All author Lanie Barrett wanted when she purchased one left shoe from an antique dealer was to get an idea for a story that would sell. Instead, she got a trip to antebellum South Carolina where a madman in a carriage nearly runs her down in the street. What’s a girl to do when faced with a true Southern gentleman in the pre Civil War South? Tease him, of course. Daniel Hastings had no idea the woman he nearly killed was from over a hundred years in the future. However, he did know that she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. When danger stalks his new houseguest in his own home, he does everything he can to protect her. He might even be able to think straight if she would only stop getting out of bed half-dressed!
The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated. This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. Time Temptress Copyright © 2010 Tianna Xander ISBN: 978-1-55487--602-0 Cover art by Martine Jardin All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher. Published by eXtasy Books Look for us online at: www.eXtasybooks.com
Time Temptress By Tianna Xander
Dedication To the person who posted one left shoe for sale in Wyoming, Michigan, August of 2002. Whoever you are, you were an inspiration.
Chapter One blue compact wound its way through the Lanie’s streets, leaving a trail of gray smoke in its wake
as she steered into a parking lot. Streaks of lightning lit the sky and the rumble of thunder in the distance warned of an impending storm. The dark sky belied the fact that it was still early afternoon. Parking in front of an antique store, she slipped her keys into her purse and got out of the car. Thunder punctuated the sound of the door slamming and she paused on the sidewalk to stare at the small shop. Its tinted windows made it nearly impossible to see the inside of the store from outside. Lanie opened the rickety door, completely unprepared for the bell that jingled and the odor of mildew, which permeated everything in the shop. Once inside, Lanie spun around in a circle with awe. It looked nothing like she imagined. It was almost as though she stepped back in 1
Time Temptress time. With obvious care, someone arranged the inventory in a way that made the small shop appear to be someone’s house. From where she stood by the door, she could see every room one would expect in a private Victorian home, including a library in the corner, complete with bookshelves—except there were no walls. Lanie had to admit she was impressed. With the kind of selections found here, the owner certainly didn’t need to place ads on bulletin boards. The question was…why did he? Sure, he sounded eccentric on the phone, but that was one thing. Stupid was something else entirely. And she didn’t think the man lacked intelligence. At least he didn’t sound that way on the phone. She wandered over to an old, upright piano in what appeared to be a replica of a parlor, or sitting room and ran her hand across the yellowed ivory keys. Smiling, she inhaled deeply. She loved the smell of old wood that surrounded the beautiful instrument. Shuffle, thump, shuffle, thump. She turned at the sound behind her as an old man approached. He limped from a doorway in the back near the kitchen. Watching his progress, she noticed he held a crooked, knotted, slightly bowing cane in one gnarly old hand, which caused the sound she heard. When he moved closer, she saw he carried a 2
Tianna Xander small box in his other hand. He smiled, waved his cane a bit and wobbled precariously. She started, reaching out as if to catch him. Goosebumps rose on her flesh. Something told her that her life was about to change. She only hoped it was for the better. “You must be the lady who’s looking for the shoe,” he said with a smile. There was a friendly twinkle in his faded blue eyes. The way the old man looked at her, made her think he already knew the answer to his question before he even asked it. “And you must be Arthur,” Lanie said, moving away from the piano. She stepped up to the table he hobbled behind and leaned over, trying to see what he was doing, as he bent and rummaged through a chest of drawers. “Now what in the world did I do with that,” he wondered aloud as he bent further over, nearly burying his head inside the drawer. “Oh, here it is.” Lanie frowned at the old man straightened with an agility she wouldn’t have believed possible for a man of his advanced years. She frowned. Hadn’t he been about to fall over just a minute ago? He had exchanged the box he carried in with him for another more elaborate box, which he set on the table in front of her before he removed the lid. Lanie watched, totally mesmerized, as he 3
Time Temptress rummaged through a mass of tissue paper and removed the shoe from the protection of its paper nest. If she were truthful, she would admit that there wasn’t anything remarkable about it. It wasn’t even very pretty. It was mostly black with white kid around the ankle. Looking closer, she noticed it even had buttons. It was strange how she felt drawn to it, much as she had felt drawn to the ad in the first place. Never one to make impulse buys, here she was holding an antique shoe that practically screamed buy me! Holding it reverently, she thought of the stories that this old shoe could tell. Had it witnessed wars, the death of presidents, had it been a witness to western expansion? The possibilities were endless and caused an attraction too strong to resist. Looking across the table into the old man’s eyes, she asked, “How much?” She knew she most likely wouldn’t be able to afford it, yet this may be the catalyst she needed to stir her imagination, to find her niche. Maybe this shoe could help her tell a story, one good enough to finally get her name in print. “I don’t think it would be fair to ask a high price, it is just one shoe after all.” He rubbed his whiskers, a thoughtful expression on his face. Lanie smiled. He was just as she pictured him, a 4
Tianna Xander kind, eccentric old man. He gestured toward the empty box with one hand and rubbed the back of his neck with the other. “If you want it, I’d be well rid of it for ten dollars. It’s taking up space better saved for jewelry or old coins.” She found herself digging through her purse as quickly as she could, not about to question her good fortune. Pulling out a crinkled ten-dollar bill, she asked, “Tax?” Waving his hand, he replied, “Don’t worry about tax. It’s included in the price.” Lanie left the store with her treasure tucked beneath her arm. As she climbed into her car, she noticed the sky appeared to have darkened even more. More black clouds rolled in on the wind, and the scent of rain was in the air. The storm made the trip home treacherous. Rain drove down upon her little car in sheets. Bright flashes of lightning hurt her eyes, making it difficult to see the road in front of her. When Lanie pulled into the driveway, the porch light came on. Apparently the sensor, tricked by the darkness of the storm, thought it was already night. Lightning flashed again, closely followed by a booming clap of thunder, the lights flickered, warning of an imminent power failure. Lanie picked up the ornate box that held the shoe, stuffed it under her shirt and ran to the relative 5
Time Temptress safety of the porch. The rain pelted her hard. The biting cold droplets drove into her face and eyes as she made her way up the front steps. She was shivering, the freezing rain soaking her to the bone. She tried to hurry, not wanting her precious cargo to get ruined in the rain. The lights flickered again as she opened the door. Setting the box on the kitchen table, she glanced out the window overlooking the driveway. The sky, black with clouds, looked the same for as far as the eye could see. Lanie sighed and closed the curtain. Turning, she flipped on the light to get a better look at the shoe. She pulled out a chair and sat at the table, chin in hand, staring at the small, round box. After a moment, she reached out and removed the lid. Reverently, she removed the shoe and felt the strangest urge to put it on. What kind of weird cosmic connection did she have with it anyway? The same urge had plagued her most of the way home. Why on Earth would it affect her this way? It was a shoe, for crying out loud, and an old one at that. Why in the world did she feel so obsessed by someone else’s dirty, old shoe? She placed it back in the box and stood, determined to walk away from it. Five minutes later, she still stood by the table, eying the box suspiciously. Pacing in front of it for 6
Tianna Xander a moment, she tried unsuccessfully to calm her nerves. She could feel her racing heart, slamming erratically against her ribs. Back and forth she paced, trying to get over the strange urge to put it on. It was hard to tell what sort of strange fungus it could have growing in it. Something that modern science hadn’t seen in years, no doubt. “Sheesh!” Lanie rolled her eyes, stuck the tip of her thumb in her mouth and chewed thoughtfully. “What if I sprayed it with disinfectant? That would kill just about anything, wouldn’t it?” She shook her head and laughed. “Yeah, right, hundred-year-old athletes foot?” Gingerly, she reached out and removed the shoe from the tissue paper. A strange little shoehorn with another odd shaped thing on one end fell out of the box. It looked like some form of hook. She picked it up and turned it over in her hand. Could it be to button the shoe with? It looked like the buttonhook her great-grandmother had shown her once. It was peculiar that it had this bizarre looking thing, but didn’t have its mate. Reaching down, Lanie slipped her shoe off. Since she wasn’t wearing nylons or hose, she slipped the shoe on over her sock. It fit perfectly— like it was made for her. She felt a slight tingling climb up her spine. She didn’t know what she’d hoped for, but hadn’t really expected to stand with her foot in an 7
Time Temptress antique shoe and not get some sense of why it called to her the way it had. She’d been hoping for an original story idea. Something, anything, to spark her imagination. Lanie looked down. The jeans she wore made the shoe look funny on her foot. She felt silly and she was disappointed. So much for a good idea for a new story, huh? Sighing, she carefully slipped the shoe off her foot and placed it back in its box. “Now what in the world are you going to do with it?” With any luck, she would at least get some writing inspiration from the thing. She looked around the house, wondering what she did with her last novel idea. She shook her head. “Why can I never find anything?” It’s because you’re a flibbertigibbet, Caroline Elaine. She heard her mother’s voice whisper in her head. Her mother used to tell her that when she was a child. That was before the accident, when she was happy and loved. A tear slid down her cheek and she swiped it away. She refused to dwell on the past. Lanie carried the package into her bedroom, set it on the table near her bed and walked from the room. The further away she got, the more she felt the urge to go back and pick it up. She refused to spend more time on it. She had articles to write. She may not be the best novelist in the world, but her articles never failed to pay the bills. 8
Tianna Xander The effect the shoe had on her was strange. Almost as if it was a drug she’d become addicted to. It took a tremendous amount of discipline, but she managed to stay away from it for the rest of the evening. When she finally allowed herself to go back to the bedroom, she was exhausted. She stayed up too late in an effort to deny the hold her strange purchase seemed to have on her. She fisted her hands when she walked into the room and tried to keep from touching it. There was something…strange about the shoe that frightened her. It felt almost haunted. Yet, even that wasn’t quite right. Lanie’s imagination took hold and ran. It felt…magical. She let her mind wander over the possibilities. Sitting on the edge of the bed, she picked up the ad. It read For Sale: One Left Shoe. It was such an innocuous-looking little note. What idiot would be selling one left shoe? Well, what idiot would buy it? She looked to her right where the shoe sat, like royalty, on a wad of tissue paper in its little round box on top of the table. She pushed her fingers through her hair and laughed. “I don’t believe the hell I just put myself though the last couple of hours.” Standing, she walked to the box and picked it up. “I’m going to examine this and then maybe I won’t feel this weird pull anymore.” 9
Time Temptress By not satisfying her curiosity, maybe her imagination made it seem so much more than it really was. That had to be it. It was nothing more than a very weird, frightening curiosity she had with a mysterious old shoe. Lanie rubbed her arms. It must be the storm making me feel so strange. She listened for a moment as the storm raged and thunder rumbled in the distance. Lightning flashed, glaring, even through the thick curtains at the windows. The lights flickered once before the room went completely dark, except for the occasional flash coming from the frightening electrical storm. Lanie walked to the bed, opened the drawer in the nightstand and pulled out a lighter and candle. It wasn’t uncommon to lose power during a storm in the country and she knew this house. In fact, she could walk through it blindfolded if she had to. Plus, she was always prepared, with both lighters and candles stored in every room. Lighting the candle, she inhaled deeply, loving the scent of bayberry the flame released. Lanie dripped wax into the holder, making sure it wouldn’t fall over and cause a fire, before turning her attention back to the shoe. Her face burned as she realized she’d been acting like a fool. There was nothing more strange about the antique other than she’d obviously been suckered into buying it. She didn’t even realize that, until now. Leaning 10
Tianna Xander over, she picked up the box, it was nothing special just an old shoe. She laughed a bit to herself. Sucker! She placed her trembling hands to her lips. “If that’s the case, why can’t you just forget about it?” she asked herself through her fingers. It just wasn’t like her to get so obsessed over something like this. Frowning, Lanie took the shoe from the box. She didn’t feel anything strange now. Or did she? She tried to picture the way she felt earlier in the day, but couldn’t recreate it. She was certain she could blame most, if not all, of the unusual occurrences of the afternoon to her very active imagination. Sitting back down on the edge of the bed, she ignored the round pillow that fell to the floor and examined the shoe carefully. She would be the first to admit she’d been too preoccupied with getting away from it before to give it such a thorough inspection. The dainty heel appeared to be about one inch in height, the same height she wore. Being nearly five-feet-ten-inches tall, she would never allow more than that. In fact, she rarely wore heels at all unless she had a date with someone substantially taller than herself. With her attention back on the shoe, she noticed the toe came to a point, but not one so severe that 11
Time Temptress it would have made the shoe uncomfortable and ugly. The yellowed upper, made of soft kid, must have been white at one time. Putting the shoe on again, she noticed a small blemish on the toe. “What in the world is that?” An ornament of some kind, a button or a bow must belong there. “Now why didn’t I notice that before?” A small thread stuck through from the other side. When Lanie bent and brushed the short string, something slammed into her and threw her to the floor. The room spun and her stomach ached. She felt as if she were stuck in a whirlpool, endlessly spinning. Sick to her stomach, she put a hand to her mouth as blinding colors swirled around her and pulled her into a giant vortex. Lanie knew she hit her head and realized she was going to lose consciousness just seconds before the darkness claimed her.
12
Tianna Xander
Chapter Two head pounded as she came to. There was Lanie’s so much dust covering the floor, she began to
sneeze. She brought her hand out from under the bed. The offending dust seemed to cover the floor beneath her bed in a thick layer. Had it been that long since she had cleaned her bedroom floor? She needed to bring a mop in here and remove that filth. How disgusting! She sat up slowly. Leaning against the side of the mattress, her eyes, almost swelled closed, watered so much she could barely see. She tried to look around the room for something familiar, her armoire, even her dresser, but with the dust affecting her allergies and her eyes nearly swollen shut, she could hardly see anything at all. Reaching up, she massaged her pounding head. If only this pain would go away! I must have really hit my head hard. She reached around the back of her head. It felt wet and sticky, “Oh great! Just great! That’s all I 13
Time Temptress need. I can’t afford a hospital bill.” She grimaced at the pain. The ringing in her ears got louder and she began to feel sick to her stomach. Lanie had the sinking feeling she had a concussion. Closing her eyes, she fought the urge to retch. The sharp taste of bile in her throat threatened to make her lose control of her stomach and she took a deep breath. When she tried to look around again, she still couldn’t see anything. Lanie wiped her hand on her old blue jeans so she wouldn’t get blood on her Grandmother’s beautiful quilt. She stilled. Whatever it was that she’d just wiped her hands on, was not her blue jeans. Instead of the thick, coarse denim she had expected, her hand brushed against material too soft and thin. It felt as though she was wearing a nightgown, or a dress. “What the hell?” “Oh my, missy, you shouldn’t talk like that. If Master Daniel hears you, he’s gonna have an attack or something.” A round, dark-skinned woman walked through the door, carrying something Lanie couldn’t quite make out. “The poor boy is already beside himself with worry over you.” She chided, tsk tsking as she walked toward the window and sat her burden down. Turning back, she wiped her hands on the apron that wrapped around her ample waist. Lanie closed her eyes and inhaled through her 14
Tianna Xander mouth. Her nose rebelled the fact that she’d apparently slept in a pile of dust. Where in the world was she? She should be at home. And who was this woman? She had walked in here as though she had every right to just barge into her bedroom. This was her room, wasn’t it? She couldn’t tell. She couldn’t see well enough to know whether or not she was in her own bedroom. Had she wandered out of the house and these people found her and taken her in? Is this a dream? She grasped that idea and held tight. That must be it! I’m having some sort of comatose dream. I’m really lying on my bedroom floor, bleeding to death from a serious head wound. She covered her eyes and chanted to herself, “Wake up, Lanie, wake up, you need medical attention.” She cracked her eyes open. Still, not able to see much of anything, she could only make out shapes. She could see the shape and color of the round, black woman standing before her and the shape of the unfamiliar furniture around the room. She felt a gentle hand under her arm lifting her from the cold, hard floor. “Now, you get yourself up off of that there floor, missy, or you’re gonna catch your death for sure,” the woman said. When she had Lanie tucked safely back into the bed, the woman checked her head with gentle hands. “Now look what you’ve done gone and 15
Time Temptress done.” She shook her head. “You’ve opened those stitches back up. We’re gonna have to send for that fresh doctor again.” She walked away for a moment and returned with the thing she carried into the room. When the woman set it on her lap, Lanie realized then, it was a tray filled with food. The woman gently brushed something from her arm. “I’m gonna beat those girls, for sure. They were supposed to have this here room cleaned before we brought you up here. Just look at this mess, it’s downright shameful.” Lanie felt around the tray, knocking some of the things over as she searched for a glass of water. The woman shrieked, “Oh, my, why didn’t you tell me you couldn’t see, child? We didn’t know that you were blind, honey. No wonder you done walked right out in front of the Master’s buggy like that,” the woman said as she gently pushed Lanie’s hands away from the tray. “You just call me Maddy, child. And if you ever need anything, you just ask for me,” she said, as she removed something from the center of the tray. Taking one of Lanie’s hands, she put a glass in it. “There you go, missy, you go on and take a good long drink now,” she said soothingly. Lanie wrapped her fingers tightly around the cool glass and lifted it to her mouth. Parched, she tipped the glass back, took a long drink and 16
Tianna Xander gagged. Whatever was in the glass tasted horrible! It was a bitter, vile drink she wanted to spit out, but couldn’t because she’d already swallowed the revolting concoction. Thankfully, the glass was already being removed from her hand. “I know that’s some foul tasting medicine, but it will make you feel better and you’ll be sure to get some sleep now. I could tell your head was paining you.” She cocked her head to the side. “I think I hear the Master coming. You need to cover yourself up now, child,” the woman said, pulling the blankets up to Lanie’s chin, before she placed her hands on her hips and turned toward the door. The woman’s mouth started running before the door was even open, if Lanie guessed correctly. “Now don’t you tire this poor child out, Master Daniel. She needs lots of rest and good food to make herself better. Don’t you go messing up all of my hard work, ya hear? It’s bad enough the poor child tried to get up by herself and tore her stitches loose when she fell. Now, we have to send for that smart-mouthed doctor friend of yours again.” She twitched her skirt with a snap and gave a harumph before she left the room complaining, “That there boy don’t know enough to leave a poor blind child alone to rest after he done run her over with his buggy. When’s that boy gonna ever learn some manners?” 17
Time Temptress Lanie couldn’t see the sharp look she was sure the man gave her when the round woman mentioned her blindness, but she could almost feel the man’s intense stare. “You’re blind?” He blurted the question out with a southern drawl in such a deep baritone that it made her stomach clench. Since she didn’t know what to say, she fidgeted with the sheet she held up to her chin. “I—” was all she could manage to get past her lips. She wasn’t sure why, but she knew something was wrong with this whole situation. If this was a dream, it was a very thorough dream, with a lot of detail. Yet it couldn’t possibly be real. Like the way the woman talked, for instance. She almost sounded the way black people did in the movies she’d seen about the Old South. She looked toward the man still standing in the doorway. She’d almost forgotten about him. He stood with his tall form leaning against the doorframe. Something told her he was handsome as all get out, too. Lanie swallowed convulsively, not knowing what to say. What seemed to be happening couldn’t possibly be happening, could it? How did she get from her room to this house? The last thing she remembered was going to her bedroom during a storm and putting on that shoe. She shook her head slowly. “Don’t distress yourself, miss, we’ll get 18
Tianna Xander everything straightened out, just fine.” He cleared his throat before pushing away from the doorframe. “Have you always been blind?” he asked. That smooth, southern drawl slid through her senses like warm butter. At the shake of her head, she saw his outline stiffen even more. “So, it was caused by the accident. I was afraid you might say that.” He straightened and took his hands out of his pockets. Bowing slightly, he added, “I am responsible for your injuries, and if need be, I will assume care for you until your family can be contacted. If I may be so bold to ask, what you were doing out in men’s clothing, so late in the evening?” Lanie didn’t know how to answer that. She had no idea what she had been doing in the path of his buggy herself. What could she tell him? She wasn’t even completely sure she even knew what a buggy was unless she was crazy or the impossible had happened. “I—I don’t know, sir. The last thing I remember is standing in my bedroom.” That much was the truth at least. Dream or not, the less she lied, the easier it would be to keep things straight when she did feel the need to tell an untruth. “You’re a Yankee.” It wasn’t a question. It was more of an accusation. He frowned, straightened and stepped closer. “Where is your home, can you 19
Time Temptress remember that?” She let her head fall back against the headboard with a grimace. She hadn’t expected the shooting pain she’d felt when her head made contact with the wood. “Yes, I do. I remember that quite well. The last thing I knew, I was in my home in Michigan. I can’t seem to recall a thing after that.” She involuntarily leaned back a bit, pressing herself further into the pillows as she watched his blurred form bend toward the bed. “Michigan? Do you mean to say, you have been abducted from your home?” The disbelief was evident in his voice. She wasn’t sure exactly what it was he didn’t believe. He didn’t believe that she’d simply gone to sleep in one place and awakened in another? Or didn’t he believe her at all? She raised a trembling hand to her head. She wanted to scream it ached so much. All she wanted was to lie back, close her eyes and let oblivion take her somewhere where there was no more pain. “I don’t know. I don’t remember being abducted. I just can’t seem to recall traveling here from my home.” Wherever here was, no one had bothered to tell her that yet. “The last thing I remember is standing in my bedroom looking at a shoe I had just purchased.” She closed her eyes, trying to stop her head from spinning. She raised her other hand to her head 20
Tianna Xander and massaged her temples. She tilted her head back, looking up toward where his face should be, and added, “I’m not blind. Not really, I can sort of see you.” She tilted her head. “You’re wearing a dark suit of some kind and you appear to be very tall. I can see…” She frowned, searching for the correct word. “You’re blurry. I’m not sure if I have something in my eyes, or if the problem with my eyesight has something to do with my head injury.” She reached up to feel around her head wound, careful not to cause more damage. But all she could feel was a narrow piece of linen tied around her head. She had no idea what the wound looked like or how bad it was. Didn’t the woman, Maddy, mention something about stitches? Maybe she did have a concussion. Rubbing her temples, she tried to remember what happened. She remembered sitting down on the bed and slipping that new shoe on, but everything got fuzzy after that. Trying on that ridiculous shoe was all she could recall before waking up here. Everything was so confusing she didn’t know what to think. There was so much information coming from too many directions and her head began to pound. She grimaced, placing a hand on each side of her head. The man appeared by her side in a heartbeat, holding a glass to her lips. “Here, miss, drink this. It will make you feel 21
Time Temptress better.” Lanie took another mouthful of the bittertasting drink, and not wanting to appear totally without manners, forced herself to swallow it. When he would have had her drink more, she clamped her lips closed and pushed at the glass. “I can’t drink any more. I think I might be sick.” She covered her stomach with her hands, trying not to make a face as it rebelled at drinking the horrible concoction again. He set the glass down and nodded. “That’s just fine, miss. You have most certainly had enough to take your aches away, at any rate. It doesn’t take much laudanum to cut the pain.” Laudanum? Was that what that crap was? But they stopped using that years ago, didn’t they? Wasn’t it Morphine, or some type of Opiate derivative? She thought so, but was getting so tired she didn’t care much anymore. Lanie smiled a bit drunkenly. At least her head didn’t ache so much. It no longer felt like there was a whole drum section from a high school band in her head. It was more like the thump, thump, thump of a distant bongo. **** Daniel stood at the bedside for a moment and watched the strange woman’s indigo eyes close. 22
Tianna Xander She fell to sleep with a soft snore and he almost smiled. She was beautiful. He couldn’t deny that, especially when his body hardened to the point of pain every time he looked at her. There was something odd about her appearance on the road last night. Not just that she couldn’t remember how she had gotten there. It was something else, something he couldn’t quite put his finger on. Also, her speech was strange. Having spoken with Northerners before, he knew the accent, but the structure of her sentences was different. She used words in ways he never thought to use them. And how she had been dressed when he had found her was stranger still. There was something different about this woman and he was definitely going to find out what it was. He was determined to get to the bottom of her strange appearance from seemingly nowhere. No one appeared out of thin air the way she seemed to have. There had to be an explanation. If not, the only other possibility was that he was going mad, and that was something he could not accept. Daniel left his new houseguest in Maddy’s capable hands. He gestured to the woman to go back in and see to her, before he strode down the hall to the stairs. Stopping for a moment, he looked back toward the chamber just one door down from his own rooms. He shook his head. 23
Time Temptress What in the world was he going to do with the woman? He couldn’t keep a Yankee in the house, not with all of the talk about secession raging through the state. People were suspicious of their own kin now. It just wouldn’t do for him to harbor a northerner under his roof. This was a damned inconvenient time to have any houseguest, not to mention a blind Yankee. Yet, there wasn’t anything to do , but to buckle down and take things as they came. It was his fault that she was here in the first place. He should have learned years ago not to ride with such fervor through the foggy streets of any city. Let alone the dark, busy streets of Charleston. Entering his office, he walked to the cabinet in the corner and splashed a few fingers of amber liquid from one of the decanters into a glass. He tossed the drink back in one motion and waited for the familiar warming to spread and help calm his nerves. Eyeing the decanter with a degree of desire, he determined that getting drunk was not an option. He glowered at the thought and replaced the decanter. The brandy was already beginning to dull his senses as he walked around the big desk and dropped into the leather chair there. The same chair used by his father and his father’s father. He looked through the window over the moon-kissed garden and mourned his sire’s passing. He would 24
Tianna Xander gladly give up control of the plantation, if only he could see him again. He ran his fingers through his hair and put his face in his hands. He wasn’t sure how long he could continue on like this. There were too many things he needed to do and he had too many pressing duties without being saddled with a sick female, no matter how lovely the woman may be. Sighing, he opened his eyes and reached for an envelope on the desk. He had work to do. Sitting here and fretting about his houseguest just wasn’t going to get it done. After two hours of working on his books, Daniel threw down his pen and rubbed at his eyes. He couldn’t figure out what was wrong. His ledger was a mess. He added the last column no less than seven times and had gotten a different answer each time. The image of his beautiful guest appeared before him. It seemed that the woman had even made an impression of herself on the insides of his eyelids. He saw her just as she was when he visited her room. Her golden hair disheveled, her face flushed. The way she nervously licked those full pink lips haunted him. He slammed his fist onto the desktop. What in the world was he going to do? He couldn’t get the woman out of his mind. It was as if his heart had been just a lump of 25
Time Temptress cold dead flesh within his breast until he had looked into those beautiful indigo eyes. Until he’d first seen her mud-caked face as she lay like the dead on the road after he had run her down. For a moment, nay, one split second of time, it seemed as if his heart had shifted from his chest to his throat before suddenly returning to life. That foreign thing he hadn’t known he still possessed was making itself known. A year ago, even a week ago, if someone could have predicted he would feel this way, he would have laughed in their face. It seemed even his cock was against his working tonight. It had been standing up in his pants like some demented maypole, just begging for him to go back into his guest’s room and take her while she lay prostrate on the bed. He scrubbed at his face, stood and stalked over to the door to lock it. The last thing he needed was for someone to walk in on him while he relieved himself of this aching need to have the woman, injury or not. Sitting back down in his chair, he closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. He could almost smell her delicate scent as he released his raging cock from his trousers. The damned thing sprung free of its confines like it had a mind of its own. Though sometimes he wondered if it did, he’d always managed to keep control of the thing until 26
Tianna Xander tonight. Reaching around his hard shaft, he fisted his hand around it and imagined his lovely houseguest had her dainty little hand in place of his. Just the thought of her hand sliding lightly up and down the length caused it to dribble clear fluid from the tip. With his other hand, he reached around to fondle his balls, again dreaming it was the golden-haired beauty that fondled him. In his mind, he could see her smile up at him and lick her lips. Her tongue caressed her lower lip slowly as she lowered her head toward his erection. She was the epitome of everything any real man wanted in a woman. A lady to the world, a siren in the bedroom. Fisting his cock, tighter, he pumped the shaft faster as he imagined the lovely witch’s mouth closing over the head of his cock and licking the ridge just beneath the head. Her tongue darted in and out of the sensitive slit, tasting him, her sexy smile saying she liked it. It wasn’t long before the familiar tingling wrapped itself around his balls and his cock grew impossibly hard in his hand. He continued to roll his balls around in one hand as he pumped the shaft with the other. After a few short moments, he came, his semen boiling up from his balls to shoot halfway across his desk. It was a good damned thing he’d moved his ledger to the side, 27
Time Temptress otherwise he would have coated the pages with his seed. Sighing with a mixture of frustration and need, he tucked himself back into his slacks and sat staring off into empty space. What the hell was he going to do with the woman? He had no idea who she was, where she came from or even if she was available. Here he was, in his office, jacking off like a boy who had just seen his first harlot advertising her wares. “What the hell?”
