Edge of Time (Langston Brothers Series)

by Melissa Lynne Blue

  Guiltily, Craig snatched his arm back and jumped to his feet. “Yes, Mrs. Harris. I, uh… I’ve been by to see your horse and I should think she will foal within the next day or so. If you like I will stay on until she does.”

  The relief on Genie’s face was evident, and with a wry smile she drawled, “Why, Doctor, as long as I’m not keeping you from necessary duties I would be very grateful. You know from past experience that I do not fare well when it comes to any sort of blood.”

  Craig was unable to keep the mirth from his voice or expression when he replied. “It’s no problem. Perhaps Fredrick would take word to my regiment and let them know where I can be found should I be needed?” Craig knew Genie didn’t have much stomach when it came to blood and was terrified of having her mare foal while she was there alone. Fredrick was a skilled horseman, but rheumatism prevented him from assisting during a difficult delivery. Craig could not deny the fact that he was also looking forward to the opportunity to get to know Marissa McClafferty better.

  Edge of Time 230

  Three

  Genie and Marissa were put to the test of selling Marissa’s new identity over dinner. Fortunately, Dr. Langston tactfully avoided the subject of her family and past, seeming to understand it was a subject best not broached at the time.

  “Dr. Langston,” Genie broke suddenly into a moment of awkward silence, “Marissa may be of use at the hospital. She has a great deal of medical experience and trained alongside her father, who was a doctor, for many years.”

  Craig’s sapphire gaze turned immediately to Marissa. “Really?”

  Marissa shot Genie a pinched look before turning back to Craig. “Yes. I have worked with physicians in the past.”

  “I’m impressed. Not many of the women I know have much interest in medicine. Most of them are like Genie here, and can’t stand the blood.” He rocked back in his chair as though contemplating the possibility of having Marissa work with him. “Well, Lord knows how much we need help at the hospital. I don’t know if Major Bernstein will go for having a young, unmarried woman work there, though.” He winked at her, a twinkle lighting his blue eyes. “Dare I not forget to mention pretty, but I’ll see what I can do.”

  He thinks I’m pretty? This man was obviously one accustomed to being fawned over by women, his every glance or smile sought as a treasure. Immediately, Marissa realized it would behoove her to maintain a safe distance. But at the same time there was just something about him, a warm confidence that was absolutely intoxicating. He seemed to read her train of thought and grinned directly into her eyes.

  All of a sudden her shoulders, where his arm had stretched not half an hour earlier, burned as though the weight of him were still there. She found herself paralyzed as the smile transformed his already handsome face. The perfectly portioned mouth curved into a most charmingly boyish grin that spread across his countenance and infused his radiant blue eyes with warmth. In that moment a jolt of raw sensual awareness shot through Marissa, causing the shattered pieces of her heart to tremble. Smiling across the table at her he ceased to be the intimidating Apolloistic figure of a man in uniform and became, quite simply... irresistible.

  Her lashes flitted downward and she licked her lips, insides suffused with butterflies as blood thrummed in her ears. Why am I so nervous? One would think a good looking man had never flirted with her. Straightening, she gazed into the intense hue of his warm eyes. On the porch she hadn’t been blind to the effect her southern belle routine had had on the good doctor. She’d thought no harm could come from an innocent flirtation—especially with a man who looked like that. But… perhaps she’d been wrong.

  The meal progressed amiably and again Marissa found herself relaxing in the pleasant company. She had recently spent her evenings primarily alone and once again, even in the midst of these unfamiliar surroundings, she felt at ease. “Why don’t Fredrick and Grace join us?” she queried, wondering where the older couple had gone.

  “I have never been able to convince them to share a table with me.” Genie shrugged. “I think the unseen scars of slavery run far deeper than those that meet the naked eye.”

  Marissa nodded in understanding.” Well, I’ll find Grace later and thank her for the wonderful meal. I can’t remember the last time I ate anything so delicious!” No restaurant claiming to provide southern cooking could hold a candle to the fare Grace had provided.

