Love Lost in Time (Victorian Time-Travel) (26 page)

“Andrew, that’s enough.”

The stern voice of his father was what made him stop. He glanced up at his parent standing beside him. A frown marred the man’s face as sadness coated his expression. “You have injured your brother quite enough now.”

“But Father, he’s responsible for killing—”

“Son.” His father placed his hand on Andrew’s shoulder. “What’s done is done. We cannot change what happened.”

Tears blurred Andrew’s vision again as he studied Edward’s beaten face. The pain in his heart grew worse, and made it difficult to breathe. Would this ever get easier?

“Father, what are we going to do with him?” he asked, moving off Edward. “He deserves to die the cruel and agonizing death he made Halle suffer.”

“Who are we to be Edward’s judge? We shall let the magistrate decide his fate, and allow God to do the rest.”

Sighing heavily, Andrew buried his face in his hands, trying his hardest not to cry. “This isn’t fair.”

“No, son. Life has never been fair, but we make our own path, and trust that God will help us through all the trials.” The older man knelt beside Andrew and squeezed his shoulder. “You will get through this, I assure you. Don’t forget your family will help.”

Andrew lifted his head, meeting his father’s teary gaze. “I know.”

A movement from the tree caught his attention, and he swung his gaze toward his brother. Edward was alert and scrambling toward the tree. The trunk opened, shooting more light outward. Andrew blocked the brightness from his eyes. “Edward…stop!” Andrew called as he reached to stop his brother.

The duke lunged toward his oldest son, but slipped on the damp grass and fell. Andrew jumped toward his brother again, but it was too late. Edward had entered the tree. Seconds later, the trunk closed. Immediately, the bright light disappeared, leaving Andrew and his father in the dark night.

“What…just happened?” Andrew said, still mesmerized from what he’d witnessed.

“You brother has gone through time.”

Andrew pulled his focus back to his father, and blinked with wide eyes. “This isn’t right. We cannot allow an evil man to go another world.”

His father frowned. “We have no other choice. There is no turning back time now. However, look at what this has accomplished. Being in a different time will indeed punish your brother.”

“What do you mean?”

“With Edward in a different time, he would have no money, no title, and no home. He’d have to start over from the beginning. Certainly, this is the perfect punishment for someone as greedy and ruthless as Edward.”

Andrew nodded. “Of course you are right, Father.”

“We will never see him again…just like I never got to see my brother.” His father took a deep breath as a tear slipped down his cheek. “But let’s pray your brother doesn’t hurt anyone else.”

“
Yes, let’s hope he doesn’t. What will we tell Mother and Georgi?”

“We shall tell them that your brother is dead.”

Andrew turned back toward the house and was relieved to see the fire had put out in the sitting room, and only a small amount of smoke hung above the manor. “Where is everyone?”

“The magistrate captured them all and they are on the other side of the house. I directed the magistrate there so he wouldn’t see the tree.”

“Good thinking, Father.”

His parent patted Andrew’s back. “Come, let us go inside to see how your mother and Georgiana are holding up.”

Andrew didn’t know if he wanted to go inside, because then he would see Halle…her dead body. He was afraid he would take her back in his arms and never let her go.

Slowly, they made their way back to the manor. The smoke inside the house was starting to clear as servants bustled around, doing all they could to clean up the mess. When they passed the butler, Andrew’s father touched the man’s sleeve to stop him.

“Mr. Pitt? Do you know where my wife and daughter have gone?”

“Yes, Your Grace. They are upstairs with Miss Chapman. I believe they took Miss Chapman
’s body to her room.”

“Thank you, Mr. Pitt.”

As Andrew and his parent climbed the staircase, Andrew’s heart grew heavier. The pain in his chest matched the one throbbing in his head.

“Are you going to be all right, Son?”

“I don’t know. I can’t believe she’s…gone.” His voice broke.

“I shall never forget Miss Chapman’s bravery…and that she saved my life
and my family’s lives.”

Andrew peeked at his father and added, “And that she
changed history.”

His father nodded. “Yes. You have proven me wrong, and this time I’m happy to apologize.”

As they neared Halle’s room, Andrew expected to hear crying, but he didn’t. It saddened him to think his mother and sister were not as heart-broken and devastated as he was. With great hesitation, he stepped in. Immediately, he saw Halle lying on the bed. Sitting on the edge of the mattress was Will Chapman and the doctor. His mother and sister stood against the wall, their eyes red and swollen aimed toward the bed, as they clung to each other.

Andrew stepped closer and could see Halle wasn’t wearing the same gold and white gown she had on earlier. Instead, she was in her nightgown. The doctor leaned over her using the instrument to listen to her heart.

“What’s going on?” he asked, stepping closer.

Will Chapman jumped toward Andrew. The man’s face beamed with gladness.

“She’s not dead, Andrew.”

