My heart quickens. He is as short and squat as Roderick, but his hat hides his face. He leans against the wall so I cannot see his right arm or whether he has one.
Working my way through the crowded room, I must find an opportunity to confront him. I spy the back door and know what I must do. Mustering up all my courage, I approach the man. At first he ignores me turning his head so I cannot view his face. I must force him to reveal himself. I fake tripping over a floorboard and hit his shoulder. He grabs my arm with one hand. ‘Tis Roderick!
He forces open the back door and pulls me outside. It is dark in the alleyway and I still cannot see his face. “Who are you? What do you want with me?” His heavily accented voice is not familiar. Then he holds up both his hands and balls them into fists. “I will defend myself. Stand aside.”
Relieved the man is not Roderick I race for the back door. His holler cases after me, “Coward.”
Once again I work my way through the crowd and squeeze into a chair next to the back wall. I am in desperate need of a libation. My bowler hat hits a painting of a horse and almost knocks it to the ground. A blond gentleman next to me nods and smiles. “A bit close in here this evening.”
“It is indeed, sir.”
He motions for me to join him at his much larger table. It is at that moment I notice he is missing his right arm. After all the angst about the mystery man, he turns out to be landed gentry. The man is entirely harmless—the total opposite of my former master.
“After my tussle with the horse, I think I am in need of a pint.”
The man waves his hand and the barmaid brings another pint to the table. He hoists his pint up high. “To finding my good-for-nothing wife.”
I clink his glass even though the toast is highly inappropriate. “I’m sorry to hear your wife has run astray.”
“She ran off with the neighboring farmer after my misfortune.” He holds his partially missing arm high up in the air. “I have been chasing them from village to village ever since.” He hangs his head. “Can you believe my own wife said she could never live with such a monster?”
Humans can be so cruel to one another. “I am sorry to hear of your strife, sir. How exactly did this horrible calamity happen?”
He takes a large swig of his beer. “It was a thrasher that caught my arm. I should have never been so close to the hay.”
“You are well rid of your wife if she would abandon you in your time of need.”
“Right you are, sir.” The man pushes his beer glass aside. “Unfortunately, I love her.”
I step into the entryway and my bowler hat almost hits Esme in the face. “How long have you been waiting by the door?”
“Since I heard the carriage coming up the drive. I wish I had my cell phone. It was torture waiting for you to come back. You could have sent a note you would be staying a day longer.”
She has every right to be upset. Her imagination must have conjured up all kinds of horrors when I didn’t come home as planned. I take her hand. “I’m sorry, my dearest. But I could not leave the inn until I knew for certain the mystery man’s identity.”
Esme leads me into the parlor and sits down in her favorite gold velvet chair. “Tell me what happened before I jump out of my skin.”
A feeling of love washes over me as her shoulders relax with relief. For a brief moment at the inn I thought I would never see her again. “Let me start at the beginning.”
She sucks in a breath. “Oh, please don’t. Just tell me who the guy is.”
“Dearest, you are so insistent.”
Esme gives me a coy smile. “You always said you liked that about me.”
No use trying to dissuade her. “It appears the man is harmless, and more importantly, not Roderick.”
She lets out a sigh. “Who is he? Why is he missing an arm?”
“A tragic accident on his farm.”
“Why was he staying at the inn?”
“To make a sad and lengthy tale short, his wife ran off with another man. He’s been looking for her for a fortnight. Traveling from village to village in hopes of finding her.”
“How sad. Now I feel terrible the people at the party were bad-mouthing him.”
I nod. “Yes. It is human nature to think ill of strangers. Especially ones with disabilities.”
“It’s at times like these I’m embarrassed for my kind.”
I stroke Esme’s face. “Dearest, you are the shining example of what good there is in humans.”
She leans over to kiss me but quickly withdraws when the butler joins us in the parlor. He puts a silver tray down on the side table. “Sir, I thought you would like a spot of tea after your long journey.”
“Thank you, Higgins.”
He pulls a note card out from his jacket pocket. “Excuse me, sir, I forgot this came for you presently.”
I watch as Higgins leaves the room and wonder who would deliver a message so late in the evening.
Esme nudges my hand. “Open it.”
I tear through the envelope and pull out a card. My mouth goes dry as I read the words.
You may think you have escaped our scorn, but you are greatly mistaken.
Sincerely,
The High Council
Child Dilemma
Esme
The weather is perfect for my little tea party in the garden, but I sense storm clouds overhead. The High Council knows where we live. One day soon they will come for Jin, and possibly even me, but until then I am determined to not live my life in fear. I run my hand along the lace-covered table set with all kinds of cakes and sweets piled high on fancy silver tiered trays. A huge cut glass vase brimming with roses from my garden is the centerpiece. Their fragrance mixed with the desserts should be bottled and sold.
Lady Gamby strolls toward me with a small box in her hands. My first guest arrives dressed in the latest summer frock from Paris. I’m surprised such an important woman would accept my invitation. Maybe her curiosity about Americans brought her here. My arrival is still the talk of Derbyshire.