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Chapter Three sat back against the soft, downy pillows. Lanie Her head still hurt and her brain felt muzzy.
Whether it was from the laudanum or the head injury, she wasn’t sure. Still not able to see much, she exercised her eyes to get her sight back. She looked around the room, seeing nothing but a blurry fog. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes for a rest when the room began to spin. She was going to be sick. She looked for a basin, or a chamber pot or something. Her face turned red at the thought. How long had she been here, and she hadn’t used a bedpan or a toilet. Reaching down, she found what felt like a large diaper covering her lower half. She covered her face with her hands. “God, can things get any worse?” When she inhaled deeply, her stomach felt a little better. After a few moments, she attempted to stand and found she was still too weak. “Wake up, Lanie,” she said to herself. She was 29
Time Temptress afraid she was going to fall asleep again. Instead of fighting it, she leaned her head back against the pillows and closed her eyes for a moment before she rolled over onto her side to get more comfortable. “I don’t believe this. It’s like I’m made of lead,” she mumbled, shifting herself into a more comfortable position. “What I need is a crane.” She giggled at the realization that cranes hadn’t been invented yet. “What about a block and tackle and a handsome man to pull the rope?” At that thought, a blurred image of her host popped into her head. Somehow Lanie knew that the man was a hottie. After all, this was her dream, coma…whatever. It would make sense that her dream man would be in it. He would be tall, dark and handsome, with blue eyes and a killer smile. “Hmm… Can you dream you’re falling asleep?” she asked as her eyes drifted closed. **** Daniel had many things to take care of and his work kept him up until the wee hours of morning. Well, his work and taking care of a few personal needs brought about by the woman he couldn’t seem to get out of his mind. On his way to his bedchamber, he decided to stop by his guest’s room to check on her. He could 30
Tianna Xander hardly fault her for the accident or his reaction to her beauty. He’d been the one traveling at a breakneck speed through town, at night, in the fog, no less. He always traveled fast, but he’d been traveling much too fast for a foggy night in the city. “A habit you have been finding much too hard to break, my good man,” he whispered into the dark. “Yet there is still the question of why a gently bred young woman was wandering the dark streets of Charleston alone.” If he’d had the responsibility of her care, he would never let a beautiful woman like her out of his sight when she was not within the safety of his home. “Hell, old man, the way you’ve acted since you found her you would be hard pressed to let the creature out of your bed.” He quietly slipped through the door to her room, leaving it ajar as was proper. Just because his thoughts of her leaned toward the elicit, didn’t mean he should to take liberties. He did pride himself on being a gentleman, after all. Noticing the lamp hadn’t been turned down, he crept closer to the bedside table to lower the wick. The sight of the beautiful woman in the bed transfixed him for a moment. His cock hardened once again at the thought of those full lips closing around it. Daniel shook his head. When had he 31
Time Temptress become such a fiend? She looked so peaceful, so fragile with her golden hair fanned about her face on the downfilled pillow, it seemed wrong to think of her doing the things he so wanted to do with her. He watched as she stirred and sighed in her sleep. Her full, moist lips parted, giving him a glimpse of her even white teeth. He felt another tightening in his loins and an irresistible urge to bend down and kiss her. Instead, he leaned down and lowered the wick on the lamp. Not too low because he didn’t want her to wake in the middle of the night and become frightened by the darkness and strange surroundings. He left the room with only one backward glance. “What the devil are you thinking?” he berated himself. He knew it was impossible. Yet, he was beginning to feel things for the strange woman that he’d never felt before in his thirty-five years. He hadn’t even felt this way about Felicity when she’d gone west with her lover. “At least that faithless bitch left you before the wedding.” He grimaced. He could not begin to imagine being stuck with an absentee wife or the stigma a divorce would have brought to the family name. His mother couldn’t have been happier than the day Felicity left him at the altar. There had never 32
Tianna Xander been any love lost between the two women. Elisabeth always said Felicity was pretentious and shallow. And, as usual, his mother had been correct. He shook his head to rid itself of the memory of his former affianced, which came unbidden and unwanted. Daniel had grown quite used to trusting his mother’s feelings over the years. She even advised him in some surprising investments and instilled in him a keen sense of right and wrong. His father had always called her a woman beyond her time. The only tragedies in life she hadn’t foreseen were the deaths of family members. But her foresight in general happenings was astounding. The railroad for example, who else could have guessed that the iron horse would become so popular so quickly? Entering his room, Daniel stripped down, splashed cold water on his face and groin and climbed into bed. He hoped to fall into the waiting arms of Morpheus quickly and that sleep would not continue to elude him. **** Rudely awakened the next morning by the sound of the heavy, rose velvet curtains opening with a snap and sunlight flooding the room, Lanie reached up and rubbed her aching head. “Watch yourself, Becky. Look where you’re 33
Time Temptress going, girl, you almost spilled the lady’s breakfast all over the floor!” Maddy admonished a servant carrying a tray. She’d tripped over the expensivelooking oriental rug in the middle of the room. The girl mumbled something that must have passed for an apology and set the tray on the bedside table, her eyes downcast. Lanie was shocked to find herself still firmly entrenched in her dream. “How long can a dream last?” she whispered. It didn’t matter. As soon as it started to get good, she’d wake up. It never failed. So, she decided to enjoy it while she could. The only thing she could think that happened was she’d fallen and hit her head. Perhaps she was in a coma and this dream would last the rest of her life. Or, more frightening, maybe she was dead and this was Hell. She’d read somewhere that people all make their own Hell. Was this her version of it? Hell certainly could be being stuck in the past with no running water, TV or other modern conveniences. Lanie shuddered at the thought. Oh, God, and no Internet service either. She took the time to gaze around the room. The two women entered through the door to her right. A huge armoire easily twice the size of the one she had, stood next to it. In the corner of the room sat a stand with a pitcher and basin on it. Across the room from the foot of the bed was another door. A closet? Just to the left of the door was the fireplace. 34
Tianna Xander Above it, hung a beautiful landscape. A hand-carved dresser, that matched the armoire, was set between the two windows on the outside wall, with a huge beveled mirror above it. Two large, tapestry chairs sat in front of the windows, just begging her to curl-up in them with a good book. There was a soft knock on the door and a man she assumed was Daniel slipped in. “The Doctor has been sent for and, hopefully, is on his way. I thought I would warn you of the coming examination, so you could prepare yourself.” The moment she turned her head toward his voice, Lanie realized she could see clearly. “On second thought, maybe this is Heaven,” she whispered. Standing just inside the doorway was the most handsome man she had ever seen in her life. Or was it death? She licked her suddenly dry lips. What did it matter if she was going to spend it here, with him? Her stomach fluttered and her womb clenched. Lanie’s nipples hardened just at the sight of him and she jerked the sheet up to her chin to hide that fact. She could feel her body’s reaction as liquid heat pooled low. The man was a god. He stood at least six-four and his hair was black as jet. His eyes were startling. They were a light sky blue, or were they gray? He stood inside the doorway, his 35
Time Temptress expression unreadable as he stared at her with those amazing eyes. She looked around and noticed Maddy standing in the corner, wringing her hands. She wore a gray, ankle-length dress and a starched white apron. Her wide hips and ample waist made the apron look more like a hand towel tied around her middle. The man, who she realized was Daniel, was dressed in a strange-looking suit, with what looked like a ribbon for a tie. Her gaze returned to Maddy. The older woman now stood with her back to her, pouring water from the pitcher into a basin. She dipped a cloth into it and wrung it out. Lanie frowned, her mind processing all of the information. The strange speech, the antiquated clothing, Master Daniel. She frantically searched the walls for light switches and her gaze fell on the oil lamp on the stand next to the bed. This has to be a dream. No, nightmare is more like it. She could not be on a southern plantation in the pre-Civil War south! Absolutely not! Lanie barely stopped herself from snorting. The fact that she even thought it possible was absurd. Things like this only happened in books. There was no way she could have traveled more than a hundred years into the past. Not to mention to somewhere in the south. That would mean she not only 36
Tianna Xander traveled through time, but that she also traveled through space. This was definitely a dream. So, she would just sit back and enjoy herself. She cast another glance at her hottie of a host. Oh, she was really going to enjoy herself. **** Daniel found it very hard to take his gaze off the vision in the bed. Her dark blue eyes appeared to be focused this morning and her mouth was shaped in a charming oh. He wondered what she was thinking to put such a fetching look on her face. Again, he imagined that perfect mouth wrapped tightly around his aching cock. He tugged his riding jacket down to be sure it covered the inappropriate bulge he knew he sported and cleared his throat. “Did you sleep well?” he asked, hoping she had. At least one of them should have gotten a good night’s rest. He walked to the side of the bed, carrying a chair with him. He set the chair down and perched on the edge, placing his hands strategically in his lap. “Yes, I slept fine, thank you.” Daniel reached out, wanting to brush a stray curl behind her ear, but stopped himself and put his hands back in his lap. “How is your head feeling this morning, any better?” 37
Time Temptress She smiled. “Much better, thank you.” He raised his hand again. Lord, how he itched to touch her. He needed to know if she was as soft as she looked. Letting his hand drop back into his lap, Daniel sat back before he completely scandalized his guest. He wanted to brush the golden hair back from her forehead, wanted to know if her hair would feel as soft and silky as it looked, as she looked. Most of all, his body screamed at him to climb into that bed with her and sink into her moist heat. Something told him it would be heaven on Earth. Instead, he threaded his fingers together and rested them in his lap in an effort to keep his hands under control. Her indigo eyes sparkled up at him. A man could lose himself in eyes like that. How many times over the years had he looked at a woman and wished she would stir something, anything, inside him? How long had it been since any woman made him feel even the slightest bit of desire? Over the last few years, Daniel had attended hundreds of Balls and Soiree’s in an attempt to find one woman who could stir his passion. How many times had he found himself in a veritable sea of eligible females, hoping to find just one who would stir his interest? Just one he could make a life with? Yet this woman, this poor creature, whom he ran down with his buggy, had stirred feelings within him those others had not. 38
Tianna Xander “My head doesn’t ache nearly as much as it did last night.” She turned her gaze on him. “And my eyesight is nearly back to normal. It’s just a bit fuzzy around the edges now,” she said, smiling slightly. He stared into those beautiful eyes as she looked up at him expectantly. When he realized she had spoken, he shook himself. “Do you mean to say that you can see, madam?” Daniel really wasn’t sure what it was that she had said. She had very strange speech. When the woman laughed, it was like the tinkling of bells to his ears. It was such a beautiful sound it made him want to hear her laugh again. “I can see.” She nodded. He watched as her thoughts turned inward. She left him for a moment. She was with him physically, yet she seemed miles away. Was she remembering a husband, a suitor? “Have you finished your breakfast?” He indicated the covered tray on the bedside table. “Well actually, I’d just been awakened right before you came in, sir.” He stood quickly. “Please forgive me, madam. I certainly did not have the intention of disturbing you before you had had a chance to break your fast.” He picked up the tray and placed it in her lap before he sat back down. He watched as she removed the cover and 39
Time Temptress hoped she had an appetite. She needed to regain her strength if she were to get well again. Somehow, the thought of her leaving didn’t sound as good today as it had the night before. **** Lanie Wasn’t sure if she could eat with him sitting there like some gorgeous sex god. Her insides practically quivered with the desire to have him hold her, kiss her, show her what it was like to be wanted by such a man. Turning her attention to her tray, she tried to ignore how her body hummed with untried desire and concentrated on her empty stomach instead. Lanie hadn’t seen a breakfast like this one in ages. If ever. She sat and stared for a moment, wondering how in the world she would ever even put a dent in the array of food on the tray. Doing a mental inventory, she counted eggs, bacon, ham, fried potatoes and biscuits. There was also a bowl of what appeared to be sausage gravy in a separate dish. Another small dish held some butter and three different kinds of jams. In the corner sat a very strong-smelling cup of coffee, a small pitcher of cream and a bowl of white sugar. The cream was thick. The sugar, though white, was ground coarse. It wasn’t refined like she was used to. The slice of ham was heavenly. Salt cured 40
Tianna Xander like her parents bought when she was a child, it wasn’t cured using artificial flavors like they did now…then…whatever. If she thought about it too long, this whole time travel business would drive her mad. Lanie was speechless. If memory served, sugar was quite expensive in the antebellum south. She couldn’t help feeling pampered and flattered that they would go to so much trouble for her. She smiled slightly. They sure knew how to treat houseguests here. Lifting a forkful of the fluffy scrambled eggs to her mouth, she closed her eyes when they nearly melted on her tongue. The bacon was crisp, yet not too crunchy, and the ham was cooked to perfection. One by one, she sampled everything on the tray until she couldn’t eat another bite. **** Daniel watched her savor every bite of her breakfast and wondered when she ate last. Her table manners were impeccable, yet he had the feeling that it had been a long while since she had eaten a good meal. He shifted in his seat. He should have left. It was decidedly bad manners to sit and watch one’s guests eat their breakfast while still in bed, but he couldn’t seem to make himself leave. He hadn’t 41
Time Temptress been prepared for the protective feelings that surged through him, making him want to assure that this woman never wanted for anything again in her life. She paused, her coffee held halfway to her mouth, and looked at him. Color rose in her face. His own cheeks began to heat when he realized he had likely been staring and had embarrassed her with his scrutiny. “I’m sorry if I embarrassed you.” “I apologize if I have embarrassed you in some way.” They both spoke at the same time. “Ladies first,” Daniel said, bowing his head, then watched as she carefully wiped her mouth. “I haven’t had a meal like this in so long. I apologize if I did something to offend you.” The blush stole up her neck to dust her cheeks and he was enchanted all over again. Daniel chuckled. “You did nothing to offend me, madam. My sensibilities are quite fine. I was afraid that I had embarrassed you by staring. I must confess that I find you to be a very beautiful woman.” The pink of her cheeks, deepened to a deep red and she looked away. He stood and quickly excused himself. “I must go await the Doctor. I will be in the library if you should need anything.” He nearly ran to the library, the feelings he had for this woman were 42
Tianna Xander not seemly. She was a guest in his house—an injured guest in his house. The woman, though enchanting, was beginning to unnerve him. And damn if he didn’t like it!
