In Search of the Past (Stacey and Shane Mcleod, #2)

by Rikki Dyson

  The next map was dated, sixteen-seventy. “That was four years after the great London fire of sixteen-sixty-six.” Mark said, shaking his head. “I’m very much afraid that St. Michaels sanctuary was a victim of the great fire that ravaged the city.”

  Stacey kept looking for the sanctuary. She just couldn’t believe they had come so close to have it snatched away. “What if we find the nearest streets and ride out there and look for ourselves. Maybe it’s still there and they just didn’t bother to sketch it in.” Stacey saw the look that Mark gave her and said, “Yes, I know how crazy that sounds, but I’m grabbing at straws here.”

  “Better yet,” Mark said. “we’ll look at modern day map for the location, and then we’ll take a ride.”

  Mark pulled out a modern day map to compare with the sixteen-seventy map. Even with Stacey’s inexperienced eye she could see the modern day city of London had stretched and encompassed the area where St. Michaels sanctuary had stood. Stacey knew in her heart of hearts that the sanctuary was no more, but it was hard to give up all hope. Stacey sat with her thumb against her teeth thinking, “When the city took the land from the sanctuary of St. Michaels wouldn’t they have salvaged the church records for posterity?”

  Mark was filing maps away and said, “Excellent thinking, and this is one of the places we should be looking.”

  He asked the assistant curator about records from St. Michael’s sanctuary. Of course, the first thing she wanted to know was what year. They searched all afternoon and found nothing. Stacey left at five to meet Shane for supper at the athletic club. He was waiting for her at the bar. As she entered, he could see she was tired and disappointment showed on her face. As he kissed her, he asked, “Did you have a bad day? I’m sorry sweetheart, but you’re looking far back into the past for people who may never have existed.”

  The club was full of diners, so Stacey didn’t bother to argue with him and besides, she had no proof of the existence of these people except in her head. Well, like Scarlet said, “Tomorrow’s another day.” And I have two more days before I leave for Texas. Stacey was tired but made no excuses when Shane wanted to make love to her. It didn’t take long to put her in the mood when Shane’s expert hands and lips began moving over her body. She asked herself, what am I doing looking for dead people when I have this wonderful, sexy man to love. As Stacey slept in Shane’s arms she dreamed of the handsome, rugged earl and Dun-Raven.

  The next morning, after Shane left for the hospital, Stacey checked her e-mails. To her surprise there was a letter from Alistair Harden. Stacey could hardly believe her eyes, it read:

  Dear Stacey, It is my greatest pleasure to inform you that we( Mother and I ) believe we may have located the lady you were searching for so diligently. In St Mary’s marriage records in the year fourteen-seventy-two, a lady by the name of Eleanor Grey married James Elliot of Stobs castle. Could this be the lady using her maiden name? Sorry to say we have found nothing on the three girls. We are in this now and we will keep looking. I’ll notify you when we find more.

  Yours faithfully, Alistair Harden

  Stacey e-mailed him back immediately, “Thank you Alistair and your mother for your excellent detective work. Yes, I do believe Grey was Eleanor’s maiden name. Hopefully, there will be information on the girls too. I do plan on coming back and visiting y’all next summer. Until then, please accept my sincere gratitude for your help. I must say, you two are amazing Detectives. Sincerely, Stacey McLeod

  Stacey was so excited she couldn’t wait to tell Shane. She called but he was in surgery.

  At the historical society, Mark looked up as she came in the door. He could tell from the look on her beautiful face that something wonderful had happened. She was bubbling over with excitement as she told Mark and the nice employees that had been so helpful her news. Mark dusted his hands off and said, “Well, you have accomplished more than we have here. We can find nothing on St. Michaels church or sanctuary. It is as if the records have been wiped clean.”

  Stacey looked at him oddly and remarked, “That’s exactly what I said when I found nothing at the library in Leeds.”

  “I must be back in Leeds by Monday,” he said thoughtfully. “Since we’re bested here, perhaps, I’ll return early and nose around a bit and see what I can dust off from the hands of time.”

