“Why don’t you take a little nap? I’m too excited to sleep, and we need someone to stand guard.” He surveyed the woods. “You said there are Red Coats hanging around. And from what I remember in high school history, they’re not pleasant dudes.”
“We need to find William.” She took her book out of her backpack and thumbed through it. “This is the only thing that provides us clues to his whereabouts.”
“Whereabouts?” He grinned. “You trying to fit in here already?”
She ignored him and continued looking for William’s latest movements.
William wrapped a thin strip of his shirt around the wound. His hand had caught on a jagged shard of glass climbing through the window. The trail of blood and footprints in the snow were sure to lead the Wanderer straight to him, so he must not rest for too long. He had to find his way back to the Gate Keeper’s cabin, retrieve his pendant, and get to Laney.
Confident that the flow of blood ceased, William followed the path that led to Metonomy.
“I know where we need to go.” Laney threw an armload of snow on the fire, dousing it. “But we have to figure out where we are first.”
“Where is he?” Nick stamped on the embers with his boot.
“He’s on the way to find the Gate Keeper, and since we entered through the gate, he can’t be far from here.” She picked up her pack and began walking, having no idea if it was the correct direction, but she needed to find William soon.
Jonas woke to the midafternoon sun directing its rays through the trees. He’d win the medal for the most trips via a gate, but he wasn’t sure he wanted the award. All he wanted now was to head back home and enjoy the fruit of his revenge. He’d no longer be the one with a miserable ending. William Clarke and Delaney Holden deserved to wallow in the despair of their tortured love. They deserved it all. William’s father let Jonas’s brother die, and Delaney crafted a story to ruin Jonas’s life. What else did they expect?
He glanced down at his shirt. The tuxedo and dress shoes Missy made him wear to the dance were hardly appropriate. He’d have to find a change of clothes before anyone saw him. His compass told him to head northeast to reach Metonomy, then on the road to Lexington, so he trudged through the ankle-deep snow ready to head home.
The evening drew in around them as Nick and Laney caught their first glimpse of the town. Candles flickered in the windows of a two-story building. The sign read the Black Horse Tavern.
“This is where the Wanderer took William captive. We’ll have to tread lightly.” Laney stepped forward, Nick taking her arm.
“There you go again using that old language.” He linked his elbow with hers. “Stick close to me in there. I have a feeling it’s going to be a lot different from the nightclubs in Boston.”
The roaring hearth fire on the far wall warmed the tavern. Patrons relaxed along the bar and at tables scattered throughout the establishment. Laney felt the eyes on her as she and Nick took two empty stools at the bar. She dressed as plainly as possible, but without a dress, she stuck out in this world.
“What can I get the two of you?” The man behind the bar inspected them. He raised an eyebrow. “You’re not from around here.”
“No, sir.” She straightened her shirt, her blue jacket on her lap. “We’re passing through. A friend of ours was said to have been seen in these parts.”
Nick chuckled. Laney elbowed him.
“War. Too many people are missing and not where they are supposed to be.” The man wiped the counter with his rag.
“I’d like a…” Nick hesitated, not knowing what they actually drank in this era. Not Pepsi, like he had at the dance. “I mean, can I get a water, please?”
“I’ll take a pint.” Laney produced a small pouch and dropped two coins on the counter. The coins were old—antiques.
“Where did you get those?” Nick reached out to touch them, but the bartender scooped them up before he had a chance.
“My dad’s collection. When I was home this summer, I swiped a small bagful.” She jangled the coins. “I knew I was coming here. So, I prepared. My plan is to spend the night at the Tavern, then search for the Gate Keeper in the morning. William’s on his way, but the only place we know he’ll be for sure is Silas’s cabin. According to my book, it’s out by Spy Pond.”
“Do you know how to find Spy Pond?” He raised his eyebrows.
“No, but I know how to ask directions.” She took a sip of the beer the bartender placed in front of her.
“Are you implying something? Also, you’re too young to drink.” He shook his finger at her.
“Not in colonial America. No need for fake IDs here. And yes, I’m implying that you’re a man and thus unable to ask for directions.”
Jonas peered through the window of the tavern at Delaney. She brought her lover with her. Perfect. He wasn’t too late to have a front-row seat to the show—William and Delaney’s hearts smashed to pieces. Their lives ruined, just like she ruined his.
An old livery stable stood vacant nearby, so he crept inside to find a large pile of hay to spend the night. He fell asleep dreaming of his revenge.
A barmaid led Nick and Laney up the stairs to a room above the tavern. Neither were used to the chill in the air. The fire below in the common room was the only heat source for the entire building. A thin quilt lay on the bed.
Laney thought about the night William was locked up by the Wanderer, probably in this very room. She unloaded her bag and went to the washbasin to clean her face and brush her teeth. Ice-cold water from the pitcher caused her to shiver. Indoor plumbing was an amazing invention, and she took note to remember that the next time she took a hot shower in her dorm.
“I think we better sleep in our clothes tonight.” Nick turned down the quilt on one side of the bed then sat down to take off his shoes.
Through chattering teeth, she agreed.
