by Dawn Brower
“Hadn’t planned on it,” she replied. “There’s nothing I need to say.”
Some things she wanted to keep to herself. She was close to her mother, but she didn’t want her to know every detail about her life. What she felt for Jack was hers to keep and share with him.
“I do hope your father can refrain from killing him,” her mother replied, casually staring down absentmindedly at her fingernails. As if that was a normal thing that would come out of her mouth. “He is generally a calm man, but he has quite the temper where his family is concerned. Did you know this isn’t the first marriage he’s forced?”
Elizabeth turned to face her. She would not give into the bait her mother had carefully laid out. Her father wouldn’t murder Jack—rough him up maybe—but actually killing him? Unlikely. Not that she wanted to see Jack hurt... She’d rather he came back to her in one piece. That didn’t matter at the moment though. It was clear her mother had something on her mind she wanted to tell Elizabeth. So she’d play her part and asked, “Oh?”
“When Rosanna went missing, her reputation was in tatters,” she explained. “He would have killed his best friend if he hadn’t agreed to marry her.”
“Uncle Dominic?” Elizabeth was shocked. Her Aunt Rosanna was deeply in love with her husband. Her uncle doted on her, and it was clear they were devoted to each other. Why would her father have to force them to wed?
“The very same,” her mother said. “It didn’t take much. Dom was more than willing. It was Rosanna who needed convincing. I do hope you won’t be as stubborn.”
“I don’t understand,” Elizabeth said. “She didn’t want to marry him?”
Why was her mother now telling her this? Why would Aunt Rosanna not want to marry? What had Uncle Dominic done to make her aunt doubt him? More importantly, how did any of it have to do with her situation?
“Rosanna loves Dom,” her mother said. “She always has. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to marry him. It was more she didn’t believe he loved her. So he had to bend over backward to convince her. I wish I could have been there to see it, but I was still exhausted from giving birth to your brothers. Your father had to go to Seabrook to handle the situation.”
The parallels were there, but they were not a perfect fit. Elizabeth believed Jack loved her, but he hadn’t admitted it to himself yet. When he was done talking with her father, she’d have her moment alone with him. Their marriage at this point was inevitable, but they had much to discuss.
“I’m not refusing to marry Jack,” she said. “It was him agreeing to marry me I doubted.” She glanced toward the door. “Apparently, I was wrong.”
“You’ve grown up so fast,” her mother said tenderly. She reached over and brushed a lock of Elizabeth’s hair behind her ear. “It seems like yesterday you were a toddler trailing after me. How does time fly by so fast?”
“I don’t know,” she replied. “I expect I’ll understand more once I have children of my own.” She hoped Jack wanted to have children. Elizabeth wanted a family, especially with him. Her heart burst with love. Some might think she was crazy for giving him her love since she met him recently. They wouldn’t understand the truth, but she did. In a way, she’d always known him.
The sound of the door opening drew Elizabeth’s attention. She turned to glance in its direction as her father and Jack entered the room. Her father didn’t look especially happy. His lips were set in a flat line of displeasure.
“Things have been settled and you will be married later today,” her father announced.
“So soon?” Her mother lifted a brow. “How is that possible?”
“I secured a special license,” Jack replied. “Had to wake up the bishop to make it happen. He wasn’t happy about it, but he liked the extra funds I threw at him to grant it.”
So that was where he’d run off to... He’d realized what they needed and made sure to secure it. Perhaps she wasn’t judging him properly. There was so much she still wanted to ask him, but didn’t want to do it in front of her parents.
“Would you grant us some privacy?” Jack asked.
Her father nodded. “Come dear,” he said to her mother. “Let’s give them a few moments alone. I expect you to join us in the garden in a quarter hour.”
That didn’t give them a lot of time, but she was grateful for it. Once they wed, they’d have all the time in the world to be alone. “What did you want to speak to me about?”
“Elizabeth,” he said and reached down to place his hand in hers. “Would you do me the honor of marrying me?”
