by Cathy Peper
Tori had explained to him that Ari worked as a tour guide, showing people around the old homes still standing in Ste. Genevieve. What would he do if they traveled to the future? Become a tour guide as well? Thanks to overhunting and the steamboat, his days of trapping and operating a keelboat were limited, but he had other nineteenth-century skills. What could he do in the twenty-first?
“Want to sit on the roof and watch the river go by.”
“I guess.”
Sebastien boosted her up on the roof. “When the boat is working, I sit here and search for sunken logs or anything that might cause a problem with the boat.”
“That’s cool, but it’s kind of boring now.”
Sebastien sighed. Looking after Hannah might prove more difficult than he expected. “Let’s join Aunt Tori.” He jumped down and reached for Hannah. As his hands closed around her waist, he heard the boom of a rifle and a bullet zoomed over their heads. “Everybody down!” he yelled, swinging the girl to the ground and covering her with his body. Unable to float, they were sitting ducks for river pirates even though they were on their way upriver. Even without cargo, the boat itself was valuable, or it would be without the earthquake damage.
The door to the cabin area swung open. “Sebastien!” Tori called. She stepped out on the deck.
“Don’t come out,” he yelled, scooping Hannah up in one arm as he ran towards Tori. “We’re under fire.” He pushed her back into the safety of the covered section.
“So I heard,” Tori said, her words muffled as he pressed her head against his chest.
“Then why were you coming out?”
“To see if you were all right.”
“The shot went wild.” And none other had been forthcoming, which was unusual if river pirates were responsible.
His second in command, with Roger away, crawled up to their position. “A boat passed a few minutes earlier. We think the shot came from there.”
“Pirates?”
“Not unless the boat is stolen. Nothing suspicious about it.”
“I suppose I should go investigate.”
“No, it’s too dangerous.”
“We can’t just sit around waiting for them to ambush us.”
“Sebastien!” Ari’s voice came from shore. “We heard a gunshot. Is everyone all right?”
Sebastien left the shadow of the cabin and walked over to the gangplank. “We’re fine. Hannah is fine. It might have been an accident, but we need to investigate. Want to go with me, Bryce?”
“Sure.”
Sebastien hadn’t really expected Bryce to decline; he’d given him little choice if the other man wanted to save face with Ari, but he was surprised by Bryce’s cool demeanor as they approached the other boat.
“What’s the plan?”
“We get as close as we can from the shelter of the woods. Call out, ask them what the hell is going on.”
The men still poled the other boat, but Sebastien and Bryce soon drew even with it. Bryce peered around a tree. “There’s a man and woman on deck. They appear to be arguing. I don’t think they’re pirates.”
Sebastien detected a hint of strain in his voice. “Do you recognize them?”
“Impossible to say at this distance.”
“No gun?”
“Not that I can see.”
Sebastien stepped from the brush, but kept some distance between him and the river. “Someone took a shot at us,” he yelled. “Seemed to come from this boat. Want to explain yourselves?”
The woman turned to face him. “I’m so sorry. He was teaching me to shoot and the gun just went off. I hope no one was hurt.” She had a Southern accent and her clothes appeared well made, although nothing fancy.
“No harm was done,” Sebastien said. “But you need to be more careful in the future.” He heard Bryce’s footsteps behind him. The woman’s gaze left Sebastien and focused behind him.
“Oh dear,” she said softly and fainted dead away.
* * *
Sebastien, ever the gentleman, darted towards the boat when he saw the woman faint, although there was no way he could reach her from shore. Bryce lagged behind. His eyes had not fooled him. Contrary to all expectations, the man aboard the boat was his father, Gordon Poole, and the woman was his former betrothed, Olivia. What the hell were they doing here?
Gordon managed to catch Olivia before her head hit the deck, but instead of attending to her, he left her laying there and stalked to the side. “I see the prodigal returns.”
“Good evening, Father. I haven’t exactly returned. Rather, it appears you have sought me out.”
“Did you expect me to let my only son disappear? Besides, there is the matter of some missing candlesticks.”
