Christopher, Barbara - Keeper of Key.txt
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misunderstood him. These people hardly spoke to each other.
Becci waved at Mr. Latham, who sat at the other end of
the room. He nodded and turned away. Michael picked up her
plate. The other men at the table followed his lead and cleared
off the remains of their dinner, leaving the women alone.
Becci started to introduce herself to the ladies, but they
were wrapped up in a private conversation. Wishing she’d
stayed home with Caleb, she glanced at her watch but couldn’t
make out the time in the dark room. Becci tapped her fingers
on the hardwood table. She’d had enough. She reached for her
evening bag just as Michael returned.
Becci straightened and garnered her courage to ask him to
take her home, but before she could speak the DJ said, “I would
like to present the Ascomp Company. They are our special
guests tonight, and the following song is a special request for
one of the couples in the group. Enjoy, Becci and Michael.”
Michael took her purse and tossed it on the table. “I’m not
ready to leave, and your nose isn’t shining. Might I suggest a
little whirl around the dance floor since they’re playing this
for us?” Michael coaxed.
Before she could refuse, he led her to the small parquet
area in front of the bandstand and wrapped his arms around
her. A round crystal ball hung from the ceiling with red, blue
and green spotlights trained on it. Fragments of color flashed
over everything. Becci curled her hand over Michael’s shoulder
and swayed to the soft country love song flooding the bar.
Nothing felt right. Not the dancing nor the way he rested
his hands at her waist. Even the slight pressure of his fingers,
which she knew he meant as a loving gesture, had little effect
on her.
Where were the sparks? Caleb’s face came to mind. She’d
never experienced such an explosive reaction with anyone—
never believed such sensations existed. At least that’s what
she’d thought until Caleb had kissed her. Why had his touch
created such a response when Michael’s didn’t?
She glanced up, letting her gaze drift slowly over Michael’s
features. He was handsome. More handsome, really, than Caleb.
And Michael had been there to help her through the financial
woes her parents had left her. Yet, Michael was a bit standoffish,
even with her. Maybe she just needed to jump-start their desire.
But how? With a kiss? It definitely had worked with Caleb.
Becci combed her fingers through the short hair that curled
just above Michael’s collar. He looked down at her. His eyes
took on a hard glare, and his lips twisted into a cynical sneer.
Confused, Becci lowered her gaze and stared at the diamond
tie tack placed a fraction too high on Michael’s tie. His reaction
had startled her. He probably thought he looked sexy, but he
just looked...mean.
Suddenly, she realized she felt nothing for Michael. She
didn’t love him. Would never love him. She wanted to be with
Caleb.
Becci sighed, recalling when she’d come home. She’d
caught a glimpse of Caleb coming to his feet, and she’d felt
the thick thread of tension in the air. She hadn’t dared
acknowledge Caleb, even though all she’d wanted was to stare
at him forever.
“Is everything okay, baby?” Michael asked.
She snapped back to the present and nodded. Michael
lowered his head and kissed her.
When she didn’t respond to his kiss, Michael tensed, and
pressed his mouth to hers again, probing fiercely, almost
violently, with his tongue.
Becci jerked back. She’d made a mistake, a big one.
“What’s the matter? There’s nothing wrong with a little
kiss on the dance floor,” Michael said.
A little kiss? He’d nearly attacked her. “I’m sorry. I...I don’t
think it’s proper,” she replied.
“Then let’s go some place where it is proper,” Michael
said. He brushed his hands from her shoulders to her hands. “I
stole one of Lilly’s pies. It’s in the car. How about you and I
get out of here and share it at my place?”
Becci cringed at the thought of fighting off his advances.
He’d never really attempted more than a few kisses, but tonight
he seemed different. She knew instinctively he wanted more
than kisses.
“No,” she answered a bit too hastily. “I’m not ready,
Michael. You promised you wouldn’t push.”
“We’re engaged, baby, and this is the twenty-first century.
Nobody goes into a marriage without sampling the goods.”
A flash of anger sparked inside her. “I’m not ‘goods,’” she
snapped. “I’m a person. And I don’t want to fight. Not tonight.”
“Okay. I’ll forgive you this time and take you home. You
do look tired.”
She and Michael had always had a quiet relationship. A
kiss or two here or there while they discussed her finances had
marked the extent of their passion. Even their dates had been
easygoing and, she suddenly realized, boring. Becci stared up
at Michael. Aunt Lilly was right. She didn’t love him.
And it wasn’t just Caleb’s kiss that had made her see the
truth. It was that every time she saw Caleb she had the same
reaction—her heart raced, her breath caught, and the desire to
touch and be touched flooded her.