She lifted a brow. Was he serious? “I didn’t realize I was being given a choice.”
“You will always have a choice. If you don’t want to marry me, I’ll make sure it doesn’t happen.” He lifted her hand and kissed it. “But I’d be lying if I said I don’t want you to say yes. There’s nothing I desire more than to spend the rest of my life loving you.”
Tears formed in the corner of her eyes and spilled down her cheeks. “I thought you didn’t believe in love.”
He shook his head. “I never believed in love for me. My soul is dark from all the bad I’ve done over the years. Why would I believe I’d be worthy of love?” Jack lifted his hands and wiped away the tears on her cheeks. “Don’t cry. It guts me to see it.”
“When did you know?”
“What?” he asked. “Ah, that I love you?”
She glanced up at him and met his gaze. His sea-green eyes were filled with emotion she’d not seen before. “Yes,” she said. “I’ve loved you for so long I believed I’d never find someone to replace you in my heart. You weren’t supposed to be real, and my expectations were ludicrous. Then I met you, and for the first time, I allowed myself to hope.”
“I can’t say when I was aware of it.” He smiled. “Perhaps when you gave me those infernal books to read. If you forgive my lack of originality, I’ll quote your Mr. Darcy.” He leaned down and kissed her lips lightly. “‘I cannot fix on the hour, or the spot, or the look, or the words, which laid the foundation. It is too long ago. I was in the middle before I knew that I had begun.’”
It was the perfect answer and spoke to her soul. “I’m so glad you finished the book,” she replied.
“No one more so than I,” he said. “It was the inspiration I needed to accept my love for you. Thank you for loving me. I promise to make sure you never regret it.”
“You silly man,” she said. “All I need from you is love. The rest we’ll work out as we go along.”
He leaned down and kissed her fully. The usual heat spread through her with his lips touching hers. They wouldn’t have perfect lives, but they’d continue to be perfect for each other. They’d marry, have a family, and live life as they chose. Elizabeth couldn’t ask for anything more.
EPILOGUE
“Why are you staring at that mirror?”
Jack was always wary when his wife stared into a mirror, ever since she told him the story of the first time she’d seen him. What if she tried to leave him? He wouldn’t be able to withstand that loss. They’d been married a fortnight, yet he remained terrified she’d realize it was a mistake.
“Do you think it’s possible to travel through them?”
Horror filled him at her words. Please, Lord, don’t let her think about trying. The idea of it was—he had no words to properly describe them.
“I wouldn’t know,” he replied. “It’s not the way I traveled through time.”
“I realize that,” she said. “But I see things every now and then.”
It was worse than he thought. “How often do you look in the mirror like this, and what are you seeing in there?”
“It’s a different world,” she replied. “Some of it I think I recognize from the descriptions my mother has given me.”
“You see the future?” Jack rushed over to her side to look inside the mirror. He’d never joined her to gaze inside. The idea of seeing something that might startle him kept him away, but now he had to understa
nd her fascination.
“Do you see it?”
He stared at the mirror and it started to fog over as she’d described. It cleared up slowly and showed a man bent over books. He seemed to be pouring over them frantically. He had light brown hair and his eyes had black rings around them. If Jack were to guess, he hadn’t slept much.
“That depends,” Jack said.
How could any of this be real?
“On what?”
“Do you see a man reading?”
She smiled warmly and wrapped her arms around him. “The secret is in the mirrors. I can feel it in my bones. Someone needs to study them to find out how they work.”
Jack had to agree with her, but at the same time, he didn’t want to mess with something he didn’t understand. What if they became embroiled in something they couldn’t escape from? The idea of traveling through a mirror to another time frightened him. Once was enough for him to experience time travel and he never wanted to do it again. It wasn’t something to be taken lightly.
“I’m not sure we should be the ones doing the investigating,” he said.
Elizabeth ignored him, lifted her hand, and traced her fingers over the glass. They slid through the mirror as the fog swirled around them. She gasped and yanked them back.