The room
spun around him, and he grasped Will’s arms. Andrew hadn’t heard correctly. That had to be it… “I—I don’t understand. She died in my arms.”

“But she’s not dead.” Will pointed to
her. “Look. She is breathing.”

“How…” Andrew fell on his knees at the side of the bed and slipped Halle’s hand into his. She wasn’t cold. She wasn’t stiff. Warmth coursed through her skin and blended with his.

Releasing a sob of pure joy, he laid his head on her hand, kissing her slender fingers. He didn’t understand any of this, but at this moment all he wanted to do was hold her. Kiss her. Gaze into her beautiful green eyes and promise her the world.

The sniffles from his mother and
Georgi were louder as they stood beside him now, their hands on his back, caressing comfort back into his body.

“Indeed, this is a miracle,”
his father whispered brokenly.

Andrew’s t
ears moistened her hand, but he kept his face next to her warm skin until the doctor gave him permission to hold her the way Andrew really wanted.

“This is definitely a miracle, Your Grace,” the doctor said as he stood. “She’s s
uffered a grievous injury but as long as infection doesn’t settle in her body, I’m certain she will recover. She has a strong will.”

“Thank you, doctor.” His mother’s voice shook when she spoke. “This wonderful woman saved our lives. We are in her debt, and we shall do all within our power to take care of her.”

Andrew finally lifted his head and looked at the doctor. “Can…can I hold her?”

Smiling, the doctor nodded. “Just be very careful with her, my lord. I’ve bandaged her chest good and tight to keep her injury from being bumped or exposed, but you
must still be extremely cautious.”

“I will.” Andrew rose and carefully moved on the bed, slipping an arm around her shoulders. He tried not to move her as he lay on the bed beside her, holding her.

Out of the corner of his eyes he saw his family move quietly out of the room and closed the door behind them.

Happy tears wouldn’t leave
Andrew’s eyes as he gazed down on her beautiful, peaceful face. No longer was the color of her skin pale. Instead, her face held pink tones.

Swallowing the lump of emotion that had settled in his throat, he brushed his lips across her forehead. “Everything is fine now. We will be together…
forever.”

Epilogue

“Merry Christmas, my darling wife.”

Andrew kissed Halle on the mouth, keeping the kiss gentle as he still did not want to overexert her from fully recovering.

She adjusted the blankets around her so she could sit up on the bed. “My sweet man, I fear you are hallucinating again. We are not married.”

He wagged his eyebrows as he sat next to her. “We may not be married in front of God, but in my heart, you are my wife.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, velvet blue box.

She gasped. “What is this? We are not going to exchange gifts until later tonight with your family.”

“I wanted to give you this present now while we are alone. I hope you don’t mind.”

“Of course I do. Because I don’t have a gift for you because I’m saving it for tonight.” She smiled. “And your parents are so wonderful to invite my father.”

“I’m just relieved he decided to help us…and become the father you have always wanted.”

“As am I. But I still need to get you another present.”

H
e scooted beside her on the bed and slipped his arm around her waist, pulling her closer. “My dear Halle, you have already given me the best gift anyone could ask for. You brought love into my life, which in turn made me a better man.” He kissed her forehead. “And, by some miracle, you didn’t die. That right there is the only thing I wanted.”

“Yes, that was definitely the strangest thing I’ve ever encountered.” She shook her head. “I knew I was dying, and yet I saw myself going back to my time. Samantha and Colin were there, but they couldn’t see me. All I wanted to do was tell them goodbye.” She looked up into his eyes. “I wanted to tell them how much I wanted to stay with you in
your
time.” She stroked his cheek, lovingly. “And as I waited to float to heaven, I kept thinking of you and how much I wanted to be with you forever.”

“That must have been the reason you came back to me.”

“I want to think so. I want to think that my love for you brought me back.”

Her words melted him—just as they always had. He cupped her face and brought his mouth down to meet hers in a passionate kiss. She slid her fingers through his hair, twirling a lock by his ear.

As much as he wanted to continue to kiss her this way, he didn’t dare. She was still healing and he didn’t want to do anything to slow down the process. Reluctantly, he pulled away and smiled. He nodded toward the box. “Open it.”

She e
agerly untied the bow and took off the lid of the box. A gasp sprang from her throat and her eyes widened. “Andrew…it’s beautiful.”

He took the box from her and lifted the ring out. “I had to find an emerald…as green as your eyes.” He slipped it on her wedding finger before kissing her knuckle. “I saw this in the shop the other day and knew it was the perfect ring for my wonderful bride.”

“Oh, Andrew. You are the perfect man!” She kissed him again, but kept it brief.

Sighing happily, she cuddled against him, leaning her head against his chest. “I don’t think I ever told you how sorry I was that things happened the way they did with Edward.”

“It was hard to believe that he could be so evil…so selfish…so cruel.”

