A World Apart (The Hands of Time: Book 3) (33 page)

Alec took Valerie’s hand as they stood in the woods outside their house.  It was wonderful to see the house, bathed in the cold sunlight of early December.  Everything looked exactly as they had left it, except for the dusting of snow on the grass and bare branches.  Mrs. Dolly would be preparing supper, while little Louisa would be reading in her room or embroidering in the parlor; and Louisa would probably be feeding Evie as Kit finished up some last minute chores before going in to wash before supper. 

“Ready?” Alec asked, looking down at
Valerie.

“Ready.” 
They set off for the house, their boots crunching on the newly fallen snow.  They were eager to see everyone, if not to explain why they’d come back without Finn.  It would be extremely difficult to tell people that Finn was dead, but that was the only way they could explain why he was never coming back.  They’d tell everyone that Finn had run off and had been killed by Indians in North Carolina.  Only Louisa and Kit would hear the truth of what really happened.

“Mama!!!” Valerie
looked up as her daughter came flying out of the house, running toward them as if the hounds of hell were on her heels.  “Oh, Mama. Where have you been?  So much has happened.”  Louisa was crying as she hugged first Valerie then Alec before giving them a gimlet stare.  “Where have you been all this time, and where is Finn?”  And so it had begun.

**

Valerie slipped a nightdress over her head, climbing into bed next to Alec.  It was nice to be home, despite everything.  A merry fire crackled in the hearth, throwing shifting shadows onto the walls, and giving the room a cozy warm glow.  Alec pulled Valerie closer, warming her cold feet with his. 

“I just can’t believe it, Alec.  All this time we thought that everything was all right here, and so much was happening.   The house seems so empty without
Louisa, Kit and Evie.  I pray they’re all right.  We won’t have any word from them until next spring, when the ships start sailing again.  I’ll go mad not knowing if they are safe.  It must have been difficult to make the crossing so late in the season with a newborn.  And Bridget is gone.”  Valerie was still shocked by the events of the past several months.  Little Louisa filled them in, tripping over her words as if she couldn’t get them out quickly enough.  Valerie supposed she wanted to tell them her version before Charles had his say, which he insisted on having in private with Alec.

“I’m sure they
’re well.  They’ll be safe in England until Louisa’s crime has been forgotten.  They’re probably better off, considering the situation within the colony.  At least they won’t go hungry.  Thank God Charlie was here to take over for Kit.  He’s done very well, considering.”  Alec and Charles had spent an hour in Alec’s study discussing estate business and the upcoming winter, not to mention Louisa’s near marriage to Tom.

“Oh, he’s done well, has he?  He nearly married Louisa off without even consulting us.”  Valerie was stunned to find out that Louisa
had been engaged to Thomas Gaines.  “She’s only fifteen, for the love of God.”

“Valerie, he did what he thought was best.  He was only trying to protect her.  No harm done. 
Tom is gone, and Louisa will get over it in time,” Alec replied.  

“
You’re right, of course.  In time, there will be someone else, someone who’ll appreciate her and love her.” Valerie was secretly glad that Tom had chosen to run away.  He was a handsome young man, but there was something about him that she found disturbing.  He was selfish and self-absorbed, and no doubt had only been toying with Louisa all along.  Valerie’s thoughts were interrupted by Alec.

“Life in town is going to be very difficult this winter.  It will be a fight for survival
, and things will be dire here too.  We must do all we can to prepare.  I’m glad that Charles and Annabel will stay with us.  They’ll be safer here, and I need Charlie’s help.  Mr. Gaines should come too, but Charles says he refuses to leave his home.  He’s a stubborn old man.” 

Alec kissed the top of Valerie’s head, sighing.  “Charlie and I had wasted enough time resenting each other.  We’ll have bigger problems to deal with.  We need each other.”

“Well, he did accuse you of adultery and murder, but I’m glad you’re ready to forgive him.  He loves you more than you know, Alec, and you are alike in so many ways.”  Valerie snuggled closer to Alec, needing his warmth.

“I can’t stop thinking about Finn,” Alec sighed.  “I never really noticed it before, but he’s so much like his father, not just in looks but in
temperament.  He’s passionate and headstrong just like Finlay, always following his unruly heart.  I hope Finn keeps his promise not to join the Continental Army or the Militia.  I just want him safe.” 

