His hands moistened, anticipating his father’s reaction. Yet he was also fearful of how his father would take the news.
“Father, I believe it was Lady Agnes…the very lady you told Edward not to propose to until…later.”
His father’s eyes bulged as his face grew red with anger. “You believe?” His voice rose as he stood and glared at his son. “Are you saying you do not know for certain the identity of this lady?”
Andrew frowned. “No, I do not know, but I assume—”
“You are going to slander a lady’s name and possibly her reputation just because you assume?” His voice turned louder.
Andrew gritted his teeth and held his temper. He hated when his father did this to him. Edward was always the son who could do no wrong—in their father’s eyes. And Andrew was fed up with being treated as if his opinion didn’t matter.
Instead of backing down from the conversation as he’d always done when his father was this irate, Andrew squared his shoulders and glared back at his father. “Yes, I would slander her name and possibly her reputation, especially if it meant getting some answers to why Halle was kidnapped.” He took a deep breath. “Keep in mind that if Halle hadn’t been there with Georgiana, those men could have taken your daughter instead!”
His father narrowed his stare on Andrew; red blotches still covering his face and neck. Andrew waited for his father to say something, but the older man was quiet as he kept his attention on him.
Finally his father nodded. “What did Edward have to say about all of this?”
“Edward denied knowing Halle was in the cottage…until I found her in a cold and darkened room. I must admit, my brother looked shocked to see her there, so I honestly don’t believe he knew anything about it. Edward arrived just before I did.”
“And what of his lady friend? Was she there?”
“No. Edward mentioned she hadn’t arrived.” He took a deep breath. “But father, it’s too coincidental that Halle was there the very same time Edward was going to meet his lady friend.”
The older man shook his head. “We also cannot jump to conclusions and point a guilty finger without knowing for certain.”
“Yes, but—”
“No buts, Andrew,” his father clipped. “There will not be another mention about Edward’s lady friend. He will need to speak with her to see if she knows anything.”
“Then will you ask him to speak with her?” Andrew questioned. “My brother doesn’t listen to me.”
“Yes, I will have a talk with him.”
He glanced back at Halle who sighed with relief. He, too, felt a little more relieved, but he still needed to speak to his father about the other thing…about the treasure and the tree. Sighing heavily, he looked back at his father. The older man had moved away from Andrew and stood at the window.
“Father? I need to talk with you…in private.”
His sire didn’t move, but only turned his head to peer at him. “About what?”
“Other business…that relates to the threats being made against our family.”
His father switched his attention to Andrew’s mother and gave her a nod. She stood, along with Halle. She gave him a small smile as she followed his mother out of the room, closing the door behind them.
“Pray tell, what was so important you had to speak with me alone?” His father sauntered back to his chair and sat, resting his arms on the armrest as he drummed his fingers against the wood.
“How could other people who are not in our family know about the ancient treasure we’ve had in our possession for so many years?”
His father shook his head. “I don’t know, son. But even my father and his father before him were threatened. Somehow this information gets out.”
“What did my grandfather do to stop these men?” Andrew moved to the sofa and sat, facing his father.
“I was just a lad when it happened. All I know is my father took care of things.”
“Unfortunately grandfather isn’t here to tell us how to stop these madmen, so we need to do it ourselves. Father, they are going to try and kill us, are you aware of that?”
His father’s bushy brows creased as a frown tugged at his mouth. “Why do you say this? What have you heard?”
Closing his eyes, Andrew rubbed his forehead. How could he tell his father…without actually telling him? Indeed, this was not going to be an easy conversation. He exhaled slowly and looked at his father. “Because I know. I’d rather not tell you how exactly I know, but one day a mob will march onto our lands and try to burn our house. They will kill most of us.”
Andrew waited for his father’s expression that would be laced with pity for having a son insane. Yet, the longer he waited in silence, nothing happened as he’d figured.
“I will repeat my question,” his father said. “How do you know?”
There was no other way. Andrew must confess… “Because I know about the tree.”
Finally, he received a different expression from his father, but it was one he hadn’t planned on. The other man’s eyes widened and his throat jumped as if he’d taken a hard swallow.
“What do you know about the tree?”
Running his fingers through his hair, Andrew took a deep breath. “I know it’s not a normal tree. I know it’s a device for people to…” Good grief, he couldn’t say it. But he had to…
“To what?”
“To travel to another time,” he answered in a low voice.
His father’s eyes widened even more and he leaned back, steepling his fingers under his chin. The man’s eyes never left Andrew’s. This was how his father acted for the next several…very long and annoying…seconds. Andrew wanted to shake the man…or say something, but he waited—again—for his parent to speak first.
“How do you know?” his father finally asked in a calm voice.
Andrew breathed a little easier. Apparently his father did know about the tree as Halle had suggested. “Because that is how Halle came to be here.”
Once again, his father appeared shocked as he rapidly blinked his wide eyes. “Miss Chapman? She is not from our time?”
