Becci pulled his head down until their lips met. “Oh, Caleb,
I thought I’d lost you forever.”
Caleb held her close for a few moments. Then he stared
down at her. Her dark emerald eyes told him what he wanted
to know. She loved him. He brushed a kiss to each corner of
her mouth.
“If you’d walked through that door I wouldn’t have been
able to come back. But you didn’t, and I’m here. We’re here,
and I love you, Becci. I can’t believe I found you, and now that
I have, I am not going to lose you.”
Had she heard him correctly? Had he said he loved her?
Was he here to stay?
For the first time she noticed he was bare-chested, and she
ran her fingers over the scar he’d received in his fight with
Jacobs. The wound had become a scar that would be an everpresent
reminder of how close she’d come to losing him.
“If it weren’t for this scar, I wouldn’t have thought any of
this had really happened. But it did,” Caleb said as he placed
his hand over Becci’s.
“Yeah. It did,” Michael said from the doorway. “You know,
when Becci said you and Jacobs disappeared, I thought you
were gone for good. I’m really glad you decided to come back.”
Caleb handed Luke to Becci and moved them both behind
him. He had no problem recognizing the gun for what it was.
He would forfeit his own life before he let Ascott take Becci or
Luke’s life the way he’d taken Elizabeth’s.
“What do you want?” Becci demanded, scooting around
Caleb.
“The medallion. Hand it over.”
“The medallion belongs to Becci,” Caleb said, stalling. If
he gave Ascott the medallion, would the man kill them?
“Stop delaying the inevitable,” Ascott ordered. “Give me
the medallion.”
Caleb turned to Luke and Becci. He ran his finger down
Luke’s soft cheek then faced Becci. The decision would be
hers. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the medallion,
letting it swing between them.
“I don’t need the medallion, Becci. The power it represents
isn’t worth losing you, but think about what I’m asking of you.
Luke and I come as a pair. Do you want the responsibility of a
child and the extra burden of a man who isn’t trained to earn a
living in this time?”
She ran her hand down the chain and let the brilliant circle
rest against her fingertips. He knew what she would do before
she spoke. It was written in the sparkling depths of her green
eyes.
“All the power in the world can’t buy me the happiness
you’ve given me. Give it to him. If he really wants it.”
“You know I do,” Ascott snapped, taking a step toward
them.
Caleb held out the medallion. “The coins are a perfect
match, Ascott. Together they offer you the chance to earn your
heart’s desire, if you use them properly. But use them
improperly, and they’ll destroy you.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Ascott tugged the leather pouch out of his
pocket and carefully removed the other coin by its chain. He
snatched the one from Caleb and held them up together, letting
the gold medallions twirl. Multicolored beams bounced like a
dancing rainbow over the walls.
Caleb watched Ascott’s eyes brighten as greed enveloped
him.
“Lovely,” he whispered. He slid the chains over his hand
and let the coins graze his fingers. The moment the medallions
touched his skin he jerked his hand away as if he’d just touched
red-hot coals. He caught Caleb by the shirt collar.
“Why are the coins too hot to touch? What did you do to
them?” He shook them in front of Caleb.
“I did nothing. They are special, individually, and as a pair.”
“What’s the secret, Harrison? Obadiah told Elizabeth that
it took both of them to make a man powerful.”
“I guess that’s right,” Caleb said. “The bearer does get his
just reward if he possesses both coins. But I’m not sure how it
works.”
Caleb circled his hand around the medallions, letting Ascott
see that he held them without pain. “Mary Rebecca told me to
find the key by looking into my heart. I found it. Hopefully,
you will too.”
“In your heart? That’s foolhardy,” Ascott scoffed. “You
are definitely a fool if you think I’m giving these back.”
He yanked them out of Caleb’s hand and shoved him away.
Becci reached out to steady him, and he saw the fear spark in
her eyes. He circled her waist with his arm and gave her a
reassuring squeeze.
“You have what you wanted, so leave, Michael,” Becci
said tipping her head toward the door.
“You think I’ll disappear if I go through there? Well, think
again, the portal’s closed, otherwise he wouldn’t be here. And
who’s this?” Ascott asked, nodding in Luke’s direction. “Here
I thought you’d never been with a man, but I can tell he’s your
son. He has your eyes. I guess she is your type, Harrison.”
Caleb took a step forward, but Becci caught his arm. “He’s
not worth it, Caleb.”
