I began. “At the beginning of this. I thought you intended to wipe out the entire city of Prospect by changing the past. But now I realise that’s the complete opposite.” He leant forward, listening to my words eagerly as if I’d just figured it out. “But now I see you were only trying to stop me from doing that to your people. I’m a part of the evil dystopian hierarchy and you’re the Robin Hood.” His face broke out into a small smile. Those were some weird references that I was glad he understood.
“Sorry for calling you blind.”
“I’m sorry for uh a lot.” I took a breath. “You realise I’m a shallow bitch and I’m too scared to actually leave my life at Prospect, that means no more cocktails.”
He let out streams of laughter. “We’re going to have to get out of the past before you have that to worry about.”
I watched him curiously. “Well now we know how to get back my only worry is waking up in Prospect with you miles away about to launch a bomb on me.”
He smiled softly. “No bombs are coming your way.”
“That’s one less thing to worry about then.”
CHAPTER 23
Time: 8th August 1661
Location: A Tavern somewhere
“Where have you been?” The Count moaned as the guards opened a bedroom door for us.
“She was very sick my lord.” Jack bowed his head, and helped me into the room, continuing with my ‘weak energy’ act.
The Count flapped his hands for a moment and stood over me in the bed.
“How are you feeling?”
You tell me, Count. How did it look? Was I doing well? Was it Oscar worthy?
I grimaced and clutched my stomach. “Not great, the journey made me feel rather ill.”
“We only have one room,” he said, standing and looking around with plain disgust. It wasn’t that bad of a room - clearly it was the nicest one the place had.
“Did you not tell them who you were?” Jack asked, to which the Count shook his head defiantly.
“If I had it would have been likely for them to throw me onto the street. I am not well-liked in these parts...” he said, standing in the centre of the room. He looked incredibly out of place - it was quite amusing.
“It’s fine,” Jack chirped, taking a blanket off of the bed and whooshing it into the air. “I’ll just sleep on the floor.”
“Don’t worry Jack, the bed’s big enough for us all,” the Count suggested. Both our mouths dropped open and the look the Count gave us was one of incredulous horror and he stumbled for words.
“Take a joke will you?” The Count laughed nervously.
After ordering Jack to go downstairs in search of food I turned my back from him as my husband began to peel off his shoes quietly.
“We don’t have to consummate the marriage if you don’t wish to,” I finally said after building up enough courage.
“Why would you think?” he snapped defensively.
“I was just saying,” I replied quickly.
“No. We need to bear a child if we want to stop people from gossiping,” he snapped. I nodded quietly, turning away again and struggling to remove the dress.
“Let me help,” the Count sighed.
As soon as the red dress fell to the floor and I was left in a white underdress. I backed away and avoided looking at him as I brushed past and climbed into the bed. I stared at the ceiling as he turned and sat on the edge of the bed beside me.
Thankfully Jack threw open the door with a tray full of cheese and fruit. “Hello Jack.” He finally smiled, standing from the bed and walking over to the table Jack now sat at.
They began talking about stuff I didn’t care for but hearing Jack’s voice brought me comfort.
He didn’t give anything away and he was really good at doing that; hiding how he felt with a clenched jaw and straight lips. The only thing that showed me there was a sign of him in there was his eyes - alive and wild with adventure. They never changed.
I’d fallen asleep by the time Jack had grabbed his pillow and blanket, placed his hat over his eyes and lied down on the rug at the floor of my bed. When I felt a tug in my mind I allowed myself to be dragged in by Jack. We watched silently together, each unable to communicate with each other or see one another - we just watched this imaginary-like but real timeline.
I don’t know why we did it. We were just lying here watching for no reason. We knew this wasn’t the way - I think in our own way we just didn’t want to let it go. This place we had created and watched for so long together no longer had a purpose. Nor did we.
It was like an idea of ours had died - it was a hopeless idea but it was an idea we’d had hoped would work once upon a time.
I was pulled out of the state by my husband snoring next to my ear, the air was being blown into my shoulder and I was now aware of the position he’d put me in whilst I’d been meditating with Jack, who seemed not to notice I’d left.
The Count was literally lying on top of me so how I wasn’t already suffocated to death I didn’t know.
“Jack,” I whispered. I didn’t really need to. There was no way the Count was going to wake up any time soon. There was a jolt of the bed and a startled groan as Jack hit his head on the bottom.
“What? What is it?” He sprung to his feet, sword in hand.
“I can’t breath,” I gasped, gesturing with my free hands to the pig lying between my legs.
Jack blinked blearily and scowled at the Count’s back. “I could kill him. He’s cruel to people… If you’d seen him do the things he’s done - the things he’ll do,” he said, standing by my side of the bed and detaching the hand away from my thigh.
“But that would go against everything you stand for,” I whispered, and froze when the Count mumbled.
“I would do it for you,” Jack murmured, looking at me for a moment and bracing himself to roll the Count.
“As soon as I move him, I’ll duck and roll. Got it?” he whispered.
I didn’t respond, he had just... he’d just said he’d kill the Count for me... cue ovaries exploding.
