A Window in Time

by Carolyn Lampman

  Clear at the back of the cupboard, a half full bottle of whiskey lay on its side. Brianna pulled it out with a big smile on her face. Her secret ingredient! Maybe there was hope after all. She poured a generous amount into her beans, looked at the bottle for a moment then added some more for good measure. At least it would have some flavor. What she wouldn’t give for a bottle of ketchup right now.

  “Mrs. Daniels?”

  Brianna looked over her shoulder and saw Seth standing uncertainly in the doorway. “Better call me Brianna,” she said, turning back to her beans. “Lucas isn’t very happy with either one of us right now.”

  “I know. Would you like me to bring your trunk in?”

  Brianna’s suddenly remembered the bottle of hot sauce in Tom Shaffer’s backpack. It might mean the difference between boring and tasty. “If you wouldn’t mind.” She stirred the beans then picked up the water bucket. “I used the last of the water. Where do I refill this?”

  Seth paused in the process of pulling clothing off the pegs over one of the bunks and looked at her in surprise. “Down at the river. Don’t you want me to do that for you?”

  “No, I can use the exercise. What are you doing, anyway?”

  “Lucas said to get Billy and me moved out to the barn so you can have the other bunk.”

  “As pleased as Lucas is to have me here I’m surprised I’m not the one sleeping in the barn.”

  Seth gave her a horrified look. “But you’re a woman.”

  “No kidding.” When he continued to stare at her, Brianna gave a disgusted sigh and headed for the door. “Just think, only a hundred years till women’s lib.”

  The walk down to the river wasn’t particularly pleasant. The afternoon sun beat down on her unmercifully and mosquitoes swarmed around her in a cloud. Thank goodness for the long sleeves of her dress. By the time she reached the river, Brianna was hot and grouchy.

  The river meandered slowly across the flat plain forming a deep pool at the bend nearest the Pony Express Station. Its crystal clear depths sent out a silent invitation to Brianna as she stood on the bank, hot, itchy and more than a little grubby.

  It was so very tempting. A quick glance over her shoulder ended any thought she had of going swimming. Bart Kelly was standing by the back of the wagon watching her with his little pig eyes. Even hidden behind the screen of willows that grew along the shore on either side of the trail, she wouldn’t be safe.

  With a deep sigh, Brianna filled the water bucket and started back up the well-worn path. It wasn’t long before she wished she had let Seth get it for her. The wooden bucket itself was heavy. Filled with water it seemed to weigh a ton. Every few feet Brianna had to stop and transfer the load from one hand to the other.

  At first, she thought Bart Kelly might come to her rescue, but the minute he saw her struggling, he disappeared into one of the outbuildings. Honestly, the man was almost too obnoxious to be real. By the time Brianna finally reached the station, her arms and shoulders were aching from the strain and the bucket was less than three-quarters full. Water conservation suddenly took on a whole new meaning as she wondered how many times a day she was going to have to make the trip. For all she knew, hauling water from the river to the cabin was the reason Lucas Daniels was so muscular.

  The cabin was deserted, but Seth had brought in her trunk just as he’d promised. Brianna retrieved the backpack and dug out the hot sauce. Though the bottle was nearly full, she used it sparingly. If she were here very long, she might be glad to have it.

  Brianna looked at the beans in the pot critically as she gave them another stir. She really didn’t know how long beans had to soak, but surely they’d been in the water long enough. Besides, sunset couldn’t be more than a few hours away. With a shrug, she put the beans on to cook.

  As she straightened, a small cracked bowl on the mantle caught her eye. She peeked beneath the cover and made a face when she saw the thick gooey dough inside. One whiff of the sour mixture was enough. The rest of the cleaning could wait until tomorrow, but this was too nasty to ignore. Brianna carried it outside and scraped it out onto the dirt behind the cabin.

  After scrubbing out the bowl with a dab of her precious water, Brianna put it in the cupboard and turned her attention to Anna’s trunk. She felt less like an intruder this time, though she still wasn’t very comfortable going through the other woman’s possessions.

