It was dark and foggy, but she saw him break the surface. She swam as fast as she could to him, grabbing a hold of his shirt, as he was about to go under again.
Gillian treaded water grateful for all the years of training she had when she was on the swim team back in college.
The gunshot must have roused the people of the town. Gillian couldn’t see anyone, but she heard people shouting to her. She had to hold onto Zachary. He had become so very still.
“There they are!” She heard someone yell. She felt something hit her. It had been a rope, but it slid away before she could grab hold of it. The second time it was thrown, she was ready. She pulled the loop over her head with one hand and under her armpit. That’s the best she could do, she couldn’t let go of Zachary. Slowly, she felt herself being pulled in and someone taking Zachary from her.
She shivered and Ellery tried to put his coat around her but she refused, pushing her way through the crowd in desperation to reach Zachary. She saw a man leaning over him and shaking his head. Gillian screamed, “No!” She didn’t risk her life to see him die. She shoved the man aside. She knelt down beside him and tilted his head back, blowing air into his mouth in a desperate attempt to breathe life back into him.
She heard someone’s horrid cry, “She’s kissing a dead man. Get her away from him.”
Gillian felt hands trying to pull her away. She shook them off. Every moment was vital if she was to save him. She sat on him and pushed upward on his midsection trying to force the fluid out of his lungs. A few more thrusts and water spurted out of Zachary’s mouth. He choked as he struggled to draw in air. The man to her side moved in quickly and lifted his head.
“She saved him. By God, he’s alive!”
Shaking, Gillian rose unsteadily to her feet and this time she allowed Ellery to place his coat around her.
“Gillian, you risked your life. You could have drowned.”
She looked up at Ellery. “Zachary would have died if I didn’t go in after him.”
His brows lifted. “You do care for him, don’t you?”
“Of course I care. Why would you ask such a thing?”
“Why indeed.” His lips pursed together.
“What?”
“Nothing.” He shook his head. “Let’s get you home and into some dry clothes.”
“But Zachary–”
“Don’t worry, I’ll make sure Zachary is in capable hands.”
CHAPTER NINE
Gillian may have rescued Zachary from drowning, but his life hung in the balance as fever racked his body. The knife hadn’t hit anything vital, but the mud and dirt from the river must have caused an infection. Gillian knew a quick dose of antibiotics would have taken care of this but there was none to be had. Instead, they had to wait and pray his body would heal.
Tyler walked over to Gillian. “Don’t let him die too, Aunt Gillian.”
She looked at the small boy, drawing him near. He had lost so much. Losing his parents at such a young age was more than he should have to endure. “I don’t want anything to happen to him either, but it’s in God’s hands.”
Tyler nodded. He stayed for a while, but Dora dragged him away.
Gillian refused to leave. She leaned close to Zachary’s ear and whispered, “You have to fight to live. There’s a little boy who needs you.” She brushed the matted hair from his brow and added tearfully, “I need you, too.”
Zachary stirred giving her hope he heard her.
Zachary felt disoriented, lost. What happened to him? He felt like someone had set him on fire and he was slowly burning. His eyelids were matted to his face and no matter how hard he tried he couldn’t open them. When he thought he would give up all hope, he heard an angelic voice, a beacon calling to him. Then he remembered he had been on the dock, fighting for his life. The man had a knife and he’d used it, hitting his mark. The pain robbed him of his breath and he couldn’t stop himself from falling back into the water. When he broke the surface, he could have sworn he saw an angel soar through the air after him. Her arms closed around him as the all-consuming darkness overtook him.
She was here with him now. He wanted to reach out to her but his limbs wouldn’t obey. They felt heavy, weighted down. He yelled to her to help him, but she couldn’t hear his silent plea. Then her voice faded into the fog-like darkness and he was alone again.