She hands me the box. “Thank you so much for the invitation.” She hands me the gift. “A little trifle to express my appreciation.”
I don’t know whether it is proper to open it now or later. The Victorian code of social behavior is still a mystery to me. I place the box near my chair. Lady Gamby frowns. “You are not going to open it presently? Are you not the least bit curious what it is inside?”
Lady Gamby is married to the most powerful Lord in Derbyshire so I’m sure the gift is impressive. I sit down in my chair and pull the white ribbon until it falls away from the box. Lifting the lid reveals an exquisite enameled pin resting on a blue velvet pillow. The three-dimensional pink petals of the rose almost spring to life. I pin it onto the embroidered bodice of my teal tea dress. “It is stunning. Thank you so much.”
“I hope you will cherish it—” Lady Gamby beams as she gazes around the garden “—as much as you do your roses.”
I’m surprised she remembers our conversation about my garden plans at the winter soirée—the one time we met before. “Yes, I love roses. The growing season is short here, so I try to enjoy every moment I have with them.”
She nods. “I am certain the climate in America is much more conducive to your passion. But I am glad you have made your own slice of heaven here in England.”
Why is she being so nice? The women here find me a curiosity and nothing else, certainly not someone to befriend. “Yes, I have. Thank you for noticing.”
She gives me a glowing smile. “You are hard to forget.”
From anyone else I would take it as an insult, but judging from Lady Gamby’s glowing face, it is a genuine compliment. Animated voices twitter up the stone path and I jump to my feet. The rest of my party has arrived and I must slip into hostess mode.
I wave at Phyllis Manner. Her husband owns Clifton Hill House, the neighboring estate. Behind her are the inseparable sisters of Buxton Hall. Despite the fact I find the sisters as irri
tating as Mrs. Crandy, I’m grateful they accepted my invitation. I invited three other local women but they politely declined. Coming to the home of “The American” ranks low on the society women’s to-do list.
We gather around the table as Higgins serves tea. He places an assortment of treats on my pretty floral Havilland china and sets a perfectly arranged plate in front of each of us.
Higgins gives me a quick bow. “Will that be all, milady?”
“Yes, Higgins. That will be all for now.”
As the ladies nibble on their tarts, I contemplate how to start a good conversation. But before I can bring up the lovely weather, Phyllis chimes in, “Such a pleasant day for a garden party.”
Lady Gamby nods. “Indeed it is. I want to thank our hostess for organizing such an agreeable distraction.”
The sisters nod in agreement. The older sister, Annabel, pushes a long red curl out of her face as she sets down her teacup. “Too, true. Lydia and I were glad for the invitation. We did not want to journey with our mother to Nottingham to visit our aunt.”
Lydia swallows a mouthful of apricot tart. “Our aunt is a lovely person, but she tends to dominate a conversation and her cook is dreadful.”
Annabel eyes the plate full of delectable treats. “Indeed. Unlike the scrumptious repast you have presented, the dining at our aunt’s is sorely lacking.”
All I can do is smile. The sisters are known all over Derbyshire for their ability to never stop talking. They are also slightly plump, which would explain their reputation for being preoccupied with food. I don’t care what people say about them, I am grateful for their kindness to me. “I am happy I could help you escape your journey to Nottingham.”
Phyllis, who is as thin as a runway model, takes a tiny bite of the tart. “I agree wholeheartedly, Esme. Your cook is quite talented. How did you find her?”
“Mr. Sansby lured her away from the Duchess’s kitchen.”
The sisters‘ eyes grow large. Lady Gamby chuckles. “I knew I liked your husband. Quite a coup to appropriate an employee of the Duke.”
I better change the subject. Jin might get in trouble. “You misunderstand me. She was just a line cook. I am sure she wasn’t missed.” I hold up a lemon teacake. “Aren't these great? I grew the lemons myself.”
Lady Gamby smiles. “Quite impressive. You are truly blessed with a green thumb.”
Phyllis looks up from her teacup. “Speaking of growing things, when are you and Mr. Sansby going to have children? I was sorry to hear he left for the inn. I’m sure it was just a small tiff. Nothing would solidify your marriage faster than a new baby.”
OMG! Victorian women and their preoccupation with bearing children. How I miss my own time. No one would ever think of pressuring an eighteen-year-old into having kids. Actually, the total opposite. They’d do everything to convince them to wait until they were much older.
Truthfully, I haven’t thought about it at all. I’m still a kid myself. Besides, the bigger question is: Can genies even have children? Before the rumor spreads any further, I need to squash this idea of marriage troubles ASAP. “My husband had business at the inn. I can assure our marriage is fine. We’ve only been married for a year so there is still plenty of time.”
The sisters shake their heads. Annabel’s eyebrows furrow. “You are being incredibly selfish. Children are a blessing on a union.”
This conversation is going downhill fast.
Lady Gamby sits back in her chair. “I think it is commendable that you wish to build a strong marriage before expanding your family. It is what the lord and I have done with great forethought.”
To have such a powerful woman back me up gives me hope I will one day fit in. Then I look at the other women sitting at the table and any hope I had drains from my body.
