One Magic Moment Read online

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Dedication

  Chapter 1 - SEDGWICK CASTLE, ENGLAND PRESENT DAY

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Teaser chapter

  Praise for the novels of New York Times bestselling author Lynn Kurland

  One Enchanted Evening

  “Kurland presents another triumphant romance . . . Readers unfamiliar with her works will have great joy and ease in following the story of Montgomery and Pippa, and longtime readers will exult in having more familial pieces fall into place.”

  —Fresh Fiction

  “A perfect blend of medieval intrigue and time-travel romance. I was totally enthralled from the beginning to the end.”

  —Once Upon a Romance

  “One Enchanted Evening is another of the de Piaget series woven with magic, handsome heroes, lovely heroines, oodles of fun, and plenty of romance . . . a typical Lynn Kurland book—beautifully written with an enchanting, entertaining, and just plain wonderful story line.”

  —Romance Reviews Today

  “Montgomery and Pippa were a delightful hero and heroine. Humorous, touching, and full of fun, this tale was really entertaining.”

  —The Romance Dish

  “This latest installment of the de Piaget romance series will not disappoint Ms. Kurland’s fans.”

  —Smexy Books Romance Reviews

  “Readers will be entranced with One Enchanted Evening as much as I was.”

  —A Romance Review

  “Humor is always a big factor in Kurland’s delightful tales, and that holds true for this one. Enchanting!”

  —Romantic Times Book Reviews

  Till There Was You

  “Till There Was You proves Kurland’s mastery of time travel, and has forced this reviewer to impatiently wait and see who she will write about next.”

  —Romance Novel TV

  “A fantastic story that will delight both readers who are familiar with the families and those who aren’t.”

  —Romance Reviews Today (Perfect 10 Award)

  “This is an amusing time-travel romance starring a terrific, fully developed hero whose good intentions, present and past, are devastated by love.”

  —Midwest Book Review

  “One of those feel-good romances that expertly mixes past with present to prove that love endures all things and outlasts almost everything, including time itself. With an eye to detail and deliciously vivid imagery, this paranormal tale of matchmaking comes fully to life . . . Spellbinding and lovely, this is one story readers won’t want to miss.”

  —Romance Reader at Heart

  With Every Breath

  “As always, [Kurland] delivers a delightful read!”

  —Romantic Times (4 stars)

  “Kurland is a skilled enchantress . . . With Every Breath is breathtaking in its magnificent scope, a true invitation to the delights of romance.”

  —Night Owl Romance

  When I Fall in Love

  “Kurland infuses her polished writing with a deliciously dry wit, and her latest time-travel love story is sweetly romantic and thoroughly satisfying.”

  —Booklist

  “The continuation of a wonderful series, this story can also be read alone. It’s an extremely good book.”

  —Affaire de Coeur

  Much Ado in the Moonlight

  “A pure delight.”

  —Huntress Book Reviews

  “A consummate storyteller . . . [Kurland] will keep the reader on the edge of their seat, unable to put the book down until the very last word.”

  —ParaNormal Romance

  “No one melds ghosts and time travel better than the awesome Kurland.”

  —Romantic Times

  Dreams of Stardust

  “Kurland weaves another fabulous read with just the right amounts of laughter, romance, and fantasy.”

  —Affaire de Coeur

  “Kurland crafts some of the most ingenious time-travel romances readers can find . . . wonderfully clever and completely enchanting.”

  —Romantic Times

  A Garden in the Rain

  “Kurland laces her exquisitely romantic, utterly bewitching blend of contemporary romance and time travel with a delectable touch of tart wit, leaving readers savoring every word of this superbly written romance.”

  —Booklist

  “Kurland is clearly one of romance’s finest writers—she consistently delivers the kind of stories readers dream about. Don’t miss this one.”

  —The Oakland Press

  From This Moment On

  “A disarming blend of romance, suspense, and heartwarming humor, this book is romantic comedy at its best.”

  —Publishers Weekly

  “A deftly plotted delight, seasoned with a wonderfully wry sense of humor and graced with endearing, unforgettable characters.”

  —Booklist

  My Heart Stood Still

  “Written with poetic grace and a wickedly subtle sense of humor . . . romance with characters readers will come to care about and a love story they will cherish.”

  —Booklist

  “A totally enchanting tale, sensual and breathtaking.”