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Chapter Four closed the door and crossed the room. Daniel He sat in the straight-backed leather chair in
front of the fireplace and glowered at the cold dark hole in the wall. He glanced at the table, wishing the hour was later and it was an appropriate time to pour himself a drink. However, it was only half-past ten and hardly a suitable hour to imbibe in spirits. Glancing at the intricately carved wooden box that once held his father’s cigars, Daniel picked it up, opened it and inhaled the fading odor of the Cabanas that used to fill the silk-lined case. Soon, time would steal this last part of his father from him. How he wished it had been he in the warehouse that day. It should have been him. But he had been late returning from Charleston because he’d had a damned hangover and his father had gone to make the inspection that had been Daniel’s responsibility. 44
Tianna Xander He shook himself from his reverie. Blocking out the guilt that always accompanied thoughts of his father, he wished for peace. He just wanted a little peace, even prayed for peace. He rested his elbows on his knees, placed his head in his hands and sighed. Shaking his head, he sat up. What he really wanted, if he were to be completely truthful with himself, was the woman upstairs, lying upon a goose-down mattress, dressed in cotton and lace. It was too bad that it was morning and everyone was already up and about. Otherwise, he could get away with locking the door to indulge in more of last night’s illicit pastime to relieve the damnable ache between his legs. Standing, he cursed, rounded his desk and began to pace in front of the window. When would Jack arrive? Daniel glanced through the glass, hoping to see his friend’s buggy moving up the drive. He needed a distraction to take his mind off the beautiful woman upstairs. He wanted something, anything, to keep his mind from wandering back to her and why she had been out alone last evening. There were so many possibilities. Had she been kidnapped from her home like her story suggested? The thought of her in that kind of danger brought out his protective instincts. His hands fisted at his sides at the thought of a man forcing her to do anything 45
Time Temptress against her will. Had she been meeting a lover in the cover of darkness, or was she a party to some nefarious nocturnal activity? Could she be that duplicitous? He shook his head. He may not be the best judge of character, but he didn’t think the seemingly guileless creature in the suite next to his could be that lacking in morals. One other thought crossed his mind. But he simply refused to entertain the idea of her being a soiled dove. The thought was abhorrent. Daniel refused to think of her in the arms of another man, participating in sins of the flesh. Shoving the thought to the back of his mind, he paced over to a bookshelf and reached for a volume of Shakespeare just as someone knocked on the door. “Come in,” he said, dropping his hand to his side. “The doctor has arrived, sir,” the butler, Jasper, intoned. The look on his face said he’d rather be elsewhere, perhaps anywhere but where he was. Doctor Jackson Houghton entered on Jasper’s heels. Daniel, knowing both of them the way he did, didn’t miss the exasperated expression and the rolling eyes of his manservant. Jack slapped Jasper on the back. “I know you told me to wait in the foyer, Jasper, but you know I’d never be so boring as to actually do as you wished.” He grinned, then turned his attention to 46
Tianna Xander Daniel. “Well, Danny boy, how are you today? No residual nastiness from the accident I hope?” He followed the question with a hearty handshake. Daniel and he had been friends since infancy and a thorn in Jasper’s side since their early teenage years. But there was genuine concern in his eyes as Jack looked at his friend. “I do wish you’d let me look you over, old man,” he said, never missing the opportunity to remind Daniel he was Jack’s senior by a month. “I am fine, Jack,” Daniel waved him away. “And no, you are not coming near me with that bag,” he said, pointing toward Jack’s little black bag in mock horror. Jack chuckled then, ever the doctor, “So how is my patient this morning?” “She woke late last night, a little after midnight. Apparently, she tried to get out of bed. Maddy found her lying on the floor in a heap when she went to spoon-feed her some of the laudanum you left. Jack looked toward the door, as if he wanted to go right then, but he was very thorough and most likely wanted all of the facts first. Daniel had to respect him for that. “Did she re-injure herself? Why didn’t you send for me sooner?” Jack scowled. Daniel returned to his seat in front of the empty fireplace. Raising a hand, he effectively quelled 47
Time Temptress Jack’s questions…for the moment anyway. He gestured toward the chair opposite him, waiting until Jack seated himself. “She’s fine, Jack. She had a small tumble last night. She fell out of the bed from what I gather. Maddy thought she might have torn out a stitch or two. Since she was able to stop the bleeding, we didn’t see any reason to disturb you again.” Jack frowned. “Did you ever find out what, in God’s name, the woman was doing out alone at that hour?” Daniel shook his head. “No, I didn’t have the heart to force her to answer questions last night. Her head seemed to have been paining her.” Jack nodded. “Yes, of course it would have been. If a headache is all she suffers, she is a very lucky woman indeed.” Sighing, Daniel added. “Unfortunately, that was not all she suffered, Jack. Apparently, the accident caused her to lose her eyesight, at least temporarily.” He leaned forward and placed his head in his hands. “It’s all my fault. I could have killed her.” Jack interrupted him as he stood. “Daniel, you can’t blame yourself over this. You had no reason to believe there would be anyone on that road at that hour last night. It’s not your fault anymore than it’s her fault, so stop blaming yourself.” Jack bent and retrieved his bag. “Would you like to 48
Tianna Xander accompany me for a visit, before her examination? She may appreciate an introduction before I start poking and prodding. I expect that she won’t remember me and an introduction will be in order.” **** Lanie pushed herself up straighter. There. That wasn’t so bad. She slowly drew her feet toward the edge of the bed. She was going to find the bathroom if it killed her. And the way she felt right now, it just might. “I refuse to use that glorified bedpan one more time,” she blushed. “It’s embarrassing.” She paused for a moment to ponder her situation. Would they even have a bathroom? She shrugged. It didn’t matter. They would at least have an outhouse. Even that would be better than having to pee in a pot. Gingerly, she slid her legs over the side of the bed and smiled triumphantly. She’d done it! Sitting now, Lanie felt quite proud to have gotten this far without any help. She reached up, wiped the perspiration from her forehead and waited a minute for the room to stop spinning. “You can do this.” She repeated the sentence like a mantra as she slid from the bed. Her toes curled as her feet touched the cold hardwood 49
Time Temptress floor. Too bad that lovely carpet didn’t stretch under the bed, too. The chill floor helped clear some of the cobwebs from her head a bit. In spite of the fact that she’d eaten a hearty breakfast, she could still feel the effects of the laudanum. She was beginning to wonder if they spiked the coffee with it. It tasted bitter enough. Her head pounded and the muscles in her legs were weak, but she was determined to find the facilities. She grasped the bedpost and stood slowly albeit not very steadily. She carefully put her right foot out in front of her and stepped away from the big bed. She jumped, startled by the knock on the door and cried out when she lost her balance. At her cry, Daniel threw the door open. “What in heaven’s name do you think you are doing, woman, trying to kill yourself?” he asked. Abruptly scooping her up in his arms, he headed back toward the bed. “It is a good thing that I left Jack downstairs questioning Maddy on her laudanum dosage. Otherwise two men would have seen you out of bed and dressed in nothing but your nightclothes.” “I was looking for the uh—” Lanie’s face blazed. It was bad enough to have a woman cleaning up after her. She didn’t want to have to advertise her bodily functions to a strange man, no 50
Tianna Xander matter how hot he was. She bit her lip. What did they call toilets in the nineteenth century? “I was just looking for the convenience,” she said, hopefully. She tried to ignore her body’s reaction to his proximity but failed. Heat flooded her middle and slid from her sex. Goosebumps rose on her skin and she pulled the sleeves of her borrowed nightgown down to cover her arms. Daniel looked a tad embarrassed himself. “Oh. Didn’t you have the use of the—” He was obviously as uncomfortable as she was. He closed his eyes for a moment and sighed. “You haven’t been able to…” He gestured vaguely with his hand. “Address your needs here?” He looked around the room as if he had expected to see the aforementioned offensive object sitting on the beautiful walnut dresser between the double windows. “I can’t use that thing again. I won’t!” Lanie was so mortified, she put her face into her hands. She’d die if he saw that she was about to cry. So many things had happened to her and she was losing control of her emotions. Why couldn’t she control herself, her body? Things were happening that she had no control over. She should have control of her own body, shouldn’t she? Why couldn’t she seem to keep certain parts of her anatomy from standing at attention every time this man walked into the room? 51
Time Temptress She crossed her arms over her breasts to hide her very obvious and very embarrassing reaction to him and fought the urge to laugh hysterically. Her sexual attraction should be the least of her worries. She had already lost control of her life, or at the very least, the direction her dream was taking as it slowly turned into a nightmare. Lanie stiffened when she felt Daniel’s hands slide beneath her legs and around her waist. He lifted her into his arms and carried her out of the room and down the hall. She couldn’t help but lean into him. She rested her head on his chest and inhaled his spicy scent and the elusive smell of tobacco. She fought the urge to wrap her arms around him, put her head on his shoulder and lick his neck. What if this wasn’t a dream? She would never be able to look him in the eyes again if she gave in to that outrageous urge. “Modesty or no, if I hear anything that sounds as though you need assistance, I will come to your aid,” he said just before he set her on her feet in a small room that looked like a cross between a powder room and an outhouse. After closing the door, Lanie stood staring at the fixture that dominated the room. It was a wooden toilet. “I didn’t know they had bathrooms in this time,” she whispered. It even had a chain flush valve. She frowned. Those hadn’t been 52
Tianna Xander invented until the late eighteen hundreds, or early nineteen hundreds, had they? She gave a mental shrug. If she was going to at least have the comfort of a regular toilet, she wasn’t going to complain or analyze it. She smiled. Besides, this just proved that all this was a dream. She frowned at the wooden seat. “I just hope I don’t get splinters.” She was just reaching for the knob when a knock startled her. She opened the door. “Oh, I forgot you were waiting for me,” she blushed. She stepped from the small room and swayed on her feet. He bent to lift her in his arms again. She was surprised, he didn’t even grunt. Lanie knew she was no petite miss, yet he carried her as if she weighed nothing. She inhaled his unique scent again, wanting to imprint it on her memory so she could add dimension to her late night fantasies of this man. “It is a natural function, madam, and certainly nothing for you to upset yourself over,” he announced casually as he carried her back to her room and deposited her on the bed. He carefully tucked the blankets around her. His words immediately brought about thoughts of other natural functions and her entire body burned at the thought. He may have been trying to sound casual, but the red on his face gave him away. She was sure that he was just as 53
Time Temptress embarrassed as she was. “The doctor is downstairs. He wishes to examine you and he sent me to help you prepare for his visit.” Sitting in the chair he’d left next to the bed earlier, he leaned back and crossed his arms in front of his chest. “I hope you are feeling up to an examination. He is determined to discover if you injured yourself further when you fell from the bed last night.” A soft knock on the door preceded Maddy’s entrance. “Master Daniel, what are you doing in this lady’s room with the door closed? You have better manners that that!” She scowled with her hands fisted on her ample hips. “The doctor,” she snorted as she said it, “says he would like to see the lady now, so you best be finding something else to do.” Daniel turned to see Jack squeeze his way past Maddy and step into the room. He stood up, abandoning the chair he’d occupied and turned to Lanie. “Miss, this is Doctor Jackson Houghton. He tended your wounds last night when you were unconscious and he would like to examine you now.” She watched as he studied her for a moment, knowing she couldn’t keep the fear of discovery from her eyes. How could she fool a doctor? Her host bent and laid his hand over hers for a 54
Tianna Xander moment as he looked into her eyes. It was all Lanie could do not to jump. The heat that radiated up her arm at his touch surprised her and she almost jumped. “Maddy will remain in the room with you, to help you remain comfortable and calm. If you will excuse me, I have some work to attend to downstairs.” He bowed and left the room, closing the door softly behind him. “I don’t want to startle you, or cause you pain, miss. If I make you uncomfortable, just give a yelp and I will stop.” The doctor took her head in his hands and gently probed around her injury. “Does that hurt?” “A bit.” She kept herself from nodding. He felt behind her ears and looked into her eyes. He held up some fingers. “How many fingers am I holding up?” “Three.” “Can you tell me your name?” “Caroline Elaine Barrett, but people call me Lanie.” What harm could there be in giving her real name? “And, Miss Barrett, can you tell me what year it is.” His gaze met hers, his whiskey eyes penetrating. Dare I try to lie? Dare I not? Lanie closed her eyes and sighed. “I don’t know what year it is. I don’t even know what day it is.” 55
Time Temptress The doctor reached out and covered her hand with his own. “Don’t let it distress you, Miss Barrett. Amnesia is quite common with head injuries, I am told.” He squeezed her hand. “I’m sure you will be fit as a fiddle in no time.” He patted her hand gently. Lanie sighed with relief when the examination finally ended and he left the room. How long was she going to be able to blame everything on amnesia? God the whole situation was so cliché, like one of the old romance novels she had on her bookshelves. Still, it was the only believable excuse she had available to her. “Will I ever see my home again? I miss my house.” She’d known it so well she could walk through it blindfolded. The pictures of her family, oil paintings her grandmother had painted of them all in the ancient clothing she pulled from the attic. Everything she had left to her was gone. Lanie put her fist to her mouth to stifle a sob. How would she explain this bout of tears? She had to stop bawling and suck it up. She wiped her eyes, determined to stay tough. “You have to be practical, Lanie. What you did then, you can’t do now. You have to think of a way to take care of yourself. You can’t stay in this house forever. No matter how handsome the man is.” 56
Tianna Xander No matter how hot Daniel was, she couldn’t expect him to care for her indefinitely. But what could she do? Did she remember enough about history to pass a test to become a schoolteacher? Would she need identification, or proof of education? She sat up slowly. She needed some fresh air to clear her head so she could think. There had to be some way home. If she could get here, there had to be a way to get back. Otherwise she was stuck here in this dream, or the past, if her imagination could be believed. Which, either way, seemed to be a lose-lose situation. There was a soft knock on the door. Lanie didn’t think she’d ever get used to the number of people who lived and worked here. The sheer number of people wandering about would sure put a damper on any late night hanky panky with her host. She closed her eyes and sighed. What the hell are you thinking? The door opened before she could think of an answer to that question. It was Maddy, carrying another tray loaded with food. Lunch was a plate of thick delicious beef stew, two crusty rolls with butter, a slice of heavenly apple pie and another cup of strong chicory coffee. “How are you feeling, Miss Caroline?” Maddy asked as she watched her devour the stew. “I’m feeling better every minute I can keep my 57
Time Temptress eyes open.” She took a sip of the bitter coffee and made a face. Maddy chuckled. “That chicory makes the coffee taste strong. It’s the way Master Daniel likes it. I could bring you tea instead, if you like.” She reached over and lifted the cover from a small dish of cream and another from the sugar. Lanie poured a generous amount of the cream into the bitter coffee and proceeded to spoon several teaspoons of sugar into the cup. “Mmm… That’s better,” she said after taking a sip of the doctored brew. “This is fine, as long as you keep bringing the cream and sugar.” She grinned. With her hunger sated, and her headache subsided a bit, Lanie began to feel tired again. “Did you put laudanum in the coffee?” It was the last thing she remembered for a while.
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Chapter Five stopped by the library to talk with Daniel Jack before he left to start his rounds. “There you
are. I knew you would wish to know the condition of your guest’s health before I took my leave,” he said as he entered the room. Daniel turned from staring into the empty fireplace. “How is she?” “Well, old man, you may have a houseguest for a while. She doesn’t seem to remember much.” Jack crossed the room, sat in the chair beside Daniel and sighed. “She knows her name and a few other mundane things, but can’t remember how she got here. What she has is called amnesia.” He shivered slightly and glanced at Daniel. “A bit chilly in here isn’t it?” Daniel shrugged. “Is it? I hadn’t noticed.” He sat back down in the chair he’d vacated to stare into the empty fireplace. “What is this amnesia and what can be done for her?” Jack gave a one-shouldered shrug. “I don’t 59
Time Temptress know much about the malady, no one does. There is not an exceeding amount of information about it. From what I know, it could take two minutes, or two years for her memory to return.” He took the drink Daniel offered, holding it in his hand. “Hell, her memory may never return. What she needs the most right now is rest and understanding.” Daniel placed the brandy decanter on the table next to his chair and sipped his drink. He’d finally given in to the urge to indulge. Staring down into the amber liquid, he swirled the glass, watching intently as the brandy spun upward toward the rim. “If she never gets her memory back, what kind of life can she expect to lead?” he asked, still looking down into the swirling depths of his glass. Jack turned slightly in his seat and crossed his leg over his knee. “She can lead a normal life even if her memory never returns. She may have to relearn things, but in the end, she would be normal and productive in every sense of the word.” “Except that she now has no past, thanks to me.” Daniel looked at the floor. Jack heaved a sigh and scowled at his friend. “How many times am I going to have to tell you that no one is to blame for that accident. Not you, not her, no one!” He met Daniel’s gaze, his own eyes reflecting his concern for his friend. “I know 60
Tianna Xander you’re feeling guilty for what happened. But there is a way to assuage your guilt if you feel the need.” He took a long swallow from the glass he held, frowned and looked down. “A bit early for this, isn’t it?” He set the glass down and scowled over the table between them at the glass Daniel held. “Care for her as if she were a part of your family,” Jack continued undaunted. “See to it that she is clothed and fed, then in time, married. Until her memory returns, you are all she has.” He stood and placed his hand on Daniel’s shoulder. “It will work out. Things like these were meant to be. You’ll see.” “I find that hard to believe,” Daniel retorted. Jack pinned him with a stare. “Don’t mock things you don’t understand, Danny boy. You don’t know what things God has in store for you.” Daniel closed his eyes and sighed. “Perhaps not.” He set his glass down on the table between them and rested his head in his hands. “Don’t worry overmuch about this, old man.” The smile was back on Jack’s face. “She’ll be fine. All you need to do is find her family or get her wed and your life will be back to normal in no time.” He gave Daniel a hearty slap on the back, then pulled his watch from his pocket and checked the time. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have rounds to make.” 61
Time Temptress Daniel reached for his glass and tossed the rest of his brandy back. He followed Jack as he retrieved his bag from the hall table and escorted him to the foyer. He stood just outside the door, watching as his friend rode out across the field to the west. He stepped back into the foyer, deciding to go upstairs to check on his guest. When he arrived outside the door, Daniel hesitated to knock. He didn’t want to disturb her sleep, yet he needed to see her, to look at her, to convince himself she was indeed real. That the lust he felt was indeed for a flesh and blood woman and not an apparition. He shook his head. Why couldn’t he seem to stay away from her? He pulled the watch from his pocket and flipped the back cover open. He stared at the picture stored within it for a moment. It was a miniature of the one above the fireplace in the parlor. His parents looked so happy then. His mother insisted they should smile, not have the dour faces that proclaimed someone had most likely just died. Smiling softly at the memory, he flipped the front cover open, staring at the empty spot that once held Felicity’s likeness. Somehow, the image of his guest appeared there, filling the empty space as no other ever had. He shook his head and closed the watch with a snap. It had been so much easier with his father here. He could have gone to him for advice. Sometimes, 62
Tianna Xander even still, he would find himself thinking he should ask his father about something. Then the all too familiar pain would remind him that his father was gone. Never again could he ask him for advice. Never again would they laugh over a game of cards or race each other across the fields on their favorite horses. How many times had he walked away from his father in anger? Unable to come to terms with Felicity’s abandonment, Daniel had acquired a taste for alcohol and they had argued almost constantly the last few weeks before his father’s death. Why hadn’t he tried harder to listen to his advice, to get along with him, or spent more time with him while he had the chance? Daniel thought about his guest, imagined the way she looked on the other side of the door. Was she sleeping? It was nearing two in the afternoon. Maddy would soon bring a tray up and wake her if she was asleep. Taking a deep breath, he knocked lightly on the door, waiting for her softly spoken reply before he entered the room. “I thought perhaps I should inform you that Maddy should be up any moment with your luncheon. Is there anything you require before then? Something to read perhaps?” he asked. His eyes devoured the sight of her lying on the bed gazing up at him through sleep-filled eyes. What would it be like to wake every morning to 63
Time Temptress that beautiful face and those luscious lips begging to be kissed? What would it be like to take this lovely woman to bed every night and sink his cock into her moist heat? Would she be proper or would she be a temptress, a wanton, who begged for his body as surely as he would beg to find solace in hers? **** Lanie gazed into his sparkling, sapphire-blue eyes and wished she truly belonged here. Wished that she had a right to fall in love with this man, because she had a feeling it would be a very easy thing to do. Her gaze took in everything it could while he stood there. He was so much taller than she was. She could even wear heels of a flattering length with him. The expression in his eyes was intense, hot. So much so, she wondered what he was thinking. Did he find her as attractive as she found him? Glancing down at his crotch, she licked her lips, wondering if he was hard beneath the jacket that hid him from her hungry gaze. The dark blue jacket in question, stretched over a hard, muscular frame that was forged from hard work, not a fitness center. His tanned good looks were natural, not enhanced by any modern sunless tanning creams or hazardous tanning 64
Tianna Xander beds. When Lanie realized she was staring, she looked away quickly and hoped he didn’t notice as she felt her cheeks warm. Goodness knows, she’d been embarrassed enough for one day. The last thing she needed was for him to see her checking out his crotch or any other part of his anatomy. “No, thank you,” she said, fumbling with the quilt that covered her. “I think I should probably try to rest a bit after the exertion of the examination and the other…” She left off at that. She refused to remind him of their earlier trek to the bathroom. Daniel excused himself and turned to leave the room like she knew he would. She closed her eyes with relief. When his steps stopped, she opened her eyes. He turned and looked back at her from the doorway. “You should know the doctor informed me of your memory loss. Please, do not be distressed over how you will live,” he said gently, his expressive eyes filled with remorse. “You are welcome here, in my home, until you can remember your people, or until you have the means to care for yourself.” He walked through the door and stopped again, his eyes cast downward. “You are welcome to spend the rest of your days here, madam, you only need inform 65
Time Temptress me.” He quietly closed the door behind him. Lanie was shocked. “So that is a true southern gentleman.” She giggled. “Well, at least in my dreams.” Having read about them in many novels, she had been certain they were all figments of the romance authors’ overactive imaginations. Like any modern woman, she had often wondered if they existed. She had even gone so far as to fantasize about meeting one in the flesh. There was a certain appeal about a man who would put her comfort and needs above his own. A man of honor, one who would keep his word no matter what. Lanie supposed this dream was as close as she was ever likely to get. **** Daniel raced down the hall, away from his guest’s room. He needed to think. He slowed down as he approached the upstairs sitting room and paused just outside the door, his mind spinning. If he hadn’t left the room when he had, he would have scared the hell out of her. He wasn’t sure when, but at some point during their conversation, he began to get the incredible urge to bend down and kiss her. He shook his head. Hell, it was more than that. It wouldn’t have been the feather soft touching of lips he had 66
Tianna Xander practiced with Felicity. He stood there staring at her for a moment, looking, he was sure, like a scared rabbit. Attempting to control the desire to take her mouth and brand her as his was the hardest thing he’d ever done. His loins stirred at the thought of her soft full lips under his. Would he have been able to stop or would he have ravished her right here under his own roof, where he had just promised to protect her? He could think of little else these past several hours than throwing the woman onto his bed and fucking her senseless. If he had his way, she wouldn’t leave his bed until they were both bowlegged from exhaustion. He pushed his way into the room and stalked to the fireplace. Resting his arms on the mantle, he looked down into the empty grate. He had no right to even think this way. He didn’t know a thing about her. He didn’t even know her name. “Hell!” He smiled grimly. “She doesn’t even know anything about herself. She could very well be married for all you know.” “Who could be married, dear?” Daniel whirled around at the sound of his mother’s voice. Good God! It was a damned good thing he hadn’t decided to pull his aching cock out of his pants and relieve the damned ache in his balls. He hadn’t locked the door as he’d intended. He placed his booted foot on the hearth, hoping 67
Time Temptress to hide his ever-present erection and replied, “Our guest, whom I nearly killed last night, Mother.” He practically growled the words at her. He was angry at himself for nearly having been caught pleasuring himself in the upstairs sitting room. This was his mother’s domain for heaven’s sake. What the hell had he been thinking? The thought of what his mother would have seen if he hadn’t been so angry about not knowing the young woman’s name. His mother frowned. “Don’t you take that tone with me, young man. You may be an adult, but I am still your mother.” She settled herself onto the sofa carefully. “I know you think I’m crazy, but I am still your elder,” she said, gingerly arranging her skirt around her. Daniel sighed. “I never said you were crazy, Mother.” He rubbed his temples, wondering absently if headaches were contagious. “You didn’t have to. Your actions speak loudly enough.” His mother pulled a handkerchief from her sleeve and twisted it nervously. “I can’t help that everyone has given up all hope that your father will ever be found, but I, for one, can’t. And I won’t. He is still alive, I can feel it,” she said, placing her hand over her heart. “Here.” “Damn it!” He slammed his fist on to the mantle. The carefully arranged bric-a-brac chinked together ominously. 68
Tianna Xander “Really, Daniel, if you feel that way, I’ll leave your company.” His mother stood and turned to leave. He rushed to take her in his arms. “I’m not angry with you, Mother. I keep forgetting to ask the woman for her name.” He sighed. “That is all she seems to be able to remember about herself.” He set his mother away from him and paced across the room, “I don’t know what it is, but there is something that turns me into a mindless idiot when I am around her.” His mother chuckled and sat down once more. “It’s most likely the fact that she is under the age of fifty, and attractive.” “Not to mention, extremely alluring in her nightclothes,” he muttered. “Did you say something, dear?” his mother asked with her eyes wide, a knowing smile on her face. He waved his hand, “Nothing, Mother.” His mother stood, paced to him and kissed his cheek. “Well if you don’t mind, I’ll just go sit in the garden and wait for your father.” She turned and walked slowly from the room. Daniel watched her leave, his eyes bleak. His mother spent more and more time in the garden, waiting for his father. Would she never be able to face the fact that he was gone, never to return? The fates had not been kind. He’d lost his father 69
Time Temptress to a warehouse fire and his mother to madness on the same day. God, how he missed them both.