The two snuggled together in the small bed out of necessity. The sounds of laughter from the tavern drifted upstairs well into the night, making sleep impossible for her.
“Are you awake?” He whispered in her ear.
“Yes.”
“Do you think we’ll find William tomorrow?”
“Yes.” She moved onto her side, so she was facing him. “We have the book. It’ll trace his movements.”
“Do you think he’ll forgive you?” He stared straight into her eyes, maybe with a glimmer of guilty hope that he could still win her over.
Her heart sank. The excitement of being in her book masked her recessed feelings from her betrayal. How was she going to explain it to William? Of course, he’d say that she had to save Missy. But how did she get herself in a relationship that was close enough that Jonas thought he could exploit it?
“I’m praying that he does.” In the middle of the night, Laney found the few hours of rest she needed to confront her biggest fear. William.
Chapter 17
A rooster crowed. Pale gray light came in through the window. Laney shifted and stretched, hitting Nick in the face.
“Ouch.” He reached over and grabbed her around the midsection. His warmth was irresistible as the morning was at least twenty degrees colder than the night before.
It must have been negative five in the room outside their blanket, and there was no hope of that warm, dorm shower. She groaned. Colonial America wasn’t as romantic as she made it out to be in her fantasies.
Nick propped his head up on his elbow. “What are you groaning about? This is your day. Like you said last night, we’re going to find him today.”
“It doesn’t mean I have to like the cold.” She crunched up into a ball, trying to capture the pockets of warmth beneath the covers.
“Well, at least we don’t have to get dressed.” He rolled out of bed and picked up his jacket. “Maybe someone downstairs already stoked the fire. We could warm up there before we leave.”
She groaned again, covering her face with the quilt.
Nick threw his pillow at her head. “Come on.
We’re burning daylight. I bet William’s already up and on his mission to find Silas.”
That motivated her. She pushed the covers off and stumbled over to her backpack to find a hairbrush. They gathered their things, locked the door to the room and headed downstairs.
Nick was right about the fire. Laney stood in front of it for a good ten minutes before joining him at a table nearby. While they ate their breakfast, she took out her journal.
Her fingers were still stiff from the cold, and her hands shook in anticipation, so it was difficult to leaf through the pages. “Do you think he’s close?”
“What do you think?” Nick reached out and touched her arm. “From what you say, he’s a motivated guy.”
She appreciated his newfound encouragement. He didn’t have to be this way. Turning on jealousy and resentment would be easy, but instead, he was being her friend.
William walked through the night and reached Metonomy by daybreak. He stared at the tavern where he’d been held captive. Something deep inside told him he should go in there—maybe it was his exhaustion wanting a bed. A rooster crowed. Yes, it was time to keep moving. He’d get to Laney and let her explain.
Laney shot a look at Nick but kept reading.
The road to Spy Pond stood empty at this hour. William hurried his pace.
She slammed the journal shut. “We have to go. He’s close. We’ll lose him.”
Nick asked for directions to Spy Pond while she paid the bartender for the meal. They picked up their bags and hurried out the door.
Like William observed minutes before, the road to Spy Pond was deserted—the sun only beginning to make an appearance through the treetops. A new layer of fresh snow covered the path, so it was easy to follow the one set of footprints leading out of town. Smoke from the chimneys dotting the landscape made the air hazy, and it reminded Laney of camping trips to northern New Hampshire.
About a mile down the road, they caught their first glimpse of the pond. Mist rose off the surface of the sections not covered with ice. The footprints outlined the shore then veered to the right into the forest.
For the past thirty minutes, neither Nick nor Laney said a word. This world was so pristine—untouched. There were no vehicles, pavement, factories, or loud sounds. To their senses, it was unlike anything they’d experienced in their life. Laney pondered this. In the twenty-first century, no one would be able to comprehend what was happening to them right now. She and Nick now shared this bond.
The footprints crossed a meadow where animal tracks crisscrossed the landscape—deer, rabbit, and possibly a bear. At the far end of the meadow, smoke rose from the trees.
“That must be the cabin,” Nick whispered even though there was no one around to hear him.
When they reached the edge of the wood, they circled the small structure, hoping to peek through the windows. Nick hoisted Laney up. Inside, there was a table and two chairs. A fire burned in the hearth. A man with dark hair talked to someone in a corner that was just out of sight. The man held a gun.
“The Gate Keeper has William. He’s holding him at gunpoint.” She jumped down from Nick’s knee.
“Did you see him?” He brushed off his pant legs before righting himself.
She grabbed a stick and headed toward the front of the cabin. “No, but I know it’s him. His footprints led us straight here.”
He ran after her. “Laney, stop. Silas has a gun. A stick’s not going to be any match for that.” He took her hand despite her protests and led her out of sight of the cabin. They crouched behind a grove of trees. “We need to make a plan. Rushing into this isn’t going to save anyone.”
“But it’s William.” She didn’t move but still held the stick like she was ready to take on the world. She’d be in all kinds of trouble if she didn’t have Nick to rein her back in.
“Let’s wait until this Silas guy leaves. Then we go in and rescue William. Easy as that.”