Who was I turning into? I was becoming soft... I’d wanted to rely on Jack to save me this whole time and I liked it. I liked being the one rescued for once and not the one being relied on from the whole of society to kill the Raven.
I couldn’t do it. I could not go back to the future and stand in front of Prospect saying the reason I was unable to kill the Raven was because I was... no.
Jack looked at me expectantly and I nodded, clearing the thoughts from my head. He pushed him off of me and onto his front and I quickly closed my eyes.
Jack ducked behind me as the Count blearily opened his eyes. I sighed, pretending to be asleep. The Count grumbled slightly slumping back on to the pillow asleep.
I was free again and once again because of Jack.
This was going to be a problem.
CHAPTER 24
Time: 9th August 1661
Location: A village North of Eldermore, London
By morning the Count was in higher spirits and we were only a short distance away from my new home.
I didn’t know what our plan was, but I had little opportunity to ask Jack if he had any idea how we were going to get all the way to Scotland without getting caught.
The Count had helped me dress into a light blue dress in the morning. Thankfully my luggage was with our carriage and not with the servants who rode on through the evening.
“Are you excited?” the Count asked.
“Yes, very,” I replied automatically, looking out of the carriage window as we weaved through the dirty cobbled streets.
“Jack?” The Count clasped his hands together awkwardly. I turned my head to the side, careful to avoid catching my hat on the ceiling.
Jack was staring at his lap, tapping his foot on the floor when he looked up and smiled tightly. “Yes my Lord, I’m eagerly awaiting our arrival.”
My face turned red and Jack turned his head to face the window once again.
<
br /> There was an air of difference surrounding us, I couldn’t pinpoint what it exactly was other than I wanted to touch him more than I usually did - a hand on his forearm as I climbed into the carriage - a brush of our knees opposite each other.
“One new guest and a new household member. I know I am excited,” the Count grinned.
I turned and smiled weakly, focusing my eyes on Jack’s head and then his reflection in the window. His eyes were on me and they stayed that way until the Count began to speak to him.
I was ignored for the rest of the journey and only leant out of my corner as we began travelling up a long path.
A row of Cyprus trees led us down a muddy path into a garden with perfectly round bushes and neatly kept flowers.
Soldiers surrounded the estate and their eyes followed our carriage as we circled a large fountain and pulled to a stop outside a grand stair entrance. Jack was the first out and then the Count who helped me. I could feel their eyes on me, all of them straining to catch a glimpse of the new wife. More than likely there were going to be whispers of whether I would be successful. Rumours would shortly follow, circling the large bright walls of the estate.
It was huge and I’d definitely get lost here. Immediately looking around I began to feel like a fish out of water. The Count linked his arm through mine and we began our way up the staircase.
The servants had their eyes turned to the ground as we entered the large lobby-like area. The Count seemed to stare right through them as though they weren’t there. I would have smiled but there was no use in smiling at the tops of bent heads.
“This is the main entrance,” he explained.
Our shoes clipped against the tiled floors as we came to the end of the line of servants and one woman stepped forward. She was dressed far nicer than the other servants, which would suggest she was a little higher up in the staff ranking.
“Ms Brown, could you please show our new Countess to her living space and then guide her to breakfast as soon as possible.” He waved his hand, and the woman stepped forward.
“Jack, you can come with me,” the Count said and I turned to him and panicked. Jack’s eyes were wide and he too looked out of place, more so than anyone else.
It dawned on me. Jack probably had never lived a high-quality life, sure he might remember events in this life but he probably didn’t remember much of this rich lifestyle. Maybe not even in any of his future lives from this one. But then again, he was very quiet about any of his lives. For all I could have known he’d been a king.
“Ah, Lord Sanders!” I heard the Count’s voice echo as the woman began leading me up the stairs. We came to a large landing overlooking the main entrance and she took me down another corridor.
I had to skip to keep up with her pace, whilst also casting my eyes over the large paintings that hung on the walls and the decorations that were scattered neatly throughout the corridor. We came to white double doors and she threw them open to reveal a large sitting space. There was a piano in one corner, a gigantic fireplace with sofas and an oak table in the centre. A large mirror hung above the fireplace accompanied by two bookcases either side, and a round table in one corner with a teapot and cups placed on a tray.
It was a lot to take in.
“Thank you...” I trailed off not knowing what to call her.
“Ms Brown,” she replied. She was much older than me and her brown hair was tucked neatly into a bun. She didn’t look nearly as comforting and nice as Abigail.
“There is a bedroom through these doors and a bathroom on the opposite side,” she explained, opening the door to two male servants who carried my chest of belongings, which weren’t much. I figured they’d look quite lost in a room this size.
“Now quickly, we don’t want to keep the Count waiting,” she ordered. I tapped the chest and rotated around the room awestruck. It was different from the modern walls of Prospect, it was just as grand but more... antique.
And for once this place felt familiar, cold and distant but nonetheless familiar. A long time ago, in a lifetime far, far away I had been confined to these very walls. This was where I would have spent the majority of my life.
