not what any of us want but hell, Tristan, is being a bit odder than usual don't you think?"

I agreed.

"I wonder if there is more going on than just this, because Tristan seems stressed in general? This isn't anywhere near as stressful a situation as fighting off robbers, or the other things he did when we went back in time. I feel for him as it's almost all on his shoulders to accommodate the time travelers, but only because he actually knows them. Oliver let me come to the shops with you, I'll drive us."

Oliver took my hand for the short walk to my Wrangler,

"Chloe, it's not your fault Corbett came through the portal. We are going to have to risk someone or thing seeing whatever we test the four o'clock time slot with. That's just the way it is."

I smiled at him as we got into the Wrangler. I had been wondering what to test the portal with. "Oliver, I think maybe a stick or piece of plant, so as not arouse suspicion if anyone is at the pool this afternoon. I should have given the fruit idea more thought. I was going to say sorry to Tristan but he hasn't given me much chance."

Chapter Nine

We arrived at the second village with the retail park on the outskirts.

Oliver put his arm around me as we walked across the car park to the stores.

It was easy to pick up a few T-shirts in a couple of sizes that Oliver felt were sure to fit each of our visitors. We also got a couple of casual shirts, denim, and tartan. They were easy too. The size of the jeans were harder to guess. Oliver decided that Corbett would be about the same size as himself, but Gui was smaller and slighter, so we got him a size down.

I thought we should get them a sweater each just in case of cool nights and Oliver picked up a couple of sweatshirts. I suddenly thought about underwear and socks, and so Oliver got a couple of multi packs of both boxers and socks. Having bought these, we went over to another store for a bag, and chose a zip-top one.

Oliver drove us home. I took the labels off the stuff for Corbett and packed them in the grip bag on the journey. As for Gui's items, I left those in the shop bag.

We went straight to Tristan's place, and we rang the bell, standing there with silly grins on our faces, as if we were doing an ordinary errand.

McPherson came to the door.

"Hello, Tristan said you would drop by with Monsieur Glassier's luggage as he had left it at your place. Do you want to come in for a cup of tea? Charlie is in the kitchen." She was pleased to see us.

Oliver looked at me, and then at her.

"Thank you for the offer, but I have to get to work. We were only intending to drop off the bag for Corbett and there's some shopping here too that Tristan asked us to pick up for a groom."

We left the bags with her.

Walking away Oliver said, "I don't know if Tristan set it up so it was easy for us to drop the goods, or if he was excluding us somehow. I don't know why I feel that way, it's not very kind."

"I know what you mean Oliver. I think something is going on with Tristan and it's more than the time travel stuff."

Oliver and I hung out at my place for the short time left before his work shift started, we speculated on the time portal pattern. Oliver thought he would easily be able to test the portal at the time slot after four with me, which we figured to be eleven at night. He smilingly told me could think of nothing better than taking a moonlight walk with me. Oliver is so good to be with. I went out to his Land Rover with him and he hugged me close.

"I'll see you at four by the pool, don't start without me."

With Oliver gone, I thought over what was happening with Tristan, he had to have other things on his mind, maybe I would ask Liz. I was meeting her at the restaurant on Saturday lunchtime to talk about the double birthday party. Will was going to be eighteen, and my brother Steven, seventeen, on exactly the same day. We were having a party in the restaurant gardens where wedding receptions usually took place. They knew about it as they were playing in the band themselves, although we had booked a DJ as well, so that they had time to enjoy the party. Steven was so excited. It meant a lot to him that he and Will shared the same birth date, but he was thrilled about the party too.

It was going to be an autumn and winter of birthdays with the Dearing twins, Oliver, and me, having birthdays before March.

I suddenly realized I didn't know when Tristan's birthday was. I would ask him. I felt a rush of sorrow for him. He seemed miserable right now.

I decided to go and see mom, help her with any chores, and make the afternoon go a bit quicker. It was no good trying to work. I knew I would not concentrate.

Chapter Ten

I was at the waterfall. I hadn't heard from Tristan, which even if we hadn't been going through this stuff, was weird. 'Where was he?' I thought, yet couldn't bring myself to contact him.

I had brought a large white pebble from the garden at home. There were a few of these amongst the smaller gravel between the garden borders and the paving stones around the house. This pebble would surely be okay, we could see it, it couldn't attract that much attention, it would sink into the water after a while, and it was all I could think of.

It was ten minutes before four, and Oliver dashed down the bank of vegetation that surrounded the waterfall and pool. He had his bow tie undone around his open white shirt collar.

"Hello Chloe." He kissed my cheek. "Have you heard from Tristan at all? I thought he might message me."

"No Oliver, I've heard nothing from him, and I haven't contacted him. Let's check this time slot."

I had my cell phone in one hand to check the time, and the pebble in the other. At exactly four, I threw the pebble onto the portal reed pad area. Nothing happened. The pebble remained there. Oliver and I watched until ten minutes past the hour, nothing.

"Right then, obviously that's another theory up in flames." Oliver grimaced.

I walked with him back to the restaurant. The sun was still very warm on our backs, and Oliver held my hand.

"Approaching this from if I was writing it as a computer programing loop," Oliver said thoughtfully. "I would think in sevens. Could we have had seven portal openings already, and the next one will be a default opening back to seven o'clock tonight? Did you say you had tested the seven seconds, and seven minute openings this morning Chloe?"

I thought about this and there could have been seven slots. Three around seven last night, and we had to assume three around two in the morning and it could easily have been the one slot at nine this morning, as I had no time to test the second and minute openings, because Corbett showed up.

I told Oliver this and he grinned.

"We'll check the thing again at seven tonight that will tell us, because now there has been no four o'clock portal opening, the eleven o'clock one we thought might exist can't be right. As luck would have it, Chloe, I can come over after my shift about six thirty this evening again and we can test it."

We had reached the restaurant and entered the little corridor of shelves at the staff room end. Oliver stopped here and turned to me. "We'll figure this out Chloe and then start to manage it." He kissed me, and I slipped my arms around his waist and hugged him.

As I walked the short distance home, I thought about Steven's birthday present, and I wanted to get something for Will too. It was hard to know what to do, take the risk on a gift that might fit the bill, or get some gift vouchers from the music shop in the town with the lovely old church. The one with the car park nearby that always reminded me of finding Oliver's Land Rover, when he no longer existed as this Oliver.

I reached home, and went in to find mom and Steven in the kitchen. They were talking about Steven getting a driver's license. Mom was going to get Steven a car and he was having the necessary lessons as his birthday present. Steven was being picked up soon to go to a band rehearsal and mom was going up to have dinner with dad as soon as Steven had left. She would be out until around ten she told me.

I went up to my room deciding that music store gift vouchers were the way to go for both Will and Steven, and I would try to get over to the store early the next week to buy them.

There wasn't very much time until Oliver would come round after his work shift ended. I went to my window and looked out at the garden, the lawns, and woods beyond. I thought about what might be wrong with Tristan, and I was about to call him when my cell phone registered a text message.

It was Tristan, and he was asking if Oliver and I had remembered about the 'Eleanor treasure' being moved that night. I hadn't thought about it, but it definitely could go ahead. I messaged back that we would be here when he was free, and asked would it still be about eight? He messaged back, 'Yes.' That was it, no love sent or extra words just 'yes.'

I put my cell phone in my pocket, and picked up my jean jacket. I missed my leather jacket that had been left behind in the eleven hundreds, but too bad.

Downstairs again I found Steven and mom had left. I made some tea and stood at the French window of the kitchen looking out at the sun beginning to set. It puzzled me when I thought about how Tristan was obviously not coping with what was happening. He hadn't seemed the type to go to pieces, but that's what it seemed like was happening.

The doorbell rang. Oliver had arrived. He was still in his work clothes, but was carrying his jeans, and a T-shirt.

"May I get changed somewhere, Chloe? I wanted to get over here quickly so that we could make sure we got down to the waterfall on time?" He passed me grinning, and went into the utility room. I walked over to the kitchen sink and called, "Will you have coffee?" as he was obviously using the utility room to change in.

I had filled the electric kettle when he came out carrying his work clothes and put them on the table. "Yes please, oh no, better not yet, we should get going. I want to tell you some gossip on the way, do you still have another pebble?"

I held one up taking it from the end of the work surface, where it had been sitting since the failed four o'clock portal opening.

Oliver smiled as I put the pebble in my jacket pocket.

"Chloe, Liz was working tonight. She came in early to talk with Marcel, but, and this is the gossip, she was saying her dad had spent way too much on the new arts holiday venture, and so far there were no bookings for when it opened next month."

We were out of the front door and walking towards the top path, and Oliver had taken hold of my hand.

"Oliver, surely it's out of season now, maybe they can't expect to have much success until next summer?" I said to him.

"Well that's not what they hoped, Chloe. Apparently, they hoped what with the west wing being made into luxury accommodation that it would be a non-seasonal venture. That they could run it all year, just change the offerings and residential artists every so often. Liz was miserable, and she said that the whole venture had so far cost more than twice what they had originally projected. It's pushed their finances to the brink. She said Jack was thinking of selling off more of the estate to cover the shortfall."

We had reached the waterfall and I checked my cell phone, only eight minutes to go.

Oliver turned to me. "Your dad bought the restaurant, and the immediate entertaining grounds didn't he, Chloe?"

He put his arms around me, and kissed me quickly before I answered.

"He did buy it, well not outright, some of it is mortgaged, but you know it's not rented."

I returned his kiss and then we looked towards the portal. It's funny calling the time travel spot the portal, but it works as a one-word description.

I had my cell phone almost in front of my face and the pebble ready to throw. Oliver pulled me back a little as I was a bit close, but it seemed to me that you actually had to step onto the reeds to do the traveling.

At seven o'clock, I threw the pebble. It sat on the thicker part where the reeds made the pad-like place. If you stood on it for any length of time, your foot gets wet as you sink a little, but the pebble landed, and then it was gone. Gone into the eleven hundreds, not into the water. Oliver and I looked at each other, and he smiled.

"There it is, the default time slot I described, bet the next time slot is two a.m.," he said happily.

"Oliver, are we testing the seven minute slot, maybe just to be sure, find a branch, it's too late for the seven second one."

He looked around. "How do you think it works Chloe, like a worm hole that you see on space travel TV programs?" He had found a piece of fallen tree that had the remains of some kind of blossom on it.

"When I time-traveled, it seemed like the slightest wavering in the atmosphere, barely anything. Throw the branch now Oliver."

It was seven minutes past seven on my cell phone and the branch was gone.

Oliver raised his eyebrows, nodding. "There we are. I'm sure of the pattern now, Chloe. I hope this helps Tristan."

Oliver suddenly appeared to have an idea. "Hey, maybe that's what's wrong with Tristan. Maybe he has the financial stuff on his mind. Liz was very unhappy. She didn't say what parts of the estate Jack wanted to sell, but let's face it, it can't be nice seeing any of your ancestral lands get sold off every so often, even if it's just a couple of fields."

We were walking along the top path to my house, when I reminded Oliver of the plan to move what we had come to call the 'Eleanor treasure'. He had his arm around my shoulders and he stopped walking to put both arms around me.

He put his forehead against mine and then kissed me. "I think I'd better kiss you now, as I'll not even get to hold your hand once Tristan is with us."

I felt a twinge of some emotion, what was it, guilt, sadness? I didn't know.

I kissed him back and hugged him tight.

When I let go he was smiling.

We walked on home, and this time Oliver did have coffee. He was drinking it and we were talking about the double birthday party for Will and Steven. The doorbell rang and it was Tristan. I took his hand at the door and smiled at him. "How are you going?" I asked him softly.

He looked at me sadly, and as we went into the kitchen, and I let go of his hand he walked around to the far end of the kitchen table, and sat down. He sighed.

"Things are not as bad with the Corbett situation as I expected. I don't know if the sorcery business with my father primed him for this time-traveling stuff but he's kind of lapping it up. He's not even fazed by my still being alive. I took him to see the abbey ruins and the stained glass that he helped make. He was euphoric, loved it, and said how wonderful it had lasted this long and protected me. I let him think I was alive because of the stained glass, safest thing I thought. It's as if he's on holiday in a foreign land. He's like a tourist, looking around, checking things out. He went with me to see Gui and Matin. This made Gui's day. Naturally they had come across each other before, and I have to admit that seeing Corbett has kind of verified the story I had spun to Gui about this place being another estate."

Oliver had made Tristan coffee, and put his hand on Tristan's shoulder as he put it in front of him on the table. The gesture of comfort and friendship seemed to help Tristan.

"I'm sorry I was unpleasant this morning, Chloe. I wasn't blaming you. I feel a bit weighed down with pressure at the moment."

Oliver and I exchanged glances.

"We think, well I'm pretty sure we've figured out the portal's pattern Tristan." Oliver told him.

Tristan was just about to take a drink of his coffee and he put the cup back down in surprise.

"Really, I forgot you were going down there at four, sorry. What happened?"

"Nothing, the four o'clock slot didn't work, and thinking in sevens we decided to go at seven o'clock, that worked. So it's almost certain there are seven slots, three at seven in the evening, three at two a.m. and one at nine in the morning, then it defaults back to seven in the evening. You can go down there at eleven tonight to prove me wrong if you want to, Tristan, but I feel sure that's the pattern."

Tristan sighed. "Thank you both for that. I still feel worried about someone else coming through."

"Maybe no one else will, after all Corbett did follow my fruit, Matin is a horse, and Gui arriving was pure accident related to Matin. Maybe it's been a hectic time and now there will be some peace. I hope so," I said to Tristan and Oliver.

Tristan drank his coffee then, and we decided to go down to the big drawing room and sort out moving the 'Eleanor treasure'.

Chapter Eleven

I ran upstairs to get my torch and Oliver went out to the Land Rover to get his. When I came downstairs, they were both just inside the doorway of the big drawing room. Oliver turned to me with a smile as I approached. "You don't expect anyone home just as we appear laden with the treasure do you Chloe?"

I grinned saying, "No we have until ten."

Tristan had flicked on the lights in the room. There was a cable light remaining from the time the wall painting had been found behind the fireplace, so he switched it on.

We went very carefully down the spiral stairs. The recent very warm weather seemed to have cured the damp. Despite the cable light at the beginning of the passage, we needed both flashlights. As we approached the wall box where the 'Eleanor treasure' was still housed, I was thinking maybe it would be gone, that maybe the arrival of Gui or Corbett had somehow changed that it was there.

At the box, Tristan turned the rounded side part, and pulled it away from the box. I helped him put it onto the stone floor. We didn't want to break it. He took out one of the pouches. We had never looked inside, and were guessing the contents might be gold coin that Sir Edmund had left for Eleanor. Tristan gave that to Oliver, then the second pouch he gave to me, and then he took the third one and put it onto the floor. He carefully replaced the round door to the box, and we went back along the passageway, each with a pouch.

I was glad we had finally done this. Sometimes I had been tempted to come down here and check out what was in these pouches, but I always held off because the stuff wasn't mine, and I would more than likely break something. That thought alone stopped me.

We turned off all the lighting, and took the pouches to the kitchen table. I spread some paper towel along the table and Tristan put one of the pouches on it, then carefully pulled the leather strapping away that was threaded through rough-cut holes, and the pouch opened out. You couldn't tell when you felt the leather what might be in there as it was thick and hard in places. Tristan gently spilled the contents onto the paper towel. An array of colored stones fell in glistening piles across the towel. Predominantly bright red like the stone in the ring Tristan had given me, but there were clear bright stones, and very clear green ones, that looked translucent. They were lovely.

There was about thirty I thought, and some of the red ones were big. I picked up a green stone. It was like holding a piece of green water. It was about as big as a bird's egg.

No one spoke. We were held in the thrall of this array of color.

Then Tristan said, "Bloody hell, hand me another pouch." He opened that in the same way as the other, and I put some more paper towel across the table. Tristan tipped the pouch up, and this time the stones were blue, green, and clear. There were more of them too. I picked up a huge blue one. It was so lovely. There was one red stone, and putting the blue one down, I picked up the large bright red stone. It felt like satin. I put it down and turned to look at Oliver. He was sitting gazing at the stones. He raised his eyebrows, his eyes very wide, and I looked back at him, with what was probably the same expression.

"This lot must be worth a fortune," Tristan said, and Oliver spoke up.

"Maybe, but what are they really? How do we know if they are real?"

"Oliver, I think they are most likely real. I don't know exactly what they are, but amongst them, rubies, diamonds, sapphires, emeralds. I think that pink thing there is special too. Why would my father leave treasure that wasn't real?" Tristan pointed at a small lump of pinkish stone.

The third pouch was sitting on the table unopened.

We all looked at it.

"I'll do it," Oliver said and stood up. He opened the leather strap.

"That was harder than I thought," he said, grinning then he handed it to me. "How about you do the honors Chloe?"

I poured the contents onto the corner sheet of paper towel. This time there were gold ornaments and stones, a couple of gold crosses, that whilst quite large were obviously for use on necklaces as they were inlaid with red and blue stones. There was a square gold buckle, also inlaid with blue and green stones, then more of the bright red stones, and a single large blue stone.

I put the pouch down next to the others and sat down on the nearest chair. "This lot must be worth lots of money. I think Sir Edmund left Eleanor a king's ransom."

"Hey, maybe it was part of the ransom for Richard the Lionheart." Oliver sounded excited.

"No Oliver, that was after my father had died. This must just be his collection of stuff. The knights that traveled overseas fighting used to come back with, let's say 'wealth' they had gathered. Some of these stones must come from foreign parts. He was already wealthy as you know, so maybe he just left this for Eleanor because he could."

"No wonder the Tarrant estate and the family was so very different after we had changed the future for them." I waved my hand at all the precious stones.

Oliver sighed, and I looked up at him. I don't really know what was in his eyes but instinctively I said, "Oliver you're worth more than all this though, in fact you are priceless." Oliver had been through unpleasantness because of the time-travel events.

He held my gaze across the table and I felt loved.

Tristan turned away to the work surface and said, "I think I need a cup of coffee."

"Tristan, what are we going to do with this lot?" I asked him.

"I still think let's leave it in the box inside your cupboard, Chloe, until we think hard about it. I'd like to find out what some of the stones actually are. I might take a couple to a jewelers and get them checked out," he replied, turning back to look at me and then at Oliver. "What do you think?"

Oliver cleared his throat. "That sounds like a plan. Shall I start putting them back in the pouches?"

"May as well, leave out a clear one, a red one and a blue one." Tristan made coffee for them both and was about to make me tea when I took over. I wanted to be able to drink it this time.

With the stones and jewelry back in the pouches, Tristan asked me if I would bring up one of the pouches to my cupboard to get them out of the way. He took hold of the other two. He followed me up to my room leaving Oliver to drink coffee. We had put the 'Eleanor treasure' in Tristan's box inside my cupboard and he turned to me.

"Chloe, do you still feel the same about me? I know I'm not exactly sunshine, and light right now. I want to talk to you alone later if I may."

I put my arms around him and hugged him. His hair had fallen over like a fringe into his beautiful eyes, and he looked so downcast, I wanted to comfort him.

"I love you Tristan, and you know where to find me when you want to talk later."

We went back downstairs to Oliver, who was examining the stones we had put on the table by holding them up to the light.

"This red one feels like silk or something," he observed.

"I know, I noticed that too," I said.

Oliver handed the three stones to Tristan who stuffed them in the pocket of his jeans.

We all sat down at the table with our drinks.

"The stuff belongs to you doesn't it? Do you have to report it? Is it classed as treasure trove or what?" Oliver asked Tristan.

"It is mine by default I guess, since Eleanor didn't get it, well it must be mine, since it belonged to my father. I think though that we have to declare the gold jewelry. I need to find out. Perhaps we could look it up. Thanks for your help, Oliver, with the portal, and with the 'Eleanor treasure'. I find it hard to accept, but I'm not my usual capable self. I have so many things to deal with." Tristan stopped talking and looked down at the table.

"Whatever I can help with, I will. It does seem like you have a lot of work on the estate," Oliver replied, with a quick glance at me, as Tristan was still looking down at the table.

"Can you think of anything tonight? Do you want to check the portal?" Oliver asked kindly.

Tristan looked up. "No thanks, let's leave it. I believe you've solved the pattern, and maybe no one will be around to fall through it at that time of night. Thanks for getting the clothes for Corbett and Gui. They were very well received." Tristan actually smiled again, perhaps he finally understood that he had friends to help him and he needn't try to do everything on his own.

He stood up then, and looked intently at me saying, "I need to go. I have to see Jack, sorry, thanks for everything. I'll get back to you both soon." He turned including Oliver in the last part of what he was saying.

I went with him to the car he was using. It was the old truck.

"Tristan are you okay? I can't help thinking there is something very wrong, and I thought you wanted to talk to me?"

"I do. I will, but I'm seeing Jack at nine thirty, and then I'll message you. Is that okay?" He seemed downcast again.

I nodded and before I could hug him goodbye, he got into the truck and was backing it out of the space to leave.

I went back inside the house.

"Oliver, there's something wrong, even though Tristan seemed to cheer up a bit just now, I know something is wrong. He didn't seem to care about the 'Eleanor treasure'. Maybe he knows it's not worth much, and he didn't want to disappoint us. It is a bunch of glassy looking stones after all, except the jewelry."

Oliver was drinking some coffee, and gulped at what I said putting down his cup, he started to laugh.

"The stones must be worth a massive amount of money. There must be something else wrong. It's probably this arts venture that Liz was a bit down about."

"I feel bad about that. I know it's going to sound ridiculous but their marketing campaign was stopped by all our messing with magic and time travel. I wonder if there is any way we can help kick-start the venture? For instance have you even heard of it outside of the Dearings talking about it?" I sat next to Oliver, and he looked at me thoughtfully.

"Well no, but then I haven't looked for it. I didn't know the artists had been booked or anything? Frankly, I'm shocked the venture could rock their finances quite as much as it seems to have. This place is so busy all the time, and surely there is old money."

I shrugged. "I think that building and renovating on these old places costs heaps, and look at what happened when the abbey museum and café caught fire. They were worried about the financial aspect then. Perhaps there is less money than anyone knows."

Oliver gave a thoughtful sigh, and then leaned over to me and kissed me.

"Let's look this arts venture business on the internet, maybe they do need help. I can do something about their website if it's a problem, and I know people who would take a link on their website for the Dearings too."

We went up to my room. Oliver walked over to my computer, and since I had been working earlier, it was booted.

We Googled arts and crafts holidays in England to narrow the search results. There were a number of hits, but three pages in the Dearings were still not listed.

"So far so bad." Oliver looked at me as I sat next to him. "Let's face it if we were looking for a holiday we would have looked at a few sites in detail by this time, and maybe even found what we wanted."

I agreed.

"Oliver, just check the actual Dearing website and let's see how it's advertised there."

When we were looking their website, Oliver grimaced. He seemed to know instantly that there was something not as good as it should be.

"Well what do you think of it at first glance?" Oliver asked me.

"It's a bit bland, perhaps not that attractive," I said, looking at the page on the screen.

"There's no obvious sign of business, it's not even apparent they do weddings and so on. Oh, here it is, events, but very difficult to see, mmm, not a word about the arts and crafts holidays so far. Who does this website for them?" Oliver stopped looking at it and closed the browser. "I'll have a word with Liz. Maybe it's being advertised somewhere else, but I could help them, and would free of charge. Right now though, I have to go. Tomorrow I'm seeing a new client. Friday is always a good business day." He said with a smile before adding, "Saturday I'm working at the wedding for your dad. You know the Dearings must have other ways of attracting business because it does seem to have lots of clients for the weddings and conferences. I wonder why they have fallen down so badly with the arts holiday venture."

We went downstairs, and Oliver stopped in the front doorway and turned to hug me to him. "I hope nothing happens with the portal. If it does, call me right away. Do you have any plans for tomorrow night? Maybe we could head down to Kool Kafé. There's a local band down there. Probably not as good as Will's band, but it would be nice to hang out for a while."

I was happy to do that. Life was much too serious now. "That sounds like fun. Do you want me to meet you down there?"

"No let's go down there together. I'll come over about eight if that's okay?" He kissed me then, and we hugged each other for a moment.

I went out into the driveway with him to the Land Rover, and at the door, he turned to me as he opened it. "Chloe, it's odd that Tristan, considering who he is, has no car of his own, and he doesn't seem to have much in general. His room is big and quite nice, but he hardly has anything in it. He works hard, he doesn't have a social life, he doesn't have many clothes, and yet the other family members drive good cars, go on holidays, and I know the twins work a little, but I think it's been for themselves, almost as hobbies."

Oliver shook his head in dismay, and standing against the open Land Rover door he suddenly hugged me again saying, "Poor Tristan I think there's more to him than meets the eye."

I laughed at this, and kissed him. "Oliver he's an immortal, eight hundred year old Norman knight, but I know what you mean."

Oliver smiled and kissed me back. He left then, and as I watched him drive away, he gave me a little wave.

I went into the kitchen and made a drink. I noticed it was after ten and thought mom might be home soon. I went up to my room and sat down at my computer. I started to look up precious stones. It seemed that you had to know what they were and what carat they were, to guess at the value. I had no idea and part of me still thought they were worth little now, perhaps back in eleven ninety, but now, maybe not.

I put them out of my mind and looked at the music store website. I could actually buy the gift vouchers online, but decided to talk with Liz on Saturday lunchtime, before I did anything about the present for Will.

Chapter Twelve

I was about to go in the shower when my cell phone rang. I picked it up and walked to the window answering it.

"Chloe, its Tristan. May I see you? I really must talk to you. Will you come down to the edge of the woods?"

"I will," I told him. I picked up my jacket, and went down through the middle drawing room windows, to the edge of the woods. He was already there and came out from the shadows as I approached. It somehow reminded me of when he appeared the day he had been freed from the stained glass roundel, and I felt like running to him and hugging him. I didn't. I waited until he was in front of me on the path as it petered out into a trodden down area of earth and led into the trees.

"Chloe." He put his arms around me and held me close.

"I'm so sorry to be so weird. I'm so tired of everything. I think that this portal stuff has been the last straw. I had to see you because everything is just such a mess."

"Tristan, I thought that you were okay with Corbett and even Gui. Oliver and I can deal with the portal. We'll monitor it for you."

"Not if a sword wielding castle guard comes through. It's not just the portal, its home, and a long story. It's perplexing because I've been through a great deal of stressful situations, but suddenly it's as if I can't anymore. I just want to be here. This is my home really and I..." He didn't finish the sentence. He was just holding on to me and I knew he wasn't okay, that maybe he was burned out, let's face it anyone can get stressed by life. Just because he's Tristan, didn't mean he could go on taking anything.

I hugged him. "Is it the arts holiday venture stuff?" I thought it would make it easy for him, if I mentioned it. He seized upon it.

"That's the last straw really, not the portal. It's what Jack has asked for this time. I'm so tired of feeling guilty about being around."

"What, but Tristan, Oliver was only just commenting a day or so ago that you work so hard on the estates. I agreed with him. How can you feel guilty? What's going on? The family was supposed to be happy to look after the abbey stained glass and it's a relic, they make money from its exhibition. You grow all the flowers for the events..." I stopped talking because he was standing there within the circle of my arms with his head down to mine, and he was so quiet.

"Come into the house and tell me what Jack wants that's upset you so much."

He moved back slightly and looked at me. His eyes seemed dark.

"He wants to sell the hunting lodge and this woodland, and he thinks 'we can do without the stables too', his words."

"But Cedric, and your other horses, what would happen to them? The hunting lodge, you mean the house I live in, your house, but what's going on? I thought he was concerned you would have somewhere to live when they were all gone."

I was a bit shocked. This was unexpected to say the least.

"The bottom line is the estate seems to have racked up an extra couple of million pounds plus on the arts holiday venture. Everything seems to have cost twice as much as was forecast. The thing is, Chloe, I've always tried not to cost much. I know that sounds weird. I work hard and truthfully, I haven't really wanted much, but this is just not acceptable to me. Jack says he'll offer your dad first refusal on the hunting lodge, but your dad will never be able to afford the place. Apart from the fact that I don't want it sold, its mine, really it is. I only ever wanted that from out of all the family inheritances. The fact is too, that the whole of the Dearing lands and estates are really mine, if I wanted to be nasty about it. I think now that he was hoping the dig at the Norman door would lead to treasure. Did he realize we were close to financial collapse? Maybe that's why he had that heart attack, and yet it seemed we were okay at the time. It's this holiday venture, but he's so intent on solving it by selling off more of our assets, and last time it was something dear to me that had to go. I don't want to talk about that, but I can't let the hunting lodge go. Not least because you live there, I desperately want you to be able to stay there, close to me. I don't want the stables to go. You know how I love Cedric?" The words just ran together as he finally got out the sad story.

I hugged him. "We'll fix this. Can he just do this? Go over your head, the rightful heir, well the original heir?"

"Well he can because I'm not out in the open, he appears for me. I'm just some additional distant heir in the eyes of the world. It's always been that way. I've hardly ever been able to claim my inheritances. In the past, the Dearings never wanted the Hunting lodge. Do you remember I told you they would have let it go to ruin in the Middle Ages except that I used it as my home on and off, and I kept it in good repair."

I was about to swear out of sheer dismay at his situation, but he stepped away from me, and took my hand saying, "I'll come inside if I may."

We walked down the path to the middle drawing room. I had my arm around him and he had his around my shoulders. As we reached the house, he turned to me and kissed me, saying thank you to me for listening. I told him we would fix it all as he let me go and followed me into the kitchen.

I meant it too, and I know what you are saying now, how?

Just let me think on it for a while.

We made him coffee and took it up to my room. He put the cup on my desk and started pacing from the desk to the window.

"Tristan, do you draw a salary for all your work, not to pry, just thinking about the situation."

He turned to me from the window end of his pacing. "I do, but it's very little. I never need anything much, and the rent from this house takes care of the horses as well as a few other stable requirements."

"You work hard Tristan, and you are the rightful owner of everything. Just because you have to be invisible doesn't give Jack the right to expect you to give up everything. Did you never have the deeds to this house?"

He came to me, and put his arms around me.

"No it's always been with the other property paperwork. I could hardly carry around things like that and I never expected to have to prove ownership. It's not the twins, it's not even Jonathon, although he never stops Jack doing anything, it's Jack. Ever since we discovered the manuscript and the flask with my short sword hidden in the globe base, I've felt a tiny bit differently about him. My father's letter is still in the tunnel stone box isn't it?"

"Yes why?" I asked him.

"I want to retrieve it and hide it with the 'Eleanor treasure' here with you."

"Now? I don't know if anyone is home. We would pass mom's study."

"Chloe, the work starts tomorrow on the glass door for the Eleanor painting. I'll go down there if you hang out in the kitchen, or something, in case anyone comes home. You could knock on your mom's door and ask if she wants coffee. Sorry to engage you in this stuff, I should have got it earlier, but I was going to leave it in the box there. I thought that the archaeologists, having established there was nothing more in the box earlier, would simply leave it alone."

I wondered why he suddenly wanted it, unless it was for some sort of proof.

"Let's do it," I said, and handed him my flashlight from where I had put it on my desk earlier. At mom's study door, I went in and Tristan continued on to the big drawing room, he closed the door behind him. Mom wasn't in there. Maybe she was in her bedroom, or maybe had stayed to close up the restaurant with dad. I hung around outside the big drawing room. I counted to fifty then went to the kitchen and put the electric kettle to boil. I had put coffee into a cup for Tristan and a tea bag in a cup for myself, when he came into the kitchen with the leather cylinder thing, which contained Sir Edmund's letter. There were still some of the old church fliers wrapped around it from when Oliver and I had retrieved it from the font.

We went back up to my room and Tristan put the letter in his wooden box that was inside my big cupboard. He seemed a little calmer, but still very down.

"The box is getting filled up with old junk," he said, and thinking he was joking I smiled at him.

"Not junk, Tristan." Then I suddenly remembered. "Tristan, the 'Eleanor treasure', did you check if you had to hand it in?"

"Only if it's gold or silver I think, from what I read, so the jewelry needs handing in, the issue being we've to say where we got it."

I thought for a minute and you'll be glad to know the old ability to lie came back to me.

"Tristan why not say you 'dug it up' in the gardens by the greenhouses, or you could have 'found it' in the secret cavity in the font Jack has in the old church. We could arrange just about anything that might act as a screen for finding the jewelry, and anyway it probably will just get handed back to the Dearings the same as your ring did. I'm surprised Jack didn't want that."

Tristan was smiling at me. "I think he might have, but James put it into my hand, and I just kept it. Chloe, that's a good idea. It means we don't have to flout the law, we can 'let some of the treasure be found' and see what happens and then if needs be, 'let the rest be found'."

"Tristan if Jack was hoping to find treasure then he must know it would be handed back to him. I think it's time you started to protect yourself. You may not want much, but if you want this house, your horses, and the woods," I added as I thought, "then we'll find a way for them to belong to you."

Tristan looked sadly at me. "I don't know how to stop him selling them. I wish it wasn't this house. I'm sorry Chloe because it will be a nuisance for your family as much as a loss to me that you don't live here."

A little stirring of a plan came to me as I hugged him. I looked up into his beautiful eyes, and he kissed me. I still felt dazzled by him sometimes, but more and more I felt protective of him.

I kissed him back and gave him an extra hug.

"I'm already on the case Tristan," I whispered.

It was late, past the eleven o'clock 'maybe' portal opening. No one was on the lawn wielding a sword. I didn't expect there to be. I was sure Oliver had made the right calculations. Should I stand guard at the two a.m. slot I asked myself? Tristan was thinking the same thing.

"I hope nothing happens at two in the morning."

"Nothing will," I said.

Tristan had to go, but said he didn't want to.

I wanted to drive him home, but he said no, the walk would help clear his head. I went halfway up the path with him, but he wanted me to go inside before he left, so I did. I went up to my room, and looked out of my window. I couldn't see him. He had entered the darkness.

Chapter Thirteen

Friday morning was lovely, the sun out again, the bright blue sky softened by some wispy clouds. There was a feeling in the air it felt like satin. A quietness and calmness seemed to be around.

I was at the work surface having opened the French windows in the kitchen to look out at the beautiful day. I had just made tea when Charlie came into the kitchen, wagging his tail so much it was hard not to laugh at him, and pat him. I got his water dish from under the sink, washed it out, and then gave him a drink.

Where there was Charlie there should be Tristan. I went to the windows and saw Tristan coming down the path with another young guy. They were talking.

This other guy was very attractive from my viewpoint, wearing jeans and a blue T-shirt with a dark blue tartan shirt over it, his hair shone in the sun, and was pushed behind his ears. As he and Tristan got closer, I realized it was Corbett. Wow, modern clothes, and his hair now showing off that bone structure, he was, as I had first thought, very good looking.

When they were on the patio, I greeted them, and was rewarded with a big smile from both. It was great to see Tristan a bit happier than he was last night.

I offered them coffee and Tristan said he would make it. Charlie had heard the raison toast pop up in the toaster and I gave him a piece. He took it to the area where his water bowl was to eat it.

"How are things going Tristan, with Corbett? He's looking good." I noticed that Corbett had some sneakers from somewhere.

Tristan spoke happily. "I can't believe how delighted Corbett is with everything. He's still having a great time."

I pointed at Corbett's sneakers and gave him a smile. Tristan elaborated on my approval for the sneakers in their language, Corbett grinned, and to my surprise did a lovely spin around like a dancer.

"Wow," I said, smiling again.

Tristan grinned too, and he put coffee down on the table in front of Corbett who then sat down. Tristan said, "The most remarkable thing has happened, Laura has taken Corbett under her wing, she got him the sneakers. Actually I think she likes him, as in, really likes him."

"That's cool. Well he is very good looking, intelligent and nice too, but what about the language?" I was beaming because this was a great development. I was happy to hear it.

"They're trading words, and I heard her this morning change some of her French to his and he a little time later did the same, he's changing his French for hers. So I'm telling him the alternative words."

Corbett was watching us, and suddenly said something to Tristan, and smiled at me.

"He says my lady is very pretty," Tristan grinned.

I smiled at him.

"What's going on this morning, Tristan, do you have plans?" I asked.

"Corbett is becoming my right hand man. He's so into the whole trip he has taken, I'm amazed at his resilience. It's perked me up this morning. I think he'll help me "find" the jewelry in the font if I ask him, and I just might. It would be such a good cover story, here I'm showing the visitor around and he loves the font, is feeling around the Griffin and there it is, it swings in and a pouch of treasure is revealed. The font must have dried out a bit now it's out of the ground and enabled the secret compartment to be found. I would tell James the story first naturally, and then when the treasure was handed back to Jack maybe it would cover the financial shortfall and he would stop with this selling stuff off."

I looked at Tristan. "Impressive plotting Tristan, I couldn't have done better myself. Just what will the pouch contain? A few stones as well as the jewelry because we don't know what they might be worth?"

"I think so. I want to go into the city today and try to get some kind of estimate on what the stones are and might be worth. I think they may be worth lots, but you know I never had to think about things like that. I just saw the jeweled daggers and swords. I had my rings, and my family wore jewels. It was like decoration to me, fur to keep warmer and colored stones to make things attractive. The fighting swords were plainer. I was very privileged as a child."

He became pensive for a moment, then reached in his pocket and took out the three stones he had kept back from the 'Eleanor treasure'. He put them on the table.

Corbett looked hard at them and then speaking to Tristan, he picked each of them up and looked closely at them.

He was talking enthusiastically to Tristan and seemed to know something about the stones.

Tristan shook his head, asked Corbett something, and then he said to me, "Corbett says these are big precious stones, diamond, the best ruby, a sapphire, and he says in his time they are worth a great deal. Maybe they are now."

"Excellent, Tristan, that means you can put a few of them in the pouch with the jewelry, and there you are, Jack has his treasure. Let's face it he's been looking for it as long as I've known you."

Tristan drank some of his coffee. "I think he may have been looking for it far longer than that. Chloe."

Charlie wagged his tail and sat down next to Corbett, who fondled his ears. It looked like Corbett was a good addition to our group and I was pleased I had tested the portal with fruit that morning. I realized that we hadn't given the nine o'clock time travel opening a thought.

"Chloe, Corbett is an archer as well as a glazer. I've seen him shoot in fairs, in the past of course, but he's quite good. He doesn't fight, but it's a sport for him. I was thinking about asking Ben and Oliver to take him down to their archery club. I know he would enjoy that. What do you think?"

"That's a great idea, Tristan, and isn't it interesting how one of Ben's ancestors shares his interest in archery? Tristan, what will happen when Corbett wants to go home? Will you and now Laura miss him? Will we just push him onto the reed pad at an allotted portal opening time?" I was looking at Tristan kindly as I asked, and only wanted to find out if he had thought of any of this.

His expression changed. He looked so sad and thoughtful. Without thinking about Corbett watching I went to him, and put my arms around him as he sat in the chair near Corbett. I leaned over him and kissed him on the cheek.

"Tristan, you don't want Corbett to go do you?"

"No, and yes if he wants to. I trust him implicitly to say nothing about the portal. Gui is a different story because I think he would realize something was weird, and maybe bring others back to the portal not maliciously, but simply because it's strange. I couldn't just push Gui back through an opening, and I wouldn't do that to Corbett, he could choose."

Tristan had turned to me as I leaned over him and now kissed me quickly and gently.

"How is Gui adjusting is he okay? I hope you have replenished his food stocks," I said, letting go of Tristan to sit near him.

"He's very well taken care of, Chloe, and he seems okay, but he has mentioned his family to Corbett. He may start to get homesick soon. I don't know what will happen then."

"So Tristan maybe you should think up a story for the jewelers when you take the stones in to them. It may look suspicious just wandering in with precious stones."

"I thought I would say that my father left them to me when he died, they've been in the family years, and I've just had them kicking around. It's not so far from the truth." He pushed them around a little on the table then picked up the big red one. "This is a bit like the stone in my ring," he commented.

"Your ring is lovelier, Tristan, I smiled at him."

Corbett asked Tristan something glancing at me as he did, and Tristan laughed as he answered.

He stood up and picking up the stones stuffed them back into his jean pocket. I think we'll leave now, Chloe. I'll call you later."

I put my hand on his arm. "What did Corbett say to you just then, Tristan? It seemed as if it was about me?"

"Oh nothing, Chloe, I'll call you later. I desperately want to get on with the plan to stop Jack selling stuff."

Just then, the doorbell rang, and it was Leslie the archaeologist with a couple of assistants. They were going to start on the glass screen and door in the big drawing room.

There was a small truck outside with timber in it, and a white dog in the passenger seat looking out of the open window. He was eyeing us with hope, I thought. He looked cute as one eye had a black circle of fur around it, and on his otherwise totally white face, it looked like an eye patch.

Leslie's big four-wheel drive with the county, archaeology department, logo was out there too.

I took her straight to the big drawing room and told her I was about to make coffee if they would like me to bring some. That seemed to do down well. I left them talking to each other about the job they had to do.

I went back to the kitchen and found Tristan and Corbett had gone out onto the patio with Charlie, who was watching a wasp in the plants there.

Tristan came forward to me and put a hand on my upper arm. He gently kissed my cheek. "I'll call you," he said, and I gave Corbett a little wave as they both started up the path to the woods.

Chapter Fourteen

I made coffee for the new work team and put a packet of chocolate biscuits on the tray. When I took it down to the big drawing room, I asked Leslie how long the job might take, and she said a few days.

In my room, I picked up Tristan's ring from on my desk next to the whole roundel, which featured both Oliver and Tristan as knights. I put the ring on and ran my fingertip across the big red stone. It felt like satin, just as the other big red stones in the 'Eleanor treasure' had done. I put it down thinking Tristan was so kind. I felt miserable for him thinking Jack might sell the stables, this house, and the woods that Tristan seemed to love. It was obvious Tristan wasn't possession oriented when in all this time he hadn't amassed his own fortune, nor insisted on some of the Dearing property deeds being in his name. I guessed that he'd always been thinking of what he owed the Dearings for keeping him a secret, and for protecting the stained glass in the abbey. I was shocked by Jack's attitude. It occurred to me that maybe Jack didn't fully understand what Tristan was. Some small seed of fear for Tristan dropped into my mind. If Jack found out about Tristan's blood, maybe he would find a way to make money from that. As it was, he seemed only to know that the stained glass kept Tristan alive. I looked at my cell phone. I wanted to ask Tristan right then about the extent of Jack's understanding of his condition, but I didn't, because Tristan had enough on his mind.

I was standing next to my big cupboard, and I suddenly had the idea to look at the treasure. I carefully opened just the one pouch. What if one of these stones was worth so much it could make Tristan rich? You hear about the Hope diamond and similar jewels. Maybe if Tristan was independently wealthy, he could just buy his own house, the woods and stables from the Dearings, and get the deeds in his own name. I was trying to remember what he had said about my dad not knowing the house was his, because the 'Dearing Trust' appeared as owning it. That's what was wrong. Tristan was swallowed up in the 'Dearing Trust'. Tristan worked hard, and it would have been inconceivable to him that Jack would keep wanting to sell the places that were the closest to his heart.

I had one of the biggest red stones in my hand and I looked at it. I would love to know what this stuff was worth, just for Tristan's sake.

I went to my computer and Googled dealers in precious stones.

There were quite a few in a nearby city, and naturally heaps in London. I was interested in one that was on the outskirts of a nearby city. It seemed to be a very big operation, and had its own auction house. It had some endorsements from very big names in the art and antique auction world, I read on Google.

I desperately wanted to help Tristan, and I wondered if Oliver was available that afternoon. I didn't want to disturb him if he was working, and we had arranged to go to Kool Kafé that night, but I decided to call and check.

Oliver said he could be with me about three if that was any good, and I decided that it would be quicker if I met him at his place. It might take a half hour to get to the dealers.

I weighed the red stone in my hand. I had no idea what it weighed and from the website, I realized it had to be in carats anyway. There was no way I knew what they felt like.

I got the beautiful green stone out of the pouch, the one that looked like green water from some tropical island pool. I would take both of these.

I printed out the address and Google directions to get there and put the stones in the button down pocket of my jean jacket. It's one thing showing the things to a dealer, and quite another to have lost them, I thought as I pulled my cell phone out of my jeans pocket. I went off to Oliver's place about fifteen minutes before three and arrived just as he was pulling into his drive in the old Land Rover.

He got out smiling at me. "What are you up to then?" he called, as I got out of my Wrangler and walked towards him.

I was grinning, and having already outlined my plan to Oliver on the phone just filled him in on where exactly I wanted to go and why. He said he would drive and knew the route into the next city.

On the way, I told Oliver about the whole sorry situation, and he was just as appalled as I was that no deed was in Tristan's name.

"The Dearings might have been protecting Tristan but it's turned out that Jack at least may have also been protecting himself. Haven't you always had a sneaking feeling there was more to him hiding Tristan's sword and the other archaeological finds in the base of that globe?" Oliver asked, as I finished the story.

"I wanted to think it was to protect Tristan but who knows now? Oliver, I wonder what it would take for Tristan to set up his own trust. He could use the income from the 'Eleanor treasure', or some of it, to purchase his house, woods, and his stables, and for that matter, anything else he wanted of the estates. If it was a generic name, like 'The Waterfall Trust' or something, Jack wouldn't know it was Tristan. Not to be malicious, but just for Tristan to be independent, if it solved Jack's problems then what harm could it do?"

Having set up his own company, Oliver might know something that would help.

He had stopped at a junction and he glanced at me with a smile on his face, and then turned left.

"You are the master planner, Chloe, but it's a good idea, and there will be ways as long as Tristan has proof of identity, as in modern day stuff. Does he have a passport or anything? Maybe not, how would he do that unless someone had helped forge a birth certificate. Tell you what, I'll ask my dad, he helped me, sometimes it's handy to have a lawyer for a father."

I leaned across the seat and kissed him quickly on the cheek.

"Thanks Oliver, I think Tristan really needs help this time what with the portal and all."

"Hell, I had forgotten the portal for just a minute there, any news on that?" Oliver said laughingly.

"Not today Oliver, but guess what, Corbett and Laura seem to be becoming an item."

Oliver laughed out loud. "Poor Corbett, no, that's unkind. She has changed quite a bit, and if they care for each other the best of luck to them both. Though I've heard long distance relationships never work, and a thousand years is a fair distance." He laughed again and I smiled.

"Maybe Corbett will not go back, who knows."

Oliver stopped laughing. "Maybe," he said.

We had reached the Auction house. It was very big, they had a huge car park to the left of the front entrances, and we could drive straight into it as we approached on the road from the left.

Chapter Fifteen

There was a big door open at the side of their building that faced into the car park. It was like one of those big barn doors that opened and you could drive a tractor into it. Outside a van was parked and men in maroon colored, cotton canvas coats were unloading things from the van. Some of the things were visible but others were in crates. The men wore white gloves and were handling the items expertly and swiftly.

A glass door to the right of this big door was closed up. It had a big logo embossed onto the glass. Oliver and I walked around to the front. There were two doors side by side, one was embossed Stannidge Art and Antiques Dealers and Auctioneers and the other door was embossed, Dealers in Fine Jewelry and Precious stones. This door was the one we wanted. It was locked and there was a doorbell. We didn't know if we should ring the bell or not.

We decided to go into the open door of the auction side, and ask if the 'precious stone people' were open. A tall woman in a lovely, fuchsia pink dress and jacket told us they were open and to go ahead and ring the doorbell. She was very elegant. Her nails were French polished, and her hair pulled back in a glossy, dark brown chignon. She was also very nice and gave us a smile saying again, to 'just go and ring the doorbell.'

Oliver and I almost backed away from her, and then we turned and went back out of the door. Outside, I rang the doorbell of the precious stone dealers. A woman opened the door. She was older than the other one and not quite as tall, but still her navy blue, business suit looked very expensive, and she wore almost an identical navy blue top under the jacket. Her nails were pink, and her blonde hair cut into a bobbed style.

When I told her that I had a couple of stones, and I hoped someone might tell me what they were, even if they couldn't tell me the value, she smiled a kind smile and said Mr. Edward Stannidge was in, and he would look. She went through a glass partition that had seemed like a wall of glass to me, but somehow a door had appeared for her. The place was very swish, opulent even, cool and decorated in muted colors. There was a single photograph on the wall adjacent to the glass door wall, it was very large and showed an excellent necklace, like a golden, lace collar, with a huge blue stone glittering and hanging like a teardrop from it. It looked like some ancient Egyptian artifact.

Mr. Edward Stannidge was younger than I expected, perhaps thirty. Plain gray suit, white shirt, he introduced himself, and we went to sit at a dark wooden table with him that was just inside the glass door area. I went into 'Chloe the liar mode' as if I was born to it.

"I have these pebbles from when I was little. My grandfather and I dug them up in a desert area we used to go to, near Albuquerque. We got an arrowhead one year too, that's in a museum as it turned out to be ancient Native American, Anasazi Indian. Anyway, here are the pebbles. I was going to get the red one cut into a teardrop shape for a necklace, but one of my friends said it was probably worth a couple of hundred pounds, and I should at least find out if it would cut up, as it may just shatter. The other one grandpa and I always thought was a bit of glass because it shimmers."

|I put the stones on this rubbery looking mat he put down as I talked.

He looked at them and at me a couple of times as I spoke. He got out an eyeglass and checked the two stones. Then he asked if I would like to come with him to look more closely at them. I followed him to another area of the place. He had little scales and computerized machines in there, and a sort of telescope attached to a computer. He seemed also to be checking a document on a laptop for a moment. I was busy checking out the whole place, which seemed completely made of glass with invisible doors. The area we were in you could see Oliver still sitting at the table through the glass, but I knew he couldn't see us.

Mr. Stannidge took me back to the table and put the stones on the mat.

I had introduced myself as Chloe Stewart, which was my grandmother's name, and he addressed me now.

"Miss Stewart, these pebbles as you call them are precious stones. The red one is very fine and at eleven carats, and as a 'pigeon blood ruby', a buyer might pay more than a hundred thousand pounds per carat for it. The 'piece of glass' is one of the finest emeralds I've ever seen, first water, and just over sixteen carats, so a buyer might pay more than a million pounds for it."

I just looked at him stunned. "Sorry, Mr. Stannidge, could there be a mistake? I've another bigger red one and a blue lump of glass too at home on my desk. You know they are keepsakes as my grandpa is dead now."

"I assure you Miss Stewart. I can of course understand if you would like a second opinion." He smiled at me. "Seriously, here is my card. I can find buyers for these stones and I'll look at the other 'pebble' and 'lump of glass' for you, should you want to drop by with them, it will be my pleasure." I took his card and just to show I was nonchalant about the stones I spun the red one around on the mat as I thanked him. I picked the two stones up, and he winced slightly when I stuffed them into my jean jacket pocket again. The blonde woman appeared, we were shown out of the place, and the locked door clicked again behind us.

I grabbed Oliver's hand as we hit the pavement, and held it very tightly. He had been silent all this time. "Chloe did you and your grandfather really find an Anasazi arrowhead?"

I breathed out. I felt almost dizzy after that shocking display in the dealers, and I tightened my hand over Oliver's as we went down the car park.

"Yes that part is true," I told Oliver.

He stopped walking and so I had to. "Chloe, that's quite a grip you've got on my hand. I think its stopping my circulation, there will definitely be a mark either way. I think it's safe for you to let go. No one seems to be following us."

I looked at him, then let go of his hand. "Oliver that was so scary. I kept thinking he would phone the police or ask for some kind of ID, and when he said how much the things were worth I very nearly stopped breathing."

He shook his hand as I let it go. "Chloe, it's okay, you did well, you did it for Tristan, no one is hurt, and nothing is lost. On the contrary if Tristan sells these then he could get his house in his own name and maybe the stables too."

I sighed. "Thanks Oliver, sorry about your hand, do you want to go and get coffee or something before we go home, or maybe just get the stones back in the cupboard. Sorry yes, let's do that. I suddenly feel afraid I might lose them. That would be dreadful. Thank heavens we are going to Kool Kafé tonight. I don't think I could be in the same room as the 'Eleanor treasure' all night."

Oliver laughed. "It's the same stuff that's been in the tunnel for weeks Chloe, and you were okay with it last night, it's just the shock of how valuable those two stones are. Who knows those two may be the pick of the bunch. I bet the blue ones and the clear ones are worth a quid each or something."

We got into the car and Oliver drove us to his place, where I picked up my Wrangler. Oliver kissed me through my open driver's side window, before I drove away. He was still coming over to get me about eight.

Chapter Sixteen

It was five thirty when I arrived home. I saw that Leslie and her carpenters had already left. Once inside the house, I went to see how far they had gone with the glassing in of the secret fireplace room. Basically not far, it seemed to me that they had only put up some wooden frames on the outside of the fireplace. A wooden beam, if it could be called that, as it wasn't very thick, was suspended from the frame and a bolt in the back wall. The place was festooned with standing lights and rope lights, and switching them on, I looked at Eleanor.

The sight of her face had me thinking about Tristan and turning the lights off I went out of the big drawing room and up to my own room. I went straight to my desk and sat down at my netbook. I made a list of things to do.

Oliver updates the Dearing website. I design a flier to cross-market the arts and crafts holidays. I talk with Liz about the birthday party. I also talk with her about advertising the arts holiday venture.

