“Did they still do that in 1863?” Corie asked, astonished at the thought.
“I don’t know.” Granger crossed to the window and drew back the drapes. “But I’m damned if I’m going to find out.” He leaned forward and looked out. “Great heavens!”
“What is it?” Nerves jumping, Corie sped across the carpeted floor to join him. She was afraid to look out, half expecting to see the entire Philadelphia police force lined up in their cars outside.
Peering through the window, she scanned the street below. Everything seemed normal, the usual cars, pickups and buses all jostling for space, with cabs flying in and out like bees among the flowers.
“I can’t see anything,” she said, wondering what it was that had upset Granger. He looked uneasy as he stared down at the traffic.
“I didn’t realize we were so high up,” he said at last.
“Sorry,” Corie said, sympathizing with him. She had no head for heights herself. “We’re on the 24th floor. If I’d known it upset you, I’d have tried for something lower.”
“It doesn’t upset me. I just wasn’t expecting it. I’m wondering how we got up here.”
“Remember the elevator? That brought us up here.”
Granger looked puzzled. “It only seemed to move a few feet.”
“An illusion of speed.” Corie picked up her night bag and headed for the bathroom. “I’m going to take a shower. If you want to join me, I suggest you make it quick. There’s a lot to see in one day.”
It was over an hour later before they finally left the hotel. Corie had made a tentative plan while lying awake the night before. The first stop was Independence Hall, then the Liberty Bell, also a thrift store for his clothes.
Throughout that long day, she was never sure who was the most fascinated, Granger with his avid interest in the modernization of the city, or she with his knowledge of the history, including details she had never heard before.
Granger’s face when he saw Elfreth’s Alley, the oldest, continuously inhabited street in the country, was a delight to watch. The quaint row of houses and cobblestones, preserved and maintained exactly as it had been since 1690, brought a shout of recognition from him.
“I know this place,” he said, staring about him in wonder. “It looks almost the same as when I last saw it.”
His revered silence as they entered the Legislative Room in Independence Hall, where the forefathers had signed the Declaration, reduced her to tears.
By the time they returned to the hotel, exhausted and emotionally spent, Corie was more than ready for the quiet dinner she’d planned.
Ordering room service was another new experience for Granger, and one he apparently enjoyed. They shared a bottle of champagne, chilled in a pewter bucket, and devoured the lobster and steak, while Corie tried very hard to keep the conversation light.
Granger had fiddled with the radio, finally finding a channel of mellow music. The candlelight threw soft shadows across the table, playing over his harsh features as he looked at her, his raised glass in his hand.
“To us,” he said softly.
“To us.” Her smile faltered, just a little, but he caught the change of expression. Stretching out his hand, he laid his palm over her fingers. “I will never forget this time with you, Corie.”
“Neither will I.” She sought vainly for something else to add.
“I wish things could have been different,” Granger said, his eyes full of compassion. “I didn’t want to hurt you.”
“I know.” This time she managed the smile. “I wouldn’t have missed these days for anything. It’s worth a little sadness.”
“I’ll miss you.”
“I’ll miss you, too.” She caught her bottom lip in her teeth, then added brightly, “But I’ll have plenty to keep me busy. If I lose my job I’ll be able to work on the house full-time. Who knows, I might even be able to open before the end of season. Then there’s always the Christmas season. Cape May has lots of visitors then. Did you know—”
“Corie.”
She gazed at him, unable to control the ache of misery that threatened to overwhelm her. “Did you know,” she went on determinedly, “that at Christmastime everyone dresses up in Victorian costume—” she broke off with a forced laugh. “You’d be right...at...home....”
The last words ended on a sob, and she snapped her mouth shut, furious at her own weakness.
Swiftly, Granger shoved his chair back and rose to his feet, his hands reaching for her.
She closed her eyes as his arms folded around her, seeking desperately the comfort he could always give her. Tonight, however, even that eluded her. She wanted to hang on to him, to hold him and never let him go—to keep him there, in her world, in her time.
“Corie,” Granger whispered, his hand stroking her hair. “I have to go back, you do know that, don’t you?”
She nodded, her throat too tight for her to speak.
“Always remember, my sweet Corie, that you will always hold a special place in my heart. Wherever I go, you will be with me, in my mind and in my soul.”
She squeezed her eyes tighter, willing herself not to cry.
“I will take you with me, wherever I go,” Granger said softly. “I will think of you in the morning sun, and hear your voice in the wind, whispering to me. In the still shadows of the night, I will close my eyes and in my mind I will hold you, as I have done so many unforgettable nights.”
She felt his fingers lift her chin, and opened her eyes. The look on his face almost destroyed her. Now the tears fell, unheeded, as he lowered his mouth to hers.
“Don’t cry, my sweet lady,” he said gently, when he finally lifted his head. “If this is to be our last night together, let it be one to remember. Let us fill it with love, and laughter.”
Placing his hands on either side of her face, he brushed away the tears with his thumbs. “You are a very brave lady. Let us both be brave tonight, and forget about tomorrow.”