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Chapter Six woke to the sound of birdsong. The soft, Lanie spring breeze caused the lace curtains at the windows to billow inward. It reminded her of her mother’s white sheets billowing in the wind as she hung clothes from the line. It was the same mixture of scents, clean laundry, Mama’s roses and fresh air. Stretching leisurely on the soft, down mattress, Lanie decided to just lay there and relax. She turned her face into the pillowcase. If she tried hard enough, she could almost believe she was a little girl again. That she was safe in her little girl’s bed, her mother fixing breakfast, her father at the table with his paper and coffee. For one precious moment, she was a little girl again…a little girl who still had parents. Her soft smile faded as reality crept in. “What were you thinking just then?” Daniel asked. At least he had the grace to look uncomfortable for entering her room without her 71
Time Temptress knowledge. “If you don’t mind my asking, of course.” He shifted his position from leaning against the wall to standing military straight with his hands behind his back. At her confused look, he added, “You seemed so happy for a moment.” He cast his gaze about, obviously looking for the right words. “You looked so happy, so content. Then the expression was wiped quickly from your face like words from a slate.” Lanie didn’t know what to say. She looked down at her fingers and plucked at the thick quilt covering her. The tiny stitches would be at risk of giving way soon if she kept it up much longer. “When I woke up, I had a memory. It was almost a dream. It felt so real.” A tear rolled down her cheek. “I lived it once. It was like all of the long years in between then and now never happened.” She paused to moisten her lips. She reached up with her hand to brush her hair from her face. The hair fell back into place when she lowered her arm. “It felt like I was home, and my parents were still alive. It felt so nice…so real. When I realized it was just a dream, well…” she shrugged. “It just wasn’t nice anymore.” The expression in Daniel’s eyes softened, he relaxed his stance. “I’m so sorry, but at least you have remembered a bit. You now remember your parents are no longer living.” It was sad that that was the only comfort he 72
Tianna Xander could give her, when there were so many other things that had gone so horribly wrong in her life over the last few days. Not to mention the fact that amnesia was the least of her worries. She sighed. “Yes, I suppose. Though I think it would have been better to not have remembered that at all.” Lanie turned to gaze out of the window. She couldn’t see much, just a small patch of blue sky and part of a white fluffy cloud floating by, but it was better than looking into the man’s eyes when she lied to him. **** The tears in her beautiful eyes tore at Daniel’s heart. That newly discovered organ was rusty, but working and finally back in his chest where it belonged. He knew he had to ask her about herself. He should have asked two days ago when she first arrived. Yet, before, as now, had been an awkward time. However, his manners never known to be lacking in the past, had somehow gone missing at the same time he laid eyes on this beautiful woman. He gave her the lopsided grin he had practiced as a boy to get his way with the womenfolk when he wanted sweets from the kitchen. “I hope you don’t mind too terribly if I try to recover what little is left of my tattered manners, which have 73
Time Temptress been in a deplorable state of late, and introduced myself?” Daniel bowed formally. “My behavior is usually impeccable, I assure you,” he said, as he straightened. “Daniel Alexander Hastings at your service.” “Caroline Elaine Barrett.” She held out her hand. Daniel stepped closer, took her hand in his and bent to touch his lips to the back of it. As he held her hand, she gave him a small, nervous smile of her own and fisted her free hand in the sheet. He searched her eyes. Surely, this wasn’t the first time someone had kissed her hand. As a woman of quality, she should be used to that. But then again, there was her memory loss. Perhaps that had something to do with her behavior. Any doubts he may have had as to her class were laid to rest with the casual offering of her hand. It was as though the practice were second nature. Which proved at least, for his mother’s benefit, she had been raised a lady. Not that it would have mattered a whit to him. He wouldn’t have cared if she were the daughter of a dirt farmer. Daniel straightened to his full height, which he knew was rather impressive. He and Jack were the two tallest men in the county. “I am very pleased to make your acquaintance, Miss Caroline. Welcome to my home. Anything you may need is 74
Tianna Xander at your disposal. You have only to ask.” Her midnight blue eyes were so captivating, it was a miracle he hadn’t embarrassed her by staring. He watched entranced as her small pink tongue darted from behind her full lips to moisten them, and he shamed himself by thinking what he’d like her to do with that tongue. Just the thought of those lips circling his shaft as her dainty hand worked his sac was enough to make him hard again. Dammit! Think of something else, man. You’re turning into a deplorable lecher. There had been many beautiful women in his life, but his guest was beauty personified. Just watching her was enough to send his imagination winging away with thoughts of what it would feel like to sink his hard shaft into her warmth, to watch her eyes darken with need as he took her again and again. Dragging himself back to the present, Daniel watched as she turned away, her eyes cast wistfully toward the window. He couldn’t help himself. He wanted to see the smile back on her face, to bring color to her cheeks, to see her laugh again. “Would you care to go into the gardens? It is a wonderful day and they are sure to be remarkable.” She turned back quickly, her startled gaze meeting his. “Why yes,” she said, smiling. “I was just thinking how beautiful a day it is and that 75
Time Temptress what a waste it would be to have to spend another minute in this bed.” She threw the bedcovers back and began to stand. Daniel turned quickly away. “I shall send Carrie to attend to you.” He hurried from the room, closing the door behind him with a resounding thud. **** Lanie looked thoughtfully toward the door for a moment, trying to figure out what she said to make him leave as though his very fine rear-end was on fire. It took a minute for her to realize it wasn’t something that she said, but something she’d done. She looked down at the frilly white nightgown she was wearing and covered her mouth, her eyes wide at the major faux pas. A woman born and bred in this century would never have gotten out of bed in her nightclothes in front of a man who was not her husband. “Oops!” She giggled. Strangers on the beach had seen her in less. “Sheesh, the mentality of these people. He saw me dressed this way yesterday when he carried me to the bathroom.” She shook her head. Maybe that was different somehow. She jerked at the knock on the door. It opened, and a young girl poked her head into the room. 76
Tianna Xander “Hello, Miss Caroline,” the girl said and bobbed what seemed to pass for a curtsy. “My name is Carrie. Master Daniel says I’m to be your new maid.” Lanie inhaled sharply. “Excuse me? Did you just say that you’re my new maid?” Incredulous, she looked at the lanky young girl. She couldn’t have been more than thirteen. How could she, in good conscience, make this child work? “But… You’re just a child!” she cried. “You should be in school.” She was about to send her away, get dressed on her own and go give Daniel a piece of her mind for exploiting children, when she noticed tears sparkling in the girl’s eyes. Her eyes widened in alarm when Carrie flung herself at her feet and grasped the white linen skirt of the nightgown. “Please, Miss Caroline, don’t send me away. My papa passed on and Mama can’t care for all of us by herself. Master Daniel told Mama as long as I was your maid, I could live here and he would buy me new dresses. And he will even pay Mama enough so she can stay home and take care of my brothers and sisters. Please don’t send me away,” Carrie cried. She looked up at Lanie, her gray eyes pleading. Her lips trembled and a tear hovered on her lashes. “Master Daniel says while I am here, I can go to Arabella’s classes. Then, when I grow up, I might be a Governess, or even a 77
Time Temptress shopkeeper!” Lanie felt a strange wrenching in her chest as she thought of Daniel finding a way to get past a woman’s pride so he could help her and her children after such a loss. She closed her eyes. He was truly an exceptional man to do something as selfless as that. Kneeling down, Lanie pulled the girl into her arms and smiled. “I’m happy to meet you, Carrie. I know you’ll make a fine Governess or shopkeeper one day. But for now, you’re going to have to tell me just what a lady and a lady’s maid do. I seem to have misplaced my memory.” Carrie slapped her small hand over her mouth, stifling a short fit of giggles. Lanie smiled. “What is it?” Giggling again, Carrie said, “I was just going to ask you the same thing.” Chuckling, Lanie took Carrie’s hand in hers. “Then I guess we’ll just have to find out together, won’t we? Then later you can tell me who Arabella is.” “Oh that’s easy, Miss Arabella is Master Daniel’s sister. She’s going to school in Philadelphia.” Carrie puffed herself up when she imparted that bit of information. “Oh. Carrie?” “Yes?” “Just call me Lanie. I think that you should 78
Tianna Xander have the privilege since we share the same name.” Carrie grinned. “We do, don’t we? I like you, Lanie. You’re not like everyone thinks you are. You’re nice!” Lanie frowned. “People think I’m not nice?” Carrie shrugged. “I think it’s cause you talk funny. I hear Master Daniel’s mama talked like you when she first got here. And she was as mean as an old wet hen.” Lanie hugged her. “Well you can just tell everyone there isn’t a mean bone in my body. “I will, Miss… Oops.” Carrie smiled. “I mean, Lanie.” She patted the bed beside her. “Come sit up here with me and we’ll try to figure out a way to find out what we’re supposed to do.” Lanie stood and pulled the bell-cord next to the door, then shooed Carrie under the bed. When she was relatively certain Carrie was hidden well enough, she sat back down to await their instructor. As expected, Maddy answered the bell. She looked around the room with her hands on her hips. “Now where is that child? I sent her up here to you some time ago.” She scowled and walked across the room to the wardrobe. “I—” Lanie jumped from her seat, cleared her throat and stood up straight. “I sent her on a small 79
Time Temptress errand and since I need to see Mister Hastings as soon as possible, I thought perhaps you wouldn’t mind helping me dress.” Maddy tilted her head. “I sure am glad I remember how that Miss Elisabeth talked when she first got here. Or I might not understand you a bit.” Lanie closed her eyes, trying not to show her confusion. If other people here talked the same way as she did, what was the problem? She sat down in a chair facing away from the bed, trying not to give Carrie’s position away. The older woman began to pull garments from the wardrobe. When there was a pile of under clothing on the bed and a lovely dress draped over the chair the older woman had shooed her out of, Maddy bent down, grabbed the hem of the nightgown and yanked it over Lanie’s head. Lanie looked down, mortified. Having graduated from the oversized diaper stage, she was totally naked under the gown. She instinctively covered herself and Maddy chuckled. “You don’t got nothing I don’t have, only it’s lots smaller and you don’t got nothing Carrie don’t have neither. So don’t be hiding, friendly girl, we got work to do.” Then she smiled smugly. “See, I can use those strange words, too. Hee hee hee.” Lanie had never heard anyone actually laugh 80
Tianna Xander like that and it almost threw her over into a fit of giggles. Darting a quick look, she wondered if Maddy had seen Carrie under the bed, but she was nowhere in sight. “I think you mean girlfriend, don’t you, Maddy?” “Just you hush up, child, and let old Maddy dress you up nice.” Maddy scowled as she mumbled. “It’s just like white folk. I don’t know what they would do without old Maddy here to take care of ‘em.” Getting dressed was a tedious process. Lanie didn’t think she’d ever seen the amount of underwear she was supposed to wear all at once. Under her dress, she wore a garment that resembled a long low-necked sleeveless shirt that reached to mid-thigh. She held up her hands as Maddy started walking toward her with a corset. “I don’t care what argument you give me over this, Maddy. I am not wearing that thing.” “You’ll wear this here corset, missy, or you won’t set foot outta this room.” Maddy’s scowl was fierce. It was obvious she meant every word she said. Lanie put her hands on her hips and tapped her toes. “I don’t see you wearing one. Why do I have to?” She hoped they didn’t really expect her to wear that torture device. Just watching Scarlett get trussed up in one of those things in Gone With The 81
Time Temptress Wind was enough to take her breath away. She was sure she could never wear one. “You have to wear one because you are a lady. I am not a lady, I am a housekeeper. No one expects me to wear a corset.” She looked down at herself and laughed. “Not that I could get one of these tiny things around me anyway.” She held it up to herself and chuckled. “Well, no one better expect me to wear one either, I’m not stepping one foot into that torture device.” Lanie waved her hand toward the conglomeration of cotton, bone and lace Maddy had slung over her arm. Maddy put her hand on her hips. “If you want to leave this room, you will put this on or else I’m not going to help you dress.” Lanie sighed, stuck. Maddy flat-out refused to go any further until she was allowed to lace the thing around her waist. It didn’t take long to realize why women of this age were always fainting. Their laces were probably drawn so tight they suffocated or starved to death. Surely they didn’t expect her to eat in this get-up? Well, hell. I have to wear the damned thing or spend the rest of my stay in this room. Since the four walls of the room were already driving her loopy, Lanie gave in…probably too easily, but such is life. After the corset, came what looked like a pair of bloomers. Then stockings, that conveniently 82
Tianna Xander enough, were tied very snugly just above her knees. The bell-hoop and the slip came next. The pure white slip was a work of art itself, with half sleeves trimmed in frilly lace. Finally, Maddy held up the dress. She slipped the sky blue dress over Lanie’s head and smiled approvingly. “I told Miss Elisabeth this dress wasn’t her color. It makes her look all green in the face.” This was the second time Maddy said that name. Was she Daniel’s wife? A peculiar feeling shot through Lanie’s chest at the thought. Good grief! I’ve been lusting after a married man. “Miss Elisabeth? Is that Master Daniel’s wife?” She couldn’t keep herself from asking. She had to know. Maddy whooped with laughter. “Oh, no! Miss Elisabeth is his mama. She is the kindest woman in this world. There isn’t anything any one of us on this plantation wouldn’t do for that lady.” Lanie slipped her feet into the shoes Maddy held out for her. “They’re a little too big.” Maddy took them back off and pulled a sheet of paper out of her pocket. “I thought her shoes might be too big for you. I never saw a woman with feet as big as Miss Elisabeth’s.” She ripped the paper in two and wadded the pieces. She crammed them into the toes of the shoes. “Try that until we can get you to the cobbler and get some 83
Time Temptress made for you.” They were still a bit too big and slid around on her feet when she walked, but Lanie figured she was lucky to have them. Holy cow! These clothes have to weigh at least ten pounds. Lanie looked down at the dress and thanked her lucky stars it wasn’t too busy. There was one large bow in the back, which she could see by twisting herself around. And the lace on the slip peeked out from under the sleeves, hem, and around the neckline. If it could be called a neckline since it didn’t even come close to her neck. She blushed. “Aren’t I showing a bit too much?” she asked, tugging at the bodice. Well, apparently corsets did wonders for the figure, even if they did make it impossible to breathe. Her thirty-six C-cup never looked so big, nor her waist so small. “Is there a shawl or a scarf that goes with this?” She still tugged at the Bodice. It wasn’t budging and she was uncomfortable showing such a tremendous amount of cleavage. “It doesn’t appear to be finished.” Tug. “I think it’s missing some material.” Tug, tug. “I won’t pop out of this, will I?” Tug. Giving up the fight, she sighed. “I think I’m a little too big for this dress.” She placed her hand over her chest, panting from her efforts. Maddy was scandalized. “Why do you want to cover up the nice attributes God done gave you? Mr. Simonson in town just got himself a brand 84
Tianna Xander new stove to sell. Has it sitting right in the front window of his store.” She swatted at Lanie’s hands still covering the exposed area of her chest. “That’s just what you have to do. Put your goods right up there in the front window. How are people going to know what’s at the market, if you keep all of your vegetables in the root cellar?” She steered Lanie toward a mirror. It only took one look and Lanie understood. In her own way, Maddy had been saying, how can you sell the merchandise, if you don’t advertise it? But did she have the right to sell it? She had no idea how long she would be able to stay here. Did she even want to stay here? An image of Daniel flickered in her mind. Oh, yes. If he’ll have me. Wide eyed, Lanie stared at her reflection. “I have to admit that you were right to make me wear this corset,” she said as she smoothed the silky material of the dress over her hips. The horrible torture device was, in its own way, a miracle worker. It gave Lanie curves where she’d never had them before. Maybe the next time someone asked, she would let them pull the laces a bit tighter. She tried to take a deep breath. Then again, maybe not. Another half-hour passed before Lanie’s hair was coiffed to Maddy’s satisfaction. The older woman was proud of herself, and was taking all of the credit for how good Lanie looked. As well, she 85
Time Temptress should, too. “Thank you, Maddy. I’ve never looked so good in my life,” she blushed. The pale blue of the gown brought out the color of her eyes. Her blonde hair was swept away from her face and ringlets were left to cascade down her back. Now that Maddy had finished what she had set out to do, she headed for the door. “Just remember, Miss Caroline, you tell Carrie that Maddy says if she ever needs any help, all she has to do is ask. I don’t want her hiding from the truth now, you hear?” Maddy turned, looked Lanie right in the eyes, then looked toward the bed and smiled, exposing every one of her gleaming white teeth. She delivered a parting shot as she left the room. “I’m going to have to box that Becky’s ears. She still hasn’t cleaned up the dust underneath that bed. I saw a giant clump under there today.”
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Chapter Seven took Carrie’s hand and pulled her toward Lanie the door. “Let’s see if we can’t find Master
Daniel. He promised me a walk in the garden.” They left the room hand in hand, chatting on the way to the landing. Lanie didn’t have any problems until she started down the stairs. She sent Carrie ahead of her to alleviate the fear that if she fell she would hurt the little sweetheart. She tried to take a step and stopped. The hoop kept getting caught on the banister, or it would catch on the stair above her. Thank goodness the staircase was wide. Now she knew why they were always so grand in the movies. It was most likely so the women could navigate the stairs. Lanie lifted the front of the hoop to prevent herself from tripping, but the back hit the stairs on the way down. Thump. Thump. Thump. Being a thoroughly modern woman, she had no idea how to walk down a flight of stairs in a 87
Time Temptress regular dress, not to mention a dress with a bellhoop, corset and several layers of under clothing beneath it. “I hope I never have to run like this. It’ll kill me,” she muttered. Thump. Thump. Thump. She paused and looked down. Only halfway down the stairs? She sighed. “Hell, it’s almost impossible to breathe in this get up.” She panted. Although she did find, that under duress, Maddy could squeeze her waist down to a disgraceful twenty inches. Lanie was sure she’d never see Scarlett’s famous eighteen inches, and frankly she didn’t give a damn. A scandalized Maddy had wanted to tighten the stinking thing down even more. However, Lanie was adamant. The corset would come off if Maddy didn’t tie it off at twenty. If I ever let that woman tie the damned thing any tighter, I’ll suffocate! Lanie reached the middle landing, paused and tried to take a deep breath. Could she make it to the bottom without passing out and tumbling the rest of the way? It was almost vertigo, the way the stairs seemed to wind in an endless carpeted spiral…half moon… “Whatever.” Lanie heard soft footsteps running up behind her just before she felt pressure between her shoulder blades and she tumbled down the stairs. She had only one thought before darkness claimed 88
Tianna Xander her. So this is how I’m going to die. **** Daniel was in the study when he heard the scream so filled with terror he felt his blood run cold. He bolted to his feet and ran to the foyer. At the bottom of the stairs, lay Caroline’s broken body. Filled with alarm, he ran to see if she was still breathing. His lips thinned when he felt the shallow breath. He leaned down, placed his ear on her chest and listened for her heartbeat. It was there, hardly discernable and uneven. He would be forever grateful that Jack had taught him how to check vital signs. He looked up, saw Carrie standing wide eyed in the foyer and barked out orders. “Send for the doctor. Now!” He watched as the child stumbled through the doorway, the tears in her eyes hindering her flight to the kitchen and help. He didn’t know what else to do. He picked Lanie’s near lifeless body from the floor and carried her back to her room. Daniel waited impatiently on the other side of the door for Maddy and Carrie to undress her and put her back to bed. After they left, Daniel sat on the edge of the bed, watching as her face and arms discolored and swelled before his eyes. He was kneeling next to the bed, Lanie’s limp hand held in his, praying, when Jack burst into the room. 89
Time Temptress He took in the sight of Caroline’s bruised and broken body. “My God! What happened?” He rushed in, removed his coat and started to dig through his bag. Daniel looked up, his eyes filled with anguish. He looked at her bruised and swollen face. “She fell down the stairs.” Daniel jumped up from the chair and paced to the door and back, trying not to watch, yet unable to leave as Jack examined her still form. “I heard a scream, a terrible scream.” He ran a hand over his face, trying, yet unable, to forget the sound of Caroline screaming as she tumbled down the stairs. “I shouldn’t have offered to walk her through the gardens, it must have been too soon for her to leave her sickbed,” Daniel thought aloud. Jack looked up obviously concerned. “This isn’t your fault.” He shook his head. “Why do you insist on taking blame for everything that goes wrong in your life? Not everything can be prevented.” He snorted. “Not even you can control everything.” “I should have known.” Jack stood, grabbed his shoulders and shook him hard. “You should have known what? That she was going to trip on her hem, that a board on the stairs was loose or that her foot was going to slip on the polished wood?” Jack studied Daniel 90
Tianna Xander for a moment and his eyes narrowed. “Do you think you should have known that your father was going to die in a warehouse fire, doing an inspection you were too busy to do?” He let Daniel go, pacing away from him. Daniel hung his head. “I wasn’t too busy that day.” He sighed and scrubbed his face with his hands. “I was in town with a damned hangover. I– I…” Turning, he punched the doorframe. “I should have been there, damn it! It should have been me.” Jack snorted. “Do you think your father wished it was you?” He shook his head. “I’d wager that he thanked God it was him. No man wants to outlive his own son. It’s called fate, Daniel, or chance if you prefer, but either way it can’t be predicted and it can’t be stopped. Stop trying to take responsibility for everything.” He glanced back at the bed. “In light of certain complications, my soiree for Saturday has been postponed to two weeks hence. I know you will not attend without her.” He grinned. “It’s so easy to see that she is going to lead you around by your nose.” He shook his head. “And damn if you’re not going to like it.” “I said no.” “But, Master Daniel, you can’t stay here in this lady’s room alone. It’s just not proper,” Maddy 91
Time Temptress cried. She’d been trying to get him to leave since it got dark, but he wouldn’t budge. Daniel was determined to be the first face Caroline saw when she woke. He blinked his burning eyes. He didn’t remember the last time he’d gotten a good night’s sleep. He was sure it was sometime before Caroline’s arrival. He just wasn’t sure how long before. He leaned forward in the chair, folded his arms on the bed next to her and rested his head upon them. The bed shifted a bit and he heard her groan. “Caroline?” He took her hand in his. She squeezed his hand slightly. “Drink,” she whispered, her voice hoarse. He gave her a few sips of the drink Jack left for her. She made a face and he smiled. At least she was well enough to complain about the flavor. “Ugh,” she turned her head away from the glass. “That stuff is so nasty.” “But it will help with the pain. Luckily you didn’t break anything when you fell, although you are covered in bruises.” She tried to sit up and groaned. “Are you sure?” He chuckled. “Jack assures me you just have major bruises and some swelling.” “Jack?” “The doctor. Do you remember him?” 92
Tianna Xander Caroline nodded and winced. “Why can I never seem to stay out of this bed?” “Because you keep having accidents, my dear Caroline,” Daniel said as he gently brushed the hair from her brow. “Call me Lanie.” She sat up slowly. “I remember now.” Fear flashed in her eyes. “Someone pushed me.” She grasped his hand. Turning her head, she captured his eyes with her fear-filled gaze. “But…who would want to push me?” “Sh…” Daniel soothed. “You must be a little confused…Lanie. There is no one here who would wish you ill.” Lanie shook her head, adamant. “Someone pushed me, Daniel. I felt it.” She furrowed her brow, trying to remember exactly what happened. “I was standing on the landing, wondering if I could make it the rest of the way down the stairs alone, when I felt pressure between my shoulder blades.” She turned to him with her gaze frightened. “You have to believe me, Daniel. Someone wants me dead.” Daniel stayed with her, holding her hand until she fell into a fitful sleep. He frowned as he stared down into her beautiful face. She was so sure someone had tried to kill her. Could he ignore her apprehension? Shouldn’t he at least investigate so he could allay her fears? Standing, he took one 93
Time Temptress more look at her before he left the room, quietly closing the door behind him. He searched the house until he found Carrie. She was in her room, curled up under her bed, crying. He pulled her from her hiding place and sat her on the bed. He knelt in front of her wanting to see her eyes when she answered his questions. “I’m sorry, Master Daniel.” She sobbed. “I didn’t want her to get hurt.” She twisted the skirt of her dress between her hands. “The pretty lady said Maddy told her I should get clean sheets for the lady’s bed when Miss Lanie told me to run ahead so she wouldn’t fall on me. I went up the back stairs to get the sheets and when I got back, the pretty lady was pushing Miss Lanie down the stairs.” Daniel’s eyes widened in alarm. Someone did try to kill her. But why? “What did she look like, this pretty lady?” Carrie frowned, then bit her lip, obviously thinking. “She had dark hair, Master Daniel, dark as midnight.” She shivered. “And her eyes, they were green as the fields before the haying.” The girl swiped the tears from her eyes with a sniff. “She was a lady, Master Daniel. I didn’t think to disobey her.” “Of course you wouldn’t,” Daniel said as he stiffened. The description fit Felicity. But Felicity was gone. She had been gone for the last three 94
Tianna Xander years. Besides, how would she have gotten into the house? Carrie sobbed harder. “Don’t send me away, Master Daniel. Please, don’t send me away.” Daniel reached into his pocket, pulled out his handkerchief and wiped Carrie’s eyes gently. He held it to her nose. “Blow.” She blew into it noisily. Daniel found himself smiling slightly, feeling the peculiar urge to do this for his own child. “I’m not going to send you away, Carrie, but from now on, I don’t want you to leave Miss Lanie alone when she is upstairs. It would be too simple for someone to try to hurt her again.” Carrie nodded. “Yes sir, Master Daniel. I won’t leave her alone for a minute.” Daniel patted her on the head, smoothing her hair before he left. He paused in the hallway. Now, who would have let a stranger into the house? Or worse yet, who would let that faithless bitch back into their lives?
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Chapter Eight you be getting out of bed so soon, “Should Miss Caroline?”