If you're thinking what would I know about these things well in the last year at school for Business studies, we had to form little business enterprise task teams and do exactly that. This would be easier since there was already a product, we'd had to design that first in school.

I took the two stones out of my jean jacket pocket and looked at them. I never expected them to be so valuable.

I went to my armoire and looked at the pouch I had taken them from. Picking it up I took it to my desk and poured the contents onto my desk gently. I took out the largest blue stone, it looked like blue water contained in a shape by some indefinable boundary. I put it with the two stones I had taken to the dealers. Then I picked out the biggest red stone. It was like a glowing ember. I placed that alongside the three stones. I put everything else back in the pouch and returned the pouch to Tristan's box inside the cupboard. I put those four stones inside a sock and put them next to the pouches in the box. I thought these would be the stones that if sold might stop Tristan from having to let Jack sell this house, his horse, and stables. I wanted to call Tristan and check if he had been to a jeweler, and for about ten minutes, I stared out of my big window across at the woods, thinking about if I should call him. I was wondering if he would mind about me having been to a dealer with the other stones. In a way I had brought those stones to attention, and I thought now if others were suddenly found, maybe questions would be asked. Who knew what path to take that would be the safest. I had no doubt in my mind that Tristan should try to claim some of his heritage. You can't live for almost a thousand years and your home still exists but you can't have it, that's ridiculous, especially if you have worked to keep it in existence for hundreds of years. I got out my cell phone and called Tristan.

His voicemail was on. I left a message saying, 'hi,' and that 'I would call him some other time.'

I decided to shower and put on a dress to go to the Kool Kafé, it would be nice to dress-up and go out. Having decided on the violet dress, I took out the blue shoes that had a bit more heel than I usually wore. I hadn't worn them since I had seen the 'other Oliver.' I thought about that, should I wear them? They were just shoes. I put them on.

Downstairs mom was in the kitchen with Steven and John they were talking about school, which started next week. I joined them at the big table. I asked Steven if he had started looking for a car yet, and he had. John and he had been looking at a couple of car yards that afternoon with John's big brother. He had seen a car he wanted mom to look at and they were going to see it the next day. Mom asked me where I was off to that night looking so pretty and I told her Kool Kafé with Oliver.

That seemed to be the cue for him to arrive. I heard a car on the drive and the doorbell rang shortly after. Oliver was standing at the door. He looked so gorgeous. He was wearing a pale blue shirt with a double white stripe through it and jeans. He smiled his lovely smile and came in to say hello to mom. They talked for a few minutes about computer stuff and I watched Oliver, he was so good to look at. Steven caught my eye and made a face at me then grinned. I grinned back at him.

We parked in the library car park, and walked through the churchyard to the street where Kool Kafé was situated.

Oliver had already told me he thought I looked great in the dress and now with his arm around me walking down the street to the café he said, "Hey, I haven't seen you wear those shoes before. They're different for you Chloe, but very cool."

I smiled slightly and slipped my arm around his waist, at which he smiled more.

We could see The Kool Kafé as we walked down the street. The fairy lights, and twig lights already glowing. The place was already quite full, and despite it was nearly dark there were still people at all the outside tables and we went into the building and down to the table area in there.

Samantha was already serving someone at a table near the one we chose and as she emptied her tray of their order, she swung by to us with a big smile. I thought she had grown. She looked taller and more grown up somehow. It could have been her hair, because she had it swept up instead of in a ponytail, and she wore a new style of white top. It was a long sleeved, white T-shirt with random silver-white bursts of sequins, and bits of lace. It was very cool and I wouldn't have minded one myself. I told her this as we ordered and she said, "Mom likes the wait staff to go sparkly as autumn arrives." She had enjoyed my compliment and went off still smiling.

I turned to Oliver. "Is it autumn Oliver? I can't believe how quickly time has gone."

Oliver nodded. "Strictly speaking, but the weather and darkness will only creep upon us in October. So far September is lovely don't you think?" I did and told him this.

Secretly I wanted to cling onto summer.

Oliver had his head close to mine to talk and we looked up to see Liz and Will approaching. It was good to see them. They sat down with and talked firstly about the band, and then about how pleased Will was that he had finished school for good. He was going to take a gap year and see how his music went before going to university having deferred a place he had won to do a degree in his beloved subject, music. The band was doing so well, and Steven and John his friend, had voiced their disdain for the new school year. They would continue to play with the band of course, but still school took up a fair chunk of time.

Will had asked Oliver how his Computer business was doing, and he was answering, when I saw Clare and James coming along towards us. It was lovely to see them, and they rounded up some chairs to sat with us. I talked with James about the fireplace in the big drawing room, and told him how Leslie the archaeologist had been there today to oversee the start of the protection work for the mural and ancient stonework. Clare caught my attention by adding yet another chair to the table, and Ben sat down too to the left of us. Everyone seemed to be happily talking and as I looked about me, James having started to talk with Ben, I was suddenly aware that Laura was heading our way. She was leading Corbett, holding his hand, and turning occasionally to smile at him and check his progress through the crowd. At the table, she introduced Corbett telling us he was French, and spoke no English. I smiled at her and at Corbett who did the tiniest bow to me. We got more chairs around the quite small table and Samantha was summoned for orders of coffee and juices. Oliver put his arm around my shoulders and pulled me to him gently. I turned to him, and he kissed me.

It was only by chance I saw Corbett watching us. I had tried to move my chair along for Samantha to get by to another table, and realized he was looking intently at Oliver and me. I saw him say something to Laura then and she looked at us. I smiled at her and she did smile back, but when she spoke again to Corbett, he didn't smile again, and looked at me strangely.

I knew it was because he must have thought I was Tristan's girl, after seeing us together in the kitchen. The situation had to be confusing for him I had stopped hearing the music and the chatter. I had stopped seeing the fairy lights and the glitter of Samantha's T-shirt. It was suddenly and glaringly apparent that the only person not out here tonight with everyone, even though we hadn't arranged to meet, and had happened upon each other by chance, was Tristan. I didn't like it. It just didn't feel right. I leaned forward and yelled to Laura, you had to now the band was in full swing for their first set,

"Laura, do you know what Tristan is doing tonight?"

She frowned at me, which I took to mean she hadn't heard me correctly. I stood up, walked the two paces to be very close to her, and leaned in to her ear space asking her the question again. This time she turned to me and I inclined my ear to her.

"I don't really know. He may have been in the greenhouses earlier this evening. He wasn't in the house when Corbett and I left." I turned my face back to talk in her ear.

"Did Corbett ask about Oliver and me just now, it's important to me to know what he said?"

She sighed and then said in my ear. "He said that he thought you and Tristan were together, and he was sad to see that you are with Oliver, as he knows Tristan loves you."

I looked at her before I said anything back. I looked at her to make sure she could see how sincere I was.

"I was just thinking how I wished Tristan was here with us all. The night has lost its luster for me, seeing everyone here but him. What did you say to Corbett?"

She sighed again, but to her credit turned and said in my ear, "I told him that Tristan knows about Oliver, and that he must speak to Tristan to find out the situation from him."

I nodded at her. When I looked across at Corbett, he looked at me with confusion in his pretty eyes, silvery in the fairy lights. I smiled straight at him and nodded my head. For some reason it was important to me that he didn't think I didn't love Tristan.

I sat back down next to Oliver. He was talking with Ben, and picking up my cell phone I went outside and called Tristan. The air was much cooler out there, and the music muted. There were still a few people at the outdoor tables, and I went to one end of the wall leaning against it as I waited for Tristan to pick up. I thought he wasn't going to when suddenly he did.

"Tristan, where are you? I'm at Kool Kafé and everyone seems to be here except you. What are you doing?" It seemed sad that he wasn't there too. I knew I had gone there with Oliver, and I think if it had remained just us two, I would not have rung Tristan.

Tristan seemed to hesitate slightly. "I'm in the greenhouses. I just felt like being here in the calm amongst the plants. I finished an order and it's in the cool room now ready for delivery. I just sat down with some coffee to think."

I could picture him in the little office.

"Tristan, did you find anything out about the stones? Did you go to a jeweler?"

"I did, although I didn't bother with the city, I just went to the one at the end of the high street. They said I should get a further opinion, but that in their opinion the stones are each worth many thousands of pounds. I've decided to go through with the plan to pretend Corbett and I find a pouch in the font. I was just thinking it over now and it seems a reasonable thing to do. Could I drop by tomorrow morning to get one and just get on with this deception before I lose my nerve?"

I raised my eyebrows to myself. "Tristan, it's not malicious deception. It's just to make sure you have your house, and also don't forget the 'Eleanor treasure' is actually rightfully yours, since it belonged to your father."

I heard Tristan sigh. "I know, although it was left for Richard and Eleanor, but still it wasn't my fault they didn't receive it, and we know what happened when I tried to change that. It comes to me next as my father's heir. I miss you Chloe, are you with Oliver?"

I told him yes and that Corbett was looking a bit puzzled about that. He laughed a little then, but I could tell he was sad.

I asked him if he could get down here to Kool Kafé, that it was still early enough to come over, as it took hardly any time to get down here. I could almost hear him shake his head. "No I think I'll go to see Cedric, maybe take a few apples over. I'll drop by tomorrow, Chloe." I told him to take care and that I was thinking of him and we ended the call. I was thinking of him too, the old worry over loving both him and Oliver was uppermost in my heart.

I went back inside the café. Clare came to me in the small corridor asking where I had got to, and I told her I had to make a phone call. We walked back into the heart of the café together, and Oliver walked up to the back of the room and met me. Putting his arms around me, he swung me over to one side, and we stayed there at the back where it was a little quieter for a while.

"I can't believe everyone has shown up like this, just co-incidentally. I knew everyone except the older staff and a couple of agency workers had the night off because we are all working tomorrow on the wedding reception, but who knew everyone would show up here?" He laughed.

He was still holding me and bent his head to kiss me. I smiled at him, kissing him back. "It's fun though, isn't it Oliver?"

He nodded, and we just leaned against each other watching the others talk and listening to the last song in the band's set.

When the band was off, CD music was played. It was a lovely album with lots of softer and slower tracks. To the lovely strange lyrics of 'Flightless Bird', we watched Laura and Corbett dance close together, totally in harmony. No gap between them as they had their arms around each other, they seemed lost in an effortless flow of steps.

Obviously, Kool Kafé had burned a compilation themselves because I knew, 'Love and Some Verses' didn't follow in the album but it came on next. Laura and Corbett just flowed straight on into this song.

"Looks to me as if they are a couple," Oliver commented with a gentle smile, and nodded at them. I looked around at him and nodded too. Some part of me suddenly wanted that too. It couldn't ever be though, could it? Not when I loved both Tristan and Oliver, unable to let either go.

Oliver sensed my strange emotion and tightened his hold on me just a little. He didn't kiss me, but put his cheek against mine, and rocked me slightly. How was I ever going to give up Oliver I thought, and as I put my arms up around his neck holding head to mine gently, I could actually hear Tristan as he had said 'I miss you Chloe are you with Oliver.' I sighed, how was I ever going to give up Tristan?

Later, Oliver and I were walking back through the churchyard to the car park. It was a soft night, and the satin air was back. Oliver had his arm around me. We stopped at the end of the path and he went down the step and turned to me. I slowly hugged him close. I was kissing him and he kissed me too. I felt as if we were wrapped in silk, just softly merging into each other. It was a moment of complete sensation. All I could feel was Oliver's kiss. I put my hands up into his shirt where it was out of his jeans. I wanted to feel his skin, and I traced my fingers around his waist, and up his back to his shoulders. I was pressed against him and kissing him. I heard him catch his breath and he suddenly let go of me. He moved slightly from me, his arms by his side.

I stopped kissing him as he whispered, "Chloe, I don't know if you know," then he took a breath, "if you know what you are doing." I took my hands out of his shirt and put them behind my back. I moved a little away from him I wasn't sure and so I didn't speak. I stood there looking down at the ground.

He took my hand and we went on to the car park, silently. When we got to the Land Rover Oliver gave me a quick hug. "We're okay?" It was a question about what had happened back there at the entrance to the church pathway.

"Yes I think so," I told him, and he smiled opening the door.

On the drive home, I was thinking about that moment when all I wanted to do was feel his skin and the way we seemed to be wrapped in silk. It was the first time I had realized there was something different now about the way I felt with Oliver and the way I felt with Tristan.

Oliver broke my reverie. 'You're deep in thought Chloe?"

I made myself smile. "Sorry Oliver."

He didn't say anything else.

At my house, he came to the door with me, and just held my hand as he kissed me quickly. "I think I'll go home Chloe, because it's quite late now."

I was crushed. Oliver always hung out a little even when it was late. He knew it of course and suddenly relented. He put his arms around me and kissed me again this time not quickly. "I love you very much," he said. "Remember that."

Then he sighed. "I'm going home though, I have to," and he smiled. I watched him drive away from my doorway. I was thinking had I somehow driven him away, concluding that I couldn't have because after all, he had just told me he loved me.

Chapter Seventeen

I was already at the table when Liz arrived on Saturday lunchtime. She smiled. This was her break time, but she had wanted to meet and talk about the party for Will and Steven. She said my dad had everything under control and since we had booked a DJ for after the band had performed, we seemed to be a bit superfluous. I laughed at this, and asked about the invitations. It seemed Will and Steven had taken care of that.

"It's good to be able to talk with you alone Chloe," Liz said, and I noticed a slight waver in her tone. I smiled at her and gave her a look, which I hoped was encouraging.

"I'm concerned about Tristan. I heard Jack, and he arguing the other day, and it was very bleak. I've never heard Tristan raise his voice and he sounded so upset. Then last night Tristan and Jack had another argument just before I left to meet Will. I haven't seen Tristan to talk to him. I knocked on his bedroom door this morning before I came to work. There was no answer so I went in, and it looked as if he hadn't been to bed last night. Is there any chance you know what might be going on? I've drawn away from sort of 'policing' what happens to Tristan since he asked me to, but I still love and care for him."

She was frowning and I knew she cared about Tristan.

"Liz sorry to have to talk about Dearing business, but I think the trouble is about the Arts and crafts holiday venture overspend." I hardly had the words from my mouth when she started to talk again.

"That's such a problem. It has cost about twice as much as we thought it would and especially converting the west wing into en suite accommodation, that's really done the damage. The other issue is, we contracted local artists to do the workshops for the first six months, and they are paid even if they don't come in. I don't know who thought that was a good idea. The issue is Jack wants to sell off more of the estate, but I don't know what yet."

I looked at her sympathetically because I already knew Tristan's feelings.

"Liz, maybe that's what they were arguing about, Tristan is very upset about what Jack wants to sell. I think it would be better if Tristan told you as it is family business. It's horrible. Do you think we could help Tristan? Maybe we could have Oliver update your website, organize an event that would market the venture locally at least, and cross promote the venture with all the other events that take place. Such a lot happens around here it seems odd that this has fallen into such a hole, what do you say Liz I really could help, at least we could try?"

She seemed doubtful for a moment and then to my great relief she broke into a big smile saying, "Okay, that's great, why not. I can email you the website passwords and I'll email you the details of the venture. We've advertised but only a few times. I would like Jack to okay this, but I'm sure he will, because we are in such a mess, so let's start right away."

I was pleased because I knew what I had thought of doing was really quite easy, and I could start right away.

Having talked about the unpleasant stuff I asked about Will's present, did she think a gift voucher from the music shop would be a good idea? She beamed saying it was perfect for Will. Her lunch break was nearly over and I told her I was hoping to see Tristan later. I told her how sorry I was for Tristan and that I had tried to get him to come out last night when everyone had turned up at Kool Kafé. We both smiled a little about Laura and Corbett, but I did say I thought it was great to see Laura so happy.

I wanted to get some photographs of the arts buildings and accommodation for the advertising I planned, so I asked Liz if I could have her permission to pop up to the big house and take some. She agreed happily and then Patricia walked by and waved to Liz.

"That was my cue I'm needed back on duty, everyone is working tonight because the wedding reception will be huge." She grinned as she left the table.

I sat there thinking for a few minutes, and then I went to say hi to dad.

When I saw him he was standing with Patrick to one side of the big kitchen, he saw me and smiled.

Patrick went off to a stovetop and I went to dad explaining I had just been with Liz and it seemed there was nothing to do for Steven and Will's party next Saturday.

He grinned. "Sandy my PA organized the lot, she's used to it and the food is easily done, so all is well. What are you plotting, Chloe, you have your plotting face on?"

That made me laugh especially since I had no idea I had a plotting face.

"Nothing Dad." I smiled.

He kissed me on the forehead before I left through the back door.

I went off down the pathway home. The sun was out, and little bits of white clouds were moving across the light blue sky. I was determined to get on with helping Tristan, and I wondered what he was up to. I called him, his voicemail was on, and I left a message asking him to call when he could.

To my surprise when I got home, there was a dark red Citroen in the drive, a small model. I looked around it. The car looked new. It was a nice looking little car and I was expecting a visitor to be inside, but only mom and Steven were in the kitchen giggling and carrying on.

"Hey, Mom, Steven, whose car is that on the drive?" I asked them, taking a chocolate, sultana cluster from a packet that was open on the table.

Steven bounced up and down. "That's mine, mom got it for my birthday, and it has to cover Christmas too. We have some L plates that we are just about to affix, and mom is taking me on the roads just around here, so I can get used to driving a little before my first lesson this afternoon."

I went to him and hugged him. "Have a great time, it's a cool car Steven," I said to him. He was so excited.

I asked mom if I could borrow her good camera, as I wanted to get some photographs for Liz to market the arts holiday venture at the Dearing place. She told me it was in the study in the usual place and I went off to get it.

I was on the way to the Dearing place in my Wrangler, when my cell phone rang. The lane was clear and hardly any traffic came this way, so I veered to the hedge, and answered it, leaving my indicator going, and my foot on the brake. It was Tristan. I told him I was just on my way to the Dearing place. He told me that he had hoped to catch me and ask me to bring him one of the 'Eleanor treasure' pouches. I told him it was no problem to turn around and get it. He was grateful and asked could I come up to the greenhouses with it.

On the way back to my place I was amused by the way we didn't have much respect for the 'Eleanor treasure', here I was just going back for a pouch of it as if it was a DVD or something someone had asked to borrow.

Mom and Steven had gone out already so I dashed up the stairs and took the pouch with the jewelry in it as well as some stones, carefully concealing the box behind stuff in my cupboard again.

Chapter Eighteen

I drove over to the Dearings and parked at the end of their big car park. I needed to walk to the greenhouse from there and looked around in my Wrangler for something to put the treasure pouch in. I was using a bag for litter in my car door compartment, so I took that and put the pouch in amongst the few bits of litter. I had reached the first greenhouse and Tristan came out of the door at the front end.

His smile when he saw me was enough to break my heart. I walked quickly to him and let him fold me in his arms as I was carrying both the camera and the treasure.

"Chloe, it's good to see you, why have you got the camera?" He said as I gave him the litterbag containing the treasure pouch.

I quickly told him about giving the marketing of the new venture a go and about my conversation with Liz. He listened thoughtfully then smiled again.

"You never stop do you, Chloe, thanks so much, it's so good to have you on my side."

We went into the greenhouse and Tristan took the pouch out of the litterbag. He poured the contents of the pouch onto the nearest clear work bench, and we looked at the jewelry and the stones. There was a good assortment and I raised my eyebrows at Tristan.

"This should be worth at least a couple of million, I guess."

"As much as that, do you think?" He asked hopefully. I thought maybe more.

"Tristan, I got a couple of stones valued for you yesterday. Oliver helped me. They were worth around two million pounds together because of their rarity and size. I have another plan for you as a failsafe if Jack doesn't change his mind about your property after this treasure finding idea."

Tristan leaned back on the bench. He seemed shocked.

"Chloe, I'll say it again it's good to have you on my side." He looked a little pale.

"I had an argument with Jack because he's already called in an agent to get going on the sales. I need to act fast, and I was, as you know, going to ask Corbett to give me a good excuse to find the treasure, but I find myself firstly worrying about involving him and secondly wanting to do it today. He's out with Laura. She's not working until the seven o'clock shift and she's taken him to the archery club to practice. I'll say this for her she's been like an angel since she met him."

I had put the camera down on the bench and held out my hands to take his.

Instead, he took my hands and put them around his waist, then put his arms around me. He just sighed then asked, "Chloe, will you say you found the treasure in the font?"

I screwed my eyes up waiting for inspiration, 'how would that work' I was thinking, and then I realized.

"Yes, it's easy. I'll say it happened when I was down there getting photos for the new marketing campaign, after all this place is a great place to stay not just for the art workshops, but the history you can amble amongst."

"Really, you'll do it? I'm sorry it's involving you in some kind of lie," Tristan started to say.

I wanted to reassure him. Giving him the main ideas I said, "It's not a lie. I'm doing photos for that venture, and Liz has given me verbal permission, you are with me, it's a good angle to add to the marketing campaign. What's more, a treasure find could have all kinds of people zooming down here. We may have a runaway success on our hands." I really believed it too.

"Maybe Jack will not want people knowing about the treasure, but otherwise can we do it now?" Tristan's hopeful tone was childlike, and I looked at him, his eyes so blue and clear. I felt, and not for the first time, so very protective of him.

"Yes Tristan, let's get going. First we photograph the arts buildings then some of the accommodation, then the surrounding historical background, incidentally 'finding' the treasure, it's the believable route," I said softly. He kissed me then and I felt a surge of love for him.

Tristan held the litterbag with the pouch of treasure in it and we went off. I photographed the arts buildings, which were very sophisticated, and the gardens too that surrounded them. The west wing accommodation had a side entrance with a security key pad, and Tristan explained this was for staff and the door opened after he had punched in his number. We went in.

The place was lovely, and I wondered what they were going to charge for the rooms. I told Tristan I would need that information. He went behind the reception desk and got out brochures, which whilst they were only one page, had all the prices on them. I studied the brochure.

It was glossy and reasonably laid out, but who had ever seen them? I asked Tristan if he had any spares and there was a box of two hundred behind the desk. We left them on the counter top for later. I stuffed one in my jeans pocket. I needed one at least right then.

We got down to the task of photographing historical and other points of interest, finally arriving at the church.

Inside Tristan started to fret a little, 'what ifs' tumbling from his mouth. I took the treasure pouch from him.

"Tristan you open the Griffin."

He did quite easily, and I put the pouch inside. I scraped it around the cavity so that bits of old stone grime, and stuff was on the pouch. Then we put it in the bag of litter again and left the Griffin levered open as if I had leaned on it and it had opened.

"Tristan have you told James the story yet? You said you were going to," I queried.

"No I couldn't think of what to say. Maybe we could just let everyone believe the story. It's so hard to lie to someone like James, and yet I can't tell him the whole story either. I hate this, Chloe. It hurts to do it all."

I watched him turn around to the door of the church. He was so upset by all of this.

"Tristan it has to be done. When you fought off those robbers back when we were in the eleven hundreds together, did you hesitate to fight? No, and this is the same. You must fight for your rights and if it takes a few machinations, then so be it, think of it as a sword fight."

He turned back to me and was frowning. "You're right. I didn't think of it like that and it helps to do so. The fact is I thought last night when I was riding, if I don't do something then I'll not have Cedric. I might as well have never taken care of the hunting lodge all these years. I couldn't sleep last night and I thought about using the portal to just disappear into the old days, when I could just be the knight I was, but it's not what I want really."

I took a deep breath, and then I took his hand. "Let's go to Jack, will he be home?" I asked.

"Yes he and Jonathon are in today, they will just be having a drink in the study about now if we hurry up." Tristan had cheered up considerably.

Chapter Nineteen

We walked quickly to the Dearing house. It was a fair walk to do at a clip, and because Tristan simply races along, I had to ask him to slow down. He apologized as usual and put his arm around my shoulders as we finished the journey.

We burst into the Dearing house. McPherson came up the hall, but Tristan said it was okay to her and we kind of burst into the study. Tristan immediately telling Jack I had found something, in a secret compartment in the font at the old church. Jack was on his feet and heading for me like a shot.

I held my hands up to show him they were empty because Tristan had the pouch. Tristan got the pouch out of the bag and the crinkle of the plastic alerted Jack to the whereabouts of the treasure. He turned on his heel and headed for Tristan. Tell you what, he might have had a heart attack that time, but from the speed he was doing right then, he was obviously fully recovered.

Tristan dropped the pouch into his hands and Jack stopped still looking at it. He went back to his chair and sat down with the pouch in his hands.

"Jack open it," Tristan urged, and to help him, he went over to the window and took a little table from a nest of three that was under the window and brought it to Jack. Jack gingerly poured out the contents onto the inlaid leather top of the little table.

Jonathon let out a whistle, at the sight of the stones and jewelry. Jack pushed them lightly around with his ring finger. It was already adorned with a heavy gold signet ring, and I thought that was probably worth a few hundred pounds right there.

"Mr. Dearing" I ventured. "Could they be diamonds, and rubies? I think that they could be real precious stones."

He seemed to remember I was there and asked me how I had found them, so I gave him the pre-arranged story just like the proficient liar I had become. He swallowed it and as I had brandished my camera around at the same time for effect, he asked if I had got any photos of the font. I told him I had but not of the treasure compartment as we had hightailed it up to see him on finding the pouch.

I shut up then just in case I overdid the lie. Tristan was standing looking at Jack expectantly, and when Jack said nothing else, he finally asked what Jack thought of the find.

Jack looked at the stuff again and said, there had always been a bit of a legend that some ancestor had left some kind of treasure hidden somewhere when he went off to a war, this was obviously it. Then to my horror, he said that he thought it would not be worth much. I looked quickly at Tristan before I addressed Jack as I couldn't contain myself, "Mr. Dearing, I think you will find its worth a couple of million pounds at least."

"We'll see," he said, and I was so cross I excused myself saying I had to get going.

Tristan said, "Yes I have things to do too, so Jack, let me know what happens will you?" and without waiting for an answer he followed me out of the door.

I walked straight down the hall to the outside door and was on the car park before I let myself speak.

"I think we should instigate plan 'b' Tristan because he's going to hide the value from you I just know it."

Tristan put his arm around my shoulders and we walked along to the Wrangler in the far end of the car park. "Let's just give him a few days, Chloe, maybe he's shocked." I didn't say anything to that, because I was still incandescent.

I asked Tristan what he was doing for the rest of the evening and since he was doing nothing that he considered important, I suggested he come over to my place and we would get on with some plans.

It was hard not to call the house the hunting lodge as Tristan had been doing. It was interesting that he had started calling his house the hunting lodge which it had been when he was born. I guessed that it must be something to do with its potential loss.

The day was still very pretty and as I drove us home. I asked Tristan if he would like to walk over to the restaurant later, and just sit by the lake, that it might lift our spirits.

At home, Tristan made coffee and then having taken it up to my room I booted my computer and uploaded the photographs from mom's camera. I scanned the brochure I had folded in my jeans pocket and then I went to Tristan who was standing at the window.

"Tristan, Oliver and I were thinking to protect yourself you could form a trust of your own, or a company, or something anonymous. You could sell some of the stones and with the money buy the parts of the estate that you want using the trust or company as cover. Jack wouldn't know it was you, he would have the money, and you would have your stuff, all courtesy of the 'Eleanor treasure' or your father if you like."

I looked at him as he considered what I'd said

"I still feel bad about Richard. It's still horrible what happened to him." Tristan looked sadly out of the window.

I took his hand. "Tristan you have to get past that. You tried to change it and it didn't work."

"I know, I know, really I do. I don't know what's wrong with me I just seem to be at Jack's mercy. It doesn't feel like he has ever told me the truth."

I wanted Tristan to look forward and solve some stuff, and yes to outwit Jack if that's what was needed.

"Tristan maybe so, but now you have me and Oliver, and we can help you get some balance into the situation."

I held onto his hand and he turned to me, he smiled a wan little smile.

"Come on Tristan let's go for a walk," I pulled him along a little and he smiled.

We went along the usual path to the restaurant, and then skirted around to the lake edge through the garden beds because of the wedding. There were two marquees, and a swing band on a raised platform. The whole place was crowded with people and we made sure to stay away from them. We sat down on a bench at the far end of the lake and watched the festivities from a distance. There was a makeshift dance floor in front of the band, and people were dancing. I could hear what they were dancing to and believe me it was nothing I could dance to, but I wondered if Tristan could because after living all this time he must have come across a fair few dance styles.

There were already lights and lanterns lit on strings around the place, and I saw some of the wait staff I knew go out with trays of what must have been champagne. One of them was Oliver, and I watched him from this distance.

Tristan put his arm around me. "I'm suddenly tired," he told me, and rubbed his hand across his forehead.

"Liz said she thought you were out all night. Didn't you sleep at all?" I took hold of his other hand and squeezed it slightly in empathy for his tiredness.

"I didn't sleep. I was in the greenhouses, then I went riding, and then I went for a walk. Suddenly it was day and I just made coffee in the greenhouse office. I delivered the flower order that was in the cool room and stopped for apple pie then more or less that's it, my day before you came over, oh except I checked on Corbett and found he was going off with Laura."

I grinned at the apple pie bit. He had a history of eating apples that accounted for the fondness of apple pie.

"Hey, I guess Laura will be dropping Corbett at the Dearing house soon Tristan, because she has to come to work for the seven o'clock shift."

"That's true he will just go and see McPherson who will supply him with all manner of food and drink. He's taken to the place like a duck to water."

Tristan suddenly laughed and I looked at him and laughed too.

"Speaking of food and drink let's go to the hunting lodge and find something for dinner," I suggested, and Tristan laughed more repeating the hunting lodge as if that's not what he'd been calling it for days now. As we walked back the way we had come, I put my arm around him and he leaned in and kissed me on the cheek.

"Thanks Chloe," he said simply, and I didn't ask for elaboration.

There was a lot of food in the fridge to choose from, mom must have been out to the store as well as the car dealers with Steven.

I asked Tristan how long he would give Jack to back off selling the house, woods, and stables because I genuinely believed we needed to keep an eye on what was happening. I had started not to trust Jack and wished I had listened to Tristan months ago when he was still unsure of Jack's motives. We could have acted sooner to make sure Tristan had funds in his own right if we had suspected Jack.

It wasn't late, but I wanted to do some work on the arts holiday venture. Tristan didn't really want to leave and so we went up to my room. I sat down at my desk to get some things done whilst Tristan wandered over to the window.

I checked my emails and to my surprise, found Liz had emailed me the passwords to be able to work on the Dearing website, she must have emailed from her phone.

I emailed them to Oliver with a message about the attachments, and attached the scan of the brochure for the accommodation, and the zip of the photographs I had taken.

I said for him to do what he could to make the holiday venture come up in Google and the website itself more user friendly and commercial. As I was doing this, I suddenly had a quite alarming thought. Jack hadn't even seemed to care about Liz and me taking on the re-marketing of the venture. It seemed odd. He hardly knew me and had no idea of my skills. Perhaps, and this is the alarming thought, could he have wanted the venture to have a slow start? Did he want to sell off the places he had listed to Tristan?

I was thinking should I tell Tristan my suspicions, when he came up behind me and kissed my cheek.

"I've been thinking, Chloe, I'll only give Jack until the end of the next week. I can't believe how low key his reaction to the treasure we found actually was. Something's weird, don't you think?"

After that speech, I decided to tell him of my suspicions. Tristan listened thoughtfully.

"Chloe, you've said that you think it's awful to have thought that, but I actually agree. I just wonder why he would be so disinterested in what was supposed to be a venture he wasn't only in favor of, but the instigator of it too. Really Chloe, what's going on with him?"

I knew it was a rhetorical question because if Tristan didn't know how would I.

Tristan sighed. "I'm so tired, Chloe, maybe I should just go home and get some sleep."

I smiled at him. "I'm driving you home," I told him, and uncharacteristically he just let me.

Chapter Twenty

For the rest of the evening, I made a new flier for the arts holiday venture. I had the software so it was easy to add the photographs and extra copy to the existing brochure, and make it into a bi-fold brochure. I emailed dad's PA and asked her who she used as a printer, and attached the brochure for her to get me an estimate to print about five hundred, if that was possible. I just needed a list of the existing clients and publications that the Dearings used from Liz, and I would start some cross promotion. I thought too, it would be a great idea to drop the brochures in places where people may pick them up, libraries, art and photography shops, craft suppliers. I was on a roll when my cell rang.

Oliver was wondering what I was up to and saying that he would be leaving the restaurant at one, so he would maybe see me tomorrow. I looked at the time and it was twelve-fifty a.m.

"Oliver, I've been working at my computer and I had no idea it was so late. Has the wedding finished?" I asked him.

"It's about wound up, just a few stragglers now to usher away. I've been thinking about you. I don't work tomorrow maybe if you have some time in the afternoon, I'd love to see you."

I smiled as I answered, "Sure Oliver, it would be great to see you. I've emailed some stuff to you if you are still interested in doing something to the Dearing website." I could hear someone calling Oliver in the background so I quickly added 'call me later' and we ended the call.

I really wanted to see Oliver after that. It was like a craving. I grabbed my keys and my cell phone, and headed to my Wrangler. I drove the tiny distance to the restaurant car park. If Oliver had left okay, but no his Land Rover was still there, so was Will's little car and Ben's van.

I parked next to Oliver's Land Rover and sat in my car thinking.

When Oliver came out, he was with Ben, Will, and Liz. I didn't get out of my car, but let my window down and called hello to Liz. She skipped over to see me, and I told her I had already done a fair amount of work on the arts holiday marketing and that I would catch her up with it tomorrow if she had the time. We said we would call each other in the afternoon. Ben had gone, she got into Will's car, and they drove off. Oliver was standing there grinning at me. "To what do I owe this honor?" he asked, as I got out of my car.

"I just thought I would say good night in person." I was asking myself if this was too much to have just come over to see him after all. He was still grinning but he leaned close to me as I stood by my driver's side door and kissed me.

"It's lovely, thank you," he told me, and kissed me again.

I was careful not to hold him or kiss him back too much after last night's mistake. He stopped grinning and gave me a hug.

I still didn't want to spook him so I left my hands in my pockets where I thought they were safest.

We were under the spotlight of a massive car park light and I could see his expression clearly. He gave me one of his kind gentle looks.

"It's okay, you can hug me back if you want," he said, and I just briefly hugged him.

"Chloe, are you worried about last night because we can just talk about it. I don't want it to become something between us." He took my hand and we wandered off down the little path to the restaurant side of the lake. He stopped when we reached the water's edge and took my other hand in his, so that he was holding both my hands. He looked into my eyes.

"When I stopped kissing you on the steps last night, it wasn't because I didn't like what you were doing, it's that it felt so good I needed to think straight."

I suddenly got it. I couldn't believe I hadn't realized. I just nodded at him.

"Don't be afraid. I'm really serious about you, but I can't let us..."

I didn't want him to finish the sentence. I didn't really know what it ended with, but I nodded again, and it stopped him talking. I turned away and was standing there like an idiot looking out across the lake. The moon was high in the sky, and there were lots of stars, but the fairy lights and lanterns had gone off in the trees and bushes, because it very was late.

I should let Oliver go home.

"Thanks Oliver. I agree it shouldn't come between us. I better get going and let you go too; you've been working all day."

We walked back to the cars and he got to the Wrangler door with me and then hugged me very tight, and I hugged him very tight too. When he kissed me, I kissed him back and the wrapped in silk thing was still there. I let go of him and put my hands behind my back. He realized and laughed.

Chapter Twenty-One

I got into the house driveway just as Dad was walking in.

"Chloe, where have you been so late?" dad asked, as we went through the front door. I told him talking with Liz after she came out of work, that I was going to help her with some stuff for the Dearing arts holiday venture. He raised his eyebrows and said, "Oh okay."

We said goodnight and I went up to my room. I was wide-awake, and still considering what Oliver had said. I went to my computer and ordered gift vouchers for Steven and Will from the music shop website. They would arrive midweek so that was good. I wondered who else was out there shopping online at nearly two in the morning.

I cleaned my teeth. I needed a clean towel so I went to my cupboard to get one and heard a racket on the lawns below my window. Surely, Tristan wouldn't make that amount of noise. The noise wasn't even on the lawns. It was a way off in the field that bordered the woods. It seemed to be three people lurching around, but not just people, these guys had a horse with them, a big horse, and he was shining white in the moonlight. One of them had a metal helmet on, and was waving a sword around, and another one of them was now flat on his back on the grass, waving a smaller sword around probably a dagger. They were singing, shouting, and laughing obviously very loudly. The guy on the grass tried to get up but couldn't. They let go of the horse, which wandered away to the right, towards the abbey ruins.

I wanted to keep my eye on these guys because I knew they wouldn't have come from a local fancy dress party.

I also wanted my cell phone. I backed towards my bed where I had tossed it trying to keep them in view. I made a break for it and then got back to my window, where I suddenly realized they might see me as the light was on, and I jumped to one side of my window at the same time as I called Tristan.

His phone was ringing, and I was thinking don't let this be the time he doesn't answer, he always answers in the middle of the night. He didn't answer. I called Oliver, his phone was ringing, and then he answered. Breathing a sigh of relief, I told him about the group in the field. He was silent for a second after I rushed out my story.

"Dear god and Tristan isn't answering? Watch them I'm coming over. I'll bring my bow." I had just rung off when my cell phone rang and it was Tristan.

"Tristan, there are soldiers in the field past the lawns here to the right, just as the woods start. What? Three of them, swords, a horse, but Tristan they seem drunk they're just falling about. One of them can't get up. Oliver is coming over with his bow. Okay, okay I'll just watch them until you get here."

I figured it would take Oliver ten minutes to get here at this time of night. What would Tristan do? Drive over and then walk to the field, that would take five minutes maybe. I watched them, and got a crick in my neck from hiding out. I thought I should switch the light off so as not to attract attention, and then go downstairs to meet Tristan in about two minutes.

The guys on the grass were really wasted. Another was on the ground now, and they had stopped waving the swords around and were just singing in voices that become quieter, as they fell asleep. The one who was still upright had followed the horse, and was leading it back to where the others were. I just hoped he kept a hand on the reins because if that horse wandered towards the house and the guy came after it, he might just realize the hunting lodge was different.

I grabbed my jacket and torch from my desk, flipped off the light, and quietly went downstairs. I went out of the front door just as Tristan parked the old truck on the road opposite the drive. I went over to him.

"Tristan, they're still there. Oh, Gui is with you, and Corbett, right," I saw them both pile out of the back seat of the dual cab. Corbett had a bow, which looked like a longbow to me.

I wondered for a second where he had got it, and then Tristan was saying, "Chloe, you must stay away. Gui is going to take the horse back through the wood to the stables. He and Brett have exercised the horses through the woods so he knows the way."

"In the dark?" I queried.

Tristan dismissed the question with a resigned look, continuing, "If necessary Corbett will threaten to shoot them. I'll simply knock them senseless, and tie them up, ready to ship them back to their own time tomorrow morning."

I looked at him slightly amused. "That easy, Tristan, how will you knock them out? And where will you keep them once they are tied up?"

"I'll keep them in the woods, having knocked them out with one of their swords. Stay away we've to go." He started up the path. Gui walked behind. Corbett smiled at me and I saw along with his bow, he had a coil of rope over his shoulder. I watched from the kitchen patio. I had closed up the front door and was standing on the low balustrade out there. The drunken group of guys hadn't stirred, but the horse had been let free, and he was wandering down to the house.

Tristan, Gui, and Corbett had got halfway across the lawn when Oliver arrived. He must have seen Tristan's truck on the road as he parked on the road too. I guess they were both worried about making the noise of driving into the driveway.

I went to meet him.

"Chloe, I see Tristan got back to you, what's his plan?" We were walking around to the lawn as he asked this, and then started across it.

"Gui will get the horse. Corbett has a long bow. Tristan is armed with nothing, and I have to stay away. Oliver maybe you should too."

"Not a chance, Chloe, but you stay here now, I'm going on." Oliver broke into a run and as the others were very close to the drunks, I did just stay there within sight of the whole fiasco.

Tristan and his helpers stopped when they were a few feet away from the drunks.

Oliver had caught them up, and I saw them talking to each other for a moment. I edged closer.

Gui had taken hold of the horse and set off into the wood with him.

Corbett seemed to be standing guard. Oliver and Tristan went to the guy who had been flat out on the grass for the longest time. Tristan had some of the rope over his shoulder. The other he had thrown down at the entrance to the woods.

To my surprise, they picked the sleeping man up at his head and feet, and carried him into the wood.

They were in there for a while, and the other two drunks seemed to have gone to sleep, which was handy, I thought. Tristan and Oliver appeared with swords from the edge of the wood and threw those down too. So much for having to knock the guys senseless or needing bows and arrows, this was like some kind of joke, not that I wanted them to be in danger, but it was quite funny to watch.

I edged closer, and was almost by Corbett's side, when the second man Tristan and Oliver were carrying to the woods woke up. He was struggling and calling out. Tristan dropped his half of the man's body. He took the guy's sword from his belt, and he held the sword by the handle, and then whacked him with the handle end, in a downward blow on the head, just like that, then he threw the sword down. Oliver and he took the now senseless man into the woods.

The last drunk was snoring on the grass. I could hear him. Corbett had taken a quick look at me and then continued watching the sleeping man. There was a stack of weapons now by the remains of the rope, three big swords, three smaller swords, three daggers, a knife, a short sword like Tristan's, only not with a jeweled handle.

Tristan and Oliver came out of the woods.

"Chloe, what are you doing here, okay forget it." Tristan spoke quietly. Both he and Oliver grabbed the last guy and off they went. This time Corbett followed them and so did I, but I stopped short of going into the woods. I could hear Tristan cursing about the rope, and then Oliver came out with another knife and threw it down onto the pile of weapons.

I waited there until the three of them, Tristan, Oliver and Corbett came out of the woods. Tristan was laughing and saying something to Corbett, and then Oliver joined in. He spoke French, but ordinary French, and had told me once not too well, but they all seemed to understand what each had said and were starting to laugh again. Corbett gave Tristan a little push on the arm and then they saw me watching them.

"Well what now?" I asked. "Is there any chance they will wake up and escape?"

"We'll have to watch them. I want to get all this weaponry away from them, if we can load it in the truck. Then we need a plan. We have to get them to the waterfall."

Tristan, Oliver, and Corbett had picked up nearly all the hardware. I took hold of the last two daggers and the knife.

"It would be easier if they were still drunk, we could just tie them on a horse and go down by the top path to the waterfall," I said, as we walked down to the truck.

I was hoping dad wouldn't have woken up and happily there seemed to be no sign of life from the house to my relief, because how would we explain this? It was bizarre, maybe a little funny right now, but had the potential to be a real nuisance.

We were at Tristan's truck and putting the weapons in the back.

"That's a good idea, Chloe, we could keep them drunk, or just knock them out every time they wake up," Tristan said. Corbett spoke to him then and Tristan laughed, but softly and looked around as if there was anyone to hear. There were no other houses on this lane where we lived.

"What did he say? Let's just kill them and what?" Oliver asked Tristan, amused and horrified.

"Yes, he said 'let's just kill them and bury them in the wood'."

"He couldn't mean that." I looked at Corbett, who smiled at me.

"He did," Tristan answered.

"It would be murder Tristan." I was still looking at Corbett, who seemed not have any idea his suggestion was murder.

"Maybe, and anyway we'll not do that, it would very risky burying them in the woods."

Oliver looked at me from where he was standing at the side of the truck and I looked at him. He raised his eyebrows and then started grinning. I caught the bug and was grinning too. Corbett, who mostly smiled, kept on smiling. Only Tristan looked serious.

"Okay, when you've all finished laughing your heads off, the idea Chloe's has is good. We've a problem in that the three have to be tossed through the portal at nine in the morning, which is damn hard. They have to be moved at the other end of the portal, I mean in the past, because they will just be back here at the end of the exercise if they remain in the same spot on the reeds. Someone is going to have to go through with them and heft them out of the portal boundary." He turned then and said the same thing to Corbett in Norman French. At least that's what it looked like.

Oliver had walked over to his Land Rover and put his compound bow in there, and then he came back and took out his cell phone. "It's nearly four, what's the story on keeping watch on them?"

Tristan put a scruffy old tarp over the weapons and turning around to us suggested that we all walk back and check on the group, and then try to think of the best plan of action. He thought I should go in to bed, but I wasn't having that. How would I sleep with this going on?

We ambled across to the woods and I brought my flashlight from my car, and we looked at the three guys. Tristan had them individually bound up to trees. They were out for the count, their heads variously resting against the tree trunk or dropped onto their own chest. They were quite dirty and their clothes were actually quite rough under a chain mail tunic thing, other than that, they seemed quite without armor. The one with the helmet still on was very tall, and his feet stuck out right across the space between his tree and the next one.

I was looking closely at them. They must have been on some celebration and wandered to the waterfall, and then come through the portal. It didn't make a lot of sense to me. Did they come in single file or what? Could the portal 'hole' be getting wider? I stood back from the tied up men and voiced this to anyone listening.

"That's a hellish thought but true. I don't know how three abreast would be in that reed area, oh god," Tristan groaned, "please don't let it have got bigger."

Oliver sighed. "Who's going through with them? And since they are quite heavy, I think it has to be two of us."

My heart sank. The potential for disaster was huge.

"Maybe it should be me and Corbett who go through. After all we know the terrain if we get stuck there for seven hours," Tristan said, looking at all of us for some affirmation.

My instincts were that they try to get there and back on the three seven amounts of time. How could we trust the portal wouldn't suddenly implode?

I didn't say this, instead I said,

"I know you have sent the horse to the stables with Gui, but I think we should move these guys to the waterfall area now in the dark whilst they are drunk. We can only use a horse, there's no way you can carry each one to the portal, and there's no car access as you all know."

Tristan sighed. "I think you're right Chloe. We need two horses. Damn pity Gui doesn't have a cell phone. Right then, I think we had better go get two horses and more rope. I'll go. I can get there quickly. You, Oliver, and Corbett watch these men. They are part of the castle guard I think, probably having a night off."

Oliver nodded, and Tristan told Corbett what was happening then just took off through the wood. I watched him. He was such an enigma. He'd been so tired and sick of everything, but as soon as there was something going on that had an element of the time he was born in he just shone. Then again, who really knew what was going on in his mind?

Chapter Twenty-Two

Oliver came over to me and he stood close, but didn't say anything.

We all simply stood there watching the guys tied against the trees. The one who had been last to fall to the ground in a drunken sleep started to stir. Corbett watched him closely for a moment, then as the man opened his eyes and started murmuring, Corbett looked at Oliver and I, then went up to the guy, grabbed him by a hand full of hair and smashed his head against the tree trunk.

Oliver looked at me with his eyebrows raised and I rolled my eyes at him, but we said nothing, what was there to say?

It was just beginning to feel like Tristan had been gone forever, when he appeared on Matin leading the big white horse that had come through the portal with these castle soldiers.

"Sorry I took a bit longer than I wanted to. Gui had bedded down the horse. Poor old boy I've half a mind to keep him when I stuff these idiots back through the portal."

He got down from Matin, and spoke to Corbett, Oliver seemed to understand too, and they set about untying one of the men from his tree. Then they tied his hands and feet and lumped him over the big white horse like a sack of potatoes. His head and shoulders was hanging down one side of the horse, his legs and feet the other. They did this with the other smaller man, so that the big white horse had two men on his back. He didn't seem to care and when I held him at the entrance to the woods by his reins, he dropped his head to eat the more lush grass there that grew in the shade. I loosened my hold on his rein so that he could eat more freely.

It took another few minutes for the big, tall man to be loaded in similar fashion over Matin's back. Then we set off across the field and cut through to the top path to go down the bank to the waterfall pool. The moon came out from behind a cloud and seemed paler than it had earlier. The night was on the wane and it had started to get light.

What we might have looked like walking along whispering to each other about the portal is anybody's guess. If I hadn't been so worried about getting the soldiers back through the portal, I would have been laughing. Talk about a three-ring circus. The horses trod carefully and competently down the bank and we were soon next to the pool.

Oliver said, "I think we should keep these men tied up, but not against he trees, so that they are ready for us to get them through the portal."

Tristan nodded answering, "It would be easier for all of us if they were still knocked out when the time came. I don't like doing it but there it is."

We just stood around. Tristan tightened all the ropes on the men, before we decided that we should go and move the cars from near my house. If they were there, my dad might be alerted to something going on when he went to the restaurant in a couple hours. Tristan decided he would ride over to the cars on Matin and move them further down the lane in the opposite direction from the one in which dad would walk. Oliver threw him the Land Rover keys, and off Tristan went. Oliver and I were left with Corbett again.

Corbett smiled at us and squatted down on a fallen branch.

Oliver looked around finally settling for leaning against a tree, and pulled me close with an arm around my shoulders, and I leaned against him.

"Oliver what do you think about the portal? How did all three men and a horse get through, on just that reed-pad area?" I asked him quietly.

"Well maybe they did do it one after the other. Imagine they are drunk, one stumbles into the two a.m. slot, the others thinking 'where has he gone' go looking for him where he disappeared. The seven minutes past time travel slot comes along, and that's all three and the horse here. Certainly if it had to happen, it's been so lucky they are drunk, although maybe they wouldn't even have been at the waterfall if they were not drunk. This whole problem is getting a bit worrying though, Chloe. The next traveler may be very dangerous."

I shook my head. We still had about four hours to the next portal opening and anything could happen.

Corbett suddenly spoke to Oliver, and Oliver listened carefully and had him repeat a couple of words, but they understood each other. This pleased Corbett. He stood up and came closer to us, picking his way through the big ferns, and stopped in front of us. He was looking wide-awake and cheerful, whilst I felt sure I had started to look bleary eyed.

They said a few more words to each other and Oliver told me that Corbett was talking about the compound bow, he had seen him with, and that he was going to get one and go to the archery club too. Oliver talked about Ben Glazer. I heard his name amongst the rest of what they said.

Tristan came down the bank of vegetation on Matin right then and Corbett greeted him. Tristan got down from Matin, and from the back of the saddle, he took a short sword, and gave it to Corbett.

The sun was coming up and I took my cell phone from my pocket and checked the time, remarkably, it was nearly seven.

Pity the portal didn't open at seven a.m. I thought.

I had an idea more to keep myself awake than anything else, and suggested I walk home and get a flask of coffee. This was greeted with enthusiasm and so I went off home to make the coffee.

I let myself in quietly. No one was around, but I knew dad had been up and gone because the coffee maker was warm. I wasn't about to make real coffee for the boys so I put the electric kettle to boil, whilst I found the flasks that I knew mom had in one of the kitchen cupboards. She had two and I figured I would take both. I made the coffee in cups and poured it into the flasks. I had rinsed them out with hot water, thinking this might help keep the coffee hot. I made myself a cup of tea and checked out the fridge. 'What was portable that I could take them to eat,' I thought. There was a packet of chocolate brioches, which would do, and I found a plastic bag to put them in and hang over my arm, as I carried the two flasks. I drank my tea and was just about to leave when the carpenters showed up to do work on the big drawing room, fireplace.

It never stops does it? I let them in saying I needed to go out for a while but would be back soon, and that my mom would be along soon. I said this knowing full well I wouldn't be back soon, and that I had no idea when my mom would 'be along', as I put it. Too bad, the carpenters were nowhere near as important as the soldiers were.

I dashed off then with the coffee and brioches.

Chapter Twenty-Three

I was watching my footing going down the bank to the waterfall and could hear quite loud voices, Tristan and Corbett, and another voice in Norman French. I slowed down as I got to the bottom of the bank and looked to see what was going on. One of the men was awake and calling out. Corbett had turned him face down and he was trying to raise his head high enough to turn it and see what was going on.

Suddenly he just stopped calling out after Tristan said something to him, and he put his head down, his cheek on the ferns looking towards the pool. I edged around so as not to be seen, and Tristan strode over to meet me, taking a flask in one hand, and then taking my free hand in his other.

"Chloe, I was just beginning to worry about you," he told me.

"What's going on with that soldier? What did you say to him? He's awake."

"That's true he is awake. We need to knock him out, but I didn't want to do it just yet. I told him 'to shut up and lie still or I would kill him', but obviously I don't want to do that."

The coffee and brioche was happily consumed by all. We stood back from the men, and I told Tristan and Oliver about the carpenters rocking up just as I was leaving the house.

Oliver wanted to know why I hadn't brought myself anything, and I said I had tea as I was making the coffee.

He smiled his kind smile at me. I felt like going to him, and leaning into his arms for warmth and comfort, but it wasn't okay to do that when both he and Tristan were around, and facing having to heave these guys into the portal.

"Did you have any more thoughts on what exactly you would do at nine a.m. Tristan?" I asked him, because really it wasn't that far away.

"We were talking while you had gone to the house, and we thought Corbett and I would lug a man onto the reed-pad area, seconds before nine in readiness, and get another one, as close as possible ready on the side. We would go through with these two, throw them off the pad, and be back with the seven seconds slot, then at the seven-minute slot, chuck this guy through. The thing is we need to cut their bonds because we want them to lurch home before seven o'clock tonight. We may end up staying until then ourselves, because there is so much to do before the portal will close now." I gave him a worried frown and he continued, "Chloe, there is no reason to believe that the portal will act differently and I'll be stuck back there."

I sighed. In my opinion, the thing with this magic stuff was that you couldn't rely on it to act in any consistent way at all.