  Craig instantly repeated the sentiment and turned to Marissa. “Maris-er-ah... Miss McClafferty, would you care to take a walk with me outside?” He glanced at Genie as if for permission. Marissa nearly laughed aloud. This world demanded different manners from both men and women. “I would like to further discuss the possibility of your niece working at the hospital and the extent of her medical knowledge.”

  Genie bubbled with amused laughter, waving them off. When Marissa began to clear the table Genie stopped her with a knowing wink. “You go along, my dear. I can take care of this.”

  Marissa turned to Craig, immensely pleased that he’d asked her to go for a walk and couldn’t help but ogle as he crossed the room to hold the door open for her. In a word, the man was sexy, but in an entirely unassuming way. Brian had been sexy in a manner that proclaimed I know women are just dying to jump me, but Craig was different… better. While he was ungodly good looking—no, make that godly good looking, Zeus or Apollo to be exact—he didn’t flaunt it or swagger the way Brian had, he moved with an easy confidence. She stepped past him onto the porch and a shudder of awareness coursed through. She inhaled a deep breath of the fresh rich southern air to steady her nerves.

  The humidity had lessened after the morning rainfall and the heat of the day had passed leaving a languid ambiance in its wake. A beautiful evening. “Dr. Langston,” Marissa turned to him, “I must ask, how is it you manage to survive the heat in that wool uniform?”

  “Call me Craig,” he said, falling into stride beside her. “I must be honest—I don’t always fare well in the heat. I take this stifling thing off every chance I get.”

  She looked up at him as they walked, heart flopping beneath his warm smile. “And, you must call me Marissa, I hear Miss McClafferty and look around for someone that I’ve never met.” She was losing herself in the moment. There was something inexplicably right about the entire scene playing out before her and as they strolled beneath the shelter of the trees surrounding the yard, Marissa took in the adjacent countryside, the clear sky, the varying greens of the forest, shrubs and grass, the dun color of the field, but most of all walking with Craig Langston. She felt deliciously nervous yet comfortable with him at the same time.

  From the corner of her eye she studied his impressive form. Craig was a very large man, at least six-foot five, which she knew was unusually tall for this time period, and boasted a muscular, athletic physique. His gray uniform fit snugly, provocatively, against his broad shoulders and chest. She could not help but envision the trim muscular figure without the uniform. Her cheeks flushed hotly at the train of her thoughts. Briefly their arms brushed and the light contact burned into Marissa’s arm until her flesh tingled, sending the butterflies in her stomach to a new level of frenzied activity. What am I doing, getting caught up in a fantasy about this man? I’m not staying here any longer than necessary.

  And there it was. Reality came crashing back down on her with such force that her ears were ringing. Ringing!

  Once more a sense of desolation came over her. It was as though the wind had been physically knocked from her. Why had she traveled almost 150 years to the past to suddenly find this sense of rightness? To find a man like Craig Langston? Could it be destiny? Fate? Genie’s words from the night before echoed in her mind: Perhaps this is our time and place to exist. Totally perplexed, Marissa doubted that any of this would ever begin to make sense. It would be best not to get overly involved with anyone until she knew one way or the other if she was going home. Once again Genie’s voic
e rang clear in her mind, telling her the door was one way, but she shut it out.

  “What was it you were hoping to discuss with me, Doctor? I mean, Craig.” She raised dark eyes up to him deciding to lose herself in work until some sense could be made of her situation. It occurred to her then that loosing herself in work had all too often been her problem. That was probably why I lost Brian… But she quickly dismissed the thought.

  “Ah, yes. Your medical experience. What sort of work have you done with your father?”

  Marissa hesitated unsure of how to answer. I can’t exactly tell him I worked in a level four trauma center and attended university for four years to achieve a BSN degree. It would mean nothing to him and would definitely confuse the issue. “Um, why don’t you ask me a few questions, and then you can judge how useful my experience is.”