Ascott laughed, and, with greed clouding his expression,
he turned away with an arrogant, lofty stride. Suddenly, he
glanced back at them, his eyes wide with terror, and he began
to fade from sight.
“Noooo!” he yelled, his voice slowly fading in the echo of
time.
Sunlight peeked through the clouds and brightened the
room. Caleb gasped as some force suddenly latched onto him
and dragged him toward the door. He caught the door frame
with one hand and clutched his chest. He was being pulled
back to the past, but the invisible force wasn’t touching Becci
or Luke.
Becci rushed toward him before he could tell her to stay
away from the door. She clung to him, one arm around his
neck and the other clutching Luke. “Hold me, Caleb. Hold us,
and don’t let go.”
It wasn’t working.
“Take Luke,” Becci ordered, shoving the boy into Caleb’s
arms before he could answer. He held Luke against his chest,
while Becci searched for something that might close the portal.
She grabbed the trinket box and threw it into the whirling vortex.
The winds caught the box, spinning it in circles then spit it
back into the room and strengthened its pull on Caleb and Luke,
drawing them closer to the entry.
“No!” Caleb cried out to the forces trying to drag him back
to his era. “This is my life. I belong here—we belong here.”
Gradually, the glittering aura began to spiral in the center
of the doorway, drawing the colored edges into nothingness.
The winds stopped howling, the thunder ended, and the
lightning vanished.
Becci rested her hand on Caleb’s arm then took Luke from
him. When he looked at her, he saw a myriad of emotions in
her eyes—concern and more. He saw love. Slowly, he wrapped
his arms around them and rested his chin on t
he top of Becci’s
head. His heart pounded wildly. Becci loved him.
The clatter of metal hitting the floor echoed through the
bedroom as if stamping approval to what they had together.
They turned in unison to stare at the two shining medallions.
“The coins!” Caleb exclaimed. “Ascott couldn’t keep them
in the past.”
“No!” Becci shouted as he started toward the door. “You
can’t go through there. I don’t want to lose you again.”
He felt the fear in the tight curl of her fingers, and he turned
and caught her hand in his. “You won’t lose me, Becci. The
gate is closed. I’ve found what destiny had in store for me. I
love you with all my heart. I think I have from the moment I
saw your sparkling green eyes full of life and love.” He brought
her hand to his lips.
“Now we’re keepers,” he explained. “The coins come with
a world of responsibility, and neither of us can even begin to
guess the extent of it. But I know we can handle whatever
happens as long as we’re together. The door will only open
when someone needs our help.”
“How do you know that?” she asked, looking bewildered.
He dropped a kiss to her lips and rested his forehead against
hers. “I don’t know how. I just know. When we’re called upon
we will be expected to serve. Until that time, we must guard
the coins with our lives. This is Berclair Manor’s inheritance
that will some day belong to Luke. You and I have been chosen
to teach him right from wrong.”
He led her into the hall and picked up both medallions. He
looked from the tiny circular pieces in his palm to Becci. “I
would rather lose everything I’ve fought so hard to gain than
lose you.”
Dodging Luke’s attempt to snatch the shiny medallions,
Caleb slipped one around Becci’s neck then brushed his
knuckles down her cheek.
Heat from Caleb’s touch sent a wave of desire, hot and
deep, to Becci’s most feminine areas. Yes, this man was her
destiny, and she’d never let him leave her again.
Caleb slipped the other medallion over his head, noticing
the scratch that marred its beauty. He now had his mother’s
medallion. As the chain settled into place around his neck an
iridescent cloud swirled around them. Within the mist a couple
walked together, their arms entwined in a gesture that spoke of
their love.
“Mother?” Caleb whispered, reaching his hand out toward
the distant figures in disbelief.
“Yes, son, I’m here. I’ve always been with you and you
with me in my heart. Caleb, this is Abraham, your father. He
would have been a wonderful father if he’d been allowed to
live, but Obadiah’s greed stole our lives from us. The spirits of
Atlantis granted us this meeting as our last wish.”
Abraham stepped forward. “You’ve dealt wisely with
adversity. I’m proud to have you as my son. Take care of Luke.
He is the future of our heritage, as will be yours and Becci’s
children.”
“We must go now,” his mother said. “Remember you are
always in our hearts. Enjoy your new life, Caleb. You have
found the most important ingredient. You’ve found your true
love.”
The image vanished, and so did the cloud. Becci stared in
awe at the spot where they’d been. “They were beautiful people,
and they have a wonderful son.”