We stood around. All the coffee had been drunk and the sun had started warming the place up. September was set to be a lovely month I had heard on the weather forecast, and certainly, it already felt like a summer's day.

Tristan told me to look away, and went to the man who was awake, and face down in the ferns. The others were still out cold.

I thought maybe the one Corbett had smashed against the tree might be concussed, but the fact was, if they had their swords and were free, they could even now be running around slicing up Ivy and Diane at the Abbey museum, along with any tourists who were there. Optionally they could be terrorizing the local village. They came from violent times, but then again don't we all?

I heard a cry, and when I did turn around Tristan was putting the short sword he had down on the ground near Oliver. The man who had been awake was knocked out. Tristan must have whacked this guy with the hilt, as I had seen him do to one of them last night.

It was seconds to go and they put this man on the reeds, he sank a little into the water there and Tristan pulled him up, turning his face up. Corbett and Oliver got the other man as close to the reeds as possible, and Corbett had the short sword stuck through the back of the belt he had on his jeans. Oliver stepped back, and then Corbett and Tristan rolled the guy onto the reeds. Tristan had one foot in the edge of the water and already looked like the Norman knight he was. His clothes had transformed and his hair was tied back with a leather strap. I think that was the first time Oliver had seen that phenomenon because he muttered 'wow' and then the whole lot of them were gone.

Seven seconds is not long unless you are waiting for people to get back from another time. Suddenly they were there and stepping out of the water. I found I had been holding my breath and suddenly breathed again.

"They are on the bank away from the portal and we cut the ropes," Tristan told Oliver and me, as we just looked at him with questioning faces.

"Let's hope they don't wake up before we get back with the other one. He's heavy, so let's roll him close now."

I held the reins of the white horse because I thought that they were putting him through with the horse, but Tristan said he was keeping the horse. "It will look like they were robbed whilst drunk, especially since that's what I told the one we had to knock out again, that we were robbers." He grinned at this.

On the seven-minute time travel slot, Corbett and Tristan, already holding the untied man by his legs and shoulders disappeared. Oliver and I looked at each other. We didn't know how it worked really. Was there a crossover of coming and going in the one minute of seven minutes past? I hoped so because I really didn't want Corbett and Tristan stuck back there for seven hours.

I watched the reeds as if watching would bring them back, and they appeared almost as soon as they had gone.

They both sprang out of the reeds and as the water sprayed around and off Tristan, he appeared in his jeans and jacket as normal. They were both laughing, and Corbett was holding Tristan's upper arm.

"Tossed him straight onto the bank and here we are. I can't believe how well this went. The others were on the grass too. One was just sitting up and rubbing his head. I don't think he even saw us. The portal should be closed now. Throw in that branch let's make sure." Tristan was laughing and talking, and Corbett was still laughing too.

Oliver picked up the branch, and tossed into the reeds. It stayed there and we stood smiling at each other for a couple of minutes.

Suddenly it hit me, there wasn't supposed to be a seven seconds, and seven-minute time travel slot at the nine a.m. portal opening.

"Oh my god," I said horrified, and Tristan turned to me at the same time as Oliver did, even Corbett did. He must have heard the alarm in my voice.

"What?" Oliver and Tristan said at the same time.

I looked at them stricken.

"There's not supposed to be a seven second and a seven minute time travel slot at the nine o'clock opening. We did know that, but somehow forgot in the night and used those slots just now. They exist. We thought nine a.m. had just the one opening. That's what we worked out remember? Oh my god, you could have been trapped there at nine with the two men, and Oliver and I here with that other huge guy."

"Bloody hell, that's true, how did we forget? What a piece of luck it had changed." Tristan was shaking his head. "Lack of sleep on my part. I think I've had two hours in the last two nights." Tristan stuck his hands in his pockets and looked sheepish.

Oliver just looked at me with his eyes wide.

"Damn, the pattern must be changing for some reason. I really believed in my theory," Oliver said.

"I think it must have changed. How long has it been opened now?" I asked them both.

"Search me," Tristan answered. "I don't even know what day it is."

Oliver grinning gave him a little shove. "It's Sunday. Get some sleep."

I watched them. They were remarkably jovial considering the gravity of this supposed change in the pattern. Corbett was watching. He asked Tristan a question and at Tristan's answer, he pulled a face and shrugged.

"Sunday, it's the seventh day. That has to be it. It's changed on the seventh day it's been open." It seemed obvious to me now. I looked from Oliver to Tristan waiting for them to confirm my idea.

Oliver suddenly sighed. "That has to be it, but what the hell is the new pattern? I'm too tired to think about it."

Tristan groaned. "I knew it. I knew something would be wrong, at least it's not seven times as big a portal opening."

"Damn, don't tempt fate Tristan," Oliver said, and then continued, "What if we just go and get a couple of hours sleep, then meet and consider what might be happening. The bottom line is we'll have to test it again."

"Let's do that. I really believe it will not open again until seven tonight because it simply would not change away from sevens," I said, and I did think that truly.

Corbett and Tristan went off on Matin and the white horse. Oliver and I walked up to the top path that led to my house. I had the flasks in the plastic bag and Oliver took it and carried it with one hand. He put his other arm around my shoulders and we walked quietly home.

When we got to the house, Oliver was looking for his car keys, and discovered Tristan still had them. I said I would take him home and then he could call me when he wanted to come back and catch up with Tristan. He was hesitant because he thought I may be too tired, but I did drive him home. As I got back and parked, my cell phone rang, it was Oliver checking if I had got home safely.

I went in, mom was down at the entrance to the big drawing room talking with the carpenters, and I hightailed it upstairs to my room to take a shower. Having thrown on a T-shirt over my underwear, I laid on my bed, maybe I would just have an hour's sleep I thought.

Chapter Twenty-Four

The next thing I knew my cell phone was ringing and I saw the time on the screen as I answered. It was one o'clock.

It was Tristan. "Chloe, how are you, I wanted to say thank you for last night's help, and just wondered if you were free for lunch. I need to tell you something."

"Tristan lunch would be good and then don't you think we need to talk about the portal and what might have happened to the times it opens, all of us I mean."

"Can I just have you to myself for an hour, first?" Tristan asked, but I could hear he was smiling.

"Yes certainly, where are you? Let's go to the abbey café it might be less crowded than anywhere else, and I can come and get you if you are at home" I smiled as I said it.

He would meet me at the Dearing house car park he said and I told him ten minutes. I cleaned my teeth, got into my jeans, put the tiniest bit of kohl on my eyes, and put on lip-gloss. Then I picked up a shirt, my keys, and cell phone.

Mom was in the kitchen with the carpenters and Leslie. They were having sandwiches and coffee, and I called in to tell mom I was going to see Tristan as I passed.

It took me minutes to arrive at the Dearing house. Tristan was sitting on the edge of a massive planter. The flowers in there used to be double petunias in all kinds of pink, now there were all these purple and yellow pansies. Tristan looked somehow lonely against the backdrop of flowers.

He walked to the Wrangler. I didn't get out, as he opened the door, and got in beside me.

I said hello to him. He leaned over and kissed my cheek.

"Hello Chloe, thanks for coming over. I'm going to tell you as you drive about my morning's meeting with Jack because I can't wait to tell you."

My heart sank. I could tell there was something unpleasant going on, just from Tristan's tone.

He took a breath and then told me Jack still wanted to sell the hunting lodge, the stables and woods.

"What's more Chloe, this morning someone came along to take a look at the horses, a man who runs a riding holiday place down in the next county. Apparently, he was told the horses could be bought as a group cheaply. I had just had the meeting with Jack, if you can call the shouting match we had a meeting, when Brett called me in a fine state. He wouldn't let this guy into the stables and he, as well as Gui and Jessica, another groom, were standing in the doorways to stop the guy getting in.

Well I ran over there as you can imagine, and told this fellow there was a mistake no horse was for sale and to 'please leave'. He did. It wasn't his fault. Chloe, isn't this just shocking behavior from Jack?"

I was appalled actually, and right away, I wanted to do some damage to Jack.

"Tristan, this is outrageous, we need to immediately form some plan for you to buy them, and the rest of your stuff. What's going on, why does he still think the things need selling?"

"He said that the hunting lodge and the rest have to go because of their upkeep. That the treasure we found would only pay half the debts the estate has and that he still needed to raise money. I think it's bullshit, but what can I do?"

We had reached the abbey car park and I had parked. I turned to Tristan, "Right that's it Tristan, we sell some 'Eleanor treasure' and set up your company."

I got out of the Wrangler and so did Tristan, he came around to me and I put my arms around him. The sheer injustice of Jack's actions made me furious. I hugged him and as I leaned back to look at him, I saw he had his eyes closed, even so he looked incredibly sad. We walked up to the café hand in hand. I told Tristan that when we had talked a little we were calling Oliver and getting his dad to form the company for him. Tomorrow we can go to Stannidge and get them to sell some stones and that really, there was no time to lose.

We sat down at the farthest end of the café and a young man came over to take our order. It turned out he was Ivy's son, Mark, who was still on holiday from university. Tristan had met him before of course and said hello asking when the new semester started.

When Mark had gone, I took Tristan's hand, as I had made sure to sit close to him.

"Tristan tell me, does Jack know you are immortal or does he think the stained glass here is what keeps you alive?"

"The latter Chloe, because we are not sure it doesn't are we? Not having tested the theory out." He tried to sound cheerful, but his eyes were sad.

"I think they are no longer involved in your existence, and maybe haven't been since the spell deviated when you fell through the ice?"

"I think you're more than likely right since Aristide cast me into another stained glass and I escaped that, thanks to you and Oliver."

He looked a little puzzled. "Why are you asking this Chloe?"

I leaned over and kissed him, and then I quietly told him I thought Jack was so untrustworthy he must never know about Tristan possibly being free of the abbey stained glass keeping him alive, or about his blood.

He looked down at my hand holding his, and then he looked up into my eyes,

"You think he might try and kill me?"

"I think he might try to make money from your blood."

His eyes widened, it obviously had never crossed his mind. I wondered for a split second if it was just me being overly suspicious.

Tristan sighed. "You know what? I wouldn't put anything past him now, sad to say, I've lost all respect for him. He's clearly telling lies about the value of the 'Eleanor treasure' we gave him because it's worth heaps."

"I've another theory too. I think he's let the arts and crafts holiday venture stall on purpose. I can't think why he had no interest in a stranger like me re-marketing it even with Liz's involvement. Seriously there is something not right about the whole thing."

Tristan smiled sadly. "You're right. I can't understand it. I want to have Oliver's dad help me and sell what we can of the 'Eleanor treasure' without attracting attention. Let's ask Oliver soon and let's go to this dealer you went to tomorrow."

I nodded and kissed his cheek.

He had finished his coffee and left the sandwich he had ordered uneaten. I had drunk my orange juice, but found I couldn't eat the salad I had ordered. We left the café.

Tristan put his arm around me on the way to my Wrangler. I stopped at the door and turned to him, hugging him close.

"Anytime you need to talk don't wander around all night alone, that's what friends are for Tristan, call me, you must know that I'll do anything I can to help you."

He smiled a proper smile.

"Thanks Chloe, I was thinking of telling Liz about it all. She doesn't want us to sell any more of the estate off and it would be good to have a family member with me on this."

I agreed it would be good to involve Liz.

"That's a good idea, but I don't think you should tell her about your company or the treasure you still have, only because Jack is her dad, and she has found it hard to believe him capable of unpleasant things in the past. I'm sorry to sound so suspicious and ask you to keep things from her."

"No, I think that will be wise, we'll keep it all between you, me, and Oliver. Let's call him and check if he wants to come down to the portal this evening to check the beastly time slot out." He took his cell phone from his pocket and did just that.

Oliver was working on the website, and asked Tristan if he would check that I could pick him up about six since he had Oliver's Land Rover keys. Tristan grinned at that and said, "Sorry Oliver, I've lost them." It was a joke and then he told the truth, and said, "Oliver, no I'm joking I have them in my pocket."

It was arranged that I get Oliver at six.

"Let's go to the hunting lodge and decide which stones are going to Stannidge tomorrow," I said to Tristan, as he put his cell phone back in his pocket.

"Let's do that," he smiled.

At home, we went up to my room, and I checked my email as Tristan took the treasure out of the box. I saw that Liz had sent me more information about the arts holiday venture.

"What's in this sock Chloe?" Tristan asked, holding it up, and then adding, "Oh some of the treasure." He laughed as he realized this.

"That's the stuff Stannidge has already seen," I said.

Tristan brought the treasure over to my desk, and we looked amongst it for the biggest ruby to go with what I had already shown to Stannidge, and the biggest blue watery stone. I felt like adding another and saying I had forgotten about that one, but it might be too big a lie for Mr. Edward Stannidge to swallow, or for that matter, for me to tell.

"Maybe we should find another dealer too and spin some story to get more sold. There are quite a number of dealers, it's just explaining where we got them from that's the trick," I said to Tristan, as he put the two stones we had chosen in the sock with the others.

"It's really scary, but I could just take a few of the smaller ones to a dealer and say they were family things I decided to sell. I've discovered that there's a list of stolen items, and they check that when you make an enquiry. It's on computer, some international database. So if a stone doesn't show up on this list then they seem happy." Tristan looked at the other stones and picked up a few blue and green ones and then he put them back down.

"Hey, I saw Edward Stannidge do that, check a data base, but I didn't know what it was at the time. Tristan maybe you do need to sell a few others, say the pink one, and the ones you showed the jeweler in town, maybe some of these blue ones. I've been meaning to ask you about the bank account I've seen you use. Is it your own account?"

"It is, except its part of the Dearing Estates account. I do need to somehow get an account in my own right don't I?" Tristan looked a bit downcast.

"Yes, but it should be easy to do if you have had that family account for a while then they will know you as a customer. Oliver and his dad will help you I'm sure." I got up from my desk chair and hugged him, because he looked like he needed a hug.

Tristan kept hold of me and sighed.

"Sometimes I feel as if the only time I can sleep is when I'm with you. Just recently I sleep even less than I used to."

"Did you get any sleep today?" I asked, thinking 'if he's not sleeping at all no wonder he can't cope.'

"No, what with arguing with Jack again, and then the guy rocking up to buy my horses I didn't sleep. I got an hour last night just before the debacle with the castle guard."

"Tristan lie down and sleep now, even if it's just for an hour or two, we don't need to go anywhere until just before six, and it's only nearly three." I was taking him over to my bed and once there, pressed him down on top of my duvet.

"I'll get you a little blanket," I said, going to my cupboard. He took off his boots and carefully lay down, as if he didn't want to crease the cover that was pulled up to the pillows.

I watched him, and wanted to comfort him, and take care of him. It was a strange feeling, almost as if I wanted to stand guard over him and fight off any evil so that he could rest.

I put the blanket over him and he had already closed his eyes. I bent and kissed his forehead, then went back to my desk.

I caught up with some initial assignments from my Graphic Design course. They were short and sweet but quite interesting. Then I looked through the emailed information that Liz had sent. There was not enough advertising of the arts holiday venture happening. There was no cross promotion that I could see being done. It would be simple, now I had the list of email addresses to send them a brochure and offer them a link on the Dearing website for a link to theirs. That would be a start, and then there are all the little places around the county where anyone interested in an Arts holiday might shop, or go and pick up a brochure. I emailed Liz telling her what I would do. I asked if she would like to meet mid-week for lunch and a planning session after Oliver had updated the website.

It was five and Tristan was still fast asleep. I thought about going to get a cup of tea, but then forgot about it as I started on one of my stained glass roundel designs.

Half an hour later Tristan suddenly woke up. He sat up on the edge of the bed, and I turned away from my computer and smiled at him.

"Hey Tristan, are you feeling better? You've woken up just in time to have some coffee before we go to pick up Oliver."

"I do feel better. I didn't realize how tired I was. I can't believe the time." He put his boots on and got up. He was folding the blanket, and I saved my work, and picked up a jacket.

"Let's go down and get you some coffee. I was going to have a cup of tea a while ago but then I forgot." Tristan nodded, and we went downstairs.

I gave Tristan a cup of coffee, and put water from the fridge in my tea, so that I could drink it in the few minutes we had before we were to go and get Oliver. Tristan could drink his coffee on the way, as I drove.

Chapter Twenty-Five

We got to Oliver's place at exactly six and rang his doorbell. Oliver answered, and grinning said, "Come and see the Dearing website I've built and tell me what you think."

We followed him into his office area, and he flicked his mouse to reveal the website that had been hidden by the screensaver.

It was a different color was my immediate observation, and the picture of the house in one corner looked like an oil painting, instead of the sepia toned photograph that had been there. A picture of the abbey ruins had roll over links to other places in the site, and thumbnails of a picture that popped up, first to show the places. It was all very highly colored and attractive. There was a sidebar with other links and each one was attractive. The button for the holiday ventures had a small artist palette on it and the abbey wedding area a lovely bouquet. There were links to other sites and Oliver showed us that these sites had links to the Dearing estate. A blurb about the Dearing Estate, and its offerings was at the bottom of the front page. Oliver clicked on the arts holiday thumbnail and an array of small photos of the luxury accommodation and arts classes popped up, and then changed into information.

Oliver had somehow already got a Google search to find the site amongst the first two pages for arts holidays.

"Brilliant, Oliver, I'm amazed, you must have worked all day," I told him smiling broadly.

"No, only this afternoon actually, I do this for a living remember. Having all the photographs done and in a good web format was a real help too, Chloe." He grinned again then turning to Tristan he said, "What do you think? Maybe it will kick start the venture, what with all the other things, Chloe, and Liz have planned, it's got to help, right?"

Tristan had been quiet and now he smiled. "It's great Oliver," he said softly. "You and Chloe are just such good friends to have. I don't know how I used to manage without you. Chloe said you would help me set up a business so that I can buy my house and the woods and stables. I need to do that now. Jack still wants to sell them despite receiving at least a couple of million pounds worth of treasure."

"No, that's bloody awful, Tristan," Oliver said as we walked out to the Wrangler. I drove us home and he continued to tell Tristan that his dad would help and he would set up a meeting for them as soon as possible.

At home, I parked in a completely deserted driveway. No one was home. We checked the time and decided we should walk down to the waterfall. I picked up three of the bigger white pebbles from the driveway and we went by the top path to the waterfall. As we walked, I asked Oliver what happened when he set up his business. He told us about the process, and that seemed relatively simple. The only thing that might be an issue with Tristan was the identity thing, but Oliver felt sure his dad would sort that out.

At the waterfall, we were thinking about the time slots and what changes might have happened to them. The time to test the seven pm slot came quickly and as I threw the first pebble, Oliver was grinning and saying he wondered if a castle guard would come through having had the pebble hit him on the head.

The pebble did go through the portal at seven, but on the seven seconds, and seven-minute time slots nothing happened and the pebble sank into the water quickly before I had chance to get it back. At this rate, the bigger white pebbles would run out soon.

Oliver stopped goofing about and called out, "One slot, that's interesting. I bet that the thing has just swung the other way about, you know, instead of the pattern being one slot at nine a.m. now the one slot is at seven p.m., nine a.m. has three slots, so does two a.m. of course." He was smiling, looking at Tristan and then at me. I got what he meant. My question was if the portal time was swinging like a pendulum, or starting to spin? I didn't say this to them, but I felt this changing meant something significant, but what?

Tristan sighed. "I'm really glad you know what's going on, Oliver, because this just freaks me out. I hate it changing like this, and I suppose we can expect it to change again in another seven days?"

I had forgotten that might happen and sighed too when Tristan said it.

Oliver on the other hand found it fascinating, and grinned saying, "That's an affirmative Tristan." He was in his element calculating things.

Tristan and I just looked at each other, and he raised his eyebrows. I smiled at him and decided we should go home.

"Come on you two let's get away from here nothing will happen until two in the morning, and hopefully no one will be around on either side of the portal to do any traveling."

As we went up to the top path, Tristan held out his hand for me a couple of times when the ferns were thick over the vague path. I held it, as it was a courtesy from him, but was acutely aware that Oliver was behind us. I needed to sort this stuff out. Maybe I would talk to Oliver about it next time we were alone.

As we walked along the top path, the sky was streaked with red. The evening was still warm, and I guessed it was going to be a lovely day again tomorrow.

At home, Tristan made coffee. There was still no one in, and I thought that maybe mom had gone up to the restaurant. We went to look at how much further the work in the big drawing room had progressed. After that, we went up to my room and looked again at the stones Tristan and I were taking to Stannidge tomorrow.

Oliver thought it would net a huge amount of money and that it should be enough to get the house and the stables, although he didn't know about the woods. We decided we should check the real estate agent site advertisements for the house and stables. As I Googled real estate sites in this county Oliver suddenly asked, "Don't you think it will be unusual for anyone to want to buy the stables, they are obviously part of a bigger estate, and quite out of the way. Who would want them?"

I could answer that question as soon as I opened the website of the biggest real estate agent. The property was prominently displayed. The woods and stables area seemed to have been put up for sale together, and were labeled as 'excellent potential for conversion to house and wooded garden, room for swimming pool, and tennis courts blah blah.'

Tristan sat down on my bed. "For heaven's sake, I don't begrudge people a home, but this is my home being sold from under me, can you see this house listed?"

I could, and it was very expensive. I was daunted for a moment and then said to Tristan, "The woods and stables are price on enquiry; this house in the region of two point five million pounds."

"Is that all?" Tristan said, getting up and coming to look over my shoulder.

"Surely, that's a huge amount." I said as I turned to him.

"Not for this house. I expected twice that to be honest," he said, and he broke into a smile.

"We can do this can't we?" he asked both Oliver and me looking at each of us. "Jack's looking for a quick sale. I wonder what's really going on? He needs cash fast by the looks of this."

I just shook my head, but I was smiling at Tristan's sudden high spirits even though I wasn't sure where this idea was going.

"We need only sell a little of the treasure to get my house, and even both the woods and stables I bet, that means we'll not attract too much attention," Tristan said.

Oliver was quiet. He had gone to the window and had obviously been thinking.

"I have an idea, perhaps I should go with Chloe and get Stannidge to sell the stones we talked about, and you, Tristan, could take some along with your short sword, and get some values then just sell the stones. What I'm thinking is the sword would lend credence to a family heirloom thing, and the operation would mean we netted heaps more cash. We've the issue of the cash for the stones you showed Stannidge already being paid to you Chloe."

"Oh, I hadn't thought of that, it's true. It would be a check made out to me. I would then have to deposit it in my bank, and then draw another check to pay you Tristan, which you know is totally do-able, but all these wrinkles need to be thought about."

"It seems complex," Tristan said forlornly.

"No it will be okay, I can help you. I've had to do a bit of financial juggling myself business wise, not with the amounts you're talking about, but the principal remains the same." Oliver had walked over to the desk and now gave Tristan a pat on the arm.

Oliver decided to go home, and catch his dad, who might get an early night, since it was Sunday, and on Monday he was going up to London for something to do with a case. Oliver didn't know what. Tristan thanked Oliver and we walked down to the Land Rover that was still parked halfway up the lane. Tristan gave the keys to Oliver, and turned back to the house. He said he was going to make some coffee, but I knew he was leaving me to say goodbye to Oliver alone.

"Oliver thanks for everything, the website, helping Tristan, being generally great," I said to him. I had put my hands in my jeans pockets and stood smiling at him on the grass by the hedgerow.

He took the step towards me and put his arms around me. "What else am I going to do? I think of Tristan as a friend, and I love you so..." he stopped talking, and kissed me.

We arranged to call each other the next morning and go to Stannidge. I walked over to the front door, and then I heard him drive away.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Tristan was in the kitchen and had made coffee. "I would make you something, but I don't think you really like the tea I make." Tristan smiled.

I smiled too as I answered. "Sorry Tristan, it's just too strong, but thanks."

I went over to where he was standing, and leaned against the counter. "Oliver and I will go and sell the sock contents tomorrow. You could leave it a few days, say Friday. Then you could wander in with the 'stuff that your dad left you', and ask what the stones are. You then leave the loose ones for sale. The check you get for them might open a completely separate account at the bank for you, maybe even in your company name. Have you thought about what you want to call your company?"

He smiled. "Maybe I should call it Magic Tristan Company Limited."

I laughed at this, and then I realized Tristan was serious.

"Really, and what is the core business of Magic Tristan Ltd.?" I asked making tea.

"Oh well you know, time travel, magic water bottled at source, thousand year old horses, bits of glass reputed to contain a young man's soul." He looked up at the ceiling for inspiration.

I put my cup on the kitchen table and went to him. He had moved to look out of the French windows at the night sky.

"Tristan, seriously that will be what you have to decide soon," I said softly.

"I know, and I thought I would go with a gardening business, because that's close to what I do now. I was serious about Magic Tristan I can't think of anything else because I can't call it Tristan Dearing Ltd can I? Oh wait I can't call it anything with Tristan in it can I?" He sighed then, and turned to me, putting his arms around me.

I looked into his lovely eyes. "Tristan, that's true. The object of the whole exercise is to remain unknown to Jack. It's hard to think of a name totally apart from your own I know."

"I'll think of something," he said, and bent his head to kiss me.

I felt total love for him right then, and held him very close as I returned his kiss.

He left a few minutes later because he wanted to catch up with Corbett.

It was nine thirty and I decided to do some more work on the roundel design I had started.

Around midnight I took a shower and got into bed. I didn't think I was tired, but I must have been because the next thing I knew sun was streaming into my window.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

When Oliver and I got to 'Stannidge Dealers', I got out of the Wrangler and stood by the door practicing in my head what I was going to say.

Oliver came around to me and took my hand. "Come on Chloe just do what you did before. It's to help Tristan."

We walked around to the front door and Oliver rang the bell.

It was the same woman who opened the door as before, and when we asked if Mr. Edward Stannidge was in, she told us we were in luck he had just come in from a meeting. I took this as a good omen. When we sat at the table with him, I simply asked him to sell the stones for me. He was very pleased with the two stones he hadn't seen before, and said the one I thought was blue glass was rare and would sell for a great deal of money. When he saw the other red stone, he stood up and went to get an older man, who was introduced as Christopher Stannidge, an older brother. It turned out that this stone wasn't a ruby as we thought, but a red diamond, and seriously rare, huge, and ridiculously valuable. He receipted the stones, and we talked about their commission and I signed a number of papers. I asked them to take Chloe McGarry as my name, telling them that was my bank account name, as I had my father's name for business such as my college course, and this transaction. I showed them my US driving license and passports. It went incredibly smoothly. They had my address and cell phone number. I had copies of everything including photographs of the stones, and then Oliver and I were out in the car park and the sun, blinking in the bright light.

On the drive home Oliver told me I had done really well, and since there was nothing to do but wait for the stones to sell, we should just relax.

"Let's stop and get coffee in town before we go home," he leaned over, and kissed me on the cheek, moving a strand of my hair that was, as usual, escaped from the clip I had used to put my hair up.

We stopped at the café that I had seen the 'other Oliver' at with his parents. It seemed so long ago, but it was only a couple of months. I held Oliver's hand on the walk from the car park. When we sat in the sun outside the café at probably the same table, I told Oliver about the way that even then, we had been so attracted to each other it had been amazing.

Oliver grinned. "This is a bit sentimental I guess, but I have to say it. We are meant to be together."

I smiled and gave a slight nod; the old question of caring for Tristan came into my mind.

Oliver drank his coffee and looked thoughtfully at me.

"Do you think you still love Tristan, Chloe? I mean as much as you used to because it seems odd sometimes when I see you together, as if there is a change somehow. Not that I'm asking you to change anything, you know that, and that's why I felt I had to step back that night in the churchyard. It's sort of not okay to move any further with our relationship when Tristan is still in love with you, and you with him."

I was a little stuck for words. Here was something I hadn't thought of at all. Mainly because I didn't have the intention to move any further did I?

"I still love Tristan. I love him very much in a different way from the way I love you. I want to protect him, help him and be there for him. I do still hug him and kiss him sometimes, but it's definitely not the way I kiss you, or feel when I'm with you. This is so hard to talk about, Oliver, and so weird and I do feel protective of you too." I kind of dwindled away because it was outside of my experience to describe.

Could it be now the dazzle effect had stopped between Tristan and I that we were the very best of friends more than anything else?

I looked at Oliver. He had his kind expression on his lovely face and was still thoughtful. "Does he still love you the same as before, sorry I'm upsetting you. I'll shut up."

I was shaking my head. "No Oliver it's not you. I just suddenly thought maybe I do love Tristan, but as a close friend, that it would never be any more than that. I might hold him, kiss him, but nothing else would ever happen."

"I have to say that's kind of comforting for me, but how does he feel? If he still loves you as I do, it's going to break his heart if you say anything like that to him. I don't think he could cope with that what with everything that is happening. Maybe I've pushed you into that. How about you forget everything we said and see how it goes? I wish I hadn't said anything, sorry, really." Oliver shook his head at himself.

I put my hand over the table to be held and he took it.

"Oliver don't be sorry, you haven't done anything wrong. You've always been just so great about everything."

I smiled at him.

"Hey, my dad will meet with Tristan on Wednesday morning, and if Tristan wants I can be there too. Dad is going to set him up in his business the way he did me, since it's simple. He should be able to trade within a couple of weeks. Let's hope no one buys the house before then."

"I doubt any of the property will go that quickly Oliver, seriously it's the kind of property that will take time, and also the current economic climate isn't brilliant for property sales is it?"

We paid the bill and wandered off to the car park. Oliver put his arm around my shoulders, and before we got into the Wrangler, he kissed me. I felt very lucky. There was something very special about Oliver.

I dropped him at his place because he was going to work for dad from four until eleven. He said he was calling Tristan about meeting with his dad too, so I left him to it.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

I drove along and I thought about the things I had said to Oliver, and the bottom line was, I still loved both of them but differently. I couldn't imagine opening Tristan's shirt and wanting to touch his skin the way I did with Oliver. The friendship would be spoilt. Something would change that wasn't meant to. I couldn't risk that. I knew though that I was meant to be with Tristan too.

I would keep quiet about this whole thing until Tristan was in a better place. I owed them both that. I remembered some of the times I had spent with Tristan. I wondered when my feelings had changed. I thought about when he had told me he would wait a lifetime for me if I wanted to be with the 'other mortal Oliver', and I felt a wave of love for him. For heaven's sake what was wrong with me.

I was at home and had gone up to my room. I called Liz, she answered but said she was about to go to work. I asked quickly could we meet about the arts holiday venture when she had time. She told me she finished at seven and would call by, and I told her that was great.

I went down to the kitchen and got some orange juice, noticing the workers were in the big drawing room. I put my juice on the table and went down there to ask if they would like tea or something. There was only one guy down there. I was surprised to find the frames ready for the glass, and the lighting was almost finished. I asked if he would like a cup of tea or coffee and he said he would love a cup of tea.

I made it and took a piece of cake down there too. He thanked me and I asked him how much more work was needed. The carpentry was done with the wood pre-lacquered so that the fumes were gone completely. They didn't want any kind of issue with the wall painting. He said that the glazers would be in on Wednesday, and I asked if it was the Glazers and he laughed saying yes. I left him to his tea and took my orange juice onto the kitchen patio. Tristan was on my mind. I expected him to call soon to find out how the selling of his stones went. I knew he had work to do, and didn't want to call him myself, but decided if he hadn't called by three I would call, just in case something horrible was going on with the horses or something.

I walked out to the path that led to the woods and started up there. I reached the edge of the woods and my cell phone rang, it was Tristan, and he asked if he could come round for an hour or so.

When he was in the kitchen before making coffee he smiled, and kissed me on the cheek saying, "I still have no idea what to do about the portal Chloe, that's a problem. I was talking with Corbett last night and he doesn't want to go back home, he thinks he's in love with Laura."

"Thinks or is?" I asked, smiling back at him.

"Oliver called and I'm meeting with his dad Wednesday, did he tell you? I guess he did, and he told me about your visit to Stannidge. I think things might work out. I feel hopeful that things may get better soon." It was a while since Tristan had seemed so cheerful, and it was good to see.

"The best things will be knowing I don't have to let go of the horses and that you still live here." He hugged me close.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

It seemed like we were all incredibly busy all that week. I met with Liz shortly after Tristan left. That was Monday night gone in a whirl. Tuesday I took the photograph montage down to Clare at the theatre premises, and we checked out how they looked data projected onto the pale green backdrop.

Oliver's roundel was delivered to me and I put it next to the other one with Tristan's ring in the middle again just as it should be.

I texted Oliver to tell him and he replied a little later saying he had been with a website client and it was cool that the roundel had arrived.

I went over to town with mom to get some supplies and as we drove back, we passed a field full of people with shotguns and gun dogs. They were shooting birds from the sky. We guessed it was the pretty pheasants they were shooting. We had seen these birds earlier in the journey, running in and out of the hedgerows by the side of the road. We slowed down so as not to hit one that had come further out into the road. I hoped it wasn't going to get shot.

Wednesday the Glazers, amongst them Ben grinning and bowing, came round at seven a.m. to glass in the entire fireplace. They had an electrician with them. He put the lights up and showed mom how the panel worked that dimmed, lit up the wall painting, and actually swiveled, so that they could be left as bright down lights. The music gift vouchers came in the mail, and I spent some time writing Happy Birthday in my best handwriting.

I was waiting to hear how Tristan's meeting with Oliver's dad went, and by late afternoon was edgy thinking the silence meant it hadn't gone well. Suddenly Oliver called saying he was working for dad tonight, and the meeting had been terrific fun.

I was wondering when Tristan might tell what had happened and went to get a cup of tea. I made coffee, found cake, and some sausage rolls, and took them down to the Glazers. When I got down there with the tray, the doorbell was ringing, and I left it with them saying, "Help yourselves guys," and went to answer the door.

It was the boxes of new brochures from Sandy's print manager, and I opened a box to look at one. I was impressed it was so attractive and the colors had worked really well. I hoped Liz would like them. I left one box in the hall and struggled with the other out to my Wrangler.

I called Liz to check if she was home to take a box, ready to do some of the mail out and take them around personally to the places we had agreed upon. She had an hour before work and I drove the box over. McPherson opened the door as Liz came from a room to the left in the hall. She helped me carry the box in and the room turned out to be her office. She loved the brochures too, and told me there had been three website enquiries for the half term holiday so far. That was something I said, and asked her if she had seen Tristan around the place that day. She hadn't seen him since breakfast when he and Jack had glowered at each other from opposite ends of the table. I shrugged and gave her a sympathetic look. She offered me a cup of tea, but I was mindful of her work commitments and had decided to check if Tristan was in the greenhouses, so I left.

Tristan wasn't in the greenhouses and so I drove home. I found him just parking the old truck he sometimes drove in the driveway. He got out and met me as I parked and got out of my Wrangler. He was smiling and looked happy.

"Hello Chloe, I came to tell you about the meeting with Oliver's dad. I went to the other precious stone dealers with that handful of stuff I got from you the other night afterwards, and they are selling them for me, with no drama at all. I can remain anonymous as the vendor, and my check will come in my name. Anyway the meeting with Oliver's dad was great." He stopped talking as I was grinning at him, and he took a breath. We went into the house and naturally into the big kitchen. Tristan was making coffee as he continued to tell me about the meeting with Oliver's dad.

"It's fine. I just need to wait for some registration papers, but I've called the business 'The Hunting Lodge garden developers'. It seems that name belonged to nobody and so I can have it. I called in my bank and it was so easy to get a separate account. You were right, Chloe, since I've been with them for a number of years, I didn't have to do anything weird like produce a current passport." He stopped talking again and came to me as I was standing by the counter just watching him.

He hugged me close and then said. "Thanks Chloe, seriously I don't know what I would have achieved without you, and Oliver of course." My ears had pricked up at the current passport comment, and I wanted to know if he had one at all, because if it had recently run out he could renew that with hardly any worries. I would ask him later. Right now, he was so happy that the ability to buy his house and stables was within sight.

I was smiling and hugged him back.

"This is all such great news Tristan. I'm so glad it is all falling into place. Somehow, I can't help feeling that fate meant for you to have the 'Eleanor treasure'. Jack would have been able to sell your heritage otherwise."

Tristan stopped smiling and stood back from me.

"I suppose that's true."

We went outside onto the patio with the coffee he had made, but he left about half an hour later to check on Gui and the horses. I sighed in relief as I watched him drive away, because it was great to see him happy.

Chapter Thirty

I had been working on my roundel design and it was late, about eleven. I thought Oliver was ringing me, but when I answered my cell phone, it was Tristan. 'He was going to bring Cedric around if I would like to take a ride in the moonlight. Did I know it was a full moon?'

I didn't know, but I laughed and said, "It will be great to see Cedric and you too, Tristan." Tristan laughed at that and told me he was already at the edge of the wood when I was ready.

I saved my work. I put my hair up in a clip, got a jacket, and went down to go out through the middle drawing room French windows. I just closed the door behind me quietly, as I had no idea who was at home. I knew Steven wasn't because he was with the band doing Wednesday and Thursday night gigs at Kool Kafé. I was hoping we could get down there to see them the following night.

I was halfway up the path, and Tristan came down to meet me, he was riding Matin, and leading Cedric for me, which was a lovely surprise. Cedric was a lovely horse. Tristan got down from Matin, helped me onto Cedric, and then got up onto Matin. We walked the horses alongside the woods. Tristan was happy and he was humming a song as the horses walked side by side. I looked at him smiling.

"Tristan this is the happiest I've seen you for a couple of weeks now, it must be because keeping the stables is in sight."

He laughed. "Yes, but also because I can stay home now, there might come a time when we all three have to hide for a while but, it will always really be my home, and not that I'm visiting the latest Dearings."

I was glad for him and said so. We had turned the horses, stopped them, and were just looking at the moon. I could see a massive star to one side of the sky. I turned around to Tristan. Cedric whinnied and tossed his head. I felt sure he would like to run.

"This is lovely to be out here. I should ride more and then I could gallop. I'm sure Cedric wants to run." I said to Tristan.

"He might, but he does get the chance at other times, so he can be patient for you" Tristan replied.

We did trot down to the far end of the field where we could have gone on down to the top path for the waterfall, but we turned back and walked companionably across the grass, cutting over the lawn and onto the path, which would lead into the woods. We were close to the house and Tristan helped me down from Cedric. He kept his arms around me and kissed me gently.

"I do love you Chloe. I know I may not have been showing it much just recently, but it's still there. You're my best friend too."

I hugged him. I loved him too, and I knew that. "I'll always be your best friend and I love you too," I answered.

I told him because it was true and how could I start with the description of loving him differently from Oliver. Besides which, if Oliver had said don't break Tristan's heart, then that had to mean something significant.

"You're thoughtful Chloe, is everything okay?" Tristan was a lovely, caring, lonely person, and my heart opened for him.

"Tristan everything is better than okay, things are working out, it's so great to see you happier." I kissed him then and my heart did flip a little. Sometimes I still felt dazzled by him.

He let go of me and stood back a little.

"The portal is the only thing that is a worry now. I can't think of one thing to do about it, let's hope it stays as quiet as it has been since we got rid of the castle guard, until the other stuff in my life is completely sorted out."

I took his hand and we walked to the French door. He left Matin and Cedric, both horses dropping their heads to munch on the lawn.

"Tristan, let's go to Kool Kafé tomorrow night. Will's band is on. It will be nice, and we can celebrate your business. Maybe ask Laura and Corbett. I know Liz is working, but Laura isn't or Oliver what do you think? You deserve to have a little break."

He was smiling. "Okay it sounds good. I bet Corbett will want to go, he loved it last time." He shook his head still smiling. "I still can't believe that guy, he's just so into everything modern, on the other hand poor Gui seems to be unhappy. I asked him how I could make things better for him, but he says everything is fine, and that this estate is nicer that the other, but I know he's unhappy deep down. It has to be that there are people he misses back in the past. I want to try to get him home, but I don't know how." Tristan had stopped smiling, and had a forlorn look when saying this about Gui. I put my arms up around his neck, and kissed his cheek. He moved his face to be kissed on the lips, and then hugged me goodnight.

I went in and up to my room. I looked out of my window to see him walking up the lawn, both horses either side of him following him. The pied piper, he turned and looked up at me, got up onto Cedric, taking Matin's reins and they went into the wood. Cedric knew his way home, soon Matin would too.

In my room, I thought about the portal, what could we do about it? We needed help really, and there was only one person I knew of that might be able to help, and that sadly was Aristide.

Chapter Thirty-One

Thursday morning my cell phone woke me up, and I looked at the time as I answered. It was nine o'clock and I still felt tired.

Tristan's tone was excited.

"Chloe, the most amazing thing, that dealer who I only just saw has already got a buyer for four of the stones, and they are offering nine hundred thousand pounds. It's for some of the emeralds. What do you think of that?"

"I think it's great, Tristan, did you say yes to the offer?" I answered him sitting up in bed.

"Yes, because wow, I can hardly believe it. The buyer is in Amsterdam and will transfer the funds electronically to the dealer who will take the commission. They said the other stones would sell for a little more. I've never actually had money, well not in the last few hundred years, not like 'money in the bank to access', it feels weird."

I smiled. Isn't that odd, he was a knight and some other titles he had once told Oliver and me, his family had a castle, and lands, but he didn't get to have accessible money.

"Tristan, that's a great start to being able to buy your house."

"Chloe, what time do you want to go to Kool Kafé tonight? Corbett and Laura will meet us there, he's delighted to go."

"How about eight, will that be okay for you?" I asked him, and I could hear the smile in his voice when he said it would be good, and he would come down to the house.

We ended the call and I too a shower thinking that really was a great start for Tristan, and I still believed that fate had given Tristan the 'Eleanor treasure' despite it had been via a traumatic route.

I knew Oliver wasn't working that day at all for dad because he was working Friday instead. I didn't know what he was up to, so when I was downstairs on the kitchen patio with a glass of cranberry juice, I messaged him.

I told him we were going to Kool Kafé and asked would he like to come along. Corbett and Laura were going and Will's band was on at nine thirty. He called me to answer and so I told him about the emeralds being sold in Amsterdam, and he was pleased for Tristan. He said he would meet us at Kool Kafé about nine.

I did quite a lot of college work until lunchtime and then walked over to the restaurant and around the lake. The crew was on the grounds putting up the marquees for the double party on Saturday. Stacks of chairs, and tables were already inside one marquee.

I was thinking about the portal. How odd the whole thing was with Tristan touching the water and setting off a spell again. It occurred to me that it might be Tristan who could close the portal, but when would be the question?

I sat down on one of the little benches at the far end of the lake. I thought it would be good for Tristan to be out tonight with people. When Oliver, Tristan, and I were all together, it was as if we were just a group of close friends.

I resumed my walk, and as I passed the outside tables of the restaurant, I saw Laura and Corbett there together. They were sitting with their heads close together as if they were deep in conversation. I turned down the path to go home, would Corbett stay for Laura I thought. What must his family be thinking? Maybe they were used to one or the other going off somewhere, who knew? I turned into the driveway at home, deciding to have tea, and then finish the work on the roundel design that I had promised Joshua Glazer I would have ready by close of business Friday.

I thought I would stick with jeans and my blue T-shirt to go to Kool Kafé, but I put my hair down, and for a change put purple kohl around my eyes. I was talking with mom in the kitchen when Tristan arrived just after eight. I let him in and he went to say hello to mom. She showed him the finished glass doors and lighting in the big drawing room, and I trailed after them, even though I had seen it. I was interested to check Tristan's reaction when the Eleanor wall painting was lit up at the flick of a switch, and you could just stand there looking at it through glass. Mom did light the painting up and he looked at it and said he thought they had done an amazing job. He seemed impressed by it as a work of art, and we went back down to the kitchen where mom asked if he would like some coffee. We decided to get going to the café.

I drove us and on the way, Tristan told me about yet another run in he had with Jack, but that the knowledge he would soon be able to buy the hunting lodge and stables had given him some kind of strength, and he had just let Jack's comments go unanswered.

I smiled at him as I glanced his way when turning at the crossroads.

"It will all soon be okay."

Kool Kafé was already quite full again. Will's band drew quite a crowd and they were down near the front setting up, whilst the music was provided by CD's. Steven saw me and waved. I waved back to him making my way down to say hello to everybody.

I held Tristan's hand as we went down there. It was nice to be out with him, and I thought about the times we had spent just the two of us when Oliver hadn't been around. It had seemed then that I loved him in exactly the same way as Oliver.

We finished talking to the band then walked back up to the other end of the café to get coffee and sit down together until the others came. Tristan sat close to me and took my hand.

"It's good to be here. Thanks for suggesting this Chloe." He smiled at me and it was just so endearing I leaned forward and kissed him.

The night at Kool Kafé was great, everyone seemed to be in high spirits, and Laura and Corbett certainly were interesting to be with. Laura actually got Tristan to dance with her, and to a slow melody. I watched her. She was having fun.

I didn't feel I could dance with either Oliver or Tristan when we were out together, which was a bit sad really, as even friends dance together, but I just couldn't do it. Corbett on the other hand asked me to dance and that was cool because he is a good dancer. I smiled at him, archer, glazer, dancer, multi-talented.

Because Oliver had driven the Land Rover in, we walked to it with him at the end of the night, and then went over to my Wrangler. Tristan was humming on the way home, which was a good sign I thought. When I dropped him at the Dearing house, I got out of the Wrangler and gave him a hug. "It was a fun night don't you think Tristan?" I asked him as he put his arms around me.

"Yes it was, and it was good to be on such friendly terms with Laura too."

He kissed me and I kissed him too. I did still love him.

"It would be lovely to see you tomorrow, Chloe. I'll be in the greenhouses until lunchtime," he said quietly.

"I'll walk up to the greenhouses sometime during the morning, Tristan," I told him and kissed him again.

He watched me drive away giving me a little wave, and for some reason I felt sad as I saw him turn to go into the big front door of the Dearing house, when I turned out of the car park.

Chapter Thirty-Two

Friday morning there was a fine rain falling early on. It misted the leaves and flower petals, and they looked as if there was a velvet sheen on them. I was drinking tea in the opening of the French windows in the kitchen, and planning to email my design to Joshua Glazer before I went off to find Tristan. My cell phone rang and I answered it as I put my cup down on the kitchen table. It was Mr. Edward Stannidge himself, and he had a buyer for everything, but the red diamond, which although was causing a stir was so rare that the three people interested in it were coming to see it in person. I was pleased to hear about the buyers, but then I nearly dropped my phone when he told me the amount of money coming my way by the middle of next week. I managed to keep my cool I think as he ended the call and said he would keep in touch.

I wanted to tell Tristan immediately, but made myself email Joshua Glazer my roundel design, and then put a shirt over my T-shirt before I walked up to the greenhouses. By the time I was there, I was desperate to tell Tristan how much money he was going to get, and still the red diamond to be sold. He could buy his hunting lodge outright with more than a million to spare. He could more than likely get his stables too, and then there would just be his woodlands to buy, except I remembered they were up for sale together just as I opened the door of the first greenhouse.

Tristan wasn't in there, so I went out intending to go to the other one nearby, but as I passed the area where he was growing all these little conifers in pots, there he was. He was re-potting one and talking to someone who couldn't be seen. Then Charlie waddled from behind the lattice windbreak, and I guessed that Tristan had been talking to him. The dog saw me and came up wagging his tail. Sometimes it looks like Charlie is actually grinning and it looked like that now.

Tristan looked up and smiled happily. "Chloe, I was just telling Charlie that you were coming up here today and that he better not go far. You look very happy."

I smiled, and went straight up to him and kissed him. "Tristan I heard from Stannidge, they have a buyer for all but the red diamond, and Tristan you will be able to buy the hunting lodge and more. The check is for three and a half million pounds."

"What, you're kidding, really?" Tristan was stunned. "I'm speechless. This is more than I dared hope for."

He stopped talking and looked down at the paving we were standing on. He sighed, picked up the little tree he had re-potted, and then put the pot back down again.

"Chloe, I didn't think it would happen. I thought I would just have to let Jack sell, and I've been looking for alternative rented stabling for Cedric at least. This is so overwhelming."

I took hold of his hands and held them to me drawing him close. "This is what is supposed to happen, you deserve this. It's great, and I'm so happy for you. As soon as the check arrives, I'll get it sorted out to pay it to you. You could put in an offer to the agent in your business name for the property you want to buy first. What a blast Tristan."

He bent his head and kissed me softly.

"It's like a dream, everything is like a dream."

I let go of his hands to hold him close, and we stayed like that for a few moments.

I sat on one of the bigger upturned pots as Tristan finished what he was doing with the conifers.

"How did you choose working with plants and flowers originally?" I asked him, watching him put funny little plants around the outside edges of a few of the smaller conifers. They looked as if they consisted solely of little dark red berries and set off the silvery green and lime green of the little trees. The sun had come out, it was warm on my shoulders, and Tristan's hair was glossy in its light.

"I'd been a soldier for so long, you know that's what a knight is trained for, and I stayed with that profession, if you can call it that, for many years. It was all I knew. As time passed, I found I did know lots of other things and started looking after animals. I got a couple of degrees when I had the backing of one of the Dearings many years ago and after I stopped being a vet, I just wanted peace. I couldn't go back to being a soldier and I stumbled into doing this. I started helping a head gardener out in one of the estates and found peace. It's actually a good life. I have the best of it though, being management as well, I can leave some of the more tedious jobs to the other employees if I want to or need to."

He had finished and put the rough leather gloves he had used into his pocket. He held out a hand to me and pulled me up. We walked with Charlie waddling ahead down the path and over to the Dearing house.

"Chloe, will you come and have a cup of tea with McPherson? Charlie needs to go home now, and I wanted to run an idea past you."

I grinned at the phrase and nodded. "Love to Tristan," I replied.

We'd been given tea by McPherson who for some reason was pleased to see me and after leaving Charlie with her in the kitchen, we went up to Tristan's room.

He stopped before we got there at the second floor landing, and giving me a look that I took to mean be quiet, we went into the library. He looked all the way around the room before he whispered to me.

"I want to take the things that are still hidden in the base of the globe, because I don't feel safe with Jack having them. What do you think?"

I looked at him slightly amused at his whispering, but seeing his sincere expression, I nodded and whispered back, "If I felt that way I would take the things. You have as much right to them as he does, if not more since they are about you, the letters and the flask, take them Tristan I'll help you." I had no qualms about it. I didn't trust Jack now, and the less information he had about Tristan the better in my opinion. How could he say anything since he stole the gear in the first place?

Tristan paled but nodded.

"Thank you for supporting me Chloe. I feel bad, but I need to do it."

He lifted the globe and got the manuscript and flask as well as the little rolled note from the magus. I took the letter from the professor that translated the little note and held the other stuff as he put back the globe on the base.

We went quickly and quietly to Tristan's room and put the items on his desk. We were standing there just staring at them and I suddenly realized how funny it was. I turned to him smiling and put my arms around him.

"Tristan, you did it, now let's take them to the hunting lodge, and hide them in your box. Tristan, it is only you who has keys to the house isn't it, your house, the hunting lodge, I mean besides Dad and us?"

"As far as I know, like I said before the Dearings have never shown an interest in the place. Do you want me to make sure?"

He looked concerned and I nodded.

"Yes please Tristan, just in case."

He looked at me thoughtfully and then quickly kissed me.

"Okay will do."

We put the items in his laptop bag and we left the Dearing house. As we walked along to the house I lived in he put his arm around my shoulders, and we talked about the stupid portal. What were we going to do about it? Neither of us had any ideas, well none that we were about to voice to each other that is.

When we got to the house, we went straight up to my room and put the stuff in Tristan's old wooden box. He sighed as he turned away from the closed door.

"Chloe, I was thinking about really running a business, and not just using it as a front to buy this house and the stables. I could run a garden center of my own, start from the greenhouses, where I could grow extra stuff, do extra florist supplies. What do you think?"

I thought it was a great idea, and said so.

"That's great Tristan. What's got you thinking like this?"

He had walked over to me where I was standing by my desk and he put his arms around me.

"I was reflecting on what Jack had said about upkeep, and thought maybe I should consider that too."

I smiled at him. "Naturally, you haven't considered that every couple of years you could just sell a precious stone?"

"Chloe, we are immortal, the stones may have to last a long time," he replied, and he kissed me softly.

It was lovely to be close to Tristan again, but all I could think about was that I somehow forgotten the immortal thing. How is that possible?

We decided to go over to the restaurant and get some lunch at the tourist café service because it was a lovely day, and it would be nice to spend some more time together.

Tristan noticed that the roundel Oliver had made was back in place on my desk and he grinned at me as he leaned in to look more closely at it.

"Just think Chloe, if that was the original I would still be captive within it, how astonishing is that?"

It made me shudder thinking about it, and I took his hand to go out of my room and go downstairs.

He glanced at me. "It upset you to think of that?"

"It did Tristan," I said quietly.

"Sorry, it's just that I couldn't feel anything when I was glass, and when you and Oliver freed me, I just found myself walking down by the waterfall, walked home, and then came over to you."

It was the first time he had said much about the incident. I guessed there was more, but I was intrigued that he had come back into being at the waterfall. That place was so important to Tristan's existence it made me afraid thinking about it.

Chapter Thirty-Three

We were on the short walk to the restaurant and I was holding his hand.

"Tristan the waterfall, how interesting that you should just turn up there. It's a special place for you that's for sure."

