by Bess McBride
Danny awaited her in the office, two cups of coffee sitting on the ottoman tray in front of her pewter-blue sleeper sofa. She stopped by her desk and picked up the death certificates, carrying them to the sofa, where she lowered herself carefully to a sitting position.
“First of all,” Danny said, seating himself and taking her free hand in his, “do you need to go to the hospital? How bad are your injuries, and what happened?”
She curled her fingers around his hand and squeezed. Though she couldn’t meet his green eyes steadily, she managed to keep glancing at him while staring at the pages in her hand and the coffee so far away on the ottoman table.
“I’m okay. No broken bones. Maybe a concussion or not. I was seen by a doctor. Could you hand me my coffee?”
Danny did as he was asked.
“I’m listening.”
Annie gulped the hot liquid, letting it warm her stomach.
“Well...here goes.”
Chapter Twelve
When she finished, leaving out no details, Annie drained the last of her coffee and forced herself to meet Danny’s eyes. She had noticed that he’d shifted often during her story, almost restlessly, as if he had questions, but he hadn’t interrupted. He never let go of her hand, though his grasp alternately lightened and tightened.
“And I’m back!” she said, keeping her eyes on his. She knew Danny well, knew his expressions. His eyelids flickered, though he kept his expression neutral. She had a sinking feeling that her return was not going the way she’d hoped...other than she was back in the comforts of the twenty-first century.
Danny’s chest rose as he took a deep breath. “Annie,” he said softly, tightening his grip on her hand. “I’m worried about this knock on your head. You can’t seriously believe that whole story was real, can you? Let’s get you to the emergency room for an evaluation, maybe a head CT scan. You can’t fool around with head injuries.”
Annie withdrew her hand. No, her reunion with Danny was not going as planned. She struggled to lean forward and set her empty coffee cup down. Not only did her injuries hurt, but her corset restricted her motion. She leaned back, feeling something poking her chest.
The letter. Proof. Her clothing should have convinced Danny, but the letter definitely would. Wouldn’t it? She left it where it was.
“It’s all true, Danny. I haven’t been hallucinating from a head injury. How do you think I got these clothes?” She remembered then that she had dropped the bag carrying her dress and underwear. Dr. Mallory would probably have taken the bag. She blushed.
“I have no idea. Did you have them already? You said you had collected a lot of family stuff.”
“I doubt one-hundred-plus-year-old clothing would look this good. Okay, well, how did you explain the bruises? The head injury?”
“I can’t. I’m not saying you didn’t go somewhere, and maybe you did fall down some stairs, but you got back home somehow, and here you are.”
“How did I get inside?”
“I haven’t figured that one out yet.”
“Well, then, can’t you give me the benefit of the doubt?”
Danny reached to take her hand again, and she allowed it because she loved him, but she couldn’t reciprocate his squeeze.
“I want to, Annie, but time travel? Come on!”
Annie nodded, secure in the knowledge that she had traveled.
“What I think might have happened is that we talked about your great-grandmother at dinner. We talked about typhoid fever. I’m not really sure how you hit your head, but what if you fell out of your chair or it tilted over?”
Annie sighed. “You’re grasping at straws, Danny. You came into the house and I wasn’t here. Then I was. I don’t think you can explain that. I have a lot more bruises on my body than just my head. Too many for falling out of a chair. I have a letter from my second great-grandmother to her grandmother, tucked right here.” She pointed to her chest.
“You didn’t tell me about that.”
“No.”
“Well, what does it say?”
Annie inhaled deeply, feeling the edges of the paper against her skin. “I don’t know yet. It seems too personal to read just now.” She changed the subject. “You know, Dr. Mallory, a doctor born in the late nineteenth century, believed me more readily than you do.”
Danny grimaced and shrugged. “I’m trying, Annie. It’s a real stretch though. I can’t explain that you weren’t in the house when I got here and then you were.”
Annie said nothing but gazed at the papers on her lap. “Maybe you’ll come around someday,” she said, not really believing that he would.
“I don’t know, Annie,” he said, dashing her hopes.
“I have to go to the restroom again.”
She struggled to rise, and Danny jumped up to help her.
“I really wish you’d let me take you to the hospital,” he said.
“I’m okay, really. I’ll be all right.”
She went into the bathroom and fiddled with her garments again. She debated changing out of them and slipping into the robe hanging on the hook, but hesitated. Looking at herself in the mirror, she saw an early-twentieth-century woman looking back. She reached into her open collar and pulled out Belinda’s letter. She opened it in private, unwilling to share it with Danny at that moment, if ever.
The top of the letter showed the location and date.
Lancaster November 16, 1913
Dear Mother,
The dear lady handing you this letter is a cousin of ours. I can never figure out the exact relationship, but she will explain the connection to you. She is a Burman though through and through. All you have to do is look at her—her hair, her eyes. She looks almost exactly like Claire. I should have recognized her the moment I met her.
On her way to Lancaster, Annie lost all her things—her luggage, handbag and money. I think they were stolen on the train.