  —Rendezvous

  If I Had You

  “Kurland brings history to life . . . in this tender medieval romance.”

  —Booklist

  “A passionate story filled with danger, intrigue, and sparkling dialogue.”

  —Rendezvous

  The More I See You

  “The superlative Ms. Kurland once again wows her readers with her formidable talent as she weaves a tale of enchantment that blends history with spellbinding passion and impressive characterization, not to mention a magnificent plot.”

  —Rendezvous

  Another Chance to Dream

  “Kurland creates a special romance between a memorable knight and his lady.”

  —Publishers Weekly

  The Very Thought of You

  “A masterpiece . . . this fabulous tale will enchant anyone who reads it.”

  —Painted Rock Reviews

  This Is All I Ask

  “An exceptional read.”

  —The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

  “Both powerful and sensitive . . . a wonderfully rich and rewarding book.”

  —Susan Wiggs

  Titles by Lynn Kurland

  STARDUST OF YESTERDAY

  A DANCE THROUGH TIME

  THIS IS ALL I ASK

  THE VERY THOUGHT OF YOU

  ANOTHER CHANCE TO DREAM

  THE MORE I SEE YOU

  IF I HAD YOU

  MY HEART STOOD STILL

  FROM THIS MOMENT ON

  A GARDEN IN THE RAIN

  DREAMS OF STARDUST

  MUCH ADO IN THE MOONLIGHT

  WHEN I FALL IN LOVE

  WITH EVERY BREATH

  TILL THERE WAS YOU

  ONE ENCHANTED EVENING

  ONE MAGIC MO
MENT

  The Novels of the Nine Kingdoms

  STAR OF THE MORNING

  THE MAGE’S DAUGHTER

  PRINCESS OF THE SWORD

  A TAPESTRY OF SPELLS

  SPELLWEAVER

  Anthologies

  THE CHRISTMAS CAT

  (with Julie Beard, Barbara Bretton, and Jo Beverley)

  CHRISTMAS SPIRITS

  (with Casey Claybourne, Elizabeth Bevarly, and Jenny Lykins)

  VEILS OF TIME

  (with Maggie Shayne, Angie Ray, and Ingrid Weaver)

  OPPOSITES ATTRACT

  (with Elizabeth Bevarly, Emily Carmichael, and Elda Minger)

  LOVE CAME JUST IN TIME

  A KNIGHT’S VOW

  (with Patricia Potter, Deborah Simmons, and Glynnis Campbell)

  TAPESTRY

  (with Madeline Hunter, Sherrilyn Kenyon, and Karen Marie Moning)

  TO WEAVE A WEB OF MAGIC

  (with Patricia A. McKillip, Sharon Shinn, and Claire Delacroix)

  THE QUEEN IN WINTER

  (with Sharon Shinn, Claire Delacroix, and Sarah Monette)

  A TIME FOR LOVE

  THE BERKLEY PUBLISHING GROUP

  Published by the Penguin Group

  Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

  375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014, USA

  Penguin Group (Canada), 90 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 700, Toronto, Ontario M4P 2Y3, Canada (a division of Pearson Penguin Canada Inc.)

  Penguin Books Ltd., 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England

  Penguin Group Ireland, 25 St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2, Ireland (a division of Penguin Books Ltd.)

  Penguin Group (Australia), 250 Camberwell Road, Camberwell, Victoria 3124, Australia (a division of Pearson Australia Group Pty. Ltd.)

  Penguin Books India Pvt. Ltd., 11 Community Centre, Panchsheel Park, New Delhi—110 017, India

  Penguin Group (NZ), 67 Apollo Drive, Rosedale, Auckland 0632, New Zealand (a division of Pearson New Zealand Ltd.)

  Penguin Books (South Africa) (Pty.) Ltd., 24 Sturdee Avenue, Rosebank, Johannesburg 2196, South Africa

  Penguin Books Ltd., Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The publisher does not have control over and does not have any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.

  ONE MAGIC MOMENT

  A Jove Book / published by arrangement with Kurland Book Productions, Inc.

  PRINTING HISTORY

  Jove mass-market edition / May 2011

  Copyright © 2011 by Kurland Book Productions, Inc.

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions. For information, address: The Berkley Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.

  eISBN : 978-1-101-51455-9

  JOVE®

  Jove Books are published by The Berkley Publishing Group,

  a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.,

  375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.