He pulled her away from the mirror and the fog disappeared entirely.
“Promise me you’ll never do that again,” he demanded. His heart beat rapidly in his chest. If he ever lost her... He wouldn’t survive it. He’d been through a lot in his life but the idea of spending even a second without her... Death would be preferable to such a bleak existence.
Elizabeth was right. A mirror could be the key to time travel. If a person was brave enough to figure it out, they might be able to travel anywhere. Jack refused to let Elizabeth be that person.
“Not unless you’re with me,” she agreed.
Jack had a special journal made for her to put all of her findings in. He’d rather supply her with all the tools necessary to write down her discovery then risk her exploring the mirror world. It was their compromise, and as Elizabeth had said, “Someone, somewhere, might find it useful...”
**Read on for an excerpt from Separated from My Love: Linked Across Time 7. Trenton and Genevieve’s Story**
PROLOGUE
Genevieve Byrne stared out the window at Weston Manor. In the distance she could make out the cliff’s edge. Something about them always drew her in. They were the flame that drove the moth in her to the precipice of disaster.
What a ridiculous analogy. It wasn’t as if she was going to jump off and plunge to her death...
She shook her head of those ridiculous notions and turned away from the window. There were much more enjoyable things that she could turn her attention to. It was the weekend of the annual charity ball at Seabrook Manor. Trenton had promised he’d take her and secured the tickets necessary to attend, but he still hadn’t returned from his trip to London. If he didn’t return soon she’d either have to skip it or go on her own. The idea of showing up alone didn’t appeal to her. Maybe she could talk her cousin into going with her? Aubriella would appreciate a reason to escape for the weekend. She was deep in debt because of her step mother and a few credits shy of her doctorate in history. Her cousin preferred burying her head in the past than dealing with the atrociousness of her present.
Genevieve bit her lip and picked up her mobile phone. What were the chances Aubriella could make it to Weston in time to go with her? She wasn’t even sure where her cousin was. Aubriella was always off researching some castle or falling down pieces of rock to finish her degree. It rang three times before her cousin’s voice filler Genevieve’s ears.
“Hello?”
“Brie,” Genevieve began, “Please tell me you’re close enough to Weston Manor to come for a visit. I need you.”
Aubriella wasn’t just her cousin—she was Genevieve’s best friend. They had always been able to count on each other. No matter what was going on in their lives they always dropped everything if the other needed support.
“Actually,” Aubriella said, “I’m heading in that direction. I’ve discovered some fascinating information regarding the history of that estate. I was hoping to talk the duke into letting me look through his family’s archives.”
What were the chances? “Let me guess,” Genevieve replied. “You’re hoping I’ll help you bend his arm.”
Genevieve didn’t want to discourage her cousin but there wasn’t a chance in hell they’d be able to talk Bradford, the current Duke of Weston, into letting them dig through anything. There wasn’t a man more cynical than him—at least none Genevieve had met. He didn’t like anyone invading his space and hated people in general. He deigned to put up with Genevieve because of Trenton. Otherwise she’d never have been allowed to enter his home. He was rude on a good day. Today was not one that he’d willingly put up with her cousin’s intrusion. A part of her hoped he left for the ball at Seabrook before Aubriella arrived. Then she could put off her cousin’s inquiry a little longer. She couldn’t very well rummage through the duke’s stuff while he wasn’t here to give his permission.
“Pretty please,” Aubriella begged.
“As much as I’d like to it’s not a good idea. But I am glad you’re on your way. Perhaps we can do something. It is starting to look like Trenton won’t be returning from London today.”
Damn man. Why did she have to fall in love with a man obsessed with work more than anything in the world? He was trying to climb the ranks of his father’s company as if he had something to prove. Perhaps he did in some way. His father, Marshall Quinn, was a good man but quite obsessed with his wife, Catherine. Their marriage is what brought Trenton and Bradford together. They were step-brothers who became friends not because, but despite their parents marriage. They had the neglected forgotten kid syndrome in common. Not an association that people generally wanted to have as a connecting factor between them.