  Stacey laughed and said, “I’m so grateful to each of you for the help you have given me. Thank ya’ll so much.”

  There was a part of Stacey that was sad that this was over. She had enjoyed the company of professor Webster and the society ladies. Granted, they hadn’t found much, but it had been exciting just looking. As Stacey shook hands with professor Webster, she thanked him and gave him her e-mail address.

  Shane took Friday off so they could spend time together. He was surprised and some what dumbfounded to hear that Alistair Harden and his mother had actually found traces of the countess at all. The whole situation was becoming more real than fantasy. He wasn’t sure how he felt about that. He didn’t want his and Stacey’s marriage complicated by dead people from the past.

  On Friday night, Stacey and Shane met Hugh and Annie for dinner and dancing at a trendy supper club. There was no mention of Stacey’s search or anything other than Hugh and Annie’s wedding plans in February. The dining and dancing was a pleasant relief to the strain of the past few days. Shane reached in his jacket pocket, took out an envelope and said, “I meant to tell you I received a Congratulation of engagement card from Mrs. Nickels and she sent me back my cufflinks.” Stacey started laughing. Shane was mystified and asked, “What’s so funny about that?”

  Still laughing, Stacey asked, “When was the last time you wore those cufflinks, Shane?”

  Shane thought for a while, then said, “I believe it was at the Wakefield...Oh, good lord, I remember now. I couldn’t get out of that bloody shirt fast enough and the cufflinks went flying across the room when I jerked it off. Mrs. Nickels must have found them when she cleaned your room.” Shane was chortling now too. “Our Mrs. Nickels is a sly old vixen, and us thinking we got away with something. How did you explain the blood on the sheets lass?”

  Still laughing, Stacey said, “I left a note saying, “You know how it is with us girls.” Oh, my goodness, this is too funny for words.” Outside the club, the four friends left each other still laughing.

  On Saturday, they walked across Tower bridge and back again. There were so many beautiful and interesting places to go and see in London not to mention the surrounding countryside. “I love this place,” Stacey said. “There is so much history you can almost reach out and touch it.”

  Sunday morning, Stacey and Shane were at the airport waiting for Stacey’s flight. They were standing holding hands at the big windows looking out on the runways as the big planes were landing and taking off. Shane took her in his arms, kissed her and said, “I love you sweetheart. Always remember that.”

  Stacey looked up at him with tears in her eyes and said, “I will, and you too.”

  Stacey did love Shane, but she was going to miss the search she so desperately wanted to continue. In her head she wondered if there was something wrong with her. When she was searching she felt so alive as if there was something amazing just around the corner. Stacey’s flight was called and they held on to each other even though they knew they would be together again in five weeks, at Hugh and Annie’s wedding. Shane walked her to her gate and kissed her one more time. “Call me as soon as you get home,” he said.

  On the plane, Stacey thought about the new people in her life now. She smiled to herself, thinking about how fate had brought these nice people into her life. She read for a while then fell asleep. The flight attendant woke her just before they started their descent into DFW.

  Chapter 38

  Home

  When Stacey arrived at DFW, Eric was there to meet her. Stacey hugged him and said, “I’m glad to see you, but I thought Dad was picking me up.”

  “He was, baby cakes, but your Aunt Kathy call
ed a finance meeting. You know what that means.”

  “Oh, shit, I guess that means we’re gonna’ have to tighten our belts again. Well, I’m grateful you came to pick me up anyway.”

  Eric grinned at her and asked, “How grateful are you? When you sell one of them big bad bulls you been raising, how about you buy me a new truck, one of them with a hemi.”

  Stacey gave him a grim look and said, “Forget it, Ace, I ain’t that grateful.”

  Eric laughed and said, “I love you Stacey gal, don’t you ever change.”

  “I won’t Eric, I’ll always be there for you no matter what. You know that don’t you.”

  “Yeah, I know it kid, and the same goes for me,” Eric said as he reached over and gave her a playful punch, then asked, “How’s Shane’s grandmother doing?”

  “Much better, she still has a nurse and therapy three times a week, but she’s a gutsy lady and she’s holding her own.”