***
Tyler worked the mathematical problem Gillian had given him. If anyone else had asked him to do school work during the summer, when he could be down by the river or playing catch with the other kids, he would have flat out refused. He really liked his Aunt Gillian. He admired her too for saving his Uncle Zachary from drowning, and would do anything to please her. He glanced to where she sat on the porch, petting Molly. “Do you know everyone wants to meet you?”
She looked up. “Me? Why?”
“You’re famous that’s why. They’re calling you the angel of the night. You survived the perils of the river, and you brought the dead to life,” he repeated what he heard Ellery tell the man at the paper.
Gillian’s gaze drifted to the upstairs window. Tyler looked, too. His uncle slept fighting for his life. It had been two days, and he still hadn’t regained consciousness, but he knew he’d be all right. Aunt Gillian said it was in God’s hands. Surely God wouldn’t let Aunt Gillian save Uncle Zachary if He didn’t mean for his uncle to get better.
Gillian sighed. “People are making more out of this than they should. Anyone could have done what I did.”
Tyler smiled. “Yeah, but they didn’t, did they?”
***
Lotti looked out the window from Zachary’s room. She could see Gillian and Tyler below with Molly not far away. Truth be known, Lotti had had her doubts about Gillian and Zachary’s marriage. She sensed that there was something out of the ordinary about it, but whatever it was that made them rush into matrimony, she was glad for it. She saw the way her grandson’s eyes lit up when Gillian walked into the room, and for once, he seemed more interested in something other than Creighton Manor. As for what Gillian had done the other night proved right there how much she cared for Zachary. The woman had saved her grandson’s life without a care for her own. If that didn’t speak of love, nothing did.
Lotti glanced at Zachary, who hadn’t stirred. Although she never would let anyone know, she was having a difficult time dealing with all of this. She couldn’t endure the thought of having to bury another loved one.
When she looked back out the window, she noticed Tyler and Gillian had risen. She knew Gillian would be back up here to check on Zachary. Unless she was forced to, the woman barely left his side for more than a few minutes. Lotti moved to the seat next to her grandson’s bed and waited. Just as she had predicted, Gillian opened the door and came in.
“Any change?” She walked over to the bed and put her hand on his forehead. “He doesn’t seem as warm.” She watched the rise and fall of his chest. It was slow and even. She glanced at Lotti. “The fever’s broken. Surely, that means he’s going to be all right.”
Lotti took her grandson’s hand in hers, hoping this was so. “Zachary, can you hear me?”
Zachary seemed to stir at the sound of his grandmother’s voice. “Seanmháthair.” His voice croaked in a hoarse whisper.
“Omigod, he’s delirious again.” Gillian touched his forehead.
Lotti smiled. “I see you are on the road to recovery if you are going to call me a name that I most certainly loathe.” Lotti noticed Gillian’s confusion and decided to clear up the matter. “When Zachary and his sister were younger, I wanted them to learn the Irish language. Zachary being stubborn, as I’m sure you know, didn’t want anything to do with it. So, I made up a game. To play, they had to decipher the messages. Zachary never realized what I was doing.”
“You tricked me,” Zachary croaked out the words in a forced breath.
“Yes, I did and glad of it.”
Gillian sat down on the bed. “What did he say, Lotti?”
>
“Grandmother.”
Gillian chuckled. She helped Zachary sit up and placed two pillows behind his back. Zachary rubbed his hands over his face. “What happen? I feel like I’ve been beaten to a pulp.”
“Well where should I start?” Lotti sighted. “You were stabbed and nearly drowned. You’ve been unconscious for two days. I’ll tell you, you have put us through a terrible scare.”
“Stabbed? Yes, I think some of what happened is coming back.” He cleared his throat with a cough. “May I have some water, please?”
Gillian went to the nightstand to pour him a glass.
“I was with Ellery. He wanted to tell me—”
Gillian handed him the glass. “Tell you what?”
He looked at her then away. “I don’t remember.”
“No wonder, too.” Lotti clicked her tongue. “You were foolishly drunk.”