Lanie sighed. “How many times do I have to ask you to call me Lanie?” She scowled at Maddy. “It just isn’t fitting, miss.” Maddy stood up straight and pursed her lips. “A lady like you wanting to be called by some silly name like that.” She shook her head. “It just isn’t proper.” “My parents gave me that nickname, Maddy, and I honor their memory by keeping it.” Maddy frowned. “They are also the ones who gave you the name of Caroline, miss. You might remember that, too.” Lanie sighed. Maddy just wasn’t going to give in. In the older woman’s mind, a lady was a lady and she would always be Caroline to her. She might as well get used to it. Sliding to the edge, Lanie swung her legs over the side of the bed. “I’m going downstairs today even if I have to do it in this nightgown.” She cocked an eyebrow at 96
Tianna Xander Maddy. “Are you going to help me get dressed or not?” “I don’t have a choice, now do I?” Maddy mumbled something under her breath. “What did you say?” “Nothin’, I didn’t say a thing. You want to get dressed and fall down them stairs again, there ain’t nothin’ I can do about it.” Lanie hugged her. “You’re just a big push over. You mumble and complain, but you love everyone here, don’t you?” Maddy turned her head and bit back a smile. “Don’t know what you’re talking about.” She waddled over to the armoire. “What do you want to wear today, the blue gown, the green or this cream-colored gown here?” Lanie stood and walked toward her. “Whatever you think, Maddy.” “What I think, is that you should be in bed.” She pulled the blue gown out and held it up. “You looked so pretty in this one, before you fell.” “Thank you, Maddy.” Lanie didn’t know what else to say. She’d never considered herself pretty, but two different people here had told her that very thing in less than a week. It didn’t take as long to dress this time, and since she’d lost some weight after her fall, wearing the corset squeezed down to twenty inches didn’t feel so bad. Maybe she’d let Maddy tighten it a 97
Time Temptress little more next time. “Where’s Carrie?” Maddy grunted. “She’s in the kitchen helping the cook.” “Why isn’t she up here with me?” Usually the girl was here hovering over her like a mother hen. The only time the girl went missing was when someone else was in the room with her. She had even taken to sleeping on the short sofa in her sitting room lately. “She was afraid you would be angry with her for leaving when you fell down the stairs. She got back just in time to see a lady push you.” Maddy’s face was blank as she looked at Lanie. “She says it’s her fault.” Lanie gasped. “It is not! How could she have known the woman was going to try to kill me?” Maddy smiled. “I told her that was how you would feel.” She put the finishing touches on Lanie’s hair. “But I think you need to tell her that yourself.” Lanie stood, shook out her skirt and tried to ignore her exposed cleavage. “I have to talk to her.” Lanie limped from the room. She turned and called back, “Tell Daniel he owes me a walk in the garden.” When she reached the upper landing, Lanie paused. She couldn’t bring herself to get any closer to the stairs. When she heard the sound of 98
Tianna Xander footsteps behind her, she turned quickly her heart in her throat. It was Maddy. She breathed a sigh of relief, holding a hand to her chest. “Oh it’s you! I thought—“ “You thought someone was going to push you again.” Maddy nodded. “That’s why I’m here. Anyone wants to hurt you is going to have to go through me.” She smiled. “Now get on down those stairs. ‘Fore I push you myself.” Lanie slowly made her way down the spiral staircase. She paused at the landing to look behind her and catch her breath. Every time she looked back, she saw Maddy’s formidable figure standing on the next landing, guarding her back. She heard footsteps below her and looked toward the sound just in time to see Daniel pause mid-stride. His eyes seared as they practically devoured her. He nearly ran up the stairs to offer her his arm. Thank goodness for the southern gentleman. Lanie was sure she would have fallen the rest of the way without his help. “Miss Lanie, you look absolutely breathtaking this afternoon. I hope you have found our home and our hospitality impeccable. As I have said before, my home is your home and I do hope you will treat it as such.” Lanie, not knowing quite how to reply to such a formal and generous speech, searched her mind for what to say. Surely, her English and 99
Time Temptress Journalism classes along with all of those old movies she’d watched throughout the years would have at least given her a rudimentary ability to speak formally. She smiled shyly. “Why, yes, sir, I have found your home and your hospitality completely flawless. Your generosity with your home and,” she looked down at the clothing she wore. “Your ability to clothe a complete stranger could only be described as superlative.” Good grief, had she actually just used that word in a conversational manner? They reached the bottom of the stairs almost before she realized it. “I must thank you for your assessment, Miss Lanie. May I accompany you in a stroll through the gardens? They are beyond beautiful today.” Lanie couldn’t help it and giggled slightly at his formality. It was definitely something she was going to have to get used to. She clapped a hand over her mouth and almost laughed again at his quizzical expression. He had a half-smile lurking at the corners of his mouth, his eyebrow raised. The raised eyebrow nearly undid her because he looked so cute…not to mention sexy. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to laugh. It must be nervousness. You and your people have all been so kind. I have no complaint. Maybe it’s the residual effects of the laudanum I have been 100
Tianna Xander given.” He nodded. “Perhaps you’re correct. I do believe that the laudanum does take time to stop having an effect on your senses.” They entered the garden and Lanie was speechless. It was the most beautiful place she had ever been in her life. The abundance of flowers was amazing, the combined fragrances of the myriad roses, jasmine, lilac and others she couldn’t name, was a heady mixture. The scent was a perfume department stores would clamor for. Lanie took a deep breath. She reveled in the wonderful scent as she slightly leaned against Daniel’s arm. **** It was a position Daniel wasn’t immune to. He barely suppressed a low groan as she leaned against him, her breast pressed innocently against his arm. His cock surged to life once again. Good lord, would he never find himself without a hardon when he was around this woman? Caroline seemed at least as entranced by the beauty of the garden as Daniel was aroused and enchanted by the woman at his side. Her eyes were wide with excitement, her lips parted slightly as she basked in nature’s beauty around her. His left side burned where their bodies 101
Time Temptress touched and he practically itched with the need to thrust his fingers through her hair, drag her head to his and ravish that lovely mouth. Daniel had a difficult time trying to keep his body under control. He prayed Lanie wouldn’t look down and see his ever-present erection as they strolled through the gardens. The possibility was small since she seemed captivated by the garden and hardly took her eyes off the blooming plants. When they stopped for a moment, Daniel closed his eyes and thanked God for spring. They slowly made their way to one of the benches and he assisted Lanie as she sat. He couldn’t help but notice how she walked a bit stiffly. It was likely her injury that made her walk so strange, as if she would fall over any moment. Daniel sat beside her, took a deep breath and tried to compose himself. It had been years since a woman had affected him in this manner, if ever. He was going to have to go for a swim in the pond later. With any luck, the water would still be chilled and he could regain control of his body again. “The garden is beautiful, Daniel, Mr. Hastings.” She blushed at the use of his given name. If only she realized how many times she used it over the last two weeks when she was incapacitated. “I’ve never seen anything like it. I have always 102
Tianna Xander heard of the beauty of the gardens on a Southern plantation, but I never had the pleasure of the experience before. I must thank you for this opportunity.” Daniel didn’t know what to say other than the truth. He’d liked it when she was ill and she’d called him by his given name without thinking. This new formality was unsettling. “Call me Daniel, please, and thank you for the compliment, but the garden is my mother’s.” He looked around for a moment. “She loves it here. It used to drive my father mad that she would come out here in an old dress and dig in the dirt.” He smiled. “I remember he used to say she drove him to distraction. One day he threatened to dismiss the gardener because the man obviously wasn’t doing his job if she could still find so many things to do out here.” Looking into her eyes, he admired her beauty before adding, “The beauty of this garden is nothing compared to you.” “Thank you for the compliment.” Blushing, she changed the subject. “Your mother should be proud. It’s very beautiful here.” She stood and turned in a circle. “I can’t imagine the time and effort it took for her to design this…this haven, this escape from reality.” She took his offered hand and sat down again. “It’s funny that you should say that. My mother calls this her haven, it is the one place she can go 103
Time Temptress that helps her feel better when she feels melancholy. She feels closer to my father here. I can’t imagine why.” He stood and brushed pollen off his jacket that had fallen from the tree above the bench. He froze when Lanie stood behind him and began to brush the pollen from his back. Such an intimate, caring gesture was beyond Felicity. “She must have loved him very much.” He shook off the memory and nodded. “Yes, she did. Sometimes I think she would have followed him if it weren’t for me. She hasn’t been the same since the accident.” He didn’t add that she hadn’t eaten for days after, or that they were beginning to think she would starve herself to death. Then suddenly, one day, she decided to start eating, and when she recovered, was looking into every strange shop and bookstore she could find. Always having seemed a bit…eccentric, she now seemed on the very edge of insanity. “I’m sorry,” Lanie said. She fisted her hand in her skirt. “Sometimes the shock of a loved one dying suddenly can do strange things to people. Perhaps one day she will again become the woman you remember.” She released her skirt and put a soothing hand on his arm. Daniel covered her hand with his own and bowed his head. He stared down at her smaller hand beneath his and the paleness of her skin 104
Tianna Xander against his sun bronzed fingers. “I can only hope that will happen.” He held her hand prisoner in the crook of his arm and turned. He was embarrassed that he had told her such personal things and yet barely knew her. What had come over him? It felt as if he’d known her forever, yet he still had to force himself to the proprieties. The last thing he wanted to do was offend the poor woman. She’d been through enough because of him already. **** Lanie fought the urge to cry. He was lucky to still have his mother. Yet, what would be worse— having a mother who was mad, or having no mother at all? She left him to his thoughts and enjoyed the view. She tried not to think too much about the man at her side. She had too many things she needed to think about already. The possibility of returning to her time any minute was something she needed to keep in mind. Something had to have triggered her leap through time. She only needed to find out what it was. She was over the dream rationalization. Lanie realized that somehow, she had managed to travel through time. As ridiculous and impossible as it sounded, even to herself, it was the only explanation for what had happened to her. It had 105
Time Temptress to be. The only problem with finding out what triggered her jump was the fact that she really didn’t remember much about what happened before her fantastic journey. It was like something out of a science fiction novel. She doubted there were any books about it around here. She didn’t even think that The Time Machine had been written yet—not that it would do her much good if it had been. She bit her lip lost in thought. When Lanie looked up, she was surprised to see they had made a circle and returned to the house. Earlier, she hadn’t been able to take her eyes off of the garden and when they returned, she hadn’t even noticed it. She realized how tired she was when she started to climb the few stairs to the porch. How was she ever going to get back to her room? She held on to Daniel’s arm for dear life, knowing if she let him go, she would topple down the stairs and re-injure herself. She swayed slightly and brushed against Daniel just before they entered the house. When her knees began to buckle, she said only one thing. “Daniel…” **** Daniel turned when Lanie spoke his name softly. He could see it in her eyes, the confusion and the imminent loss of consciousness. He quickly swept 106
Tianna Xander her up in his arms. Her eyes were still open, yet her head lolled back on her shoulders. The walk had been too much. Daniel cursed himself for keeping her out in the garden too long. He quickly carried her into the parlor and placed her on the sofa there. He strode swiftly to the bell cord he pulled it several times and rushed back to her. Taking her hands in his, he rubbed them together the coolness of her flesh worried him. He was on his knees in front of the sofa still rubbing her hands when Maddy arrived. “Yes, Master Daniel? Did you need something?” When she saw Lanie lying on the sofa, she scolded him. “You done tired that poor girl out. You know she’s been sick in the bed!” She glared at him, her hands on her ample hips. “I thought you had better manners than that, you scamp.” He couldn’t do much but look sheepish. “She looked so well today, I thought perhaps she was recovered well enough for a walk.” Maddy shook her finger at him, slapped him on the shoulder with the towel she held in her other hand. “I don’t care what anyone says, there ain’t no way a body’s gonna fall down a flight of stairs after being run over by some rascal’s buggy, then recover in three days.” She scowled. “She was supposed to sit down here, rest and look pretty.” 107
Time Temptress Lanie’s hand fluttered a bit, “It’s my fault, Maddy. I asked him to take me into the garden.” “The garden?” Maddy’s thick, black eyebrows rose. “This here scamp done took you out in that garden?” She raised her arm and pointed out the window. Lanie smiled weakly. “I was feeling much better and somewhat sorry for myself so I thought a walk in the garden would do me good. I thought it surely couldn’t hurt.” Maddy looked at her for a moment with pursed lips before saying, “Well it did hurt, didn’t it, missy? Now you get right on up them stairs and you get right back in that bed before you have yourself one of those relapses that fresh doctor is always talking about.” She turned and glared at Daniel. “Well, Master Daniel, what are you waiting for, the second-coming of Christ?” She turned and waddled out of the room, muttering about young people not knowing what was good for them. Daniel ran his hand over his face, covering his smile. When he removed it, only a blank look remained. That look worried Lanie. Daniel didn’t look amused and she didn’t want Maddy to get into trouble because of her. It didn’t occur to her that Maddy was very outspoken for a slave. Lanie didn’t approve of the practice, of course, but what could she do about it? She was lost in 108
Tianna Xander time and, as a woman in this time, she was considered property herself. She didn’t protest when Daniel scooped her up into his arms. She just let out a startled oh, when he lifted her from the sofa as though she weighed nothing. It made her feel very feminine for him to carry her this way. She couldn’t remember the last time anyone carried her anywhere before she arrived here in this time. Since arriving, she had been carried almost everywhere, and she would bet that it was by Daniel every single time. Lanie didn’t know what came over her, but she snuggled against him. She put her head on his shoulder and breathed deep, loving the smell of him. He smelled a little of pine, mint and tobacco. There wasn’t anything to compare to the natural scent of this man. She closed her eyes for a moment, just for a moment to enjoy the feel of her body pressing close to his. **** Daniel nearly lost control of himself when he felt her face snuggle close to his shoulder, her soft breath on his neck made him tremble. He wanted nothing more than to kiss her, carry her to his bed and sate himself within her softness. He looked down and realized that she was unconscious again. He wanted to kick himself for having such 109
Time Temptress lecherous thoughts while she trusted him enough to sleep in his arms. He placed Lanie gently on the bed and stopped for a moment to gaze at her beauty. She was even more exquisite than Felicity. Three years ago, he wouldn’t have believed that possible. Daniel stilled, not knowing why he’d even thought of that now. He waited for the familiar pain of Felicity’s betrayal to wash over him. When it didn’t come, he looked toward Lanie for the reason. Her presence in his life had removed that old pain. He hoped he could trust her not to inflict a new wound. God knew he wanted to. Daniel reached out and brushed a lock of her fine, golden hair from her face. He rubbed it between his fingers for a moment to satisfy his curiosity. Yes, it was as soft as it appeared to be. He gazed down at Lanie with a mixture of tenderness and hunger. He knew if she opened her eyes now, she would see a man who needed her, whether he wanted to admit it or not. Yet she lay there, unknowing, with her long, thick lashes forming golden crescents on her cheeks, her eyelids closed, covering the startling indigo of her eyes.
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Chapter Nine he put Lanie to bed, Daniel decided to go After for a ride to clear his head. He knew he should
think it impossible to care so much for someone in such a short time. Yet he could feel it. His heart felt it. He couldn’t ignore the strange pull within his chest when she smiled, the feeling in the pit of his stomach when she touched him. Nudging his horse to a gallop, he berated himself for falling prey to that crippling emotion. He wasn’t supposed to fall in love. He didn’t even know if he could ever trust a woman again. Daniel turned his horse to the west. He needed to see Jack. When he arrived, he was informed that the doctor was not in. He was also not expected for many hours. He had ridden to the Ford farm. It seemed Mrs. Ford was finally having her baby. “Well, hell.” He turned and looked at his exhausted horse. He felt sorry for the poor animal. “Tell Jack I borrowed a horse and I am leaving 111
Time Temptress Aeolus in the barn. I rode him hard and he’s tired.” He walked Aeolus to the stable and gave the reins to Jack’s hired groom, Big Joe. “Which horse do you want, Master Daniel?” the other man asked, his big dark hand resting on Aeolus’s neck. “Has Jack broken the silver mare, Aphrodite yet, Joe?” The other man nodded. “Yes, sir, he broke that mare about a month ago.” He grinned. “She gave him a good fight, too. She threw him down in the mud four times and knocked him off using the fence post twice.” He shook his head and laughed. “It sure was something to watch.” Daniel laughed. “I bet it was. I’m sorry I missed it.” Aphrodite was a lovely animal, her sleek coat shone in the waning sunlight like molten silver. Her long mane brushed his boot as she cantered over the field between their houses. The mare’s long legs ate up the miles between the two homes in no time, leaving Daniel a bit winded. He was going to have to talk Jack into letting Aeolus get a foal on her. It would be magnificent. He slowed her pace as they neared the stables, and he told himself it wasn’t because he would wake Lanie. He grimaced. The sooner he stopped lying to himself the better. Leaving the horse with one of the stable boys, 112
Tianna Xander Daniel walked into the garden. He heard his mother somewhere, singing one of her songs. He thought about all of the times he walked through these gardens and heard his father singing them with her. As much as his father had complained about his mother spending so much time out here, he certainly had spent a goodly amount of time here himself. Daniel sat on a bench and put his head in his hands. His fingers tunneled though his hair. He looked up when he felt a light touch on his shoulder. “Penny for your thoughts,” his mother said with a smile. “I heard someone wandering through the garden. I thought it was you. Is there something wrong?” Daniel sighed. “No, Mother.” At her disbelieving look, he relented. “Yes, Mother, there is something wrong, and no, I don’t think you can help me with it.” Elisabeth sat beside him wrapped her arm around his back and put her head on his shoulder. “I know you think I am a crazy old woman near the end of her rope, but there is one thing I do know for certain. Things in this life happen for a reason. There was a reason you met this Caroline, and there is a reason she is here. We only have to wait to find out what that reason is.” She sighed when he didn’t reply. “You may call 113
Time Temptress me a nutty old broad, Daniel, but you have to believe me. Things happen in this life that you can’t always explain. You just have to deal with them and know that they have happened for a greater purpose.” Daniel wrapped his arm around his mother and squeezed. “I would never call you a nutty old broad, Mother. I thought you knew me better than that.” He frowned at her. “You disappoint me.” Elizabeth smiled wanly. “I know you wouldn’t, sweetheart, but there are others around here who aren’t so nice.” She stood. “Now I think I should go change for supper.” She rubbed her hands together. “I can’t wait to meet our guest.” She paused on her way to the door. “If you wouldn’t mind a suggestion, I think you should offer to purchase her some clothing of her own.” She frowned, thinking. “She will refuse of course, unless you have a good reason for doing so.” She turned and continued into the house. Daniel nodded. “You go on ahead, Mother. I must attend to a situation at one of the warehouses. I should return in time for supper, if not do not wait for me.” He stayed on the bench for a few more minutes, watching his mother as she made her way slowly to the house. She stopped frequently to smell the roses. She did love her flowers. He’d often wondered what it was about this garden she loved so much. 114
Tianna Xander He smiled as he watched her enter the house. When he knew she was out of sight, he headed for the old slave quarters. He did have business to attend to, but it wasn’t in one of the warehouses. **** “I’m getting so tired of passing out on people.” Lanie knew she was quickly becoming a burden. It was something she swore to herself that she would never become. “It’s bad enough I have to accept their hospitality under false pretences.” Lanie pressed her lips together tightly. She was not about to become more of a burden than necessary. Daniel felt so responsible for her non-existent amnesia she wanted to confess every time she saw him. That was her problem. If she told him the truth of her origins, he would most likely have her committed, feeling justified that he’d done the right thing, because in his mind, she would be a raving lunatic. She walked to the basin and splashed her face with the cold water. Hurrying to the hall clock, she was relieved to find she wasn’t late for supper. Indeed, she would have to wait for a while before it was served. Part of her wished she had other clothes. She felt strange wearing the same clothes to supper 115
Time Temptress when she knew the others would have changed from their day clothes to formal clothing for the evening. But she couldn’t accept more dresses from them. Finding a way to repay them for what they had already done was going to be difficult enough. She smiled at the thought. It was amazing how one person could change. For a good part of her life, she had wished for a rich man to sweep her off her feet and gift her with everything she ever wanted. Now she was worried about paying Daniel back. How ironic! Lanie wandered into the library and picked up a discarded volume of Shakespeare. She opened the book to a Midsummer Night’s Dream, but the conflict within her kept her from enjoying it. She stood and walked to the window gazing into the darkness. “I miss my paintings and great-Grandma’s jewelry.” She pressed her hands against the cool glass. “I miss a hot bath anytime I want one, TV on Friday nights, one minute microwave meals.” She shrugged. “Okay, maybe not the microwave meals.” The biggest thing she had a problem with was the baths. “I need a bath bad, and don’t know where to get one,” she cried. Lanie swiped at the tears streaming down her face. How strange, of all the things she could cry over, and she was crying over a bath or lack thereof. 116
Tianna Xander Hearing someone at the piano in the sitting room brought her from her blue funk. The tune was familiar, but she couldn’t place it. Lanie knew she should know it, yet the title had escaped her. Her heart told her there was something about that song she should recognize, but her mind was elsewhere and she didn’t dwell on it for long. Turning, she wandered into the other room and watched as a beautiful middle-aged woman played an equally beautiful dark, grand piano. This must be Elisabeth. Lanie swayed back and forth wondering what it would be like to dance with Daniel. She began to hum the tune to herself. She knew she should be able to place it, but the title was elusive. She didn’t usually listen to classical music. It must have been used in a movie soundtrack. If she could only figure out which one… The music stopped abruptly. “I didn’t know you were here.” Elisabeth’s cheeks turned pink. “People don’t usually listen when I play. I’m not very good.” Elisabeth stood and offered her hand. “I’m Daniel’s mother, Elisabeth.” Lanie took her hand. “You play wonderfully. I’m just sorry you stopped.” Lanie walked to the piano, hoping to find the title on the sheet music. “What song was that? I know I’ve heard it before, but I can’t seem to place it.” 117
Time Temptress Elisabeth paled, “You have heard this song before?” She put a trembling hand to her throat. “I believe so, at least it sounds very familiar.” The older woman laughed, looking relieved yet mournful. “There are many songs that sound familiar to me, that I doubt I will ever remember where I first heard them.” She looked at the watch pinned neatly to her bodice. “It’s time for supper. Would you care to join me?” “Of course.” Lanie fell into step beside Elisabeth. “Will Daniel be joining us?” “He may, he said something earlier about having some business to take care of at one of the warehouses. He may not return for some time.” “Oh. I guess if he doesn’t, it would give us both a chance to get to know each other better.” Lanie gave her a genuine smile. “Thank you very much.” There was a sad smile on Elisabeth’s face. “I know what people say about me. How they feel when they have to associate with me. Everyone thinks I’m crazy you know.” She leaned over and patted Lanie’s arm. “Thank you for treating me, well, normally.” She leaned closer to whisper in Lanie’s ear. “Everyone treats me as if I’m not all here.” She pointed to her head and straightened in her seat. “Perhaps one day I will tell you about my Alex, about what I think happened to him. Hopefully you will believe me.” She looked at her hands folded in her lap. “It 118
Tianna Xander would be so nice if someone did.” Lanie felt herself drawn to the garden after supper, unable to comprehend the amount of time and effort it must have taken Elisabeth to design this haven. She stopped for a moment in the waning sunlight, and turned her face up to bask in the glowing warmth. It felt so good to get outside. “Are you not feeling well?” The question startled her. She hadn’t heard Daniel’s approach. He stood just behind her. Heat radiated off him. She imagined she could feel his breath on her neck. If she turned, she could look into his eyes. She avoided his gaze, afraid of their growing attraction. “I’m just fine, thank you.” She walked forward, putting some distance between them. “Were you able to get your business taken care of at the warehouse?” She turned to the right and continued slowly through the garden. He followed her more sedate pace with his hands behind his back. “Yes, as a matter of fact, I was able to see to that and one other problem I have been having.” He quickened his step to catch up to her side. Lanie leaned down to smell a particularly large red rose. She reached out to bring the bloom closer. “Ouch!” Daniel quickly drew her hand away from the bloom. He saw a drop of blood on her hand, took 119
Time Temptress her finger in his mouth and gently suckled the blood from the wound. The contact was electric. She felt as though she had been struck by lightning. She looked up into his light blue eyes and froze. For a moment, there was no garden, Earth, or sky. They were merely two souls standing together and, for a moment, time stood still. Lanie was the first to come to her senses. She pulled her finger from his caress. The ever-present twentieth century fear of disease had her frightened for a moment before she realized there wasn’t much she could get besides an infection. She hoped not anyway. An infection was deadly enough in these times. Daniel stepped back. “Please forgive me. That was unforgiveable. I have no excuse for such intimate contact. I can only beg your forgiveness.” She swallowed around the thick lump in her throat. She self-consciously licked her suddenly dry lips. Not realizing what that action would do to Daniel as he stood watching. The look of hunger on his face as her tongue moistened her lips did not escape her. Lanie held her injured finger, putting direct pressure against the wound. She was frozen in place, mesmerized by those beautiful blue-gray eyes. Lanie leaned toward him as he slowly bent his head toward hers. This is the dumbest thing you’ve ever done, Caroline Elaine. She 120
Tianna Xander leaned forward and carefully rested her hands on Daniel’s chest as he bent closer to claim her lips. It was just a slight touch. A mere brushing of his mouth against hers, but Lanie felt it all the way down to her toes. Daniel took her arms in his as he stepped away from her. He ran his fingers through his hair leaving it standing up in all directions. “I find I must beg your forgiveness again, Lanie. I also must confess that I have no idea what has come over me of late.” He walked away from her then turned back. “I am usually a perfect gentleman.” He continued to pace in front of her, obviously upset. He gave her a pleading look. “Can you ever forgive me for taking advantage of you in this way?” Lanie smiled. “Don’t be ridiculous, Daniel. There is nothing to apologize for. We are both adults and we did nothing wrong.” Taking his arm, she turned toward the orchard pulling him with her. “Do you grow anything here besides peaches?”