  “You know Harlan and I went to Weatherford to talk to a man about your bulls.”

  “Yes, I heard, but I was thinking about asking J.B. to take a couple of them up to Mesquite to see how they’d buck. You know, J. B. knows his way around that sort of environment and I could use his expertise. What do you think?”

  “I think you may be right, baby cakes, and we know J.B. could use the money.”

  “Speaking of money, how’s the Hanging Tree doing? Did anybody miss me?”

  “Yeah, they missed that caterwauling, you call singing,” Eric said smiling. With her bottom lip in a pout as if her feelings were hurt, he reached over and playfully slapped her leg and said, “Of course, everybody missed you and they all asked about Shane’s grandmother. And they were sorry not to get to meet Shane.”

  “I know, I was sorry too. I was looking forward to him meeting the Harmon’s.”

  “Did you do anymore Dick Tracy work after we talked?” Eric asked with an impish grin. “Was the history professor from Bradford much help?”

  “Yes, actually, he was. I would never have made heads nor tails of medieval maps if not for him. And he’s gonna’ check with the historical society in Leeds to see what he can find.”

  “And Shane’s okay with you investigating the past now. You said he was really upset with you, when you went to that town in Scotland. That guy and his mom sure sounded like nice people.”

  Eric watched Stacey from the corner of his eye, he had a feeling there was more to this than she was telling him. That was unusual, because they usually confided in each other. As they turned into the ranch driveway, Stacey said, “You’re gonna’ stay for supper, aren’t you. I’m sure Dad will have plenty to tell us after meeting with Aunt Kathy.”

  Eric laughed as he pulled Stacey’s luggage from the back of his truck. “Yeah, I might as well stay and get the bad news over with. At least we’ll get a good supper to help it go down.”

  They entered the house through the front and Eric took Stacey’s luggage upstairs. Stacey went to the kitchen to hug her mom. “Stacey, darling, how’s Shane’s grandmother? You look tired sweetheart. Are you okay?” Jessie asked as she took her daughter in her arms.

  “I’m fine, Mom, and Shane’s grandmother is doing very well, I’m happy to say.”

  Stacey reached over and took a carrot stick from the platter and munched on it, “Eric said Dad had a meeting with Aunt Kathy, are we facing poverty again.”

  Jessie laughed at her daughter and said, “Oh, Stacey, you and Eric are so dramatic when it comes to economizing. You know people are never turned away from the clinic, regardless whether they can pay or not.”

  “Yes, Mom, I know. Eric and I talked about it on the way home. If it will help, we can give Dad the money we make at the club and Eric and I both can move back home and cut our expenses that way. He and I can take turns driving to school.”

  Eric walked into the kitchen about that time, Jessie put her arms around both of them and said, “You two are the most wonderful children in the world. I’m very proud of both of you, but believe me when I tell you we are economically sound. There will be no changes in our living arrangements, unless you want to move back home.”

  When they both shook their heads no, Jessie smiled. She was well aware that a young man Eric’s age would want his own apartment and privacy to entertain young women. And Stacey was comfortable in the dorm, close to the school, rather than drive one hour each way. Stacey had only been home a week, when her gram called from Houston to let her know that she had received the Family history, from her niece in California. They talked for a while, then Stacey thanked her and told her that she and her mom would be down on Sunday.

  Chapter 39

  Family History

  Stacey and her mom left early Sunday morning for Houston. It was a pleasant trip and Stacey enjoyed being with her mom. Jessie said, “Your dad and I were disappointed in not getting to meet Shane at Christmas.”

  “I know you were, Mom. He was too, but it couldn’t be helped. You’ll get to meet him and his parents at Hugh and Annie’s wedding, next month.”

  “That’s wonderful, sweetheart. We’re looking forward to meeting all of them.”

  Jessie didn’t want to bother Stacey by telling her about the Christmas card they received from Shane’s parents. Jessie read and reread the card. There was a coolness about it that really bothered her.