She nodded, summoning a smile. “I’ll try.”
Holding her hand, he pulled her over to the bed. He undressed her slowly, savoring each moment as if he wanted to commit it all to memory.
Before he was finished the fire consumed her, and she became impatient to lie by his side, caressed by his naked flesh. Expert now at pleasing her, his hands and lips worked their magic, tormenting with a fiery pleasure that quickly built inside her.
Even so, she wasn’t ready for the swift movement of his mouth down her belly and for a moment she tensed, her body going rigid.
He lifted his head and whispered urgently, “Please?”
She shook her head, her fingers gripping his shoulders. “I don’t know... I never...”
“Neither have I. But I want to...tonight...with you.”
She relaxed her fingers, and made her body succumb to his touch. His mouth moved lower, and the tiny shiver of shock lasted no more than a second. Then she closed her eyes as the onslaught of pleasure shook her body.
She heard herself whispering, “Oh, Granger,” as she curled her fingers into his soft hair. Meeting each wave of rocketing sensation was like crashing through the sound barrier. She was beyond thought now, striving only for the release from the pleasure that was almost pain.
With a final shudder, she cried out as the heady torment exploded into a torrent of relief, leaving her floating in a warm, contented haze.
She wasn’t allowed to rest there for long. With a swift movement Granger moved up her body, and now she could see the same raw hunger in his eyes that had ravaged her body a few moments ago.
“I hope I pleased you.”
She lifted a finger and laid it across his lips. “I never knew it could be like this. No man has ever made me feel like this.”
His smile flashed across his face. “I’m so very glad.”
“Now it’s my turn.” She twisted onto her side, and pushed him down on his back. “I want to give to you as much as you have given me.”
The answering fir
e in his eyes thrilled her as much as his touch had done. She gave herself up to the joy of exploring his body with her lips, each soft moan of appreciation from him firing her blood again, until her own passion seized her once more.
His voice sounded ragged when she slid up over his body again. “Oh, Corie, what are you doing to me?”
“Pleasing you, I hope.” She propped herself up on her hands, looking down into his face. His skin looked flushed, his eyes clouded with his passion. She had created that look on his face. She alone.
With a surge of triumph she lowered her mouth to his, and felt his arms clamp around her back, holding her in a grip that flattened her breasts against his chest.
Now she wanted him. Right now. Her entire body clamored to feel him inside of her. She settled slowly down on him, then with a groan he thrust upward to meet her.
The pressure built swiftly as she fought with him toward the crest of relief. Muttered words she couldn’t understand mingled with her cries as he strived and strained, his body arching again and again. With a strength that shook her, he flipped her over onto her back.
Once more they dueled, their bodies finding the primitive rhythm that would send them through the barrier together. One final thrust, one mutual, ultimate effort and the rush began, soaring into the unknown before allowing them to drift slowly back to reality.
* * *
The morning came too soon. Granger watched the room gradually lighten, the shadows slowly acquiring hard edges of furniture and walls. His stomach churned as he thought about the day ahead.
Corie had explained the schedule to him. They would arrive in Gettysburg around midday. They would book into a hotel, then go out to the battlefield, where Corie would juggle with her figures and her compass to locate exactly the spot where the star’s beam was scheduled to hit.
If her calculations were correct, she’d told him, she would be within twenty-five yards of the area. Since the beam had a radius of five feet and would be easily visible, he should have time to reach it, even if they were on the outer edge of the target area.
Five seconds. That’s all he would have. No time for goodbyes, no last kiss, no last whispered words of love.
The word jolted through his mind, freezing his body. Great heavens, why hadn’t he realized it before? He loved her. Beyond reason, beyond understanding, he loved her.
Staring at the ceiling, he felt as if a hand squeezed his heart. Now he knew why he hadn’t been devastated at the thought of staying in this strange new world.
The question was, what in the hell was he going to do about it? He knew what he wanted to do. He also knew what he had to do. He had to go back. He had no choice.
He turned his head, carefully so as not to waken the sleeping woman lying nestled at his side. Her face was turned toward him, her lashes fluttering slightly on her cheeks. Her hair was mussed, the color of corn not quite ripe.
His heart turned over as he gazed at her. How in the world would he live without her? The sobering thought that followed suddenly held more meaning than it ever had before. Maybe he wouldn’t live. He was going back to a war. There was no telling what would happen to him.
How could he tell her he loved her, only to leave her? He couldn’t of course. Did she love him? He didn’t know. Didn’t want to know. It would be hard enough to leave her, without carrying the knowledge with him of what might have been.
He thought about what she had told him. This is probably your only chance to leave here and return to the right place and time...there will be no coming back.
But she didn’t know that for sure. She’d said so. It was all guesswork—supposition. What if she was wrong? What if he could come back, the next time the beam hit the earth? It was worth a try.
He was amazed how that one tiny spark of hope lifted his spirits. Lifting his hand, he touched her cheek, feeling his body grow warm as she opened her eyes and smiled sleepily at him.