“No lectures now, Lotti. I’m too tired to defend myself.” He leaned against the headboard and closed his eyes.
CHAPTER TEN
Zachary slept for another full day before he felt well enough to be awake for more than a few hours. Eventually, he moved downstairs to the library. They propped him up on the sofa with a blanket around him as if he’d freeze to death in this sweltering heat.
How he hated feeling like an invalid.
He looked around the room noticing for the first time that things were different. Cheerier, is the word he would use. There were fresh flowers on the mantle and a new rug in front of the fireplace. They were such subtle changes but they made a world of difference. He knew it was Gillian’s doing. He liked what she’d done, but it didn’t change the fact that she had lied to him.
The memories of a few nights ago had flooded back with intense reality. He had been foolishly drunk when Ellery had informed him about Gillian. The details were muddled, but he thought Ellery confirmed Gillian had made up the story about her identity.
With nothing better to do, his imagination ran wild. In his mind, he had concocted the whole conspiracy against him in vivid detail. Gillian was sent to distract him from his goal to obtain Creighton Manor. The plan had worked wonderfully too. She had indeed been a diversion. And damn it, if he hadn’t welcomed it! He hadn’t been able to concentrate on anything, but her, since they were married. He had learned from his grandmother both of the attackers had gotten away. This didn’t matter, he knew who’d been behind the assault. Cyrus Locke was the culprit, and Gillian had helped arrange the whole escapade.
Her game was now over. He wouldn’t allow her to occupy his time ever again.
Lotti said she would be by later and she would bring Ellery with her. That would be the perfect time to expose Gillian.
***
Dora made tea for the ladies, while Zachary and Ellery indulged in something a little stronger. Zachary tried to keep his black mood hidden, but by the looks Gillian gave him, he’d lost the battle. He’d been snappy with her all day and she didn’t understand why. Soon my sweet, you will.
He looked at his best friend then his grandmother. Their good humor grated on his nerves. Lotti, he could excuse, but Ellery knew Gillian to be a liar. How could he be civil to her?
He’d had enough of this charade. He had wanted to wait until Tyler had gone to bed, but he couldn’t contain himself a moment longer. “Stop!” he shouted drawing everyone’s attention to him. They gaped at him in stunned silence. “I want it all out in the open,” he continued. “Everything.” He looked directly at Gillian. “Tell them Gillian or whoever you are. Tell them all how you’ve been deceiving us.”
Ellery put down his glass. “Zachary, don’t say anymore until we’ve had a chance to talk.”
“No more talking. I want Gillian to tell us who she is, and who she’s working for.” He pointed his finger at her.
“That’s enough, Zachary!” Lotti exclaimed in irritation. “You’re talking nonsense.”
“Am I? Ask her. Ask her where she’s from.”
Lotti huffed. “What difference does all this make?”
“It makes all the difference in the world.” He glared at Gillian. “If you aren’t going to tell them, I’ll say it then. She’s from a town that doesn’t exist. She doesn’t exist.”
Gillian shrunk beneath his gaze. She chewed on her lower lip, knowing she’d been caught.
Good. He had her where he wanted her. “Tell us why you and your lover wanted to have me murdered.” He didn’t bother to keep the venom from his voice.
Her head snapped up and her gaze locked with his. “Lover? Murder?” she stammered. “What are you talking about?”
“Don’t pretend you don’t know someone tried to murder me on the dock.”
“I know someone tried to harm you, but surely you can’t –”
“Stop with the lies.” He shook his fist at her.
“Zachary.” Ellery stepped in. “Yes, we know she wasn’t telling us the truth about her name, but the rest you are accusing her of is false.”
“Has she bewitched you, too? You were there with me when we were viciously attacked.” He couldn’t stop the raw fury that knotted his gut every time he thought of how Gillian had deceived him.
“Yes, I was there. I witnessed what occurred. Obviously, you don’t remember everything or you wouldn’t be treating the person who saved your life with such disregard.”