Bryce smirked. “Can’t help you there. You must have misplaced them.”
“You know this man?” Sebastien asked.
“Sorry, where are my manners? Sebastien, this is my father, Gordon Poole. Father, meet Sebastien La Roche, my soon-to-be brother-in-law.”
“Soon-to-be?” Gordon pounced. “What happened to the girl you claimed to be in love with? The one you gave up everything for?”
“She is the same girl.”
Gordon raised a brow. “You left four years ago. Why the delay?”
“It’s a long story, Father. I am more interested in recent events like why you and Olivia are here.”
The mention of Olivia seemed to trigger Gordon’s guilt over abandoning her. He glanced over his shoulder at where she still lay on the deck. “It was quite a shock, seeing you step out of the woods. We thought you were dead.” He walked over to the prone woman, took a handkerchief from his pocket and waved it in front of her face. She stirred and he helped her to a sitting position.
“Why would you think I was dead?”
“We passed the Revenge on the way up the river. Your first mate hasn’t seen or heard from you in weeks.”
Damn, he hadn’t prepared the Revenge for his disappearance. Part of him had never really expected it to work, and when it had, it had been rather sudden. “I intended to send him instructions, but we lost our, um, horses in the latest quake and we were trying to catch up with Sebastien. Must have slipped my mind.”
“Right. Now that you’re here, why not come aboard? Mr. La Roche can go back to his boat.”
Sebastien crossed his arms over his chest. “I think I deserve a better explanation about why you shot at me. After all, we are nearly family.”
Gordon narrowed his eyes at Sebastien but gave a curt nod. “Very well, you are welcome too.” He directed the captain to tie up and set out the gangplank. By the time Bryce and Sebastien stepped onto the deck, Olivia had regained her feet and her color.
“You need not come with us,” Gordon said. “Why don’t you go rest in the cabin?”
“Oh, I wouldn’t miss this for the world,” Olivia said, shooting Bryce a hostile look.
Bryce took it in stride; he deserved it after jilting her. But what on earth was she doing here, traveling with his father? He hoped she didn’t still hope to marry him.
“Very well, we might as well make use of the cabin, then,” Gordon said. He led them to the best quarters, usually reserved for the captain. It was crowded in the small space. Olivia sat on the bunk, Gordon took one of the chairs, and Bryce gestured for Sebastien to take the other. He would stand. No one spoke while Gordon poured them each a generous portion of whiskey. Olivia still oozed hostility and Sebastien appeared wary. As usual, he couldn’t read his father.
“I already apologized for shooting at you. It was a mistake and I’m truly sorry,” Olivia said.
“Was it?” Sebastien asked, staring directly at her.
Olivia’s gaze dropped to the floor. “Yes, I would never want to hurt anyone.”
“I don’t think you would,” Sebastien said, his voice a bit softer. “But I don’t believe you fired the shot.”
She looked up, blotchy red patches creeping along her cheeks. “I said I did.”
“I t
hink you were protecting someone.” Sebastien’s attention turned towards Gordon.
“And why would I shoot at you, Mr. La Roche?” Gordon pulled a pipe from his pocket and a tin of tobacco from the center desk drawer. He spooned tobacco into the pipe’s bowl as he waited for Sebastien to respond.
“If you were aiming for me, you’re not a very good shot,” Sebastien said. “But it may have been a warning.”
“A warning of what?”
“I don’t know.”
“Rest assured, Mr. La Roche, if I wanted you dead, you’d be dead.”
Bryce had gone shooting with his father a few times. Gordon was a decent shot. More importantly, his father wielded considerable influence and tended to get his own way. Killing Sebastien would not be beyond him, although it was unlikely he would do the deed himself. But why? Gordon had come west to find him. After talking to Claude he probably learned of Sebastien’s connection to Bryce. “You thought Sebastien had something to do with my disappearance.”
“He was one of the last people to see you alive.”
“So you shot at him?”
“I never said that.”
