Chapter Forty-Two
“Aylwyn! What a surprise!” Lily gave the huge male a warm hug, as TraceyAnn sidled up beside them. Before she had a chance to say anything, two little blurs flung themselves at him.
“Unka’Awwin!!!”
Each twin grabbed one of his legs, shrieking with laughter. He swept each into an arm easily, and they wrapped their arms around his thick neck.
TraceyAnn swept her skirts back, and batted her eyes upwards. Aylwyn towered over her, and his grin lit up his face.
“Hello, I run the Staff Childcare Center here. And what’s your name?”
“He’s Awwin,” Clover shouted, almost in imitation of TraceyAnn’s bellow. TraceyAnn caught herself from grimacing, and batted her eyelashes even more.
Aylwyn gently deposited the two kids back onto the ground, and fist-pounded them both. “Clover, Brady, I shall see you both later.”
“Yahhhh,” Brady yelled in response, and he and his sister ran off to create mayhem elsewhere.
His hands free, Aylwyn swept up one of TraceyAnn’s into his own, and kissed it.
“I am called Aylwyn, milady. Might I have the pleasure of knowing your name?”
Lily thought she heard a sigh from TraceyAnn. If the older woman held a fan between her fingers, she would be using it vigorously.
“Please call me TraceyAnn.” Her voice, although still at high volume, was in a tone that was never used for the kids, or for Lily or Luna.
“TraceyAnn,” Aylwyn dipped his head. “Might I steal away Katie Cooper for the midday repast, if she should agree? I pledge upon my honor to return her safely here.”
If TraceyAnn batted her eyelashes any faster, there wouldn’t be any need for fans. “Oh, of course,” she cooed. “I’ll see you again when you return as promised.”
Aylwyn dipped his head again. “Milady.”
TraceyAnn picked up her skirt and made a tiny curtsy, before saying to Lily in an uncharacteristically sweet tone,” Try to be back in forty five minutes.”
She smiled at the tall man again, and dragged herself away. Aylwyn’s aquamarine eyes twinkled at Lily. As evidenced by the 180 in TraceyAnn’s personality, it was a look that usually would turn most women to jelly.
That is, if they weren’t already head over heels with another gorgeous hunk of male, with auburn hair and hazel eyes.
Aylwyn seemed to read her mind, as he said with a wink, “I only dare ask for your company to the midday repast, Katie Cooper, because a certain someone is back at the house. And, if needs must, I shall remind you that he is the sole reason we have not yet had our evening repast alone together.”
Lily had to laugh at that. “So you’re saying I owe you a dinner.”
“Aye.” Aylwyn’s mischievous expression was at odds with his muscled, coiled-to-strike body. He was like an oversized Labrador puppy, playful but still deadly.
Lily had found out how Col had hijacked the scheduled dinner with Aylwyn. How differently everything would have turned out if Col hadn’t done so, or hadn’t been so wonderful with the twins! Out of the corner of her eye, she could see TraceyAnn gearing up to make another oops-did-i-overhear-you-talking driveby. Suddenly, taking Aylwyn up on his invite was even more appealing.
“Sure. Do you want to do the Staff Caff? Or the Royal Court of Food?” She also named a restaurant that had indoor seating that was relatively close.
Aylwyn held the door open with a grand, sweeping gesture, “I shall attend to the wishes of the lady.”
Somewhere behind Lily was the sound of TraceyAnn swooning.
They walked into the sunshine, and into the Faire, which was in full swing. Lily immediately thought of the Royal Court of Food, where there were sure to be foods that Aylwyn would enjoy and find easy to order like last time. It was also a rare opportunity for Lily to experience the Faire proper, especially dressed as she was, in a particoloured kirtle made of patterned linen. The skirt of the gown was long, and the lacing in the front kept the top relatively form fitting, before it flared out past the waist. She could tell that it was flattering from Aylwyn’s appreciative looks, but many heads turned for him as well as they ambled together through the crowds of Faire-goers.
Today, he was wearing a sand-colored linen shirt, sleeveless so his biceps were bare. His staff lanyard hung off of his wide, leather belt, over leather pants that were made of woven strips. All five of the boys, including Col, had clothing made from the vendors here at the Faire. But she only saw them wearing jeans, fatigues and t-shirts at the house, or, she thought with a smile, a dark jacket and button down shirt as what Col wore, the night he hijacked the dinner she was supposed to have with Aylwyn. And now with the revelation that they had come from another time, came all the curiosity about what it had been like for them. How it had shaped them.
How it had shaped Col.
“The clothing you’re wearing suits you.” Lily was curious about what Aylwyn thought of it.