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Chapter Ten didn’t know what to do. For the first Daniel time in his adult life, he was uncertain.
Should he court Lanie, or should he strive to find her family so he could be rid of her? Did he really need the complication of another female in his life right now? He wished his father were here. He needed his advice. Daniel took a deep breath. He couldn’t help himself. He would ask her to accompany him on a picnic tomorrow. Waking early, Daniel made his way to the kitchen to ask cook to make them a basket. Going to the stable, he had Cubby hitch up the buggy, while he left to check on some business that needed to be finished. “Good morning, ladies, how are you today?” Daniel said as he entered the breakfast room. He walked around the table and kissed his mother’s cheek before seating himself. Elisabeth smiled and laid down the slip of paper she held. “We are doing just fine, dear. We 122
Tianna Xander were chatting and getting to know each other.” She indicated the paper next to her plate. “As you know, we have been invited to Doctor Houghton’s home for a soiree Saturday next. How would you like me to reply?” Daniel sighed inwardly, so much for a picnic today. “I think you should accept, as before. For all of us, of course.” He turned to Lanie. “What do you think, Miss Caroline?” Lanie looked up and flushed, “I was, um…woolgathering, would you mind repeating the question?” “My mother has just informed me we have been invited to a soiree Saturday next. I was hoping you would do me the honor—” He looked toward his mother, then back to Lanie and smiled. “Do us the distinct honor of accompanying us.” **** Lanie stilled. Her spoon suspended between her soup and mouth. Looking down the length of the table, she tried to read his expression. I bet he’s a great poker player. She couldn’t tell if he really wanted her to go or if he was just being polite. She thought for a moment, then smiled brightly. “I would love to go, Daniel. Thank you for the invitation.” “You are most welcome, Miss Caroline, I hope 123
Time Temptress you can be ready to ride into town with Mother and me within the hour.” He pulled his watch from his pocket. “The shops should be open by the time we reach Charleston.” Lanie’s mouth dropped open with dismay. “I can’t possibly ask Daniel to buy me a new dress. Couldn’t I wear one of these?” Lanie picked up one of the dresses Elisabeth’s maid had brought into her room while she’d been eating breakfast. Elisabeth laughed. “Don’t be silly, dear, those aren’t evening gowns.” Daniel knew when he invited you, that you were going to need a gown.” His mother chose a morning dress from the several draped across the bed. She held it close to Lanie and smiled. “Oh, my. This will do nicely.” Lanie was beginning to wonder if she was crazy. What had come over her to agree to this? If she made it out of this alive, and she had her doubts, she was going to kick herself. Hard! “All right, Miss Caroline, you can do it. Now hold onto that bedpost and breathe out all that air.” Lanie felt herself jerked backward three or four times. “There. That should do it.” Maddy’s arms reached around her waist with a tape measure. “Hmm…” Maddy frowned with 124
Tianna Xander disappointment. “Eighteen and a half. One more time, Missy.” Lanie let out her breath and prayed. A few more tugs and Maddy proclaimed she was at a very respectable seventeen and three-quarter inches. “Enough!” Lanie wanted to scream, but it was barely a whisper. “Any tighter and I’ll suffocate.” She panted. “Thank you, Maddy.” Maddy chuckled. “I bet you get used to it real quick. And that is a sight better than twenty inches.” Lanie grimaced. “Yeah. And look at who’s talking. You don’t have to wear one of these torture devices.” The older woman giggled into her hand. “No, I reckon I don’t. I guess that’s one good thing about not being a lady.” Maddy turned to Carrie who stood holding the dress as if it were made of spun glass. She took the dress and held it up to Lanie. “Now. Let’s get you dressed so you can knock Master Daniel right off of his feet when he sees you.” After Maddy worked her magic, she finally allowed Lanie to look in the mirror. She almost fainted. “I can’t go out like this!” Her hands flew to her chest. “This dress is worse than the blue one!” Maddy shook her head. “That dress isn’t cut 125
Time Temptress any lower than that blue one. You just look like you are showing more cause your waist is cinched tighter.” Lanie shook her head. “I’m really gonna pop out of this one.” She grabbed a lace scarf from the armoire and wrapped it around her shoulders. Giggling, Maddy snatched the scarf from her as she walked from the room. She crowded Lanie into the hallway so she couldn’t go back and lock herself in. “They have popped about all they are going to pop. Don’t you worry none. That corset will do exactly what it was made for. It’ll hold you up, right and tight.” Daniel’s reaction to Lanie when he first laid eyes on her was to drop his gloves. Smiling, Lanie had to admit, that it was a very good reaction. “You look beautiful today, Miss Caroline.” He bowed over her hand, then stood and offered his arm. “Mother should be down shortly. Would you care to wait in the parlor?” She loved the way his eyes devoured her. The way they seemed to glow every time he looked her way. How many times had she wished a man would look at her like that? Taking his arm, she let him lead her to the parlor. She really needed to sit down for a minute. The corset made it extremely difficult to breathe. Lanie colored slightly when she noticed he was still staring. 126
Tianna Xander “Thank you for the compliment, Daniel. You look very good yourself.” Lanie wanted to crawl and cower under the sofa. What was she supposed to say? She didn’t have to worry long. Elisabeth arrived and saved Lanie from making a fool of herself. The ride into town was a long and dusty one. The sun beat down on the carriage causing it to heat up like a sauna. They couldn’t open the drapes at the windows because the dust would cover and choke them. The heat was stifling and Lanie began to feel faint. She wanted nothing more than to sit forward, present her back to someone and beg them to loosen her stays. She smelled Charleston before she saw it. The rank smell of human waste and rotting refuse was horrible. She really hadn’t given much thought to what the people had done with their waste. Until today, she hadn’t cared. One thing was certain, she never would have thought they threw it into the alleys and gutters to rot. The urge to vomit was fast approaching. No wonder they had epidemics that had nearly killed off entire towns. They lived in filth. Daniel must have seen her turning green. Soon, he held a snow-white handkerchief to her face and she stiffened. “There now, cover your nose and mouth with 127
Time Temptress this. It will soon pass. When we get to a better area, the odor will not seem so bad.” He didn’t add that she would also become somewhat used to it. Later, the sway of the carriage slowed and they pulled in front of a three-story building on Church Street. The plaque to the left of the door read Madame Parre’ Couturier. Daniel handed them out of the carriage and walked them to the door. “Have a good afternoon, ladies. I shall see you at the hotel for luncheon.” Opening the door, he ushered them inside. Lanie wasn’t sure what she had expected, maybe a few racks with dresses hanging from them. In place of the racks she expected, were headless mannequins. In place of the ready-made dresses, were bolts of fabric and rolls of colorful ribbon. Pattern books were neatly placed on the tables, the chairs sitting empty surrounding them like quiet sentinels. She turned to Elisabeth, glad to have her expertise. She had no idea what to do next. “Can I help you, ladies?” a small woman with shining black hair and a thick French accent asked. She looked back and forth between them. Elisabeth, bless her, took charge at that point. Stepping forward, she hugged the woman and kissed her cheeks. “Noelle, it is so good to see you.” She turned 128
Tianna Xander toward Lanie. “This is the stepdaughter of my cousin in Virginia. She was set-upon by thieves on her way to us for a visit. She is in dire need of a wardrobe. We need to dress her right down to the skin.” Noelle looked aghast. “Oh, you poor dear. Not to worry.” She lifted her nose in the air. “Noelle Parre’ shall dress you like royalty.” The next two hours were filled with pattern books and swatches of material passing before their eyes. Elisabeth made the choices. No doubt trying to cover for the fact that Lanie had amnesia. Elisabeth glanced at the watch she kept pinned to her bodice, and her eyes widened. “Oh, my. Look at the time. It’s nearly two o’clock.” Elisabeth turned to Lanie. “You look ready to swoon my dear, what’s wrong?” she covered Lanie’s hand with her own. “I think I’m just tired.” Lanie tried not to pant. Between the lack of air from the stinking corset squeezing her to death and the dizzying array of clothing they had chosen, fitted, discarded, and fawned over, Lanie felt nearly ready to faint. “Just a few more things, no?” No. Noelle ran into the back room and returned carrying two ball gowns, one of sapphire blue, the other a deep emerald. “These I finished to place on the dress models. 129
Time Temptress She nodded toward the mannequins. “But you have such a perfectly tiny waist. These are just your size.” Lanie rolled her eyes at that. She’d really stuck her foot in it this time. She was stuck with the cinched up corset now. What in the world had she been thinking? If she were a man, she would say she was thinking with the wrong head. Her only thought when she allowed Maddy to tighten the corset earlier was about how Daniel would react. The carriage and footmen were waiting outside when they finally emerged from the shop. The footmen, seeing their arms full of packages, ran to relieve them of their burdens. Lanie had been shocked to find out how long it would take to make the clothing with all of the fittings and measurements. Most of the packages contained under clothing ordered by a poor young lady misfortunate enough to have died in childbirth and the few ready-made dresses Noelle had available. Lanie climbed into the carriage and hoped it wouldn’t take too long to get to the hotel. The heat was oppressive and she didn’t know how much more she could take before she fell over. When they reached the hotel, the staff led them into a small private dining room. Lanie walked into the room and eyed the hand woven rugs and the landscapes on the walls. She inhaled deeply, 130
Tianna Xander the slight smell of roasting meat made her stomach growl. Reaching out, she caressed the wood on the needlepoint sofa before she turned to see Daniel stride into the room. He nodded to them both. “I hope you ladies don’t mind, but I have taken the liberty of ordering for you. It should arrive at any time now.” He crossed to the silver service and poured himself a brandy from one of the decanters there. “Would you care for some sherry, or would you prefer to wait for tea?” He glanced at Lanie, one eyebrow raised. “I’ll wait for the tea, thank you.” Lanie’s stomach rebelled at the thought of drinking any type of alcohol. Elisabeth checked the watch she always wore and raised her brows. “It’s still a bit early for spirits, isn’t it, Daniel?” He flushed, set his glass down and replaced the stopper on the brandy. “Now that you mention it, Mother, I suppose it is.” Lanie nearly gaped at the amount of silver placed on the table. She hadn’t worried about utensils before. Their informal dinners had included dinner and salad forks, tea and soupspoons, and knives. She looked down at the five forks in front of her and wanted to cry. Which fork should she use first, and why was there so many spoons? 131
Time Temptress Their luncheon hadn’t been as elaborate as the silver had suggested. It contained just four courses. Lanie solved the silver problem by talking a bit and exclaiming over each dish. She waited for one of her hosts to take the lead. If they noticed the tardiness of her movements, they were too polite to mention it. “Caroline, is there something wrong with your food or is it not to your liking?” Daniel asked, eyeing her with concern. Lanie looked down at the tender portion of roast beef on her plate. “It’s not that. The food is delicious, it’s just this darned cor…” She stopped herself before she could admit that it was her corset that made her pick at her food. Yeah, Lanie. That would be polite conversation. “Yes?” Daniel asked, obviously curious. Lanie did some fast thinking. Picking up her napkin, she fanned herself with it. “It’s the weather, it’s just so warm down here, it’s much cooler up north, this time of year.” Nodding, Daniel agreed. “Yes, I can understand you would be accustomed to much cooler weather.” Elisabeth looked from one to the other, a bemused expression on her face. Lanie had the suspicion that the other woman knew exactly what was the matter. They left the hotel together before Daniel left to 132
Tianna Xander check in with some of his business contacts. Elisabeth took her to the milliner’s shop. The shop was strange. Hats hung everywhere. Boots and shoes cluttered the counters. Lanie started when a familiar face popped up from behind one of the counters. “You!” she gasped. Elisabeth hurried to her side. “Do you know this man, Caroline? Has your memory returned?” Recovering quickly, Lanie realized she couldn’t very well tell Elisabeth that this man was the spitting image of the man who had sold her an old shoe in the year two thousand and ten. Lanie bowed her head and shook it. “I thought so, for a moment. He seemed so familiar…” She let her sentence trail off, knowing Elisabeth would take pity on her lack of memory and drop the subject. Elisabeth placed a comforting hand on her arm. “Don’t worry, dear. I had a similar reaction when I first met him. He must have a familiar looking face.” She threw the man a stormy look. At Elisabeth’s direction, Lanie sat on one of the small stools and began to try on hats. Trusting in Elisabeth’s good taste she let her choose what was best. “Now for some shoes.” That caught Lanie’s attention. All she could think of was going home and cutting the laces off of the corset. “Not another shop, please,” she 133
Time Temptress muttered to herself. Elisabeth turned to look at her. “Did you say something, dear?” “No.” Lanie sighed. “I was just thinking out loud.” “Do you still dabble in the shoe business, Mr. Colts?” He nodded. “Yes, ma’am. I do, for a few select clients.” “Good. You have another select client. Lanie, here, will need at least one pair of walking shoes, a pair of riding boots and several pairs of dancing slippers in assorted colors. Can you accommodate us or must we take our business to the cobbler?” Elisabeth was glaring at him, almost daring him to turn down the business. “Oh no, Mrs. Hastings. I still make the best ladies’ shoes in the city.” He was quick to assure. Elisabeth smiled. “Fine, Arthur, then I shall tell you which colors we need.” After choosing the riding boots and dancing slippers, Elisabeth turned to Lanie. “Tell Mr. Colts how you would like your walking shoes made. After all, you will be wearing them, my dear, I will leave this up to you. You’ll want them to be comfortable.” Lanie had no idea what to ask for. So she described the shoe she’d purchased in the future. After all, it seemed rather fitting that he would make a pair of shoes like the one she’d purchased 134
Tianna Xander from another Arthur in another time. What was strange, was the fact that he even looked like a younger version of the man she bought the shoe from. “Did you say you wanted a buckle or a bow on the toe?” Mr. Colts asked, scribbling notes on a piece of paper. Lanie shrugged. “Either will do. Just something decorative on the toe, I’ll leave that up to you.” Since she didn’t know what was there in the first place, it didn’t really matter what he put there. “Yes, miss, they should be ready by the end of the month. I can have one pair of dancing slippers ready for you as you requested, by Wednesday next.” She could have sworn he’d winked at her as they turned to go. The two ladies returned to the carriage to find Daniel already inside, reading the paper. He looked up and smiled as the door opened. “Did you ladies find everything you needed?” “Yes, dear. Everything should be finished by the end of the month. Caroline will have to return for fittings, of course.” Elisabeth gave him a tired smile. Lanie didn’t know what to say. She looked at her hands nervously fumbling in her lap. “I don’t know what to say. I don’t know how I can ever repay you for your kindness and generosity.” She 135
Time Temptress looked into his eyes for a moment, then looked away. “I know the clothing your mother ordered for me today is going to be quite expensive. I don’t want to be a burden.” She looked out the window and tried to blink back the tears she could feel falling from her eyes. Tears came so easily these days. “Caroline,” Daniel spoke her name softly. “You are not a burden. You are our welcome guest. Never think that you are not wanted in our home.” He waved his hand. “The cost of your clothing is nothing, means nothing to us.” He looked meaningfully at his mother. “Repayment is unnecessary. You have already given me so much.” What could she say to that? She knew he was referring to Elisabeth acting more like herself since her arrival. “Thank you,” Lanie said, her eyes growing heavy. The excitement of the day was finally taking its toll on her as the constant sway of the carriage lulled her to sleep. Lanie was jarred awake when they stopped abruptly. Blinking the sleep from her eyes, she looked around confused. Daniel had risen and was stepping from the carriage. He turned and helped Elisabeth down. He returned to help Lanie as well. Daniel took her by the waist, lifted her down and set her gently on 136
Tianna Xander her feet. She took the arm he offered and they followed his mother into the house. “I’m sorry if this trip tired you out, my dear. If you would like to take a tray in your room we will understand.” Elisabeth looked Lanie in the eye and winked. “But first, I would suggest that we both change into something just a little more comfortable and a lot less dusty before supper.” If Lanie had been able to race up the stairs, she would have—anything to get out of the damnably tight corset. Instead, she took Daniel’s arm and let him lead her out into the garden. It was fast becoming one of her favorite places and he her favorite companion. She closed her eyes and hoped he planned to kiss her again. She looked up at him, a small part of her still amazed that he was so much taller. She knew from research that most men weren’t much over five-eight during this time. “I brought you out here because I wanted to speak privately with you.” Daniel cleared his throat. He didn’t appear comfortable with what he was about to say. It would have been a lie if she said the look didn’t give her a degree of trepidation. “I have been thinking that when we attend Jack’s party, you will have an opportunity to discover about your past.” He turned and paced away from her, his hands held behind his back. 137
Time Temptress “There may be someone there who knows you.” I doubt it. “It was at least a part of the reason for asking you to accompany us.” He turned to pace away again and missed Lanie’s stricken look. She wanted to sit down, but instead, reached out and steadied herself with the trunk of a nearby magnolia. Now she knew why he had been willing to provide the clothing he so generously purchased for her. He wanted to drag her around town, trying to find her family so he could be rid of her. Lanie swallowed around the lump in her throat and tried not to let the hurt show. “So you wish for me to find my family.” She nodded. “Makes sense.” She turned from him, hoping he wouldn’t see her tears, she knew they weren’t far off. She had no right to ask for more. He had opened his home to her, fed her, clothed her. She had no reason to resent his decision. Intellectually, she knew that, but it didn’t stop her heart from shattering into a million pieces. Lanie choked on a laugh. And she’d been hoping he was going to kiss her again. **** Daniel looked on bewildered. Lanie suddenly seemed distant, unreachable, as if she had slammed a door in his face. He cleared his throat. 138
Tianna Xander “I know I am saying this badly. I can tell by your reaction.” He raked long fingers through his dark hair. “I certainly hope you don’t think I have done this because I want you to leave. I would like nothing better than for you to stay with us. You have quickly become a part of our family. My mother adores you. She has made much progress since your arrival. I have only you to thank for that.” He paced in front of her. “I meant it when I said you would be welcome for the rest of your days. I just want to help you find your past. You must wonder whether or not you have a family, a husband…children.” “I thought maybe you just wanted to get rid of me.” “Never,” he replied earnestly. “I would never do such a thing.” Hell, if he knew she wasn’t married, he would fall to his knees this instant and ask for her hand. He couldn’t get the thought of her in his bed out of his mind. Daniel wanted nothing more than to have her near him for the rest of their days. He wanted the right to kiss her, to take her in his arms, to sink himself into her warmth night after night. Lanie smiled brightly, unshed tears shining like jewels on her lashes. “Thank you, Daniel. I think I would like to stay here.” Daniel released a breath he didn’t know he’d 139
Time Temptress been holding. He was glad to know she liked his home. He only wished there were a way around finding her family. He didn’t want to lose her. As a matter of fact, he felt much like he would rather fight everything, and everyone, in heaven and hell to keep her near him.
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Chapter Eleven woke with a smile. Her talk with Daniel Lanie the night before had left her secure in the
knowledge that he did indeed want her here. She came to realize it was a matter of honor for him to do his best to find her family. She wouldn’t ask him to abandon his honor, especially for something that no longer existed. “I wish I could tell him I have no family,” she whispered as she entered the breakfast room. But the die had been cast and she had to stick to her story. “Good morning.” She returned Elisabeth’s smile. “Good morning. How are you today?” Elisabeth eyed her speculatively. “Wonderful, just wonderful.” The older woman smoothed back her hair, took a sip of her tea and gave Lanie a satisfied smile. She indicated a chair. “Are you going to join me for breakfast, or are you leaving as well?” “Leaving?” 141
Time Temptress “Didn’t you know? Daniel has business to attend to in the field. He had an early breakfast and is talking with the foreman.” “Oh, I didn’t know.” Lanie pasted on a smile. “I would love to join you for breakfast.” After breakfast, Lanie decided to take a walk. Elisabeth had excused herself, pleading a headache. Lanie stepped outside, hoping to find someone who could tell her where Daniel was, but stiffened when she heard a bloodcurdling scream. It was a child’s scream. She ran as fast as her feet would carry her. It was coming from the barn. Whoever it was, was in horrible pain. A child had most likely wandered into the barn and gotten hurt. The screams stopped before she entered. It was mostly quiet, and dark. “Try and keep him quiet will you?” someone whispered. “The whole county likely heard that last bellow.” The voices were muffled, coming from one of the stalls. Lanie peeked over the wall and saw the most horrifying sight she’d ever seen. Lying on his stomach in a pile of hay, was a boy not more than twelve or thirteen years old with bloody welts covering his back. Holding her hand over her mouth, Lanie backed away from the scene. Daniel 142
Tianna Xander had been holding him down while someone else did more horrendous things to his back. She didn’t feel the tears sliding down her face. She found it almost impossible to summon the strength to bend over before she began to retch in the hay at her feet. How had she fallen in love with such a monster? A hand reached around her, pulling her hair back from her face. She kept picturing the poor tortured boy and the retching continued. Finally, when there was nothing left of her breakfast and the unproductive heaves subsided to hiccups, someone placed a cool damp cloth in her hand. She took it blindly, trying to wash away the memory of what she’d just seen. Lanie cried, rocking back and forth in the hay. Gently, someone removed the cloth from her hands and wiped her face and the back of her neck. The coolness brought her back to her senses and she looked up. “Thank—” She hadn’t been prepared to meet Daniel’s eyes. The compassion she saw reflected in those changing blue eyes sickened her. Where was this compassion when he had been beating that child? Lanie jerked free of his embrace. Standing on weak legs, she faced him, not knowing how to tell him the very existence of someone who could do something like that sickened her. “How could you?” she accused. 143
Time Temptress He reached out to take her arm to help guide her out of the barn. She was still weak and swaying. She jerked away. “Don’t touch me! Don’t ever touch me again.” She backed toward the door. You-you’re a monster!” Clutching her skirt with both hands, Lanie ran as fast as she could, out of the barn. She didn’t want to go back to the house. She couldn’t go back. Not now. She blindly ran toward the garden, instinctively knowing she could find comfort there. Lanie found a patch of grass under a tree and collapsed onto it. She buried her face in her arms and sobbed. There was no way to return home and no way to make a life here. She had nowhere to go. Yet, in her heart, she knew she could no longer stay here. Daniel may forgive her for calling him a monster, but Lanie could never forgive him for being one. Even knowing what he was, when she felt his strong arms surround her, she turned to him and sobbed onto his shoulder. She let him stroke her back, soothing her until nothing remained of the sobs but short hiccups. “When I realized how badly you hated what you saw, it didn’t take long to decide to tell you what I have been doing.” He continued to rub her back softly. “I have convinced the others that you will not tell anyone. You seem as abhorrent to 144
Tianna Xander slavery as my mother has always been.” He grasped Lanie by the upper arms, held her away from him and looked into her eyes. Lanie wouldn’t, couldn’t, bring herself to look up at him. “It’s not what it seems, Lanie.” She laughed, near hysterics. “Not what it seems?” she asked derisively. “What it seemed, Daniel, was that you were cleaning wounds inflicted by a whip! Has that boy been whipped?” Daniel nodded. “Yes, Lanie, he was whipped, nearly to death, does that information help you?” Lanie sighed and nodded. “It helps me realize what a monster you really are. How could you?” She looked around desperately. “How could I have fallen…” …so in love with a monster? **** Daniel inhaled sharply. Could she have meant what he thought? Could it be possible that she had fallen in love with him in the few short weeks they had know each other? Was it even possible? Daniel searched his heart and had the answer. Yes, it was possible. He stood, extending his hand, hoping she would take it. He needed to show her something and was shocked that she placed her hand in his. Although Lanie still wouldn’t meet his eyes, he hoped that she would at least listen. 145
Time Temptress Daniel decided to take her to see the plantation, to see he was no ogre. He tried not to let it anger him that she would condemn him so quickly. He couldn’t free all of the slaves everywhere, but if she knew what he was trying to do here, maybe she would understand that not every southerner was cruel. “I would like to show you something.” Taking her hand, he decided to start with the kitchen. When they entered the kitchen, the women smiled, genuine smiles that showed her they were happy to see him, not frightened. “Caroline, I would like you to meet Cook, Beth, Mary and Emma.” Daniel gestured to each of them in turn. The women all bobbed curtsies her way. Lanie smiled and shared pleasantries with them for a few minutes. The kitchen was the first stop of many. The stables were next. The boy was gone and the bloody hay had been removed from the stall. After that, they rode into the fields, and finally the warehouses, where they kept what little machinery the plantation used. “What is this?” “It’s the cotton gin,” he explained. “The cotton is placed here, when this handle is turned, the combs free the cotton of its seeds and we remove the cleaned cotton from the combs.” He pulled her back outside. “Do you see that plot of cleared land 146
Tianna Xander there?” He pointed to a bare field to their left. Lanie shaded her eyes, squinting. “Yes. I see it.” ““That is where I plan to build my foundry, as soon as I can find skilled men to run it.” After they left the last warehouse, they rode back to the house in silence, each of them lost in their own thoughts. Daniel turned toward her as they approached the house. He reined in, bringing the buggy to a stop. “I should have realized I could tell you sooner. You are a northerner after all.” He looked toward the horizon, closed his eyes for a moment and tried to find the right words. “Tell me what?” He gave her an unreadable look and turned the buggy around. They slowly made their way to a small shack that stood away from the others. It was rundown and neglected and looked like no one lived there. Daniel stopped in front of the rickety looking structure. “What are we doing here?” Lanie looked around. The shack was set far from the others. “I first started doing this after my father passed. It was something he set in motion and they came to me after his death.” Lanie shot him a confused look, then returned her attention to climbing out of the buggy. “Who came to you after your father’s death?” Daniel released her hand and walked to the 147
Time Temptress door of the shack. “The slaves have a code for warning escaped slaves while they are running. They use carefully worded songs, phrases and even quilt patterns to warn of danger.” He opened the door and walked inside, beckoning her to follow. It was dim inside and warm with all of the windows blocked. There was a small movement on the cot in the corner against the far wall. Daniel whispered. “Don’t fret, George, it’s just me.” “Did you get things set right with your lady friend, Master Daniel?” The figure on the bed shifted and groaned. “Not yet, George, I was hoping you could help me with that.” He stirred again. “I would if I could, Master Daniel, I sure don’t want you having troubles on my account.” Daniel stepped up to the cot and put a staying hand on the boy’s arm. “There’s no need to get up. I just need you to tell us what happened to you.” “Well, we were down to the river, washing the dirt off of us.” He chuckled a bit, then groaned. “It’s a mite easier than carrying the water to the house and my ma, she likes us clean.” He laughed a bit and moaned when the action caused him pain. “Ma told us to run down to the river and wash the stink off of us.” He paused to rest a 148
Tianna Xander while before he continued. “The master’s boy, Ervin, climbs the tree right next to the water. He falls in wearing his good clothes and his daddy wants to know what happened to them.” He shook his head. “You know that boy ain’t gonna take the blame himself. He done told his daddy that Cordy and me threw him in the water.” He gave Daniel a wide-eyed look. “We didn’t throw him in the water, Master Daniel, the scamp done fell into the river out of that tree.” The boy started to rise again. Daniel helped him up. If George wanted to sit, he may as well help him before he hurt himself further. “Don’t hurt yourself now, George. Just tell the story the way it happened.” George continued. “Master Harold done beat the life out of Cordy, he said he wanted to save me for another day. His arm was paining him so he stopped beating me and sent me into the box.” At Lanie’s obvious confusion, Daniel explained. “The box is a small place, usually outside, where some slave owners lock their misbehaving slaves. Had George not been released and found his way here, the filth alone in that disgusting place would have killed him, slowly.” Gesturing toward George, he asked, “Do you think you can continue?” The boy nodded. “Round about midnight, somebody opened the box. I crawled out and 149
Time Temptress headed here. You know the rest. You all cleaned me up and give me this nice place to sleep.” “Nice place to sleep?” Lanie looked at him, wide eyed. “This,” she said, holding her arms out and turning in a circle, “is a nice place to sleep?” Daniel turned to look into Lanie’s eyes. “George, would you please tell Miss Caroline why you came here?” “Master Daniel?” he asked, looking confused. “I know what you’ve been told, George. I want you to tell her, it’s perfectly fine.” He relented. “If that’s what you want, Master Daniel. I hope I’m not digging you your grave,” he said, shaking his head. He looked at Lanie, his dark brown eyes, cloudy with pain. “I came here when I ran away, cause every slave around these parts knows Master Daniel will help them. Free or not.” He puffed himself up, like he felt important that he was giving her such deadly information. Daniel turned at Lanie’s sharply indrawn breath. “Now, Caroline, my life is in your hands.”