“No, she is from the future. But Father,” he leaned closer and placed his hand on his father’s knee, “apparently I go forward in time to when she is alive, because you send me there the day our home gets attacked and our family dies.”
The older man slapped a hand over his mouth and jumped to his feet. He paced the small area between his chair and the window. “Let me understand this correctly. On the day we are attacked, I send you to the tree.”
“Correct. I think you did that because you thought I could try and stop us from being attacked somehow.”
“And you travel forward in time to Miss Chapman?”
“Correct again.”
He stopped and looked at Andrew. “So then how did she get here?”
Andrew scrambled his mind, trying to remember if she ever told him, but he came up blank. “She never mentioned how she came here…just that she did, and it was through the tree. She thought she was sent to our time so she could help us to protect ourselves from those who attack us.”
“Oh, Andrew…Andrew…” he muttered and shook his head, resuming his pacing. “You don’t understand. Miss Chapman doesn’t understand, either.” His sire stopped and faced him. “We cannot alter time. It is impossible.”
Andrew’s heart sank and worry clenched his chest so hard it hurt to breathe. No! His father couldn’t be right. There must be a way to change history. “But…” He shook his head. “The kidnapping. Halle told me that originally it was Georgiana who was kidnapped. So didn’t we just change history?”
“Not really, son, because there was still a kidnapping.”
Growling, Andrew rose from the sofa and raked both hands through his hair, massaging his scalp. “No…no. Father, I cannot believe. I will not accept that. If we can’t alter time, then why was Halle sent here?”
His father stopped his pacing and faced his son. “What
are your feelings for this woman?”
Andrew chuckled, although humor was not the emotion. But thinking about his feelings for Halle made his mind whirl…and his heart melt. “When I first met her, I felt connected to her somehow. The more I talked with her, the more interested I became because I knew she was different from most women. But now that I know what a kind, giving, and selfless woman she is, I cannot help but have feelings of love for her.”
“Is this the reason you’re so determined to change history?”
“Yes, and because I don’t want my family killed.”
The older man released a deep sigh as sadness etched his expression. “How I wish I were wrong, but I’m not. There is no way to change history.”
“But, what if you are wrong?”
“I’m not.”
“How do you know?” Andrew raised his voice in frustration.
Sighing, his father shook his head. “My older brother was in a terrible accident when he was returning from one of society’s functions. The carriage accident killed him.”
Andrew nodded. “I remember you telling me that story.”
“My father never got over the heartache…and confusion. There was no reason for my brother’s carriage to careen out of control down a hillside and plummet into a ravine. So one day my father decided to do something about it. Father knew about the tree…that’s how I was told. Father’s plan was to go back in time and fix things.” He frowned. “It never happened.” He placed his hand on Andrew’s arm. “If our family is to perish, then our fate rests in God’s hands.”
Andrew’s head pounded so hard that it churned his stomach. Frustration built inside, and he wanted to scream. “Do you expect me to just stand around and do nothing? Forgive me Father, but I cannot do that. I must stop this somehow.”
Ending the conversation, he marched out of the room, slamming the door behind him. With every step he took toward his bed chambers, his heart ached that much harder.
There was no way he could give up. Ever!
* * * *
Andrew was suspiciously absent from the evening meal, which worried Halle. But Edward wasn’t. In fact, he looked so chipper she wanted to slap the smile off his face—in front of his family, no less.
The stress of the day had exhausted her mentally and physically, yet she didn’t want to retire for bed too soon. There was still a lot that had to be accomplished first. Too many people to talk with…and too many questions needing answers.
But before she could make any plans, she had to talk to Andrew, which meant canceling her time with Georgiana tonight.
Once the meal was finished, she explained to the young girl how today’s adventure had taken its toll on her energy level and she wanted to retire for bed. Thankfully, Georgiana said she was exhausted as well.
Halle said good night to everyone then hurried up toward her room, but then quickly detoured down the other hallway to Andrew’s. She knocked softly and whispered, “Andrew? It’s me.”
Within seconds footsteps resounded on the floor mere moments before the door was opened. Andrew grasped her hand and yanked her inside, closing the door behind them. He looked…terrible. He wore only his white shirt—minus the collar—and it was wrinkled as if he’d been sleeping in it. He wore his trousers, but no socks or shoes. And his hair was messed and sticking up in places.
Lines marred his forehead, around his eyes and mouth. Why was he holed up in here by himself instead of coming to talk to her?
“Oh, Andrew. I just had to come see you—”
Immediately, his arms wrapped around her and he buried his face in her neck. She gasped, but just as soon as the surprise from his quick movement, she sighed and held him tight, closing her eyes. “We are in this together. Don’t forget that.”
He withdrew only enough to look into her eyes. “Then it’s just the two of us. My father will not do anything to help. He doesn’t believe we can change the past…or in this case, the future.”
“I’m assuming he did know about the tree?”
“He knows, but he doesn’t believe we can change the future.”
“He is wrong. We’ll prove him wrong.” She offered a reassuring smile.
“How?”
