by Mari Carr
“Are you saying I’m trapped here?”
After a nervous glance from Erin, Alex looked at his wife, waiting for her to speak. When she remained silent, he answered her question. “Hayley, you are safe and welcome to stay as long as you choose. The tree has opened twice now that we know of and perhaps—”
“No, there is no perhaps,” Erin interrupted. “Next year, on this day, if you want to go home, it will open again. A year isn’t so terribly long.”
“A year,” she repeated in disbelief, rising from the chaise. “What about my job? My apartment? Oh my God, what about Tori? She’ll be devastated. She can’t lose us both.”
Hayley began pacing the length of the room. Halting by the window, she pressed her forehead to the glass in an attempt to cool herself off. “I should have stepped back through last night when it was still open. I didn’t realize I was making such a momentous leap. We just passed by there and the tree is most definitely whole again.”
At her words, Alex glanced sharply at Jack. “Last night? When did you find her?”
“Shortly before midnight,” Jack replied. Then he seemed to realize Alex expected a more thorough explanation. “It was in the midst of the storm. We took shelter in the hunting cabin.”
Confused, Erin said, “But the Grange is just as close and a good bit warmer. Why would you go to the cabin?”
Alex scowled at Jack’s nonchalant shrug. “Rather unusual to travel at night in a storm, wouldn’t you say, Jack? We weren’t expecting you until this afternoon.”
“Alex, we can discuss this later.” Jack gestured to Hayley. Crap, she must look worse than she thought.
Erin crossed the room and put her arms around her shoulders. “I know it seems impossible, but perhaps you could treat this like an adventure. This time is so fascinating. Think about it, Hayley. It’s an amazing opportunity we’ve been given. And besides, I’m sorry to be selfish, but I’m so happy you’re here. I’ve missed you so much. I don’t think I realized how much until I saw you. It’s like finding a part of myself I had forgotten existed. You will get back, but until then, I intend to show you the time of your life.”
“Oh, Erin. I’m the one who’s sorry. Seeing you again is like a dream. I’ve been so worried about you. Don’t mind me. I’ll be fine. You’ve just sort of shocked the hell out of me. Let’s just chalk it up to exhaustion. I didn’t get much sleep last night.”
Her comment caused Alex to look sharply at Jack.
“If you don’t mind, I’d like to speak with Hayley alone for a moment.” Jack came to stand beside her.
Alex hesitated as he looked at Jack.
“Dammit, Alex. I managed to get her here safely. She’s in no danger with me and I have no doubt you will be stationed right outside the door.”
Taking in Jack’s bruised and scratched face; Alex broke into a smug smile. “From the look of you, it’s not her safety that concerns me. You’re correct though. I will be right outside. Yell if you need any help.” His last comment was directed at Jack and, with a devilish grin, he and Erin walked out gently closing the door behind them.
In the hallway, Erin looked at her husband as he shook his head lightly and then laughed aloud.
“There is nothing funny about this,” Erin said. “Her life has just been turned upside down.”
Alex reached for his wife’s hand. “Oh no. Don’t throw that in my lap. You know someone who could possibly send that girl home right now and you didn’t tell her. I expect you have a good reason?”
“I do,” Erin answered.
“Good. I look forward to hearing it. But that’s not why I am laughing. I meant what I said in there. Hayley is perfectly safe. Once she becomes accustomed to this time, she may well enjoy it. I know she was happy to see you and I don’t know when I’ve seen you look so pleased.”
Erin leaned in and lightly kissed her husband. “I’m thrilled she’s here and I have several reasons for not telling Hayley the whole truth about how the magic of the tree works. First of all, Lady Linney and I aren’t sure how to send her home. We have suspicions, but I would hate for Hayley to get her hopes up, only to have them dashed. Besides, having her here will be wonderful, even if it’s only for a short time. I’ve always worried about what the June girls must be going through, not knowing where I was. It would have killed me to lose one of them. I don’t think the past year has been easy for her. I can see it in her eyes. I have a lot to make up for and I can’t do that if she returns right away.”