She is going down to Baltimore to do what she calls Jeannie-ology, family history. I hope that you will welcome her to stay in your house.
Mother, Annie saved our lives. She saved us from getting typhoid fever. I’ll let her explain how, but I will just say that we won’t be eating ice cream for a while here in the Sellers’ house. That is thanks to Annie.
Please write back to let me know if she arrived safely and how she is doing. She had a fall while she was here and has some bumps and bruises, but she insisted on traveling before she mended.
Love to you from all of us,
Your loving daughter, Belinda
Tears streamed down Annie’s face. She didn’t think she had any left in her body. She had cried more in the past few days than she had in the past year. She replaced the letter into the envelope with reverence and tucked it back behind her corset, vowing to treasure it always.
She looked into the mirror, noting her red-rimmed eyes, red nose and the swollen bruise on her forehead. She bent with effort to rinse her face and dried off before leaving the bathroom.
She heard Danny’s voice call out as she reached the office door.
“I thought you said they died in 1913,” he said, looking down at the papers she had set aside on the couch. “That’s not what these say.”
Annie froze in the doorway and clutched the sills with both hands. She wanted to rush forward, grab the certificates from Danny’s hands and read the information for herself.
“It says here Belinda died of old age in 1945 and Ted died in his sleep in 1991. He was eighty-five.”
Annie’s knees buckled, and she sank down to the floor in a billow of skirts.
“They lived,” she breathed, a smile spreading across her face. “They lived. And I’m still here.”
Books by Bess McBride
Time Travel Romance
The Earl Finds a Bride
(Book One of the Fairy Tales Across Time series)
The Viscount Finds Love
(Book Two of the Fairy Tales Across Time series)
The Baron Finds Happine
ss
(Book Three of the Fairy Tales Across Time series)
The Marquess Finds Romance
(Book Four of the Fairy Tales Across Time series)
Finding Your Heart
(Book One of the Town Lost in Time series)
Finding Your Love
(Book Two of the Town Lost in Time series)
Finding Your Forever
(Book Three of the Town Lost in Time series)
A Ship Through Time
The Highlander’s Stronghold
(Book One of the Searching for a Highlander series)
The Highlander’s Keep
(Book Two of the Searching for a Highlander series)
The Highlander’s Home
(Book Three of the Searching for a Highlander series)
My Laird’s Castle
(Book One of the My Laird’s Castle series)
My Laird’s Love
(Book Two of the My Laird’s Castle series)
My Laird’s Heart
(Book Three of the My Laird’s Castle series)
Caving in to You
(Book One of the Love in the Old West series)
A Home in Your Heart
(Book Two of the Love in the Old West series)
Forever Beside You in Time
Moonlight Wishes in Time
(Book One of the Moonlight Wishes in Time series)
Under an English Moon
(Book Two of the Moonlight Wishes in Time series)
Following You Through Time
(Book Three of the Moonlight Wishes in Time series)
A Train Through Time
(Book One of the Train Through Time series)
Together Forever Across Time
(Book Two of the Train Through Time series)
A Smile in Time
(Book Three of the Train Through Time series)
Finding You in Time
(Book Four of the Train Through Time series)
A Fall in Time
(Book Five of the Train Through Time series)
A Summer in Time
(Book Six of the Train Through Time series)
Train Through Time Series Boxed Set
(Books 1–3)
Train Through Time Series Boxed Set
(Books 4–6)
Across the Winds of Time
A Wedding Across the Winds of Time
(Novella)
Love of My Heart
Historical Romance
Anna and the Conductor
The Earl’s Beloved Match
(Novella)
The Dishonest Duke
Cozy Mysteries by Minnie Crockwell
Will Travel for Trouble series
Trouble at Happy Trails (Book 1)
Trouble at Sunny Lake (Book 2)
Trouble at Glacier (Book 3)
Trouble at Hungry Horse (Book 4)
Trouble at Snake and Clearwater (Book 5)
Trouble in Florence (Book 6)
Trouble in Tombstone Town (Book 7)
Trouble in Cochise Stronghold (Book 8)
Trouble in Orange Beach (Book 9)
Trouble at Pelican Penthouse (Book 10)
Trouble at Island Castle (Book 11)
Trouble at Yellowstone (Book 12)
Trouble at Devils Tower (Book 13)
Trouble in El Paso (Book 14)
Trouble in Diablo Canyon (Book 15)
Trouble in Santa Fe (Book 16)
Will Travel for Trouble Series (Books 1–3)
Will Travel for Trouble Series (Books 4–6)
Will Travel for Trouble Series (Books 7–9)
Will Travel for Trouble Series (Books 10–12)
Mirror Pond Mystery series
Death at the Gazebo (Book 1)
About the Author
Bess McBride is the best-selling author of over twenty time travel romances as well as contemporary, historical, romantic suspense and light paranormal romances. She loves to hear from readers, and you can contact her at [email protected]. She also writes short cozy mysteries as Minnie Crockwell. You can visit her website at www.bessmcbride.com.