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Chapter Twelve flew across the room and into his arms. Lanie “I’m so glad you’re not—” She pulled back,
obviously embarrassed. “Ssh.” He put his finger to her lips. “You know this information could put you in danger, don’t you? I didn’t want to tell you for fear of your safety.” He grimaced. “But I couldn’t stand the thought of you thinking the worst. You may come to resent me for placing your life in such danger.” He bowed his head, inhaling the wonderful scent that was uniquely Lanie. “It was my selfishness that has put you in danger and nothing else, can you forgive me?” Lanie pulled from his embrace and searched his eyes. “Can you ever forgive me for thinking the worst of you?” Daniel smiled softly, reveling in the sensation of her warm body pressed so intimately against his. “Of course I can.” He breathed in her lovely scent and pulled her closer. 151
Time Temptress “I don’t think that I would lo—” Lanie bit her lip and lowered her head. She searched for something to say. “I don’t know what I would have done if you had tolerated slavery, when I abhor it.” He paced away from her. “Most of the people who work here are free, though some of them are still working off the cost of their purchase at the market.” He gave her a lopsided grin. “I can’t afford to free them all, no matter how much I would like to.” Daniel tilted her head back and looked into her eyes. “I dislike slavery as much or more than you. Yet I have lived here my entire life, wanting to make a difference.” He shook his head. “If only my father had told me what he was doing.” “Perhaps he wanted to protect you. You weren’t in any danger if you didn’t know what he was doing.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “I suppose you are right. I just wish—” Lanie placed her hand on his arm. “We all wish our parents would see us as adults. They refuse to acknowledge we have grown into our own lives, into our own consciences. They fail to realize the same protection they bestowed on us as children hurts us as adults.” She shrugged. “They just can’t stop protecting us.” Daniel inhaled deeply. “I believe your 152
Tianna Xander assumption is correct.” He walked to the bed. George had fallen asleep, sitting up. The pained expression on his face was heartrending attesting to the deep lacerations Lanie knew crisscrossed his back and legs. Lanie put her hand to her mouth. Tears rolled down her face at the atrocities his people were forced to endure. She was glad she knew that at least his descendants would have their freedom and would be respected citizens of their communities. She watched as Daniel gently laid the boy down and covered him with a blanket. He turned and offered his arm. She took it, tucking her fingers into the crook of his elbow. He led her through the door and helped her up onto the buggy. She didn’t know what to say. Having already apologized, she still felt as though she should make amends. Lanie watched him from the corner of her eye as he lifted the reins and turned the buggy back toward the house. His strong hands held the reins tightly as they made the turn. The muscles in his arms bunching and flexing under the jacket he wore. His shirt opened at the neck, his tanned neck begged to be kissed. Lanie closed her eyes, almost groaning with frustration. Never in her life had she wanted a man so badly. She watched as perspiration ran from his temple, over his cheek, and down 153
Time Temptress beneath the collar of his white shirt. She licked her lips with anticipation. How she wanted to follow that little bead down the length of his body to his— “…log.” Surprised, Lanie looked up into Daniel’s eyes. A flush climbed up her neck. What had he said about a log? Did he know what she’d been thinking? “Excuse me?” She wasn’t sure, but she thought she actually squeaked. Daniel put his hand on hers and frowned. “Are you feeling well? You look a bit flushed.” Lanie nodded. “Yes. Yes, I’m fine. What were you saying?” She avoided his gaze. “The ride may get a bit bumpy, I have to drive off of the road to go around this fallen log.” Lanie looked in front of them and almost laughed with relief. “Oh. Well, I’ll hold on.” Daniel held the reins in his left hand, wrapped his right arm around Lanie’s waist and took the reins in both hands again. He looked down at her, his gaze unreadable. “I will feel more comfortable, if I know you are secure.” He slapped the reins. The buggy jerked as the horse jumped and began to pull them around the tree. Lanie’s side slammed into Daniel. She automatically reached out and grabbed his thigh, needing the comfort of a good handhold. His thigh tightened beneath her fingers and Lanie shot 154
Tianna Xander a glance up at him. He’d closed his eyes for a moment, his teeth clenched. Lanie looked down and noticed the evidence of his arousal less than three inches from her hand. She licked suddenly dry lips. If she moved her hand just a bit… She squeezed her eyes shut. When had she become such a slut? Not once in her twenty-eight years had she ever been tempted to have sex, before now. Now, it was all she could do to keep her hands off this man, and she barely knew him! She pulled her hand back as they regained the road and the ride smoothed out. Daniel failed to release her. His strong arm pinned her to his side. Part of her wanted to push free of his embrace, the other more brazen part, wanted to revel in it— to laugh gaily and reach out to grab some very interesting parts of his anatomy. She closed her eyes. Thank God for what little bit of modesty remained in her. The shameless hussy in her was asking, no, demanding she take the pleasure she knew only he could give her. Daniel slowly released her, finally, let her sit on her own side of the buggy. He nodded into the distance. “We will be able to see Belle Isle again soon, and of course, they will soon see us.” He looked at her meaningfully. Lanie nodded. She took a deep breath. Had she 155
Time Temptress breathed at all while he’d been holding her? Probably not, maybe that was why she had nearly ripped the clothes off of the poor man. Oxygen deprivation, yes, that was it. Lanie sighed and smiled slightly, now that she figured out why she’d acted so strangely. She peeked at Daniel and he smiled. She felt her face heat up. He knew she’d been peeking. How embarrassing! She racked her brain for something to say. “Isn’t this a beautiful day?” He chuckled. “Yes, it is a beautiful day. Wonderful in fact.” He drew the horse up in full view of the house. “There is something that I have been wanting to do all day,” he said, swiftly drawing her into his arms. His mouth swooped down toward her quickly. Lanie had no warning. One minute she was sitting calmly on her side of the buggy, the next she was pulled tightly against Daniel, her hairpins flying in every direction as Daniel combed her hair with his fingers, his hand reaching lower to cup her breast in his hand. She was unprepared, and even if she had been ready for this onslaught, couldn’t say whether or not she would have fought it. The sensations he roused in her were addicting. He pulled back and smiled. “Now, Miss Lanie, you have been thoroughly compromised.” Lanie gulped in a breath. “What?” 156
Tianna Xander Daniel looked pointedly toward the house. There, on the porch stood his mother and three other people she didn’t recognize. “My mother and her gaggle of friends.” Daniel informed her gaily. “It will be all over Charleston before morning that you and I were seen in a compromising position in this buggy after returning from a long ride…alone.” Lanie sucked her lip between her teeth, it was swollen from his kisses and tasted like him. What should she do…what could she do? He must have noticed her indecision. He cupped her face in his hands. “I will have you for my own, Lanie.” He searched her eyes for a moment. “You see, a wife cannot testify against her husband.” She looked away and blinked back the tears that came to her eyes. She refused to let him see how much that statement hurt. The only reason he did that was to protect himself? If he truly cared about her, he wouldn’t have put her into a position that would shame her like this. She gathered her emotions and wits about her, then turned to face him. She smiled sweetly. “I wouldn’t marry you if you were the last man on earth,” she announced through her gritted teeth, just before her right hand flew to his cheek. Lanie turned her back to him the best she could in the close confines of the buggy. 157
Time Temptress Daniel steered the horses up the drive as they watched the old women tittering. Lanie stumbled off the carriage as he reined the horse in. She flounced up the stairs and toward the front door. She didn’t think she had it in her to make a grand exit up the stairs, so she turned, stuck her nose in the air and announced, “I am going to take a stroll in the garden.” She looked pointedly at Elisabeth. “Is there some way to assure that I won’t be bothered by any vermin out there?” Elisabeth snickered and covered her mouth with her hand. “I don’t think any,” she said, giving Daniel a look that would freeze oil, “vermin will bother you, my dear. Run along and enjoy your walk.” Lanie disappeared through the tall glass doors into the haven she needed to sooth her nerves. **** Daniel leaned down to give Elisabeth a kiss on the cheek. “What do you think you were doing?” she hissed. “I was assuring the lady would marry me, Mother. Now she has no choice.” He straightened. “What if she wanted the choice, you dolt?” she asked, waggling a finger in his face. “What if she’d already made the choice, and now, with your 158
Tianna Xander heavy handed tactics you’ve driven her away?” That gave him pause. He gave his mother a look, which clearly stated he hadn’t thought of that. Elisabeth laughed. She put her hand on her hips, then turned to her friends. “Ladies, if you met a man who totally swept you off of your feet from the first moment, would you dream of him proposing to you on bent knee or compromising you and giving you no choice?” The three ladies answered in unison. “Why, on bent knee, of course.” His mother turned toward him and shook her head. “I thought you had more sense than that, Daniel. You are your father’s son after all.” She grabbed his arm as he started past her. “Let me go try to patch things up for you.” She shook her head. “Sometimes men can be such idiots.” She turned to her friends. “If you will excuse me, ladies?” She glanced at Daniel. “Take them home please, dear. This could take a while.” Elisabeth sat in the garden near the house and waited for Lanie to return. She began to hum, then to sing while she waited. It was a long while before Lanie decided to return to the house. **** 159
Time Temptress Lanie rounded the corner of the garden. She stood near the hedge, which separated the garden from the rest of the lawn. The hedge wound its way around the garden attached to the house. She practically skidded to a stop when she saw Daniel’s mother seated on the bench just outside of the door. She bit her lip. Did she want to talk with her or should she avoid her and wait for her to leave? Lanie sighed. She waited for a minute before she started to walk toward her. She was singing. The closer Lanie got the more the words and tune seemed familiar to her. “…Come aboard, we’re expecting you. The Love Boat, soon will be dah dah dah dum de dum…” Lanie gaped. She was singing the theme for The Love Boat? Elisabeth watched Lanie and smiled. She scooted over on the bench and patted the stone seat. Lanie sat down next to her. “How do you…where did you come from?” Lanie stuttered. She was almost unable to comprehend that Daniel’s mother knew that song. Elisabeth laughed and took Lanie’s hand in hers. “I think in this situation, the more appropriate question would be, when did I come from, don’t you think?” She raised her brow slightly. “I was beginning to wonder if my hunch 160
Tianna Xander about you was incorrect. You took so long to approach me.” She smoothed her skirt and grinned at Lanie. “I do have to admit a small bit of apprehension of my own. After all, the only other person who knows is my husband.” A flash of pain showed on her face. It was obviously painful for her to talk about him. Elisabeth cast her eyes down toward the white flowers that crept along the walkway. “Excuse me?” Elisabeth raised her head. Lanie was struck by her startling blue eyes, Daniel’s eyes. Now it all made sense! Her precognitive abilities, everything. Of course she would know the future. Like what side of a war to be on or which investments would be fruitful. She was from the future. The older woman leaned down, picked some flowers and began braiding them in her lap. Lanie forced her mind back to the woman by her side. “How did you get here?” Daniel’s mother sighed. “I wish I knew. If I did, I would have made it so Alex couldn’t have gone.” She stopped braiding for a moment. “Maybe not,” she shrugged. “If he hadn’t gone to the future, he would surely have died in that fire.” Lanie put her hand on Elisabeth’s arm. “I’m so sorry, but you have to come to terms with the fact that…” 161
Time Temptress “Alex is not dead!” She spat the words vehemently. “Even you won’t believe me?” She stood and paced the walkway, the flowers scattering as they fell from her skirt. Lanie searched her eyes. Elisabeth truly believed her husband was still alive. Who was she to say he wasn’t? “He has my locket. I gave it to him that very morning. The clasp had broken. I asked him to look at it to see if he could fix it.” She turned and looked directly into Lanie’s eyes. “I think it’s my locket.” She cast her eyes downward, ashamed. “I stole it, you know, before I came to be here. I entered an antique store and took it. It was so beautiful and I had nothing.” She bent and began to pick up the flowers. “I opened it that night in the old barn I was hiding in. When I woke the next morning, I was here.” She smiled sadly. “Alex took me in. Would you believe I was only fourteen years old?” Lanie’s eyes widened. “You’ve been here that long?” She nodded. “And I’ve loved every minute of it. Alex was so caring. So honorable. He took me in and refused to let me leave. He would have, of course, had I had another place to go. But I didn’t and he knew it.” Leaning forward, Lanie rested her head in her hands. “This can’t be happening. I can’t be stuck 162
Tianna Xander in the past.” “It’s funny how life can throw things at you that can change your whole view on life, isn’t it?” Lanie nodded. “It is a staggering thought. It could change your whole perspective of the Universe.” Elisabeth watched Lanie carefully. “What year were you born?” Now that was a question Lanie hadn’t expected. “Nineteen eighty-two, I’m twenty-eight years old.” “Well then, that makes you twelve years older than me then.” Elisabeth smirked. “I was born in ninety-three.” “You’re only fourteen years old?” Lanie jumped from her seat and began to pace. “Yes I suppose I would be if this were the year two thousand and ten. But since I was sent back in the year two thousand and seven, and I have been here forty years, it would make me fifty-four now, wouldn’t it?” Lanie was losing her mind. She had to be. None of this was real. None of it. She was at home, lying on the floor of her bedroom, bleeding to death and having a bizarre nightmare. A nervous giggle escaped her. “I don’t believe I’m actually twelve years older than you.” Elisabeth laughed gaily. “Yes, weird isn’t it? And I can finally talk to someone about it.” 163
Time Temptress Smiling wistfully, she reminisced. “I told Daniel’s father about it of course. He was shocked, understandably so. He thought I’d been hit on the head a few too many times, I’m sure. And I must say I was a bit wild, a real hellion.” She chuckled. “In the end, he did believe me, or at least he believed I believed it. He should have known, just from my knowledge of the future. But the men of this time need to be in control, and they lose something of themselves if you don’t allow them to have it.” “What about Daniel and Arabella? Surely you could have told them.” She nodded. “Of course, I could have, but what if they decided to share my secret?” She shook her head. “It was just too risky.” “Daniel is used to my weirdness, so he shouldn’t be too put off by yours. You know he is most likely the only man in this century you could make a life with. He’s as modern a man as I could have made him in these times.” She considered Lanie for a moment with her twinkling eyes. “You are attracted to him are you not?” Lanie nodded. “Yes I am, but there are so many things, you don’t know what it’s…” “Like?” Elisabeth asked. “Of course I know what it’s like. I have gone through it already. Alone, I might add.” She tilted her head back and 164
Tianna Xander closed her eyes thoughtfully. “There is nothing in that world I left that could remotely compare to the life I have led here with my Alex.” She sighed wistfully. “There is not one piece of technology, food, fast or otherwise, that could make up for the happy years I have spent here with him.” Tears glistened in her eyes. “Daniel looks just like him you know. He is a daily reminder of my love and loss. How I miss him.” Her voice cracked. “He should be here to see his son, he would be so proud.” Lanie looked on with sadness, not knowing what to do. Elisabeth had given her a lot to think about. A life with Daniel or an empty life devoid of the emotion Daniel so easily brought out in her. “If you’ll excuse me, Elisabeth, I really need to think.” **** Elisabeth waved her hand. “Of course, dear. You go and think things through. I have some things of my own to take care of.”Elisabeth watched as Lanie stood and walked away. “Hmm…I think my work here is done,” she whispered, as she smiled and brushed her hands together.
