"The Weeping Woman?" Connor asked.
She realized they had cut Connor out of their conversation and turned back to him. "One of our potential people to be saved or helped. What do you know about her?"
Connor shrugged. "Nothing. I never heard of her."
Noah nudged her foot and she understood that she shouldn't say more on that subject, so she quickly switched. "One thing I'm not clear on. You said the plan was for you to stay here for six years, but you had just gotten engaged. I don't understand how that plan sounded reasonable to either of you."
Connor threw his hands up in frustration. "It wasn't! But somehow, at that moment it made sense to both of us. Or maybe I was just so intellectually excited by the idea of doing historical research in the actual time period, she pretended it made sense. She said the hotel would keep her busy and the years would go by in a blink, and if the reward was having her grandfather be part of her life, the wait would be worth it.
"She may have meant that then, but as time passed, I came to realize that was her way of giving me something she couldn't buy for me. Maybe that's why she got to go back. Her wish was completely about us as a couple and she was willing to sacrifice her happiness for mine, while I was selfishly thinking of the fantastic career opportunity I was being handed."
He exhaled heavily. "All I know is, a month later, I realized what a mistake I'd made... again. So I went back to the rock and made the wish to return. I waited, put my hand on the rock and finally hugged the thing. But nothing happened. I did that every day and night for months before I gave up and focused on how to make this life as bearable as possible until it came time to save Robert Davenport."
When Connor didn't immediately continue, Noah had a question. "Earlier you told us you couldn't leave the island to get better work or living conditions as others had done. Why did you say that?"
"Hmmph. Believe me I tried to leave, at least a dozen different times and ways, but something always happened to keep me here on the island. I finally quit trying when I came to the conclusion that, since I didn't leave with Lilli, I wasn't allowed to leave this location until I lived up to the promise I'd made to make sure Robert Davenport did not die in 1930. Now I don't even have that to look forward to."
The man looked so dejected, Maggie said the only thing she could think of to get him to smile. "Well, if we don't figure out who we're supposed to save, and succeed in doing it in the next three days, you won't be the only time traveler sentenced to remain on the island. At least that's what Reynard told us."
Connor narrowed his eyes in thought. "Maybe I could earn a few points with the powers that be if I help you." He pulled his watch out of his pocket again and groaned. "I've got to go. But if you'd like to continue this tomorrow, just ask one of the staff where I can be found." He took a step then stopped and spoke to Noah, "I'm curious. What made you choose being an author as your cover?"
Maggie smiled. "Not a cover. He really is one. A very famous one in fact."
He made a face. "Then I must apologize for not knowing your name. But at least if you get stuck here, you might not have to wait tables to get by."
Before they could respond, he jogged off at a brisk pace.
"Thoughts?" Noah asked as they headed back to the bungalow.
It took Maggie a moment to pick one of the dozens in her mind. "I don't think he's the one we were sent to save. He's been stranded here for three years. We didn't need to come to this precise time to help him get back. Plus, it just doesn't feel like he's the answer. But he did tell us something relevant. He said he never heard of The Weeping Woman, which would seem to mean whatever happened to her hasn't happened yet. That's enough to keep her on the possible victims list... if we had a single tidbit of information about her, but we don't."
Noah shook his head. "In other words, no new thoughts."
"Well, I liked what he said about you not having to wait tables if we don't get to go back."
Noah put his arm around her and brought her closer as they walked. "And you could be my agent as well as promoter, assistant and wife."
She made an effort to keep the light mood going. "Sounds like I'll be pretty busy. But that reminds me. We'll probably be socializing tomorrow night. Do we have a back story?"
He glanced down at her with one brow arched. "Very good question, Mrs. Nash. It could come up and we'd want our stories to match. But it would have to be pretty good, just in case we have to live with it for the rest of our lives. Why don't you pick one?"
Her mind honed in on the phrase, for the rest of our lives. She understood he simply meant, in case they don't get to return to the future, but, with each passing hour, she was thinking about it becoming a reality in either time. "I think we should follow what you said before, that the best lie sticks close to the truth."
"Okay. So we met in school when we were kids. I was head-over-heels in love with you, but you just wanted to be friends. Many years later, I ran an ad to hire an assistant and you applied." He furrowed his brow. "Where did those two things happen? How long before we got married? Was it a big wedding?"
They had reached the bungalow, but rather than go inside, she sat in one of the yellow rockers on the porch. He moved the other one so they could sit side-by-side, and when he held out his open hand, she accepted it without thinking. She also ordered herself not to think about his saying he was once head-over-heels in love with her as she answered his questions. "I don't think women moved around much in this time period and Florida wasn't very populated. So maybe, we met and got back together in Tennessee. Clarksville then Nashville. "
"Got it. And the marriage?"
She swallowed hard. "Um, I don't know. You choose."
"Sticking close to the truth, I'd say, once we got together again, we were in a big hurry for the honeymoon. So-o-o, I'd say I asked you for your hand two weeks later and we eloped."