None of that mattered though. Not when Trenton stood her up and forgot to let her know he was running late or not coming at all. He wasn’t someone she could depend on. Maybe one day he’d realize exhausting himself at his father’s company wouldn’t gain him a damn thing. Unfortunately by the time he came to that conclusion it might be too late to change what was broken between them. It was perhaps time for her to let go and move on. Sometimes love wasn’t enough to see them through. She couldn’t make something work if the other person wasn’t helping as well. Aubriella on the other hand was her rock. The one person she could talk to about anything and everything.
“I’m sorry, Eve,” Aubriella said. “I hope for you sake he does.”
“It doesn’t matter,” she said. “It is what it is. When are you going to arrive?”
“I’m pulling up the long driveway now...”
Genevieve laughed. Of course she was. Aubriella had a one track mind where her research was concerned. She didn’t even think twice about how she might not be welcomed. Perhaps she should ask her cousin exactly what she was researching. It wouldn’t hurt to at least feign some interest. “Then I’ll hang up and meet you at the front door.”
Genevieve didn’t wait for her cousin to reply. She hit the end button on her phone and slipped it into her pocket and headed to the front door. She passed the butler in the hall on her way and told him that she’d let her cousin in. She didn’t want him to feel the brunt of Bradford’s displeasure. She stopped in front of the large mahogany door and swung it open as Aubriella was skipping up the front steps. Her strawberry blonde curls were bouncing over her shoulders with each step. She stopped in front of Genevieve and lifted her golden brown eyes to meet her gaze. “I’m not going to apologize for presuming I’d be welcome. Even if his highness won’t allow me access to his family’s records a visit with my favorite person in the world is enough to endure his wrath.”
Genevieve pulled her cousin into her arms hugging her tight. “Don’t worry about Bradford. He won’t be a problem—at least not for
long.”
Aubriella stepped out of her arms and glanced up. “How so?”
“Well...” Genevieve bit her lip. “That is part of the reason I was calling you. Trenton and I were supposed to go to this high society fundraiser. It is a once a year thing and I’ve always wanted to go.” She looped her arm through Aubriella’s and led her inside shutting the door behind them. They headed to the nearest sitting room. “I hear that the man who throws the party is gorgeous too though I’ve never met him.” She added the last part for her cousin’s benefit. Trenton was incredibly handsome and she hadn’t even thought twice about looking at another man. “Do you want to go?” She gestured for Aubriella to head inside and then followed closing the door behind her.
“I don’t know...” Aubriella frowned. “Wouldn’t we need to dress fancy or something? I’d rather not. It’s not my kind of thing.”
Of course it wasn’t. Genevieve should have realized it. They could still spend time together. It just wouldn’t be at one of the Marquess of Seabrook’s elegant events. At least the money they spent on tickets would go to a good charity. All of the proceeds went to a good cause from one of the marquess’s events. Genevieve liked that about him. She often wondered what he was like and hoped to meet him someday. He must be a wonderful man who thought well about the world in general. Making it a better place was a worthwhile endeavor. Maybe one day she’d get a chance to make her own mark. For now she’d focus on her cousin and spending some quality time with her.
“That’s fine,” she said “Bradford is going to it. Trenton is...”
The door opened and closed with a click. Genevieve turned and noticed the manor’s owner enter the room. He wasn’t going to be happy to find Aubriella making herself at home in his sitting room.
“Running late,” Bradford said. “Sorry to interrupt I didn’t realize you had company.”
“He called you?” And ignored me? How dare he! When he made it back to Weston Manor he’d realize what a colossal mistake that was. Her jaw clenched tightly and she clutched her fists at her side. The need to hit something was growing as each moment passed. She pasted a smile on her face and forced herself to remain cordial as she asked, “Did he give you any indication how late he’d be?”