A second later, her eyes clouded, and he knew she had remembered this was to be their last day. How he longed to tell her he loved her. But he could not. Not until he could know that he would never have to leave her again. If that was at all possible.
“Would you do me a favor?” he asked quietly.
“What is it?”
His heart ached as he watched the pain in her eyes. “Show me how you calculate the spot where the beam will land.”
She nodded. “Of course. It’s a bit complicated.”
“Do you think I could do it?”
She frowned, her face wary. “I don’t know. I suppose so, with the right figures in front of you. I’d have to show you how to use the instruments—” She broke off. “Wait a minute. You’re not proposing to go to Gettysburg without me, are you? Because if you are—”
He laid a finger over her lips. “No, I’m not going to Gettysburg alone. I just want to learn how to find the spot of the beam’s target area, that’s all.”
Her face still wore an apprehensive expression. “I don’t understand. Why?”
He didn’t want to tell her, in case it couldn’t be done. But he needed her help. Besides, if he could offer her a tiny ray of hope, too, then maybe it would make things easier for her.
“Tell me,” he said quietly, “where the star is expected to hit on its next trip around. You said you’d calculated the area.”
“Yes, I have. Richards wanted to know. But I told you, we don’t think it will follow the same orbit.”
“I know. But there is a chance?”
“A very slim one.”
“But a chance, nevertheless.”
She stared at him, her head propped on her hand, and his heart bounded at the hope that shone in her eyes. “You mean—”
“I mean, sweet lady, that if things don’t work out for me back there, I might just make the attempt to come back here again.”
He’d deliberately made his voice light. He couldn’t admit his love for her. Not now. Not yet. He saw the glow in her eyes dim, just a little.
“Aha,” she said, smiling at him, “so you’ve become addicted to the advances made in the last century. Don’t want to give up the luxury and conveniences, right?”
She’d forced a lightness to her voice, too, though he’d heard the underlying pain. “Something like that. Tell me where the star is expected to hit next.”
“Just east of a tiny town called Del Muerto.” She watched him intently. “It’s on the border of Arizona and New Mexico.”
“Arizona? Yes, I’ve heard talk of the territory being established some time this year. I know where it is.”
“If Specturne returns on the same orbit, the beam should contact Earth on January 2, of next year.”
“That will be 1864 my time.”
“Granger, there’s something you should know.”
He could see by her face it wasn’t good news. “What?”
“We have no idea if the transformation from the past is the same time period then. We only know it is the same one at this end.”
He nodded. “I understand.”
“The chance is very slim, Granger.”
“There is no guarantee that I could be at the right spot at the right time, either. But it can’t hurt to know the details, can it?”
She managed a smile. “No, it can’t hurt. When I take the measurements this afternoon, I’ll show you how to do it. I’ll give you the instruments you’ll need to take back with you. And the set of figures. After that, it will be up to the vagaries of nature.”
“That’s all I can ask.” He touched her lips with his. “Now, come here while I show you some vagaries of my own.”
An hour later they were on their way to Gettysburg. Corie’s hands were clenched on the wheel as she concentrated on the road, while Granger sat silently at her side, his gaze on the unfolding scenery.
Some of the rolling fields and thickly wooded hills must have seemed familiar to him, because every now and then he would sit up and look around, as if expecting to see someone he knew come charging
out of the trees.
As they drove through the tiny town of Gettysburg, he became very excited. “It’s hardly changed at all,” he said, as they passed through the Town Square. “I remember these buildings well. I was here just a week or so ago.”
Corie glanced at him, finding it hard to believe he was actually fighting in the Civil War just a few short days ago.
He seemed preoccupied now, leaning forward in his seat, his gaze intent on the road ahead. “You did say we won this battle?” he said, his voice low.
“Yes, the Union won at Gettysburg.”
“Our first real victory.”
“Yes, it was.” She glanced at him again, struck by the tension in his face. Already he was back in the war, she thought sadly. Already she had lost him.
“We’ll check into a motel first,” she said, her foot on the brake as she approached one. “Let’s just hope they have room for us. It’s close to the Fourth, they’ll be getting ready in town for the reenactment.”
“Reenactment?”
“Of the battle. They usually play out the whole three days, though not on the battlefield itself. It’s usually held a couple of miles away from here. Though they did use the battlefield once to film a movie—” She broke off when she caught sight of his expression.
“Three days? The battle lasted three whole days?”
She nodded, sick at heart when she realized he couldn’t know it all.
“How many men died?”
“Granger—”
“How many?”
“I believe there were more than seven thousand men who actually died in the battle.” How she hated to tell him that.
“Oh, my God.” Granger closed his eyes, shading them with his hand, his thumb and forefinger pressed into his forehead.
And he could be one of them.
Somehow she knew that thought had entered both their minds at the same time. Fortunately, at that moment she reached the lobby of the motel. The next few minutes were taken up with the details of checking in and then locating their room.
Less than thirty minutes later, she was heading the car into the battlefield itself. Granger was on the edge of his seat, exclaiming at the sight of the monuments to the different generals and commanders, and the rows of cannons lined at intervals along the roadside.
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