10 Timeless Heroes; A Time Travel Romance Boxed Set

by P. L. Parker, Beth Trissel, L. L. Muir, Skhye Moncrief, Sky Purington, Nancy Lee Badger, Caroline Clemmons, Bess McBride, Donna Michaels

  Ellie hunched her shoulders and shook her head. She matched the hush of his whisper.

  “I don’t know what I’m doing here. I went to sleep in my seat last night and woke up here this morning. Seat 31B. Do you know where that is? Can I follow you back?”

  Dark brown eyes blinked. “31B? I don’t know where that seat is, miss. I’ve never heard of it. I think I’d better find the conductor and bring him to you.”

  “Oh, yes, that’s a good idea. Please do. Actually, let me come with you. He’ll figure out where my seat is. So, is this like some kind of reenactment thing?” Ellie moved to the edge of her seat to rise, her hand roaming the seat behind her in search of her purse. Oh, surely, she had her purse!

  “Reenactment?” He raised his eyebrows and shook his head inquiringly.

  “Yeah, you know, like Civil War reenactments. Where they all dress up in period costumes, act out historical scenarios?” She dropped her eyes to search the corners of her seat. Where was her purse?

  “Steward, is anything wrong?”

  The close proximity of the masculine voice startled her, and she jerked and twisted around to find Mr. Debonair standing at the end of the bench staring straight down at her.

  The steward backed up toward the door with a subservient nod in the well-dressed man’s direction. He clutched the tray to his chest.

  “No, nothing’s wrong, Mr. Chamberlain. This lady seems to be lost. I think she’s from one of the other cars, you know, the immigrant cars. I don’t know how she got in here. I’m gonna go get the conductor. He’ll take her back where she belongs.”

  Ellie flung an astonished look in the steward’s direction. Immigrant? What was he talking about?

  “I see. Well, miss, how did you find your way to this car?”

  Mr. Chamberlain came to stand in front of her. His green eyes ran up and down the length of her body with a frank appraising gaze, and Ellie took offense. She jumped up from her seat.

  “Now just a minute there, Mr...uh...Chamberlain.” She drew herself up to her entire five foot two inches and lifted her chin. “First off, you can drop that eyeing me up and down thing. It’s very rude and typically male.” An arch of one of his dark eyebrows did not deter her. “And another thing. Though this may be first class, it’s not your train or your passenger car, and frankly, it’s none of your business. So, if you don’t mind, I’ll just be off with the steward here.”

  The young steward gaped at her. He pressed himself into the thick glass door as if wishing he could disappear.

  “Oh no, miss. You can’t come with me,” he whispered. “It’s not safe.”

  Ellie twisted around to look behind her and caught a quick impression of the room in its entirety. Teacups stilled as the group of hat-festooned female heads looked up. She gritted her teeth, tightened her lips in a semblance of a smile, nodded in their direction and turned to face the steward.

  “Oh, sure it is. I’ve traveled by train many times. So, let’s go.”

  “Just a moment, miss.” Ellie stilled at the sound of Mr. Chamberlain’s velvety voice. She glanced over her shoulder, unwilling to give him the satisfaction of turning around to face him. Why should she?

  “Yes, Mr. Chamberlain?”

  He dipped his head to the side in a motion that cut into her anger with its charming boyishness. “I apologize, madam. You are quite right. No matter where your seat on this train, I did not have the right to stare at you so boldly. I would not have done so with any other woman in this carriage.”

  “Thank you,” Ellie murmured with a regal nod in his direction which belied her inner turmoil. The man certainly was smooth. “And now, if you don’t mind, I’m leaving.” She turned toward the door. Seeing the steward still frozen in place with wide eyes, she pushed against the bar and opened the door to an unexpected blast of wind. Determined to leave with some semblance of huffy dignity, she hurriedly stepped out of the car, then reared back and faltered when she realized that the connector was covered only by some sort of canvas tarp, allowing a roaring wind to rush through the unsealed seams of the canvas. She stared at the uneven jostling between the two cars and wondered how she was going to manage to jump the crosswalk without losing her balance. With nothing to hold onto, Ellie braced herself against the wall, dizzy from the sight of the uneven dance of the connectors between the two cars and nauseated from the smell of coal and the increased rocking of the car on the platform. Her knees buckled.