She stroked the side of his face, wishing she could take all of his worry away. “I’ve been thinking that we need to find Lady Agnes and talk to her. Just us.”
He scrunched his forehead and stepped back. “Are you jesting? What makes you think she’ll talk to us? And what if Father is correct—that it wasn’t Lady Agnes at the cottage earlier?”
“Hmm… You do have a point.” She tapped her finger on her chin and walked further into the room. “Then we won’t talk to her. Instead—” she turned and faced him, “we’ll spy on her.” She grinned, liking the idea the longer she pondered it.
He laughed and shook his head. “Halle Chapman, you are impossible.”
“I know, but you’ll just have to get used to it.” She winked.
“Tell me,” he stepped closer and took hold of her hands, “do you believe Lady Agnes is involved?”
“Yes, I do. In the future while I’m at the bed and breakfast listening to the story about what happened to everyone that awful night, they said that she and your sister did not die that night. What struck me odd was that Lady Agnes stayed in this house with your sister, even after everyone else was dead. I’m sorry, but that didn’t make any sense to me then, and especially now.”
“Why especially now?”
“Because from what I gathered after meeting Lady Agnes the other night, she’s too wrapped up in herself to care about your sister. When your mother introduced us, Lady Agnes acted like she couldn’t wait for us to leave her side. If she turns up her nose at your mother, I can only image how she’ll treat Georgiana.”
Andrew’s eyes lit up with awareness and he nodded. “Now that I think on it, I have seen Lady Agnes treat my sister that way.”
“So,” she said, rubbing her hands together, “the first thing we are going to do is spy on Agnes.”
“When?”
“I don’t think she’d do anything tonight, especially since it’s too soon after she and Edward met at the cottage—and too soon after my kidnapping. So, first thing tomorrow morning, let’s be outside her house in an unmarked coach and watch her every movement.”
He gave her a soft smile and cupped her face. “Do you know how delightful you look right now? I would think that spy work intrigues you. Perhaps you have missed your calling in life and should work with the magistrate, instead.”
She laughed before turning her head and kissing his hand. “There’s something you don’t know about me, and after I tell you what it is, you might not like me any longer.”
“What don’t I know about you?”
“I have an adventurous side…and I’ve read too many mystery and suspense novels growing up.”
Chuckling, he wrapped his arms around her. “Oh, my sweet. There is nothing you can say that will change my feelings for you.” He kissed the tip of her nose. “Because I find myself under your spell. Whether you want it or not, you hold my affections. You hold my heart,” he ended softly. “Halle Chapman, I’ve never felt this way about a woman before, and I’m still a little stunned that it happened to me. But I love you with all my heart and soul…and I always will.”
She’d been feeling the same, but was afraid to voice her thoughts. Happiness burst inside of her, knowing he felt this way. Even if they were not meant to be together forever, they had here and now. And she was going to make the most out of her time with him in 1848.
“I love you too, Andrew, and I will give you my heart to keep for as long as you wish.” She rose on her toes to kiss him, but he met her halfway and captured her mouth.
Joy spread through her, touching every part of her. She’d never known happiness like she’d experienced with him. He kissed her with so much emotion, and passion, that it nearly left her in tears.
Indeed, they must find a way to keep his
tory from repeating. She couldn’t bear the thought of Andrew not being in her life, kissing her so fervently that every fiber of her being rejoiced with gladness.
She broke the kiss and gazed deeply into his eyes. They mirrored the love he had just announced he had for her. She knew he could read it in her eyes as well. “No matter how much time we have together, we’ll make each second count. Agreed?”
He nodded and pressed his forehead against hers. “Would it be ungentlemanly of me to ask you to stay the night with me in my room? I know you’re not ready for that, but I just want to hold you. I promise nothing more will happen.”
She was tempted. Mighty tempted. “Part of me wants to, but the other part of me thinks I’d better decline.”
“Why?”
“Because although you might only want to cuddle, after a while, I might want more.” She grinned. “And while we’re in your parents’ house, that’s not a very good idea.”
He chuckled. “You’re a wise woman.”
“Of course I am…because I’m in love with you.” She kissed him one last time before turning and leaving his room.
The next morning came quicker than Halle had expected. Although her body told her to sleep in, her mind wouldn’t allow it and had talked her body into getting out of bed and dressing. She and Andrew had a big day planned. She dressed as much as she could without the maid, but soon the woman came in and finished helping her. It was comical how much Halle had come to rely on that woman to help her with things. Then again, women in this day and age would have to be mighty talented in order to dress in all of these contraptions by themselves.
She had the maid bring her breakfast. While waiting, Halle penned a note to Andrew to have him meet her downstairs as soon as possible. Once her breakfast tray was brought up, she hurried and ate, waiting to hear back from Andrew. As luck would have it, she didn’t wait too long too long. He was up and ready and would meet her downstairs in ten minutes.
Before leaving her room, she grabbed her fur-lined cloak and matching bonnet. Andrew was waiting for her at the bottom of the wide staircase, smiling up at her.
Love Lost in Time (Victorian Time-Travel) Page 24