Bryce took a deep swallow of the whiskey and paced the small length of the room. This was the danger his journey to the future had wrought upon Ari’s brother. But now that Gordon knew Bryce was alive, that danger should pass. He and Ari would be free to go back. “Well, now that you know I’m alive and well, there is no need for either of you to shoot at Sebastien. We can continue on our way and you can go home.” He frowned. He still didn’t understand why Olivia was here. “I’m sorry, Olivia, but I can’t marry you. Circumstances have delayed my marriage to Ari, but I will marry her.” If she will have me.
Olivia’s eyes grew wide. “You think I chased you all this way to try and force you to marry me? Don’t worry about that. I am already married.”
Bryce smiled, some of his guilt over jilting her dissipating. “I am pleased to hear it.”
“In fact,” she said, grabbing Gordon’s hand. “I am your stepmother.”
Bryce’s temporary respite from guilt fled. They were married. How else could Olivia travel with him and still keep her reputation? His rejection of her four years ago had forced her into marriage with his father. No wonder she hated him.
Chapter 22
Sebastien left Bryce to settle things with his father and returned to the Fury. Tori and Ari waited for him and when Ari saw that he was alone, she grew pale.
“Where’s Bryce?”
“He is unharmed. They invited us aboard and he’s still talking to them.”
Tori put her hands on her hips. “Why invite you aboard after shooting at you?”
“Let’s move in by the stove. This might take a while.”
They gathered around the table and Ari gave Hannah a package filled with orange crackers. “Spill,” she said.
It was strange to hear his sister speak in a manner similar to Tori. “The boat is rented by Bryce’s father. He came looking for him.”
“Bryce said his father disowned him when he refused to go ahead with an arranged marriage, wanting to marry me instead.”
“I think he had second thoughts.”
“Is he taking Bryce back? What about me? What about Hannah? Does he even know about Hannah?” Ari’s voice sounded strained.
Tori put an arm around his sister. “Ari, I’m sure Bryce isn’t going to abandon you.”
“He told his father he still planned to marry you,” Sebastien assured his sister. “Nothing was said about Hannah while I was there.”
“Why did they shoot at us?” Tori asked.
“Mr. Poole never admitted to the shooting, but he knew Bryce was missing and suspected I had something to do with it.”
“Shoot first and ask questions later?” Ari asked.
“The shot went way over my head and now that he knows Bryce is alive, there should be no more danger from that quarter.”
Tori harrumphed and didn’t look as though she was willing to forgive and forget so easily.
“This is the danger Bryce initiated when he disappeared into the future. Poole wanted revenge on whoever hurt his son and had you not come back, he might well have killed me. But there is nothing keeping you here now,” Sebastien said.
Ari glanced over at Hannah. “I’m sure Tori has told you a lot about the future. It’s much better there in so many ways.”
“Talking boxes, miracle medicine, horseless carriages and even contraptions that fly. Yes, the future seems wonderful, but you were born in this century. You belong here and I want you to stay.”
“It’s more than that. There are opportunities for women. Hannah was born in the twenty-first century and she would be better off at home. We don’t have to be separated, however, you and Tori can come with us.”
Sebastien swallowed. Tori had given up a lot to be with him. This was her chance to take it back. He shouldn’t keep her from it, but he didn’t want to go. “There are people who depend on me. The crew of the Fury. Our stepmother.”
“Martha! Don’t tell me you still support her. Not after what she did to me.”
“I give her a stipend out of respect for our father, not because she deserves it.”
“I won’t lose a moment’s sleep over leaving her high and dry. The crew can get other jobs.”
“We wouldn’t have to worry about the baby,” Tori added.
What could he say to that? He could hardly admit he was afraid to travel to such a strange realm. “I had an idea. Although I think the danger is gone, we could go ahead and get married in Ste. Genevieve and not wait until we get to St. Louis.”
“That should recreate the wedding certificate.” Ari stood and helped herself to some whiskey. “It wouldn’t guarantee your safety, however.”
“There’s no way to do that, not now or in the future.”