  A strong hand grasped her around the waist in a reassuring grip. Though she wore a bulky turtleneck sweater, the warmth of his hand seemed to sear her skin.

  “Steady now, madam.” Mr. Chamberlain decisively hauled her back into the carriage. His accomplice, the steward, shut the door behind them and posted himself as a sentry.

  Ellie stared up at her handsome would-be rescuer as he lowered her back to the seat. He bent down to peer into her face.

  “Are you well, madam? Though you stalked very prettily out of here, you seemed a bit shaky on the platform. I thought it best to bring you back inside.” Twinkling green eyes belied the note of concern in his voice.

  Ellie nodded, tongue-tied by his nearness. Her eyes locked on the cleft in his chin—a feature which gave his lean face a virile masculinity at odds with the fancy costume party she’d inadvertently crashed. His easy grin compelled an answering smile, and she clamped her lips together and fought against his obvious magnetism.

  “Bobby, what is going on here? Who is this?”

  Bobby’s conversation partner, a young woman with golden hair swept up into a glorious Gibson-style hairdo, peered around the corner. She stared wide-eyed at a shrinking Ellie, who subconsciously raised a hand to tidy her own mop of curly brown hair, hopefully still tied back in a braid down her back.

  Bobby straightened. “Nothing to worry about, Melinda. This unfortunate young woman strayed onto our car by accident, probably at the last stop. The steward was just about to locate the conductor for us.” He turned to the young waiter still guarding the door. “What is your name, young man?”

  “Samuel, sir.” Samuel dipped his head. “But, no, sir, I didn’t bring her here. No, sir. I found her sitting right there.” He bobbed his head up and down.

  Ellie cringed. Good gravy! What was the matter with the young fellow? He seemed so nervous. Did he think he’d lose his job? Surely, they had a union! She sprang to his defense.

  “That’s right. Samuel didn’t—”

  “Samuel, would you be so good as to find the conductor and bring him here?” Mr. Chamberlain glanced down at Ellie with a dancing light in his eyes. “Our guest still seems a bit shaken from the jostling between the cars, and I think she should take a cup of tea with us here.”

  “Bobby?” Melinda moved forward to stare at Ellie with frank curiosity. “Are you sure that’s wise?” Her sweet smile took the sting from her words. “I mean...what if someone is looking for her...perhaps her...em...people from the other cars?”

  Ellie rolled her eyes and struggled to rise, though it seemed that three people hovered in her confined space all of a sudden, making it almost impossible for her to get up unless someone moved. She sank back down.

  “Listen, y’all.” She felt compelled to drawl, though she’d never lived in the South in her life. “I’m just fine, and I can find the conductor on my own. I can’t imagine how I wandered onto this car in the first place. I don’t have any people.” She tossed a quick glance at darling Melinda. “And I don’t need your tea. I don’t even like tea. So if you will just excuse me, I’ll get out of your hair.”

  Melinda broke out into the laugh that Ellie recognized from moments before. Her laugh certainly seemed spontaneous, but she repressed it behind a graceful hand.

  “Nonsense, madam,” said Bobby. “You’ll do no such thing. You cannot travel between the cars. I insist that you sit down at once, until I’m certain you feel better.”

  Ellie glared up at him. His six-foot frame might intimidate other women, but she had no doubt she coul
d jump up and wriggle past him to escape through the door. If only she could cross to the other car. What kind of carnival train was she on, anyway?

  “I’m perfectly fine, Bobby.” The name hardly suited him. “Just a drop in my blood sugar, I’m sure. I probably just need to eat something.”

  Bobby inclined his head in a gesture that smacked faintly of arrogance. “My name is Robert Chamberlain, madam. Robert. Only my irrepressibly spoiled sister calls me Bobby...and always against my wishes.”

  “Whatever is the matter up there, Robert?” The quavering voice of the elderly woman seemed strong enough to reach the front of the car, though thankfully she did not appear, as well.

  A faint hint of lavender wafted into Ellie’s nose, and she twisted her neck upward to see several more young women peering over the top and around the corner of her bench. The large beribboned and feathered hats bumped into one another as they ogled her with curiosity.