He stopped walking, and took hold of my shoulders gently. "Yes, remember that's where I first met you" and he kissed me gently and quickly. I felt momentarily dazzled by his intensity, but then he smiled and took my hand, and we walked on.

Ben was at the restaurant waiting on the outdoor tables and came straight up to us when we sat down. It was nice to sit in the sun with Tristan. Clare was working and she came out to chat to us for a few moments. She told me that the backdrop idea had been popular with the theatre company and they were going to use it.

When we were alone again, I made sure Tristan was going to be at the party tomorrow, since everyone else was coming and dad had agency staff in as well as the older staff to work at the restaurant.

"You haven't forgotten Will and Steven's party tomorrow Tristan? Everyone will be there. What time are you coming over?"

"I haven't forgotten and I'm coming over with Laura and Corbett. We'll drive, rather than walk, since Laura's heels will be about six inches high. Lucky that Corbett is on the tall side" he answered, and he smiled his lovely smile. I was so glad the thing between Laura and Tristan had been resolved. It meant he had another person on his side.

We walked home and I needed to finish an assignment so we agreed to call each other later.

After dinner Tristan messaged me that he had received a rush job for a florist, and would work late, and then early, so he would see me at the party. He added that it had been so lovely to spend time with me and that he loved me. I sighed as I messaged back, because this thing about loving two guys it's hard really. Yet I can't help it.

I thought Oliver might message after work, but he called me instead. I caught him up on the events. I told him the Stannidge news, and about how Tristan and I had taken the archaeological finds out of the globe base, and hidden them in Tristan's box. The box was almost full now. He told me he was thinking of coming over to walk from my house to the party on Saturday, and I said that would be cool. When Oliver told me he loved me, it was bittersweet this time, because of Tristan's same words only a short time ago.

Chapter Thirty-Four

Oliver came around to my house to go to the party. Steven had been incredibly excited until the time he went to rehearse with the band when he suddenly became calm and yet sparklingly happy. I was the only one left at home.

I let Oliver in, and he kissed my cheek telling me I looked lovely, and I told him so did he. I was wearing my good blue T-shirt and jeans. I had left my hair down so it was the best I could do.

I asked if he would like coffee before we went or anything?

He smiled and said, "I want to hug you to pieces since I've hardly seen you for a couple of days."

It made me laugh. It was good too because for some reason I had felt saddened by my time with Tristan. It had somehow reinforced the dilemma of loving the two of them. I wished sometimes that it hadn't happened, and that I had only met and loved one of them, but right then when I had that thought I didn't let myself care which one of them. I've always had a weird experience when Oliver has asked me stuff about if I love him as much as Tristan, and I've always had an echo of the word 'more' somewhere in my mind or heart.

As time went on it was becoming more of a worry to me that I loved them both.

I went into Oliver's arms, and got hugged 'to pieces'.

We walked over to the party hand in hand and he told me that at last the clients who couldn't ever make up their mind had finally. We laughed at that. We reached the edge of the lawns where the marquees were erected and people were already wandering around with drinks in their hands. I stopped walking and turned to Oliver. He looked at me questioningly and I put my arms around him.

"I do love you Oliver, remember that" I told him, and kissed him as he bent his head to mine.

He seemed a little bemused, but then smiled his lovely smile and told me he loved me too. He kissed me again and as we walked towards the largest marquee, he kept hold of my hand. There was music coming from this marquee, and it turned out to be the one housing the DJ. Along opposite sides the tables had a variety of food and soft drinks. I saw Clare and James talking with Will at one end of a table and told Oliver I wanted to give Will his birthday present, so we went over there.

James turned to include us in the conversation and after saying hello, I gave Will the gift I had for him, and wished him happy birthday. He liked it, which was great as it was the only gift I could think of for him. Steven had liked his gift voucher too when I gave it to him that morning. Liz came over to us and put her arm around Will and he kissed her cheek.

As everyone seemed to be talking at once suddenly, I glanced around, and noticed Corbett and Laura standing just inside the marquee. Ben was there too with a girl I hadn't seen before. She was small, dainty and had light auburn hair, and freckles. She was quite pretty, and dressed in shorts over leggings, and a sort of floaty long sleeved top that had a pattern of big poppies all around the hem. Ben was holding her hand and they were talking with Corbett and Laura.

I wondered where Tristan was. I had already let go of Oliver's hand as per our unspoken pact, when I saw him standing alone at the end of the opposite table. He was looking down at the ground and nursing a blue glass, bottle of spring water. I watched him as he raised his head to look around and saw an expression of sadness on his face.

Why was he over there alone and not with Corbett and Laura? I turned to Oliver and by the weird connection we had, he turned to me at exactly the same time.

"Oliver, I'll go over and get Tristan he's by himself over there," I told him and Oliver looked over at Tristan and smiled at me.

"I was just thinking the same thing. Go and get him."

I walked over to Tristan and he smiled as he saw me. I wanted to know why he had looked sad.

"Tristan, you seem a little sad, has anything else happened with Jack?" I asked immediately and broke the pact by taking his hand.

"No nothing. I'm okay really. It's nice to see you. Oh, Oliver's over there waving" he said, and I turned to see Oliver grinning across at us.

Dear Oliver, he had such a happy and kind nature. He started walking over and studiously avoided seeing I had hold of Tristan's hand.

"Hey Tristan, dad says you should get the formal stuff through about your business midweek, so everything can go ahead by the end of the week. You can put in an offer for the properties. Just say if you need any help from me, and though dad doesn't do much property stuff, he says he will help you in any way he can."

Tristan smiled at him.

"Thanks Oliver it's really good of you and your dad. Please tell him thank you from me."

Oliver nodded and then said, "Hey who's the girl with Ben?" and as we turned to look at them, Ben saw us and came over.

The girl he was with was a work experience student in the Glazers. She and Ben had met a few weeks ago and become very good friends. Her name was Lily, and she was as pretty as the flower close up, her skin pale and peachy with her freckles scattered across her nose. She knew who I was, and liked my stained glass designs. We talked for a few moments about how lovely glass could be.

When I saw Corbett, I was amazed to find him speaking some English and it seemed he had adapted his French too. He and Laura were talking with Oliver and Tristan. Corbett turned to me and said, "Hello Chloe" in English. He grinned, pleased with himself and I was laughing too.

Chapter Thirty-Five

It was soon time for Will and his band to make their guest appearance at their party. Everyone was applauding and laughing as they announced this. I was looking around, there were lots more people than I expected, and obviously lots of family and friends of Will and the other band members.

As they played, I stood near both Tristan and Oliver and watched the other couples. Liz was down by the band watching Will, but the others had paired off. I stepped back, and watched as if I was on my own. It felt better somehow.

I went looking for some water after a couple of songs. I could still hear the band, and I made my way to the marquee where the refreshments were. A couple were sitting close together. I didn't know them. They were kissing each other and I looked away as I went to the table where I thought I had seen bottles of water. I picked one up and exited the marquee. Instead of going back to the band, I decided to walk to the edge of the lake.

Everything was lit up in colored fairy lights, and clusters of colored light globes, the lake shimmering as usual in the light cast from them. I went to the edge and looked down at the slight ripples made by the flow of the lake to the right, and by the evening breeze. It was pretty and soothing. I opened the water and took a drink from it. I was putting the cap back on the bottle and I turned around to see a child running from one clump of camellia bushes to the other clump, which was thickened out with clipped box. The child skidded almost under the thickest part of the short stand of camellia, and doubling up seemed to be hiding there.

I watched for a few moments. There were no other children around and no one looking for the child in a game of hide and seek. I wondered if the child had seen me. It seemed weird that there were no other children and yet clearly this one was hiding. I walked over there and as I approached, I could hear the child was crying. I bent down to see and asked, "Are you okay? Can I help? I can hear you are crying. My name is Chloe, and I live near here." It seemed appropriate to try and stem any fears in the child by telling them this.

The child was still crying, but spoke back, and not in English. It was the Norman French Tristan spoke, and this was a little boy. Maybe he was about eight.

I had no idea what he was saying, but I smiled at him and held out my hand. I hoped he would come out from under the bush, as it was spiky and hard for me to squat down there.

He looked at me his head on one side and tears sliding down his cheeks. I offered him my bottle of water. He must have been thirsty or attracted to the pretty, blue, glass bottle because he did take it, and then he didn't know what to do with the cap, so I showed him how to turn it until it came off. He tried to drink it but he was bent so much it spilled down his front. This made him smile, and then he drank it. The fizz and bubbles amused him.

I held my hand out to him again, and he scrambled out of the bush standing up to take my hand. He was smaller than I first thought and quite thin. He reminded me of someone, but I didn't know who. His hair seemed light brown in the colored lights, and he had an elfin face. His clothes were quite clean and tidy, red tunic and a colored cord belt over gray leggings, and little felt shoes.

I pointed at myself and said my name, then I pointed at him and he immediately knew to tell me his name, which was Emery. I walked slowly down the lawns towards the marquees with him. He started to be afraid. I managed, by a combination of smiles and slowing down to let him hear the music and watch people, to get him to the refreshment marquee. I offered him sandwiches, sausages, and cake, which seemed to make him very happy, and he sat on the ground by the table to eat what I gave him.

I knew he had come through the portal, but I didn't know when. He looked like he may have been kicking around all day from how hungry he was. I wanted to get to Tristan, but I also wanted the child to eat before we went anywhere. He was a cute kid and had thanked me for the food. I know the Norman French for thank you at least. I gave him another sausage, and held my hand out to try to get him to come with me. He was a fast learner and got up taking my hand. I led him over to the marquee where Will was just finishing up a song, and as people started clapping and cheering, he hid behind my legs. I bent and put an arm around him looking for Tristan. I saw Tristan with Oliver and hoped he would turn and see me so that I didn't have to move the child again. Just at that moment, he did turn and look at me. I smiled and with my free hand beckoned to get him over to me. Both he and Oliver came over, and seeing the child sort of behind me, gave me puzzled looks.

"Tristan, this is Emery, he's from the past. You can speak to him as I don't speak his language and maybe find out who he is and when he came over." I was starting to grin, but Tristan had gone pale, and Oliver was looking at the child too, a little fazed.

"Oh no Chloe, a child now, poor little thing, we have got to do something about that damnable portal," Tristan sighed.

To the child he spoke in the Norman French and the little boy was very pleased to hear him. Oliver looked at me and gave me one of his kind smiles; it helped.

"Who is he Tristan, have you found out?" I asked, and right then Corbett came quickly walking towards us. He wasn't with Laura, which was a blessing as the fewer people who knew about the portal the better in my opinion. He was calling out the child's name Emery, so he knew who this was then.

Tristan and Corbett were talking to each other and Oliver understood a fair bit. He said quietly to me, "It's a cousin. I think he was playing at the holy spring and then the pool this morning."

Corbett picked the child up, and was chattering away to him, as Tristan watched. Suddenly Tristan caught Corbett's elbow and said something in an urgent tone to him. Corbett moved and slightly turned, I could see then that the urgency in Tristan's tone was because Laura was heading straight for us.

Corbett put the child down and fixed a smile on his face.

Oliver said, "Oh no, Tristan, she mustn't know about the portal, tell her anything other than the truth."

Tristan looked resigned. "I bloody well know that. I've just told Corbett not a word about the portal" and then he looked contrite and added, "Sorry to snap, it's just so worrying."

I took Oliver's hand, and to my surprise, the child Emery saw me and took my other hand, as he stood next to me. I glanced at Oliver who was looking down at the child, and then he raised his eyes to mine in a look of conspiracy.

Laura came up saying a mix of French and English to Corbett, which amounted to hello and she had been looking for him. She barely looked at Oliver, the child, or me. Corbett half turned to Tristan giving him a look of conspiracy as well, and taking Laura by the hand, he walked off in the direction of the refreshment marquee.

Tristan shrugged. "That was a close shave. Well now we have to take care of the boy until Corbett takes him home."

"Takes him home," I echoed. "The child will realize something is wrong surely, because he seems to have lasted all day wandering around without mishap. That has to mean he's very intelligent. What's the story this time that we spin to him?"

"I'm sorry this has happened to him, but what can we do? Corbett will take him home and just tell him he wandered off. He's only six he's bound to forget, or if he says anything, people discount what children say." Tristan's tone was apologetic and he seemed distressed.

"Wow, is he only six I thought maybe eight, but then I'm not good at guessing ages, like you for instance Tristan I'd say you were about nineteen." I was trying for humor to lighten the mood, and it worked. Tristan sighed and smiled.

"Let's just enjoy the rest of the evening and I'll try to catch Corbett on his own and ask when he wants to take the boy home."

He squatted down then to be eye to eye with Emery, and spoke to him gently, smiling as the boy replied happily.

"I just said he was lost on the estate Corbett was visiting and he would take him home tomorrow." I'll take him to get something to eat and he held out his hand to the boy who seemed happy now to take it. Oliver and I watched as they went off to the other marquee.

"He can't take him home until daylight. You can't rock up with a lost child at two a.m. even in the eleven hundreds." Oliver said, and since we were still holding hands he looked around and then kissed my cheek. "How did you find him Chloe?" he asked.

I told Oliver about how I had wandered out to the lake and just found him under a camellia. I didn't say why I was at the lake and Oliver thoughtfully didn't ask. We were standing watching other couples dance to music, which the DJ was now playing and Oliver said, "Do you want to go and get a drink or something?"

We wandered down to the other marquee and as we went in there, Oliver let go of my hand.

We found Tristan who was standing next to the child sitting on the ground again eating cake. I took a bottle of orange juice from a tub of ice with different juices in it, opened it, and gave it to the child before getting one for myself. We were standing there all three of us just looking at each other and then at the child. Tristan spoke first. He was actually grinning too.

"Bloody portal. I don't know what to do about it. I feel real aversion to contacting Aristide, but he's the only person who may be able to help. People are just going to keep coming through it. Who knew it would be such a busy place? It's like the bloody center of town on Saturday."

Oliver burst out laughing. "Tristan, despite it's a bad situation that's the most upbeat I've heard you be in a couple of weeks. Sorry I can't support you going to Aristide. I think we should wait a bit longer. Have you thought that you might need to touch the water again at some crucial date or time? Maybe you can close it, Tristan."

I thought about this, what crucial time, maybe Oliver could work one out with his computer-oriented brain.

"I don't know, Oliver, it's an attractive thought up against the one of going to Aristide, but when, and maybe it wouldn't work anyway."

We looked at each other and then down at Emery who was sitting cross-legged and seemed to be falling asleep with his head down.

"Emery looks exhausted. He's probably been hiding and running all day. We should take him somewhere to sleep," I said.

"I don't know where to take him tonight to be honest. I have to be careful. I'm thinking of taking him to Gui."

He looked down at the child. "Maybe I should take him now."

"What if we drive you over there? It will only take a half hour there and back," I asked.

Oliver nodded "We could do that, come on, Tristan, I'll drive you. Stay here, Chloe, after all this is your brother's birthday party as well as Will's. You stay, we'll be back soon."

I watched them go. Tristan carried the sleeping child, and Oliver was talking to him, as they walked back to the hunting lodge to get Oliver's Land Rover.

Chapter Thirty-Six

I caught up with Steven, who was having a great time with John and a couple of girls, who he introduced as from the Kool Kafé and were here with Samantha, Clare's sister. She had come along just at that moment and they were all chattering about music.

I stood at the entrance to the marquee where the music was playing and watched Liz and Will dance together. A boy I didn't know, but who must have been a friend of Will's to be at the party, came up, and asked me to dance. He was tall and skinny like Will with dark hair, cut short, blue eyes, and attractive. I smiled and was about to say no when I thought 'what the hell' and said yes.

It was quite fun to dance with someone I had no feelings for. He was amusing and nice. He told me his name was Chris, and he knew Will from school. He was going to university in the nearby city to study classics, because it was a good university and because he wanted to stay at home, around his friends. I liked him and we stayed on the dance floor for another song. Then I wished him luck with his studies and he went off to dance with Samantha who had come into the tent with the other girls, Steven, and John.

I wandered out of the marquee thinking it was about time that Tristan and Oliver were back, when I saw them coming down the lawn towards me. They were talking. Oliver had his hands in his jeans pockets, and Tristan was sort waving his about.

When they saw me they both grinned, some bonding had gone on I guessed.

"We left him with Gui for the night who was quite happy, and it turns out he is missing his family a bit more than I had guessed. Even so, Corbett will need to get this visitor home quickly. A missing child will attract more attention than any adult."

The rest of the evening went quickly, and the boy Chris came back and asked me to dance again, which was nice as I had no chance of dancing with either Oliver, or Tristan.

Later Oliver and I dropped Tristan at the Dearing house, and we arranged to meet down at the waterfall at nine in the morning to get Emery home.

Oliver came into the kitchen at home and made coffee. I asked him if Tristan had said anything more when they were taking Emery to the stables.

"Not really, but we decided to meet as soon as the business papers were delivered and the first of the checks in the bank. I'm going to help Tristan buy his property."

I smiled at this. It was good they could be friends despite the weird relationship we all had.

When Oliver left, he kissed me, before saying,

"I hope nothing else is going to happen with the portal in the night."

I nodded. I could no longer believe my original thought, that not many people would come through it.

Chapter Thirty-Seven

I was scrambling down the bank to the waterfall about a quarter before nine the next day, and could hear voices. Everyone else including Oliver was already there. It seemed Corbett had told Laura he was going home to deal with some business for a day as a cover to take Emery home. Corbett had on his original clothes, and I was left wondering how he had hidden them as he had left the Dearing house that morning.

I said good-bye to the little boy, who was carrying a tied up cloth, filled with something, and gave him a little hug.

At almost nine o'clock Corbett started waving at Tristan, Oliver, and I standing on the bank and he stepped towards the reeds with the child. He picked him up taking his head and putting it against his shoulder so that the child couldn't see, and stepped onto the area we thought was the portal. They were gone in an instant.

I felt sad, and Tristan was obviously worried for some reason. He wanted to wait and check the seven minute past slot in case anything had gone wrong at the other end.

I asked, "Tristan do you mean to go after Corbett?"

"No, just chuck in a branch and check Corbett doesn't come running back with the child followed by an angry mob who have been out searching for the child all night."

I almost laughed, but Tristan was deadly serious and I began watching the portal intently, just as Oliver and he were doing.

At the seven minutes time travel portal opening, Tristan threw in a branch, but nothing happened. The branch lay there and we looked at each other in surprise.

"There's no seven minute slot." Oliver stated the obvious. "It must have changed again, the order of which time gets three slots."

"If there's only one at nine a.m., that's what it started out at, maybe it's just gone back to that pattern again on the seventh day. This is the seventh day," I said with a shrug.

"Yes, more than likely" Oliver said, thinking, and then nodding.

"Bloody hell. How can we trust the thing to be doing what it was doing from one day to the next?" Tristan ran his hand through his hair and just stood there looking disgusted.

What he had said and how he had said it, was quite funny so both Oliver and I had started laughing.

He looked at us for a few seconds then joined in, but managed to add, "I hope Corbett is okay over there. I hope we see him again, but I wouldn't blame him if we didn't."

"I dare say Laura will blame him though, and I can't imagine him staying home. He loves it here and I think he loves Laura." I took the branch out of the reed area and threw it onto the bank. "Let's go. Who wants coffee?"

At home, we were talking about the week ahead as it was going to be busy again for all of us.

I had assignments and to meet with Clare for the finishing up of the theatre production back drops. I needed to transfer the check from Stannidge to Tristan. I was supposed to help mom a little around the house and shop with her. I needed to check with Liz if anything was working for the arts holiday venture.

Oliver had to work for dad three days, and had websites to build, as well as two new clients to see. He was going to help Tristan too.

Tristan had his usual massive workload, and the stressful business of the buying and selling. He had Gui to think about, and to look out for Corbett coming back.

We were just hanging out talking about if any more 'Eleanor treasure' needed selling, and how Tristan had already told the other dealer he had a few more bits and pieces from his dad and might sell them.

Oliver thought maybe after the price of the property Tristan wanted to buy was reached he could sell just one or two more stones, and keep the rest for later, which Tristan commented was exactly what he had thought.

After another cup of coffee, we got around to talking about how Gui had been a bit forlorn when Tristan and Corbett came to take the child Emery home that morning.

About midday, we decided to walk over to the restaurant for lunch as none of us had breakfast and then split up to start on the various things we had to do.

Oliver's Land Rover was parked at the restaurant as he had to work that afternoon and had walked down to the waterfall.

We were sitting talking about the portal. Tristan was saying he would hang out at the seven pm time travel slot with Corbett's modern day clothes because he may come back then, when Laura came along.

She was working, but she stopped by as she had laden her tray clearing a table recently vacated by some people.

"Tristan, do you have a contact number for Corbett? I miss him already and I never needed to call him before because he was in the house, and we seemed always to be together. I'd love to call him. He said he would be back tonight but..." she stopped talking with a sigh. I felt sad for her. I hoped with all my heart that Corbett was going to come back.

Tristan took a deep breath.

"Laura I don't have his number, well not where you could reach him today. He'll be back by seven, and it's already past midday. Bear up." He smiled at her, put his hand out to catch her free one, and squeezed it in sympathy. She managed a little smile at him, and then Oliver and me.

I smiled back at her with understanding in my eyes.

Oliver stayed to work. Tristan and I walked back to the house. He held my hand and we were silent for a while, then Tristan said, "I do hope Corbett comes back. I didn't realize how much Laura cared for him."

I looked at him and nodded, as what was there to say.

At the house, I asked Tristan if he would like a lift to the Dearing place.

"I think I would rather walk and think thank you, Chloe."

I walked with him to the edge of the wood.

"Tristan, would you like me to come with you to the waterfall at seven this evening for Corbett's return?"

"That will be great, Chloe."

I kissed him at the edge of the wood and said, "I'll meet you here to walk down via the top path about six forty."

He nodded and kissed me again, his glossy brown hair falling over his lovely blue eyes. He was so good looking I felt dazzled by it just for a moment.

I started helping mom with the chores when I was home. We did a lot of laundry and drying. All the while, she was talking about her work, and told me how she was going over to the States again for a week at the end of October. She told me she hoped that Grandma would come back with her for a few weeks, as we had heaps of room, and it would be nice wouldn't it?

I ran the vacuum cleaner up and down the hall and into the library where Steven and the band had dropped crumbs and stuff. Then I did my room and mom took it from me to do Steven's room.

I noticed it was nearly six and decided to sort out my assignments so that I could just work through them during the week in the order of their due date at college.

My cell phone received a message and it was Oliver on his break saying hi. I pictured him in the staff room at the restaurant and smiled.

It was six thirty. I cleaned my teeth, and put my hair up, grabbing a jacket I went off to meet Tristan. He was just emerging from the wood and I waited for him. We walked down to the waterfall as planned via the top path. After waiting for a few minutes, Tristan looked at his cell phone.

"Well seven o'clock has been and gone Chloe. We'll wait for the seven minutes past travel time. Should we throw in a branch just to make sure there is a seven minutes past slot? The seconds slot is always useless you can't test that. He had put down a plastic bag, which I assumed Corbett's clothes were in and picked up a branch.

He sighed. "This whole thing is driving me nuts, Chloe, how about you?" he asked, and then checked his cell phone again.

"Right-o, watch your head, Corbett." He threw the branch at the same time as saying this. The branch disappeared, but there was no arrival of Corbett and we stared at the portal area for a further few minutes before Tristan sighed again. "Bloody hell, what's going on?"

"Tristan, maybe he has just stayed with his family, for a few days or well, whatever," I offered.

"Poor Laura" Tristan said, and went to remove the branch from the reeds.

He picked up the bag of clothes and took my hand to go up the bank of vegetation to the top path.

We walked along silently for a few minutes, and then Tristan remarked, "I can't imagine Corbett will come through at two a.m. I suppose we've proved the theory that the portal openings have swung back to their original time slots, bit like a pendulum really."

"Exactly my thoughts Tristan, isn't that weird like an old clock or some old timepiece?" I replied.

He stopped and looked thoughtfully at me. "It is weird, but could it mean anything is what we ought to be asking ourselves?"

"Search me Tristan, the whole thing is beyond our scope, let's face it." I smiled at him and we walked on. At the house, I asked if he wanted to come in for a cup of coffee and he shook his head. He would get going he really needed to get some pots of plants ready for a display in the conference rooms the next day.

He kissed me, and I walked down to the house, and he to the woods.

Chapter Thirty-Eight

It was Tuesday night. Tristan had checked for Corbett's arrival at every portal opening except the two in the morning ones. Laura was distraught and bailing Tristan up at every opportunity trying to get Corbett's address out of him. He was in the kitchen with a cup of coffee talking to mom about these pretty, little, pink flowers in pots he had brought down for her, along with trays of pansies, which he said he would put out the front in the big planters for the autumn.

Mom went off to the restaurant to see dad, and as her Cherokee left the driveway, Tristan got up from his chair and came over to where I was standing looking out at the sunset, red streaking across the sky and dark blue clouds in between. He put his arms around me and rocked me a little, kissing my cheek. "Chloe, Laura is so very distressed I don't know what to do. I'm thinking of going after Corbett into the portal tomorrow." My heart flipped. I didn't want this.

"No Tristan, you can't it's too dangerous, people may see you, recognize you, burn you at the stake." I turned around to face him. "Please don't do it. Corbett may have chosen to stay home, and you can't make him feel like he has to come back here, it's not right."

He was silent for a moment and then he sighed. "That's true. I wish he would chuck a note through the portal or something just to say he's chosen to stay home. I miss him too actually, I have to admit, and I've run out of things to say to Laura."

I sighed. "It's miserable I know. Hold on for a couple more days Tristan."

He hugged me and I just held him for a few moments. I went out to the old truck he was using and kissed him goodbye. "Promise me you will not go through the portal not for at least a couple more days," I asked him, and he shook his head saying he wouldn't.

I watched him drive away and then I went up to my room and continued with an assignment I had started earlier.

The next day the check from Stannidge was in the mail. I called my bank saying I needed information about how to sign a check made out to me over to someone else. The sooner I got this money to Tristan the better. When I called Tristan to tell him what was happening he said that it was great news, and he had received the check from the Amsterdam sale. He was meeting with Oliver's dad the next day to start to buy his property back. He had simultaneously heard that the other stones he had for sale were under offer, and felt hopeful that things were falling into place. He was going to drop in on his way to meet Oliver's dad that afternoon.

Typically, everything wanted to happen at once. Stannidge called with the news that the red diamond had gone for two million pounds. I swallowed, and told them thank you so much for your work. They told me the check would be sent out by the end of the week. Hurray, Tristan was set up to buy this house, that he called the hunting lodge, his woods, and stables. He could keep his horses.

Clare called me, and asked was I meeting her that afternoon or what, since I hadn't confirmed. I told her yes and dashed upstairs to change.

Tristan dropped in fifteen minutes later and picked up the check, which I had endorsed. We drove out of the driveway in our cars one after the other.

Thursday morning my cell phone was ringing in my ear because I had left it on the side of my bed the night before, after talking with Oliver last thing. It was Tristan, Corbett had just fronted up at the greenhouses, and he was back to stay. I checked the time, ten after nine. I guessed he had got the nine a.m. portal then just as if it was a train. I was overjoyed actually, because Tristan had been totally dismayed by how Laura was broken hearted. They were taking the horse Corbett had brought to the stables and borrowing some clothes from Gui just to get to the Dearing house.

He had rung me to let me know, because I knew he had planned on following Corbett the next day. I had been planning to go with Tristan. He didn't know it of course but there you go, I couldn't let him go alone.

I was thanking heavens Corbett had come back for all our sakes.

I put down my cell phone and swung my legs out of bed, just as I was about to stand up, and dash in the shower as it was already later than I had planned to sleep, my cell phone rang again. It was Oliver and he had some free time, and was really hoping to see me. I told him I was desperate to see him, which was true, and we arranged to meet at the café by the library for lunch.

I parked the Wrangler in the library car park and walked around the corner to the café. Oliver was already there and the sight of him was heavenly. I kissed him as soon as I got to the table and he stood up and moved a chair close to his saying he was so pleased to see me and how it felt like a couple of weeks not days that we hadn't seen each other.

"Oliver I feel the same. I feel like hugging you to pieces." I laughed using the words he had once used to me.

We ordered lunch and I told Oliver about Corbett arriving that morning and how it was such a good thing because of Tristan's plan to go looking for him.

Oliver was aghast. "How come you didn't tell me, you weren't planning on going too?"

I tried to lie but I just can't lie to Oliver any more. I nodded and he sat back in his chair in dismay.

"Chloe, please never go anywhere without telling me, at least. I love you. I feel so, well so dismayed, that you would contemplate such a thing without saying anything."

He was too I could see that. I put my hands out to his.

"Oliver, I would have said if it was going to happen. All week I've been hoping Corbett would get back and he has."

Oliver took my hands and pulled me slightly forward as he sat forward again.

"Do you love me Chloe?" he asked very softly.

I did. "Yes Oliver, I love you very much," I told him.

He leaned forward and kissed me.

"Please never think about doing anything like that without talking to me well in advance. You must know if you had really wanted to do it, I would have gone too. I can't lose you Chloe. I try not to think about the fact that you love Tristan as well as me, but I can't lose you, not now."

It was very moving to hear. I kissed him and said, "Sorry Oliver, it's the last thing I want too. I do love you."

He seemed cheered, and in a lighter tone with a slight smile he asked, "It's as much as Tristan though, right?"

This time it just came out of my mouth, the word I had nearly said a couple of times to him. I had no control over it. "I think it could be more Oliver."

He looked at me surprised, and then he broke into a big smile.

"More, did you just say more?" He leaned forward and kissed me gently. I felt that extraordinary wrapped in silk feeling and I nodded in answer.

He seemed to be surprised still, almost dazed by what I had said. I was surprised myself that the word had finally been spoken. It must be true I thought. I loved Tristan, but I loved Oliver more.

He walked me to the Wrangler and folded me in his arms as we stood by the driver's side door. When we kissed each other I felt like I never wanted to stop kissing him, but I had to get going, and so did he.

Chapter Thirty-Nine

It was Friday evening, the week having flown by, and I was on my way to the greenhouses to check how things were going with Tristan and Corbett in particular. I was on the path by the topiary hedges and I saw Laura and Corbett, they were hand in hand and walking towards the Dearing house car park. I watched them stop and kiss each other and then continue walking.

I kept going and found Tristan in the first greenhouse. He was happy to see me and kissed my cheek then proceeded to tell me he had made an offer under his business name for the whole lot of the property that was his anyway.

"Chloe, I made an offer for the property, it's so exciting."

I was thrilled.

"Tristan, that is so cool, I'm so happy for you."

I smiled at this.

Taking off his gloves, he came to me and hugged me.

"It's all going to be okay. Jack seemed in high spirits this afternoon, and he didn't say a word about the real estate offers, though that must have been why he was happy, my legal people said he snapped up the offers."

I gave him a hug back and we went off to the stables as he had promised me he would let me see the horse Corbett had brought back. I told him I had just seen Laura and Corbett, and it had looked like Corbett was forgiven for staying away so long.

Tristan laughed saying, "You bet and he's given her a ring, he brought it back with him. I think it's serious because he's told me he's not going back, in time that is. He's told his family that he's met a lady and has gone to be with her."

I suddenly thought about the fact that the Glazers had somehow lost the knowledge about Tristan and the stained glass spell. Maybe Corbett was the reason why, maybe all along his destiny had been to come here. What an odd thought, but then another one came into my head, maybe the portal was for that reason to sort out some destiny.

"What's wrong Chloe, you look very serious?" Tristan asked, and I smiled shaking my head.

"No it's great news I'm pleased for both of them."

I changed the subject slightly.

"Tristan, do you know how the arts holiday venture is going? I haven't caught up with Liz yet this week."

He told me they had more bookings for the half term holidays at the end of the next month and that was all he knew.

We reached the stables, and Gui ran out almost immediately he heard our voices. He still bowed, and Tristan still nodded, and helped him upright. Tristan said something to Gui in the original Norman French, it seemed only Corbett was changing his language. I felt so sorry for Gui. The sorrow came in a wave because it was as if the way he moved communicated sadness.

He went into the stable and brought out a lovely little horse, kind of small, dainty, and golden brown with an almost black mane and tail.

"Wow Tristan she's lovely. I thought Cedric was beautiful, and Matin majestic, but this one is magical." I was delighted with the horse.

"Her name is Angel and she is one" Tristan said, with the emphasis on is. He was smiling and stroking the horse's neck. Already they had bonded. It was great to see Tristan with animals, they loved him, and it was clear he loved them. I guessed in his life animals had been a major source of friendship and companionship, rather than humans.

"So why did Corbett bring her, doesn't she belong to someone in his family at home?"

"No because he got her for a wedding gift, well that's what he told his family, it all added credibility to the story. Actually the story is true, he's come back, or should I say forward for Laura."

Tristan's eyes glittered. He looked impressed by it all.

I smiled at him. This was good for him too. He had someone else now, Corbett.

I smiled at Gui and patted the horse, she was lovely and nosed me happily.

Gui took her away and I watched him go.

"Tristan, is there any chance of getting Gui home? He seems so down-hearted?"

Tristan sighed and answered, "I know, I'm thinking how it could happen. I just can't risk him inadvertently bringing anyone back again. For instance, he's asked questions, he has to answer because he's a servant, and the next thing you know a whole regiment are piling through the portal."

I nodded. "I understand Tristan, but we need to get him home. He's not like Corbett. I can see his sadness."

"I'll try to think of something, I promise." Tristan was sincere and he took my hand as we walked back to the greenhouses.

"Tristan, I've been meaning to ask you, what did you do with the rest of your blood that was in the fridge in the office here?" I asked him, as we entered the greenhouse office via the end door.

He turned to me smiling. "I burned it, in the leaf burning area, its gone, gone, gone. I couldn't risk leaving immortal blood around after it had saved you, could I?"

I laughed at this. "Excellent" I commented.

Oliver, Tristan, and I were meeting at my place in a short time, so Tristan was finishing up his paperwork for the day, and we were going to walk down there together. I watched him shuffle a sheaf of papers and check the cool room, then send an email and shut down the computer.

We walked down to my place via the topiary paths and across the extended lawns to the house.

Tristan had his arm loosely around my shoulders. He was telling me again how Oliver's dad had assigned a lawyer from his firm to Tristan's affairs, and how everything was amazingly just falling into place. All the stones sold and monies rolling in, he had help from Oliver who was building him a website so that he could branch out as he had planned. He was just saying how Jack had asked for a quick settlement and naturally, that suited him perfectly, when we got to the kitchen patio doors, which were open.

Darkness was only just falling and it was a lovely night. We went in and found Oliver was already there talking with mom. They were, of course discussing computer stuff. After saying hello to them, Tristan started to make coffee. I went upstairs to get my netbook because we were planning to look for a vehicle that Tristan could buy for himself and his business.

I had said I would have a try at designing him a logo for his business because he could hardly have the business name adorned on the side for Jack to see. I picked up my sketchbook and pencils, and went back downstairs. Mom had gone off to her own study after putting food on the table for them. Oliver was eating some kind of vegetable pastry and Tristan was drinking coffee. They were talking about the website work Oliver had already done so far for Tristan. I sat nearby and booted my computer.

Oliver grinned and said, "Hey so it looks like Jack has grabbed the offers made on the properties with extreme speed."

I nodded. "I know, but don't you think there's more than meets the eye to all this? I wonder if he owes taxes or something?"

Tristan looked interested. "I never thought of anything like that. Maybe he's been cooking the books as they say, maybe VAT or something, but then we do have accountants. Perhaps he is just looking to cash in and have an easier time for the rest of his life. Though hopefully this is the last time he wants to sell off our heritage." He took a drink of his coffee and shrugged.

I had a website up that found vehicles for sale if you put in information about what and where you wanted to buy.

"What do you want to buy Tristan? I asked him.

"I thought maybe a new one of the vehicles I already borrow from the estate work vehicles, don't know what it is though," he answered and he laughed very amused by this.

Oliver grinned. "I think it's a Ford. Just Google Ford trucks Chloe" he said to me, and picked up a marshmallow biscuit.

"Okay sure thing." Doing this I found the Ford site, full of glossy looking vehicles. I was clicking on trucks, "Here's maybe what you are looking for Tristan. It's called F-150, its dual cab, looks like a super glossy version of what you borrow now."

Tristan came over and looked at the screen.

"Yes that will do the job, not too expensive. Maybe they have them in black or blue. I don't want red. How do I buy one I wonder?"

I glanced at Oliver and he raised his eyebrows.

"Tristan, you go down to the dealer with your card, point, pay, and then they bring it to you. Well there are one or two other details like insurance and road tax, but otherwise it's easy, I'll help. Wait, have you got a drivers license?"

"Yes, I do. It's a bit old, but whoever needs to see it?" Tristan asked.

"How old Tristan?" I asked laughingly, and Oliver grinned at him.

"I'd rather not say, what you don't know can't hurt you as the saying goes," Tristan was guarded and not smiling.

Oliver looked amused.

"Okay, but it's a worry Tristan, you may not get insurance without one. Maybe I should buy it, sort it out and you just pay me. Seriously, there might be a few things you haven't done before, which need paperwork, that you don't have. Pity we don't know any gangsters they could get you forgeries." Then he laughed his head off.

"Oliver, that's a good idea, but it's not funny, well not as funny as you just found it." I was smiling too. Tristan passed by Oliver, gave him a little punch on the arm, and picked up one of the pastry things mom had put out.

"Guess what guys? You will have this problem eventually. We'll all need to find a gangster in seventy to a hundred years, maybe even sooner," Tristan said seriously. Both Oliver and I looked at Tristan then at each other. He was probably right.

"Okay, so if I give you money will you do it for me?" Tristan asked, and Oliver nodded.

"Of course Tristan." He looked thoughtful and sympathetic.

Tristan made more coffee and told us that he was going to sell just three more rubies and had arranged it with the dealer he used. He told us that they had a website and were nowhere near as elite as Stannidge, but did the job.

I found their website and we could actually see what was up for sale across the world.

As I scrolled down, I saw stones, which looked exactly like the smaller stones we had given to Jack.

"Tristan do these stones look familiar to you? I think they are part of the 'Eleanor treasure' you gave to Jack. Wow look the dealer publishes the place where the stones are," I said.

"What, never, you're kidding. They give the address of the vendor?" Oliver was incredulous.

"No they give the country, and the county or whatever. Here's a diamond, location of vendor, New York, USA and the ones I think are from Jack, are this county and UK. Yikes. Tristan, here are your rubies, same county etc. If Jack looks at this he may guess you are selling some of the treasure too because it's the only stuff besides his, that is in this county. Well so much for client confidentiality." I finished with a shrug.

"Thing is, do you really know who is selling, say the diamond in New York, no, so it's still private really. It's probably for buyers to know if they need to fly somewhere or not for what they want." Oliver was philosophical and I understood what he meant but I preferred Stannidge myself.

Tristan was quiet and then said, "Okay he's probably selling something. He's turned into such a liar I can hardly believe it all. He told me the stones were not worth selling. I knew different but said nothing. You're right, if he looks at this site or even their catalogue that they send out, he might guess I have some of the treasure. You know as horrible as this is going to sound, I'm glad we didn't give him much, although what with the jewelry and the stones it will have amounted to a lot of money, but do you know what I mean?"

"I do, and I'm with you Tristan," Oliver agreed.

I sighed voicing my opinion.

"It's all weird, he's acting weird, and he can't be trusted with your safety Tristan, and that's the bottom line."

I started to sketch a logo design for Tristan.

"What about a Griffin, Tristan, next to the letters THL, or wait what about a shield shape in bird feet and the letters THL overlaid to form a monogram?" I wasn't happy with either. It was hard to design something that was essentially a disguise.

"I was just thinking maybe I would be better just not doing anything until later. It might attract too much attention from Jack. I might leave out buying the truck too."

Tristan was serious as he said this and I frowned.

"Tristan it doesn't seem fair."

"No, I don't mind. I'll lay low as they say, and when there is nothing he can do to me as in stopping the sale of this place to my company, I may get a truck, but I'll leave emblazoning my identity on it for a while. Maybe I'll just have business cards with Tristan's Flowers and plants or something as the title, and my cell phone number on there."

"Sad but sensible," agreed the often pragmatic Oliver.

"Okay, that's cool, just sing out when you want me to do anything in the way of design, does that mean Oliver needs to stop with the website too?"

"Oh true, does it?" Oliver joined in.

"Actually no, maybe you could still do it with the Tristan's flowers name idea." Tristan seemed to be downsizing his business already.

"Does it matter though because you registered your business as The Hunting Lodge?" I asked.

Oliver took a deep breath. "It might. I'll ask my dad, and if it does then the website can go on hold and the business cards too. Although I think word of mouth Tristan, to your existing Dearing contacts, that you are doing a bit of work of your own, that will be okay."

"I hate this whole thing, if it wasn't for Jack I could just have gone on the way I was." Tristan sighed and sat down on a chair near me.

"It will be okay, Tristan. This time next week the contracts will be signed and you will have your property, and then things might be able to change." Oliver was cheerful and it paid off, Tristan smiled.

"True, okay, let's talk about the portal. I've ignored it this week and I hardly care about if it's swinging one way or the other with regard to how many openings are at each time slot. I'm really starting to worry about how we are going to close it."

I found this funny, and he looked at me quizzically.

"It's true but somehow funny," I told him.

"I can't think of a thing, short of building a dome over it and charging an entry fee to the twenty first century." Oliver was grinning again. "Seriously, sorry I have no ideas except that one about touching the water again at a seven time slot, sorry."

Tristan sighed. "Me neither."

They both looked at me. "Well don't look at me, I have no clue."

"I think the only thing to do is just keep managing the visitors until we get so tired of it we go to Aristide for help," Tristan said in resignation. "I have to go. I promised Corbett and Laura I would meet them for a late supper. I have a feeling they are going to announce an engagement soon" and with that Tristan stood up.

"Wow, really." Oliver was interested, and I remembered we hadn't said anything about Corbett's decision to stay, so I told Oliver.

Tristan was meeting them at the restaurant and suddenly said, "Why don't you both come along? Have you got to be anywhere Oliver?"

Chapter Forty

We walked over to the restaurant. The paths were lit with extra lights now it was getting darker earlier, and there were even more strung up between trees and around the lake. Fairyland had come to brighten the shortening nights.

People were out on the terrace at the tables. There were candles in decorative glasses on the tables as well as light from lanterns and wall lights. It was quite cozy with the transparent sail and blind shielding the diners from any wind or rain.

We saw Corbett and Laura at a table with Liz and Will. They waved and smiled as we approached. Peter was out there sorting out a nearby table and he helped get us more chairs. We sat around with the menu for a few minutes before Laura unable to contain herself burst out with her news.

"We're getting engaged, Corbett and I, look at my ring, it's the most beautiful ring I've ever seen, I'm so lucky to have found Corbett." She took a breath as everyone offered congratulations and Corbett stood to do a little bow.

We were all clapping and smiling when Liz called out, "There's more, Will and I are getting engaged too," and she gave Will a look of pure love.

We applauded more and I leaned across to Liz and said it was the best news, and how lovely Will was and how I wished them the best of everything. I couldn't reach Laura, or I would have wished her well personally too. I would catch her later on.

Liz thanked me and said they were not getting a ring yet, it was more important to put the money into her studies and Will's music. I smiled and said that was cool.

We were making a lot of noise and Clare who was working came out to see us. She was thrilled with the news and when she had gone into the restaurant Dad came out to offer his congratulations, followed by Ben who was working too.

Tristan was looking over at me from the seat next to Corbett, and he smiled at me as he caught my eye. He looked lovely in the soft light and I smiled back at him. I was next to Oliver and he was turned to Will talking. I had a moment to think. It was great to have become friends with these people. They were such a varied bunch all so lovely in their own way. I smiled to myself as I picked up my fruit juice. I had been so lucky to find them all. Even if I hadn't met Oliver or Tristan the rest of them were great.

I went in to see dad, and found him in the little office at the back next to the staff room checking on some menu item deliveries for the next day. He was singing something as he looked down the list.

"Dad, how are you and what is that song you are singing? It's weird." It consisted, mainly of the lyrics one, two, three.

He laughed. "Hello Chloe, sweetheart, I don't know what it is. I just started singing it. My brain is so full of music, I'm like the world's biggest juke box, press the right button and anything could come out," he said laughing, and I joined in.

I haven't told you but dad is musical too, not like Steven, he doesn't play anything, but he has a nice singing voice. I guess he was more interested in being a chef than a singer.

"So Dad, is everything going okay? I've hardly seen you since the night of the horse."

He had stopped laughing but now grinned. "The night of the horse, it sounds like the title of a movie. Everything is peachy. I couldn't ask for better. You all seem to be having a great time out there tonight, double engagements huh? I think they are a bit young, but good luck and god bless to them all the same."

I hugged him. I don't think I could have asked for a better dad actually.

I went back out to the table. Everyone was talking. Liz seemed to be deep in conversation with Tristan, and they had moved their chairs to be close to each other. Oliver was talking with Corbett and Laura, and Will had disappeared. I sat down in the chair I had vacated and finished my juice. Oliver turned to me and took my hand swinging it between the two chairs.

"Hello loved one, where have you been?" He smiled at me and I felt good being called 'loved one'. I told him I had been to see dad. It reminded him, he was working the next day, and he told me it was an anniversary party and he would finish very late, but might call me afterwards.

Tristan came around the table and pulled up a chair between us. Oliver let go of my hand and we both angled our chairs to Tristan. Will was back and sitting on a chair with Liz close by. They were talking with Laura and Corbett, who still spoke lots of French with the occasional English or Norman word thrown in.

Tristan had a concerned look on his face.

"Liz says she saw Jack snooping about in the library today and it seemed to her that he had been looking in the globe base hiding place. She walked in and he jumped back from the table there, where it sits, and it was rolling a little as if he had just put it down. She ignored it and said hello then gone over to get the book she was looking for, some French translation for Corbett apparently. A bit later, she walked in on him and Jonathon in the morning room when McPherson brought up some coffee, and they had gone quiet at her entrance, but were holding a gorgeous jeweled cross. She asked them about it, and they told her about the treasure found in the font."

I gasped and was about to speak when Tristan went on.

"This is the best bit, he asked her if I had said anything about the find, and had she seen me with anything that looked like old jewelry or precious stones." Tristan widened his eyes and shook his head as if in disbelief at Jack's actions.

"What a nerve," I said.

Oliver was disgusted.

"Well there you are he's seen the dealer's website and put two and two together, but really, involving Liz in almost an accusation against you is horrible."

Tristan suddenly found it hilarious.

"Damn it all though, he doesn't realize just how much treasure I did find. He must think I just took a couple of stones from the pouch." He became serious. "I told Liz a lie, and let her believe the font find story. I thought it would actually be safer for her. What is a concern is that he must know now I've taken the stuff that was in the base of the globe. He must suspect it's me, as who else would it be?"

"Nuts to him, as long as he has no suspicions about the company that is buying the properties." I was concerned for Tristan, but wished Jack would cut out his crap.

"Yes, nuts to him," Oliver said continuing "there's nothing to link you to the deal is there, he can't find out it's you?"

"I don't think so. Your dad had the lawyer put their name as the contacts for the company and the deal, until we had elected a company director or something. I think I have a few weeks, but since I'm not exactly trading, that's okay. Buying property isn't classed as trading unless I was doing it to sell again, which I'm not. It's been put down as office and living accommodations." Tristan replied softly. He was looking around to check if anyone was listening. They weren't, both couples had become engrossed in each other.

"Let's split," I suggested, and Oliver nodded.

"Yes let's go. Tristan, are you ready to go?"

Tristan called over to Laura and Corbett that he needed to do a bit of work and was off, Will and Liz looked up too, and everyone said see you later and more congratulations were exchanged. Corbett said something to Tristan who seemed alarmed for a few seconds, then laughed and replied. We left walking back to the house the same way we had come.

"So what did Corbett say that was scary, Tristan, I saw you hesitate for a few seconds before you found the fun in it?" I asked him, and touched his arm gently as we walked side by side.

"Oh it was nothing really. He finds it odd that we are friends Oliver and me. He asked when I was going to give you a ring and claim you, something like that with swords involved."

Tristan shrugged and put his hands in the pockets of his jeans, to emphasize his non-involvement in fighting I guessed. Oliver thought it was hilarious and cracked up laughing. I wasn't sure it was funny. Corbett came from different times. From what I had seen, they often solved problems with swords.

I had gone quiet and so had Tristan, but Oliver had decided to find a twig and play sword fighting with it. He was funny, and after a few moments, we were all laughing.

At the house, Tristan said he did have work to do. He had the contract to provide the flowers for the anniversary party the next day, so he said good-bye at the front door.

Oliver said wait up he would drop him, but Tristan took the route to the greenhouses quickly calling back, "Thanks but the walk will be good, I'll call you both."

Oliver watched him for a few seconds and then turned to me.

"I can't believe it, nearly eleven thirty and he's going back to work. See this is it, the Dearings get their money's worth out of him."

I nodded and opened the front door. We went into the kitchen and just automatically started making coffee.

"Oliver, I can't wait for Tristan to have those deeds to his properties in his hand. I keep feeling as if they will get snatched away from him at the last minute."

"I'll ask my dad anything can go wrong if at this stage, when I see him tomorrow morning. I understand how you feel. Tristan's a good guy and I really do hope everything works out for him too."

My netbook was still on the table and Oliver sat down at it and checked his web mail. I picked up our dishes from earlier and put them in the dishwasher. He left the computer and came over to the window where I was looking out thinking about the portal. Mom had left the lights on the same timer setting ever since the time we thought we had a prowler, and the garden was lit up in yellow and white lights.

He put his arms around me and kissed my cheek.

"I'll be going too now Chloe. It's been great to see you, and I get to kiss you too before I go."

I turned around to face him and kissed him, holding his face in my hands.

Chapter Forty-One

It was about one in the morning and I was reading an article about theories of design online sitting in my bed, which was boring, and said nothing new, but I had to cite it in an assignment. My cell phone pinged, so I knew a message had been received. I leaned over, and picked it up from my bedroom floor, making sure I didn't flip my netbook off the bed.

It was from Tristan, could he call, so I called him.

"Chloe, thank you for ringing I just had to tell you, I got home about half an hour ago and Jonathon came out of the library as I was passing. He was trying to be casual, but he grilled me really, 'could I have been tempted to take a few stones from the treasure that had been found in the font, not to be insulting, but they would have been a great temptation even to him'. I said of course not, which is true since we didn't find the stuff in the font. Then he says, 'you know we care about you Tristan and anything you might have come across in the house, it's been, shall we say, been kept for your sake'. I was just sickened. Clearly, he'd been primed by Jack to come out with this bullshit. He's an old guy and I felt like I had to swallow it. I was gentle with him. I told him, I knew they had my best interests at heart, and said goodnight. Then I get to my room and it's clearly been searched. Whoever did it needs a lesson in the technique because they had actually put things back in different places and not closed drawers. They had even checked my laundry basket."

Tristan stopped talking with a sigh.

I thought about the time I had checked his laundry basket myself.

"Tristan that's shocking. Thank heavens most everything is here in your old box. What did you do with the paperwork from the other dealers and from Oliver's dad's law firm?"

"Oh, it's with Oliver. He's given me a drawer in his office filing cabinet until I have a safer place. It's good of him and now this has happened I'm really glad I took his kindness because at first I didn't want to impose, and he said just do it, just in case. I feel really cross and so let down. How could things have come to this, it's horrible what money stuff can do to families isn't it?" He sighed again.

"Tristan are you okay, do you want to meet me and talk about it?" I could picture him in his room standing at the big windows and looking down on the trees and the car park. I had stood at those windows with him, and Oliver.

"Oh no, it's so late, I couldn't ask you. I'm delivering the flowers early to the restaurant and marquee for the florist, maybe I can come by after that. I'd like to see you."

"Sure Tristan, what time? I'll look out for you."

"Maybe about nine by the time I have delivered them all, is that okay?"

I told him it was fine and told him if he couldn't sleep to call me again.

I was wide-awake myself, and put my netbook down on my desk deciding to go down to the kitchen and make a cup of tea. I put my jeans on and a sweater over my sleep shorts and top, and padded down there in my fleecy boots.

It was a mystery to me why Jack had become quite the way he had. It could only be about money. I sighed to myself and took my tea upstairs. I checked through an assignment, might as well make use of the time I wasn't sleeping.

It was about three thirty in the morning the last time I checked, and I must have fallen asleep then, because the sun woke me at eight thirty coming from behind a bank of clouds straight into my window.

I stood in the shower waking myself up for ten minutes, then dried my hair, and dressed in my jeans, and because I knew Tristan was coming around, I put on my antique green T-shirt. I like the thing for myself anyway with its lace and ribbon scattered across it.

It was ten after nine when Tristan drove into the driveway in the old red truck he borrowed from the estate vehicles.

I had put the electric kettle to boil and opened the big French windows. It was such a nice day now, and warm for the time of year.

I went to let him in and hugged him at the door, taking his hand as we went into the kitchen. I felt like showing him how much he meant to me because of the nasty experience he had at home the night before.

"Did you sleep last night at all?" I asked because for the first time I could see dark shadows under his eyes.

