Belmary House Book Two (19 page)

“Yes, I’m sure everyone who’s ever accidentally fallen through one agrees with you,” Liam said.

“My turn,” she said, before Ashford could get outraged.

She took the knife and wiped it on the underside of her skirt, wishing she had an alcohol swab. Liam was from her time, didn’t he worry about germs or diseases? Liam patted his jacket, digging in his pockets until he produced a tiny flask.

“Here you are. Whisky.” She shook a few drops onto the blade and he laughed. “I meant for courage, but that will work as well.”

With a shrug, she took a swig, coughing at the burn, then quickly swiped the knife across her skin. It was sharp enough not to cause too much pain, but the blood that welled up made her sway. Ashford grabbed her arm to let the drops fall with the others, then pressed a handkerchief to the small cut. She nodded gratefully to let him know she was all right, and stiffened her spine.

Liam looked sternly at both of them. “Miss Jacobs, if you find yourself alone after the spell, stay put. I’ll come back for you right away. Lord Ashford, keep a tight hold on her, and both of you concentrate.”

“On what?” she asked, glad she sounded stronger than she felt.

“On the time you came from. On the time you want to end up.”

Ashford grimaced as if he knew what came next, and at her inquisitive look, told her, “Camilla used this spell on occasion. It’s not very dignified.”

“I’m going to say the incantation now,” Liam said, ignoring him. “One of you can sing. Anything will do.”

“By all means, Matilda, please go ahead,” Ashford said, looking like he’d kiss Liam before he’d start singing.

Her mind went blank of any song she ever knew and she hummed randomly until Amazing Grace took form, her voice coming out high and wavering. Liam said a string of words she didn’t understand and Ashford held her hand in a bone crushing grip.

Amazingly, the herbs that Liam had spread out in the cleared circle slowly faded away in her vision until it appeared she stared into a swirling hole in the ground.

Oh, hell no, she thought, heart racing a thousand miles a minute as she imagined herself being sucked into the hole. It might have been her extreme terror, or it might have been the spell working, but she lost the sensation of Ashford holding her hand. Before she could scream, everything went black.

She found herself flat on her back, awakening to a vague humming sound, something familiar but far away. Struggling to open her heavy lids, she stared up through the trees. As the branches waved and parted in the wind, she saw a long trail of puffy white, leading her eyes to an airplane passing by.

They’d done it. She scrambled to her knees and found Ashford a few feet away pinching the bridge of his nose as if to drive away a headache. She herself felt fine, invigorated even, and her heart, which had been pounding out of fear, now beat with excitement that the spell had worked.

“Look,” she said, pointing to the rapidly disappearing plane. “We made it.”

Ashford smiled ruefully and wiped tears from her cheeks. She hadn’t realized she was crying and shook her head, laughing instead. He wrapped his arms around her.

“It appears so, yes,” was all he said as he held her close.

Liam cleared his throat. “Let’s get to civilization and find out the exact date before we celebrate, but if we all made it, I feel confident we also got to the right time. I’m pretty good at this, after all.”

Ashford scowled at his boasting, but went back to smiling down on her. “Are you happy now it’s real?” he asked quietly.

She stood up, pulling him up with her, eager to see the village in modern times. “I’m taking a shower until the hot water runs out,” she said. “I’m going to keep the tv on all night— oh my gosh, we need to find a phone so I can call my mother.”

“What else do you want, my dear?” Ashford asked.

They began their trudge toward the village and she thought about it. As much as she was glad to be back in her own time, it was the kind of excitement one got when they went on an exotic vacation and wanted to do all the new and glamorous things, fully knowing they’d be even happier when they got back home at the end of it.

She knew in her heart the moment she heard the airplane that this was no longer her home. She’d take full advantage of everything it offered, that went without saying, but she knew with certainty that she’d have no trouble saying goodbye to any of it when Ashford returned to his time. Wherever and whenever Ashford was, that was her home now. She would find a way to convince him she meant it, and refuse to let him go back without her.

“I want a big, greasy hamburger,” she said. “And I’m going to stock up on aspirin and vitamins, too, while we’re here.”

Ashford turned to Liam, his warm smile replaced with an especially harsh look. “You say you have currency for this time?”

Liam nodded. “Yes, plenty. It’s all Monopoly money to me, so get whatever you like.”

“I shall repay you, of course,” Ashford said grudgingly.

“Of course,” Liam said, rolling his eyes toward Tilly.

She scowled at him to show solidarity to Ashford, but it was a mild one and she gave him a quick smile afterward.

“We’re going to cause a ruckus in the village, aren’t we?” she asked, holding out her skirts. “Shouldn’t we think of a cover story for our clothes?”

She looked hopefully at Ashford, the master liar, thinking he’d come up with something outlandish but at least somewhat believable, being used to ending up in different times with the wrong clothes on.

“I’ve learned that people care less than you think,” Liam piped up. “But the great thing about Castle on Hill in this time is that there’s a historical camp right here on Glen land. They act out living in the eighteenth century and walk around in costume all the time. We’re not exactly right, but we won’t be too out of place to the casual observer.”

“She turned it into a circus,” Ashford said, referring to the American heiress who now owned the castle.

“I think it sounds fun,” Tilly said.

Ashford squeezed her hand and strode forward to walk beside Liam. She hung back, hoping a fight wouldn’t break out. She didn’t mind Liam. So far he’d done what he said he would, and they hadn’t walked into an ambush. Yet, anyway.

She hummed quietly to herself and tried to find more visible signs that she was back, but the timeless trees could have been in any century, and she’d have to wait until they reached the road to catch a glimpse of more modern marvels. All her excitement faded away to anxiety the closer they got and she found herself walking more slowly, drifting further away from Ashford and Liam while she thought things over.