“You weren’t to blame for your disappearance.”
“I know, but I feel guilty just the same. I’ve been living a dream, while she’s had months of worry and pain. I want time to make things better for her.”
“Are those the only reasons you’re keeping her here?”
“No, I have another reason,” Erin said mysteriously. “What exactly is it that you found humorous just now?”
“Ah,” said Alex. “Well, that would be Jack. Poor lad’s in over his head.”
“What do you mean?”
“I don’t know what happened last night, but I intend to find out. As it stands now, Hayley may not need our assistance to keep her safe. It would seem that friend of yours has done the impossible and won the hardened heart of Jack Campbell. I could see it in his eyes. He is falling fast.” Alex started to laugh again as Erin looked toward the library door.
“Yeah.” She considered Hayley’s response to Captain Campbell. “I thought so, too.
*
Hayley left her station by the window and moved closer to the fire. Jack suspected she would step into the flames if it would bring heat back to her shocked body. He walked across the room and reached out to touch her shoulder.
“No.” She shrunk away from his touch.
“Hayley, you’ve suffered a terrible shock. No one expects you to go through this alone. Alex and Erin are good friends and you’ll be perfectly safe at the Grange. I’d like to help you as well.” Looking at her face, full of tension, he wondered if she ever let anyone take care of her.
“I’m fine,” she said tersely. “I just need some time to sort this out by myself.”
“That’s the last thing you need.”
“Do you really believe what they said? About me being from the future?” she asked. “It’s pretty farfetched. How can you believe such a thing?”
“I don’t know.” He was surprised by his conviction that his friend’s story was true. “I know it seems amazing, but I trust Alex implicitly. Besides, it certainly explains some discrepancies in Erin’s appearance here last year. It also explains why you’re so unique.” He had some serious making up to do after last night’s disaster of an introduction. Hell, he’d accused the woman of being a smuggler, kissed and slept with her, not to mention the tussling. “Why you are so different from other women?”
She grinned, clearly remembering his comments this morning. “Ah, and here I thought it was because of my lack of femininity.”
“You aren’t lacking anything there.”
“Ha!” He was pleased to hear her laugh. “That’s not what you said in the cabin.”
Sobering up, he recalled his purpose in speaking to her alone. “Hayley, about the cabin. I wanted to apologize to you for my behavior last night. I thought you were someone else and my actions were unforgivable.”
“Last night was confusing for both of us, but I never truly felt like I was in any danger, regardless of how big and bad you tried to act. Besides, given the ever-darkening color of that black eye you’re sporting, I’d say you actually got the worst end of our misunderstanding.”
He grimaced at her reminder of their battle, and could tell from her impish grin she wasn’t sorry for punching him in the eye.
“Let’s just forget about last night, Jack. Neither one of us can be held accountable for our actions. I mean, let’s face it, with the circumstances of my arrival and the storm, everything was blown out of proportion. It’s still too bizarre to comprehend.” She extended her arm
for a handshake. “Let’s start over. Hi, my name is Hayley Garland.” She introduced herself properly—first and last name.
Smiling, he took her hand and raised it to his lips. “Captain Jack Campbell, at your service, Miss Garland.” Kissing her knuckles lightly, she gasped as she felt the slightest touch of his tongue. Grinning devilishly, he kept her hand. “Friends?”
She cleared her throat. “Friends and please don’t call me Miss Garland. I’m Hayley, just Hayley.”
“Well,” he began seriously, “as your friend, I consider it my duty to help you in your transition to this time. I meant what I said before, Hayley, I would like to assist you.”
“I appreciate your offer, but I have no intention of meekly biding my time here as Erin seems content to do. I plan to find a way back home.”
“Well, then perhaps I can help you in that endeavor.”
She pulled her hand away and turned her back on him. “I told you, Jack. I can take care of myself.”