"A little thank you. I was thinking I may move out to the stable apartment when the sale has gone through totally. There is another bedroom, it needs sorting out and the shower there needs re-plumbing, but I could get that done quite quickly. To be honest I don't feel like being under the same roof as Jack for much longer."

I listened sympathetically to this, poor Tristan this was horrible.

"What about Gui, it wouldn't fit with his view on life that the lord of the manor shares where he lives? It doesn't seem fair, Tristan, to be put out of your room like that."

"I've been talking with Corbett about Gui and he came up with an idea. He thought he could say to Gui that he had been to see his family on the other estate and was going again in a few days. Would Gui like to go home as I, the lord of the manor, had decided to send Matin back? Well Gui is bound to say yes. Then, what we do is get him totally drunk, and at two in the morning, Corbett will actually take him through the portal on Matin. Take him up to the castle, saying he has been down at the other estate with Uncle Tristan so that he is not in trouble, and that they had a farewell dinner with lots of wine blah blah. There he is home, and then Corbett comes back at the nine in the morning portal opening, Laura doesn't know he's been gone and Gui wakes up in the castle, home. I'm thinking about it, seriously, not least because it's not fair for Gui to be here, the other thing is Corbett can do it. I can't show my face at the castle, and Gui needs to be taken right there and not left to wonder why he wakes up at the waterfall."

I watched him make coffee and sit down at the table looking tired.

"Tristan, what happened when Emery was taken home were there any questions? Did he realize what had happened?"

"Corbett thinks not, and the family were so happy to see Corbett and hear his story, don't ask me what it was." He smiled then and drank some coffee.

"Okay about Jack, you think he searched your room, looking for what?"

"Well the manuscript, flask and letter, plus my short sword out of the globe base, but I think too any of the treasure I may have filched from the pouch before I gave it to him. Damnable insult on the one hand, but on the other, I feel I've duped him in some way."

"Tristan that's ridiculous. It's just your sense of chivalry, misplaced in this instance. You've worked hard all the time as payment for them not outing you to the world, or for keeping the stained glass window safe. It's not like they are impoverished, and it's been some kind of awful financial burden to have you around. Why do you feel this guilt?"

"I don't know" Tristan shrugged. I went to him and put my arms around him, kissing him on the cheek and the side of his mouth. He turned and kissed me back.

"It's a lovely day let's walk outside and plan when poor Gui can go home, because I think that's an excellent plan that Corbett has dreamed up." I wanted to cheer Tristan up and I had noticed being outdoors always helped him.

We were walking hand in hand along the lawn towards the top path that could lead us to the waterfall. I had said if Wednesday was a good evening for Corbett, Oliver and I would be happy to help too. I'd like to give him a going away present I told Tristan, which made him grin.

"Seriously, I would like to give him something. I've always felt a bit sad for him. Maybe I'll find a couple of sweatshirts that would pass scrutiny in the eleven hundreds."

"Really, that's a kind thought, Corbett brought a couple of things back with him just in case, maybe we can give him those as they are spare. I'll ask Corbett if he brought any money here too and give him some 'wages'. We could safely give him a warm blanket for next winter, that wouldn't draw attention if it was plain. Yes, it's a nice idea. I know he will feel the difference in his circumstances when he gets back there."

I stopped and kissed Tristan. He sighed about to say something, but right then someone scrambled out of the ferns and vegetation that was on the steep bank down to the waterfall and pool.

Chapter Forty-Two

Both Tristan and I drew apart and turned to look at whoever it was. 'Maybe it was Liz and Charlie' was going through my mind, but it was a young girl, maybe my age. Certainly, no one I had ever seen, and aside from her striking beauty, her dress also stood out, she was obviously from the eleven hundreds.

We all stared at each other for a moment. It was long enough for me to take in her amazing blue eyes, her hair very long, honey-blonde, and glossy in a braid down her back. Her oval face, elfin like Emery's, her creamy skin, and her lips with the sort of shape movie stars get done by a plastic surgeon, she was gorgeous.

I moved a little forward with my hand out slightly I thought she would be scared of us, but she wasn't. She was staring at Tristan and her eyes gave her away, she liked what she saw.

Tristan must have seen it, but he would be too polite to acknowledge it in any way, he spoke to her, naturally in Norman French. She wasn't a serving maid that was evident by her dress and cleanliness. She also had a heavily jeweled necklace and rings on over her gloves. There was a thin strip of fur along the bodice of her dress at the low neck and cuffs of the sleeves. She wasn't wearing a coat, but another bodice under the one with fur decoration, which showed above the neckline of the other as a gold woven fabric, and this had pearls stitched along the seam. It looked very expensive.

She and Tristan were talking. I watched her, she was mesmerizing, the way she moved, her face, everything.

Tristan was suddenly speaking to me, "Chloe, this is Emery's sister. She's visiting with the rest of her family. She went to look at the holy spring and waterfall after Emery told her he was sure that there was another waterfall nearby. He said it was a waterfall with trees surrounding the pool and ruined buildings nearby. She saw some Meadowsweet growing on the bank of the pool, which is a prized plant, and went to get some. Then she saw a water lily, which she just had to have, she stepped on a thick pad of reeds in order to reach, and you can guess the rest, must have been the nine o'clock portal."

"For heaven's sake, that portal is becoming so busy. I don't think she'll be fooled by anything, neither can we spike her drink and take her back to the castle as we are going to do with Gui. We'll have to think of something and keep her here with us until, well until we are about to close the portal, if we ever get to that stage. She's absolutely the most beautiful girl I've ever seen has she told you her name?" I was really thinking Tristan had enough to deal with, and didn't need another visitor. Why couldn't they keep away?

Tristan smiled a little. "She is lovely you're right, and her name is Emma, and I agree with everything you have said. I think I'll give her to Laura to take care of, but first she has to have some different clothes. Sorry to ask Chloe, do you have anything we can put her in. God, Laura's bound to suspect something, did I tell you I discovered that a form of Norman French is still spoken on Guernsey, and that's where we've said Corbett comes from originally, although he has relatives in France. We've spun a whole story around him. The level of lies involved in this portal stuff is getting ridiculous."

He was looking at me and then at the girl, and she was looking at Tristan. I couldn't blame her. They were well matched in the looks department.

He started talking to her again and held out his arm for her just as Corbett had done for me, obviously the polite thing to do. She put her hand on his arm and we all walked together back to the house. This was going to be awkward if mom was around, but luckily she wasn't, and we took the girl up to my room. I found her some jeans, a T-shirt, and a zip up sweatshirt that I had just washed. I took her into the bathroom and gave her the clothes. I didn't know what to say so pointed at my own clothes, and at the things, I had for her. Somehow, she got the message because she came out of the bathroom just a short time later dressed in everything but the zip up sweatshirt. She put that down on the desk, and put on her own fur trimmed outer bodice. I smiled at her because it looked cool. Her necklace was still on and she had pushed her gloves in her jeans pocket and put her rings on bare fingers now. She had her dress and the other bodice bundled up under her arm and was standing expectantly looking from me to Tristan and back. I wanted to tell her she looked great, but didn't know how so I was smiling all the time and I asked Tristan. "How can I tell her she looks really lovely?" He must have done it for me because he said a lot, and she smiled at me, and then at him.

"Let's give her something to eat and drink Tristan," I said, because he was standing looking at her silently and she gazed back at him.

Downstairs again, I took her dress from her arms and put it with the sweatshirt, which I had brought down with me into a plastic bag. I put that next to her on a chair and Tristan made coffee. I made her raison toast and lemon pancakes, easy to do as you just whack them in the toaster. I gave her orange juice and then Tristan gave her coffee. All the while, she was watching us both, and especially Tristan. Finally, she seemed to be asking Tristan questions, and I heard Corbett's name amongst what he said to her.

Tristan got out his cell phone and called Laura, he asked if she was with Corbett, and could he speak to him. Corbett must have been there because he proceeded to talk in French to him and the name Emma was mentioned more than once.

When he had put the cell phone back in his pocket he turned to me.

"Laura and Corbett are coming over. I told Corbett he will have to spin a Guernsey relative story, because I don't know what else to say. I've told her she's on another estate. She's heard of me and because I'm here she half believes it, but I can tell she doesn't fully believe it. This is a bit of a mess now, for sure. Corbett is asking Laura if Emma can stay with us, what else is there to do?"

He sounded tired and the shadows under his eyes were darker. I wondered if somehow he had become sick, but how could he?

Just then, Tristan's cell phone rang and the girl was a little shocked by that, but remained in her seat. I smiled encouragingly at her as he answered it.

"You are kidding Ivy, no I know you're not, sorry, I'm just so busy, tell me what they have done. Oh, oh no, and the police are there, have you called Jack or Liz, okay, you know I can't get there right away I'm just waiting for Laura. I'll come over right away after that, but it may be fifteen minutes. Just hang in there, it's bad news, but there's nothing to be done now, thank you. I'll come as soon as I can." He looked totally drained and I was really starting to feel worried about him.

Chapter Forty-Three

"Tristan what is it?" I went to him. He had stood up and walked to the work surface as he had talked on the phone, and now was leaning back against it just looking grim. I put my arms around him and my face close to his.

"What is it? Are you okay? You look terrible as if you are about to flake out," I said to him gently.

His voice was a whisper and he put his arms around me too.

"Someone broke into the museum and smashed some of the stained glass in the night. Ivy says the best part of the knight panel is intact, but lots of the other stuff is busted up. They seemed to be looking for money as they broke open the gift shop till, but the police are a bit puzzled, because the security system didn't work. Ivy swears it was put on when she and the other staff left last night, but they are saying she must have forgotten to put it on, as it appears it was off. As in, this morning when they opened at nine thirty, it wasn't on and they went in to find the mess. She says she called Jack who said call the police he would come over, but then ten minutes ago he called to say he was detained in a meeting, and would she try Liz. Liz is working, and said could she try me because it's that anniversary do, and she's Maître D in place of Marcel as he has the day off. Unbloodybelievable, I'll go over and look as soon as I can unload Emma on Laura and Corbett."

I put my forehead against his and hugged him. "That's just great, what next? I'll come too Tristan. I can't let you do this on your own. You look terribly tired." I kissed him as I heard a car crunch onto our driveway. When I turned to go to the front door, I saw Emma staring at Tristan and me with a sad look. I tried a smile at her as I passed and went to the front door.

I let Corbett and Laura in. They were standing there holding hands at the door.

"Hello Laura, hello Corbett, come in, nice to see you." I was jabbering inane things.

I left Corbett, Laura, and Tristan talking to each other, and intermittently including Emma in the conversation, and ran upstairs for my keys. When I got back down Tristan was already showing them out the door to Laura's car, and they were still talking, Laura had Emma by the hand. They got her into the car and drove off. Corbett waved through the window.

It was weird. I sighed thinking the whole portal thing was getting out of hand. There had been so many more incidents than I had expected. We had been naïve I guess when we had thought that not many people would come down to the pool. 'Or maybe', I thought, 'it's that destiny thing.'

Tristan put his arm around my shoulders as we stood at the front door watching them drive away. "Okay then, off to the museum and whatever awaits me there," he said tiredly.

I put my arm around his waist and hugged him.

"I'll drive, come on, I'll help," I told him and we went out to the Wrangler.

As I drove, I asked him what was going to happen with Emma, and he told me it would be okay, Laura and Corbett would deal with it. I asked if Laura knew anything, but she didn't, she thought Tristan had forgotten to mention he had invited Corbett's cousin to stay. Typical boys she had said. For once, I was glad Laura was a bit scatty.

We had reached the museum car park. I parked close to the entrance, and we went in. The police had actually gone. They were sending fingerprint people later, Ivy told us, as she showed us what was broken. It was much of the old stained glass. Ben Glazer's dad would have a lot to do to save it. But the thing that was most worrying was the panel with Tristan in it. It was smashed down one side, so that he was intact, but the lead that held him was loose away from the glass on one side.

I looked at Tristan. Could this be why he looked so unwell, was he bound to the stained glass after all? I was scared for him and took hold of his hand.

"Ivy it's too bad. I'll call the Glazers, not to mention Corbett can help too, he's looking for work." Tristan seemed calm.

"What do you think of the security alarm being off? Ivy I do trust that you put it on, could the pin number have been leaked by anyone do you think?"

Ivy was shaking her head. "I can't think how it could have been, but really someone must have turned it off after the staff and I had left it on. There were at least three of us to witness each other." She was distressed, and Tristan put his hand onto her arm gently.

"It's okay Ivy. Don't worry, change the pin number, you know how to do that? There is the facility for everyone to have their own if you want that." He seemed suddenly unconcerned. "Just leave it all, close the museum, put up a sign for any visitors, and keep the gift shop and café open. Is that okay?"

Ivy nodded. "Yes, I'll change the pin and do that. We'll just leave it for the fingerprint people and then the Glazers. The less the glass is touched the better. Thank you Tristan."

He smiled at her. "Did Jack say where he was for his meeting or with whom?"

"No sorry, just that he was detained."

We were walking out of the museum area and Tristan closed the double glass doors behind him that were usually held open on each side by hooks in the walls.

He told Ivy to call with any information the police came up with and we left. Out at the Wrangler Tristan stopped and turned to me.

"I wonder what this is about? It seems an odd thing for someone to do, all the way out here."

"Tristan do you think it has had any effect on you, the glass I mean nearly broken? You look so tired. I've never seen you look so tired." I was concerned for him.

"I don't think it has affected me at all. I'm just sick of everything. I'm tired since I had no sleep last night, or the night before actually. It feels like everything is in the balance. I can't wait for the real estate stuff to be finalized. I think I'll sleep then."

I hugged him. "Tristan, you are so dear to me I wish I could help more. I don't know what to do to help."

He put his head down on my shoulder and then after a moment he looked up.

"Thank you. I don't know myself, and this damnable portal stuff is getting more serious by the day. I'd rather have sword wielding soldiers than this stream of people like Corbett, Emery, and now Emma, what next?"

I kissed him, and he closed his eyes.

Chapter Forty-Four

We were driving back home and I asked Tristan if he wanted to hang out with me for a while.

"Tristan why not let everything just sort itself out. Let's go shopping or something silly. Leave Emma with Corbett and Laura. Let the police think about the vandalism and relax somehow."

He laughed at that, and said, "Okay let's go shopping."

He leaned back in the passenger seat and closed his eyes. I drove us on past home and the villages to the town where the high street had rows of nice shops and a café. It was a place full of memories. One of the shops had been where I re-met Oliver and the café too held memories, but it was a nice place, and we could relax there.

Tristan was asleep, I noticed, as I parked by the church. I quietly went out of my door and didn't close it fully, just nudged it into place, and went to the ticket machine. Bringing back the pay and display ticket I put it in view of any roaming parking inspectors, and thought about if I should wake Tristan. I decided to leave him for a while and sat in my driving seat thinking. If we, or should I say Corbett, took Gui home at two a.m. Thursday then maybe they could think about taking Emma back too. In the dark, they may get away with it, but who knew what would happen there with Emma. I remembered the way she looked at Tristan and I smiled, she was lovely.

It was around fifteen minutes later when Tristan just woke up. I had been looking at him, at his lovely face.

"Sorry Chloe, I just crashed out there. I feel so much better." He smiled at me and I smiled back at him. He looked better too the dark circles had gone, and he seemed very refreshed by that tiny bit of sleep.

We walked down to the high street and along to the café, having decided to get a cup of coffee first. We were sitting there at an outside table and suddenly Tristan started to laugh. I looked at him smiling. "What is it?"

"It's everything, it suddenly seems so funny. Laura is engaged to a guy from the eleven hundreds. We've yet another houseguest from then, three horses and a groom. We've had a child through the portal and three soldiers, it's hilarious really."

"Is it?" I asked smiling again. I wasn't sure really. We needed to get Gui home. What about Emma and then there was the real problem of what to do about the portal.

Tristan had become a little more serious.

"Corbett is definite about getting Gui home. Will you come on Wednesday evening and add weight to the celebration theme. It will be late, maybe ten since we have to keep him drunk for four hours. Oliver would be a good addition too. Could you find out if he's available please? I think the idea of taking Matin back, is plausible, well it will be to Gui. I'll miss the horse, and poor Gui in a way. It's a real pain that Emma has arrived. I'm going to ask Corbett if he can think of a way to get her to go back."

We told each other everything we were thinking.

"Tristan the problem is she has to know now that the pool brings people here and back, and she did it in daylight. How do we know she'll not inadvertently give that information to others? We don't know. She may be Corbett's cousin but seriously, she could easily be the catalyst for all kinds of trouble. We've no idea how to close the portal. How long has it been open now, weeks? It's a nightmare scenario. Then there's the messing with history stuff. Tristan I was thinking, maybe that's why the Glazers lost the knowledge about the stained glass. Maybe it's because Corbett came here and stayed. I know that's hard to understand."

Tristan was nodding.

"No I get it. I was thinking the same myself, weird isn't it, but he's here now and never leaving. The thing with Emma though, I'm not sure she has fully understood what happened." He shrugged.

We got up from the table and hand in hand went along to the store that sold clothes, and home wares on the second floor.

We bought Gui a navy blue blanket. It was a nice warm one, and downstairs I found a medium blue fleecy sweatshirt, just plain and simple that would go under his tunic and no one would know. Tristan laughed at me, but added a red one and we felt that we had a nice present for Gui.

I was thinking we might buy something for the girl, but Tristan said if he knew anything, Laura would more than likely be out shopping with her tomorrow.

As we walked along, we reached the place where the stream split, and part of it was wound back to flow through another part of the town. We stood watching the sparkling water for a while from the path at the side. Tristan was holding my hand but I had the strangest feeling, it was horrible. I felt sadness and an overwhelming sense that Tristan was slipping away from me. Could that stained glass damage have changed things for Tristan? I turned to him and looked straight into his beautiful blue eyes. He looked better, he looked great, maybe I was being silly, but as he bent his head and kissed me gently, I felt like he was saying goodbye. Totally spooked, I got us walking again, and got him talking about his idea of moving into the stable apartments to check if he had rethought the idea, and to hear his voice. There had been something very odd about the experience by the stream, and it stayed with me for that whole day.

I asked Tristan if Laura and Corbett were having any kind of celebration party for their engagement.

"I think they are just going to ask Will, Liz, and the rest of us, if we want to meet at the Kool Kafé, not have anything big, but I'm not sure when."

"Do you know that Liz and Will are not doing the engagement ring thing isn't it a shame that with all the precious stones stashed in the cupboard they couldn't have one to be made into a ring for Liz. Corbett's ring for Laura is spectacular." I said this as I the thought came into my head.

Tristan stopped still, looked at me, and then kissed me.

"What a great idea. I wanted to give her a gift. I think a sapphire, perhaps the smaller ones wouldn't be too ostentatious, and not draw attention. I'll tell her it's come out of my short sword and I want her to have it, or I could actually give her a choice, say a couple of stones came loose. I'll ask her to bring Will and choose a ring mounting. What do you think?" He was very pleased with the idea.

"I think it's cool Tristan, and good thinking on the short sword idea since she knows about that. Has Jack had anything to say about both the engagements?"

"Funny you should ask because he's not all that pleased with either, seems that both boys are not upper crust enough or have even decent professions in his eyes." Tristan laughed and put his arm around my shoulders.

"Hey, what were you saying to Ivy about Corbett looking for work? He'd be able to work with the modern day Glazer family wouldn't he? Do they know about his skills?" I reckoned Joshua Glazer would snap him up.

"Actually I don't know. I need to ask him what his plans are really. He was talking about giving long bow lessons at the local clubs because it's really popular these days."

We went into a couple of shops, and looked at new release iPods and laptops, then made our way down to the car park.

It had seemed to refresh Tristan to do this aimless stuff, and he was looking much better.

On the way home Tristan said he had hoped to spend a part of the evening with me, but he felt like he needed to check out what was going on now, with the newest arrival and everything.

I nodded. It was understandable. Yet another houseguest, could only fuel Jack's money worries.

Tristan did come in for coffee when we got home, and I made sure I hugged him tight when he left. I told him that all he needed to do was call if things were bad at home. He kissed me and nodded saying thank you.

Chapter Forty-Five

Saturday night I spent doing my own work. I had finished a new design and done the last assignment in a group of five small ones for college, and I only realized how late it was when Oliver called to say he was finally home from work.

He told me that Laura and Corbett had been at the restaurant just before the anniversary guests had started arriving, and he had been assigned to the party.

"They were with an astonishingly beautiful girl. I didn't find out who she was," he said.

I experienced a tiny spark of what I suppose was jealousy that Oliver said this and I knew who it must have been.

"Oliver, that's yet another time traveler, a cousin of Corbett. Her name is Emma and yes, she is the most beautiful girl I've ever seen. I expect she'll break some hearts."

Oliver is the kind of guy every girl dreams of, he said,

"Not mine, it belongs to you."

I could hear his smile in his voice and it felt good to hear both that and what he said.

"Thank you Oliver," I almost whispered.

He continued then with, "Yes she's hypnotic, you want to keep looking at her, but I don't think I could feel anything other than that for her. You know she'd be great to have as a sister, but despite her loveliness I couldn't imagine kissing her or even holding her hand."

I felt like saying thank heavens, but I just smiled and said that was interesting. I told him she had rocked up in the nine a.m. portal opening and that the museum stained glass had been vandalized, and then Tristan was so stressed he had handed Emma over to Laura and Corbett and come shopping for a present for Gui with me.

Oliver laughed at that, and as I told him about the plan to get Gui home he said Wednesday night he would come over, and he would text Tristan to tell him so. We arranged to meet the next afternoon and before he ended the call, he told me he loved me, which was so good to hear.

When Oliver arrived on Sunday afternoon, I was down in the big drawing room just checking out the fireplace lights and looking at the wall painting. It was fascinating how this stuff had been hidden. I would have had the other part of the tunnel opened if I had been Jack, funny how he had just dismissed it, especially when he had been looking for treasure.

I walked down to the front door and let Oliver. We were going to 'The Newest Theatre Company' to see the dress rehearsal for Clare's new play. I gave Oliver my Wrangler keys, and smiled at him.

"It's great to see you," I told him.

We were halfway there and I got a text message from Tristan, he was with Laura, Corbett, and Emma and would call me Monday.

That was okay. I told Oliver what Tristan had texted, and he said that Tristan probably had to sort out how to get the girl home. I thought it wouldn't matter if he had fun too.

I sent a message back, saying have fun, and that Oliver was free for Wednesday night as discussed.

At the theatre, Clare had a few other friends in to watch the dress rehearsal, and James was there too. It was good to catch up with them. I especially wanted to see how the set backdrop ideas had worked out. We met for coffee after and went across to the bright, small pub that served coffee and snacks in a room apart from the main areas. Most of the theatre crowd went there Clare told us. It was a friendly atmosphere and fun to be amongst this rowdy lot. We talked about Liz and Laura getting engaged and Clare said they had told her they wanted to get everyone together at her mom's café just for an informal celebration. They thought maybe in a couple of weeks, which was great since then the play would have run.

James had been a little reserved around Oliver once or twice since the weird business of Oliver being changed by Tristan and I time travelling, but he was back to normal now, and they were chatting away about cars. James was thinking of buying a Land Rover and naturally, Oliver was enthusiastic about that.

Oliver didn't stay long after we arrived back home and I found myself with time to email my friends in California. I went to look out of my window at the night before I got into bed. It was a friendly night, the air full of some kind of expectation.

I was meeting with Joshua Glazer on Monday just after one o'clock. I had sorted out my designs portfolio as well as emailing the computer scans to him in advance. I had been surprisingly successful and could pay my own tuition for my college course at least for the first semester anyway.

On the way home from the meeting, I decided to stop and look for a jacket for the colder days I knew would be coming up and detoured into the retail park. I had tried on a couple of jackets, but not seen anything I wanted in one store. I went next door to check their stuff out. I saw just what I wanted, a navy military style jacket that was in my size, and I had picked it up to go and try it on, when I heard Laura talking to someone. I knew it was her. The voice was so distinctive, and I went a little around the corner to see her with Emma gathering up a couple of tops. I said hello to them and Laura launched into how she was helping to get Emma a few things since her suitcase had been lost. I was highly amused because I had used that excuse myself once. Tristan must have remembered and used it for Emma's lack of luggage.

I smiled and said there were some very nice things in this shop. Emma was concentrating on me and I kept smiling at her. I couldn't say anything since I didn't speak any of her language. I excused myself and went to try the jacket. It looked good, and I bought it. I didn't see Laura and Emma as I passed back through the store. They were probably in the fitting rooms.

At home, I made a sandwich and checked on mom in her study. She came up to the kitchen and had a sandwich too. She told me that my grandmother would probably come back from the States with her for a couple of weeks, when she went on business in a few weeks. That was great I told mom as I did miss gran.

Oliver called me at seven on his break at work, and I told him about meeting Laura. He said they were all there at the restaurant right then. He was working until nine and would call me the next day.

I missed Oliver. I was looking forward to seeing him the next day.

Chapter Forty-Six

I was woken on Tuesday by my cell phone. It was already nine-thirty because I had stayed up very late on Monday night working on my designs and then watched a little of a DVD.

I struggled to sit up as I answered Tristan's call. "Hello Tristan, how's things?" I asked him.

"Chloe, I've just heard about my purchase of the estate properties, and it's gone through, everything is finalized. Jack had asked for a quick settlement and because there is no one waiting to move, and its land, the whole thing has been really easy. I think Jack has made it easier with his demands for speed for the sale. I can hardly believe it. I'm going to call Oliver because his dad has helped me so much. I was thinking about coming down to see you this afternoon will you be home?"

I was so pleased for him.

"Tristan that's the best news, I'm so happy for you. Please come down this afternoon, I think Oliver is coming over too. This is so great, you must be so relieved."

"I am Chloe because Jack has been weird again. He asked me had I seen the damage to the abbey stained glass and added in a strange tone, had it been worse I may not be around. I think he almost wished I wasn't. The police have finished in there and I've called the Glazers to come and look at it at the end of the week."

We ended the call and I decided to go for breakfast, before I took a shower. Steven was downstairs, which was surprising since it was a school day, and I asked him what was going on. He had a free double period and had decided to go into school after recess. Mom was going to drop him off on her way out. I asked him how he was doing at school and he admitted lack of interest in much of what he was doing.

"It's hard because I so love music" he told me with a sigh. "I'm there in a lesson and I'm thinking how it would be so good to be practicing another instrument. I hate sport, it's such a waste of time for me, no one wants me on their team and I don't blame them."

I commiserated with him as I made enough pancakes for both of us and got orange juice and tea. Will's band and Steven of course were playing at a twenty-first birthday party held in the restaurant grounds on Saturday. They were going to rehearse after school today, and that's what was keeping him sane he told me.

I had just finished showering, and realized I had no clean jeans because I had given my spare pair to Emma, when Oliver called. Sitting there on the end of my bed talking with Oliver I looked out of the window and saw Tristan riding Matin, and it looked like Emma on Cedric. They were cantering along by the edge of the wood and crossed the field at the end there to the bridle path that led to the Abbey. I wished I was with them for just a moment, Cedric was such a great horse, and then I went back to concentrating on what Oliver was saying. He was coming over about five and would I like to go and eat at the restaurant, he had just spoken with Tristan, and he would meet us there. I remarked on the real estate purchase going through for Tristan, and how great that was, and Oliver agreed. I would have liked to see Oliver earlier, but he had to check out an alleged glitch in a website he had provided for a client.

I told him I missed him and hadn't seen enough of him recently, which made him laugh, but he softened his voice and told me the next few days were not as full and he wanted to see me too.

I loaded some laundry into the machine and started on some required reading for college. I got tired of it at just the same time as my jeans and T-shirts had finished being washed, and so I left it and put my stuff in the drier.

I went outside into the lovely day. It was too nice to be inside. I decided to get my keys and go for a walk. It was calm and peaceful along the path to the abbey ruins and I turned my face up to the sun. If I had been looking where I was going I would have seen in advance Tristan and Emma. As it was, I was close enough to them to see what was happening. They were standing close together with the horses grazing at the edge of the woods. I knew instantly that they were about to kiss or just had. All I could think of was not being seen by them. I turned quickly and headed back the way I had come. I didn't feel jealous, which in itself was shocking to me, all I wanted was for them not to be disturbed. As I hurried along, I remembered the way she had looked at Tristan down by the waterfall, and in the kitchen, and I knew what it felt like to be close to his intensity. I had grown used to it hadn't I, as we had become dear friends.

When I got in the house my clothes were dry, and I took them up to my room. I put them away thinking about Tristan, and found myself at my window looking out. I couldn't think how I really felt. I would wait and see what happened.

It was hard to settle to anything after that and I ended up driving into the retail park and buying jeans, a cropped sweater and blue leather belt, which just caught my eye and went well with the dark denim skinny jeans.

Chapter Forty-Seven

I got home just before Oliver came around and had left my shopping on the kitchen table, opting to make tea and open the kitchen patio doors to let in the remains of the lovely afternoon.

When I saw Oliver at the door it was so good to see him, he hugged me and actually put his arm around me just to go into the kitchen. Once in there Oliver saw the bag of shopping.

"Oh, what did you buy?" he said grinning and looking into the bag.

"Jeans, sweater, and a belt, oh and the other day a jacket" I replied smiling at him.

"The sweater is a great color," he said just gently pulling a little out of the bag.

"Yes, I love it" I told him.

He walked around the table to me and put his arms around me.

"Tell me you love me," he whispered kissing me, and as I kissed him back, I did just that.

I took my shopping upstairs and Oliver came up too. He was telling me about the website that was supposed to have a glitch and didn't. Then he saw my designs for a new roundel that I had left on my desk and said he really liked it.

"Horses." He smiled. "No wonder, what with the horses that keep appearing around here." I didn't comment because it reminded me of seeing Tristan and Emma.

We walked up to the restaurant. Oliver had his arm around me. He stopped as we reached the path to the lake and kissed me; it was perfect. The soft light, the silver lanterns on the trees making Oliver's blonde hair shine. I held him close. There was something special about Oliver.

On the terrace we got a table at the end and sat close together, there was no sign of Tristan. We ordered fruit juice and told Pat, who came to take our order that we would order when Tristan arrived.

We were talking about the plan to get Gui home when he did arrive. Laura, Corbett, and Emma were with him. They sat at the table, saying hello and smiling, they looked like two couples. Emma sat close to Tristan and he looked at her just the once, but it was filled with some kind of emotion.

Oliver's words came back to me. He had once said, 'sometimes you look at Tristan the way you look at me'. Was that what was happening there? I tried to identify what I felt. It was obvious to me that there was something between Tristan and Emma; that had happened fast I thought. Oliver nudged me and I turned to him, he smiled and there was something in his eyes, he knew too, he must have seen the look.

We ordered and I thought to myself that we were going to talk about Gui tonight but could hardly do that now with Laura around. I looked over at Tristan and found he was looking at me. I smiled at, but him he must have seen what was in my eyes. I felt like I was broadcasting that I knew about him and Emma. I hoped it wasn't an accusatory look. I didn't feel like that. I just couldn't hide that I knew. I was thinking back had he ever given me a look like the one I had just given him? Had Oliver? Probably in the early days.

He smiled back and there was still love in the smile.

Laura was telling us all about the ring Liz and Will had suddenly decided upon after all and I pretended surprise. Then she launched into when the two couples were going to celebrate at the Kool Kafé and hoped Oliver and I were going to be there.

Somehow, we got onto talking about Will's band, which was such a relief as it felt like familiar ground about which I had nothing to hide.

Laura took Emma off to the rest rooms and Oliver broached the subject of getting Gui home the next night since.

"Tristan, I thought we were going to talk about the plan to get Gui home tonight."

Tristan quickly replied, "Sorry yes, and if you could come over about ten to the stables that will be great, thanks Oliver."

I told Tristan I would bring over the things we had for Gui, and he looked intently at me as if trying to read my emotions. I smiled at him, he was still dear to me, and nothing would change that.

A sadness came and went in his eyes, just fleeting, but then the girls came back and as Emma edged closer to Tristan, Oliver suddenly said he needed to leave and had stuff at my house so we both might get going and would see Tristan tomorrow. He went in to pay the bill and as it had surprised me, I stayed in my seat.

Tristan said to me as I prepared to stand up, "Chloe, I'll call you later."

I smiled at him. "Okay Tristan, see you later" and I said goodbye to the others as Oliver joined me.

He took my hand as we walked down the terrace and onto the lawn path home.

"Sorry Chloe, I couldn't take it. It was like that yesterday too and I couldn't tell you." He put his arm around me.

"What Oliver?" I needed him to specify just so I knew he meant Emma and Tristan.

"Emma and Tristan, sorry, it's weird I know, but I felt bad for you. They were there with Laura and Corbett yesterday when I called you, and it's so obvious something is going on. Then to turn up tonight, I thought we were going to celebrate Tristan's success a little, and he was going to tell us the plan for tomorrow, but neither could be done with the others there."

I stopped walking and put my arms around him. He kissed my forehead then my cheek, then my lips, and held me close.

"Oliver, it's okay, I kind of got the picture this afternoon. I saw them out riding. The fact is as soon as she scrambled up the bank from the waterfall and laid eyes on Tristan, Emma was captivated by him. He's beautiful, they make a stunning couple."

"What, you don't mind?" Oliver asked softly, as he kissed me again.

"He needs to talk to me, but you know I love him, and I love you, if he turned around, and loves me and Emma, there's nothing I can say. I've done the same thing."

Oliver leaned back from me a little and looked into my eyes. I don't know if he could see much, in the light from the fairy lights and the one street lamp at the end of the path, as it joined the lane. He said in his usual joking way that wasn't really a joke, "But you love me more," and I kissed him.

"I love you so much, that if it was you with a girl tonight across the table it would have broken my heart. I've been thinking recently what the difference is in how I love you and Tristan. Well I think what I have with Tristan now could never be more, it's like we are the dearest of friends, and I'll always want that in my life, but with you I want...." I stopped for a moment because what did I want? I shut up because I just didn't know what to say.

I didn't have the courage to put my hands into his shirt and feel his skin with my fingertips, but I wanted to. He held me very close and I knew he felt the same way about me because we stayed like that for a moment, just as if we were wrapped together in the satin air lit up by the fairy lights.

When Oliver let me go, he immediately hugged me again, but this time playing. He picked me up and spun around with me to the end of the path.

Chapter Forty-Eight

We walked happily to the house. Oliver started to make coffee and asked me what was the stuff for Gui I had talked about with Tristan. I went to the utility room where I had the bag of things for Gui. I didn't know if it was a good idea to wrap them, and I had taken all the labels from them. I showed them to Oliver.

"That's a kind idea. I don't think Gui has had all that great a time here, certainly not the same kind of experience as Corbett. It's weird how the circumstances of his birth followed him into the future. It would have been good if somehow they could have been shrugged off, but I suppose that was impossible."

I nodded my agreement and put the things away again ready for tomorrow. As I was about to take them into the utility room, I looked up to see Oliver watching me with such a loving look it was almost like being kissed. I left the things for Gui on the table and went across to Oliver.

This time when we kissed, I put my hands up under his linen shirt, and traced around his waist and up his back. I felt, and heard him catch his breath as he kissed me, but this time he didn't pull away from me. He kissed me down my neck. He opened the top of my shirt, and just continued to kiss me along my shoulder. I pressed close to him, and then as he kissed my lips again I told him I loved him. It was as much as we both could take I guess, because we kind of started to smile, and moved a little apart. He put my shirt back in place and I did the same with his. We were grinning at each other as if something funny had happened, but it was happy, and we were in it together. We both sighed at the same time and hugged each other, before we then did move away from each other.

I took the things for Gui back into the utility room. We decided to go out tomorrow somewhere.

"There's a castle in the nearby town. Have you ever seen it, Chloe? Let's do a touristy thing since the weather is so nice, and you have never had the chance to do that since you arrived."

I was intrigued about the castle and asked Oliver, "Where is the castle exactly? There's no sign of it as you drive in and out of town."

"It's up in the wooded area behind the old church and still has quite a bit of moat fed by a stream, that's where the town stream is detoured from, the one at the end of the high street. Then that's detoured under the little bridge."

I knew Oliver wanted us to be together away from here and not thinking about the thing with Gui at ten that night, or maybe even about the thing with Emma and Tristan. I was happy to know I would be with him for a whole day.

Oliver smiled at me. "I don't want to go home yet, it's not even eleven. Let's go back out and walk around the lake. The others are bound to have gone by now."

We walked hand in hand over to the lake, and followed the path that was lit up with lanterns, and colored lights strung between poles and trees. I asked Oliver if he knew where the peacocks had gone because I hadn't seen them for a couple of weeks now, and he said he didn't know, but that it would be interesting to find out.

We had reached the edge of the terrace and walked back along the paths home. Oliver didn't come in. We kissed each other gently by his Land Rover, and when I was at my front door, he drove away.

I smiled to myself as I closed the door. Mom was in the kitchen and called out,

"Chloe, do you want some tea or something as I'm just making some?"

I went in there. "Thanks Mom, tea would be nice."

She was grinning at me. "So it's Oliver then?" she questioned.

"What is Mom?" I replied, grinning at her.

"He's the one, don't deny it. Sorry to tell you, but I came out earlier for coffee and saw you both. Sorry, I went away again pretty quickly, but I could tell there was something real going on between you."

"Oh my God Mom, did you have to? I didn't hear or see you, thank heavens Oliver didn't he would have been mortified."

She was still grinning. "Just take care. Make sure you know what you are doing. I like him he's lovely, good choice Chloe," and she handed me my tea. I took the cup thinking had I must have made a choice, she had seen it, but I didn't quite believe it. I just knew I loved Oliver differently from Tristan.

Chapter Forty-Nine

When Oliver picked me up the next day, we went off in his old Land Rover just before eleven. It was a lovely day and I was humming along to the CD Oliver had playing. I noticed not one, but three hot air balloons up in the sky. We passed the windmill on the horizon, and Oliver started to sing along with the CD.

We didn't park in the church car park. Oliver kept driving past the stand of trees that hid the overflow car park, and up a little winding road. It was single track and had the occasional little indent in the hedgerow where people could pass each other. The road wound around and around the hillside quite steeply, and each turn was a surprise because of the thick wooded areas. Suddenly the last piece of the road was very steep, almost perpendicular, and then we were in front of a small castle. The car park was in front of it and although it was ruined, it was like one of those little fairy castles you see.

When we got out of the car, and walked from the car park up the path to the small wooden bridge across the moat I felt some kind of déjà vu. I looked at the ruined tower in the middle, and the obvious staircase that spiraled up it even now. There were two smaller towers, both ruined, and we could walk inside the shells rising high above us on all sides, the interior of one all green with moss. The least ruined part of the castle was a two story square building. It had the original stairs leading up to a modern concreted floor, so that you could see down into the other ruined parts, and out of the still existing windows. I looked out of the window, somehow I knew it looked out onto a lake where the moat was wider and allowed to fan out. All at once, I knew where the icehouse was in the castle. Without telling Oliver, I held his hand and went down the stairs, and out of the ruined center, around the back where a sign for tourists declared the site of the icehouse. The castle was having restoration work on one of the small turrets and you could see up inside it from the ruined icehouse. I looked up there, and felt as if I had looked up there before when it wasn't ruined, and in my mind I could see that turret whole. It was a strange experience, and I didn't want to tell Oliver, instead I asked him how we could find out information about the castle. There was no charge to see this castle, and I had seen no little office anywhere like at the Tarrant estate selling booklets and postcards.

Oliver smiled. "It's Norman like the church, and most of it dates from around eleven twenty, although the least ruined part was added in the thirteen hundreds. I've been here on a school outing, a few years ago. I remember what the teacher said because we stayed to sketch the castle, and at school over the next week, we got to make castles with cardboard and other materials. It was such fun," he said laughing.

We walked around it again, and I just couldn't shake the feeling I had been there before but how could I have? I put it at the back of my mind as Oliver and I looked out over the lake. Oliver showed me where the moat was divided, and a stream ran down the steep hill at the back, ready to wind through the town.

"It was a bigger and faster stream when I was younger," Oliver said.

It was a lovely day and only three other people were there. They were taking photographs, taking it in turns to stand in the castle entrance where it still looked like a whole castle.

Around two, we were back in the town and went to find something to eat. We went to the café on the high street, that had tables around a fountain. I sat close to Oliver and told him it always reminded me of when he was a different Oliver, to be there. He took my hand and kissed me.

"I'm not a different Oliver anymore thank heavens." We both grinned then.

As we ate sandwiches, we talked about all kinds of things. It was as if we were filling in the gaps in our knowledge about each other. It was a lovely afternoon in the sunshine, and finally at nearly four we left laughing, after the wait staff had asked us for the fourth time if we wanted anything else.

I drove Oliver's Land Rover home. It was weird driving on the right side of the vehicle, and Oliver kept grinning when I tried to get hold of indictors and put on the windscreen wipers instead.

Aware that we were going over to Tristan's place at ten o'clock, we decided to hang out at my place and on arrival found the driveway full of cars. Will's band was practicing in the library. Good job we had no neighbors because they had set up the whole lot of their speakers and were audible before we even parked.

It was good music though, we went down there to the library, watched for nearly half an hour, and then went off to the kitchen to make everyone rolls and coffee and stuff. It was really such fun. Will did a request for me, and then they played their new song that was available on iTunes.

I went back out to the kitchen to get the guys more coffee, and my cell phone rang. I fished it out of my pocket on the thigh of my cargos, and found it was Liz calling me. She wanted to meet me the next day to go over the Arts holiday stuff that I had done with her, and asked me if I would run workshops. A split morning, and afternoon workshop for basic drawing. I told her I would love to and she said if I could do a workshop for the kids in the group one afternoon too it would really help. It need only be low key, maybe mask making or something. She told me it was paid work, and it would be such a help as one of the artists had pulled out since it seemed the whole venture was falling in a heap earlier. I told her I would do it gladly. Then, she talked about how she had asked Diane if she would take the group who wanted a tour of the abbey ruins, church, and the ruins of the castle, and that was okay. It was worrying when suddenly she told me that Diane had said the Glazers discovered a massive crack all the way up the 'Tristan figure' in the stained glass. They were reporting it to Jack as the whole restoration would be much more complex. We talked about how Tristan hadn't been affected by the vandalism, and she said she still worried and felt glad that the old church had the backup stained glass for Tristan. I agreed and even did wonder for a few seconds if it was the reason why Tristan was okay. I was almost sure, but couldn't tell her, that Tristan was freed from the original bond with the abbey stained glass window.

Oliver came out to the kitchen to find me, because I had been gone a while. He finished making the coffee when he found me on the phone leaning against the counter.

Liz asked me if I would go to the old church with her on Friday to check what condition it was in for a visit from tourists. She seemed to have inherited the entire organization of the holiday activities coming up in half term.

She wanted to plot the route for Diane, and make sure a little plan of the walk with information was available so that it was easy to do on the two mornings it was offered. If I could do that, she would be so grateful, and it seemed so easy for me with my software to knock one out.

She had seconded one of the event people, and employed a couple of temps to operate the reception. She had even convinced Laura to help her. I told her I would help there too if she needed it. The whole holiday period was only a week so we could surely manage that. We were talking for about twenty minutes, and I said to Liz that it seemed hard for her to have the restaurant work, and still have lots of the estate work to do. She agreed and told me she had asked Jack to recruit a couple more staff to the whole events team, but it hadn't happened. I told her anything I could do to help I would, and arranged to meet her Friday morning about ten thirty at the abbey museum, to start on the plan for Diane.

I had just ended the call, and was making a cup of tea when Oliver came out to the kitchen again.

"Chloe, what was that all about? You were talking to Liz for ages. Is everything okay?" he asked putting his arms around me. He kissed my cheek as I stood there with the kettle in my hand. I put it down and turned to him telling him the gist of the conversation.

He smiled and kissed me again, then said, "It's lucky you are helping Liz, I can't believe Jack is simply doing nothing himself. What does the guy actually do now? I know he had a heart attack, but he doesn't seem to do any work at all."

I shrugged. "I don't know what is really going on Oliver. He became completely obsessed with money I think, but who knows, perhaps his heart attack was worse than we know. I don't mind helping Liz and I did it for Tristan's sake originally. I'll always help him no matter what."

"I know, and speaking of our knight friend, we have to go over there in an hour." I smiled and kissed him.

"I know Oliver, so let's make the most of it because I get the feeling the rest of the night will be the same kind of fiasco that the castle soldier night was."

Oliver was laughing, and then said, "Was it a fiasco I kind of enjoyed it?"

I drank my tea watching the band, and Oliver had his arm around my shoulders. Then we got the stuff for Gui from the utility room, and I brought a jacket from my room.

Chapter Fifty

We drove to the stables. We were already a bit late. We parked outside of the stable yard, and walked back to the apartment. I rang the doorbell, which was this old-fashioned bell pull thing, and Corbett came to the door, he let us in smiling and nodding.

We followed him into the apartment. Tristan and Gui were at the table, there was food, and some drink spread out. Gui had been told he was going to take Matin to the Dearing estate with Corbett who was visiting nearby, and that he could stay at home now, so he knew we were there to say goodbye. I gave him the present and Tristan told him it was a goodbye present.

He loved it and I smiled at him. He was an unknown quantity. What could he have achieved with a different social structure? Then again, maybe I was being patronizing. He was an excellent groom, and loved horses, nothing wrong with that, Brett was the same.

It looked as if they had started to try to get him drinking wine. His glass was half-full, and he didn't seem to want to drink it. I tried to catch Tristan's eye, and he avoided it. It concerned me after he did this for a few minutes.

I though screw it, and asked outright, "Tristan, does Gui actually like wine, might he prefer beer? He seems totally lucid, but I guess there is still a lot of time before he has to be taken home."

Tristan finally looked at me and I was surprised at the pain in his eyes. What was wrong?

"I think we may have to trick him into drinking some really strong stuff later because he does have to be asleep. Chloe, I wonder if I can have a few words with you outside?"

I nodded and then underscored that with, "Sure Tristan," as I stood up.

As I followed him out of the room I glanced at Oliver, and gave him a look my brother would be proud of, sort of puzzled, but irreverent at the same time. Oliver half smiled, but his look was more of concern, so I squeezed his shoulder as I passed.

Outside the stable yard-lights were not all that bright. I stopped near one so that I could see the expressions on Tristan's face.

"Chloe, I'm sorry, er, yet again, for being weird these last few days. It's been a strange time. I owe you an explanation especially for the time at the restaurant."

I kept quiet because I just wanted this weirdness to be done with, and whatever it was all about out in the open.

"I need you to know I still feel the same way about you. I know it looks like I may have switched my affections to Emma, and truthfully I do like her."

He seemed embarrassed and reluctant to go on, but I nodded to encourage him to keep going and hoped my face was impassive. I was surprised at how little effect it had on me to hear that he liked Emma.

"What's happened is this. She more or less just latched onto me, and has already told me she loves me. The fact is I don't think it can be real, not yet. I'm flattered by it I can't deny, maybe, well maybe it's because she only loves me and not someone else as well."

I sighed at this because it was true it can't be the most flattering thing to know the one you care for has feelings for someone else as well as you.

It was hard not to put my arms around him because I still cared for him, as much as ever, maybe differently from the way I cared for Oliver, but there it was.

"I'm not making this very plain. I wanted her to go home with Corbett tonight, but she will not go. I've told her whilst I do feel something for her, I already care deeply for someone else. She asked if it was you? When we were at the restaurant the other night, she commented that it was Oliver you were in love with. She's betrothed at home to someone she does not love, and says she fell in love with me as soon as she saw me. A romantic notion really, how is that possible? You can feel a strong attraction to someone when you see them, but real love, well it grows don't you think or you realize it's there suddenly after you know someone? Well I've spent a little time with her and it's nice to be with her, but it will not last, she's only just sixteen and she'll grow out of me I know it and I want it.

You and I, well, I wish we could just stay the same. Our relationship, is too good to be lost, you are the dearest friend I've ever had. I did hope one day you might love only me, but failing that, I wanted us to always care and be dear to each other. The best of friends if nothing else, what do you think?"

He looked so sincere, and it was true I hoped that myself, that we would always be in one another's lives the dearest of friends. This Emma stuff wasn't important to me if I couldn't choose him, then I had to let someone else love him.

I put my arms out to him to hug him if he would let me.

"I'm never going to stop being your friend, you are so dear to me, and I do love you, and will never want to be anywhere but somewhere close to you. If you want to take Emma's love then why can't you? I want you to be happy. That's the most important thing to me." As I was speaking he stepped into my arms and hugged me.

He sighed then, and as he faced me, closed his eyes and seemed pained, and then opened his eyes saying, "Chloe I don't love her, I love you, and I wouldn't hurt her by taking advantage of her, by telling her I loved her. I wish she hadn't come here. It's made me question myself, my feelings for you, and the way we are with each other. Will we still hug like this, can I still come to you for help and comfort. This has complicated what was simple for me. I know you love Oliver. I think in different ways from me, and it's kind of visible sometimes. I do find Emma's attention flattering and she's determined I'll fall in love with her. She is lovely and gentle, but I don't feel anywhere near the intensity of how I feel with you." He laughed then continued, "You know the dazzle effect we have on each other, and that's weirdly soothing."

I hugged him and then leaned back a little from him, smiling.

"The dazzle effect, that's a good name for it. It's not always there though Tristan, you know when we were shopping the other day we were like good friends together. I know we are affectionate with each other..." I trailed off talking; I didn't know where to go next with it.

We were still holding each other. I felt I had to let go, but I couldn't.

"Maybe you are falling in love with her, Tristan. You could just wait and see how it develops. I can't say don't, I can't say anything except don't change our relationship. Let's stay dear to each other, even if it's only friendship eventually and not romantic love, sorry I don't know how else to describe it." I grinned.

He started to smile too. "I want that too Chloe. I was so afraid that you would think that somehow I had betrayed you. You do know I still love you. Maybe we can meet tomorrow afternoon. I've missed you. Thanks for coming over tonight. It's going to be hard to get Gui to sleep I just know it."

We had gone back to the way we usually were, thank heavens the strange and false atmosphere had gone. I did so want his happiness and his friendship. He'd saved my life and Oliver's. We were all bonded somehow. If he took the love Emma offered him, how could that change the bond? It couldn't.

Chapter Fifty-One

We went back into the apartment, and I suddenly remembered what Liz had said about the stained glass and asked Tristan if he knew about. He said that he did and was only concerned that an historical artifact was in danger. He said one of the Glazer family experts was going to look at it in the next few days and Corbett too. By the time we were back with Corbett, Gui, and Oliver, we were talking to each other as if nothing had ever been wrong.

I sat down next to Oliver, and he immediately took my hand giving me a quizzical look. I smiled at him and hoped I gave him a look that said 'it's okay'.

Corbett was trying to get Gui to have more wine, but he wouldn't, and Tristan laughed. He told us he would get some other stuff he just happened to have brought over from the Dearing place that was in the truck. He asked Oliver to go out there with him.

Oliver laughed saying, "Is it a crate of whisky?"

Tristan laughed too and it was good to see.

Corbett went to the kitchen counter and started to make coffee, which I thought was probably counterproductive because that would keep Gui awake if he drank it.

Tristan and Oliver came back into the place. Oliver was carrying a box, and Tristan a bottle of Vodka.

The box had beer in it, and Oliver opened a bottle and put it in front of Gui. He drank a little and put it back down on the table. Tristan started to talk to him. Who knew what about, but it seemed to get Gui talking too, and Corbett joined in.

Oliver finished making the coffee that Corbett had started and brought it over to the table.

Tristan decided to tell us what Gui was saying. They had been talking about his family, and horses and work at the Dearing castle. He would be happy to go home, but had liked it here.

I thought that he might have said that out of politeness and as Corbett continued to talk with Gui, I started to feel bad about getting Gui drunk. Aside from a tiny sip of wine, that I saw Corbett take, no one else was drinking, and I think maybe Gui realized that.

As Corbett was talking to Gui, Tristan gave him another beer and then poured the contents of a bottle down the sink and filled it with water, This bottle he took to the table as if it was his drink. Well it was really, but not of beer. Oliver had seen him do this, and just drank his coffee giving me a glance.

It was a weird couple of hours and by one in the morning, they had managed to spike the beer with vodka a few times. Gui was looking sleepy, but still not sleepy enough.

Tristan had offered some beer to Oliver, who shook his head and said,

"Never touch the stuff it's horrible." He didn't drink anything except coffee and neither did Tristan, but Corbett had a glass of wine. It would have been what he was used to back in his own time.

"We want him asleep, but not sick," Tristan said in English, as Corbett was talking with Gui. They wandered about the apartment stuffing things Gui obviously wanted into some saddlebag type luggage. I made sure the items I had brought over were in there too, and that the plastic bag was well away from them. They didn't need to alert the world to plastic quite yet on their return to the eleven hundreds. Gui was suddenly obviously drunk. He sat down, and put his head in his hands. Corbett the slave driver got him to have a last swig of alcohol, before he did close his eyes, resting his head down on his arms on the tabletop.

This was the cue for a flurry of activity. Tristan had Matin saddled, and Cedric for Corbett. They secured the luggage for Gui up there on Matin, and then Corbett set off on Cedric leading Matin to meet us on the lawn near my house. Oliver and Tristan carried Gui out to the Land Rover. Tristan was cursing asking Oliver why he had parked so far away from the stables, and if maybe at some point this long evening he could have crept out and brought the car nearer. Oliver did nothing but laugh, and they got Gui in the back seat, passed out thankfully. Tristan rode in the back with him and Oliver drove. I was happy to be in the front. I had a feeling Gui may be sick.