Valerie could almost see Finn’s face as they said goodbye to him that
afternoon.  He’d promised not to do anything foolish, but he was a sixteen-year-old boy.  Doing foolish things came with the territory.  At least he promised not to get married until he turned eighteen.  Finn confided to them that Abbie had begun to bleed that morning, a great relief to both of them, after which Alec took him aside for a private talk.  If Finn and Abbie were lovers, he had to know how to protect her from unwanted pregnancy until they were ready to start a family.  Finn would stay with the Mallorys and work for the Committee of Correspondence.  He liked the intelligence work a lot more than actual combat.  Valerie hoped he would just stay safe. 

“What did Mr. Taylor speak to you about?  I saw him going into your study.  He seemed rather secretive
.”  Valerie couldn’t say she was overjoyed to see the old man, but Charles had mentioned that Mr. Taylor had made himself useful in every way he could think of. 

“You’re not going to believe it,” said Alec with a huge grin on his face.  “Mr. Taylor has asked my permission to marry
Mrs. Dolly and stay with us.  He’ll be the oldest bridegroom in history.  I gave my consent.  I hope you don’t mind.” 

“Why would I mind?  If they
’re happy, who am I to object? Let’s get some sleep.  I’m absolutely exhausted.”  Valerie snuggled next to Alec as his hand cupped her breast, kissing her tenderly. 

“Just as soon as we rechristen our bed, love.”  Valerie had no objections.

May 1623

Valerie folded the letter, stuffing it into her pocket.  It was such a relief to hear from Louisa at last, even if the tidings weren’t all good.  She was devastated to hear about Bridget’s death.  To think that she had been hiding her illness from them for so long, not to mention the reason she’d left Ireland.  Valerie always suspected that Bridget wasn’t telling her the whole story, but she didn’t want to press.  Everyone was entitled to their secrets. 

Valerie
couldn’t blame the woman for being driven to murder.  No one dared to step in when a wife and children were abused, leaving them to either suffer in silence or take matters into their own hands.  Bridget didn’t have a father or brothers to whom she could turn to in time of need, so she did the only thing she could think of to protect her children.  Her conscience wouldn’t let her rest though, forcing her to live a life of self-inflicted exile.  At least Louisa had been there with her at the end, bringing her some comfort, and making sure she was shriven before she died.  Confessing her sin at last would have meant the world to Bridget.  A sailor they’d met aboard the ship went to Ireland to see Bridget’s girls and deliver her letter.  They would have forgiven her, even if she couldn’t forgive herself.  Valerie would ask Alec if they could put a cross for Bridget in their cemetery.  Her body might have been buried at sea, but she deserved some marker to commemorate her life, and give them a place to remember her. 

Louisa and Kit had stayed in London through the
winter, looking after Caroline.  She’d been jilted by her young lover and deserted by her friends once she became ill, leaving her melancholy and alone.  Louisa and Caroline had formed a strong friendship, as two strong-willed women were bound to do.  Caroline had died peacefully at Kit’s country estate just before Easter.  Kit had been happy to spend time with his sister since they hadn’t parted on good terms before.  Anyway, the reason no longer existed, since Caroline wholeheartedly approved of his choice of wife, even if her background was a bit murky.

Valerie was immensely grateful that her sister and family were well, even if they were halfway across the globe.  The winter had been even worse than they’d anticipated.  Over four hundred colonists died of starvation,
Minnie’s father and Mr. Gaines among them.  Everyone else on the estate had pulled through, but they were all skeletally thin with loose teeth and bleeding gums.  Supplies had finally come in; setting the colony on the path to recovery, but it would take time. 

Alec came striding across the lawn to sit next to Valerie on the bench overlooking the lake. 
He was grayer and thinner than he used to be, but happy to have come through the winter with minimal loss of life.

“Are you finished reading the letter?  Are they well?”  Alec had watched Valerie run off,
clutching the letter to her chest after Charles brought it from town that afternoon.  She had to read it alone before she could share the news with everyone else.

“They are well.  They had to get a wet nurse for Evie, but she’s thriving and Louisa is pregnant.  She is due sometime in July or early August.  The pregnancy is going well
, and they’re hoping for a boy to inherit the title and estates.  There’s some bad news as well.  Bridget is dead, Alec.  It turns out she had a tumor in her breast and hid it from everyone for months.  She died during the crossing.  Louisa was able to find someone to give her last rites, so at least she was shriven.  That must have brought her some relief.  Oh, I miss them so much, Alec.”

Alec put his arm around Valerie, drawing her closer.  “I’ll tell you what.  After we bring in the harvest in September, we can sail to England to visit Louisa and Kit.  We can spend the winter with them, and maybe spend
some time in London. I’m sure our darling hellion of a daughter would enjoy that, especially if we promise her a visit to the theater and maybe a ball or two.  Would you like that?”