  “All right.” Craig tilted his head thoughtfully for a moment, then proceeded to ask her a number of questions regarding human anatomy, diseases, and treatments. As the conversation progressed his expression showed him to be thoroughly impressed by the knowledge and ease of her responses and he began seeking her opinion over a wide array of topics.

  “We have a great many wounded men who appear to be getting well, but develop pneumonia and die. Has your father ever remarked on that?”

  “Yes. You have to get the patients out of bed as soon as possible,” Marissa responded without hesitation. “When your patients lie in bed for a prolonged period of time they don’t take breaths deep enough to expand their lungs properly. When their lungs don’t expand, atelectasis sets in, allowing fluid and secretions to consolidate in the lungs, causing pneumonia. You also need to make them cough and breathe deeply on a regular basis, as well as change their position to assist postural drainage.”

  Craig’s jaw visibly dropped. “How do you know all of that? I’m not even familiar with some of those terms or concepts and I went to one of the best medical schools in the country.” He stared at her, utterly incredulous.

  Marissa shrugged and continued with confidence. “Some of these concepts are being studied in Europe,” she said, drawing on a paper she had done for nursing school years ago. “My father studied in Europe and received some literature from a physician he knew in London.” Okay, that is a full blown lie, but how else can I make it sound credible?

  * * *

  Craig studied her, thinking she was unlike any woman he’d met before. She was flirtatious and witty, not to mention brilliant, but more than anything her words and smiles were not calculated like those of so many women he’d met before. Part of the reason he’d yet to find a woman to marry was that those he’d actively courted in the past never seemed… sincere. Having been one of the more sought after bachelors in Charleston, Craig kept a wary eye on interested women. He had no desire to be snared by scheming young misses and their mothers out for his family’s money.

  Craig asked Marissa a few more questions and continued to be thoroughly staggered by the extent of her knowledge, even if some of the ideas were a little farfetched. They paused in the shade of a weeping willow tree and he turned to inquire about another subject but found the words slipping from his mind as she raised those huge ebony eyes to him. Enraptured, he fought the urge to reach out and stroke a strand of her intriguing hair—so many different shades of blonde woven through.

  He couldn’t resist.

  Ever so gently he stretched out a hand and drew his fingers through the glossy locks. The strands ran like water across his skin. Pure silk, he thought, and wondered if the rest of her would be so velvety smooth. A flash of guilt sent heat to his face. His high collar nearly choked him. He had no right to such thoughts, but the urge to kiss her was so strong. He hadn’t kissed a woman since… Well, he couldn’t remember when exactly, it had been entirely too long.

  What the Hell…

  He slid a palm across her cheek and stepped forward, closing the distance between them to claim her lips in a soft kiss.

  Craig should have been disappointed. When her supple lips parted that way it was obvious she’d been kissed before... kissed well. But he was anything but disappointed. She actually tasted good. His mouth opened against hers as his tongue prepared to intrude the wetness of her mouth only to find hers already there, meeting him half way. He greedily accepted what she offered, took her mouth in a deepening kiss, and groaned, fast approaching a place from whence most men cannot return.

  * * *

  Marissa’s heart hammered so hard in her throat she was aware of little other than the sound of blood rushing in her ears, and his lips over hers. His kiss was better than any drug, dizzying, electrifying, leaving her reeling, and as she prepared to dissolve in a liquid pool on the grass, her arms curled around the strength of his neck. He was so tall the movement of pure self preservation only served to fit her flawlessly against the contours of his body. Captivated by the magical moment, Marissa was convinced she’d ascended into a dream. The touch of his mouth was like a healing balm poured directly over the gaping wounds in her heart. Her mind swirled in ecstasy as the perfume of fresh flowers floated on the breeze, mingling with Craig’s masculine scent. His fingers and lips enthralled her. She never wanted to leave the inviting haven of his arms.