  JOVE® is a registered trademark of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

  The “J” design is a trademark of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

  http://us.penguingroup.com

  To my cousin-in-law, H. H.-B., PhD

  Prologue

  CHEVINGTON CASTLE, ENGLAND PRESENT DAY

  The castle was crawling with the past.

  The man stood on the edge of the forest and looked at the keep in front of him, considering the spectacle that greeted his eyes. He was no ghost hunter, to be sure, but even he could bear witness to the paranormal activity going on under his nose. The air was full of the sounds of shouts of men in battle, the whinnies of horses, the ringing of swords. None of it was surprising, given the number of skirmishes the keep had seen over the years. It had sat squarely between London and the Scottish border for centuries, hosted queens and their lovers, been a refuge for noblemen and villains alike.

  And the last had been just the lads in his family.

  It was, or so he’d heard, a favorite destination for all manner of paranormal investigators, which he could easily understand. The bloody place gave him the willies, and he’d been born there.

  Several years ago, as it happened.

  He tucked his hands into the pockets of his very modern though stylishly rustic barn jacket and leaned against an acceptably sturdy tree so he could continue to watch the goings-on and rest his old bones at the same time. Along with the allure it seemed to have for ghost hunters, Chevington also seemed to draw a fair number of reenactment troupes. There was, he would freely admit, ample room on the grounds for the holding of mock tourneys and entertainments, and there were certainly enough otherworldly players milling about to lend the scene a certain air of authenticity.

  The National Trust had taken over the place many years earlier and done a credible job of preserving its history and keeping it from being overrun by nutters in tights. The only slight irritation was that even though he’d trotted out his finest gentlemanly manners, he’d left the old woman manning the ticket booth unwilling to accept his most charming smile as entrance fee. Nay, twelve quid it had been to merely walk over the grounds of his own bloody home.

  Not that he’d lived there in years, of course. How many years was something he’d shared with only a pair of souls, souls he had trusted implicitly. The bulk of his time had been spent on his private business: popping in here and there; dashing back out when things became tedious; living a life he never could have imagined in his youth—

  He frowned as something unusual caught his eye—and considering where he was, that was saying something indeed. The living history enthusiasts were dressed in their usual garb, doing their usual things, save one lad who seemed to hold himself aloof and apart, pacing along the ridge of an earthen bulwark as if he had done the same many times before. The lad wasn’t overly tall and his hood obscured all but a flash of fair hair, but still, there was something about the way he moved that seemed familiar somehow.

  The old man blinked, but the hooded figure had suddenly disappeared into the crowd and thereby become lost to his view. He frowned thoughtfully. He had returned to England because he’d felt—how to put it?—as if Fate had been tapping him on the shoulder, then pointing to where he should be looking. He scanned the group in front of him again for possible clues, then shook his head slowly. Perhaps age had rendered him foolish and imaginative. Obviously he needed a bit of a rest. Perhaps he would indulge in a restorative weekender in the south of France where he would find superior fare to ingest and beautiful women to admire. Aye, that was just the thing for him.

  Besides, what was there left for him to do in damp, chilly England? He’d put into motion all the things he could and watched as a fortuitous circumstance or two had done what he could not. All that was left for him to do was wait and see how Fate carried on.

  Of course, he wasn’t above sticking a pole in her spokes, as it were, to put her off her course and onto his if necessary, but he didn’t imagine there was a need for that quite yet.

  He saw again that flash of blond hair, which bothered him. He almost considered marching off into the fray, as it were, but good sense prevailed. Many Englishmen had fair hair and many others a fondness for the history of their ancestors. There was nothing unusual about the sight.

  Which didn’t explain why the hair on the back of his neck was standing up, but perhaps he could consider that later, when he wasn’t standing out in a light drizzle that had quite suddenly turned into a bit of sleeting rain that stung where it struck
his cheeks.

  He turned his collar up against the weather. Perhaps he would follow the instinct that had brought him to England and put off his holiday in order to do a little snooping in the current environs. He ignored an intense desire for a proper afternoon’s tea and a hot fire and kept his attention on what was in front of him. He could safely say that he wasn’t orchestrating the affairs of those around him for merely altruistic reasons.

  His life, as it happened, depended on it.

  Chapter 1

  SEDGWICK CASTLE, ENGLAND PRESENT DAY