It was a quick trip to the lane outside my place, and leaving the Land Rover a little way down from our driveway, Tristan and Oliver alternately giving muffled laughs or curses got the sleeping Gui over to where Corbett was already waiting with the horses. Hoisting Gui over Matin, Tristan and Oliver expressed relief, saying he was heavier than he looked, and we went down the top path to the waterfall. We were okay for light what with the moon and all the lights on the path, but as we started down the bank, Oliver shone the LED torches we had ahead so that at least we could see where we were going even if the horses didn't seem to need to.

I hoped we hadn't run out of time and felt we were cutting it fine to catch the two a.m. time travel portal. At the pool, Corbett gave Cedric's reins to Tristan and took those of Matin. He said something to Tristan and stepped close to the reed pad area we had designated as the portal. Tristan had his cell phone out and the screen lit up in blue light. He nodded to Corbett and I said 'see you later to him', which he probably didn't get, but I felt better saying it. As he stepped onto the portal he kept the horse close, then they were gone.

Tristan turned to Oliver and me.

"I hope it goes well and Corbett is back tomorrow at nine with no problems, especially if Laura starts looking for him early. This is nerve wracking stuff." He led Cedric up the bank and onto the top path, and then he stopped again.

"Thanks for being there tonight both of you. I couldn't have gotten through that awful process without you." He looked from one to the other of us and Oliver nodded.

"Poor Gui, I hope he is not too hung over tomorrow. It had to be done, and now he will just wake up at the castle, and everything will be okay."

Tristan seemed thankful Oliver had said this and nodded then sighed.

"I only wish we knew how to close this damned portal, it's bound to cause more trouble, and I feel it's brought as many people over as I can stand."

"I hate to say this but we might find ourselves with no choice but to approach Aristide, sooner or later." Oliver voiced what we were all thinking.

"Not yet. Do you think there could be anything online in any of those esoteric places you looked before Tristan?" I asked him, thinking of how he had found out how to free himself from the stained glass.

"I don't know, it's unlikely, frankly I didn't know if that was real information about the tears of an immortal and was just hoping it was."

I was shocked, but didn't say anything.

"I better get Cedric home and into his stable and clear up the evidence in the stable apartment. Thank you again, you two are the best, I value your friendship."

I felt as if he was trying to make sure we understood something, and I guess so did Oliver who replied, "Tristan we are the same all of us. You saved our lives and even by accident we saved you, the fact is, nothing is busting up our friendships. Do you need help in the apartment now?"

Tristan said no and it was so late he would go, so we walked with him to the path, which would lead him through the woods home, and he got up onto Cedric, then waved and rode off.

Oliver smiled at this and put his arm around my shoulders.

"That was some strange night, Chloe, how are you feeling and what did Tristan say to you when you were outside with him for hours?"

"It wasn't hours. He was telling me how Emma says she is in love with him and would not go home with Corbett tonight. How he feels soothed by her even though he thinks he doesn't love her and she'll grow out of him. He said he felt flattered she loves just him." I took a deep breath and shook my head.

Oliver stepped to me and held me close.

"But you're still friends right? That can't go. Seriously we all need to be friends." I had my head on his chest, and it felt safe and soothing. That's maybe the feeling Tristan described he felt with Emma.

He stroked my hair and as I looked up into his lovely eyes, he smiled gently and holding my face to his, kissed me so lovingly nothing stayed in my mind except the feel of his lips on mine.

We walked down to the Land Rover and Oliver said he was working the next day for my dad from four until ten and would call me. I told him Tristan had asked if we could meet and I expected that either to be about Emma or even with her.

Oliver looked at me a little sadly. "Is it really okay Chloe?"

I nodded. "It is as long as we are all still friends, good friends like before her, then it is, sure."

I kissed him. "I so love you Oliver," I whispered, and he told me he so loved me too.

Chapter Fifty-Two

I went inside the house and was very careful not to tread on the two stairs that creaked. It was three in the morning and I wasn't even remotely tired. I made some tea and took it up to my room.

I went to my window, it was a habit I suppose, and right away I saw the horse and rider at the edge of the wood. The night was softly light, and what with the moon and my improved eyesight, I knew it was Tristan on Cedric. He must have been able to see me at the window because of my bedroom light, and he started down the path towards the house. I hung out of the window as he was approaching, and when he was almost below, I said softly, "Tristan I thought you went home."

He looked up, his face was pale in the garden lights, "I did and I had to leave again. Can I come in?"

I was surprised, but whispered he could and went down to the middle drawing room to let him in. I took him into the kitchen closing the big oak door so that we would not be heard. He had left Cedric to play on the lawn.

"Tristan, what's wrong you look pale?" I was making coffee, which was a habit too, like looking out of the window.

"Sorry Chloe, damn, I seem only to apologize these days, it's Emma. I decided to clear up the stable apartment tomorrow, stabled Cedric, and went to my room. Emma was in there, she was in my bed, she told me she loved me and wanted to marry me, not the man back home. Also, and I don't want to have to go into detail, she wanted something else. I had to leave, as I couldn't do anything else. I don't want what she asked for, and certainly, I can't marry her. I don't love her for a start, although I told her I was attracted to her, and she was lovely, I felt something for her, and I was trying not to hurt her. It was quite awful, she's so young, well in my eyes, and I suddenly realized whilst it was nice to be with her, it wasn't what I wanted. I feel so wretched as if I've done something unkind to her, but really when I saw her in my room I felt I had to protect her honor not take it."

I was close to a smile when he said that last bit it was so 'old world', but I squashed it because he was deadly serious. Trained to be chivalrous when young it had stuck with him.

I gave him the coffee I had managed to get through making without him taking over for once.

"Tristan, I'm so sorry this had to happen. I thought that maybe she was good for you, that since she loved just you it was what you needed."

I sat down next to him and just waited for him to speak again.

"Okay, I let her kiss me the other day, and ended up kissing her back but that's it. I commiserated with her about the betrothal but didn't, well I hope I didn't give her the impression I would marry her instead. At the restaurant the other night, I desperately wanted to explain things to you. I didn't realize Corbett, Laura, and Emma were going to be there until the last minute. I wish now I hadn't been so vain as to be flattered by her. What's the matter with me?"

He ended on that, but I thought it was a rhetorical question and didn't answer it until after he had taken a drink of coffee, when he seemed to be waiting for an answer.

"Tristan, you've been under such a lot of stress, and it hasn't ended, because Jack is still on your case. You just took some comfort. It's only natural, and to your credit, you haven't taken any advantage of Emma. If she is only just sixteen and betrothed to a man she doesn't love, she would cling to someone like you. Tristan, I've sometimes wondered if you know just how beautiful you are, she is too and you looked spectacular together when I saw you. Like Clare and James, you know how they sparkle as a couple because they are both so good looking. She might have thought you were a kindred spirit, and then again, maybe she does love you. I'm sorry it's been traumatic tonight."

Suddenly he smiled and ran his hand through his hair.

"I didn't even go to the stable apartment to sleep there, the first thought in my head was to come to you, and here I'm talking to you about another girl. It's ironic."

"Is it?" I asked, because I couldn't see the irony myself.

He smiled, but it was sad not a real smile.

"What will you do? What about her family, they must be frantic at her disappearance? What does Corbett think? He's her cousin."

It suddenly seemed ridiculous what was happening. "Tristan, what about the potential this has to change history? We could say Corbett was the reason why the secret got lost in the Glazer family, and I even thought the portal might be to do with that destiny, but Emma? What the hell effect might her disappearance have on history? Could we be playing with someone else's lives again? Sorry I know I said earlier take her love, but I'm thinking now maybe not. How could you get her home? I'm so sorry, Tristan, I seem to have turned completely around in my thinking. I want more than anything to protect you from anything bad. Where does she think she is? Does she get that she has traveled nearly a thousand years into the future?"

Tristan was looking at me thoughtfully, and seemed to come out of a daze.

"I told her the same as I told Gui. I told Corbett no matter what she asks to keep that lie going for her sake. I don't know if she believes it. I wouldn't, but then who knows she might? She's never traveled more than from Corbett's family to her own in the next county. If she has never been in the old Dearing castle, she may not realize the huge difference in facilities, though her home would be very comfortable. I've tried to keep it similar, that's why we rode out on the horses the other day just as she would in her time." He stopped speaking and just looked at me.

"Yes but Laura took her shopping in a car in town" I added. "Damn it, Tristan, even if we pushed her through the portal she might know to come back, she has to be taken by someone. It has to be done. Do you love her? If you do I'll help you keep her, but otherwise I'll help you take her home." It suddenly seemed the wrong thing for her to be here. What might happen to history? I examined my motives after I had said it, was it just because it was Emma I thought this? Was I subconsciously jealous of her? After all, I didn't think like that about Corbett. I decided I didn't feel jealous it was about history.

Tristan was thinking, and he was looking at me with those fabulous blue eyes.

"I think you're right, no I don't love her, I feel for her, I find her beautiful, I feel some attraction, but we need to get her home. She's too young, she's too vulnerable, and I feel stupid. She's mortal, and I wouldn't make her otherwise. If I did, then there'd be Corbett, Laura, and Liz, then Will, your Steven, their mortality to think about, where would it end? Bloody hell I must have been asleep at the wheel the last few days."

Now this did make me smile, from 'ye olde' protection of the maiden's honor to asleep at the wheel, was too far an idiomatic stretch not to be funny.

I smiled almost into laughter, and suddenly Tristan was softly laughing too. I got up and made some more coffee. Day was painting light stripes across the sky as I looked out of the window. It was four forty-three on the oven clock. I turned to Tristan. He was so very dear to me. I put the drinks I had made onto the kitchen table and put my arms around him. "Do you have any plans to get any sleep at all tonight Tristan?" I asked him because it might help him to get a few hours' sleep, before anything else had to be dealt with.

"I had better get going and let you get some sleep, Chloe. I'll go to the stable apartment and clear up a bit, and have a couple of hours sleep, and then I would like to keep away from the house to think straight. I have a meeting to pick up the deeds to this house, the woods, and the stables at two this afternoon. Will you come too?"

I told him I would, and asked him if he would be okay going to the stable apartment. He must have thought did I mean Emma would seek him out there, because he told me she didn't know about the apartment. I had meant did he need help, but left it at this.

He finished his coffee and I walked out to Cedric with him. Cedric was waiting by the small tree, his reins were free, and he'd been off on a jaunt but was back. Tristan turned to me and hugged me, I kissed his cheek and he mine. He walked Cedric to the edge of the woods. I watched him get up onto the horse and then ride in.

I put the cups in the dishwasher and went up to shower and flop in my bed for a few hours, maybe until noon or even one, when I would get up just in time to be ready to go to the lawyers with Tristan for his deeds.

Chapter Fifty-Three

When I woke up, there was a fine rain coming down. Yet the sky was bright through my window, and there was sun out there.

It was almost as if last night was a dream, the Gui, and Corbett stuff, the Emma stuff. I suddenly thought about Corbett coming back at nine, had he?

I was in the kitchen waiting for Tristan and Oliver called. He just wanted to say he loved me and would call me again later. It was nice to hear from him, and I was thinking of telling him about Tristan, but it was too long a story. Oliver needed to get some computer work done before working for my dad.

Tristan pulled into the driveway in the little white car, and got out. I figured on driving us in my Wrangler, and had my keys in my jean jacket pocket. I opened the front door before he rang the bell and he smiled, he kissed my cheek, and said, "Maybe there's time to have coffee before we leave?"

It was good to see him a little happier. I asked him had Corbett arrived back and he grinned. "Yes and he had a tale to tell, but everything is fine with Gui. Corbett is convinced he will continue to be fine now he's home. Corbett on the other hand couldn't wait to get back here. I haven't said anything to him about Emma. I called the house and asked McPherson to bring him to the phone I'm just not happy showing my face. I had one of the grooms go and get me some clean clothes from my room, again via McPherson. I know it seems extreme, but I can't be trailed around by Emma. This business stuff is a secret from all but you and Oliver."

I watched him talk and now I shook my head. "That's pretty awful to be driven out of your room, Tristan."

"No its okay, I'm getting the stable apartment done up a bit, and I'm moving into it then. The Dearing house has lost its welcome for me right now, anyway."

"Tristan, has Jack said anything else, for instance has he admitted selling some of the treasure?"

"No Chloe, Jack seems to have avoided me over the last few days."

Tristan finished his coffee and we set off for the lawyer's office in my Wrangler. Tristan closed his eyes again as I drove us to the town where Oliver's dad had his firm. I smiled to myself. I bet that Tristan hardly had any sleep last night, well that morning really. I glanced at him when I stopped at the lights and he seemed to be asleep.

At the lawyers, I felt it was inappropriate for me to be there at the business end of things, and Tristan went in alone. I was sitting there in my car staring out of the window at the big planters, and baskets of colorful flowers that were festooned around the front of the whole strip of offices. The leaves and colors sparkled under their film of light raindrops, as the sun grew stronger in the sky for the afternoon.

My cell phone rang, and I thought as I got it from my pocket that it may be Oliver again, but it was Liz.

"Chloe, I had to call you, because you have worked hard with me to get the Arts holiday venture going. I was in Jacks Office finding some paperwork about the West Wing accommodation. I found out that Jack has approached the real estate people he got to sell the other properties, to sell the arts holiday venture as a business, the annexed west wing, and the arts buildings with the big car park next to the west wing. I can hardly believe my eyes. I tried to phone Tristan, although poor Tristan I still feel very bad about the other sales. I don't know what's actually happening there yet. His cell phone is on voicemail. He must be working, driving, or something. Sorry Chloe, it's just hard to take when we've done all this work to get the venture going, and its booked solid for the half term holidays. He's really torn it with me this time. I'm going to have a go at him."

She was upset and angry too. I wanted to tell Tristan before she confronted Jack, and so I tried to calm her,

"Liz, I'm with Tristan. He's on business in an office, but I'm sure he will want to speak with you. Can we meet you for coffee somewhere, say in half an hour?"

She was happy to, "Thanks Chloe. I need to talk with him I think, before I talk with Jack, and maybe Tristan can throw some light on what's going on. What about the café by the library maybe in half an hour?"

I thought that would be good as we were quite close, so I said this to Liz and we ended the call.

I couldn't help but wonder if Jack was completely nuts. Was he going to sell off the entire Dearing estate?

A group of people passed on the walkway by the offices, they hurried along in the slight fine rain in their business suits. One with a laptop bag, another with a lidded paper cup of coffee. I watched them as they went through my line of vision and on to wherever they were going. A person coming in the opposite direction caused a couple side-by-side to move apart. One was jostled at the elbow by the oncoming person and they bumped around like molecules.

Tristan came out of the lawyer's office and got into the passenger seat. He was carrying a dark, marled, manila folder with a cord fastening, and I assumed this contained deeds. He put it on the back seat and kissed my cheek.

"Well Chloe, It's okay, Jack cannot do anything about it. The Hunting lodge and woods, my stables, I have them legally now."

I didn't like it, but I had to tell him Jack was up to further unpleasantness.

"Tristan, Liz called and we are meeting her in the café near the library. I suggested that because she has discovered more stuff that Jack is up to."

Tristan's expression changed from one of happiness to annoyance.

"What stuff, did she say?" He said in a low voice.

I held his hand. "He's put the West Wing and the arts buildings up for sale."

"The west wing, the new accommodation? Bloody hell, what's his game? Is he out of his mind? There'll be nothing left."

Chapter Fifty-Four

I started the engine and we drove to the library, where I parked and we got out of the Wrangler. Tristan took my hand as we went around the corner and up to the café.

We went inside as the chairs and tables outside were just wet enough not to want to sit down on them. Liz was in there sitting at a table in the middle of the seating area. We went and sat down with her saying hello.

"Tell me, Liz, what's Jack up to now?" Tristan didn't beat about the bush there, not even an order for coffee first.

Liz told him and he listened then raised his eyebrows.

"What the hell is going on? He'll have the main house up for grabs next. Right then, Liz, I have to tell you. I bought the other properties, it's my home, and I had to."

Liz cut in, "But Tristan, they cost millions how?"

It was his turn to cut in, "You know I've been around a long time, well I had enough to do it and damn I'll buy the west wing and the arts buildings too, but Liz, Jack doesn't know it's me, you must keep it a secret. Will you please Liz?"

His tone was sincere and he looked at her with such a pleading expression I thought maybe someone would give him the world if he asked for it like that.

Liz was shocked and she shook her head incredulous for a moment looking down at the table. The wait staff chose that very time to approach for our order, and we dealt with it quickly. Liz watched the young man go away and then she smiled at Tristan.

"I'll be glad to keep the secret and it's great, Tristan. I was really upset that the properties had sold, and I can't tell you how glad I am that they are in your possession."

Tristan sat back. "Thanks Liz, that's such a relief. Did you see the asking price by any chance when you saw the instruction notice on the West Wing?" He was grinning and Liz grinned back.

"One point five million pounds actually."

I was a bit surprised, I would have thought more for the west wing alone, but maybe there were some special conditions, after all, it was only annexed from the big house and not a separate building.

"Okay, that's weird its worth more than that. Was the same real estate agent as last time?" Tristan asked, and Liz nodded.

"Yes."

Our drinks had arrived, and Liz decided she would have a piece of cake now the outcome to her news wasn't as bad as she feared. I decided to have some too. She had chocolate and I had lemon. I told Tristan they had apple pie on the menu, but he wouldn't have any because they put cinnamon in it here.

I smiled at him, and he took a deep breath.

"Do you know if Oliver is working, Chloe?" he asked.

"Yes until ten I think he said, why?" I replied with interest. What was he going to get up to I wondered.

"I'd like to ask him a favor. I shouldn't call now, but I will." He got his cell phone out.

I stopped him. "Tristan, why don't we go to the restaurant after this and you can see him in person. He probably will not answer his cell phone when he's working."

"Okay that's a good idea, let's do that" Tristan was happy with the suggestion. Liz asked me if I was okay for our meeting the next day and we told Tristan what we were going to do. He smiled.

"You two have brought the venture back to life. I can't imagine why Jack is behaving the way he is, but it's all about money for sure. Liz do you know anything about the finances of the estate?"

"I had thought we were okay, even though the arts holiday project cost more than expected. I think Jack is amassing money for something, but we don't owe any taxes of any kind. It's a mystery."

We ate our cake. I cut a piece from mine and gave Tristan a taste, and then Liz got him to taste the chocolate one, he hated it, and Liz was smiling as we finished our drinks and got up to pay and leave.

Outside Liz gave Tristan a hug.

"It's such a relief that it's going to be okay, Tristan, thank you and be sure I'm not letting Jack know anything." She had parked just up the street and walked off that way. We walked just around the corner to the car park and got into the Wrangler. Tristan leaned over and kissed my cheek.

"Thanks for being with me, Chloe, it feels good to be back with you as a friend and fellow traveler, we've been through some stuff together in such a short time." He laughed. I nodded.

I drove us out towards home and the restaurant. Tristan took out his cell phone and called the real estate agent. He didn't mention buying the west wing he just asked what the price was, and then some other questions about leasehold.

We got to the restaurant, parked, and as we walked to the restaurant Tristan put his arm around my shoulders. It was amazing the way we had just picked up where we left off, our friendship wasn't changed at all.

The terrace tables were dry because of the transparent waterproof sails, so we sat at one and Ben came over to us.

Tristan ordered coffee. We had to look at least a bit like ordinary customers to the others, even though we had really come to see Oliver. Tristan would drink any amount of coffee anyway.

We asked Ben if Oliver was around, and could he ask him to pop out when he had the time.

Tristan smiled across the table at me.

"I'm going to ask Oliver if he will buy the West wing for me. I'll give him the money, he could buy it in his company name, and then we'll sort out the paperwork later. I figure it would be too much for my company to buy it, you know it might arouse suspicion. What do you think of that idea?"

It seemed like a good idea to me.

"Tristan, I think that's probably a good idea, especially not to arouse suspicion. It would be rare for the same company to take on a project such as the arts holiday venture.

Oliver came out with the coffee and my tea, he grinned at us.

"Hello there, what's going on, everything okay?"

Tristan quickly outlined his proposal to Oliver as he put the order onto the table. Oliver held the tray in front of him and looked at us.

"I'll do it certainly, just say when and how. Jack is becoming more and more bizarre. Why doesn't he just get the family together and say what's going on?"

"I don't know. I really don't. I thought it was about me, but now I think it's just about money."

"Maybe it's both, Tristan. After all, you are the real heir to the whole estate. Maybe he's gone weird with you to keep you from stopping his selling things," Oliver said thoughtfully. I agreed with that observation.

"I'm finished at ten, we could talk about it then or I'm free tomorrow afternoon," Oliver informed Tristan.

"I think tomorrow afternoon will be okay, Oliver, I could call you around lunchtime is that okay?"

Oliver said it would be and went over to take the order of a group of people who had just arrived.

Tristan smiled and drank his coffee.

"I would be lost without you two. I can't imagine how I coped before I met you and Oliver."

"Tristan, you must have encountered far worse in your life and coped. You seem a really capable person to me," I told him, because he was. Perhaps it was just fighting for his possessions he wasn't good at.

"I suppose some things are harder for me than others, for instance avoiding Emma when I get back to the Dearing place" and he grinned.

"Tristan, do you want to stay in the West Wing, it has really gorgeous big 'en suite' rooms, and no one is due there for a couple of weeks. Your stable apartment might be done up for you by then if you get the people you usually use for the Hunting Lodge to do the work. Not that I'm saying you need to avoid Emma. I wonder if seeing her a little and maybe just being casual about things would be better, that way you might just get to stay in your own room for a couple more weeks, until we figure out how to get her home." I was trying not to be negative towards Emma.

"Like let her down gently syndrome? Maybe you're right. I have to sort out how to cope with her until I can get her home. Who knows how long it will be until I can, nor how permanent that might be if the stupid portal is still open? I have to sort out the west wing purchase before I can devote time to her, and then naturally I have two weddings to deliver flowers for, and a conference." He let out a breath and then he smiled again. "It's just nice to be with you. Let's go. We can check out the horses together. I already miss Matin, and in a way Gui. I hope all is well with him. I hope he remembers not to drink the water back home."

I smiled at this. It did show he was thinking of Gui more than any other comment he could have made.

Ben brought the bill for us and we stuck money under the saucer, and left.

I drove us straight to the stables. We 'checked' the horses as Tristan called it, which consisted of him talking to them, and giving them cored apple and carrot.

I went with him around to the stable apartment, it was clean and tidy, no sign that Gui had been there, nor of the night spent getting him drunk enough to go home. Tristan picked up some of his clothes and locked the place back up.

I drove him to my place then because the little white car was parked there and he had decided to risk going back to his own room.

When Tristan left, I hugged him and told him to call if he needed any kind of help at all.

Chapter Fifty-Five

It was late evening and I had heard nothing more from Tristan. I assumed he had been able to get some things, or just get his work started. Liz called me just as I was making cheese on toast and wondering where mom and Steven were.

She was in a flap because to her horror, Jack had investigated the company that had bought the house where I live and the stables. A report had arrived by courier and she had opened it because it was addressed to them as a business document. He hadn't even got the sense to ask for it to be confidential she told me.

"I can't understand what made him investigate. What's his problem, he's been paid, he knows now that Tristan is the company. It's just been made public on the site where you can find out about the people who own and operate companies. Just in time, I guess, for Jack not to be able to pull out of the deal. So Tristan can't buy the West Wing and the arts block, which is such a disappointment to me. I've tried Tristan's cell phone, and it's on voice mail. He's not still with you I suppose? I have to go to work soon."

I sighed, thank heavens Tristan had his deeds. I had thought Jack might eventually find out, but not quite as soon as this.

I risked telling Liz what wasn't my place to tell her because I wanted to allay her fears.

"Liz, Tristan is going to buy it through another company so that Jack doesn't know. It sounds underhanded, but it's just because so much is at stake. What would really happen if some hotel franchise group got hold of the west wing? You can't let it go to an outsider. It's annexed, but it's still part of the Dearing mansion, your home."

"Thank heavens. I'd buy it myself if I could. Thanks, Chloe, for telling me, and naturally, I'll keep it to myself. I wonder if Tristan is in the greenhouses with his phone off or something? He's never home these days thanks to Jack."

I thought 'and Emma', but didn't' say it. We repeated our arrangements about the next day and ended the call.

I ate my cheese on toast staring out of the French doors at the dwindling daylight and decided I would go up to the greenhouses and check if Tristan was there. I still had a couple of hours before Oliver would call.

I took a swig of orange juice and ran upstairs. I cleaned my teeth and grabbed my jean jacket and left. I wanted to get there before it was actually dark and took off on the path that crisscrossed to the greenhouses. It took about four minutes and I saw the lights were on in both greenhouses and the end office. I went into the first one by the end door and looked down there. Tristan might be in the office, and I went out and walked around to the office. I knocked, but there was no answer so I went in there. I called Tristan's name and he came out of the cool room, the door had been swinging open, and he closed it giving me a big smile.

"Hello Chloe, to what do I owe this visit?" He came over and kissed my cheek.

"Liz called she tried to reach you, but you're not answering your phone. I think she had to go to work and didn't want to have to try to find you herself. Sorry Tristan, but it seems Jack has deliberately gone after information about the company that bought the hunting lodge, and he knows it's you. Liz was in a flap that you may not be able to buy the west wing now, and so I told her you would get another company to buy it for you. I hope you don't mind. I had to soothe her somehow."

Tristan had stopped still looking at me as I spoke with an expression of disbelief and he shook his head.

"I can hardly believe it. What the hell is wrong with him?"

He sat down on his desk chair looking down at his hands in his lap, his lovely glossy hair falling over his forehead. I went over to him and put my arms around his shoulders.

He sighed and looked at me with his gorgeous blue eyes, then smiled.

"The hell with him, it's got to be he knows he's wrong to sell the properties, and this stuff is about him worrying I could somehow stop him. What does he want the money for that's the biggest question?"

He stood up. "I need to finish up here. Everything is ready to deliver tomorrow morning. Will you come with me to my room and help me get the stuff I need for a few days. I'm going to the stable apartments. If it was good enough for Gui, then it can be for me too. I'll put up with builders and plumbers in preference to being under the same roof as Jack."

I told him I would go with him, as he shut down the computer and put some order forms and invoices in a stack. He switched off the lights and then we walked around to the second greenhouse and he turned off the lights there too.

We walked over to the Dearing house. Tristan had keys and we went straight up to his room.

"There's not much I want." He got a grip bag from the bottom of his armoire and unzipped it put it on his bed. Then packed his clothes into it and made a small pile of linen next to the bag. He looked around. "My laptop is in the greenhouse, better have my boots and jacket, what else, toiletries." He was stuffing things in a big plastic bag that he had found in the bottom of his filing cabinet.

I picked up the linen and he picked up the grip bag, put his jacket over his arm, and got hold of the big plastic bag. I took his boots from the floor near his bed and we went downstairs.

We loaded his stuff into the back seat of the old truck he sometimes drove, but just as we were about to get in, Emma came running out of the house calling Tristan.

She spoke to him in the Norman French they used and he said something back to her as she held onto his arm. His tone was gentle, he took her hand, and told her something that seemed to satisfy her because she turned around, and went back into the house.

We got into the truck and as we drove out of the car park, Tristan said she had told him that she had been looking for him for two days and missed him. He had said he was very busy working, but would see her the next day. I felt a little sympathy for her, if she was in love with him, it would be hard for her. I asked Tristan if he thought she was really in love with him, and he shrugged, but then added that he thought it wasn't real, it was more likely a crush.

I felt sorry about everything right then and I hoped it would all be okay.

Tristan drove us to the stables and then I helped him take his stuff out of the truck and into the apartment.

He sighed again.

"I think I'll get one or two other things over the next few days. Hey, are you going to the joint celebration on Wednesday night for Laura and Liz getting engaged? I hope everything works out with Corbett and Laura. I'll feel personally responsible if it all goes to shit."

Looking at Tristan's face, I knew he was serious.

"I'm definitely going. It's at Kool Kafé isn't it? Will told Oliver they were doing it mid-week so as not to interfere with everyone's work commitments at the restaurant, because there are wedding parties every weekend for three weeks."

He was making coffee and I looked in his fridge, nothing.

"Tristan, you have nothing in the place but coffee, when you have drunk it come down to my place and we'll get you some food for at least tonight and breakfast."

He smiled. "Okay I'll not say no, the last thing I ate was that taste of horrible chocolate cake Liz gave me."

"Tristan that's terrible," I said, but smiled back at him.

He put his things away. It took no time at all, and then we got back in his truck and drove down to my place.

I got him chicken and ham salad rolls, and put applesauce in there instead of mayonnaise. I intended putting some food in a plastic bag for him before he left.

Oliver called as I had just made tea and coffee. He said he would drop round for just half an hour. I told him Tristan was with me and that there had been more of Jack's rubbish to deal with. Oliver exclaimed 'what oh no' and that he would be with me in five minutes and ended the call. I smiled at this and told Tristan. He seemed to be in better spirits and grinned.

"Chloe, I feel relieved to be out of the Dearing house. I can't think of anyone who knows or remembers there is a stable apartment except Corbett. So I almost feel safe."

I was thoughtful for a moment. "How have you felt unsafe, Tristan, you are after all immortal?"

"Oh just creeping about, retrieving stuff from the globe base, avoiding Emma, avoiding Jack too." He was still grinning. He at least found it somewhat funny.

"Except you are Tristan Dearing and that should be your home. The stables are yours now so no one can come there unless you ask them to." I was still intrigued that he had felt unsafe.

"Except you and Oliver, you two are welcome anytime you please." He was serious and happy too.

At that moment, Oliver rocked up to the house and I opened the door to him. He kissed me at the door and then went into the kitchen and flopped into a chair next to Tristan.

"What's happening Tristan?" he asked, and Tristan gave him the briefest run down as he made more coffee. I stopped him putting an extra half spoon of coffee into Oliver's cup and then poured the boiling water in the cups myself. Tristan turned and started to tell Oliver about the leasehold thing that was for sale on the west wing.

They talked for a few minutes and I sat down with my tea and watched them. Funny how they were becoming such very good friends and yet here I was between them still.

As soon as he had finished his coffee, Tristan said he would leave as he needed to get an early start the next day, and would catch Oliver that afternoon to finalize things. I went to the fridge and got a pack of pancakes, and a bottle of orange juice plus a couple of apples and some grapes. I put these in a plastic bag so that Tristan had breakfast at least and went out to the truck with him. I put the bag on the passenger seat and went around to the driver's side. Tristan hugged me, and I held him tight.

"Take care Tristan, call me anytime," I told him and kissed his cheek. He looked at me for a moment, taking my hands, and holding them to his chest, then got in the truck and drove away. I hoped things would be okay for him that night, how awful it must be to just pick up a few things from one room and put them in another in someplace else.

Chapter Fifty-Six

When I went back in the house, Oliver had finished his coffee and stood up as I got to the table. He gave me a big hug.

"I wish things would settle down a bit for Tristan," he said, and then he held my face in his hands and kissed me. I loved him dearly, but a little part of me still felt sad for Tristan.

"Are you okay Chloe, it seems like you've had a long day what with one thing and another?"

Oliver always knew.

"I just feel a bit sad for Tristan. Emma is a worry to him now and we are still stuck with the portal, it seems insurmountable."

He hugged me close again.

"Maybe it will just disappear like it came. Did Tristan ever try that water touching thing at seven o'clock?"

I didn't know, I had forgotten about that what with everything that kept happening, maybe Tristan had too. I told Oliver this as he kissed me again and we held each other close.

"I have to go, but I'll call you as soon as I've met with Tristan tomorrow afternoon, and maybe we could do something like see a movie or something tomorrow night." I nodded and went out to the Land Rover with him, it was always so hard to say bye to Oliver, right from the beginning it had been. I kissed him through his driver's side window and went into the house as he drove away.

Oliver was right it had been a long day. I went up to my room and straight into the shower. When I was in bed, I got my netbook from the stool I had by my bed and put on a download of one of my favorite TV programs from the States. I watched it and let everything go out of my mind.

Friday was a lovely day. I got ready to go and meet with Liz at the abbey museum. We would do the walk, and I could draft the plan for Diane, and have it professionally ready for her by next week.

I drove over to the abbey car park and went into the café area where I thought Liz was meeting me. She was already there and came over to me right away as I appeared in the doorway. I glanced at the closed glass doors that led to the stained glass exhibit as well as the rest of the museum part and Liz saw my glance.

"No Chloe, they still haven't done anything about that massive crack up the knight figure, it seems they are dealing with the other bits of stained glass first." She gave a shake of her head looking at me with an expression of exasperation.

"They don't know it's Tristan," I said quietly, and she nodded.

We set off down the path to the wooded area where the longer route, which eventually led to the waterfall, passed the church and Norman ruins. I had a clipboard and drew symbols for the places on the route the history walk would take. I also took a photo at various places of interest as we wound past the abbey ruins and into the woods. The abbey would be covered in two walks, this one, and one of just the abbey.

There was an old well on the way to the church and being more than three hundred years old, we included that. When we were going along the path by the church, we were chattering about the celebration. At the front I stopped and took a photo of the church porch, I drew in a symbol on my little sketched map, and we went into the church. I stopped dead with Liz behind me, and she almost bumped into me. Jack was there in the aisle adjacent to the stained glass rectangular panels in the left wall. The stained glass with Tristan featured in it was all broken, it was hung together only by virtue of the netting, that still hung on it as camouflage. The middle panel was busted too and the glass from that was on the tiled floor of the church.

I was standing there stunned, and Liz came from behind me.

"Dad, what's happened here, the window, Tristan's window, how did this happen?" She was very upset, and her voice cracked.

Jack was looking around as if searching for words.

"I don't know. I came down here to check the generator and found it like this. Maybe it's been like this since the museum was attacked."

I raised my eyebrows. I was still shocked.

"Surely someone would have noticed before now," I said.

"Not many people come down here now and I was just checking the place so that I could make sure it was fit for the tourists. I know you have plans for them," he said. Something about the way he was standing was odd, and he shifted on his feet, it drew my attention to blood on the floor.

I didn't say anything more. I turned away.

Liz said, "What will we do now? This place was on the visitor history trail."

She was getting out her cell phone and Jack was saying he would get back to the house and get some people in to clean up the place.

Liz stopped with her cell phone in her hand and watched Jack leave the church.

I walked to the blood on the floor of the aisle and looked at it. It was fresh. Liz followed me, and then after having seen what I was looking at she looked at me.

"It was Jack wasn't it? I saw his hand as he passed me, and it's all cut. What about Tristan? I'll call him. I'm so afraid he will be hurt or worse." She was crying.

I blurted out, "No he'll be okay there's another stained glass image of him." I meant my roundel and Oliver's too.

Liz still called Tristan, and when he answered, he was okay and he was still working. She asked could she meet him soon, and he said at the Kool Kafé in an hour as he was passing there. He told her he had good news. That morning when he had called, just as an anonymous enquirer about the West Wing and Arts block sale, the real estate agent had told him that Jack had pulled the plug on the sale. His words were 'this morning at eight thirty the vendor took the properties off the market and they will not come on again, he has had a total change of heart'.

Liz relayed this to me and I couldn't help but wonder what was going on. Tristan had said to tell me he had already let Oliver know there was no need for subterfuge now, and Oliver had gone off to see a client instead of meeting with Tristan.

We looked at each other and I sat down on a pew. I sighed.

"This is ridiculous, did he do the museum vandalism too, or did he just get the idea from it?"

Liz was perplexed. "We need to confront him, Chloe. We really must. Will you come with me? Let's go now, and then meet Tristan."

I nodded. "I'll come."

She looked again at the shattered stained glass windows, and then said, "Let's go then, Chloe, he will have gone home to dress that wound."

I stood up and followed her out of the church. I closed the door, it never seemed to be locked these days, and we walked quickly back to the abbey car park. We decided to go to the Dearing house in my Wrangler, and then I would drop her back at the abbey car park to pick up her car whenever we were finished.

Chapter Fifty-Seven

As I drove along, I commented that it was good news that Jack had decided not to sell the West wing, and couldn't help wondering why. Liz said she didn't know what was going on, but her interest right then lay in why the hell Jack was smashing stained glass windows, and didn't he realize that it was criminal damage he was committing. Then she sighed and said, "I hate to say it, but it does look as if he is trying to harm Tristan. You know the legend is that Tristan will die if the glass is destroyed."

She stopped speaking and shuddered.

We were at the Dearing house and I parked close to the door, Liz got out and waited for me. We went in and down the hall to the kitchen. Liz called McPherson and asked if she had seen Jack.

McPherson was unloading the dishwasher and turned to Liz. She smiled and answered, "He came home not so long ago. I'm sure he went upstairs, wait I'll call." She went to a cream telephone on the wall and pressed a button.

"Mr. Dearing I was about to make some tea, would you like a cup, or coffee? Lunch is at one thirty. Laura asked for it. Okay, in the blue morning room." She looked at Liz. "There we are dear. He'll be in the blue morning room in ten minutes. Will you have tea in there too?"

Liz nodded. "Thanks McPherson, where is Laura by the way?"

McPherson was filling the electric kettle.

"Out with Corbett and Emma. They're buying dresses for the party on Wednesday."

We hung around until McPherson had made the tea and Liz insisted on carrying the tray with the coffee on it that Jack had asked for to the morning room.

She put the tray on the little tables in the morning room. It was the same room Tristan, and I had found Jack and Jonathon in, when we had given him the treasure pouch. We sat down together on the striped sofa and as Jack came into the room, Liz got up and started to pour the coffee for him.

He seemed to hesitate at the door as if he wanted to turn around and disappear, but then he came in and sat down in the leather armchair where the table was with his coffee tray.

Liz had given me a cup of tea and then poured one for herself, and she sat down next to me.

I looked at Jack's hand as he took a drink of coffee. He had a very large Band-Aid on it and a smaller one on the forefinger.

Liz suddenly launched right in.

"Dad, what the hell is going on? Are you trying to harm Tristan because you might as well know there is another stained glass, you'll never find, he's still safe. What's the story with the West Wing sale, and what's going on with you? I'm tired of it all."

Jack was pale, and he looked down at his coffee cup in his hand, before he looked back up.

"Things got out of hand. I've stopped the sale of the West Wing and the Arts buildings because it seems Tristan would be able to buy them. Did you know he bought the house Nick McGarry is renting, and the stables? I found the Arts venture over-spend simply overwhelming." He stopped for a moment, and I thought Liz was about to speak when he started up again. "I just want it a bit easier. I'm tired Liz, this estate, it takes so much to maintain. I knew it was wrong to sell that house, the stables, and I thought Tristan would stop me, he could really you know, this whole lot belongs to him. Firstly I thought, just get some extra money and sort out the over-spend, and then I realized I would be stuck for the rest of my life doing this, trying to find extra. It's always been like that. When I realized Tristan had the means to buy those other properties I thought get rid of him, take them back, and re-sell them."

Liz gasped at that and I felt like slapping him, but then he continued, "I realized the crack in the ancient stained glass windows hadn't made a difference so I thought the new stained glass had saved him. I just went down there and smashed the windows. I'm so sorry really. I can't excuse it now. I think I must have had an episode of madness. It's unspeakable what I've done. I don't expect forgiveness, but I wonder of you could understand a little part of my exhaustion, the continual round of finding new ideas." He stopped talking.

Liz stood up, she put her cup on the tray, and walked to the window and back.

"Dad, I'm appalled and especially since Tristan works so hard for the estate, and so do I. I realize that it's hard, but look here, Chloe, and I have worked on the Arts holiday venture, and it's starting to be a success. Chloe isn't even family she's worked hard with me and so has another friend, and all for free. Dad, if anything happened to Tristan I would never forgive you."

I didn't know if I should say anything, but suddenly I couldn't help it.

"Mr. Dearing, Tristan is the least possession oriented person ever, and you wanted the only things he prized, and even his horse was going to be callously taken away. He gave you the treasure from the font knowing it was extremely valuable and thinking it could make a difference."

He looked at me with a strange mix of annoyance and acceptance on his face and then he said to Liz, "I've stopped anything I was about to do. I realized how bad it was when I saw the little church windows in pieces on the floor. Liz, I need to get away for a while, maybe Jonathon and I could go somewhere. I saw Tristan going on forever in history in the safety of the stained glass, and he doesn't have the worries of the estate. It ate me up for a while. You were interested in restaurant work, you have Will, Laura has her boy, what's his name, er Corbin, it seemed like I was to be left just dealing with everything as usual."

I couldn't contain my comment. "Tristan works so hard for the estate, so does Liz. Tristan has friends who will help him too, and its Corbett not Corbin."

Liz sat back down next to me she sighed.

"Where do you want to go Dad? Believe me I'll be happy to let you go off for a while. I'll run the estate. I can't forgive you right now, because it's all so outrageous. Why didn't you just get us all together and tell us how sick and tired you are? I expect the treasure from the font will give you at least a couple of months away. I'll sort out the mess in the little church, and everything else. Would you like me to book you a villa in Italy for a while? Como, what about that? I'm sure you and Jonathan could have a peaceful couple of months there. Are you planning on apologizing to Tristan?"

Jack shook his head. "I can't face him at the moment, Liz, maybe later. Will you do that, book somewhere for me?"

Liz nodded, and then she got up and looked at me as if to say 'let's go'. I stood and left with her.

Chapter Fifty-Eight

We got out to the Wrangler and then she let fly with a string of curses so vivid I had to laugh. She looked at me and I told her top notch swearing, to which she gave a watery smile. I started the Wrangler. We were going to be a bit late for the meeting with Tristan at the Kool Kafé.

On the drive down there, I asked her if she was going to tell Tristan what Jack had done and said. She thought about it for a moment.

"I need to for his safety, but at the same time I wish I didn't have to because it's so bloody awful, his own family." She gave a little sob, and I realized she was crying.

"Don't cry Liz, we'll all help, I'll always help, so will Oliver, Tristan is safe, no one knows where the other stained glass window is."

I was checking my memory of what was still up on the Glazers website, both my roundel designs featuring Tristan had been taken down and different ones put up. I was sure the Glazers hadn't recognized him anyway.

We parked across the road from the café, and walked over there. Tristan was sitting with his back to the road and didn't see us. Liz went up behind him and kissed his cheek.

"Hello Tristan, have you been waiting long?" He half-turned and kissed her cheek and saw me too. I smiled at him, and kissed him on the other cheek.

"Wow, this is nice. Chloe, could you just put one here?" He indicted his lips meaning a kiss. I kissed him quickly as we had started to laugh.

"Tristan, I want to tell you what's been happening today," Liz said.

I sat down next to Tristan and took his hand. He looked at me as I did this and then watched Liz as she started on the story. He didn't say anything until she had finished speaking and then he took a deep breath.

"I can't understand it. It makes no sense to me because I've always done as much as I can for the estate and taken little. I had to build up the courage to buy the property I did because it meant so much to me to have just that. I didn't want the West Wing, but would have got it for you, Liz. Damn it, I'll not go back to the house now until he has gone away. I feel so bad about it. He could have just talked everything instead of being so high-handed with me. Liz whatever it takes to keep the estate going I'll help you, just as I've always done, and any extra work, just let me know. If he goes away soon I might have my room still in the main house because the shower in the stable is driving me nuts." Then he laughed.

We ordered more coffee and tea, and Liz told Tristan she was so glad there were other stained glass windows of him and she wasn't going to ask where they were, the fewer people who knew about them the better. Tristan smiled and looked at me. I smiled a little back, and because I had let go of his hand, I took hold of it again, just so he knew I cared about him.

"Let's try to forget it all now, and move forward. I'll have Jack and Jonathon gone by the end of next week. I think I had better slow down with my restaurant work though, just for a few weeks, until I make sure all is well with the estate business." Liz seemed happy enough, but when she said this, I felt bad for her.

"Liz, I can help you, just say what. Do you think there really is anything that badly wrong financially or was it just Jack having a melt down?" I meant it too I would help.

"I think it's his perception, but he has put the tourism side of things a bit behind by smashing all the stained glass, the idiot."

Tristan had been quiet and now he commented, "Corbett is a master craftsman in glass I think he would be only too pleased to do something with the little church. The Glazers are onto the abbey glass and he can help there too I think. If they do the work and we make an exhibit of them doing the restoration, people like to see things like that, we could open the museum again."

"That's a great idea, Tristan, let's go ahead with that. Will you deal with Corbett? I know you have already been handling the Glazers work. Excellent idea." She was happy with this.

I told her that I could easily finish the plan for Diane's history walks.

"Do you want them to turn back after the church or go on to the Norman remains, and then turn back?"

"I'd love them to see the waterfall because of the Norman remains there too. What do you think of that Tristan?" she asked him smiling.

I glanced at Tristan. I figured ordinarily he might think it a good idea, but right now, what with the portal problem, maybe not.

He seemed to consider and then said, "Maybe turn them back at the Norman door ruins and leave out the waterfall just now. We could add it later, is that okay?" He looked vulnerable. Liz smiled her agreement to his suggestion. She glanced at me and I looked encouragingly at her.

Tristan drank his coffee. Liz said she needed to get going and I said sure, since I had driven us there. Tristan had parked just down the road and we all got up to leave. Liz kissed him again on the cheek, and I was about to but he moved his face so that I kissed his lips, then he smiled. "I'll call you, Chloe."

As I was driving Liz back to the abbey ruins car park, we talked about the party on Wednesday. I dropped her and told her I would have the tourist history walk plan ready to print on Monday morning, and if she wanted, I could get it printed for her. She was grateful for this, and we arranged for me to get the plans to her as soon as they were ready.

Chapter Fifty-Nine

I drove home and upstairs in my room I started on the history walk map that was to be handed out to tourists. It would be quite simple really. I just made thumbnails of the photos and used them as symbols on a path that showed the start, direction, and finish of the walk. I added little notes too of things I knew about the history, and I sent the draft to Liz after about an hour's work. It's amazing what you can do with the right software. If she liked it and approved the notes, then we could get right on with the printing.

It was nearly five and I hadn't heard from Oliver. I suddenly remembered we were supposed to see a movie that night and I thought I had better call him. I called him; he was just leaving a client, was in their car park, and was just about to call me.

We decided against seeing the movie instead, we wanted to talk about everything that had happened and thought we may even go to see Tristan. So Oliver said he would come over about seven and I took a shower.

I put my new sweater on with my jeans. The day felt a little cooler as the sun had gone in behind clouds quite early. Downstairs I thought about what to give the two couples as engagement gifts. It was somehow harder to think of gifts for Liz, Will, Laura and Corbett, than James and Claire. I had until Wednesday anyway I thought as I put the electric kettle to boil.

I was daydreaming, just staring out of the window, and thinking that the days were getting shorter, when Charlie came in and flopped at my feet. Tristan followed him and came straight up to me, and gave me a hug.

"Chloe, thanks for being with Liz today and for everything really. It's been a hell of a few weeks, but I seem to be in better shape today. I guess that's because I know what has been going on with Jack. Do you really think the roundels saved me or did you just say that for Liz?"

He had let go of me, and I took his hands.

"For Liz's sake, because I'm sure you are free of the stained glass issues. I thought it safer if the notion they save you was still around because you can't ever let anyone know what you really are."

He smiled. "Thanks for that. I think you're right and it is better for Liz. I'm still processing what Jack did, but at the same time I feel free in a way."

We made coffee and I gave Charlie a drink of water. Tristan and I stood close to each other by the window. He told me he had hired someone to start work on the shower in the stable apartment next week, in the meantime he would put up with it. I turned to him and put my arms around him. He leaned his head against mine, and we were quiet for a moment.

He drank some of the coffee and turned back to me. The look he gave me was as if he was about to say something, but then he kissed me briefly, and said he needed to work in the greenhouses that evening and would be going. He had just wanted to say thanks for helping Liz.

I walked with him to the turn in the path that led to the greenhouses.

When Oliver came over, we talked about the whole Jack thing for a while.

We talked too about the fact that we were immortal, and how bizarre it seemed. Oliver said how it was such a good thing that Jack didn't know about Tristan, and I agreed wholeheartedly. We thought that it was imperative to have told Liz the little lie about the stained glass roundels, because Jack's behavior was so outlandish that who knew if she would be safe having any other knowledge.

It was really the first time Oliver and I had talked about the fact we were immortal and I think it was the first time really that I had understood how, whilst we could withstand disease and injury, we were still in danger from unknown areas and acts.

Oliver talked about not knowing how we might explain not looking older in ten years and how we would eventually have to lose touch with our family and friends. We looked at each other and Oliver took my hands. I think we had just not realized the gravity of the situation until then.

It was weird but both of us said at once, "Let's go and see Tristan" and we grinned at each other then. No matter what else happened we three were linked by this immortality stuff.

Chapter Sixty

We drove over to the Dearing house car park and walked to the greenhouses. The lights were on in them both all the way down. I couldn't see Tristan in the first one and we looked into the second one as we approached, Tristan was right at the bottom and seemed to be working with some big red flowers.

We went in through the top door and he looked up, on seeing us he broke into a big smile. "Hello you two what's going on?"

"Nothing we just came to see you. What are you doing?" I asked him.

He held up a pot of the big red flowers and said, "Putting these things in long tub pots with greenery for the podium decoration at the conference center tomorrow. I have to get them over there tonight. I've already done the table decoration pots, and almost finished the tubs. So you just came to keep me company, that's really nice."

I could see he was pleased that we had come over.

"We could come too and give you a hand. Have you heard anything more from Liz or anyone?"

"No nothing and bizarrely not a glimmer from Emma. I thought she would have sought me out today here, not that I want her to, but I'm surprised I'm having so much peace."

He picked up the tub he had just finished, and we followed him out to the small gravel area where the truck was reversed against the side of the greenhouse. He put the tub into the back. There were around six others were placed along with two shallow boxes containing round pots with the same red flowers but they also had a ring of white flimsy flowers and greenery around them.

The truck only just fit between the greenhouse and wall, there was a serious lack of parking at the greenhouses.

We got into the truck. The back seat of the dual cab was horrid, but if you sat to the extreme left you were okay. I volunteered to have that space because Oliver would have been scrunched up much more, and he usually took it out of politeness.

We were already halfway to the conference center at the far end of the abbey café and museum complex, when Tristan said, "I've been thinking about the portal. I want to get Emma home somehow and then I think we had better get Aristide onside. I can't think of any other way to get the damn thing closed. It's been weeks and things just get worse with the beastly thing."

Oliver sighed. "If you're sure Tristan, but like you say, get Emma home first, that's going to be a hard job isn't it?"

"I want to try to get Corbett to realize she should be home. He thinks because he has met Laura and everything is great for him, that Emma can have the same experience. He also thinks I'm a good match for her. His argument being that Chloe has you Oliver." He laughed at that, but I could tell he had probably been pressed by Corbett on the question of Oliver and me.

We helped Tristan unload the flower displays. He arranged the big tubs along the raised area that served for keynote speakers to use as a stage, and we put the pots on the tables around the room. He adjusted the temperature of the room, turned off the lights, and set the alarm as we left, and asked if we wanted to come back to the stable and have coffee.

Tristan dropped us at the Dearing house car park to pick up my Wrangler, and we drove over to the stables following Tristan's truck.

When we went inside the apartment, it looked like Tristan had been cleaning up again, and moving the furniture around to use the space better. He made coffee for himself and Oliver, and tea for me. He was laughing about it and getting the tea bag out of the cup quickly so that he said it looked more like hot water than tea.

Then we sat at the table and he became serious again.

"At the end of next week when Laura and Corbett have formally celebrated their engagement, I'm going to work out a way to get Emma home, and then do you think you would be willing to contact Aristide for me, Oliver? I can't think what else to do. We've put it off too long, I'm sorry to ask, but I think I need to remain out of his sight for all kinds of reasons."

Oliver nodded. "Yes Tristan, I think you're right, I'll do it of course."

"We'll think up the details when I've got Emma home, is that okay?" Tristan asked and Oliver said it was.

Then we talked about the party on Wednesday. None of us had any idea what to give Laura and Corbett, or Liz and Will, for engagement presents. The gift voucher idea looked like the way to go again, and then we drifted into talking about Liz and her extra workload because of Jack.

"I wish things hadn't gone this way. I've stopped feeling any annoyance with Jack and I just feel sorry now that it's all happened." Tristan looked down at the table and sighed. Then he looked back up at us and I smiled encouragingly at him.

Around ten, Oliver and I left. I kissed Tristan's cheek as I went out of his door.

Oliver glanced over at me as he started the car.

"It doesn't feel right somehow leaving Tristan in the stable apartment. It's a bad business the guy can't even be in his own room."

I nodded, but didn't say anything as what was there to say?

At my place, Oliver and I hung out for a while longer, and then he left telling me he would call soon. He kissed me at the door and hugged me close, and I didn't close the door until he had driven away.

Chapter Sixty-One

Dad called me at nine the next morning asking if I 'could possibly help out at the restaurant from two until, sorry to say, midnight'. Both Pat and Jen had some kind of cold and two agency staff had called in that morning saying they couldn't make it after all. I told him I would be pleased to help.