“Oh, I would.  I’d like that very much.”  Valerie leaned against Alec, already thinking of seeing
Louisa again. 

“Actually, I have a little surprise for you.  I gave Mr. Taylor and
Cook a cottage on the estate as a wedding present, and Mr. Taylor has given me a present as well.”  Alec pulled out the time-travel watch out of his pocket holding it up in front of Valerie.  “He won’t be needing this anymore, so you know what this means?  We can visit Finn any time we want.”

“Oh my God, Alec.  When can we go?  I know you’re busy with the estate now, but maybe we can go in the summer.”

“If we set the device a few years ahead, we might be grandparents by then,” said Alec smiling.

“Don’t put the cart before the
horse, grandpa.  I’m not ready for that yet.”

“Actually, there is somewhere else I’d like to go after we visit Finn
and return from England.  I still want to drive a car and see an airplane,” Alec said, grinning.

“You’re on!”

The End

Please look for
A Game of Shadows
:  Book 4 of The Hands of Time Series – Now available for purchase at Amazon.com

I hope you’ve enjoyed this installment of
The Hands of Time Series
as much as I’ve enjoyed writing it.  When I wrote the first book, I never planned to pen a sequel, but these characters took over my heart, refusing to be silenced.  Eventually, I gave in and I’m glad because their story felt incomplete. 

As you can see, I’ve left
A World Apart
open for a sequel and I’m already working on book 4
A Game of Shadows
.  Maybe it’s time Alec and Valerie finally visited the future.  I bet their daughter would enjoy that, or maybe she wouldn’t.  If little Louisa seems a bit perverse, it’s because I based her on my own fourteen-year-old daughter, whose emotions change hourly. 

The Indian Massacre of 1622 and the subsequent famine actually occurred.  Over four hundred colonists died of starvation before the supply ships finally came from England the following spring.  However, the British fort where Sam was imprisoned did not exist.  I made it up, so don’t look for it in the history books.  There were plenty of British forts in the area, so I didn’t think adding one more would offend anyone too much.

I would love to hear your thoughts and input about continuing the series.  Please visit me at
www.irinashapiro.com
. 
I look forward to your comments.

Prologue

December 1815

The coroner looked out over the crowded room.  The hush was so complete that he could almost hear dust motes twirling in the ray of sunshine filtering through the not-so-clean window of the makeshift courtroom.  He hated what he
had to do, but what choice was there?  He had presided over many inquests during his long career, but this one had been the toughest.  Sir Henry had been a friend of his youth and watching him sit in the front row, his shoulders stooped and his eyes red-rimmed with grief, did not make this any easier. 

The case was baffling.  There was no evidence, no witnesses and seemingly, no motive.  The only people to testify had been Sir Henry, the groom and Lady Elizabeth’s maid.   The coroner had personally examined the bodies
, and attested to the fact that both Lady Elizabeth and Captain Flynn had been shot through the heart at close range; their bodies dumped in the lake in the hopes of either never being found, or being so disfigured and bloated by the time they were, that identification would be almost impossible.  To compound the tragedy, the maid informed the court that the young Lady Flynn was in the first trimester of pregnancy, a blow to her poor husband who longed for a child from his bride. 

This inquest would be followed by another one tomorrow.  That one would be for Silas Manson, the gamekeeper at the estate of Sir Henry Flynn, who discovered the body of Lady Elizabeth.  The man blew his head off while cleaning a hunting rifle and although the death appeared to be accidental
, some believed that he’d committed suicide out of guilt, having known something of the double murder.  Coroner Davis did not believe that for a moment.  Silas had been a good, God-fearing man.  He would never have concealed evidence if he had seen or heard something.  On the other hand, he had also been a proficient hunter and the idea that he shot himself by accident was a ludicrous one.  It might have been suicide, but that would be between Silas and God. 

The coroner read the verdict of the jury one more time
, took a deep breath and addressed the assembly.  “Ladies and Gentlemen, in the case of Lady Elizabeth Flynn and Captain Jeremy Flynn, the verdict is “Murder by persons unknown.”  The case is now closed.” 

The room erupted in a cacophony of noise, but Sir Henry just sat and stared at his hands, his shoulders quaking with sobs.  He
’d lost his pregnant young wife and son, who had only recently returned home after the Battle of Waterloo.  Sir Henry was a broken man and there was nothing anyone could do to help him now.  Coroner Davis watched as Lady Elizabeth’s father gently patted Henry on the shoulder and walked from the room, erect and dry-eyed, even in his grief.