  Ellie hunched into her seat, her cheeks burning. She suddenly understood how animals felt in a zoo. Hopefully, these women wouldn’t start petting her.

  “It seems we have an unexpected guest, Grandmother.” Robert favored Ellie with a considering gaze while he allowed his voice to carry to the rear of the train. “A woman lost her way on the train and found herself in our carriage by accident. She feels a bit unwell at the moment.”

  Ellie glared at him, her chaotic thoughts struggling to form choice responses.

  “Well, bring her back here, Robert. Let me look at her. I’d be grateful for a new diversion.”

  Ellie’s eyes widened and she opened her mouth to retort, but Robert managed to beat her to it.

  “I doubt she considers herself a diversion, Grandmother, but with your permission, I will bring her back for a cup of tea to help settle her nerves.”

  Robert gave Melinda a look, and she immediately jumped into action. “All right, ladies, why don’t we return to the lounge so Miss...er...the nice lady can come and have a cup of tea?” She skillfully shepherded the women away, to the increased sound of high-pitched questions.

  “No, I don’t know where she came from, ladies...” Melinda’s voice trailed off as she moved away.

  Ellie glanced back up at the two men staring at her. Robert nodded at Samuel, who gave Ellie a last sympathetic glance before pushing open the door to cross over to the next car. She would have followed, but Robert managed to block her way without really seeming to do so. He casually leaned against the doorjamb in a relaxed fashion but with a presence reminiscent of a stonewall.

  She slumped, sudden exhaustion overcoming her desire for flight.

  Chapter Three

  “May I help you up?” Robert moved away from the door and extended a hand to help her rise. Ellie stared at the well-groomed hand for a moment before she reluctantly took hold.

  “I’m just waiting for the conductor. That’s all. Then I’ll be on my way.”

  “Certainly, Miss...em...” He extended his arm for her to take, but she pretended not to see as she glanced down and brushed imaginary wrinkles from her skirt. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught his wry expression and half smile as he dropped the supportive arm to his side.

  “Ellie,” she murmured. “Ellie Standish.”

  “Miss Standish.” With an elegant wave of his hand, he indicated she should precede him toward the back of the car.

  “Mr. Chamberlain,” she acknowledged with a nod as she moved past him with a straight back. Her moment of dignity vanished when she tripped on the unexpectedly plush red and gold oriental carpeting underfoot.

  Robert’s hand shot out to take her arm and steady her. With a burning face, she righted herself, nodded thanks and pulled her arm from his warm grasp. She moved into the center of the room where the occupants of the lounge alternately stood or sat. An elderly woman in a dark, high-necked, Victorian-style silk dress presided on a red velvet-cushioned rattan loveseat. She signaled Ellie forward.

  “Come, girl. Sit here.” With an incline of the large, dark beribboned hat on her head, she indicated Ellie should sit in the single chair beside her own.

  Ellie paused, unwilling to be spoken to in such a high-handed way, and equally unwilling to offend a senior citizen...especially a woman who apparently thought she had some sort of regal power. Acutely aware she was the center of attention as she hovered in the middle of the room, Ellie swallowed her pride, moved quickly to the luxurious chair and sat down.

  Robert returned to his original position at the back door to lean against it with crossed arms. Ellie watched several pairs of admiring female eyes follow his progress and she understood their message. He presented a dashing figure—straight out of some Victorian romance in his well-tailored and immaculate dark blue coat and trousers.

  “So, what is this I hear about you stowing away on our carriage, young lady?”

  Ellie’s bemused eyes flew to the older woman’s arrogant face. She appeared to be in her late seventies, though her costume made it difficult to guess an accurate age. Sharp blue eyes appraised Ellie steadily.

  “Listen, Mrs. Chamberlain, is it?” The older woman tipped her head in a slight nod. “Well, listen, Mrs. Chamberlain. I’m not a stowaway per se. I’m not sure how I came to be in your carriage, but as I’ve told your grandson over there, I’m more than happy to be on my merry way.”