She made a face. "Okay, as long as we did something very romantic for our honeymoon... like a trip to Paris."
That prompted him to make a face right back. "I'm not a fan." Then he grinned. "But I guess a slow trans-Atlantic cruise would make it worthwhile." He gently squeezed her hand.
The squeeze along with the steamy suggestion in his tone made her blush. "I wouldn't mind that... as long as it's not on the Titanic."
That made him laugh. "No worries. That happened a few years before we reconnected."
They continued to embellish their back story, adding in some actual incidents from their school days, until the waning moon had traveled past its mid-point in the heavens.
Chapter 20
"Ready to go inside yet?" Noah asked without taking his gaze off the rolling waves.
She sighed. "Not really."
He shifted to face her. "What's wrong?"
That made her exhale more audibly.
"Would it help if I slept out here tonight?"
It took her more than a moment to reply. "Don't be ridiculous."
"But it is about our sleeping together."
She met his gaze. "Sort of."
"Let me rephrase. Is it about our literally sleeping together without doing what we both want to do?"
Not comfortable with the words she wanted to say, she just nodded.
"Would you say our not doing those things might be getting in the way of our thinking clearly about the mission?"
Her eyes widened and she bobbed her head.
He fought back a grin. "I don't know about you, but I think we put in as much time on our mission as humanly possible today. In fact, considering the time rewind, you could say we put in overtime."
She couldn't resist smiling at that and she relaxed enough to contribute to his analysis. "It would seem to me that we've earned a little... down time." He stood and brought her up with him. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she drew his head down for a long kiss that spoke of everything they hadn't said aloud.
They were about to go inside when she had a very practical thought. "We're going to track in sand."
He led her straight into the bathroom and turned on the water in the tub. As it got warm, he pulled down the shoulder straps of her lightweight shift and sent it to the floor. She chuckled at how swiftly he managed to get both of them out of their clothes. But when she leaned into him, he held her away.
"Don't distract me," he said firmly. He stepped into the tub then held her arm to make sure she didn't slip as she got in. "Now just stand still and let me give you a shower, old-style."
She was skeptical but obeyed.
Using the large pitcher by the basin, he poured lukewarm water over her until all the loose sand and dust was washed down the drain.
She continued to stand very still as he quickly soaped her body without stalling over her breasts or between her legs. Only her feet got a little extra TLC. It didn't matter how fast he did it, however. It still counted as effective foreplay to her. Several more pitchers of water followed the soaping.
"My turn," he said, handing her the pitcher.
With considerable effort, she managed to imitate his speed and efficiency, though his response to her attentions was more visible than hers had been.
Towel-drying each other took a bit longer due to several kissing breaks that progressed to stroking and holding until they finally dropped the towels and tumbled onto the bed.
Every cell in Maggie's body felt as though it were vibrating in anticipation, but she felt him slowing down and again followed his lead.
By both of them exercising control, the urgent groping, ravenous kisses and driving thrusts were held at bay, and soft caresses, silky touches and a slow melding of their bodies took the lead. The result was an exquisitely sensual, completely satisfying hour.
They silently enjoyed the peaceful afterglow for several minutes before Maggie murmured, "That was lovely."
"Mm-hmm."
"We should do that again." She sighed softly. "Maybe in a month or so."
When her words sank in, Noah laughed out loud and propped himself up on his elbow to look at her. "I can't tell if you mean it was so good you won't need sex again for a while or it wasn't worth repeating anytime soon."
She tweaked his nose. "Neither. It was lovely. It's just that, well... I wouldn't mind mixing in a little less-bridled passion from time to time."
He pulled her close for a hard kiss. "That's fine with me, just so we don't go back to pretending that we don't need to do it at all."
"We just have to make sure the mission remains our top priority." She sighed. "Unfortunately, our mission is still a mystery, with or without distractions. In fact, now we have to add the slight possibility that our mission might be to save Connor from whatever terrible thing is in his immediate future and help him get back to Lilli where he belongs."
He gave her another kiss and drew her into a snug embrace. "To quote another brave woman, 'tomorrow is another day'."
Maggie tried to think of an appropriate Rhett Butler reply but she was suddenly too tired to keep her eyes open. Totally sated and happier than she ever thought possible, she gave in to the cozy cocoon of slumber where a dream was waiting to take her away.
"Watch your step now. It can get mighty slippery down here." Reynard lowered the torch so that it illuminated the narrow stone path in front of her.
The descent into the cave had not been very steep at first but it suddenly changed to a severe downward slope with only an occasional outcropping of crystals to stop her from sliding. The rock walls on each side seemed to be closer now as well. She hoped her curiosity hadn't led her into a situation that had no exit.
When the path leveled out and they stepped into a cavern, she asked her guide, "How much farther?" Reynard turned toward her and she noticed his head was that of a red fox with eyes that flashed with golden flames but his voice confirmed it was still him.