  There was very little in the way of clothing. A faded brown dress that had been patched repeatedly, a waistless dress of green calico that looked like a granny gown from the sixties, a black wool skirt, and a full-sleeved white blouse apparently made up the rest of Anna’s wardrobe.

  Brianna thought longingly of her closet full of clothes as she pulled out an odd wire contraption covered with cotton cloth. What in the world? When it unfolded into a large bell-shape, she realized it was meant to wear under a dress. A crinoline maybe? Brianna shook her head in disgust. The things women did to be in fashion. All she needed now was a corset. But that particular item was curiously missing. Nor was there much in the way of underwear; only one long slip- like garment and a single pair of knee-length pantaloons.

  As Brianna held up the last item, her eyes widened in shock. They were split all the way to the waistband and had been made that way. Anna didn’t seem like the type to go in for scandalous underwear. One thing for sure, Brianna would wear her own.

  As she folded the clothes and put them back in the trunk, she suddenly realized where the corset was. Anna was wearing it, of course. That’s where the shoes were too. Brianna wondered where Anna was and how she was faring.

  What would happen when they changed back? Would Anna be able to handle the volatile Lucas? Perhaps, but only if she had some idea of what had gone on in her absence. Brianna’s gaze fell on the book in the top compartment of the trunk, Anna’s journal. That was the perfect solution. She’d write everything down the way Anna had.

  Immensely pleased with herself, Brianna got a ballpoint pen from Tom’s backpack, and sat down on the bed to write.

  Dear Anna,

  I am writing this hoping you will have the chance to read it someday. Assuming we have switched places, you’ll need to know what has gone on while I was here. I don’t know what happened to us, but surely the process can be reversed, and we will be returned to our own time. I’m finding it difficult to cope with your world and can’t even imagine how much harder it must be for you in mine.

  Lucas is not what I expected. Here Brianna stopped and nibbled the end of her pen thoughtfully. How did one describe Lucas? The words pig-headed and irritating came to mind. So did chauvinistic, unfair, and suspicious. Then an image of beautiful gray eyes and a body that wouldn’t quit popped into her mind. Whatever else he might be, Lucas was definitely easy on the eye.

  Brianna pushed the unwelcome thought away in disgust. She was in enough trouble already without a case of raging hormones complicating matters. I find it very difficult to remember he is my great-great grandfather.

  CHAPTER 6

  (July 1860)

  Lucas glanced at the darkening sky as he headed toward the cabin. He’d been so involved in his experiment that he hadn’t realized how late it was. It was nice not to have to worry about supper for once, but even that wasn’t going to change his mind about sending the woman on her way. The last thing he needed around here was a female, especially a pretty one.

  He eyed the freight wagon as he walked by. The horses had been unhitched, but the supplies hadn’t been touched. He felt a spark of annoyance with himself for not telling Seth to take care of it. On the other hand, without supplies, there was no way she could fix a meal. Good, he’d won the first round without even trying.

  But when he stepped through the door, an enticing smell assailed his nose. What in the world had she found to cook? As his eyes adjusted to the dim light he saw her sound asleep on her bunk, a small book lay open across her chest. A flicker of compassion ran through him. It was impossible not to notice how pathetically thin
she was. Her clothes didn’t even fit. Lucas found himself wondering about the desperate circumstances that led her to travel so far and marry a man she’d never met.

  It wasn’t any concern of his, though, and he wasn’t stupid enough to play into her hands. Irritated with himself for even wondering, Lucas cleared his throat loudly.

  “Oh!” Brianna jerked awake and blinked up at him as though she didn’t know who he was. After a moment of confusion her expression cleared, and she sat up. “I must have fallen asleep. What time is it?”

  “Sundown. Is supper ready?”

  “I think so.” She glanced down at her hand then, with a guilty start, hid something under the edge of her skirt. “Where is everybody?”

  “They’ll be along soon.” Lucas couldn’t help wondering what she had in her hand as he put some water in the washbowl and went outside to wash up. Not that her deceit surprised him. She was a woman, after all.

  Seth came up the path whistling cheerfully until he saw Lucas. Looking properly contrite, he joined the older man at the washbowl. “How did your experiment go?”

  “Fine. Why didn’t you unload the supplies?”