Her response to his kiss this morning had not been a fluke.
She wanted Caleb Harrison like she’d never wanted another
man, and in the most intimate way.
She had to tell Michael tonight that their engagement was
off. She would invite him in for coffee and try to explain.
***
The sun dropped below the horizon as Lilly left the shed.
Caleb smiled to himself as his gaze followed her trek back to
the house. Lilly hadn’t been near as closemouthed about Becci
as he’d thought she would be. She’d answered most of his
questions. Now, he needed to learn about all the changes that
had taken place over the last hundred and sixty years. Lilly
said she was exhausted and asked him to wait until morning.
But he didn’t want to wait.
Once Lilly entered the main house, Caleb started opening
the boxes he’d set at the foot of his bed. Lilly said the boxes
contained a whole set of encyclopedias like the one he’d been
reading when Michael arrived, and she told him they were books
on the history of the world.
He’d just about given up hope when he found them. Using
two boxes as bookends he lined the books against the wall in
order and ran his index finger over the raised letters on the
leather binding. There was so much to learn—so much Rebecca
and the others from his time would never believe. The
information he would gain from these books alone would be
tremendous.
If he went back he would have to be careful with whom he
shared the knowledge, however. People in his time would
proclaim him crazy and lock him away for the rest of his life.
But if he didn’t go back, he would need to know everything in
order to survive.
Caleb turned away from the books and removed his boots.
He stripped off his pants and drawers and hung them on the
nail beside his hat.
Slowly he picked up the first volume, dropped onto the cot
and draped the blanket around his hips. He flipped through the
book, glancing at the strange pictures. Suddenly, his gaze locked
on a picture that filled the page. An automobile.
His heart raced. Becci had one of these contraptions. He’d
seen it out front. Ascott had one, too. He’d watched Becci and
Ascott get into it and leave.
As a new wave of jealousy hit him at the thought of the
two of them courting, Caleb shook his head in disgust. He didn’t
have time for such feelings. He had a lot to learn, and the current
mode of travel was just the beginning.
Settling back, he read the entire article. He returned to the
first page and looked at the strange pictures. Times had changed
more than he wanted to admit, but he could easily picture
himself in one of the horseless carriages with Becci at his side.
He shut the book and reached for the second one, only to
stop when he heard the crunch of gravel and the deep-throated
roar of Ascott’s automobile.
Caleb rolled out of the cot. Hurriedly, he shrugged into his
shirt, tugged on his britches and boots, and slapped on his hat.
He caught the thin material covering the window and eased
it back. His hands shook at the sight of two round, eyelike
lights. They vanished suddenly, leaving the yard black.
Michael and Becci had indeed returned. A small light inside
the enclosed compartment of the oddly shaped carriage clearly
illuminated them.
Becci tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and made several
motions with her hands while she spoke. She didn’t look too
happy. Michael nodded as if agreeing with what she’d said.
Caleb took a deep breath of the shed’s musty air. Would
Becci agree to teach him about this new mode of travel? He
wanted a closer look at it. This had to be an automobile,
although it didn’t resemble the pictures he’d seen.
He decided that when Becci and Michael got out he would
sneak up close and peek inside. What harm could there be in
getting a better look?
He watched them open the sides of the automobile and
slide out. He waited until they entered the house. Slowly, he
eased out the shed door, and he jumped when the machine
beeped twice and the lights flashed. Caleb hesitated, but it made
no other noises. Silently, he crept toward it.
***
Becci opened the window above the sink and glanced
toward the one behind the table. Even though the sun had gone
down hours ago, the humidity had turned the kitchen into an
oven.
She retrieved the mocha-flavored coffee out of the freezer
and measured enough for a full pot. Michael hated the flavored
brews, but this pot was for her not him.
“It’s hot,” Michael grumbled. “Let’s shut the window and
door and turn on the air conditioner,” he suggested as he reached
for the doorknob.
“No, leave the door open. I like the fresh air, and it costs
too much to cool this place.”
“What difference does that make? You’ll have plenty of
money once you sell the house.”
“But the bill will come before I sell, so unless you plan on
forking over the hundred I paid for tonight’s banquet, leave the
door open,” Becci said, frowning at the realization that he’d
seemed to have forgotten the Ascomp grant.
“You’ll get your money. I just don’t happen to have it right
now.”
“Fine. The door stays open,” she repeated
Michael paused in the entryway. What little air filtered in
around him fluttered the red-fringed edge of the tablecloth.
Becci sighed. She’d left the door open for two reasons. The
first being she hoped Michael would take the hint and leave.