“Saved me?” Zachary’s eyebrows furrowed and a ping of doubt gave him pause. Gillian had saved him? “What are you talking about?”
“Gillian saved your miserable hide. That is what I am saying.”
“That’s impossible.” Zachary shook his head.
“Impossible?” Ellery’s voice had risen. “She did. If she hadn’t jumped into the river after you, you would be dead. She held onto you. Moreover, she breathed life into you when everyone else had given you up for dead. So if you say another unkind word to her, I’ll punch you in the nose, regardless of the fact that you are not fully recovered.”
Zachary looked at Lotti and Tyler, then back to Ellery. They were glaring at him as if he were a monster. Could what Ellery claimed be true? His gaze riveted back to Gillian. She stood there with her chin lifted in defiance, refusing to let his berating tear her apart. His voice softened a little, as he remembered something he’d forgotten. “I do remember thinking I saw an angel soaring in the air to my rescue. I thought it was a dream.”
“That was no dream. That angel my friend, was Gillian.” Ellery gave her a look of admiration.
Blood pounded in his temples as he absorbed the shocking news. If she saved him, she couldn’t be Cyrus’ mistress, could she? Then who was she? He shook his head. The fact remained: Gillian Metcalf didn’t exist.
Gillian didn’t want to pretend anymore. She would tell them the truth no matter what the outcome. She took a deep breath for courage. She would need it to convince them. “You’re right, I don’t exist yet, but I will. I do live in Huntington Beach, California, but not until the twenty-first century.”
Everyone’s mouth dropped open in surprise. If the situation hadn’t been so serious, the look would have been comical. They all wanted to know who she was, but they never expected her to say she was from the future.
“I know this seems unbelievable to you, but it’s true. I don’t know how I came to be here, but I think Molly has something to do with it.”
“Molly?” Tyler, who had remained silent through Zachary’s tirade, finally had the courage to speak up.
“Yes, Molly. Your Molly. She appeared to me on numerous occasions, as though she wanted me to follow her. Finally, on the Queen Mary, she appeared again. I must have blacked out. When I woke up, I was in Zachary’s room aboard the Ida Belle.”
Lotti looked confused. “I thought you two knew each other.”
Gillian shook her head. “No. I had never seen him before that day.”
“How did you end up getting married then?” Lotti wanted to know.
Ellery filled her in. “Because of all the yelling and knife throwi
ng.”
“Knife throwing?” Lotti gasped.
“What does this all have to do with anything?” Zachary cut in. “Didn’t any of you hear? She just claimed she was from the future. Now, I for one—”
“Zachary Creighton, you be quiet this instant!” Lotti glared at him, daring him to say another word.
He flustered and looked like he’d like to object. Instead he folded his arms defensively across his chest and snapped his mouth shut.
“What I understood,” Ellery continued to fill in the blanks for Lotti. “Gillian tried to escape and Zachary threw a knife at her.”
Lotti’s glare turned dangerous. She pounded her cane as if she’d like to knock it over Zachary’s head.
“Cyrus came to the rescue and insisted Zachary marry Gillian to protect her reputation or he’d make sure the whole ship knew of his unsavory actions.”
“I didn’t want to marry him,” Gillian added. “But, I didn’t know what else to do. I had no place to go, and I didn’t know how to return to my time.”
“You said Molly brought you?” Lotti inquired.
“I was staying in a haunted room aboard the Queen Mary. This is a ship in my time. It’s supposedly haunted,” she explained. “Then the next thing that I knew, I was onboard the Ida Belle and Molly wasn’t anywhere to be seen. In fact, I thought I had imagined her, dreamt her up somehow, but when Zachary brought me home…to his home,” she corrected herself. “She was here.”
“Are you sure the dog was Molly?” Lotti asked.
“If I wasn’t sure then, I am now. Molly led me into town and to where Zachary and Ellery were being attacked. She must have known they were in danger.”
“So, the dog must be the key.” Ellery rubbed his chin.
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