Soon Ms Brown was flying down the stairs and swiftly walking down a long corridor with tall thin windows. Our footsteps seemed to echo in every room adding to the feeling that something was missing.
There was an emptiness that filled the house, the place felt old: a void of something new, no children and no happiness. It was all very serious and sad. The place reeked of death and had no place for birth.
And it seemed it never would because I would never be successful in providing a child that stayed alive.
She showed me into a dining room with a long table and then closed the door behind me. The Count was sitting at the head of the table with Jack and the snobby man sat either side of him.
“Marion!” The Count exclaimed, his face brightening as he saw me. “Come, come! Sit.”
I opted to sit next to Jack, whose plate was piled high with eggs, sausages, tomatoes and potatoes. Mine was also piled high and I desperately wanted to stuff my face with the greasy food.
As I flattened the napkin onto my lap the doors swung open and two more men walked in. Was this place always filled with people? My thoughts trailed off as I looked to the man who chose to stand behind a chair opposite me and I gasped and scraped my chair backwards.
Jack gripped my knee tightly and I looked at my plate shakily.
Was I really that surprised?
“Marion? Are you alright?” The Count asked. I looked up wearily nodding my head and then turned to face our guest.
At first, I hadn’t recognised him. I’d never seen him with a beard and this time his black hair was tied neatly behind his neck and he was dressed less like a fugitive.
“I’d like to introduce you to Mr Tobias Smith and Lord Sanders.”
The Lord bowed his head politely and then pulled out the chair beside me.
“Gentlemen, my wife.”
“I believe we’ve met!” Tobias exclaimed, taking his seat and already taking a bite from an apple.
I nibbled on a buttered roll of bread and Jack squeezed my knee, stopping me from taking the butter knife and jamming it into Ace’s throat.
“Really?” the Count asked, his mouth dropping open in surprise. Tobias nodded his head pointing his fork in my direction and chewing on his apple. Who held a fork whilst eating an apple?
“Don’t you remember Mar? You were like ‘Ah!’ And I was like ‘Oo!’ - then you fainted and I escorted you home like the true gentlemen I am.”
I clenched the bread until it turned into crumbs and a doughy mess. “I seem to remember the encounter quite differently.” I ran my tongue in front of my teeth. “Darling.” I turned my eyes to face my husband and drew the words very carefully. “Were you aware Tobias is a wanted murderer?”
I was expecting the Count’s face to drop in shock and he’d cry out for the guards but instead his face broke into a large grin. “I know! I ordered him to kill the man, the issue is resolved now thankfully.”
You’ve got to be kidding me.
“How has it been resolved?” I asked.
Jack clenched my knee tightly and coughed. I looked around the table at the men’s faces with eyebrows raised in shock.
“Are you questioning my authority?” The Count’s voice was cold and less excited than usual. I’d embarrassed him, and it wasn’t a woman’s place to ask - let alone talk about business.
Get me the hell out of this place.
“I-”
“Leave,” he ordered.
My face grew hot as I screeched the chair against the floor and handed Jack my napkin. He rose as well but the Count held a hand out for him to stop. I could faintly hear them talking as I turned my back from them and walked the embarrassing stretch out of the dining hall.
I was going to kill him. To hell with what Jack told me to not do. I would kill him when he least expected it and make my own
way back with or without Jack.
Thankfully, there was only one servant standing outside the door and he didn’t look my way when I began pacing outside. I couldn’t just go in there and stab him - especially in broad daylight. I’d never make it out of here alive and I’d end up killing the others, which might wipe out a generation and that’d just be ugly.
No, I had to wait until we were alone at night. I’d take my opportunity that night if he planned on sleeping with me. I’d kill him and then work my way from there.
I was sure I’d figure out a plan the moment it was put in motion. It was how things usually worked for me.
Now I imagine you’re thinking, ‘what a spoilt brat, she gets embarrassed once in front of a few guys and she wants to kill him’, but I think if you’d be spouted out into an unfamiliar life and forced to marry a cold-hearted murderer struggling with his sexuality, you’d probably feel a little indifferent about him.
I was going to get out of this hellhole one way or another. I swore it.
CHAPTER 25
Time: 4th September 1661
Location: England, Eldermore Estate
Things hadn’t worked out very well since then. I’d had zero opportunity to kill the Count because people constantly surrounded me.
Jack and I were no longer on talking terms after an awkward argument about my plan to kill the Count:
“I’ve got a plan, just don’t kill him!” Jack hissed.
“What’s the plan?” I snapped. He watched me for a moment before shaking his head.
“Well-”
“Jack. I’m actually trying to get this life on the same track as our timeline by trying to get this wrinkly old raisin to have sex with me.”
His face went red and he clenched his jaw. “I thought you were used to that.”
My mouth fell to my knees and it felt like a weight had just been dropped onto my chest.
All I saw was red. I slapped his head to the side, ignoring the fact a servant had just walked past our hidden corner of the estate.
NOVA: The Time Bender Series Book 1 Page 18