"Dat depends on which path ya choose next. Your first choice led to disaster and it would be unwise to go dat way again. Another of de remaining choices requires a map which ya do not have and if ya choose that one, ya could find yourself in a cave much like this one but ya would not have my help to find a way out. Dere is only one path dat will get ya back home."
He waved the torch and she could see three openings in the cave wall. They looked identical but reminded her of the three nature trails.
"But how will I know which is—" Reynard was gone and the torch was in her own hand. Why would he bring her this far and not show her which was the safe one? "At least you could have given me some sort of clue!" she shouted in frustration.
Though the fox did not reappear, she heard his voice. "De clue is knocking at your door..."
Chapter 21
Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock.
It took Maggie several seconds to realize she was hearing actual knocking at the bungalow door. "Just a moment," she yelled and scrambled for her cover-up. The dream continued to cloud her mind as she made her way to the door. Reynard had said the clue was knocking at her door.
She shook the cobwebs from her brain and opened the door to find a bellman and Moira, the Irish maid, standing behind her housekeeping cart. The bellman handed her a square, ivory linen envelope addressed in elegant script to Mr. and Mrs. Noah Nash. On the back was a palm tree logo embossed in gold above the name of the hotel. It was similar to the embroidery on the plush robes they'd left behind.
"One moment please," she said to the bellman then asked Moira to follow her inside while she found a quarter to give to the man. His forced smile suggested he was appreciative but disappointed that she had figured out the appropriate tip amount.
She quickly opened the envelope to confirm that it was the expected invitation to the evening's affair. Then she turned her attention to the maid, who was once again holding a stack of linens in front of her stomach. "I'm sorry about the sand everywhere. If you wouldn't mind starting in here, I'll be dressed and out of your way in a few minutes."
Moira bobbed her head. "As you wish, ma'am."
Maggie's mind raced. Wherever Noah was she hoped he stayed away a bit longer. This was the perfect opportunity for some girl-talk with Moira and his appearance could put a quick end to it. As she quickly washed, brushed her teeth and dressed, Maggie thought about the strange dream and what it could mean. After all, they had been transported to the Roaring Twenties, saw the hotel in ruins in the future and were part of a time rewind. Why shouldn't she receive a message in a dream about the helpful bellman with a fox's head?
Noah kept telling her anything's possible.
There were three, and only three, paths in the dream, and she felt certain that the paths represented the original three victims she and Noah had settled on. Davenport was definitely the disaster. The one for which a map was needed had to be The Weeping Woman. And if a clue had been knocking at her door when she awoke, she had just been clearly informed that the maid was the one they were sent to save. And since they were almost out of time, the hour of her death had to be soon.
But did the bellman delivering the invitation represent something also? A heartbeat later, she realized the invitation itself was the clue. As she had sensed when she saw the article in the hotel's promo piece, tonight's party was an important piece to their mystery puzzle. She remembered her strong reaction to the photos of the engaged couple and was again filled with the certainty that they, or their parents, were involved in whatever was about to happen. But there were still far too many possibilities. She needed to talk it out with Noah.
When she came out of the bathroom, Moira was hurriedly changing the bed linens. "You work so hard," Maggie said in an attempt to open a conversation.
"Thank ye, ma'am, 'tis a good job I have."
"When are you due?" The question was out of her mouth before she realized how shocking it would be to the girl.
The poor maid's face turned white then flushed hot pink.
"I... I don't know what ye mean." She looked like she was about to run.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be rude. It's hardly noticeable but I, uh, I have a sense about these things. Maybe it's because I just found out I'm expecting." She stuck out her stomach and rubbed it. And hoped she wouldn't be struck down, or immediately impregnated, for lying. It was apparently the right thing to say because Moira relaxed a little.
"Please, ma'am. Ye mustn't say anything ta anyone. I would be sent away for sure. And I have no place to go for some months."
Maggie frowned and walked over to the maid. "That's terrible. You shouldn't be fired for getting pregnant. And why would you have no place to go? Where's the baby's father?"
Moira's freckled cheeks flushed again. "'Tis my shame ta say I haven't seen him for more than a month. Since I told him about the babe. And if I were ta be let go, I would have ta leave the island." She went back to her task without looking at Maggie again.
Maggie's heart went out to the maid. She was just a girl. With the troubles of a grown woman. And it sounded like she had no one to turn to. Maggie sensed she had learned all she could for the moment. "I'm sorry, Moira. I promise I won't reveal your secret."
"Thank ye, ma'am," the maid mumbled without turning around.
Maggie sighed and headed out to find Noah, invitation in hand. As luck would have it, no sooner did she step on the wooden walkway than she saw him rising to his feet in the shallower part of the ocean. He looked like a beautiful Greek god crowned by the morning sun. As he shook his head from side to side, droplets of sparkling water flew off his hair.
She loved his hair.
As he pushed his way to shore, his firm, near-naked body was revealed inch by sexy inch.
She really loved his body.
The first thing he did when he reached dry sand was bend down and pick up a seashell.
Some Time Away (Lovers in Time Series, Book 3): Time Travel Romance Page 20