  “I wasn’t sure which were ours, and Bart was sleeping off his drunk.”

  “See that it gets done right after supper.”

  “I will.” Seth sniffed appreciatively. “Something sure smells good.”

  Lucas didn’t even bother to answer.

  By the time they finished washing, Brianna had the table set and supper on. Bart Kelly arrived just as Seth finished filling his plate with beans and passed the pot on to Lucas.

  “Reckon I’ll be leaving tomorrow.” Bart slid into the empty chair.

  Brianna gave him a skeptical look. “Are you sure that’s wise?”

  “Ain’t no sense sticking around here.”

  “But what about your wound?”

  “He’s more concerned about the lack of whiskey.” Lucas lifted a fork full of beans to his mouth. “What the hell?”

  His look of surprise was echoed around the table as each man started to eat. Puzzled, Brianna took a bite. The flavor wasn’t bad, but the beans were hard as rocks.

  “Didn’t you soak them?” Lucas asked accusingly.

  “Of course I did.” She looked at her plate uncertainly. “I guess it wasn’t long enough.”

  “That’s pretty obvious.” With a scornful glance, Lucas rose from the table and went to the chest at the foot of his bed. After rummaging around for a moment, he came back with a small leather pouch and tossed it onto the table. “Here, have some jerky.”

  “Mighty tasty beans, Mrs. Daniels,” Bart Kelly said, apparently oblivious to the conversation going on around him. “Best I ever ate.”

  “Probably my secret ingredient,” Brianna muttered as she pushed the inedible beans around her plate. Her stomach growled uncomfortably, but there was no way she was going to eat Lucas’s jerky. So much for impressing him with her cooking.

  Brianna watched Seth manfully trying to choke down the beans, and pretended to ignore Lucas’s self-satisfied smirk. It was all she could do not to dump the rest of the beans on his head.

  It was dark outside when the meal was over. Bart retired to the barn for the night, while Lucas and Seth unloaded the supplies. Brianna kicked herself a dozen times for not thinking of the food in the wagon. Lucas was probably laughing at her stupidity. She’d had one chance to prove herself, and she’d blown it. Worse yet, she’d nearly been caught with the ballpoint pen. Things were touchy enough without having to explain something that wouldn’t be invented for a hundred years or so.

  With a sigh, she rolled up her sleeves and started the dishes. It wasn’t an easy task since she had to use a bar of lye soap and had nothing to rinse them in. She vowed to never take her dishwasher for granted again.

  As soon as the supplies were inside, Lucas went back out. Brianna could hear him talking to Seth. There was a deep chuckle and more low voices. At least they seemed to have patched up their differences. Maybe Lucas wasn’t the type to hold a grudge.

  When Brianna took the dishpan outside to empty it, Lucas was alone by the door watching the stars as he puffed contentedly on his pipe.

  “Where do you want me to dump the water?”

  “Over there,” he said, gesturing toward the side of the cabin.

  Brianna gave him a surreptitious glance as she poured the water out of the dishpan. She was going to have to do some fast talking if Bart Kelly was to leave in the morning without her. Lucas appeared more interested in the night sky than what she was doing. In fact, she wouldn’t have been surprised if he had forgotten she was there.

  “Nice night,” she said, coming to stand beside him and gazing up at the sky. “I always like to watch the stars during the summer. They look like you could reach out and touch them.”

  “Mmmm.”

  “Are you interested in astronomy?”

  Lucas gave a noncommittal shrug, and she tried again. “My favorite is the Big Dipper. It’s always so easy to find.”

  “It’s over there.” He took his pipe out of his mouth and pointed over her left shoulder with the stem.

  Startled, Brianna turned around. Sure enough, there was the familiar constellation. “Oh, of course. During all that time on the trail, I got turned around.”

  “The Oregon Trail runs pretty much due west. Shouldn’t have been much change in the stars at all.”

  Brianna resisted the urge to kick him. “I never was very good with directions. I get lost in parking lots all the time.”

  “In what?”

  Her stomach lurched as she realized her mistake. “Uh...it’s a place close to where I grew up.”

  “Well, you better be careful around here. Getting lost out on the prairie could be deadly.”