As he turned to face Becci, his heart was pounding with
the rhythm of a runaway horse at full gallop. He traced the
curves of her hips with his palms and slowly returned them to
her waist. He’d been given a glimpse of his past to cherish.
But his future, Becci and Luke, stood in front of him. He could
hardly wait to create more memories, like the ones she’d already
given him. Waking up with her tucked into the curve of his
body had been one of the best experiences he’d ever undergone.
He would follow his father’s instructions and love Becci with
all his heart.
“I love you, Becci, and Luke and I need you. Will you
marry us, Mary Rebecca Berclair?”
“I thought you’d never ask her,” Lilly said from the landing.
“Now at least I can get some rest—before I start making
wedding plans, that is.”
Caleb watched the emotions play across Becci’s face. Lilly
had interrupted them before she’d given her answer, and he
worried that she would refuse. But then she said, “Of course
I’ll marry you. After all, I might be carrying your child, and
you’re going to do right by him—or her. Besides, you need
someone to help you learn about your new world and who else
better than the woman who loves you with all her heart.”
Caleb saw the teasing glint in her eyes, and he looped his
arms around her, pulling her close.
“According to my parents, destiny wouldn’t have it any
other way.”
He had thought he would never find love. Now he knew
that anything was possible if you lived your life right and let
your heart guide you.
Epilogue
Caleb rested his chin on the top of Becci’s head until he
finished reading the last paragraph in the journal. “I can’t
believe Obadiah never even tried to find out what happened to
Luke.”
Becci shook her head. “It was greed. My great-great-great-
grandfather killed both your parents to get their medallion, then
lost it and hired Michael to help him get it back. He wanted
everything for himself, just like Michael did. Oh, Caleb, I’m
so sorry for what my family did to you. Can you ever forgive
them?”
“I already have. Ascott and Obadiah both paid their debt
to me, and while they lost, I won because I found something
far more valuable than anything they ever sought. I found true
love.”
Caleb caught the edge of the journal and laid it on the
bedside table. He would be forever grateful to Catherine for
hiding the books in the beside table. Without them, Becci might
have sold the manor before he managed to travel through time
and all would have been lost for him.
He slid down in the bed, drawing Becci with him. After
he’d shown her all the secret compartments that stored the gold
and jewelry that Rebecca had hoarded, they’d pulled out
Rebecca’s journal to see who Obadiah had listed on the last
page as Rebecca’s murderer. Caleb had felt the tension ease
when he saw that only Jacobs and Michael were listed as
partners in the crime. According to what Obadiah wrote,
Michael was thrown from a horse while trying to escape.
“Michael must have tried to ride Patches.”
“Patches?”
“My horse. He was a real temperamental gelding. Wouldn’t
let anyone on his back but me. And he really didn’t even like
me to ride him. He preferred to pull the wagon. I left him out
front when I delivered the dresser.”
“Your horse. Hmm. There’s one other thing I’d like to know
about.” Becci combed her fingers through Caleb’s tousled hair,
then slipped her arms around him and snuggled closer. “You
wrote the instructions for the secret compartments in your
journal. Why didn’t Obadiah find the medallion?”
Caleb sucked in a ragged breath, cupped his hand to her
cheek and kissed Becci before he answered. “Because, by sheer
luck, I managed to keep my journal with me when I went
through the portal. Now we have everything we need to
survive.”
“More than enough to survive, Caleb. We have enough to
help anyone who proves themselves worthy to use the services
of the keepers of the keys.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
I have always dreamed of being a writer. As a child, when
the family went on trips, I would catch glimpses of the people
in their yards or on their porches and wonder, “What if...”, and
create stories about these strangers. As an adult I put my dreams
on hold until 1990 when I discovered the River City Romance
Writers Chapter. Although writing is my first love, I sing in the
church choir, direct the children’s choir, am an active member
of the Bartlett Historical Society, am secretary of the bowling
league in which I bowl, am a Red belt in Taekwondo, and work
two days a week doing the bookkeeping for a photography
studio. People ask me when I find time to write. My answer is:
“It’s my first love, there is always time to write.” I also enjoy
reading and writing letters. Here is my address if you would
like to contact me.
Barbara Christopher
P. O. Box 41856Bartlett, TN 8184-1856
Or e-mail me at [email protected]
Christopher, Barbara - Keeper of Key.txt Page 37