“Yes, it was a shock. I just hope you’re family doesn’t blame me.”

“They don’t.” He caressed her arm. “They have known for a while that Edward was selfish, but I don’t think they knew just how bad.”

“Andrew?” She lifted her head and looked at him. “Do you think he went…to
my
time?”

“I don’t know. Why do you ask?”

“Because the night of the attack, you were the one who traveled that night and you came to my time. And Nigel was supposed to go as well. Now I wonder if Edward went there.”

Why hadn’t he thought of that? He nodded. “That’s something to think about, to be sure. But it’s too late now. What’s happened is out of our hands.”

“True. I just hope Samantha or Colin don’t run into him. Too bad there isn’t a way to reach them somehow…”

Andrew groaned. “Well, if
Edward does meet your friend, I hope Colin will teach my brother a thing or two about how to treat women.”

She chuckled. “What makes you think Colin
even knows?” She cuddled back against his chest. “Mmm…this is heavenly.”

“Yes, it is.”

“Merry Christmas, my darling.”

He kissed the top of her head. “It definitely is merry, and it will be the first of many more to come. Halle, my love, we will be blissfully happy, just as we had planned to be. I assure you.”

She lifted her head again to gaze into his eyes. “I know we will because we’ll be together. Just as we were meant to be. Forever and ever.”

* * * *

Gloucestershire, England current day

Samantha Beck wearily entered her bedroom at the bed and breakfast after another long day of searching for Halle. Exhaustion had made her mind numb, as well as her legs. She couldn’t give up looking for her best friend…the girl that was like a sister to Sam.

When they’
d discovered Halle missing and Drew’s body dead by the tree, the police had been called and all the guests at Buckland Manor were questioned. At first, the police suspected Halle had killed Drew, but after his body was checked over, the doctor determined the cause of death was a heart attack. Both she and Colin stayed to continue searching for Halle, but as each day passed with no clues to where she could have gone—or been taken—Sam felt like giving up.

She fell on the
bed face first. Her throat tightened and tears stung her eyes. None of this made sense. There had to be
some
kind of clue to Halle’s whereabouts.

Rolling to her side, she wiped the moisture from her eyes and looked at the wall, following the rose pattern of the wallpaper across the far corner. Her mind went back over everything that had happened since they arrived, as she tried to think of what could have happened to her friend.

What is that?
She jerked up and narrowed her gaze on the wall. There was a bump underneath the wallpaper that she hadn’t noticed before.

She climbed out of bed and went to the wall, running her hand over the crinkly spot. It wasn’t just a mistake the decorators had made, but something was definitely under there.

Using the tip of her fingernail, she scratched at the stiff paper until it ripped. Gradually, she made the rip large enough to see what was underneath. A strange looking piece of paper was stuck in between the seam of the wall. She took special care as she pulled it out. The paper reminded her of the paper in the journals that were found in Halle’s room here at Buckland Manor, which had been the Duke of Harrington’s journals.

How odd…

The yellowish-brown paper looked very old, and she held her breath as she opened up. The handwriting was very fancy, precise, and perfect. Just like…

This can’t be!
She looked closer, and sure enough it looked just like Halle’s handwriting. Then she read the message:

January 10
th
, 1849

Dearest Samantha,

I am writing to you from the year 1848. Please do not freak out, but I am
really
here in this time. I am married to Andrew Merrick, the Marquis of Brimhall. (yeah, believe it or not, Andrew has taken over his brother’s title and is next in line to be the Duke of Harrington) I don’t have time to tell you all that has happened, but let me tell you this… I am now living in the past and I won’t be returning to the future. There
is
such a thing as time-travel, and I’m happily living the life I was born to have.

Although I wish I could talk to you face-to-face, I need to warn you. Andrew’s older brother, Edward, might have gone back in time…and might be there at Buckland Manor with you now. If he is there, do
not
trust him! He’s a dangerous man. You might even want to give the cops a heads-up to his criminal behavior.

Please know I love you and miss you so much, but I am very happy here. And tell Colin I love and miss him, too. I wish both of you success in all your endeavors. I hope you both find the lives you have dreamed about and live it to the fullest.

Love, your friend always, Halle Merrick, Marchioness of Brimhall (don’t you just love the sound of that? heehee)

Samantha breathed out the breath she didn’t know she’d been holding. Although it was impossible, this was really Halle! No Victorian woman would have talked this way. Yet this paper looked so old…

Shock vibrated through her and she sank to the floor. Happiness burst in her chest knowing that her friend had not been abducted or killed.

A tear ran down her cheek and she wiped it away. She would certainly miss Halle, but she would do as her friend suggested and find the life she had always dreamed of—and live it to the fullest. Life was short, and time was essential.

Never again would she take time for granted.

THE END

Watch for Samantha
Beck’s story in book #2 of my Finding Love Series. COMING in early 2014!

**READERS**

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