He didn’t.
Her second reason made her heart thud so hard she could
barely breathe. She’d seen Caleb’s shadowed figure outlined
against the white shed and knew he’d seen them. She had hoped
he would follow them inside. He hadn’t.
She shook her head. When would she ever learn not to
trust a man? Both Caleb and Michael frightened her, but for
different reasons. Tonight Michael had an air of controlled anger
that made her feel physically threatened. Caleb’s easy going
nature threatened her emotionally. His quiet confidence only
added to his allure.
She silently cursed. She didn’t need either of them at the
moment. She needed money.
***
Under the cover of darkness, Caleb crossed the yard and
eased closer to the sleek, black carriage. He touched a fingertip
to the roof. He’d seen them touch it, and neither of them had
feared it so surely it wouldn’t harm him.
Cautiously, Caleb flattened his hand on the roof and traced
a line over the contour of the cold slick surface. One step at a
time, he moved around to the back. A row of silver letters spelled
out M-u-s-t-a-n-g.
A smile tugged at his lips. This was definitely a horse of a
different kind. Black and cold as ice, but just as slick as a
well-groomed stallion. Caleb rubbed each of the letters and
continued to examine the outside. Becci had looked good sitting
on the seat, but the area seemed too crowded for two people.
Curling his knuckles, he brushed the surface lightly and
rounded the end. There was a seam in the side then it became
smooth again, but only for a short distance. The back of his
hand dropped into an indented area.
The beat of his heart echoed in his ears, and sweat trickled
into his eyes. With his free hand, Caleb swiped at the moisture.
Easing a step away, he traced the area around the small hollow.
There seemed to be a separation there. This part had opened to
let Becci out. He turned his hand over and let his fingers slide
into the cavern. It felt different.
Slowly, he tugged upward. With a sharp snap, the section
popped open, and Caleb gasped in alarm. Lights flashed and a
shrill noise split the air.
Jerking free, Caleb hit the ground. What had he done? His
heart pounded in competition with the noises surrounding him.
He rolled as far away from the automobile as he could and
scooted under the bushes out of sight.
***
A shrill blast shook Becci out of her internal debate.
Dear Lord, that’s Michael’s car. What has Caleb done
now?
And she knew Caleb was the cause of the commotion,
whether intentional or not. She sure hoped he at least had enough
sense to hide.
“My car! Damn it, I knew I should have locked it.” Michael
shouted, whirling around. “Call the police.”
“Michael, wait. Don’t go out there.” Becci caught Michael
by the arm and ke
pt her voice calm. “Let’s get a light and look
around. Then we can decide if we need to call the police.”
Purposely, she opened the wrong drawer. She had to stall
and give Caleb enough time to get out of sight.
“Will you hurry?” Michael snapped.
Becci snatched the flashlight out of the drawer and scooted
past Michael. As they rounded the corner of the house, she
scanned the yard with the light and saw a booted foot disappear
beneath the shrubbery. Hopefully, Michael hadn’t seen it.
When would Caleb learn to ask questions before he took
action? She shook her head, instinctively knowing the answer.
Never.
This morning Aunt Lilly had introduced Caleb to indoor
plumbing. Becci smiled as the image of Caleb standing in the
bathroom drenched from head to toe came to mind. He’d shoved
his hands under the faucet trying to hold back the flood of
water, and he had ended up drenching himself and the bathroom
before her aunt had turned off the water.
Such a performance couldn’t be feigned twice. No matter
what she had thought before, Caleb’s response could only be
explained in one way. As insane as it sounded, he must be from
the past.
Becci fanned the area with the flashlight, avoiding the row
of bushes behind them. “Whoever opened the door is long gone
by now. Maybe next time you should consider locking your
car.”
“Yeah. And if you’d known where you stored your
flashlight we might have caught the culprit.”
“I’m sorry,” she lied.
Michael leaned Becci back against the car. “At least they
didn’t get the car. This baby can’t be replaced,” he said reaching
over Becci’s shoulder to trace a line along the car’s roof. The
adoration in his eyes rivaled any that she’d ever seen. He’d
never looked at her like that.
Becci rested one hand on his chest to push him away, but
he held her firmly in his grasp.
“We’ll talk tomorrow,” Michael said. “I hate to keep
bugging you, but my buyer wants an answer. He won’t wait
forever, so I’ll need your decision when I call.”
“Michael, what about the financial aid from Ascomp that
we’ve been working on? Until I hear something about that I
can’t give your buyer an answer.
“You don’t need a damn nursery, and I don’t have time to