I didn't have a uniform so I wore my white shirt and jeans with one of the long aprons tied around my waist so that my jeans were just about hidden. It seemed to look perfectly fine as not even dad commented. I actually had a great day and when Oliver came in at six he was pleased to see me. We both worked until midnight and as I had walked over at two, Oliver dropped me home just after midnight. I was going to help dad again on Sunday and Oliver had said he would too since the staff situation was the same.

On Sunday, before I went into the restaurant I emailed the plan that Liz had approved to the same guy who had done the new brochures for us.

I had to wear a white T-shirt and do the same thing with my jeans and an apron again when I went into work. Dad said he was going to get me a uniform just in case I was going to make a habit of helping him out, and cracked out laughing, but otherwise it didn't seem to matter.

Just before Oliver and I had a break, Liz arrived for her shift and we talked about Jack. Liz told me she had arranged an apartment for Jack and Jonathon for the next two months, and they were flying out on Thursday afternoon to Italy. It had seemed to make things so much better for Jack, and he had told her he would like to apologize to Tristan before he left. She had texted Tristan and told him the news, so now maybe it was up to Tristan to swing by the big house, and accidentally be having coffee with McPherson or something, so that Jack could run into him. She seemed happier about things, we talked about the school holiday coming up, and how she had cut her shifts in half at the restaurant to make sure things went well for the week with the arts holiday venture. She started work with Oliver and me after our break. Oliver had raised his eyebrows at me when he heard about Jack wanting to apologize. I kissed him before we went into the main dining area and he whispered, "It's so great working with you around."

It was nice working with Oliver around too, and about eight thirty Laura, Corbett, Emma, and Tristan showed up. I went to take their order grinning from ear to ear at Tristan who had seated himself on Corbett's side of the table facing Emma, but well away from her.

"Hello everyone, it's lovely to see you all. May I take your order?" I was happy to see them. Laura was really nice and friendly. She asked me why I was working, and I told her about the staffing situation. She said she felt guilty then about having taken the weekend off, but I told her she couldn't have known others would get sick. Tristan was watching me and as I turned to him to take his order, he was definitely trying to say something to me with his eyes. I smiled at him. He was such a lovely person, and I smiled at Emma too, who gave me look that if looks were daggers, well, you know the saying. Laura ordered for her and I went off to pass in their order, which was only desserts and drinks. They must have just come out for fun not to really have dinner.

My cell phone was in my back pocket and naturally I had it on vibrate for message and calls. I could feel it going off as I went through the door to the kitchen because when people we were serving ordered spring or mineral water, we were each dealing with that because of the staff shortage. I was going for spring water for Corbett and Emma. I took out my phone as I got to the cool cabinet door and quickly looked. It was a message from Tristan. 'Hope u realize I'm being diplomatic. Feel a bit of a heel, but trying to sooth Emma call u later, love Tristan'. I texted back, 'try to have a relaxing time too, love Chloe'.

I took the water and two chilled glasses out to their table. Tristan had his phone in his hand and looked up at me. I smiled at everyone including him. When I took them the rest of their order, they were all happily talking and that was good.

Oliver passed me in the kitchen at the cooler a little time later and we grinned at each other. Then he gave me this look that was so loving, that I thought about kissing him, but the moment passed and we just got on with our work.

I guess it was about ten thirty I realized Tristan's table was empty and Ben must have cleared it. We had about four tables still having drinks and coffee, but it would soon wind up and we started to help clear in the kitchens.

About eleven-thirty the restaurant had emptied. A fine rain had started and we put the terrace tables with their chairs upturned on them, against the side of the restaurant for shelter.

Oliver and I left about midnight again and when we got home to my place Oliver came inside. We got some juice and sat together at the table. Oliver turned to me and put his head down on my shoulder.

"Did you mind seeing Tristan with Emma?"

"Not at all, even if he really cared for her I would be happy if he was happy," I told Oliver as I kissed the top of his head where I could reach it.

He moved then, and put his hands around my face kissing me.

"I need to get going, Chloe, although I would much rather stay with you."

Oliver was just driving away when dad came home, and we talked about the weekend's work. I offered to step in any time. I made us tea and he took his up to bed. I was in my room reading my emails and drinking my tea, when my cell phone started to vibrate. I had forgotten it was still not on ring-tone, and I had put it on my desk beside me. It spun around with the vibration, before I picked it up. I could see it was Tristan calling.

"Hello Chloe. I just wanted to say it was good to see you tonight even if I seemed a bit distant. I was really trying to smooth things over a bit with Emma, as part of trying to get her to go home, and it wasn't easy being with her I can tell you."

I smiled as I answered, "I hope you didn't have a miserable time, it was good to see you out."

"It was okay, until Laura started asking me where I was staying, because she had noticed I was no longer sleeping in my room. I was a bit fazed by that because she could only have known if she had been snooping, and I think it was actually Emma that had been, and Laura was trying to get information out of me for Emma. I feel bad because I'm lying to Emma and Laura now. I told her she must be mistaken that I was just getting in late from work. She gave me this look as if she didn't believe me, but at least she didn't pursue it."

"I'm sorry Tristan, it's a shame all round. I don't want to think Emma is hurt any more than you do."

"I know. I know that she needs to go home. I'm being really careful not to get too near her, like hold her hand or anything now, because it seems cruel when I'm plotting to take her back in time again."

We ended the call shortly after that with Tristan saying he would call the next day.

Chapter Sixty-Two

I needed to help mom with shopping the next morning and we were gone for a couple of hours, arriving home about lunchtime. Mom took a roll, and a cup of coffee down to her office, and I was sitting in the sunshine with a sandwich when I heard a car pull into the drive and I got up to go to the door. The bell rang as I was just about to open the door, and when I did, I was surprised to find it was Laura.

Saying hello I took her into the kitchen firstly offering her tea or coffee, to which she said she was fine and wasn't intending to stay long. I didn't want to ask straight out what she wanted, and asked her to come and sit in the sun, forcing her to follow me by going out of the French windows to the kitchen patio.

She sat down and launched into it.

"Chloe, I've come to see you because of Emma. I hope you will not be offended and I was debating should I come and see you or not, all morning. Then I decided to. I'll come straight to the point," she said, at the same time as plucking a leaf from the plant that was most reachable from where she sat.

"Emma is in love with Tristan, and I think he very much likes her too." She was folding the leaf into a fan shape as she spoke. "The thing is I think, well Emma thinks, that you need to let Tristan go, if you do, then she is sure he will come to her, because he loves her really. It's just that you are holding onto him. Really, Chloe, you have Oliver, maybe you just need to cut Tristan free and let him find someone else. Well Emma that is."

The leaf was letting out some kind of sap onto her fingers as she folded and unfolded it. Her perfectly manicured nails had some green juice now down a couple of cuticles, and she took a deep breath.

"I think he could love Emma if you let him go. She is such a lovely girl, and it would be good for him to be loved." She stopped talking and looked up at me, putting the leaf down on the garden table.

I took a deep breath and looked at her. I wanted her to see how sincere I was, and I tried to put it in my voice too, for some reason it was vitally important to me that she understand.

"Laura, I don't need to cut Tristan free, he is already free. I would never, have never, stopped him from seeing Emma or anyone else for that matter, on the contrary." I stopped speaking because she was looking at me skeptically, and it was just as if she was saying I was telling a lie.

I sighed. "Laura, if Tristan wants to be with Emma he can be. I have no hold on him and I don't tell him what to do."

She picked up the leaf again, rolled it up, and then she tossed it into the garden edge.

"Can I tell Emma that you will at least mention to Tristan that he is free to see her?"

"Laura, it's up to him, he already knows that." I wasn't saying anything more. I felt distressed, because here they were endowing me with some kind of power over Tristan, as if I was some kind of siren, it was ridiculous.

"I'll tell her that. We'll see you at Kool Kafé I suppose on Wednesday?"

I nodded because it felt as if I had been told I wasn't actually welcome there. I showed her out and was as polite and nice as I could be, walking to her car with her and saying it had been nice to see her, and I stood there in the drive until she drove away.

I went back to my sandwich, but threw it out to the birds. I made a cup of tea, and I was thinking 'should I call Tristan' as I made it. I didn't know if that was appropriate. It felt like telling tales.

By eight that night, I was almost desperate to tell somebody and when Oliver came around, he had barely got through the door, when I found myself telling him the story. We made him some coffee and went up to my room. He put it down on my desk and put his arms around me.

"How excruciating that must have been. Also, how very old fashioned of Laura. I wonder could it be because of her relationship with Corbett and that Emma is his cousin? Whatever the reason perhaps ignore it, Chloe, if you can."

He leaned against my desk and pulled me closer.

"I think we should forget buying her an engagement present now," he joked, whispering it as he kissed me.

It made me laugh and I kissed him back saying, "Too late, the gift vouchers have already been bought."

It was easy to stay holding each other close, talk, and kiss each other. Oliver's coffee went cold.

When I got to the point when I was desperate to start unbuttoning his shirt I suggested we go and make fresh coffee.

We went downstairs and made more coffee, and Oliver drank a little of it.

I wanted to spend more time with Oliver that night, but he was finishing a website off and needed to go. I was going to help dad with the afternoon shift at the restaurant the next day and Oliver had the evening shift. He had the Wednesday afternoon shift too and then we were going to the party at Kool Kafé, so he decided he would come around and we could go to the party together.

We managed to kiss each other at least another four times before he got in the Land Rover and left.

Chapter Sixty-Three

I was happy to find the boxes of glossy little maps for the history walk were delivered the following morning, and I checked them out before the print manager delivery guy left.

I called Liz and asked if she would like me to drop them at the west wing or to Dianne at the museum. Liz said she would get them as she passed on her way to work.

Later when we were on the same shift together, she was talking happily about the party at every opportunity, saying Laura had dealt with anything that needed doing, which was great as between working and the Dearing estate stuff she was flat out.

It was nice to work with her and Ben, Peter was also in, and the restaurant stopped being busy about three o'clock, so that when Oliver showed up, I got to spend a half hour with him before I went home and he continued working.

I was working on a college assignment Tuesday night after work when Tristan called me and asked if I was doing anything for the next hour or so. I was pleased to see him and before I was tempted to tell him about the visit from Laura, he asked if she had said anything to me recently about us, meaning him and me.

He was drinking the coffee he had made and I sat down close to him. It was still so nice to be with Tristan again.

"Laura did drop by and kind of mentioned that it would be good if I let you go so that Emma might have your attention, sorry, Tristan, I haven't put that very well, but she did use the words, 'let you go'."

"That's awful. I asked because Emma came running to me this morning saying that she knew you didn't love me because you had told Laura I was free to do as I pleased with regard to Emma. It was quite fraught as she was close to tears. I told her I was free, as you said, but that she wanted us to go way too fast, and she needed to accept that I would like to take our relationship slow. I was only in the Dearing house for about half an hour, and she followed me all around the place. I feel miserable for her, but it's no good I want her home. Do I sound cruel?" He sighed then and did look distressed as he picked up his coffee, and then put it back down without taking a drink.

"I think it's unfortunate for everyone. I feel sad for her, but I think she has to go home for her own sake. I feel bad for you too. I wish it had been different for both of you," I said softly.

You understand it was easy for me wasn't it? I still had Tristan as my dear friend, and if I had suddenly turned to him for any kind of deeper love he would have given it, I was sure of that. I wished that things had been different. I would have liked to see him loved by someone who loved just him.

Somewhere along the line I had let him down I thought, and I put my arms around him. He smiled and butted my head with his gently.

"I put it to Corbett that I wanted to take Emma home because she is too young and vulnerable, but he's still got it in his head that we would be a good match. I told him point blank that I didn't love her, and it would be cruel to keep her here when she could have a husband at home and a good life."

I had let go of him and just taken one of his hands in mine, "What did he say?"

"Well he huffed and puffed for a few minutes and then said he understood but how to get her home that was the problem. He's of that era when the husband thing was much more important, so that's easy for him to understand, and she is his cousin. He would have at the back of his mind to protect her honor." Tristan grinned then and did drink some coffee with his left hand since I was holding onto his right hand.

I smiled at him and nodded.

"Okay, we need a plan. After tomorrow, we should get together and do it. Tristan, do you think anything has already changed because of Emma being here? I mean it's been around two weeks now. I just hope it hasn't changed anyone's life."

"You and me both, Chloe," Tristan said with a slight shake of his head.

"So how are you getting to the party tomorrow evening Tristan? If you want to come down here, Oliver said he would call by with the Land Rover because he's working until six thirty. Will you come into town with us?"

Tristan looked thoughtful. "I think I might take the truck just in case I can't stand it and want to leave."

"Tristan you must stay, it will be miserable without you," I told him, because that was true. I hated it when everyone was out having fun and he wasn't.

He nodded. "I'll try to stay, for you." I put my arms back around him and kissed his cheek. He looked at me, his blue eyes just a bit sad, and I could feel the old intensity flare up between us. He felt it too and kissed me very carefully as if he expected me to pull away. I still love him, even if it's different from Oliver. I kissed him back because I couldn't forget all the things we had been through, and it was like breathing to me to be with Tristan.

I let him have the gift vouchers I had bought for him to give to Liz and Laura. We may have decided to give the same gift and we may be the three musketeers but really, it was too weird to give a gift from the three of us, it had to be done singly.

When Tristan was leaving, I walked out to the truck with him and hugged him. He smiled, and kissed me again. I told him he was so very dear to me and that I hoped he remembered that. He kept his arms around me and whispered, "You used to say that I needed to remember you love me," it was true, and I still loved him.

I whispered back, "Remember I love you always."

Chapter Sixty-Four

I made sure I was ready when Oliver came around on Wednesday evening. He went up to my room to wash up and change into his jeans and a dark blue shirt, instead of his work clothes. We sat in the kitchen for a while and I gave him his gift vouchers at which he grinned, putting the envelopes in the back pocket of his jeans.

"Tristan came round last night, he'll be meeting us there," I told Oliver.

We left for the party around seven fifteen and parked over in the library car park. Walking through the churchyard to the Kool Kafé Oliver held my hand, and we grinned at each other a couple of times.

There were just a few people at the outside tables when we got to the café. Clare and James were there, and we sat down with them for about ten minutes chatting. We all went into the café and discovered Will and Liz were there along with the other band members, and a few people around the place I didn't know. As we found a table Laura, Corbett, Emma, and Tristan arrived. I had given Liz and Will their present, and took the one for Laura and Corbett out of my pocket to give to them.

We were milling around sorting out tables and everyone was ordering from Samantha. The food and drinks were paid for, and special little menus were provided on the tables to order from. The girl I had seen at Steven and Will's birthday party was there helping Samantha, the pretty girl called Lily.

I caught up with Laura as she maneuvered past to go to the DJ and gave her the present. She was happy to receive it and said it was such a good store to shop in, as there was so much choice, and thanked me. I smiled and let her go on to the DJ who was playing music at a reasonable sound level so that we could hear ourselves talk.

I turned around and caught Tristan's gaze. He looked lovely in a pale blue shirt that seemed to light his eyes up in the sparkly glow from the usual lighting in the Kool Kafé.

I made my way to him and kissed his cheek. He smiled and held my hand as I stepped back from him.

"It's good to see you. I drove over here in the truck as I planned and ran into Laura's entourage at the door. Where are you and Oliver sitting?"

I said I would show him and took his arm to get across to the tables we had pushed together to sit with Liz, Will, Clare, and James.

Oliver looked up from chatting with Clare as we approached and gave us a grin. Clare looked our way and smiled too. As we found Tristan a chair, Oliver said he had ordered coffee, as he knew Tristan would be arriving just in time to drink it. I thought that was so nice. Sometimes even though I know Oliver is a lovely person, he surprises me with his totally caring attitude.

There was quite a crowd of people within about an hour and I saw the boy Chris, I had danced with at Will and Steven's birthday party. He gave me a little wave. I waved back. This was such a nice crowd. Some people were dancing and he pointed at the little dance floor and then at himself. It was an invitation to dance and I nodded in answer. It was fun to dance with this boy, who had no expectations of me other than that. The music turned a little slow, and we parted to go back to our respective tables.

I took Tristan's hand. "Come and dance. I would so like to dance with you," I told him. He shook his head and then he changed his mind and came along with me. I held him just casually, and it was so very nice to dance with him.

He bent his head to mine. "I can't really remember the last time I danced with anyone I love, so it's just as well it's you, Chloe, because I've forgotten how to."

I smiled at him and held him a little closer.

When we went back to the table Oliver was grinning at us, and began saying he had expected Tristan to be able to dance like Corbett, but he guessed that Tristan was better at horse riding than dancing.

Oliver danced with Clare as James and Tristan started talking about the sealed door under the hunting lodge. I listened interested, maybe now Tristan had the deeds to his house he wanted to get the door opened.

I looked around for Lily or Samantha because I wanted some bottled water, but not seeing either, I began walking to the counter at the back of the room, to ask for some. It happened really quickly, one minute I realized Emma was in front of me and she was saying, "Tristan his mine, I love," and the next minute she had stuck a knife into me. I had turned, ironically to hear what she was saying better, and the knife missed my stomach because of this. It went into the soft part of my body between the top of my hipbone and bottom of my ribs. I was shocked because I felt the cold metal go into my body and she grimaced at me. "You dead now." I hadn't realized she spoke any English, even heavily accented, and I thought strangely, perhaps she had learned these broken phrases especially to say to me.

I swallowed as she carried on walking as if nothing had happened and put my hands over the handle of the knife she had stabbed me with. I turned around feeling dizzy and my mouth had dried up. I found the crowd parted a little as I went towards the table where my jean jacket was draped over the seat I was using. Tristan was still talking to James. I grabbed my jean jacket and put it against my body. I didn't know if I was bleeding. I knew it couldn't kill me, but it hurt and I felt queasy. Somehow, Tristan realized something was wrong and stood up looking intently at me.

"I'm not feeling well. I'm going to get some fresh air," I said as loudly as I could, and it sounded like a whisper to me, but James turned, and looked at me.

"You do look pale, Chloe, even in this light."

Tristan said, "I'll go with her, James tell Oliver when he comes back please."

He had come around the table to me and we got through the room to the front door and out into the night air. It was crisp and quite cold. I went straight to the wall just up from the front doors, and leaned back onto it, taking my jean jacket away from the knife sticking in me.

Tristan gasped. "What the hell, who, how did this happen?" He was taking his shirt off and then pulled his T-shirt quickly over his head.

"Emma just came up to me and said you were hers, and I was dead, and just stabbed me. It hurts," I told him. He had put his shirt back on and got the T-shirt in a wad. "I'm taking the knife out so you can heal, you will be okay, really. It will hurt, but just hold onto me."

I did hold him and he pulled the knife out. A little silver dagger with a silver carved handle. He held me sideways and shielded me with his body. He pressed the wadded T-shirt onto the wound, which was bleeding now quite a bit. He put the little dagger down on the stone that jutted out at the bottom of the building to form a little ledge all the way around.

"Dear God, Chloe, I'm so sorry, she must be mad. I didn't realize she was violent. How do you feel?"

He was holding me and I leaned against him and the wad of T-shirt. I put my head against his chest. It felt safe to be with him. Just then, Oliver came up to us. I saw him across Tristan's arm as he came out of the door, saw us, and suddenly ran the few steps to reach us.

"Bloody Emma has stabbed Chloe," Tristan said immediately. "Can you believe it? It will be okay, but it's horrible all the same."

Oliver went pale. "Chloe, how is it, are you okay, does it hurt, where is Emma, where's the knife?"

He had put his hand on my back and was bending over me as I leaned onto Tristan.

"I'm getting better. I think it may have stopped bleeding, and I still feel a bit sick, but let's look at it." Tristan moved a little away from me as I lifted my now ruined, antique green, T-shirt up to check the wound. It had stopped bleeding and had started to heal. It still hurt a little, and the cold air seemed to sting me.

Tristan spoke first. "It's healing fine. You are almost as fast as me now, thank heavens. Though it's not in all that vital a place, well no vital organs, or you could have fainted or something. Bloody hell, that's it she must go home, we can't have her going around stabbing people, that's not love."

Oliver had taken over holding me and he gave the T-shirt to Tristan who picked up the dagger and wrapped it in the T-shirt.

"The truck is just over the road in the pub car park. I'm going to take this over there, hang on." He was off crossing the road.

"I'm absolutely amazed, and horrified, yes horrified. Are you sure you're okay? I think we should go home and make sure, Chloe," Oliver said softly to me, and rocked me a little as he held me to him.

I looked up at him and took a deep breath. "I think I'm okay, but I do want to go home, plus I think we can't let Emma know I'm okay, because how would that be explained, she knows she got that dagger fairly well into my body."

Tristan was back.

"Could we just check the wound again, Chloe?"

We did and it was obviously healing fast. It was cold and I got my jean jacket from the nearby table where Tristan had tossed it and put it on. Tristan was fastening his shirt buttons. "I'm shocked, I really am. She's unbalanced, even back in her time ordinary girls don't go stabbing other girls like that."

"We can't let her know I'm okay, well not yet." I pulled my jean jacket around me and shivered. Oliver put his arm around me.

"It might have been worse, but I had been polite and turned to hear what she was saying to me. I didn't realize she could speak any English, she knew what she was saying, and she must have practiced the little she said. I got it in the side instead of the stomach." I was shivering a lot then.

Oliver shivered too I felt him against me. "It's cold now. I was thinking I should get Chloe home. What about you, Tristan?" Oliver asked.

Tristan sighed. "I want to come too, this is madness. I just don't want to be here. I'll go and say Chloe has been taken ill and say goodnight to Liz and Will, as well as James and Clare, will I say it for you too, Oliver?"

"Yes okay, Tristan. The Land Rover is over in the library car park, we'll get going and see you at Chloe's place okay?" Tristan nodded his answer and started into the front entrance of Kool Kafé.

Oliver had his arm around my shoulders and I walked quickly through the churchyard with him. We got to his Land Rover, and he took his own jean jacket from the driver's seat and put it around me, helping me into the passenger seat even though I was okay. Before he closed the door, I leaned over to kiss him. I needed that comfort and Oliver put a hand up to my head and held me as he kissed me, then he sighed, and put his forehead against mine. "Chloe, I love you, even though I knew deep down you would heal I was still scared of losing you. It's a horrible feeling."

I kissed him again. "I love you too, Oliver, it was scary I know."

We drove home with the heater on, although it wasn't that cold. I think we were shocked.

Chapter Sixty-Five

We had only just parked in the drive when Tristan drew up behind us. As we got out of the Land Rover, he strode over and whacked Oliver on the upper arm, not hard, like a friendship thing. Then he hugged me close, holding my head to his chest his hand in my hair. He let go, but kissed me quickly as he did, and then he turned to Oliver.

"I told everyone Chloe was ill, you know what, Emma was watching, she could barely contain her joy, but then I said I was leaving, and I thought she may have a dagger up her sleeve for me such was her look."

Tristan was sort of in knight mode, and it was always good to see.

I had my keys out and we went into the house and straight into the kitchen. Since Steven was at the party and mom had gone up to be with dad at the restaurant I figured no one would be around to see the sorry state of my top.

Tristan was making drinks and I said I was going to wash the blood off and get a different top on. Oliver looked at Tristan and then said, "I'll come up with you, just until we know you're not going to faint or anything like that, for instance from delayed shock."

Tristan said, "Good idea," as he got cups from the cupboard.

My jean jacket had a little blood on it, but it wasn't ruined. I could toss that in the wash the next day. In my room, I pulled off my antique green T-shirt and threw it in my waste paper basket.

"Damn it, I really liked that T-shirt too," I told Oliver and he gave me a look of sympathy. I went into my bathroom and used wet tissues to clean the blood from my side, the wound was nearly invisible, and I felt okay. I dried the area and then went out to get something to wear. I took one of my thin sweaters from my cupboard and put it on. Oliver was looking down at the floor and I walked up to him.

"Sorry Oliver it just didn't occur I was wandering by in my underwear."

He put his arms around me. "It's okay I didn't really look" and then he kissed me and grinned.

We went back downstairs and found Tristan had made the coffee and some tea, which looked as if I could more than likely drink it. I took a sip and it was fine. I smiled at Tristan.

"Thanks Tristan, for taking care of me. I was going to try to pull out the knife myself, but I don't know if I could have really. What did you do with it?"

"It's in the glove compartment of the truck. I'm still bloody amazed she did that," he answered.

Oliver agreed, "What's the plan? We've to do something, really, is she going to find out Chloe is okay and try stabbing her again? Will she go after you next, Tristan? The old, 'if I can't have you no one will' scenario."

Tristan gulped the coffee he was swallowing and laughed.

"Well she'll have more than met her match if she comes at me with a dagger, but at the same time I don't like the idea she might try hurting Chloe again."

I suddenly felt hungry and went to the fridge to find something to eat. I got out pancakes to toast and made us all a couple each.

"I think the only way to get her home is trickery, which is mean and horrid but what else is there?"

Oliver nodded. "I agree it is mean and horrid, but at the same time she's not volunteering to step into the portal is she?"

Tristan sighed. "I've been thinking about it. I don't think she knows about the portal not really. Well what I was thinking was this. I'll tell her I need to visit her family and ask formally to court her. Say, both Corbett and I go back with her, trail around in the dark pretending we are travelling, when the two a.m. portal opens go through it, get her home. I tell her I must go to my family in the castle and get some things, see them, tell them about her, and then I'll be back. Meanwhile Corbett sees her home, tells her parents who are hopefully still visiting Corbett's place, that she has been visiting him and his betrothed, which is true, but is home now to be married herself. Ready for the nine in the morning time travel slot, he tells some tale to her like he's coming to get me from the castle, but we both go through the portal to this time, and she is left there at home. I think it will work because she can't know the portal opening times to come back here, it would be a case of trying random times if she tried at all, maybe she would think we had traveled from another estate. We could guard the portal for a few days at the opening times just in case she, or a parcel of her relatives seeking revenge, came through, but seriously I think she happened here by accident, and it will take some doing for her to find it by accident again."

Oliver didn't say anything, but I was thinking there were a lot of 'what ifs' in the plan and yet it was just about the only idea we might come up with. Certainly, I could think of no other.

"Okay Tristan, it's worth a try, but will you be safe during the night until the nine a.m. opening? And will Corbett do it?"

"I'm telling him we must do it, and telling him she stabbed you, and that only by chance the knife went into the side of your body, and you will be alright, but that I can't have that kind of thing happening. I'll say that you might have involved the police, and then what? Frankly, I think he will do it when he realizes I want nothing to do with Emma, and her best chance is to go home, and be married to the guy back there. Actually, Corbett knows him, and says he is a kind and generous man. It's not like I'm sending her back to penury and disgrace."

I smiled a little at his choice of words and gave him an encouraging look.

"It sounds like a plan, Tristan. When will you do it?"

Oliver stood up and went over to the kettle to make more coffee.

"Well my best time is Saturday night. I know that's two nights away, but it is the best I can do especially since I have to convince her too. It will be unpleasant, I don't feel good about it, at the same time I want it over, I want her gone."

I felt terrible about it, and I could see Oliver and Tristan were unhappy, but it was the only thing to do.

"And then we had better contact Aristide, and hope he can close that portal. Remember when we thought you could try closing it yourself Tristan, did you try?" I asked him.

"I did and nothing changed, and it seems that we've no choice but to approach Aristide. We'll get the Emma thing over with and then do it."

I sighed and it was because I felt so sorry things with Emma had come to this.

Tristan sighed too.

"I'm sorry things have come to this, tricking young girls into going back in time. I didn't think anything like this would happen when the portal opened, in fact I thought more than likely no one would come through the portal at all after Gui that is."

I nodded. "Tristan I was thinking those exact thoughts."

We sat in silence for a couple of minutes, and then Tristan drank the remains of his coffee and stood up.

"I'll get going. I think you need to stay off the radar for a couple of days, Chloe, so that you seem like any other person who is injured, having to take it easy for a while. Sorry, it will probably be a nuisance. Are you supposed to help your dad or anything?"

"I haven't arranged anything yet. I can probably stay out of the way for a couple of days" I replied standing up too.

I went with him out to the truck and he hugged me.

"You are okay, Chloe? It gave me a real scare to see you like that."

I told him I was and he drove off.

I went back inside and sat down next to Oliver.

"Damn, this is not an ending to a party you often want," I said to him.

He leaned over to me. "I think I should stay for a while. Are you sure you are okay?"

"Tristan just asked that. I am okay, but it would be nice if you stayed for a little longer. I do feel a bit odd when I think of what happened, but I'm sure I've healed completely. Isn't it weird, I could have been killed twice if it wasn't for Tristan?"

Oliver thought for only a few seconds.

"The thing is, you wouldn't have been in the position to be killed twice, if you hadn't become friends, or whatever we are calling it, with Tristan. Not that I'm blaming him, not in any way you understand."

I nodded, it was true, but then who knows what fate has in store for us.

Oliver took my hand.

"Let's go off somewhere tomorrow. Let's go somewhere old and interesting and forget all about Emma and the stupid portal. I'm not working and we could just go off early for the day and not come home until late. The weather is supposed to be good and soon the darker nights will be here. What about it, Chloe?"

I smiled at him. "That's a great idea, Oliver. I would love to spend the day with you. Where did you have in mind?"

Oliver beamed. "I think I'll keep it a secret, but I'm sure you'll like it as there will have been nothing like it in the States for you to visit. It's something completely different from shopping and going to the café."

I smiled again at him. Oliver was such a lovely guy. He leaned in and kissed me.

"Great, we'll go about nine is that okay?"

"Yes," I said, and kissed him back.

We somehow got onto the subject of music and Oliver said he would bring a couple of new CD's he had that I might like.

He stayed for about an hour after Tristan had left. He hugged me close when he was going to leave and told me to call him any time in the night if I felt like it.

Chapter Sixty-Six

It was a surprise where Oliver took me, we drove through some great countryside, up hills and down to a lovely village that seemed to be built across two small rivers, and all the buildings were honey colored stone.

Leaving the car in the large village car park, we walked along the path by the river in one part of the village, and crossed bridges to walk through the place again next to another river. We stopped for coffee at a busy café by the edge of the river.

When we drove on it was through more lovely countryside, and then onto an exceptionally winding lane, which was still the main road to somewhere. It was very leafy and wound through dense woods for a little time and then we were turning into a car park. Oliver grinned.

"This is it, you'll not find anything like this in California," and he took my hand to go up to the signposted place. It was a Roman Villa, at least the remains of one, a very large one. There were strange baths that were almost spooky. They were deep plunge baths and there was the remains of the under floor heating, so fascinating. A water shrine was in a garden area and it was still fed by Roman plumbing, seriously, these guys in antiquity were excellent engineers. It was very cool to think that I walked around the water shrine that Romans had walked around. Inside a remaining part of the villa, there were mosaic floors, and some parts of it were just as if they had been made yesterday.

Oliver had his arm around me as we wandered around the site. We had been to every corner and were about to check out the gift shop when a party of school children arrived and we decided it was time to go.

On the way back home, we detoured into Oxford and looked around the old buildings of the city for a while. We found a reasonably quiet café to eat. By the time we were really on the road home, it was almost dark, and as we arrived at my place, it was dark.

Oliver and I went into the kitchen to find Steven, John, and Will there. They were chatting, and eating. Mom was making coffee and took sausage rolls from the oven as we told her where we had been. She put them out on the table, saying, "That's great Chloe, we've done next to nothing touristy since we arrived. It would be good to take the time to see some of the fantastic things there were to see."

Oliver and I got drinks and went up to my room. It had been a good day.

Oliver leaned against the windowsill and put his arms around me. I kissed him and told him how lovely it had been to be with him all day. It was completely dark now and the stars were out. The garden was lit up as usual and we looked out into the darkness. I wondered if Tristan was out there somewhere. We hadn't heard anything from him all day, but I guessed he had perhaps been laying the foundations of his plan to take Emma back home.

We sat on my bed leaning on the headboard. Oliver with his head on my shoulder checked his email on his phone. We cuddled up then, and I closed my eyes as we slid down the bed. We both just held each other close.

"What will you do tomorrow Chloe? You still need to be out of the way I guess" Oliver asked after a few minutes.

"I have college work. I thought I would defy the curfew and check out if I could replace the T-shirt that was wrecked at the party." I smiled at this idea.

"I don't work until the night shift, from six until the close of the restaurant, so maybe I can come too." He moved so that he could kiss me, and as I kissed him back, I told him I would really like that.

It was hard to let Oliver go that night. We stayed on my bed just close to each other talking about all kinds of things and then went downstairs for coffee. I went to the Land Rover with him as he was leaving. He had the driver's side window open and kissed me again as we arranged that I would pick him up mid-morning, on the way past to the store where I found the original T-shirt. I watched him drive away and went inside.

Steven and his friends had left the dishes and things around so I loaded them into the dishwasher thinking about Oliver and how much he meant to me, and then about Tristan and what he might have been doing that day. I checked the kitchen patio doors and went up to my room.

Chapter Sixty-Seven

Friday mid-morning, I was about to go out to the store and pick Oliver up on the way, when my cell phone rang. Tristan was checking on my welfare, yes those were his words. I told him I was fine and how Oliver and I had been out for the day on Thursday. He sounded wistful as he commented how nice that must have been. It prompted me to say that once we had sorted things out this weekend there was just the week of half term to work at the arts and craft holiday project, and maybe he could think about coming along for a day somewhere, and that I would like that. He seemed cheered a little by it, and I asked him how things were going with Emma.

"I'm convincing her to come with me to see her family and mine as I said I would. I felt like I had to really convince her and I fished out a diamond, and said we would get a ring made with it. I'd forgotten I had that particular diamond in my jacket pocket from when I gave Liz a choice of stones. Emma believes that I'm going to ask for her hand in marriage, and I feel like a complete bastard, sorry." He was apologizing for the swearing. "I wish there was another way, but I couldn't think of anything else that would get her to come home with me. I told Corbett all about the stabbing and said I had to get her home to be married to someone who wants her, and finally he agreed. So he will come with me. I think it's the only way the plan will work. He can ride Angel, I'll put Emma on the white horse we got from the soldiers, and I'll ride Starbuck. I can't wait to get it over with. Tell me your honest opinion do you think it will work? Is she going to find a way back, what are the odds?"

Tristan was just looking for reassurance.

"Tristan, we talked about it the other night, she more than likely fluked coming here before and it will be hard to do it again. She would have to spend so much time just stepping on the reeds to try to find the portal opening times. No, I think it will be okay. I wish I could come with you. I hate to think of you going back there."

He sighed. I knew that what I had said to him had helped a little, he had a much happier tone to his voice when he told me he would call later, and it had been good to talk to me. I told him to take care and that I was thinking of him, and we ended the call.

As I drove to pick up Oliver, I thought about all the things that could go wrong with Tristan's plan. I was wishing and hoping nothing would.

Oliver was looking out for me through his window and he came out of the front door as I stopped the Wrangler. I didn't shut off the engine and we got on the way to the next town where the store was. Oliver leaned over and kissed my cheek as he fastened his seat belt. I told him Tristan had called as I took the turn at the lights to go into the next town. I told him that the plan was being carried out. I told him how miserable Tristan had seemed too.

"It must really be a dreadful thing to have to do. I'd hate it, and I wish Tristan didn't have to do it. The portal needs closing." Oliver was genuinely unhappy for Tristan.

I nodded in agreement.

We had reached the town and parked easily on the high street. It was a short walk to the store and Oliver took my hand. It was the same store where I had once met Laura and Emma and I hoped they were not going to be there again.

Inside I looked along the rails, but there was no sign of the T-shirts. Oliver looked too, and reported that they seemed to have gone. I shrugged, too bad, and we went out onto the high street where just a few doors down there was another store that had similar styles of clothes.

Oliver went to look around the guys clothes and I was looking at a rail of T-shirts when I heard the all too familiar voice that told me Laura was here. I cursed, 'what the hell', how was it that every time I went shopping she would turn up? Firstly, it was with Max, then Emma, although I didn't know for sure she would have Emma with her this time. I picked up a couple of items in my size and made for the fitting rooms directly down the store. She must have been in the next aisle and hidden by the two-tier arrangement of clothes there.

Did I want to find out if she had Emma with her? I didn't. In the fitting rooms, I looked at the things I had picked up and found I quite liked one of them, a blue shirt with pearl buttons and sort of military styling. I got out my cell phone and called Oliver asking him if he could see Laura. He said he could, and she was with Liz on the other side of the shop, wait they were leaving, he finished. I told him I was in the fitting rooms hiding like an idiot and would be out any minute. I quickly tried the shirt, and found I didn't like it on, so I just left the items with the fitting room assistant.

Oliver was grinning at me as I approached him, he had his hands behind his back, and as I reached him brought out the T-shirt I had been looking for. It wasn't green but a navy blue and attractive in that color. I checked the size grinning at Oliver.

"How about that? I like the color Oliver. Maybe it would be good to have a different color from the original."

I held it up in the nearest mirror and it looked good. I decided to buy it and we went to the checkout area talking about Laura being here.

Oliver was highly amused that Laura should be here and I began grinning too.

Out on the pavement we decided to risk discovery and walked hand in hand to the café that was about halfway down the high street. After we had ordered, Oliver leaned forward across the space between us and took my hand. He pulled me closer and kissed me.

"Chloe, what's going to happen now, I mean with Tristan? How do you feel about him? I just need to know, because I think we've become so much closer in the last weeks, it's not the same any more is it?"

I leaned away a little and looked into his eyes.

"I still love him, but not the same as you. I've told you before, I do still care for him, but it is different. You know what?" I said all at once in a rush. "I wish someone would come along and fall in love with him, and he with them the way you and I feel about each other. Yet even if that happened, I would still love him, and I can't imagine ever not having him in my life. Well can you imagine any of us, the three of us not being close friends?"

Oliver had his kind look in his eyes. He considered what I had said for a few moments watching my face.

"I can't and I actually understand what you mean when you say you love Tristan. I think he loves you too. What he said about Emma though, at the beginning before she proved to be a psycho, you know where it was good to have someone who only loved him, I think that he would like that. I'm just not sure it's still not with you is all."

I was sure I was to blame and I just stared at him.

Oliver gave me a sad smile.

"Tell me Chloe, if you had to go into the void again after Tristan, you know when Max had cast Tristan into what he thought was a dimension of nothingness, would you still do it?"

I looked at Oliver's lovely face and I loved him so much.

"I would Oliver, I would have to. I would have to go."

Oliver smiled. "Who else would you do it for?"

"Well you naturally, my brother, my parents, Clare, James, Will, Liz, well even Laura, my Grandmother..." I was thinking, and adding names, when he leaned over and kissed me again.

"Stop, I get it. Do you kiss Tristan the way you kiss me? You do know what I mean?"

I was surprised by this question.

"No Oliver, I don't and I haven't ever kissed anyone the way I kiss you. What's going on?"

He looked down at our hands as we still held each other's in the space between us.

"I just needed to hear it out in the open. Sometimes when I see you and Tristan together like the other night when he was helping you, and after at your place, you look so right together, as if you belong together, it kind of hurts."

"Oliver I love you." It was all I could think to say.

He looked up and smiled. He shook his head as if he was casting off the sudden little gloom that had taken him, and I kissed him, pulling one of my hands free and holding his face to mine.

"Perhaps we look the same to him. My mom thinks you and I have something real going on based on how we look to her when we are together. Clare has always thought that. Don't be sad Oliver, you are the only guy who has ever had the effect on me of making me want to touch their skin and take their shirt off."

Oliver started to laugh and he kissed me, and then leaned back still smiling.

"Well that's, that's, mmm, good to know."

I was suddenly amused by it too and started to laugh.

We walked back to the car hand in hand quietly. I was thinking about what Oliver had said and how I had replied. I didn't think anything had changed really in my heart. I still loved them both it was just differently. I hoped I had made that clear.

I went into Oliver's place with him and we picked up his work clothes to take to my house so that he could go to work from there. I was in his office waiting, and standing by his desk I caught site of a little photograph frame. I knew it held a picture of me as soon as I caught sight of it. I picked it up. It was the photograph Oliver had taken of me with his cell phone a day or so before I went after Tristan into the past. I was incredibly touched by this. I felt as if I hadn't actually known how much Oliver loved me. He must have printed it out quite recently and framed it. I was surprised. I hadn't realized guys did this sort of thing. Maybe they don't, maybe not often. I put it down and turned around. Oliver was standing in the doorway watching me. He sort of smiled, but it was a wary smile, a smile of someone waiting to be told it wasn't okay to have done something. I walked to him, put my arms around him, and kissed him. I pressed up against him, told him I loved him, and he kissed me back, holding me close.

When I let him go, he was smiling.

It was around four o'clock when we got to my place and as we went through the front door, I could hear mom talking to someone in the kitchen. We went in and it was Tristan sitting with her at the table, with Charlie laid out on the floor asleep by his chair.

"Hello Tristan how are you?" I asked him, and Oliver said hello too.

"I'm fine, just passing some time with your mother in pleasant conversation. I had finished what work I wanted to do this afternoon, and taken Charlie for a walk and I thought why not call by. How are you Chloe?" he asked, and there was definitely a message in his tone about the stabbing.

I smiled saying I was great. I went over to the kettle offering Oliver coffee, and asking if mom and Tristan if they would like some more.

Mom said, "It's been lovely to talk with Tristan but I'll take a fresh cup down to my study now and leave you all to catch up."

When she had gone, and the coffee was in front of Oliver and Tristan, I asked Tristan if everything was going well with his plans.

He sighed and leaned back in his chair.

"I hope so. It's all set with Corbett. We are doing it tomorrow in the middle of the night as usual. We'll set off about one thirty a.m. and ride around the current estate for half an hour, through the woods, and then down to the pool, and through the portal at the two a.m. time travel slot. We'll split up then, and Corbett will take Emma down to his place where hopefully her parents are still staying. I will have allegedly gone to the castle to see my family and collect some things, then on to Corbett's place to collect Emma and ask her father's permission to marry her." He stopped at this and sighed heavily. "But about eight thirty Corbett will come to find out where I am and we'll come back through the nine a.m. portal opening, and that will be that." He stopped talking took a drink of his coffee and sighed. "I feel horrible. I want that portal closed as soon as we can do it after we are back. I feel worse about doing this than I have about...well some other gruesome stuff I've had to do." He grimaced and looked down as if ashamed.

"Is there anything that I can do, Tristan, at all?" Oliver asked quietly.

Tristan shook his head. "No I don't think there is, thanks anyway, it's just not a world where you can fit in easily."

It was a strange way to talk but I understood, and I think Oliver did too. He just nodded and fell silent again.

"Where have you been today?" Tristan suddenly asked. "I thought you were laying low, Chloe?" and he laughed.

"We saw Laura in a clothes store in town," I started to say, and remembered I had left the T-shirt on the back seat of the Land Rover. "Hey I left what I bought in your car Oliver. I'll just go and get it."

I got up and went out to the Land Rover, retrieving the distinctive lime green shop bag, and going back inside. As I walked into the kitchen, it seemed Oliver, and Tristan went quiet. It made me think they had been discussing me, or something they didn't want me to know.

I looked pointedly at them, but said nothing.

"I replaced the T-shirt that was ruined in the stabbing," I said into the empty space left by Oliver and Tristan.

Tristan nodded and Oliver said, "Yes, but in a different color," and he picked up his cup and drank his coffee.

There was some awkwardness going on there and I didn't know what to do with it. So I stroked Charlie, who had woken up and was happily going from one to the other of us getting patted.

Tristan decided it was time to go, and leaving his cup on the draining board, clicked his fingers for Charlie, who followed him out of the French windows. He said he would call us later as he went and I felt somehow sad.

I was already standing and went to the window to watch him walk away with Charlie following at a distance. Turning to Oliver I frowned.

"Oliver what was said in that short space of time I went out to the Land Rover?"

Oliver hesitated then answered.

"Tristan said if anything happened, if he didn't come back, there was a letter in his desk at the greenhouse office for me, and that I was to take good care of you. I said to him, not to say such things, that he would be back, everything would be okay. After all Corbett did the Gui thing without any incident. Tristan just shrugged and said he felt bad about this whole thing, and it might seem fanciful, but he felt things might go wrong to pay him back. It's because he feels so bad about tricking Emma. Then you came in again and he shut up."

I suddenly felt frightened for Tristan.

"Oliver should we insist on going too, to make sure he is okay?"

Oliver sighed and didn't answer for a moment.

"I'm tempted I have to admit, but like he said, how would we explain our presence, especially to Emma? It might even cast suspicion on the whole 'I'm going to the castle' story Tristan will be spinning if we are there. I wish it was otherwise, but he has to go without us."

"I don't like it. I don't like any of it. Should we work out if there is a seven minute slot after the two a.m. and follow without him knowing?" I asked Oliver, still feeling distressed.

"And do what Chloe, with no horses and no local clothes, it may make things worse. I'll call him tomorrow during the day and ask him one last time if there is any way we can go with him and help, I will, I promise." Oliver was sincere and I nodded going over to where he was perched on the end of his chair looking a little frantic.

As I reached him, he stood up and put his arms around me.

"Chloe, you will not be doing anything like follow him by yourself will you?"

I shook my head, it had occurred to me, and I felt if I didn't speak the 'no' aloud it might not count.

Oliver was looking into my eyes.

"You're thinking of it aren't you? Please don't, please don't. I'm asking you now to promise me that you will not. If you are dead set on it, work out the seven minute slot, the two a.m. may not have one, but I'll come too if you are dead set on it."

I sighed, how could I do anything other than promise Oliver.

"Okay I promise. Maybe it's just stress that Tristan is feeling and not in any way likely. You are right the Gui thing just went smoothly. Tristan has had weird thoughts before that have just been his stress over things."

Oliver kissed me gently.

"Okay, I have to go to work soon. I'll go and get changed. I need my things from the Land Rover."

He went out to his car, bringing his work clothes inside, and we went up to my room. He went into my bathroom to wash up a little and change. I sat down at my computer and checked my emails.

When Oliver came out of the bathroom, he sat on the edge of my bed and ran his hands through his short, damp, blonde hair. He was very attractive and sometimes I was still surprised that I had found someone like him, lovely and intelligent, talented, polite and kind. I didn't expect it, quite the opposite based on my previous experience with boys. I just didn't attract them usually.

Oliver looked up and caught me staring at him. He grinned.

"What?" he asked.

"I was thinking how attractive you are." I might as well be honest I thought.

He got up and came to hold me around the waist. He kissed me and said, "Thank you, so are you."

I smiled at him and he let me go saying he should get going really.

We went downstairs and I went out to the car with him.

"I may have to call you after work, Chloe." He quickly kissed my cheek and got into the Land Rover. I stepped away and watched him reverse then turn and drive off to the restaurant.

I went back upstairs to my room when Oliver had gone and checked my assignments were up to date. I had an email from Joshua Glazer telling me about my sales for the month. I was always surprised how many of my designs sold. I think it's because everything can be bought online. My mom was going to California on Monday and I went down to spend some time with her.

Chapter Sixty-Eight

Around midnight I was back in my room, and Oliver called me,

"I talked with Tristan tonight. He was at the restaurant on the terrace with Corbett, Laura, and Emma who is like the cat who got the cream right now. I felt sorry for her. Tristan came into the restaurant and we had a quick word out in the staff room. He's determined you and I are not going with him, and when I said how I felt sorry for Emma, he said he did too, but that he also felt sure it was a crush she had on him, and she would get over him quickly, but don't ask me how he knows this. We're stuck waiting for him at the nine a.m. portal opening on Sunday morning. I think we have to accept that. We could really screw things up if we don't do as he asks. What's your feeling?"

I was disappointed, but I accepted it.

"Okay Oliver I'll go with what Tristan wants. I don't like it, but I think we are stuck with it."

We decided to catch up the next afternoon, because dad had asked me to do the evening shift for him and Oliver was working then too.

I went to bed thinking of Oliver, but as I drifted off to sleep, I could see Tristan's face. It was the last thought I had until I was woken up about three in the morning by my cell phone. Luckily, I had it on low volume, although it was still quite loud as it sang out from the stool next to my bed at head level.

It was Tristan. He was in the garden and asked could he come in. I said, "Sure hang on," by which time I was out of my bed, and picking up my jeans from the desk chair where I had tossed them. I dragged them on, put my feet in my boots and a sweater over my sleep top, and I went downstairs quietly. All the garden lights were naturally still on. Tristan was standing near one looking down at the grass as I stepped out of the middle drawing room windows to look for him.

I whispered his name but he was already on his way to me.

"What's going on Tristan?" I asked him, and took his arm.

"I just had to come and see you. I hope that's okay. Sorry it's so late." He spoke softly and bent his head close to mine as we stood just inside the middle drawing room.

"Or very early depending on your point of view." I smiled at him.

He seemed relieved and sighed.

"It's hard to keep up the pretense with Emma, and annoyingly Laura has been pestering to go with us tomorrow."

"What, how does she know?" I was a little alarmed, as that could be disastrous.

"Corbett stupidly told her. Naturally, not about the portal, but that we were heading to France to see Emma's parents who were staying there with some of Corbett's relatives. That of course was the worst cover story he could have invented.

I told her she wasn't coming, I just had to get the visit over with quickly because of work and the estate business, and she was needed here now Jack and Jonathon had gone to Italy for the next couple of months. It was a hard slog to get her to abandon the idea of coming too. Finally I think it was only because Corbett said we really needed to get the journey over, and he would feel happier if she was looking after the Dearing estate with Liz as I had said, that she took no for an answer. Let's put it this way. Corbett better be in his own room to sneak away at two a.m." He was sitting on the arm of the sofa in the drawing room and had his arms around my waist as I stood close to him. I was looking into his lovely blue eyes.

"Tristan, you will take real care? Don't take any unnecessary chances back there through the portal. I've been wishing there was some way I could help. Oliver probably told you, but I can't see a way, so I'll just be waiting for you at nine a.m. Do you really feel something will go wrong?"

Tristan took a deep breath, and shook his head.

"I don't know. It's just the thought of hurting Emma I think. It's all so very horrible. I wish I hadn't let it happen, if I had just not responded when she chased me and definitely not kissed her back that time when we were out riding. Let me tell you I've learned my lesson."

This worried me a little but I didn't know why really.

Tristan stood up and hugged me to him.

"I wish things were different." He stopped talking and I was left wondering what things he meant. Having let go of me he made a move to leave.

"Don't go yet, Tristan. Come into the kitchen," I told him catching his hand. It didn't feel right for him to leave then.

"I'd rather leave because what I would really like to do is lie next to you for a while, like we did as we made our journey to the Tarrant estate, when we were back in time. Just be next to you. Back then it felt like we were so close. I feel a distance between us now, it's so hard sometimes." He looked away from me as if he had been too open with his feelings.

"I thought we said we were still the same, you and I? Come with me now, because I want you close to me. This feels like some kind of goodbye and I can't let that happen."

I took him up to my room and we lay down on my bed. I pulled him close, dragging my duvet over us. It was the closest thing to being covered by fur-lined cloaks.

With our faces close now, I asked him what was really going on.

"Sometimes I would like to spend more time with you, like we used to when it felt like you cared for me as much as Oliver. I want that back. It's hard to let go. Sorry I don't know why I'm being so weird."

I felt a wave of sorrow and quickly said, "I still care for you. I still love you. I thought you knew that. I would do anything to help and protect you. I always want you in my life, no matter what."

Tristan took a breath and seemed to sigh as if he had been crying. It was a sad thing to hear.

I held his face and kissed him. This was such a different Tristan from the one who had taken the knife Emma had stabbed me with out of my body, and looked after me.

I was thinking that maybe he loved me more than he had ever said, or had I been distant? I had done this with my selfish inability to choose either him or Oliver, what had I been thinking of? Now I still loved him, and I still loved Oliver, but a difference had evolved somehow, and it had started to show.

Tristan kissed me back. He slipped his hand into my hair and held my head to his. Then we stayed still close to each other just like we had back in the eleven nineties.

I closed my eyes and drifted to sleep. I was thinking whatever else I did in the next few weeks I would have to sort myself out. I had my arm around Tristan and our heads were still close together. I dreamed about being back in time with him, and we were in the snow again in this house in the guest room. I woke up knowing I had dreamed that when the sun lit my room up and sent a shaft of light straight at my eyes. I was on my back next to Tristan. I was holding his hand by my side. As I opened my eyes, I thought 'this time tomorrow he will be back from getting Emma home and things might go back to the way they used to be'. It seemed to me then that until Emma arrived things had still been fine. We had dealt with the purchase of the property together, sold some of the treasure, managed Jack well, one way or another. Maybe I was just shifting blame, I don't know, but I wanted things back the way they were before she came. I wanted Tristan happier.

The sun had reached Tristan's face and I felt him move.

"Chloe" he whispered, and I turned to him.

"I'm awake. How are you?" I asked.

"So much better, thanks for being there for me, Chloe. I seemed to have a bit of a meltdown last night"

"You must remember that I'll always be there for you, it will not change, even if it had worked out with you and Emma, I wouldn't change. We have some kind of very strong link Tristan, I believe that, I believe that it was fate I discovered you. For some reason I was meant to, I'm sure of it."