“If only it were so easy, Lover Boy.” Jonas stepped out from behind a row of bushes—rifle in one hand, rope in the other. “I thought I’d exact my revenge through the breaking of hearts, but maybe I can get a little reward out of the deal.”
“Jonas.” Laney stood up from her crouching position. “But, I thought you were… you’re not supposed to be here.”
“No, Delaney. You’re the one that doesn’t belong here, and neither does Lover Boy.” The snow crunched beneath Jonas’s feet as he approached them. “But I do know someone who’d be very upset to find out that you came through the gate. Someone who has a little hang-up with Weavers.”
A gunshot rang out from the cabin, distracting Jonas for a moment as he whipped his head in the direction of the noise. Nick and Laney ran to the far side of the structure, both well aware that they didn’t have a weapon. Her heart constricted as she anticipated the result of the gunshot.
The front door of the cabin flew open, and William stepped out, rifle in hand. Laney let out a sigh of relief but didn’t leave her spot. Jonas was just around the corner. William, unaware of his surroundings, navigated the dilapidated steps and began to walk toward the meadow.
“William Clarke.” Jonas aimed his rifle at him, a grin across his face.
Laney clutched the wood on the side of the house. She wanted to run out and stand between Jonas’s gun and William, but it wasn’t the wisest decision, just another romantic ideal.
“Jonas. I knew you’d show up again, sooner or later.” William held onto his rifle, seemingly not willing to back down from his peer’s weapon.
“Drop your gun.” Jonas’s rifle was steady. Maybe he did kick the alcohol habit.
William opened his gun barrel and prepared it for his next shot. “You’re bluffing. Besides, I know you’re a terrible shot. We’ve been hunting together. Remember?”
She prayed William was right. She clung to the side of the cabin, not wanting to distract William by revealing herself. Nick watched the scene from behind her.
“I said, drop your weapon!” Jonas ramped up the venom, possibly thinking he could scare William with his theatrics. “Drop it, or I’ll shoot Delaney.”
“What do you mean? She’s safe in her world.” William continued to load his gun, unfurled by the other man’s threats. “I’m actually glad to see you because it means you can’t hurt her.”
Jonas stormed in front of the cabin and yanked Laney out from her hiding spot. His grip was strong, stinging her arm. “Do you think I’m bluffing now?”
William’s demeanor changed before her eyes. Where before there was a nonchalant attitude towards his own life, now stood a broken man. Her heart longed to run to him and hold him again, but her captor’s ironclad fingers prevented their reunion.
“Laney? How?” His rifle dropped to his side.
How did he know? Besides her clothing, what made her different from Anne? Last year, he told her that Anne was just a shadow of her but nothing like having the real thing. Did Anne still exist now that Laney was in the book?
“Don’t talk.” Jonas produced a knife from his coat and held it to her throat. “Now, I’m going to take the two of you to the Wanderer. I’ll get my reward and my revenge.”
“If she has one bruise on her body from you, you won’t live to see another day, let alone see any reward or revenge.” William clutched his rifle, but his eyes shifted slightly to the left.
Jonas grunted behind her, and his grip loosened as he fell to the ground. Nick stood there holding a large rock.
“Let’s get out of here before he wakes up.” William took Laney’s hand, ignoring Nick’s heroics.
He led them through the woods, but their prints still left a trail. They zigzagged through a maze of trees, not saying a word to each other. Feeling William’s hand in hers gave Laney the confidence that they’d make it out of here alive and maybe even together. After fifteen minutes of walking, they came to a stream.
“We need to lose our tracks.” William stepped into the water and held out his other hand to Laney.
“But that water is ice cold.” Nick protested after bending down to submerge his hand in the icy stream. “If Jonas doesn’t kill us, hypothermia will.”
William shot him a look of disgust. “You don’t get out much, do you?”
Laney cringed, not wanting a fight between them.
“I get out enough to know how to take care of Laney. You’re going to kill her.” Nick stood up, shaking the water off his hand.
“Ok, Romeo.” William stepped farther into the stream. “If you’re so gallant, why don’t you carry her?”
“Knock it off. Both of you.” Laney stepped into the water behind William. The frigid temperature bit into her legs, but she wasn’t going to show it to either of them. “How far do we have to go?”
“Not far.” William turned and trudged through the rapids. “We’ll build a fire once we make it far enough to lose our trail.”
With every step, the stream bit into Laney’s legs. She masked the pain on her face by keeping her head down. In a couple of areas, they had to break through ice. Nick walked behind them, pouting and trying to help by holding her hand through multiple rough patches. William finally stepped out of the stream in an area with a lot of underbrush, hoping Jonas wouldn’t be able to track them. They kept hiking until they reached a clearing about forty-five minutes from where they started.
William found a stump for Laney to sit on and began to gather kindling to build a fire.
Nick dug through his bag and took out his lighter fluid and matches. “These might help.” He tossed the tools at William then unlaced his own boots.
From the moment they left the cabin, William only spoke a few biting words to Nick. But he also didn’t question who he was or why he was there. It was almost as if he didn’t exist or was an annoying puppy following them through the woods.
The Watcher Page 14