Upset by her sudden withdrawal, he grabbed her by the waist, turning and pulling her into a bear hug. “It seems to me you do everything by yourself.” He was unwilling to watch her walk away from him. He couldn’t resist this woman. Irrational as it seemed, he couldn’t stop trying to take all the burdens, fears and worries off her shoulders and onto his. How she could make him feel this way after such a short acquaintance, he simply couldn’t understand, but he was powerless to fight it.
She stiffened for a moment before relaxing in his arms. His hands gently caressed her back, comforting her and reminding him of the previous night when he had rocked her. Slowly, she wrapped her arms around his waist and settled into the warmth of his embrace.
No man had ever made her feel safe, truly protected, yet with Jack, she was free to be herself and let go of all her fears. The tension of the past few days rose up, the emotions boiling over. The uncertainness of her future, the awareness of all she had unwittingly left behind, the image of Tori’s face when she’d discovered her missing this morning, clogged her throat and left a sudden stinging in her eyes.
Slowly, she lifted her face to his. Seeing the trace of one tear sliding down her pale cheek, he caught it with his finger.
At the touch, she struggled out of his grasp. The intimacy of his action and her overwhelming feeling of weakness consumed her.
“No.” Her voice shook uncontrollably with the tremendous effort it took not to cry. “No. Leave me alone. I know what you’re trying to do.” She felt herself lose control. Quickly she wiped the tears away and retreated, seeking solace in a corner. Laughter—the laughter from her dream began sounding in her head—the dream voice taunting her, calling her weak, stupid, useless. She covered her ears in an attempt to drown it out.
“You won’t break me,” she said loudly, more to the voice in her head, than to Jack.
Rough hands on her shoulders turned her around, shook her. Coming back to herself, she saw Jack’s face, inches from hers. “Break you? I’m not trying to break you. Dear God, Hayley, it would appear you’re already broken.”
“Please leave me alone,” she whispered hoarsely. Jack’s face, full of sadness and concern, studied her briefly before he nodded. Without another word, he walked out of the room leaving her alone and confused; yet surprisingly relieved, as the voice in her head was silent again.
Chapter 7
Hayley woke late the next morning, feeling as though she’d slept the sleep of the dead. She’d expected the revelations of the last twenty-four hours to keep her tossing and turning all night, but instead she felt lighter and happier than she had in a year. Taking a deep breath, she walked over to the same window seat where just two nights ago, she’d sat fretting over her nightmare and worrying about Erin.
Now that she was back with her best friend, she intended to take Erin’s advice and make an adventure of it. There was an overpowering sense of freedom in living in a time other than your own. She knew three people in the entire world and felt completely secure and accepted, at least by Erin and Alex. Alex was Erin’s soul mate. She had no question about that. Five minutes in their presence would convince a complete stranger of their love and affection. Seeing Erin alive and happy removed a huge burden from her shoulders.
She’d decided to take a couple of days to get her bearings before starting her investigation into the mystery of the tree. Despite her resolve to enjoy herself, she intended to make sure her time here was limited to the same length of her planned stay with Tori. She had intended to stay at the Grange, circa 2008 for three weeks and if she applied herself, she was certain she could find a way to make that damn tree open again and send her back by then. She prayed for Tori’s sake her time here wouldn’t last any longer than that. She knew firsthand what her friend was going through at home and the idea of putting her through that pain left a ball of ice in Hayley’s stomach that simply wouldn’t thaw.
The other blemish on her new life as far as she was concerned was Jack. She had no idea what to make of him. He was overbearing, domineering, and controlling—all the things she typically abhorred in a man, which made it even harder for her to accept the strange feelings that came over her whenever he was around. The night they had spent in the cabin was tumultuous, to say the least, but she couldn’t shake the feeling there was some sort of connection between her and this arrogant stranger.
She also had a strong suspicion he was not what he seemed to be—a friend simply staying for a visit. Apparently, there was mischief afoot. Something serious enough to compel him to travel all night in a storm simply to reach the Grange. She’d seen him deep in conversation with Alex the previous evening, discussing something grave, if the looks on their faces were any indication.
