no better. Nothing need change, darling.'
'But...'
'Then think on it. Come love, we must be up before gray dawn to ride to Cracow and see the duke. Let us go to bed.'
Even after a vigorous bout of lovemaking, I had a hard time getting to sleep that night. Francine was asleep with her head on my arm, her back to my stomach, spoon fashion. I was careful not to wake her, but I needed a good think.
Okay, I told myself. You've got this phobia. Nothing to be ashamed of. Lots of people have phobias.
You've got to stay in Poland and fight this invasion. That's a given. A lot of good people are counting on you, You can't let them down. You've made promises and you have to live with them.
Is that what really scares you about marriage? The fact that it's a lifetime promise, without any way out if you were wrong? But you've made so many other promises, and you can't get out of them, either. You didn't go into a cold funk when you swore to Lambert, did you' Oh, you let yourself have a coward's way out, but that's one of the things you're regretting now, isn't it?
But if you're going to stay, you've somehow got to placate Lambert and the duke. Lambert isn't going to let up, you know. Once he gets an idea into his head, he's like a bulldog clamped down on a bull's snout. As long as there is any chance that you will marry his daughter, he'll be in there conniving a way to force you to do it.
And the duke. He wants everybody to live a fine, conventional and Christian life, just like in all the stories the priests like to tell. He would have had Lambert back with his wife years ago if she hadn't been out of the country and the duke's jurisdiction, that's sure. If you were married, you'd have the duke solidly on your side against Lambert. What's more, once you were married, Lambert would give up on his plans for you and his daughter. He's a bulldog, but he's not stupid.
So getting married is the rational thing to do at this point. It solves all the conflicting problems of duty, morality, your boss, and your boss's boss.
So why aren't you rational about it? Because you're scared shitless, that's why! All this business you keep telling yourself and everybody else about rationality and the scientific method is just a hypocritical ball of lies!
Underneath, you're just a wad of primeval fears, a caveman huddled around his campfire, afraid of the dark, a whining neurotic desperately in need of professional help!
Well, maybe not that last, but you sure need help. Look, would it really be so bad? This woman in your arms, is she so bad? She's beautiful. She's easily the best looking Christian you've seen since you got here. She's mature, well educated, and damned intelligent. What's more, she wants to marry you, and you damn well know you'll never get a better offer. You're almost living with her now. Is she really asking so much? One little church ceremony? It could be over in minutes, in some obscure little village church.
Five minutes. It could be over in five minutes. You're man enough to stand up to that, aren't you? It would solve your problems with both Lambert and the duke, and would make a very nice lady very happy. Like she said, it would make no difference in your lifestyle. Nothing need change at all. You could do that, couldn't you?
Yeah, I thought, I suppose I could. But just a little ceremony.
Francine snuggled even closer in my arms.
In her sleep, she murmured, 'I am so glad that it Is settled.' Then she was quiet once more.
I don't like it when things like that happen.
In the morning we both sort of half awoke and calmly, warmly I was inside of her again.
'Francine, do you really want to marry me?'
'Of course, darling, with all my heart!'
'Then let's do it.'
This brought on a smile and a squeal and a hug and a kiss that quite literally took my breath away, followed, naturally, by far more enthusiastic lovemaking.
Later, she said. 'You really want this? I have not done anything unfair to get you?'
'Yes, I want you, and your magnificent body is a most unfair enticement.'
'Good. I did not want you to think you were forced. But if you are going ahead freely, there is something that I must tell you.'
'What?'
'That you are going to be a papa again, and this time. I am going to be the mama!'
I should be getting used to this sort of thing, but I'm not.
Interlude Three
Tom HIT the STOP button.
'What the hell goes on here!' he shouted.
'What are you talking about?' I asked.
'I'll show you!' He pushed the intercom button. 'I want the asshole who edited this tape front and center, here and now!'
A man dressed in a conservative brown T-shirt and shorts stepped in immediately. Another advantage of time travel is that you always have time to get to meetings promptly.
'Sir?' the man said.
'Just what are you trying to pull?'
'Sir? What are you talking about?'
'This tape! It has Conrad getting ready to marry Lady Francine! When I viewed it last week, she talked him into marrying Lambert's daughter. If this is some kind of joke, mister, I don't like your sense of humor!'
'But sir! I edited that tape, and he didn't do either one of those things! He went on toward France until an emissary of the duke caught up with him in Worms and talked him into returning to Poland!'
'What?' Tom thought a minute. 'If this is a joke, the prankster will spend the next century doing anthropological work on Eskimos! But fight now, I want you to get your staff together and find out who the joker is. I want to see how this version comes out, but I'll see you and your people in two hours. Now get out!'
The man bolted out the door.
'Tom, I don't think he fudged it,' I said. 'I mean, he would have to have found actors who were exact doubles for Francine and Conrad. He would have to build perfect sets and backgrounds. It's not the sort of thing that would be done as a joke!'
'I know. But the alternative is frightening. It means that we are seeing a temporal split right here. Two temporal splits!'
'But how could something that happened in the thirteenth century effect us? We're seventy thousand years in their past!'
'I don't know, but it scares the shit out of me!'
He hit the START button.
Chapter Thirteen
FROM THE DIARY OF CONRAD STARGARD
Anna carried us both through the day, and that night in Cracow, the duke granted us an immediate private audience.
'Baron Conrad. I'm glad you're here. I was about to send men out in search of you. But the matter which we