“Agreed, but I like the idea. However, we aren’t going anywhere until the boat is repaired,” said Tori.
“Roger should be back any day.”
“Will you wait and celebrate our wedding with us before returning to the twenty-first century?” Tori asked.
“Aren’t you coming back with us?” asked Ari.
“I don’t think Sebastien thinks it’s a good idea.”
“I’m still considering our options.” He looked over at his sister. “Are you in a hurry to get back?”
“Well, I do have a life and a job there. Or at least I did. I’ve used all my vacation time so they might have fired me. Of course, if Bryce’s father is willing to bring him back into the family business, Bryce might have changed his mind about returning to the future.”
“Then it’s a plan,” Sebastien said. “We will wait until we get to Ste. Genevieve before making any final decisions. You and I can get reacquainted while Bryce does the same with his father.” It would also give him time to get used to the idea of living in the future.
“I will have to double check with Bryce,” Ari said, “But it sounds good to me.” She tossed back the rest of her drink and stood. “It’s been a long day. I think Hannah and I should turn in.”
“I don’t want to go to bed,” Hannah whined as her mother took her hand. “I want to go home.”
“Home? We only just met up with Uncle Sebastien and Aunt Tori. Don’t you want to spend more time with them?”
“I guess, but why doesn’t anyone here have a TV?” She was still muttering to her mother as they disappeared from view.
“It’s strange seeing Ari as a mother, even though she was pregnant when she disappeared.”
“She’s a great mom. I only hope I’ll be as good.”
“We can go back if you want.” He couldn’t deny her anything.
“It would be easier, but also complicated. Let’s think it over. If there’s one thing I’ve learned about time travel, it’s that it’s unpredictable.”
Sebastien cleaned up the remnants of their drinks. “We had best get to bed ourselves. You are supposed to be resting.” As thr
illed as he was to see Ari again, he wished the blue necklace had not come back into their lives.
* * *
Hannah lay snuggled next to her mom on the hard ground of her tent. Sleep tugged at her as the warmth of her mom’s body seeped into her, chasing away the cold. Her dad had not returned from the other boat and this worried her, but for almost her whole life, it had just been her and her mom and she felt safe in her mom’s arms. Still, she couldn’t sleep for another worry nagged at her.
Hannah often listened to adult conversations. As an only child, she listened to her mother, who rarely invited anyone over, but sometimes talked on the phone. At daycare, when she wasn’t playing with the other kids, she eavesdropped on the teachers’ conversations. Adults tended not to notice kids and often spoke as if they weren’t there. As she ate her Goldfish, she’d listened to her mother talking to Uncle Sebastien and Aunt Tori and understood that the decisions they made would affect her.
She wanted to go home. It had been an adventure at first, traveling in the ATV, and camping under the stars with her newly discovered dad. But now she wanted to go back to her warm house, sleep in a real bed, watch TV and tell her friends about the earthquake and how she now had a father, too. She had missed Aunt Tori and hoped she and Uncle Sebastien came with them, but one way or the other, she wanted to be back where everything was familiar and comfortable.
Uncle Sebastien wanted her mom to stay. And her mom was thinking about it! Hannah didn’t want to live on this stupid boat or in a tent in the woods, especially now that the ATV was gone.
Her mother breathed evenly beside her. She was asleep. Despite her protests, Hannah wanted to go to sleep, too, but she couldn’t. Her mom would listen to her dad. Sure, they yelled at each other sometimes and didn’t always do what the other wanted, but they did listen to each other. She needed to talk to her dad and make sure he still wanted to go home. But it seemed he had finally found his dad, which might make him want to stay.
Hannah slipped from her blankets, careful not to wake her mother. She pulled her coat over her pajamas and put on her shoes. She hadn’t learned to tie yet, but her shoes had Velcro straps so that wasn’t a problem. Trying not to make any noise, she inched the entry zipper up and climbed out of the tent. She held her breath, but her mother didn’t stir. She pulled the zipper closed and darted into the trees.