Jack had accused her of being a smuggler and she was determined to find the underlying cause of his supposedly casual visit. She wondered if Erin was aware of the problem and resolved to discuss it with her friend today. Curiosity, according to her mother, was one of her biggest flaws. “Curiosity killed the cat,” Marian used to say. Then with a grin, Hayley would reply, “Luckily, I’m not a cat.”
Dressing in breeches she’d secretly borrowed from one of the young stable boys and a loose-fitting top, she put on her tennis shoes and decided to take a run by the shore. Running always helped her think, and she had some plans to make and mysteries to solve.
Rising late, Jack entered the dining room secure in the knowledge he would be alone. He planned to eat fast and take off for a long ride on Lancelot to search for Julia. He had some thinking to do as well and he wanted to postpone the inevitable time when he would have to come face to face with Hayley again. He didn’t know why the woman left him so unnerved. Known for his charm with women, he couldn’t understand why five minutes in her presence left him wanting to throttle and ravish her at the same time. He also knew Alex’s inquisitive nature would not be satisfied until he questioned Jack about his strange injuries and the night he and Hayley spent at the cabin—unchaperoned.
Last night, he was granted a reprieve only because Erin and Hayley dominated the conversation—becoming reacquainted, reminiscing, laughing about the old times. It had been a thoroughly enjoyable evening. They were so unlike the women of this time that he found their stories, while shocking, extremely entertaining. It was unusual to spend time with ladies who had lived lives even men in this time could not boast of. Listening to their descriptions of modern transportation left him wishing he had been the one to step through the tree. The future sounded fascinating and he desperately longed to see it.
He had also learned that the case of the smugglers had been solved a couple of months earlier. Alex had filled him in on the details after dinner last night, and he had successfully managed to avoid going into the particulars of his night with Hayley by steering the discussion toward his visit to the Homestead and his concern for Julia’s welfare.
Jack silently groaned upon entering the dining room. At the end of the table sat the self-satisfied marquis and he could tell by the look on Alex�
��s face, his friend had anticipated his planned escape. No doubt Alex had settled in for the long wait until he put in an appearance.
“Good morning, Jack.”
He inclined his head slightly. “Alex, you’re up late. Thought you country gentlemen types liked to get a jump on the day.”
“Usually, yes,” Alex said with a grin. “I made an exception today so that I could catch you before you made good your escape.”
“Ah, the gloves are off, I see.”
“Do I need to call you out, Jack?” While his tone was still friendly, Alex’s intent was deadly serious.
“You know me better than that, Alex.” Jack grabbed a plate from the sideboard and filled it with eggs, kippers and toast. He could feel Alex’s penetrating stare through his shoulder blades as his back was turned.
“I do know you,” Alex replied as Jack sat at the other end of the table. They faced each other like adversaries over a battlefield. “There are several concerns I have regarding your story about the events of the night before last. I’d like you to fill in the blanks as Erin says.”
“Blanks?” Jack refused to make this easy, friend or not.
“Regardless of Miss Garland’s bold nature, Erin assures me her friend is a virtuous young lady. I trust she still is?” Alex’s tone had taken on a chilly undercurrent.
Jack’s hackles rose at his friend’s questioning of Hayley’s morals…and his. “Miss Garland has never been in any danger from me in that regard.” He hoped his face confirmed the lie. In fact, she had been in great danger, but Alex didn’t need to know that.
“You must admit, the two of you showed up in a rather shocking way, quite disheveled and bruised. By the way, that black eye looks even worse today.”
Jack didn’t bother to reply.
“Dammit, Jack! What happened between the two of you? Why are you treating me as an enemy? If you didn’t touch the girl, just say it—but you’re acting guilty as hell which leads me to wonder what did go on. You both looked like you had been through a battle when you walked in here. I have to know—did you force yourself on her?”