He kissed my hand and then letting go, sat up, and I did too. We sort of smoothed ourselves over and went downstairs to the kitchen. It was early and I put the electric kettle to boil. I made coffee for Tristan and tea for myself as Tristan opened the kitchen French windows and went out onto the patio.

"It will soon be growing colder. You can already feel the lessening of warmth in the sun," he said as he came in, and picked up his coffee cup. "I love the changing of seasons. Each one has its own character. We've had a warm run up but in three weeks it will be the end of daylight saving. Then the days will grow short and cold will quickly descend."

I looked at him.

"Tristan, I dreamed we were back in the eleven hundreds, in the snow, and in the hunting lodge guest room, it was so real."

He put his cup down and his arms around me, he kissed me very softly.

"It's still summer when you go through the portal, because when the portal opened it was seven weeks after we had come back, and that was Spring. Isn't that the weirdest thing?"

We smiled at each other. He was so dear to me.

"Tristan are you sure and certain there is nothing I, or both Oliver and I, can do to help tonight. I work late, so does Oliver and we'll be around in the early hours of the morning."

He ran his hand through his hair, and smiled at me.

"There really isn't, but thank you for offering. I'd love you to be there when Corbett and I come through at nine though."

"Okay Tristan, I will be," I assured him.

We finished our drinks standing together at the door looking out at the sunlight hitting the leaves that still had some moisture on them from the night.

"I guess I should go and sort out the day's requirements," he said.

"What are they? Maybe they can wait and you can have another cup of coffee. We could go for a walk by the lake or something."

Tristan looked thoughtful.

"I'd like to stay with you. I don't have any deadlines, because of the Emma stuff, I cleared everything early, and one of the other grounds people is checking the greenhouse systems. Okay it sounds great."

We made him more coffee, and I ran up to my room to clean my teeth and brush my hair. When I came down, he was sitting looking out of the windows thoughtfully. I felt some kind of déjà vu as I walked up to him and put my arms around him. I kissed his cheek, and he turned his head so that I kissed his lips. He tasted of coffee.

We walked up to the lake, through the gardens and along the path around the lake. There were still water birds on the lake and I suddenly remembered I had wanted to know where the peacocks were, as they seemed not to be around much. I asked Tristan if he knew and he did, they had a house, like a stable for the cold weather and he and other grounds people would make sure they were cared for through the winter. I was delighted with this and told Tristan so. He laughed and put his arm around my shoulders. We were at the far end of the lake, and looking along the terrace of the restaurant, I could see Will standing by a table of people. I knew it was Will by his hair and build, but didn't realize who the people at the table were until he had gone inside.

I stopped and told Tristan.

"I think that's Laura, Corbett, and Emma over on the terrace. We should turn back and head home."

He stared over at the terrace, and was laughing a little.

"It is. Can you believe it? They must be out for breakfast or something. I was thinking when you went to brush your hair, what will Laura do when she finds out Emma is gone and there is no more 'me and her'?"

"Why should it matter to her, really?" I asked him.

"It shouldn't, I don't know, I think she just liked the idea of me being with a relative of Corbett."

We reached the house and Tristan came in.

"It's been so good to spend time with you, Chloe. I'll go now and make sure I know down to the letter what I'm doing tonight. I'll call you later, when do you work?" He hugged me.

"Six until midnight. I'll have my phone in my back pocket on vibrate, so any time you want to call me, please do. I want to say this to you, but I don't want you to spook because of it. If anything goes wrong, Tristan, know that I'll come after you to help, you will not be stuck there."

He looked worried for a few seconds and then he broke into a grin.

"I know. I know you. Thank you, but somehow now, I feel like it will all go okay after all."

I walked halfway to the greenhouses with him and then we hugged, and I left to go back to the house.

Chapter Sixty-Nine

I took a shower and after drying my hair, I looked for some clean jeans to wear. I collected some clothes that I needed to launder and went down to the utility room with them. I spent a few minutes putting my things in the machine and then went back to my room. I started on one of my assignments that was due just before half term and it was around two thirty when I suddenly felt very tired. I put my head down on my arms on the desk and fell asleep. I woke up with a start, an ache in my shoulder, and one hand had gone to sleep. I shook my hand on the way downstairs for a drink because it had pins and needles.

In the kitchen, mom and Steven were having something to eat. I got some orange juice and made some toast asking what they were up to. We chatted about mom going to California, and how our grandmother was coming back home with her for a couple of weeks. I was to get one of the other bedrooms ready for her. Mom had already got her a bed and a small wardrobe. I only needed to air the room and make up the bed, put towels in the bathroom and make it look pretty mom told me. Steven said he would help too and I smiled at him. He was looking forward to seeing our grandmother.

Steven went off with John and mom went back to her study. I put my laundry in the drier and went up to my room, but at the second landing I went down to look at the room mom had allocated for my grandmother. It was the next but one room to my mom and dad's room, and faced the back area where the path to the waterfall wound by beyond the garden. I looked out at the garden and noticed the trees had already started having more golden and red leaves than green. I was staring out at the path, which wound past and further on became the top path of the waterfall area. Liz was walking on it with Charlie. She must have come up the bank from the pool. I dashed downstairs and walked over to meet her as she passed.

"Hi Liz, how are you, how's everything going? Soon be the half term holiday and we'll be busy huh?"

"Hello Chloe, yes, very true, everything is fine. I'm surprised actually, because there's been no glitch, and everyone is on track. It's really made no difference that Jack is not around." Charlie had gone off as we stood talking and now we walked along to catch him up, detouring up the path that would lead to the greenhouses. We walked along talking and I asked if she was working that night at the restaurant and she was. We were at the greenhouses and I could see Tristan outside the second one talking on his cell phone. He had his back to us and we wandered up to him. Charlie reached him first and sat on his left foot. He turned to us and smiled as he finished the call.

"Hello, where are you two off to?" he asked.

"I just took Charlie for a walk and ran into Chloe. Are you still busy? We could walk across home and have a cup of tea with McPherson," Liz said happily.

Tristan turned and closed the greenhouse door.

"Let's do that."

We walked down to the house and I noticed Laura's car was gone. I hoped that she had taken Emma out somewhere because I didn't want to run into her really. I was somewhat surprised that Tristan had agreed to taking me to the Dearing house. As we went into the kitchen Liz wanted to put her jacket in the cloakroom, and Tristan took the opportunity to whisper, "Laura and Emma are out shopping."

I smiled at him in acknowledgement.

McPherson made us tea and cut some cake for us. We decided to stay there with her and not go to the drawing room. It was nice to be with there. The cake was lovely, and Tristan surprised me by eating two pieces, although he gave Charlie a fair chunk of the second one.

Liz said, "Charlie is getting fat, Tristan" and laughed.

Tristan got a text message on his phone, which he had placed on the table in front of him. He looked at it before saying, "I have to get going can I drop you home, Chloe?"

"Okay that will be great, thanks." I stood up and thanked McPherson for the cake.

Liz said she would see me at work in a couple of hours and I left with Tristan.

We walked out to the old truck that was parked at the far end of the car park and on the way Tristan told me Corbett had messaged him to say Laura and Emma were on the way back home.

I shook my head. "That's why it was okay to take me to tea with McPherson, you had a look out." I grinned at him.

He opened the truck door and helped me in, something that hadn't happened for a long time. It sort of sparked something between us. I turned and put my arms around him. The memory of kissing him like this in the library car park came to me, and I felt an overpowering need to kiss him. It was just the same as then. I put my arms around his neck and kissed him, and it was as if the memory had put something back in my heart and I just kept kissing him until he whispered that he loved me. I let go of him and he closed the door and went around to his driver's side. We got home quickly as it was no real distance, especially by car. I turned to him.

"Are you coming in Tristan?"

His eyes were very blue.

"No, I can't really. I need to see Corbett to make sure he knows what's what. We may show up at the restaurant for dinner tonight, and then it will be hardly any time until we take Emma home. Thank heavens."

He leaned over and kissed me on the cheek, and then transferred his kiss to my lips. I put my hand up by his face and kissed him back. As we moved away from each other, his expression was thoughtful.

He came around to my door and got me out of the truck, and I hugged him tight after he closed the door behind me.

"Tristan, I'll be thinking of you until I see you safely back tomorrow morning."

He smiled and as I went to the front door, he climbed back into the truck and drove away. Watching him, for some reason I wondered if the dagger Emma had stabbed me with was still in the glove compartment of that truck.

Chapter Seventy

When I went inside the house, I checked my clothes in the drier and found they were dry. After taking them upstairs, I sat on my bed with my iPad reading for an hour and then got ready for work. I was thankful when it was five-forty and I walked up to the restaurant for my six o'clock start. Time had begun to drag. I knew it might as I waited for the plan to go ahead and for Tristan to come back through the portal at nine a.m. on Sunday.

I got into the staff area of the restaurant to find Liz was already there. I looked around, Oliver was nowhere to be seen, but still there was ten minutes before the shift and maybe he was stuck in traffic.

The staff members who had been unwell were all back feeling fine, but the Saturday bookings were very heavy and there was a small party in a single marquee already set up on the lawn halfway between the bottom path and the lake.

I wound the straps of my long apron around my waist and tied them at the front. Dad came into the room and kissed my cheek as he passed going straight into his office and onto the phone. Oliver came into the staff area walking quickly and grinning.

"Hello Liz, Chloe, wow I thought I was going to be late. There's some kind of incident at the crossroads. A truck has lost its load, and we all had to be detoured around it. Massive amounts of pipes are all over one side of the road." He put on his black tie and went into the main restaurant to see Marcel. Dad came out of his office and asked me if I would check on the marquee table setting.

"Chloe, take extra napkins and cutlery just in case, thanks."

I went through the side door, which was a little corridor with shelves down each side. I took a tray of napkins and cutlery down to the marquee, and checked the table settings, they were fine, and I ended up bringing everything I had taken down there back up to the restaurant with me.

Then I had to take the bottled water stacked on a trolley thing so that I could actually push it until I got to the lawn, when I needed to start carrying the bottles to the side tables for people to take as extras. Oliver came running down the lawn grinning.

"I've been sent to help you get the water done. The guests will be here in about twenty minutes. Are you serving them?"

"I guess so I haven't seen Marcel actually so I'd better do that." I smiled, as it was so nice to see him.

We dealt with the bottled water quickly. Oliver pulled the trolley up to the corridor as we walked quickly back there.

"Have you heard any more from Tristan, Chloe?" Oliver asked me as we walked.

"I did see him last night and a little today with Liz. He seems okay and wants us to meet him at the pool tomorrow at nine a.m. maybe just to make sure he does arrive."

As we reached the corridor to the staff room, Oliver caught my wrist, gently turning me, he kissed me quickly, and grinned again. Then he pushed the trolley under the shelves with the wheels under the bottom one, and we went in to see Marcel.

It was a very busy night, made even more so, as a couple of the men in the party on the lawns got drunk, and started throwing things around. We had to collect the plates and bottles that had been thrown. Marcel went down to see the people who were hosting the party and check if they were okay with what was happening. The drunks settled down quite quickly though, and one went to sleep with his head down on the table.

By midnight, I was happy the night was over, but pleased it had gone so quickly. We all helped clear up and because there were still a few people at the party, we were sitting out on the terrace with coffee or hot chocolate. The kitchens had been cleaned down, Liz had gone home, and Jen, but Peter, Ben, Oliver, and I were still there with a couple of agency staff, the chefs, and Marcel. I sat close to Oliver and he edged his chair so close to mine that he could put his arm around me. I had my drink in both hands. I was a little cold. Oliver felt me shiver and cuddled me as close as he could. I grinned at this.

We talked quietly and before long, the stragglers at the party left. We went down to the marquee to clear up what was needed immediately, as the regular clear up crew would be in about eight the next morning. We only needed to get up some of the crockery and glassware plus remaining food and drink. It barely took any time, and we had finished just before one in the morning.

Oliver and I went out to his Land Rover and debated the idea of lurking about near the waterfall to watch Tristan and company, but then we decided to leave well alone, and Oliver came home with me. We went up to the room where my grandmother was to stay, and watched the top path entrance, where I had seen Liz earlier that day. We knew they would have to go that way from the woods to the waterfall. Oliver was leaning against the wall and had his arms around me. We were just standing there staring out at the path. The path was lit by white lights every couple of yards, but the fairy lights were off and so it was quite dark. When clouds went over the moon, it was darker. We could still see, but it would be hard to make out who was who, and on what horses. I was hoping Laura hadn't been a pain.

I closed my eyes for a moment. In my mind, I was saying 'please let it all go well for Tristan.' I had said it three times when Oliver spoke.

"Chloe, it's so ridiculous the whole thing and it just seems to me how could you not know you were in some completely different time zone. Emma is never going to fall for this. Riding around in the dark for half an hour and then, well, how are they going to explain going onto the reed pad? I know it didn't seem right to get the girl smashed like we did Gui, but it might have been safer. Oh, there they are." He suddenly straightened up a little, and I looked along the pathway. They were making their way towards the bank where the path down to the pool was accessible. Corbett on the little horse Angel, somewhat incongruent I thought, followed by Emma on the larger white horse, which still had the name 'white horse', and Tristan following on Starbuck. They started down the bank. They had just disappeared when to the extreme right of my view I caught a flicker of movement, someone else had just joined the path at the point where it joined the other and would have led across our lawns, or to the woods. I stiffened and peered out. They were creeping along, sort of dawdling. It could only be someone following Tristan, and hanging back so as not to be seen. Oliver had seen them too now, and as I turned to him saying we need to stop that person from going down the bank, he was already with me, and we were racing to the stairs. Once we were out on the lawn via the middle drawing room, Oliver started running towards them. I followed, but he's taller and ran much faster anyway, and he actually got to them on the top path just before they could go down the bank. I caught up in time to hear the commotion made by none other than Laura.

"Excuse me, but who are you to say I can't go through here at night, and what are you doing here anyway then?"

Oliver was much quieter and as I reached them he was saying, "Sorry Laura. Chloe and I saw you. There's been a spate of vandalism, I'm sure you know, and we were asked to keep an eye out. We didn't know it was you, but at the same time, it isn't safe for you to be out here."

"Look here it's my business where I go at night." Laura tried to push past Oliver but I stepped into the path and into her way.

"Laura, what are you doing here? You must know about all the vandalism in the church. The abbey museum artifacts have nearly been ruined. You could get hurt on your own out here." I thought that was a great ploy by Oliver using vandalism to stop her from following Tristan further. By the time she got away from us even if she went down there to the pool they would be gone.

"I'm supposed to be with Emma, Corbett, and Tristan if you must know. I need to catch them up. We're going to see Emma's family."

Oliver slightly nudged my elbow, and I glanced at him. He had his eyebrows raised and looked funny in the little light cast by the white path lights.

"Laura, that's not true. I know it seems odd, but they're being picked up at the end of the road by a horse float, well the horses are, Corbett, Tristan, and Emma have a hire car. I know because Tristan told me. The horses are all being re-shoed, and then Tristan is driving through the night to avoid traffic and have a little longer with the family. What's your story? I know you were not part of the plans?"

The lie sounded ridiculous to me, would she swallow it?

"I find it rather odd, even for Tristan, to have the horses picked up in the middle of the night," she snorted.

I smiled. "It was the only time Tristan had to get that job done. I don't know if you are aware he and Liz are flat out doing estate work. It's weird but sometimes work just has to carry on. You'd be surprised how many people are out there travelling or working all night."

She looked a bit sheepish. I knew she hadn't exactly been pulling her weight work wise for a few weeks, and that she had taken time off from the restaurant that was a bit excessive given there had been a staff shortage. I felt mean saying what I did, but it was important she leave this matter alone.

"I do know how busy they are, and I'm going to be starting to help as soon as tomorrow in fact. It's just been a little busy getting engaged to Corbett." She was swallowing the lie, I thought.

Oliver sealed it with, "Laura come on back to the house. We just got in from work ourselves. There were drunks and all kinds of high jinks at the restaurant. Have a cup of coffee and I'll drop you home, don't go any further in the dark alone now. There really is the danger of coming across unpleasant people."

She seemed to be touched by our concern for her.

"Well okay then, you're probably right. I'll come with you, thank you Oliver." We walked three abreast back to the house and I quietly closed the middle drawing room doors. It was so late, and I didn't want dad woken from the sleep he probably had only just gotten into.

I closed the kitchen door too. Oliver had already started making coffee, and I pulled out a chair for Laura.

"Laura, have you heard from your dad yet, since he went to Italy?" I asked her, wanting to get right away from the Tristan issue.

"Yes he called straightaway to say how nice the apartment is that Liz has booked for him and grandfather. It will do them good to get away for a while." She took the cup of coffee Oliver had put in front of her and cradled it for a few seconds.

Oliver sat down too and asked her if she had been to the place in Italy where Jack was staying.

"Yes when I was much younger. It's lovely there. We were there for a couple of weeks." She drank some coffee and then she seemed suddenly to become very tired.

Oliver noticed, and spoke up, "I may get going if you are ready Laura. It's been a hectic day."

"Yes I'm tired too." She stood up, and adjusted the little bag she had across her body, onto her hip.

I went out to the Land Rover with them and Oliver put Laura in the passenger seat. I waited for him by his driver side and gave him a quick hug before he got in. He smiled at me and kissed me quickly.

I turned and went into the house and they drove away as I closed the door.

I felt like writing down the lies I had told to remember them exactly for Tristan and Corbett to reiterate when they next saw Laura. I couldn't believe our luck in seeing Laura. We could easily not have bothered watching for Tristan at all since he was so determined we wouldn't help. I looked at my cell phone, it was two-forty, and I wanted to be up and waiting at the portal for the nine a.m. opening. I quietly put our cups into the dishwasher and went up to my room. I was in and out of the shower quickly and got into my bed. I got a text message, 'Sorry I dashed off. Will come by tomorrow for nine a.m., love you, Oliver'. I replied 'that's fine, love you too'.

I set the alarm on my cell phone and put my head on my pillow.

I expected to be able to sleep, but it took me ages to stop thinking about the ridiculous story Laura seemed to believe. I was so tired of the portal issue, and yet at the same time I was aware we hadn't been on the ball when it came to doing anything proactive about it.

Chapter Seventy-One

My alarm woke me from a fitful sleep that I was almost glad to awaken from, even though I felt tired. I was quick to wash and dress. I put my hair up in a clip and went downstairs to drink some tea before Oliver arrived. He drove up only ten minutes later, and as I let him in, he kissed my cheek.

"Did you sleep Chloe? I was like some kind of idiot tossing and turning all night. I almost can't wait to contact Aristide and close this portal."

"I know, me too. I think we should have done that long ago, in retrospect." I answered him. We set off for the waterfall.

The day was a little cold and despite wearing my jean jacket as we went down through the treed bank to the sheltered waterfall pool, I felt cold. I think some of it was nerves. I couldn't wait to have Tristan home.

Oliver put his arms around me as we waited on the bank, and I cuddled him too. He kissed my cheek and then started to laugh.

"I never in my wildest dreams thought Laura would swallow that story we came up with last night. Some of it is true though, people are travelling and working all night, and that's what sold her the story. She was like an angel on the way to her place."

Suddenly he took out his cell phone and then an expensive looking watch.

"I have my mother's chronograph. I wanted to make sure we had the time right just in case." He looked at his cell phone and at his mom's watch. "Three seconds and it's nine a.m."

"Nine a.m.," he said, as we were both looking at the portal area.

Nothing happened. I felt myself go cold all over as if a wave had hit me. Nothing was happening, I looked at Oliver, but he had his mother's fabulous watch in his hand and was staring at that.

"Seven seconds, oh my god, its seven seconds. Where are they?"

Right at that second, Corbett burst through the portal, charging so hard he had to pull Angel up hard before she ran up the bank, and hit the holly.

Tristan wasn't there.

"Where's Tristan?" I called out to anyone really, and Corbett jumped down from Angel and strode over to us.

"He chased by soldiers, passed, say to me, get going and went outer lake, know there Chloe?" he said in a thick accent, but good English considering. He was a little wet I didn't know if it was the pool splashing up or it had been raining in the past.

I nodded and felt sick. Not Tristan in trouble again? I turned to Oliver and he put an arm around me. Keeping his mom's watch in the other hand, he slipped his cell phone away into his jeans pocket.

"Chloe, Chloe, there will be a seven minute slot, if there is a seven seconds there will be a seven minutes, he could still get back." He was hugging me to him. I realized sadly that we hadn't even been bothered to keep a check on the swinging portal time slots for the last few weeks.

"Oliver we've been so slack we've not kept up with which slots have the three travelling times. I feel that we've just not been responsible. Corbett and Tristan could have been trapped until seven tonight."

"I know, I know, let's hope he can shake the soldiers, and get through. We'll know in only four minutes."

Corbett had retrieved Angel's reins and stood a little distance away so that if Tristan had to come barreling through the portal the horse would not be in the way. Oliver hugged me and then just kept his eyes on his mother's watch.

He had started to say 'seven minutes past' when to my immense relief Tristan came through the portal. He was on Starbuck, and they stepped through, he must have lost his soldiers somehow. Corbett dropped Angel's reins and ran up to him as he jumped down from the horse.

He spoke to him in Norman French, and they hugged each other quickly thumping each other on the arms and grinning.

"Tristan," I called, as they started looking around at both Oliver and I. "How did you shake the soldiers?"

He came over and hugged me, and then included Oliver. He was wet, his hair and the shoulders of his jacket dark with what must have been rain.

"It was hard. I went as if towards the lake, but detoured around the hunting lodge and went into the stables there by the icehouse, and they just rode by, and then along the lane that leads to the bridge. I hung around for a few moments then got back to the pool and rode into the reeds, lucky there was a seven-minute slot. Frankly, I had no idea what to expect, and if there hadn't been one, I was going to have to hide out until the seven o'clock slot tonight. It was a miserable night last night, I might add. I can't wait to get a cup of coffee."

He turned then and spoke with Corbett. They talked for a couple of minutes.

"Apparently Emma was really pleased to see her family and they her. It was easy to leave her to supposedly come and get me this morning. She wasn't even remotely interested in going with Corbett, so he thinks she may not be that upset when we don't come back."

"Tristan, how did it go hiding the fact you went through the portal last night?" Oliver asked.

Tristan considered for a few seconds.

"I think good. We had to get through quickly as you would expect, but now I think now that the portal opens in a three, three, one opening swing, with the one at seven tonight, because there is no way we didn't use a seven second slot after the hour time slot at two a.m. I'm sure that's how I got through. I could almost feel the lag."

"Tristan, we really have been lucky, it never even occurred to any of us to work out the swing," I said, but Oliver was shaking his head and smiling.

"No it occurred to me. I did say that to you, Chloe, when you wanted to follow Tristan, I said if you wanted to, you should work out if there was a seven minute slot."

"When you were going to follow me, Chloe?" Tristan said giving me a look.

"Hey, I didn't. I gave up the idea way back, but I tell you who did follow you, Laura, and if Oliver and I hadn't been hanging out watching the top path and caught her, she would have seen you disappear into the portal."

"Bloody hell, really, what did you do?" Tristan turned and told Corbett in French and he said something like 'Mon Dieu' as well as other things.

Tristan turned back to us. I told him what had happened, and the lie he would have to perpetuate when he next saw Laura.

"Which brings me to a question," Oliver added at the end of my story. "What are you going to tell Laura when you both show up without Emma?"

"That her parents threw me out, and don't want me as a son in law," Tristan supplied, with a grin.

We decided to go to my place for some coffee and then they would take the horses back to the stable before going to the Dearing house.

We left Starbuck on the lawn, but tied Angel with her reins to a tree branch.

In the kitchen, Oliver made coffee and both Corbett and Tristan just collapsed on chairs. The kitchen French doors were open and a fresh breeze was coming in.

"It's warm back in time" Tristan commented. "You can feel its autumn here." He sighed, and said what I think amounted to the same thing to Corbett, and as Oliver gave them coffee, they both picked it up and drank some almost simultaneously.

I looked at Oliver and he smiled at me, and brought a cup to me.

Oliver and I sat watching Corbett and Tristan. They both seemed very tired.

Tristan closed his eyes once or twice, and I said to him, "You look really tired, what happened in the night?"

"Oh I just kept myself awake. Rode along the lakeside for a while, hung around and then as I was at the church a group of castle guard saw me, and started the chase. I had tried to get rid of them by going along to the abbey, but that didn't work. They had chased me for a while, when I went past the pool and saw Corbett, weirdly they slowed a little as I passed and called out to him. I think they looked to see who he was. It gave me time to get inside the stable before they came by."

Corbett drank his coffee and nodded as if he knew what Tristan was saying.

"I think we should get going so that the horses can be stabled," Tristan said standing, and Corbett stood up a second after him. We went out to the horses with them and asked if they needed any help at all. They didn't and rode off into the wood, and onto the path that would take them almost directly to the back of the stables.

I turned to Oliver.

"Well that's that then, Oliver. It seems to have worked so far. All the same we need to watch the portal at seven tonight, don't you agree?"

"I do agree," he smiled, and put his arm around me as we walked back into the kitchen where mom had appeared.

"Hi, did you have visitors?" she asked, indicating the cups. I told her Corbett and Tristan had dropped by as they were out riding. I picked the cups up and put them in the dishwasher as Oliver sat next to mom, and they launched into a conversation about PS three games. Mom was off to California the next day and eventually went off to make sure she had packed everything she wanted.

Oliver grinned at me. "What are we doing for the rest of the day, Chloe?"

I smiled at him. "How about we sleep for an hour or something, and then think about it. I feel as if my eyes just want to close."

Oliver nodded. "Okay."

We went up to my room and lay side by side on my bed. Oliver put his arm around me and I closed my eyes as I put my arm around his waist.

"Do you think that will be the last we see of Emma?" he asked.

I said, "I hope so," keeping my eyes closed.

I slept for about half an hour, Oliver may have, but he was awake at the same time as me. He had his eyes open as I looked at him and grinned.

We stayed together on the bed talking for a little while and then decided to walk up to the restaurant and have something to eat at the terrace café. It would soon be too cold to sit out there, and the sun was shining outside right then.

Oliver waited until we were about to leave my room before he held me very close and kissed me.

Chapter Seventy-Two

We walked up to the restaurant hand in hand and saw Will and Liz out there on the terrace sitting right at the end. We joined them, Oliver asking who was working today since they were not, and it turned out Laura was on with Ben and Patricia until six, when Will started with Peter and Jen.

Laura was doing a double shift too apparently as Corbett was away. Will told us this, and we looked at each other before Oliver simply said, "Oh."

Laura came out to take our order and we smiled at each other in some sort of fellowship mode.

Will was telling us about the Thursday, Friday and Saturday gigs the band had next week during half term holiday, and that they were practicing at our house a couple of times during the week.

Naturally, one of the gigs was at the Kool Kafé. Liz and I hoped to get there after the art workshops on the Thursday.

It was nice to be talking about ordinary things with people who were nothing to do with the magic surrounding Tristan, Oliver, and me.

When we left, I said to Liz I would call her that evening maybe about eight, and we would make sure we knew what was happening with the first day of the arts holiday venture.

Oliver and I were about halfway across the lawn when my cell phone rang, it was Tristan, and he was just checking to find out if we were around and would like to come over. Maybe have some tea with McPherson and hang out until we went down to check the portal at seven. He was at the Dearing house.

We drove over in my Wrangler. At the front door, McPherson answered, and we went down the hall to the kitchen, where Charlie got up from his basket to greet us. She told us Tristan would be down soon and offered us tea. We both had a cup of tea poured for us, but declined cake as we had only just eaten at the restaurant. Tristan came rushing along the corridor.

"Sorry I just had to have a shower in my old room. The stable shower is still a mess, despite promises to the contrary, the work hasn't been started. Now they have promised me Tuesday morning. I'm thinking of coming back to my old room for the week." He smiled at McPherson as she gave him tea and a huge lump of fruitcake.

"You should be here in your own room, Tristan, not in the stables," she said.

He nodded and replied, "I'll come back for the week, or whatever it takes to get the shower sorted out. I can go and pack a bag after this tea. It will be like a holiday."

I frowned a little in sympathy for him and Oliver shook his head saying, "Tristan you could have stayed with me. I didn't realize the stable apartment was that bad."

Tristan smiled. "Thanks Oliver, it's not really. I just missed my own room sometimes, and yes the shower is a pest, but it was preferable to what was happening in my room at the time."

He said this in a low voice, and yet I saw McPherson smile to herself. I thought she knew what he had said.

We had drunk our tea and Tristan had surreptitiously fed Charlie at least half his fruitcake. We went off to the stable apartment, supposedly to get Tristan some things so that he could stay in his own room that night.

I drove us over to the stable. Oliver asked Tristan if he was really going to his old room for the week, and should he wait to find out if Emma got back through the portal in the next few days. I nodded my agreement to this through the front mirror.

Tristan laughed.

"I may regret it, but I really would like to be in my own room again for a while, at least until the plumbing is dealt with. Hey, Jack left a letter for me when he went over to Italy. I found it this morning on my desk in my room. He apologized for his behavior and said if I could try to understand how it felt to get older, and weaker, and no better at making ends meet for the estate, and how he felt now, it had been some kind of nervous collapse he had, when he damaged the church windows. Frankly, I think he did the abbey museum too, but he didn't say that, it would be very hard to admit doing that. The bottom line is he hopes we can get along together when he comes back, and that he has promised Liz to talk more about his worries with us all. He also said he had kept back the cross from the jewelry in the treasure we found, and would like me to have it as it probably belonged to my parents. It was in the envelope with the letter."

We had reached the stables. Oliver said he hoped Jack meant that, and I nodded again in agreement as we got out of the car.

It was about four-thirty. We decided to talk about the idea of contacting Aristide whilst we were at the stable apartment to be away from anyone hearing us. Then we would get the few things Tristan wanted and take them back to the Dearing house.

We agreed to take turns in watching the portal at each opening for the week coming, but contact Aristide the next day. Oliver was going to phone him and ask outright what might be done, saying nothing about Tristan's existence or involvement in the opening of the portal. Tristan said he would do the two a.m. slots if Oliver and I did the seven in the evenings, and he would get Corbett to check nine in the morning slots, or he would do them too. We decided to just do this for the next two days, and then check if the times were suitable for our work commitments and change if need be.

That evening we would all go to the seven o'clock opening. Corbett was going to see Laura and tell her the story that Tristan and he were back early as Emma's parents had been irate, and tossed Tristan and himself out on their ears.

I suddenly asked, "What will we do if Aristide has no answers for closing the portal?"

Both Oliver and Tristan looked at me with resigned expressions.

"Let's wait and see what he says, but search me really," Oliver said.

Tristan just shrugged. It wasn't a question any of us could answer. I just thought it should be voiced.

Tristan got a few things to take to the Dearing house and we drove back there and followed him up to his room. Oliver went straight to look out of the windows saying he loved them and the view of the treetops.

"That's what I missed most really, and the shower," Tristan added. I smiled at them as they stood side by side looking out.

Tristan put his things around his room and found some clean linen, making up his bed with the quilt that was rolled at the foot of his bed.

"Let's take Charlie for a walk with us to the waterfall," Tristan suggested, as we went back downstairs.

We collected Charlie, and I drove us to my house where we left the Wrangler. We walked over the lawns and along the top path to the waterfall. We were still early and walked along slowly. Tristan told us a few more things that Corbett had told him when they discussed Emma again after they had left us that morning. The man she was supposed to marry had sent presents to her in the last week, and she was very impressed by them. Tristan thought she would adjust to being home quickly, and he didn't expect her back.

As we walked along, Charlie went snuffling from one clump of plants to another, but once or twice, he looked back at us to make sure we were following as usually we were ahead of him.

At the top of the bank, Oliver checked the fabulous chronograph watch that belonged to his mother.

"Let's get down there, twelve minutes to go."

He had just said that when the fairy lights seemed to glint as they lit up in strings across the adjacent bushes, and I realized the sun was going down. It felt like night was falling quicker these days, and as we scrambled down the bank of ferns and bushes, both Oliver and Tristan turned and held my hand, Oliver at the top of the bank and Tristan at the bottom.

We stood a little away from the portal. Tristan clipped Charlie onto his lead, and Charlie sat down leaning on the back of Tristan's calves.

We watched the portal. Suddenly, and it made me jump, Matin was galloping out of the reed pad and around to the other side of the pool. He would go down towards the Norman ruins if he kept on that path.

"Bloody hell," Tristan said, for all of us, I thought.

We went to look at the reed pad. There was a shoe there on the edge. It was one of Gui's sneakers that Laura had bought him, as she had done for Corbett too when he had first arrived.

Oliver picked it up, and turned around to Tristan and me with it. His face was a picture of amusement, but also surprise.

"Looks like Gui very nearly caught Matin, and came back here too."

"Freaky," I commented, because it was.

Tristan ran his hand through his hair.

"We know this is a single travel time event, no seconds or minutes, but I would like to toss that shoe back at two a.m., firstly because Gui liked those shoes, and secondly as a foil to him thinking any weird thoughts like following after his shoe."

"Tristan, he probably just saw Matin disappear. How much more weird could his thoughts get after that?" I reckoned Gui knew now there was something funny going on at the pool if he hadn't already.

"Let's get after Matin before he injures himself. The route to the Norman path is a bit hairy as you know," Tristan said, already walking that way with Charlie, who wasn't happy on the lead.

He had reached the side of the pool where the rocks jutted out, and it looked as if you could actually walk behind the waterfall, when Matin came back. The horse seemed to know Tristan immediately, and slowed to walk up to him and stop, nodding his head.

Tristan spoke soothingly to the horse, and they both came back along the pool path to the bank where it was better for us all, people and animals to go up to the top path.

"I'll take him back to the stables and bed him down for the night. It's good to see him I have to admit." Tristan was smiling as he took the fabric reins that Matin had around his front and led him up the bank. I took Charlie's lead from Tristan, and Oliver took my hand. We arrived on the top path all of us laughing a little. Tristan had Gui's sneaker in the pocket of his jacket, and he patted it as we got to the path as if to check it was still there.

We walked over to the house. I offered to take Charlie back to the Dearing house in the Wrangler so that Tristan could take Matin through the woods to the stable, and Tristan thought that was a great idea. I also said I would go with Tristan to the pool at two in the morning to throw back the shoe, and Oliver added, so would he. We arranged to call about midnight and meet each other for the two a.m. slot.

After we had dropped Charlie off, Oliver decided to go home for a couple of hours, give back his mom's watch, and just touch base so she didn't think he had disappeared. I swung into my drive and next to his Land Rover. He hugged me, and I kissed him on the cheek, and then changed my mind and held his head to mine kissing him on the lips. He sighed and then smiled.

"I've wanted to kiss you all afternoon, and one kiss is just not going to cut it now." He kissed me again and then we both started laughing. "I'll be back about midnight, maybe half past okay?" he asked and left.

Chapter Seventy-Three

In the house, I went up to my room and took a shower, then sat on my bed with my computer playing a DVD. After calling Liz to arrange being at the arts building at nine thirty on Monday, I slid down a little on my pillow to chill out, and amazingly I went to sleep. It was the ending of the movie that woke me. The music from the credits was playing. I looked at my cell phone for the time, as it was closest to me. Nearly midnight, I got up, cleaned my teeth, and brushed my hair. I thought maybe I needed a sweater over my T-shirt, as well as a jacket for the walk to the waterfall, and got out my new warmer jacket. It had vertical zippered pockets and I zipped my torch into one of them. I shut down my computer just leaving my netbook booted on my desk and put my cell phone in the back pocket of my jeans. I would go and have a cup of tea and wait for Oliver and then Tristan's call, or for him to show up.

I had just finished my tea when my cell phone, which I had on vibrate in front of me on the table started to shake, I saw it was Oliver as I picked it up to answer.

"Chloe, I'm out the front just down the lane a little. I don't want to disturb anyone do you want to come out and I'll call Tristan? Maybe we can go and collect him, and then walk over to the waterfall. It will mean less chance of anyone discovering us and wondering what we are up to at two in the morning."

I told him I would be there, and I cleared my tea away thinking how amazing it had been that we had never been discovered doing anything so far.

As I reached Oliver, he went to open the passenger side door for me.

"Tristan's at the stable apartment so we'll head around there."

When we arrived, we parked in the yard. Tristan must have been looking out for us as he opened the door as soon as we got in front of it and said, "Come on in, time for coffee I think. I thought it better to meet here since we'll be skulking around again in the early hours of the morning," and he laughed.

Tristan took the shoe that belonged to Gui from where it was placed on a chair and looked held it up. It was the left shoe, a sneaker with a star in the ankle area inside a white disk, and it was a maroon color.

"How are we going to make sure it doesn't just come back in the nine a.m. portal opening Tristan?" I asked, thinking he may plan to go with it and throw it on the bank.

"We're not. I'll put it on the reed area, it can go at two a.m., he may look for it in the morning and find it, or it may sink into the water during the night, it would be very odd that he retrieve it during a portal opening."

"Would it Tristan, if you ask me that portal is full of surprises." Oliver grinned and finished drinking his coffee.

I didn't say anything but I agreed really, who knew what was going to happen next, look at Matin showing up again.

We drove to the lane alongside my house and then walked over to the waterfall. It was a clear night, the moon was three quarters, and the stars were all out twinkling. It was quite cold and I zipped up my jacket. Oliver saw me and looked at me as if he would have liked to hug me close. He had put on a sweater from the back seat of his Land Rover. Even Tristan was wearing a thicker jacket. He had the sneaker in his pocket and walked along with a hand in the other pocket. We scrambled down the bank by the light of my torch, and one Oliver had brought. We stood looking at the pool for a few moments. It was dark down there and yet the canopy of leaves was less, some of the leaves had started to turn gold and red, and fall down. You could see the moon through some of the branches. Oliver shone the torch on the reed area where we knew the portal would open at two, and Tristan said about eight minutes to go, and took the sneaker from his pocket.

"I hope he gets it back" he said, and at two minutes to two put it gently on the reeds. Oliver kept his torch on the spot and Tristan said, "Oh well two a.m., let's hope it doesn't get too wet at the other end before Gui finds it."

The sneaker remained on the reeds. It should have gone as there was only the one portal opening slot, but it didn't go.

"Wow, what's going on?" Oliver waved the torch around the reeds as if we had put the sneaker in the wrong place. Then Tristan looked at his cell phone.

"It's three minutes after two, the portal can't have opened. The sneaker would have gone, wouldn't it?" He turned back to us as he had stepped forward looking at the sneaker. "Have we miscalculated or something? It would have just gone wouldn't it?"

"It would Tristan, the portal can't have opened, it can't have," I told him surprised.

We stood there looking at each other. Finally, Oliver suggested we go home, and Tristan put the sneaker back in his pocket. It was a little wet, but he took no notice. We went up the bank, all of us strangely hand in hand. At the top path, Tristan stopped and let go of my hand, and I let go of Oliver's.

"It must be closed, that's the only explanation. I wonder if it's closed for good? I'll come by tomorrow at nine and try the sneaker again. Don't call Aristide, Oliver, until I've tried the portal a couple of times. If it's closed, we don't need him. Do you think it's closed?" He stood there his hands in his jeans pockets looking at us with a puzzled expression.

Oliver cleared his throat. "How many weeks since it opened, do we know? It opened on a seventh day, Sunday evening, and at seven. By any chance, has it been open seven weeks? Is this the seventh day, on the seventh week? Sorry I know it's odd but there may be something in that it closed at seven tonight after Matin came through?"

Tristan shrugged. "Could have been, yes, maybe it has. What do you think, Chloe?"

I had been thinking about it as Oliver had voiced the idea, and I thought I might have to check with things like how many weeks since Steven's party and so on, but it was very possible it had been open for seven weeks.

"Yes I think maybe it has. I might need to work it out, but just thinking now about when Matin came through last time, and when the birthday party was, it seems very likely."

"How extraordinary, we could have chosen today at seven to take Emma back and then been stuck back there, bloody hell that would have been awkward." Tristan shook his head just thinking of it, and I took a deep breath.

"That's an understatement, Tristan."

Oliver laughed a little and then said, "Sorry it's not funny I don't know why I'm laughing, just the word understatement seemed funny, sorry."

"Yes, but it's a shock. I can't quite believe it." Tristan ran his hand through his hair.

We walked back to Oliver's Land Rover and he decided to drop Tristan off home. I asked Tristan to call me when he had tested the portal in the morning. I would be doing the art workshop that morning, and couldn't really fit in going with him.

It seemed bizarre, but Oliver kissed me on the cheek and got in the Land Rover. I walked to the passenger side with Tristan, and he kissed me on the cheek too. They didn't drive away until I was closing the front door.

Chapter Seventy-Four

The next morning around quarter past nine, I was in the kitchen having cleared away the remains of my tea and toast, and thinking I would get off to the art buildings right away, when Tristan appeared at the kitchen French windows. I hadn't opened them because mom had left for California, and Steven was off with John at eight thirty for something to do with guitars. I went quickly to the doors and opened them.

"Tristan, what's happened? You look sort of preoccupied," I asked him, and took his hand to get him inside, as he just stood there at the open door.

"The damn thing seems to be closed. There was no opening this morning. I stayed until ten past, and nothing had happened. I just came over quickly to let you know. Isn't it bizarre?" He sounded surprised. He shrugged his shoulders. I could see Gui's sneaker sticking out of his jacket pocket. I closed the French doors up.

"Tristan, I'm just about to leave for the arts buildings, I'll drop you wherever you need. It seems like it is the seventh week since it opened. I worked it out last night as best I could. I think it's over. The portal is closed. Would you like to check tonight at seven just to make sure?"

"Oh, yes, I'll come to the arts building with you, and walk back to the house it's only a few seconds walk. The portal closing seems so weird, just like that, it's gone."

"But Tristan, no more weird than it just opening the way it did," I picked up my jacket and keys, took Tristan by the hand, and we went out to my Wrangler.

I stopped at the door, put my hand up to hold his face, and kissed him.

"Tristan it's good that it's closed, although I have to admit it's a surprise."

He got into the Wrangler, and as I started it, asked me if I would come down to the pool that night with him and we would check the portal opening again.

I told him I would.

****

The arts workshops went really well and I had lunch with Liz at the museum café. By the end of the day, I was sorry I only had the Thursday workshop left to do, as it had been such fun.

At six thirty, I picked Tristan up from the Dearing house, and brought him over to my house. We brought Charlie too and walked down to the waterfall hand in hand with Charlie off the lead, until at the pool Tristan clipped him back onto it.

He put the sneaker on the reed pad. The sun had almost gone down, and there was a little chill in the air.

"On Sunday it's the end of daylight saving, and it will be dark by now this time next week," Tristan said, as he got out his cell phone.

I held Charlie's lead and Tristan's arm.

"I had forgotten about daylight saving. I wish they wouldn't mess about with time," I said sad at the loss of summer time.

Tristan burst out laughing. "Do you know what you just said Chloe, that's hilarious."

I smiled as it dawned on me how funny what I had said actually was.

We watched the sneaker, but nothing happened.

"It's ten past already," Tristan said and put his cell phone away. He went to pick the sneaker up, and put it in his pocket again.

We let Charlie off the lead and Tristan held my hand as we walked up the rough path in the ferns to the top path.

The fairy lights were all on as well as the path lights, the moon was out, and the sky was a sort of dark blue. I turned to Tristan.

"It's closed for good, Tristan, I feel sure of it."

He put his arm around my shoulders and we started to walk home.

"I'm relieved, I'm still surprised it just closed like that, but it's good."

I leaned against him a little as we walked. It was good to feel close to Tristan again. I felt confused though, because I had felt emotions close to those I feel for Oliver when I had kissed Tristan by his truck only days ago.

"You're very thoughtful, Chloe," Tristan said, and he kissed my head. I stopped and turned to him.

"Tristan, I'm sorry things went the way they did with Emma. It's sad really."

"It's okay. It was some sort of interlude that just brought home to me how much you mean to me, because I can't ever not have you in my life and the same with Oliver. We are stuck with each other." He laughed then, but I knew it was true, and it was a good thing. We were meant to be together all three of us. It made me smile, and Tristan hugged me before we set off home again.

Oliver was coming around at nine after a meeting with a client to iron out their requirements for their website.

I gave Charlie a drink of water and a biscuit, grinning at Tristan as he made a cup of coffee.

"I've asked your dad if he minds the archaeology team looking into opening the sealed door in the tunnel under the house, Chloe. It's a bit of a disturbance for your family, but he said go right ahead he'd love to know what's down there. James has put in the forms and requests, and so on, there may be someone come over in the next few days. They are supposed to call first, naturally." Tristan sat close to me and drank his coffee.

I watched him for a few seconds, the way he moved was so attractive, his glossy hair fell over his forehead, and he pushed it back. He turned to me, his beautiful blue eyes held a loving expression. I thought, why is it that I thought I loved Oliver differently, it's a mystery really how things develop, because right then, I seemed to have started to love Tristan differently.

Tristan was smiling at me. "What are you thinking Chloe?"

"I was thinking how dear you are to me and how lovely you are."

"I feel the same about you," he replied, and took my hand. He held my hand for a minute and then kissed me on the cheek.

"I'm going to walk Charlie home, and I need to see the horses, Brett was surprised to see Matin back by the way. Then I'm going to sit and look out of my window across the trees for a while. I called Oliver this morning and told him not to contact Aristide, and he said he was coming over tonight to see you and would I be around, but I'll leave you two alone, I think, if that's okay?" He stood up to leave and it seemed sad to see him go, but I let him go without comment, because maybe he did want to go and look out of his bedroom window at the trees, even though it was dark now.

Oliver came over just after nine and said immediately, "What's happened with the portal and Tristan?"

"It's closed for sure and Tristan went home about an hour ago," I replied.

"Really, you tested it at seven?"

I nodded and put my arms around him, when he bent his head to kiss me I kissed him back. "We did and its closed I think for good, so isn't that great, we don't need to involve Aristide?"

I was very aware that I had reverted to my old ways. I loved him and Tristan again in almost the same way, and somehow I was disgusted with myself, and felt I was betraying Oliver.

I moved away from him reluctantly, and he caught my hand as I took the step away, he kissed my hand and let go.

Oliver smiled at me. "Do you want us to go and get Tristan, and maybe go up to the restaurant? We could have starters or something just to celebrate the closure of the portal. I'd like him to be around because somehow it feels as if he's a little lonely. Don't you feel that?"

"Okay, I felt sad when he left tonight. I got the impression he was giving us time to be together, but it's important that he spend time with us just like we used to. I'll call him." I got my cell phone out of my pocket and called him. He picked up on the third ring. "Tristan where are you, Oliver and I were thinking it would be good to go up to the restaurant and celebrate a little that the portal is closed. Are you busy we'll come and get you?"

He seemed to hesitate for just a fraction, and then he said he would come over to the house just give him five minutes.

I told Oliver this and he grinned.

"Good" he said, put his coffee cup down, and picked me up in a hug.

When Tristan arrived, I gave him a little hug at the door and once we were in the kitchen Oliver laughingly said, "Why aren't you happier? The blight of our lives in recent weeks has disappeared, we should be cracking open the champagne."

Tristan smiled but sort of mistily.

"It's just so odd, the way it came and went. I've been thinking there must be a deeper meaning to it, but it's unclear to me what. That sounds a bit mystical doesn't it, sorry?"

"No Tristan," I joined in, "I agree, I get what you mean. I think that too, like that's why the Glazers lost the knowledge about you, Corbett came here, and then there is Matin who has come and stayed, why is that? I think the Emma incident had some meaning too, but I don't know what."

Tristan smiled at me and his misty look was back. "Yes I think so too."

We walked up to the restaurant and got a table near the window, but inside right at the end where we could see out onto the terrace, which was lit with colored lights.

Dad came and said hello. Patricia took our order, and it was great to sit all three of us close around the table. Oliver put his hands onto the table and I took the cue. I took one of his hands and put my other for Tristan to take. Oliver more or less pulled Tristan's other hand on the table by the sleeve of his sweater and then took it.

"Let's always remember we are here for each other, friends forever," he said, and smiled in his usual happy way.

"Yes," I said. "We have a special bond no matter what."

Tristan laughed.

"Thank you for dragging me out of my reverie at home, bringing me out here to celebrate, and now maybe we better let go of each other's hands before someone thinks we are having a séance."

It was only a little funny, because there were still spirits of the past in Tristan's life, but we smiled at each other, and I squeezed their hands before I let go to make sure they knew I loved them both.

It had been a good idea to go out together, and we walked back home around eleven thirty and went into the kitchen. We decided to go to the Kool Kafé to see Will's band on Thursday, and Oliver insisted on dropping Tristan back at the Dearing house where he was using his old room.

Chapter Seventy-Five

It was Wednesday when the archaeology team consisting of three people came to the door. I was working on a college assignment. We seemed to have one small design brief per week for the first semester, which counted for seventy-five per cent of our pass mark. I went downstairs to let them in. They introduced themselves and had ID but one look at their four-wheel drive, and I knew they were for real. It was emblazoned with the county archaeology logo on the doors and hood. There were two men, a man about forty and a young man about twenty-six, something like that, about the same as James Parker and a girl. She seemed to be about my age, or maybe a bit older. Don the older one asked if they could look at the tunnel. I told him sure, but they may need torches because the lighting stopped at the entrance to the tunnel, and only lit the interior of the room with the wall painting. Stefan the younger one went back to get lights from the vehicle. He was very thin and tall with dark hair sort of cut to jaw level, which he wore behind his ears. He had a friendly face and seemed to be smiling all the time. The girl was called Lily, and I thought it was unusual that I had met two Lilys in a few weeks, when I had never met anyone called Lily before. I liked her straightaway. She was as tall as Tristan almost, with hair just as glossy, but a little lighter and redder brown. Her eyes were blue, and she had such lovely skin I felt like some paler version of myself as I stood near her showing the group the entrance to the tunnel.

She didn't get to go down into the tunnel until Don had been down there, and then Stefan and she got to go down there. I watched from the entrance to the fireplace and she gave me a smile.

"I'm still a student. I have my first degree, but I'm doing graduate studies."

"Oh you must know James Parker then" I said, smiling back.

"I do, he's supposed to be coming over tomorrow to work with us and so is Leslie. I think she was here for the opening of this fireplace."

"She was, and it's cool that James is coming round. I have to be out at work in the afternoon, but if you come along in the morning I'll show you how to lock up or whatever."

"Thank you," she said as Don came back, and having set up the massive lights, she and Stefan went down to the tunnel. They put hard hats on before they descended the stairs, which I thought was hilarious given Tristan, Oliver and I were in and out of the place bare headed, with tiny torches.

I went into the kitchen and started on the coffee and tea I just knew they would like to have when I asked them. They came along quite soon and found me in the kitchen.

"We need to set up some equipment, so we'll be up and down the hall for a while. I hope that's okay. Once it's in place we'll not need much more for a couple of days." Don told me, as if I cared how much equipment they trailed down to the tunnel.

"That's fine. Take your time and as much equipment as you need to do the job. I know Tristan will want you to have total access. Can I offer you coffee or tea at all?"

They would all love tea. Stefan went outside pulling back into the drive in a small truck that must have previously been in the lane. He brought stuff in and went down the hall with it. Lily went out to the four-wheel drive and brought laptops down to the big drawing room. I took the tea tray down there too, and as she set up the laptops, I went back to the kitchen and got them biscuits.

I took them down to the drawing room, and watched Lily set up the computers with some sort of camera feed as usual.

I gave her tea. She smiled in thanks and put it down to concentrate on the laptop for a few moments. I left them to their work.

In the kitchen, I thought I would tell Tristan his 'archaeology' had started and called him. "Hey Tristan what are you up to? I haven't seen you since Monday, come and have a cup of coffee, the archaeologists are here."

"I'd love to, it's just the break I need. I'll drive over. I'm at the greenhouses so it will be seconds, see you."

I was very pleased.

He showed up within a couple of minutes and I had made the coffee. The front door was ajar, but I went to greet him when I heard the old truck crunch onto the gravel driveway.

I took his hand. We went into the kitchen, where he kissed my cheek, and I smiled at him giving him the coffee.

Tristan had taken a drink of coffee and was standing close to me just companionably as we leaned against the work surface.

He put his cup down and sighed, gently he hugged me close.

"You still love me don't you? I can feel it again. Chloe, when you kissed me the other day it was the way you used to kiss me, and I felt so happy. I know Oliver loves you. I see him with you, and I think it will never change you will always love us both."

He stopped talking and kissed me, and the most bizarre thing happened I felt that wrapped in silk thing that I thought was special to Oliver and me. I kissed Tristan back and held him close. The strange prickly intensity we used to dazzle each other with was gone, and I was shocked by how much I felt for him.

He moved a little away from me.

"I wish it was just me, but it's not, and I value Oliver so much as a friend, that I feel I can never fight for you, try to win you away from him somehow. I'm sorry I shouldn't be saying this stuff put it down to exhaustion. I do love you." He kissed me again and I was willing to keep holding him close forever right then.

"I love you too Tristan," I said.

He smiled and he let me go, which was just as well because Don came up the hall to the kitchen.

I immediately introduced Tristan to him and he stepped forward to shake Tristan's hand.

"Mr. Dearing it's great that you're 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."

****

'The Sealed Door, A Seven Spell story five', is now available and brings new danger and love for the three friends. The Seven Spell gets steamy when the love triangle develops.

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