  When Stacey and her mom arrived in Houston, Gram had an early lunch for them and then she showed Stacey the Family history. It was a large note book with plastic sleeves to protect the pages. The latest information was in the front. Stacey started reading there, going back in time. That was how they explored an archaeology site. They uncovered artifacts and information layer by layer and the farther you go, the farther back in history, the more recent information would be at the top. The farther down you explored the older the information.

  “Gram, may I take this back with me?” Stacey asked. “It’ll take awhile to go through it all and I really do want to be thorough.”

  “Of course, darling. You’re the one interested in all this anyway. You keep it as long as you need it.” Stacey took the family history album to school with her so she could study it at her leisure, when her school work was finished. It was tedious going through names, dates and times. Stacey yielded to the temptation to turn to the back pages. There she found the first entry from the year seventeen-fifty-three, written by Jessica Leighanne ( Fraser ) St John.

  I take pen in hand on this date-January- twenty-eight, seventeen-fifty-three. To preserve the St. John family history. My husband, Colin St. John was a major in the kings regiment in Scotland. By the lord’s mercy we have three healthy bairns. Charles Michael, born March six, seventeen-forty.-one, Corbin Edward, born august eleventh, seventeen-forty-three. Our only daughter, Megan Suzanne, born July tenth, seventeen-fifty.

  Stacey read the list of the St. John family back to fourteen-seventy-three. They were mostly from Dorset in southern England. Most of the males were military men. The maiden names of some of the women wasn’t listed. Then she turned a page and found more writings of Jessica Leighanne( Fraser ) St. John.

  I am Jessica Leighanne ( Fraser ) St. John. We came to the colonies a few months after we were wed. We have lived here thirteen years. Colin is no longer in the service of the crown. We live in Maryland where we own a horse farm.

  To our descendants my story. I met Colin while he was in the kings service in Scotland.

  I first met Colin at a party. When he asked, could he visit me? Our father became incensed. It was forbidden. A few weeks later we had a chance meeting when riding. We spoke with our father once again. He threatened me with a beating. My twin sister helped me to meet with Colin. Six months later we spoke with our father again. I told him I loved Colin. His reply was, if you wed this Englishman, I will disown you. with my sister Jackie’s help, I eloped to England with Colin. The same year, seventeen-forty we were sent to the colonies. I have written many times, but have received no reply. If it were possible, I know Jackie or
our mother would write. I have no delusions where my father is concerned He is a hard unforgiving man where the English are concerned. My twin sister’s name is Jacquelyn Suzanne Fraser. My mother’s name is Cassandra Anne (Gladwell) Fraser. I have three brothers, Ewan, after our father, Alexander and Robert.

  Stacey thought to herself, now I’ve found the Cassandra connection. She read on, but the other names meant little to her. Twin daughters were often named Jessica and Jacquelyn.

  There were also numerous Eleanor’s and Cassandra’s. Stacey looked at her watch. It was the middle of the night in Edinburgh. She would call Grandmother McLeod at a more appropriate time. As she thumbed through the family history there were names, dates of birth, weddings and deaths from seventeen-fifty-three, to the current year. Many of them had stories beside them. Stories of the Revolutionary war, the Civil war, the war of eighteen-twelve, the Spanish American war, WW I, WW II, Korea, Viet Nam and Desert storm.

  My goodness Stacey thought, someone has certainly done a marvelous job of keeping history alive. The next day Stacey called Shane on his mobile phone. She was anxious to share her ( Cassandra ) information with him, but there was no answer. She called the flat too, but no answer there either. She assumed he was in surgery. By noon the next day, Stacey called Grandmother McLeod, but there was no answer. She tried again the next day and a man answered. “Shane, is that you?” Stacey asked.

  “Yes sweetheart,” Shane answered.

  “What’s wrong?” Stacey asked.

  “How did you know something was wrong?” he asked.

  “I didn’t, I was calling to talk with your grandmother. Where is she?”

  “Grandmother’s back in hospital. She fell and fractured her hip.”

  “On, no Shane, should I come?” Stacey asked.

  “No love, don’t worry, she’s doing well. I’m just up for the day, I’ll be back in London tomorrow,” Shane assured her. He really wanted to ask her to come, but he knew she had school and he didn’t want her getting behind on her studies.