Phyllis purses her lips. “With all due respect, Lady Gamby, children are the ties that bind a marriage together. I should know, I am lucky enough to have been blessed with six of my own.”
This is so not the pleasant little garden party I’d hoped for. The last thing I need is to tick off my neighbor. “I will take your sentiments to heart, Phyllis.”
“Splendid.” A faint smile crosses her lips. “You must plan a trip to Paris at once. There is no place quite as romantic.”
The sisters clap their hands and say in unison, “Yes, indeed. It is where we both were conceived.”
Jin returns from the hunt looking like he hand wrestled the fox himself. “What the heck happened to you?”
He wipes mud off his face. “My horse was spooked by a bear.”
“Do they have bears in Derbyshire?”
He laughs. “No, ‘tis a falsehood. I was too embarrassed to inform you of what truly happened.”
I grasp his hand and lead him upstairs. “Why don’t you tell me while you have a good soak in the bath.”
Jin strips down showing of his ripped stomach while I order the maid to bring several buckets of hot water. I’ll never get used to not being able to turn on the faucet and have warm water at a moment’s notice. Here in the countryside, central plumbing is still years away. But I have to admit I enjoy the feeling of being pampered when the maid washes my hair.
Matilda drops off several buckets of water and gives me a stare as I motion for her to leave. Normally the butler would bathe Jin, but I enjoy our private time together, as inappropriate as it is. I pour water over Jin’s head and watch it ripple down his chest. “How did I get so lucky to have such a handsome husband?”
He smiles up at me. “Why do I always feel like I’m giving you a show while I bathe?”
I laugh. “Because you are.” I run my hand along his muscular shoulder. “Do you know we are the talk of the village?”
“No. Pray tell, what did you ladies discuss at tea?”
“Phyllis was concerned we were having marital problems because you were at the inn. So she suggested we should have a baby.”
“Stupendous idea.” He pulls me chest-first into the tub with him. “Let us get to it!”
I lift my soaked bustle out of the water before we both drown. “Higgins will be announcing dinner soon.”
He runs his hand over my cleavage. “We can dine later.”
I take hold of his hand. “Can genies even have children?”
The romantic moment shattered, he sits up in the tub. “When I first trained as a genie I had heard rumors of such a union, but there was something amiss with the child. It is forbidden for a reason.”
I think of all the times we have been together and nothing has happened. “If you ask me, I think the council wanted to discourage genies from having sex with their human masters, so they made it up.”
He strokes my face. “Dearest, do you desire a child?”
“Heck no. I’m way too young.”
Higgins rings the dinner bell signaling our time together is over.
Jin holds out his hands to helps me out of the tub. “Then just disregard the gossip.”
I strip off my soaking dress and head toward my walk-in closet. “I wish it was that easy. We will have to lie and say we are trying to conceive.”
He gives my butt a gentle pat. “Whatever you say, Mistress.”
Not wanting Higgins to come up to the bedroom to make sure we get to dinner on time, we quickly throw on our clothes and head downstairs. The sweets from the garden party have made crave some real food. The dining room table is set with the large cut glass vase of flowers from the garden party. I love that Matilda is so thoughtful. Although I still don’t approve of having a staff, they have kept me from feeling alone in a strange time, and have become like family.
Jin sits at the head of the table but I don’t take my usual place at the other end. I’ve barely seen him the last two days. So I break Victorian protocol and pull up a chair next to him. Higgins’s eyebrows rise when he sees where I’m sitting. But like a true butler, he says nothing as he retrieves my silverware from the end of the table and places them in front of me. He pours us a glass of wine
and then leaves.
Jin laughs. “One of these days you’re going to give poor Higgins a heart attack.”
I run my hand along his thigh. “I have to keep up my scandalous American reputation.”
“You do love to flaunt your free modern ways.”
“Are you complaining?”
“Not at all.” He holds his glass up high. “Let us toast your unique qualities.”
I clink his glass. “I’ll drink to that.”
Higgins strides back in the room carrying a small silver tray and stops next to Jin. He hands him a large envelope. “Sir, this came for you while you were otherwise disposed.”
I’m beginning to dread seeing Higgins carrying the card tray.
Jin turns the envelope over. “Do you think it is another warning?”
I snatch it from his hand. “Let’s find out.” I razor my knife through the seal. “It is an invitation to attend the Highland Games at Robmar Castle. But it doesn’t say who invited us. That’s weird.”
“’Tis odd indeed. I hunted with Lord Mackenzie once. He was a very amiable fellow. Maybe he extended the invitation?’’
Running my hand along the edge of the card, I catch a whiff of something exotic—night jasmine. “Or it could be a trap set by the High Council.”
Highland Mystery
Esme
It takes two grueling and bumpy days in a carriage to get to Robmar Castle. I wanted to take the train, which would have been much faster, but Jin was worried about the High Council’s spies. Even though the one-armed man turned out to be harmless, the note Roderick left in my dad’s shirt pocket still haunts us.
Jin In Time Boxed Set 1-3: A Young Adult Time Travel Romance (The Time is Forever Series) Page 21