  Silence fell between them as Brianna desperately searched for the right words to convince him to let her stay. “I don’t want to leave with Bart Kelly tomorrow morning,” she finally blurted out.

  “We had an agreement.”

  “You agreed to let me try. One meal isn’t enough to base a decision on. Besides, it was nice not to have to cook it yourself, wasn’t it?”

  “Maybe so, but it hardly seems worth starving to death.”

  “Oh, for pity’s sake, Lucas, you couldn’t have done any better than I did, and you know it. Give me another chance.”

  He stared up at her for a long moment. “We’ll see.” He stuck his pipe back in his mouth. “I’ll be done out here in about ten minutes.”

  “So?”

  “So, you’ve got ten minutes to get ready for bed.”

  Brianna bristled. “What if I’m not ready to go to bed?”

  “Suit yourself. I just thought you’d like some privacy.”

  She glared at him for a full minute before turning on her heel and flouncing into the cabin. It wasn’t until she’d undressed and put on Anna’s voluminous nightgown that she realized his words might have been an ultimatum. Brianna glanced uneasily toward Lucas’s bunk. Surely he hadn’t meant...no, of course not. They had high morals in the 1800’s...didn’t they?

  Her mind flashed back to Seth’s assurance that she had only to sleep with Lucas to win him over. She herself had told Lucas she considered their marriage legal. Outside the door she heard him clear his throat and she practically dove under the covers of her bunk. Brianna hardly noticed the lumpy mattress and scratchy wool blanket as he spoke from outside.

  “All right if I come in now?”

  “Y-yes,” she squeaked huddling under the covers as though it were the dead of winter.

  Lucas walked in and set his pipe down on the chest at the foot of his bunk. “You can bake bread, can’t you?”

  “Bread?”

  He blew out the lantern. “It’s made out of flour and you eat it at meals.”

  “I know what bread is.” She tried to match his sarcastic tone but had a feeling she fell woefully short. “And yes, I know how to make it.”

  “Good, because we’re
out.” He shrugged his suspenders down off his shoulders and started to unbutton his shirt. “I suppose you’ll be wanting to get up early to bake while it’s still cool. The sourdough starter is on the mantle.”

  Brianna’s breath caught in her throat. “In the little bowl?”

  “Right. You already saw it then?”

  “I think so. Don’t you have any yeast?”

  “Nope.” He sat on the edge of the bunk and grunted slightly as he pulled off his boots. “It doesn’t keep worth spit out here. Sourdough makes a lot more sense. The more sour it gets, the better it works, and as long as you keep a little around you’ll never run out. Do you want me to shut the window?”

  “Wh-what?”

  “The window. I usually sleep with it open, but I’ll close it if you’re cold.”

  “I’m fine.” Is he crazy? It must be ninety degrees in here!

  “Good,” Lucas dropped his pants to the floor. “The way you’re wrapped up in that blanket, I thought you might be chilly.”

  “No.”

  “Goodnight then.”

  “Goodnight.” Brianna turned toward the wall. How was I supposed to know the nasty stuff was important? Sourdough starter, without it there would be no bread and there was no way to get more. Lucas would never forgive her for this. She felt sick when she thought of what his reaction would be.

  As she lay there wondering how she was going to get out of this one, Brianna gradually became aware of how uncomfortable she was. The lumps and bumps in the mattress didn’t conform to her body, but the wool blanket did, every itchy, smelly inch of it. She needed a bath, her muscles hurt, and she was miserably hot.

  Worst of all, she’d failed. Once Lucas sent her away tomorrow, neither she nor Anna would ever get back where they belonged. She was doomed to spend the rest of her life in the past. In fact, there was probably no future to go back to. Because of her, the whole Daniels family didn’t even exist in her time. None of them would ever be born. Sudden tears trickled down her cheeks, and she was powerless to stop them.

  Lucas listened to the muted sounds coming from the other bunk and felt a stab of remorse. She was crying and didn’t want him to know it. If she had begged or cried earlier, it would have hardened his heart against her. He knew firsthand how little tears meant coming from a woman. As it was, he’d felt a reluctant flicker of admiration every time she stood there challenging him with that blue-eyed gaze of hers.