  Ellie looked across the room to see Melinda’s eyes widen with apprehension. Let the girl worry. She had no intention of being bullied any more by these strange characters. She returned her challenging gaze to Mrs. Chamberlain’s face. Two red spots appeared on the older woman’s cheeks. The smell of coal must have blurred Ellie’s common sense because she didn’t quit there.

  “I didn’t really know people had railway carriages of their own these days. But if you have leased this one, then I’m sorry to have stumbled onto it. As I said, I’m ready to skedaddle, but Bobby here kept me from leaving with Samuel.”

  “Samuel?” Mrs. Chamberlain wrinkled her forehead with an eye toward Robert.

  “The steward,” Robert murmured from his position along the wall.

  “The steward? What does he have to do with all of this?”

  “Nothing. He just happened to see me in the seat up there.” Ellie jerked her head in the direction of the front of the car. “He seems very worried, by the way. You aren’t going to try to get him in trouble, are you? Like report him? Because he didn’t do anything.”

  “Good gracious! What is she talking about? Robert? Melinda, pour the woman some tea, will you, dear?”

  Melinda sprang into action and picked up an empty teacup and saucer from the table in front of the loveseat on the opposite wall.

  A rustle of skirts and quiet murmurs left a befuddled Ellie with a quick impression that all of the other women resumed their seats. Only a lone dark-haired woman in a white shirtwaist blouse and dark brown skirt remained standing near Robert.

  “Samuel will be fine, Miss Standish.” Robert surveyed her with continuing amusement. Even from this distance, emerald sparks lit up his eyes.

  “Standish, you say?” Mrs. Chamberlain turned crinkled eyes back to Ellie, who tore her gaze away from Robert once again. “That’s a fine old name in American history. Are you related? How is it that you come to be traveling in the immigrant section, then?”

  Ellie reached up to rub her temples. A headache seemed imminent.

  “I don’t think I’m related to Miles Standish, if that’s what you mean. If I am, it’s probably through some illegitimate offspring or something. And I don’t know what you mean by immigrant section. Are you talking about a coach section? Trains don’t have class systems anymore. Thank goodness!”

  Ellie rattled on, only slightly aware of several gasps from the other side of the room. She turned toward the unusually silent young women and noticed that several of them stared down at the carpeting with rosy cheeks.

  “Young woman, we do not speak that way in public. I can see that you probably are indeed from the working class. Please
refrain from any further unsavory comments while in my carriage.”

  Melinda rose and crossed the room with Ellie’s tea, the delicate cup rattling in the saucer. Ellie looked up to see the young blonde biting her lower lip and shaking her head ever so slightly as she met Ellie’s eyes. Ellie reached for the cup, forgetting she didn’t want the tea.

  With a cautious look in her grandmother’s direction, Melinda swished her way back to her seat.

  Ellie stared down into her cup and took a deep breath.

  “I’m sorry, Mrs. Chamberlain. I didn’t mean to offend you. I just don’t know what you mean by an immigrant section.”

  “That is not the offense to which I referred, Miss Standish.”

  Robert interceded, a hint of laughter in his voice. “I believe my grandmother referred to the...suggestion that Miles Standish might have had an...indiscretion. Isn’t that so, Grandmother?”

  “Robert, that sort of talk does not bode well for you, either.”

  Ellie stared at two deep dimples in Robert’s angular cheeks. Although seemingly a domineering, arrogant man—much like his grandmother—the whimsical dimples warmed his face and made her heart flutter. The teacup rattled in the saucer as her hand trembled. She lowered the cup to the teak occasional table beside her seat.

  “Um, do y’all have any bottled water, by chance?” she asked.

  Heads turned toward one another.

  “Bottled water?” Melinda murmured.

  “Yeah, you know, just some water. I’ve got the worst headache.”

  Melinda half rose, her sympathetic face filled with concern.

  “Sit down, Melinda, there’s a good girl,” Mrs. Chamberlain said. “Miss Standish, I don’t think we have anything such as bottled water. Would you care for a lemonade instead? When the steward comes back, he can fetch one for you.”

  Ellie rubbed her temples once again. “No, no, thank you, Mrs. Chamberlain. By then, the conductor will have come to get me, and I can get back to my seat and my purse and get something for my headache.”