What in heaven’s name was she going to tell her mother? No one she knew would believe she was making the right decision in staying with Ashford, and her family could be cantankerous in their opinions. She smiled at Ashford’s back, feeling stronger just by laying eyes on him. Surely everyone would see how much she loved him. As hard as it would be to say goodbye to them, it would be harder— impossible to say it to Ashford.

***

Ashford took Liam by the elbow and hurried him along, trying to put some distance between them and Matilda so he could speak without her overhearing. The happiness he’d seen in her eyes as she showed him the airplane hurt more than he cared to admit, mixed as it was with the relief that he hadn’t failed her after all. For better or for worse, she was home.

For him, it was definitely worse. He’d expected it to be painful, as he’d grown to feel she was a part of his life, a part of him. He’d told himself that the pain would be short-lived and he’d have to get over it for her sake. But now he was faced with truly losing her, he wanted to shake down all the trees that surrounded them and lie pathetically in the torn up roots, uncertain he could carry on as he’d planned.

“Thank you for returning Matilda to her own time,” he said stiffly to Liam, glancing over his shoulder to see his lovely girl several yards behind them, looking in every direction and humming to herself like the angel she was.

“Certainly. I’m always glad to help a fellow traveler,” he said with a shrug. “You don’t look all that happy to be here, though.”

Ashford rubbed his hand over his face, trying to forcibly erase the frown he feared would be permanently etched there when everything was done. Matilda aside, he wasn’t happy to be there. Solomon Wodge had control over his house, which made his skin crawl with rage, and he still had no feasible hope of helping Kostya.

“I’ve a favor to ask of you. Really it’s more of a demand, I’m afraid,” he said quietly, even though Matilda was far behind them now and clearly lost in her own thoughts.

He pushed down the bitterness that welled up in his gut. He should be glad to see her so happy, but it stung just how happy she seemed. Would she remember him at all? He shook his head. Of course he didn’t want her to be miserable, thinking of their times together. It would be better if she got over him quickly, even if he wallowed in heartache for the rest of his life.

“Ask away,” Liam said. “I’ll be forever indebted to you for helping me reach my son.”

The man’s hearty good attitude about everything worked Ashford’s nerves, and he clenched and unclenched his fists at the mention of Solomon.

“First of all, Matilda isn’t a fellow traveler. She came through quite by accident.”

Liam looked over his shoulder. “Perhaps, but it seems as though she’s been doing it her whole life. Like a fish to water, that one. You’re lucky to have found her. My wife and I had some amazing times together, flitting about the ages.”

“Yes, and how did that end?” Ashford asked, not needing Matilda to frown at him to know he was being cruel.

Liam’s entire body slumped with his demeanor, but he nodded slowly, seeming to grasp Ashford’s point.

“I don’t want that for Matilda. She’s enamored of it now, but what happens if she becomes seriously ill? What if she becomes the target of some madman, or falls under the scrutiny of the Povests? You know she wants to go fight them herself?”

Liam flinched, nodding some more. “Poor thing. They’re always so brave when they don’t know.”

“Yes, and I don’t want her knowing. I won’t have her marvelous spirit broken by that lot.”

He trudged along in silence, knowing he had to convince Liam before they made it to the road. Matilda would surely catch up with them then, to dance coltishly around at the sight of the automobiles.

God, how could he give her up? Taking a breath against the searing pain in his chest, he carried on his argument.

“As cold as this sounds, I have the damn title to contend with, the house needs future owners to carry on protecting against the curse. I have land and people who depend on me.” He lowered his voice further, feeling like the most despicable cad. “As much as I may want to, I can’t—” he found the words wouldn’t fit through his closed up throat.

Society wouldn’t allow him to marry her, and the thought of taking a wife he didn’t love while making Matilda his mistress nauseated him. She wouldn’t stand for such a thing, and it would kill him to betray her so. Liam and Matilda were from this freer time, and Americans to boot. They couldn’t possibly understand his position, not when he himself hated everything about it at the moment.

“First and foremost she needs to be safe, and that means out of this life. You know it yourself,” he all but pleaded with Liam. “I can’t stop, but she can. She can have a normal life, have children, be happy with someone else.” He nearly doubled over at the thought, but forced himself to keep moving forward, as he had always done.

“What do you want me to do?” Liam asked, after staring at him for a long time, his face mixed with pity and perhaps his own regret.

“I’ll get you in the same room with your son, as you asked. God help you, for what comes after that, but that’s your own problem.”

“Yes, indeed it is,” Liam said sadly. “I know you have no faith, and I must admit I have very little. But I have to make things right.”

“After that, I want you to get me back to 1814 and close up the Belmary House portal in this time, so Matilda can’t try to step through it on her own, brave and foolish as she is.” His voice broke and he angrily wiped his eyes.

“I’m not sure I agree with you,” Liam said, clapping him on the shoulder. “But I understand wanting to protect the woman you love.”

Ashford grumbled, irritated at having to show his feelings to someone he didn’t completely trust. “There’s another woman trapped here as well. I’d like you to try and get her to her own time if you can.”

“Piece of cake,” he boomed.

“Oh, cake, good idea” Matilda said, scurrying to catch up with them. The road was in sight. “We can have that after the burgers.” She turned to him and her eyes widened. “Are you all right, Julian?”

He smiled down at her, trying not to feel the ache that already filled him at the thought of being without her. He still had some time, all he could do was try and enjoy it.

“A bit of a headache from the spell is all,” he said. “And the pollution in this time is horrendous. You and your automobiles, destroying the air.”

She took a deep breath and linked her arm with his. “All I smell are pine trees, but I guess your nose is better than mine, since I’ve been ruined from all my years in this heathen time.”