  He broke the kiss off suddenly and for a long moment she could do little more than stare into his face with passion clouded eyes. His sandy hair was tousled from the wind and she knew an intense desire to run her fingers through the wavy thickness. The blue of his eyes held her transfixed in a timeless moment. Never before had she responded with such wantonness. Softly, she sighed as her lips spread in a silent summons. His arms tightened about her waist and he bent to claim her lips once more, but...

  “No!” she gasped pushing away from him. What am I doing? I can’t let him kiss me again! The thought flooded her senses and while the idea was anything but unpleasant she knew better than to get involved with a man here… Now! Ever, for that matter…

  Craig reached for her, but she quickly sidestepped his grasp. “Don’t, Craig. You… you, don’t know what I am.” Frustrated, Marissa pressed her palms to her forehead. “I don’t even know where I am! I’m sorry.” Marissa turned to escape. She could not get involved with a man in 1863. It would only cause more pain and anguish in the long run.

  “Marissa, wait.” He snared her arm, successfully halting her flight.

  “Dr. Langston, suh! Miss Genie’s mare! She’s a-foalin’, suh!”

  Craig dropped her arm. Marissa quickly backed away, brushing the hair off of her shoulders and looking down as Fredrick approached.

  The old man had a knowing twinkle in his eye but said nothing except in reference to the horse. As the trio quickly made their way to the barn Marissa silently berated herself for opening up to Craig as she had. The last thing she needed was another Brian situation and no matter how heady and alluring the Captain Doctor proved to be, a romantic entanglement now could only lead to further heartbreak.

  Steeling herself against the almost physical pull of the man, she resolved not to get carried away again and to concentrate on getting home. It was immensely saddening to have met a man like him with whom she could have no future. Literally no future. Because this was a world of unattainable men.

  Edge of Time 230

  Four

  As the cart bumped along the muddy road winding into Charleston, Marissa listened with half an ear to Genie prattle on about an array of somewhat obscure topics, none of which gave Marissa any clues as to what she was actually talking about. And the fact of the matter was she didn’t want to know. The surreal dreamlike quality of the last few days was gone and she just wanted to cry—scream and sob, throw things, and pitch a right fine temper tantrum. She deserved a tantrum. And she certainly didn’t care about the 1863 political climate, or how many munitions plants existed in Charleston, or how the union blockade of the coast affected the south. The Civil War from her prospective was ancient
history. Something you spoke reverently about from time to time because it was an awful part of the past—key word—past. Her great-great-great-great grandfather had fought in the Civil War for Christ’s sake!

  Her political climate consisted of the Middle East, an impending presidential election, and healthcare reform! Did real healthcare even exist in this time? Forget a new life! All she really wanted was to go home! She would deal with Brian. She would make nice with Marne—well, maybe not make nice, but behave tolerably—if only she could find a way back to her real life. Her eyes, gritty and dry, pricked as though to form tears, but the course of the last two weeks combined with the events of the last two days had left her body quite incapable of forming anymore tears.

  The cart bumped over a rise and Marissa stared, mesmerized.

  She may well have stepped into Gone with the Wind, and was instantly struck with a mental image of the photo hanging over the door of the USC commons. But this was like nothing she could have imagined. The streets were alive with people and activity and while nothing modern met her wide-eyed gaze, nothing about the city struck her as antique either. This was a place of vibrancy, fascinating in its richness and range of different sights. All thoughts of temper tantrums and tears crowded to the back of her mind.

  Genie expertly wound the cart through the streets. “We’ll just pick up my daughter before heading to the hospital.” She turned to smile at Marissa who was desperately wishing she’d paid more attention in high school history class. Rounding a cobblestone corner Genie halted the conveyance in front of an adorable two story brick house. “Here we are.” Genie tied off the reins and alighted from the small carriage. Marissa lingered in the seat.

  “Mama!” a pretty young woman with Genie’s blond hair and cheerful expression came bounding out of the house, leaving the door to bang behind her.