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Chapter Thirteen chewed on her lip. Lost in thought, she Lanie nearly walked into Daniel on her way back to
the house. He held her upper arms in a firm grip, helping her steady herself. “I’m afraid I must apologize for acting so highhanded.” He looked contrite. “My only excuse is, I have come to care for you during your stay and I wish to keep you with me.” At least the concern written on his face was real. He may not love her, but he did care for her. It was more than most women in this time had. Heck, if she was being honest, it was more than she had in her own time. She chewed her lip nervously. “I was concerned about something, a decision I felt I must make.” Lanie turned and paced slowly away. She threw her arms out to her sides, tilted her head back, basking in the waning sunlight. Her eyes were closed, a slight smile on her face. Lanie slowly opened her eyes, her entire line of 166
Tianna Xander vision filled with Daniel and his hungry gaze. The passionate look was unmistakable. He slowly moved closer. Placing his hands on her shoulders, Daniel slowly lowered his head. Lanie knew he was giving her a choice. One she almost felt forced to make. She lowered her gaze to his lips, trying to avoid his eyes and the mesmerizing stare as he watched her. She licked her lips and almost didn’t see the fire light his gaze. Her heart pounded beneath her heaving breasts. He wanted her to choose to stay here with him. Her mind raced. Could she do it? Could she make such a choice? She inhaled deeply, knowing if she were to remain here, at least she would have Daniel. That would have to be enough. As she leaned into Daniel’s embrace, she made her choice, and in her heart, knew it was the right one. Daniel’s lips brushed hers softly. He suckled gently on her lower lip, begging entrance to the heated interior of her mouth. Lanie sighed softly. Where, in her world, would she have ever found a man like him? He was honorable, trustworthy and proper. A bit too proper perhaps, but she was confident she could loosen him up a bit. He rested his hands on her waist, too prim and proper to draw her fully into his arms. It was what Lanie wanted, what she needed. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer. She 167
Time Temptress reveled in the feel of his strong arms closing around her as he pressed her more intimately against him. The evidence of his arousal pressed against her pelvic bone and she almost groaned. She loved the feel of his hungry mouth moving down her neck to the swell of her breasts. Before, she’d been so sure she was showing too much, now she was afraid there was too little of her exposed for his kisses. It didn’t surprise her much to realize that she could leave it all for him, the empty house, social life and bank account. All were meaningless compared to this. She wanted this. She wanted it all. Daniel needed her. Elisabeth needed her, needed to have someone to talk to. He pulled back, still holding her arms he looked into her eyes. “I’m sorry I compromised you.” He released her and turned, running a hand through his hair. “I couldn’t think of any other way to make sure you would marry me. And I so want you to marry me.” He gave her a lopsided grin. “Mother suggested I should have approached you a little more formally.” At Lanie’s confused look, Daniel lowered himself to one knee in front of her and took her hands in his. “Caroline, would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?” Lanie tried to blink back her tears. Instead, they 168
Tianna Xander fell freely down her face. She nodded and gave him a wobbly smile. “Yes, Daniel. I would love to be your wife,” she said, ignoring her conscience. It was almost as though the little figure sat on her shoulder and whispered that she may not be able to stay here. She would find a way to stay. If Elisabeth had managed to stay here for forty years, she would find a way to stay as well. When he stood, the kiss he pressed against her lips did more than seal their bargain. It sent her up in flames. She wanted nothing more than to stay here in the garden with him and seal the bargain they just struck. Leading her to a nearby bench, he pressed her down onto the seat and lowered himself over her. Finally! It felt as though she’d been waiting for him to do something like this forever. When Daniel’s shaking hands pulled the bodice of her gown down to expose her under clothing, Lanie almost screamed with frustration. There were too many things between them. The clothing of this time made it difficult to do much more than kiss without completely disrobing. “I must taste you.” The sound of Daniel’s voice was so out of control, it drove her to a fevered pitch. He pulled down on the shift covering her breasts. The corset didn’t hinder his ability to undress her, it merely pushed her breasts up higher, making it easier for 169
Time Temptress him to uncover them. She moaned when the warmth of his mouth covered the hard nub. Thrusting her fingers through his hair, she pulled his head closer, needing the sensation of his tongue rasping against the already hard tip. She tossed her head on the bench, barely feeling the hardness of the stone beneath her. His mouth continued to torment her flesh as he continued to worship her breasts with his lips and tongue. Lanie couldn’t think, she could barely breathe as the scent of grass and roses surrounded them. She should stop this madness before they went too far, before someone caught them, but she couldn’t. “Please,” she gasped as he nipped her nipple, the pleasure-pain causing lightning to shoot straight to her womb. Daniel lifted his head and looked straight into her eyes. “Tell me you love me again.” “I-I love you.” The words came out on another gasp as he hitched her skirt up. His fingers unerringly circled her clit as a wave of pleasure overcame her. “Tell me you want this as much as I do.” His breath came in short gasps. Removing his hand from her sex, he pressed his hips against her, the ridge of his cock scoring her clit with every lunge. “I do, Daniel, but we can’t, we mustn’t do this. Not here, not—“ She sobbed. “Not now. Someone 170
Tianna Xander could…” Another wave of unadulterated pleasure washed over her as her empty pussy clenched and spasmed. “Please, Daniel… Oh. My. God!” Daniel rolled off her, his breath coming in short pants. “I-I’m sorry, Lanie. I never should have…” His voice trailed off as he looked around. “We can’t do this here.” Reaching down, he pulled the bodice of her dress up and stared down at her, his face flushed, his lips still wet from their kiss. Standing, he reached down to pull her to her feet. “Please forgive me, Caroline. I have forgotten myself yet again.” He smoothed his waistcoat and jacket, then brushed bits of grass from his pants. “You deserve better than this. Please forgive me.” Lanie was speechless. The man had just given her the singularly most pleasurable experience of her life and he stood before her, apologizing. She wanted to tell him it was all right. She wanted to reach up and drag his head down to hers, devour his mouth and beg him to make love to her, but knew she couldn’t. He was right. People just didn’t do things like that in this time. Reaching up to check her hair, she nodded. “You’re right, of course.” They had no business making out in the garden, let alone having sex out here, which is what they had come so perilously close to doing. “Your hair looks fine, love.” He winked and held out his arm. “Shall we finish our stroll, then 171
Time Temptress return to the house?” What the hell was she thinking? That was the problem. She wasn’t thinking and neither was he. Anyone could have come upon them as they lay here in the garden with her nipples in his mouth. Warmth flooded her at his grin and she pressed her hands to her suddenly hot cheeks. “Yes. I do believe we’d better.” The time between Daniel’s proposal and Jack’s soiree passed quickly. Lanie’s bruises faded and the stiffness wore off. Elisabeth had enlisted Daniel to teach Lanie how to dance. These times were the highlight of her days. She could think of nothing better, than to spend her afternoons in Daniel’s arms—except, perhaps, spending them in his bed. Elisabeth played the piano as they waltzed around the huge ballroom. Waltzing was the only dance Elisabeth worried about. The reels were still too strenuous for her since her fall. Or at least, that was the story they planned to tell. They had just finished her morning lesson when Daniel took her arm. “Would you care for a walk in the gardens?” Lanie felt herself blush and nodded. “I have been meaning to ask if you would like to go, but we’ve been so busy lately.” He released her and bowed, a playful grin on 172
Tianna Xander his face. “Would you do me the honor of taking a stroll through the garden with me, Miss Lanie?” His voice was deep. His accent flowed over her like warm butter. She loved the sound of his voice. Grinning impishly, Lanie curtsied in response to his bow. “Why I’d be honored, sir,” she replied in her best southern belle drawl and batted her lashes at him. Daniel led her to the stairs. Lanie looked down fearfully. She had never quite gotten over the fear of the stairs since her fall. She didn’t know who pushed her, so she feared the descent every time. She probably would, until they found the person responsible for her fall. Daniel’s grip tightened around her waist. “I have you. You have nothing to fear, my dear.” Lanie shot him a thankful look. “Thank goodness for the southern gentleman,” she mumbled, certain that she would have fallen without his support. The combination of the dance lesson and the tightness of her corset left her a bit breathless as they began to walk down the steps. “Have I told you that you look absolutely breathtaking this afternoon?” How funny that he should use those particular words. He shot her an apologetic look. “I only wish you wouldn’t have had that unfortunate incident 173
Time Temptress last week.” Lanie didn’t know how to reply to such formality. Before things had seemed so normal. Sometimes she could almost forget he didn’t know about her trip into the past. She searched her mind for something to say, but came up empty. They had reached the bottom of the stairs and she was still breathing. Maybe she was getting used to having all of her major organs all squashed together. Daniel smiled down at her and offered his arm. “Well, Lanie, I hear the garden is beautiful today.” Lanie smiled and rolled her eyes. “When isn’t it?” She thought she heard him whisper, When you’re not there, but she was sure she was mistaken. They entered the garden through the outer parlor doors and she inhaled deeply. “I love the scent of the flowers mixing together.” She also loved the smell of beeswax that seemed to permeate everything in the house. Lanie hoped they would soon be in a secluded spot. Daniel took her to a different one every time they walked here together though he never lost control the way he did several days ago. Having a hard time keeping her hands to herself, Lanie often wondered if he had similar trouble keeping his body under control as well. Daniel pulled her into a private copse. The stone chaise beckoned them. They sat down and 174
Tianna Xander he took a deep breath. “I don’t know if I can survive the wait of a standard betrothal. A year is such a long time.” He leaned forward, his elbows on his knees. “A year!” Lanie repeated alarmed. Hell, with the way they were going at it last week, they wouldn’t last a year. She cast her gaze around wildly. Would she even be here in a year? She bit her lip, thoughtful. “I thought you said I was compromised. Wouldn’t that mean we would have to get married quickly?” Daniel nodded. “If you were truly compromised. If we had,” he paused for a moment, trying to find the right words. “If we had participated in the actual act.” He flushed. “We would be forced to marry quickly, in case it was a productive union.” Lanie’s gaze darted around them, thinking. Productive union? “Oh, a child,” she murmured. “Yes, a child.” He agreed. “I will not do that to you. I want everyone to know you married me by your choice, not because you were with child.” She smiled softly. “It doesn’t matter, Daniel.” She covered his tanned hand with her own pale one. “We know I chose you. That’s all that matters.” She lifted her hand to his face, curled her fingers around his neck and dragged his head closer to hers. The look of hunger in his eyes was 175
Time Temptress unmistakable. He moved closer, gripping her shoulders, he slowly lowered his head. He was leaving it up to her. She would choose. Lanie closed the last bit of distance between them. She knew this was right. She could feel it in her heart. She wanted to stay here. She needed to be with this man more than she needed to draw breath. More than she needed electricity and Internet and that was a lot. Daniel was honorable and trustworthy, part prim and proper, part passion and fire. It was a heady mixture for such a man, and she burned for him. Lanie knew she would never find a more kind, or gentle, man no matter which century she found herself in. She was leaving nothing behind that mattered. An empty house filled with bittersweet memories. An empty social life and a bank account. The only people who would miss her were the directors of the homeless shelters she wrote checks to occasionally and the stray cat she fed whenever he decided to come around. Lanie kissed him fiercely, wanting him to know she’d made her choice and was not turning back. Daniel gently laid her down on the cool stone surface of the chaise and covered her body with his own. His desire was tangible. She felt it. Any apprehension she may have had, faded when he groaned into her mouth. 176
Tianna Xander He pulled away breathless, leaning up on his arms. Lanie wanted to cry. He couldn’t pull back— not this time. Her arms tightened around him, he reached behind his neck with one hand and disentangled her arms. He brought one forward and kissed her knuckles. “Do you have any plans today?” Daniel asked, looking down at her with smoky, passion-filled eyes. “Yes,” she said breathlessly. “I intend to stay here on this chaise with you for at least another hour.” She wriggled beneath him. He closed his eyes and groaned. “Please, don’t do that,” he said through gritted teeth. He sat up, bringing her with him. He stood and paced in front of her. “We have to wait at least a month, Lanie.” God, it was going to kill him. Lanie stood up with a groan. “Then why did you want to know if I had plans, Daniel?” “I thought you might like a ride into town. You haven’t left Belle Isle, since your accident.” It’s been several days now. It might do you good to get out.” Lanie smiled. How sweet of him to think of her wanting to get some fresh air. And, she had to admit, she was getting a touch of cabin fever cooped up here all day, every day. He bent and touched her lips with his. He 177
Time Temptress kissed her lightly, small sips meant to comfort. Their passion flared to life again and Daniel pulled back, breathing hard. “We should return to the house.” He took Lanie’s elbow and dragged her along beside him. “I think going to town would be a wise course of action. There may be someone looking for you there.” Lanie’s smile wavered a bit, before she was able to force it back on her face. He still wanted to find her family? Did he really want to marry her or did he want to send her North, so he wouldn’t have to worry about her testifying against him? Even though it made sense, the thought hurt. “I was thinking last night that we must consider the possibility that you are already married.” She threw him a startled glance. He cleared his throat and explained, “If you are married, there will be someone searching for you, somewhere. If we find that no one is looking for a woman of your description, we can assume that you are not bound to someone else and, at that time, you can decide whether or not you wish to pursue the possibility of marriage to me.” Her gaze darted to his face. It was that unreadable mask again. She wished she knew what he was thinking. Now, she was unsure if he wanted to take her into town just to get rid of her or if it was his damnable sense of honor. Maybe he 178
Tianna Xander just wanted to be sure she had no other ties. The thought that something in town could shed light on what happened to her, hadn’t occurred before, but she wasn’t about to hold her breath. Lanie pasted a bright smile on her face. “You’re right of course, we should leave immediately.” She pulled free and hurried into the house. **** Daniel watched after her. She seemed so eager to go, he could have kicked himself. Of course, she wanted to find her family. His stomach churned at the thought that she could be married. If so, would her husband understand? Would he be gentle with her until she felt comfortable with him again, or would he demand his conjugal rights immediately on her return? If he did, he’d kill the bastard. “Damn!” He slammed his fist into a nearby tree trunk. Why hadn’t he thought this through better? Had he been so anxious to prove to himself she wasn’t already spoken for, that he hadn’t been thinking clearly? It was likely that he had been thinking with a part of his anatomy not known for its insightfulness. He needed to send word to the stable, telling Cubby to hitch up the coach. “Damn it to hell.” If he couldn’t have thought of such delightful things 179
Time Temptress to do to Lanie with his tongue, he might consider having it removed from his mouth. **** Lanie climbed slowly up the stairs to her room. Her tears blurred her vision, making her assent slow and difficult. Her hand never left the banister. If someone were going to try to push her down these stairs today, she planned to put up one hell of a fight. She thought about the reason he had given her for another trip into town. Part of her was certain he wanted to be rid of her, while another was just as certain his motives were more honorable than that. She rushed into her room and closed the door behind her. Carrie was standing next to the opened armoire, pressing another of the gowns that Elisabeth gave her. Entering, she sat down in front of the mirror and looked at herself critically. “Carrie, I need to look wonderful today. Go get Maddy. She can show us how to do my hair. But first,” she added as Carrie turned to leave, “tell me about Arabella.” Frowning, Lanie turned to face Carrie. “Let me get this straight, Arabella is away at school, she only comes home for the holiday’s and in the summer?” At Carrie’s nod, she continued. “Yet, he 180
Tianna Xander keeps in his employ a tutor year round. That you share?” Carrie’s head bobbed up and down some more. “And Arabella only uses the services of Mr. Buckley during the summer while she is home from school?” The child nodded again before she added, “Sometimes even in the summertime it’s just me in the classroom.” Lanie slid off of the chair. She knelt in front of Carrie, her hands on the girl’s upper arms. “When did your papa die, sweety?” “Two months ago.” She tilted her head. “Why?” “No reason, I was just curious. When did Master Daniel tell your mother that you could work and stay in the big house?” Carrie thought for a moment. “Not too long after Papa passed, but Mama said it would be charity and didn’t let me. He gave Mama a berebereave—“ Carrie struggled with the unfamiliar word. “Bereavement gift?” Carrie brightened. “Yes! That’s what he called it. He brought lots of food and he chopped wood. He even gave her money, said it was money Papa had him keep from his pay in case something happened to him. Miss Lanie?” “Yes, sweetie,” Lanie said, thoughtful. 181
Time Temptress “Do you think Master Daniel knows I try real hard to work so I can stay here? Maddy says he does and I shouldn’t worry about things, but I don’t want him to send me away.” Tears glistened in Carrie’s eyes. Lanie couldn’t help herself. She pulled the child into her embrace and squeezed her tight. “I’m sure he knows, sweetie, and if he doesn’t, I’ll be sure to tell him. Now,” Lanie said, holding Carrie at arm’s length. “Run down and tell Maddy we need her help.” Carrie smiled and ran out of the room. Lanie smiled and shook her head. Why was it that every time she started thinking bad things about Daniel, someone would tell her what an angel he was? He was a guardian angel for many around here. He seemed to take care of everyone. But who takes care of him? She bit her lip. She would gratefully take on the job. The question was whether or not Daniel wanted her to do so. She frowned. Why did she keep doubting his motives? Perhaps it was because she, too, was a creature of her time and found it hard to trust because of the everyday betrayals that occurred in her time. People had taken advantage of her several times and, because of that, she found it hard to trust the one person who appeared to deserve it. Lanie heard a brief knock and the door flung open. It was Carrie with Maddy in tow. 182
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After Maddy was through with her, Lanie swore she looked like a different woman. She wondered what Daniel would think. It didn’t take long to find out. When she opened her door, Daniel stood poised to knock. His hand fisted, arm outstretched. **** Daniel’s eyes widened. She was a vision in cream lace. Her long, golden hair, which she wore piled artfully on the top of her head, left tiny ringlets hanging at her temples. Her full lips were as flushed as her cheeks. Daniel stood frozen for a heartbeat, perhaps two. He stifled the urge to drag her to his room and make her irrevocably his regardless of her lack of memory and marital status. Dropping his arm, he straightened his navyblue jacket. He had changed from his riding clothes into a suit, which, if his mother was correct, made him look at least passably handsome. The tan pants accentuated his shiny black, knee-high boots. The white ruffle of his shirt was a stark contrast with his bronzed skin and dark jacket. “You are a vision, my dear.” Was that his voice? It sounded strange. “As are you.” She blushed as she spoke. The 183
Time Temptress roses in her cheeks made her even more beautiful. Everything within him clamored for him to take her to his rooms and lock them in for the night, but he knew he couldn’t do that to her. She deserved better and he would see that she got it. **** Lanie stared at Daniel in his finery. The dark jacket, woven with gold embroidery, set off the white of his shirt. She wondered how he could still look so cool. He had to be warm, wearing that jacket. His hair was damp, as if he just had a bath, but even that didn’t cool her down on a warm day like today. She frowned at how his hair always looked so perfect, even straight from a bath, it looked good, dammit. Her hair had refused to cooperate, even after having been washed thoroughly, but Maddy had tamed it with a curling iron. It was nothing like the kind she was used to though. Here, a curling iron was a long metal rod placed near hot coals to warm. Though it was a time consuming project, Maddy wrapped her hair around the slender rod and dressed her hair with expertise. “Mother is waiting in the carriage, if you are ready,” he said stiffly. His words sounded harsh. She hoped it wasn’t what he had intended. He offered her his arm, 184
Tianna Xander always the gentleman. Lanie placed her hand on his forearm, refraining from tucking her fingers intimately into the crook of his elbow. She had to know how he really felt before she would make another move toward intimacy. She refused to throw herself at him again. Daniel led Lanie slowly down the stairs. She couldn’t blame him. She’d been nothing, but clumsy since she got here. Gently, he lifted her into the carriage, and climbed in behind her, his face an unreadable mask. Lanie knew when he first saw her he was stunned. She was glad she’d suffered through the hair curling and the torture of holding on to the bedpost while Maddy squeezed her waist down to seventeen inches. All of the torture she’d subjected herself to was worth the few seconds of awe she’d seen on Daniel’s face. The ride to Charleston was pleasant. She knew he would find no one looking for her. She also knew she would know his feelings one way or the other by the time they returned to Belle Isle. “I sent a message ahead of us, dear, informing Nicole and Mr. Colts of our unscheduled arrival. Nicole has your garments nearly finished.” Lanie sat back shocked. “I thought you said I would have to return for fittings,?” Elisabeth smiled. “After your injury, Daniel 185
Time Temptress persuaded Noelle to hire a woman with your height and measurements.” For a substantial fee no doubt. “Oh.” She slid a glance his way. His eyes were closed. She didn’t know if he was awake or asleep, his face bore no expression. “We will return to Miss Parre’s establishment and collect your new clothing. And of course Mr. Colts was to have your shoes finished today.” “Yes, yes, of course,” Lanie said, dazed. She was prepared for their arrival in Charleston today. She held her own perfumed handkerchief to her nose, leaving Daniel able to utilize his if he needed it. He didn’t. He made a slight face as they drove through the worse part of town, where the stench was the greatest. It was the only thing that suggested he, also, didn’t care for the rank smell of the City. When they reached the shop on Church Street, Daniel helped the two women from the carriage. He checked his watch. “I should return in forty minutes, will that give you ladies enough time to finish your business here?” Elizabeth laid her hand on his arm and squeezed. “Of course, my dear. We shouldn’t be long at all. One final fitting to be sure all is well, and we will be ready to continue to the milliners,” Elisabeth replied. She shooed him away. “Go on with you now. We don’t need you hovering 186
Tianna Xander around us.” When Daniel climbed back into the carriage and thumped the roof, the driver pulled away. He obviously knew what his employer expected of him. The two women climbed the steps to Noelle’s door, a bell jingled as they entered. It was a new addition since their last visit. Noelle hurried from the back room. “Ladies! Comment allez-vous aujourd’hui?” she shook her head and repeated her greeting in English. “How are you today? I am so excited to see you.” She clapped her hands together excitedly. She turned toward Elisabeth. “The selections you made, they were magnifique,” she translated. “How you say, magnificent? The colors!” She rolled her eyes. “They are exquisite.” Turning toward the back room, she clapped her hands. “Jaqueline! Come here right this minute and bring with you the dresses for Miss Barrett.” A short mousy woman with unremarkable brown hair, entered slowly from the other room. She looked up at Lanie and smiled shyly. “The gowns are assez, Mademoiselle.” Elisabeth leaned over and whispered, “Pretty.” Lanie smiled. “Thank you, Jaqueline.” The girl smiled. Some of the plainness washed away as her eyes lit with pleasure. She was almost pretty when she smiled like that. 187
Time Temptress Noelle took the gowns and sent Jaqueline to the other room. “I think you have work to do, do you not?” she asked with a raised brow. The woman hurried away. The door to the other room closed firmly behind her. Noelle looked from Lanie to the gowns, “Which of these shall we try first, eh?” They had the gowns packaged after Lanie tried each and every one, awaiting Elisabeth’s nod of approval. A knock sounded on the door and all three ladies turned. Daniel poked his head in, “Are you ladies ready? We need to stop by the General Store and I must speak with Sheriff Kimball before we leave.” “Of course, dear, we were just finishing up.” She turned to Noelle. “Of course you know to send the bill to Daniel?” Noelle nodded toward Daniel. “And, as always, Monsieur, I enjoy doing business with you.” She called to her seamstresses and had them carry Lanie’s things to Daniel’s carriage. His footmen took the packages and stored them in the back compartment and under the seats. Daniel helped Lanie and his mother into the carriage. He reached up and knocked on the roof and with a jerk, they were moving again. “We do need to stop and see Mr. Colts yet, 188
Tianna Xander Daniel. If you wouldn’t mind.” “Of course not, that is where we are going next.” The carriage slowed and they pulled up in front of the milliner’s. **** Daniel remained seated and allowed his footmen to help the ladies disembark. He watched Lanie with tired eyes. How would he live without her if she belonged to another? Could he talk her into getting an annulment, a divorce? Would he be able to live with the stigma of being married to a divorce’? Yes, he could, if it meant having his Lanie. The ladies exited the shop a few minutes later. Lanie wore a pair of new slippers, which matched the gown she wore and they carried several boxes between them. The footman helped them into the carriage. Lanie sat in the seat across from him, her face red. Elisabeth sat next to him and smiled. “You look a bit flushed, Lanie, do you wish to stop by the hotel for a cooling drink and a bite to eat?” Daniel asked, concerned. “I am a little warm.” She fanned her face with her hand. The weather changed quickly here. When she first arrived, it was chilly. Now it was so hot and the air so thick with humidity, she 189
Time Temptress could barely breathe. Daniel pulled out his pocket watch and opened it. “Well then, ladies, I think it is time to stop for luncheon.” Daniel leaned out of the carriage and gave direction to the footmen. He sat back in his seat and the carriage lurched over the rough road. **** Lanie dabbed at the corners of her mouth. She felt much better after a chilled fruit salad and lemonade. The interior of the hotel was dim, the windows were closed and the heavy drapes were drawn to keep out the heat of the day. The kitchen had been moved to a smaller building in the back, so the heat from the fires wouldn’t heat up the hotel and make it oppressive. “Lunch was delicious, Daniel. I can’t thank you enough for all you have done for me,” Lanie said formally. **** Daniel waved his hand in dismissal. “It was nothing, Caroline.” Didn’t she realize how he felt about her? If not, she would know today if they found no evidence of someone searching for her. 190
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Chapter Fourteen left the hotel and made the short walk to They the General Store. When they entered, the
store was empty. The smell of pickles assaulted his nose and he noted the large pickle barrel in the corner. He smiled when he noticed that Lanie had her hand to her nose. He did have to admit though, the smell was sickening in the oppressive heat. Daniel walked to the counter and leaned across to look at the posters pinned on the wall. There were mostly wanted posters and a few advertisements for manure hauling and stump removal. He closed his eyes with relief. There was nothing here about a beautiful, missing Yankee. He stood up, straightened his suit. Mr. Simonson entered from the backroom. “Hello, Mr. Hastings.” Simonson offered his hand. “Hello, sir,” Daniel replied. He wished he could have avoided this. “I need to know if you have heard anything about a missing young woman.” 191
Time Temptress The man’s gaze darted to Lanie. He licked his lips as he assessed her. “Do you mean this lady?” He smiled lewdly. “If she doesn’t have a place to stay, I’m sure I could find her one.” Daniel clenched his jaw at the insult. “No, Hiram.” He extended his arm toward Lanie. “This is my affianced.” A muscle ticked in his jaw. He dropped his arm, clenching his hands to his sides. “She was travelling with a companion, one of similar coloring and build. We wish to find her.” Mr. Simonson cast his gaze to the floor. “I meant no insult to your intended, Mr. Hastings.” He raised his head and indicated the wall behind him. “This is all we have. We had a new delivery of wanted posters just three days ago. If she has been found, no one has reported her discovery.” “Thank you, Hiram.” Daniel turned. “One more thing, Hiram.” He paused, his back still to the storekeeper. “Do not let me hear of you insulting a woman again. Any woman.” He turned his head and looked at the man over his shoulder. “I would hate to have to call in your debt.” The man swallowed visibly. “Yes, sir!” He raised a trembling hand to his mouth. Daniel felt him watching as they excited the store. Lanie twisted her kerchief in her hands. “Thank you, Daniel.” He turned to her surprised. “For what?” 192
Tianna Xander She smiled. “For defending my honor, of course.” “Your honor would not be in question if not for the brash and idiotic move I made last week.” She shrugged, “Perhaps, but I have seen that it doesn’t take much to ruin a woman’s reputation around here.” She took his proffered arm and he led them across the street. “You could easily have abandoned me on the road that night. You could have taken a page out of the same book as everyone else around here and assumed because I have no family to speak of, I am a harlot.” He paused on the sidewalk, looked into her eyes. “I could never have done that.” He took her arm again and began walking toward the sheriff’s office. “I know, Daniel.” She smiled. “But others would have, and knowing that, it makes me…” She swallowed thickly, then whispered. “Love you even more.” Daniel’s step faltered on the sidewalk. He looked at his mother, who was barely able to contain her glee. If her smile got any wider, it would encompass her face. “What did you just say?” Could he have heard her correctly? She still loved him even after he made it clear that he was looking for her family? Granted, the only reason he continued his search was that he didn’t want some other man pounding his door down in three 193
Time Temptress months, demanding the return of his wife. He didn’t think he would survive losing her after finally making her his. He continued to walk automatically. They were getting closer to the sheriff’s office. He stopped. How could he go in that building and ask the man if he had found her family, people who could take her away from him? Lanie tugged on his arm. “I can’t ask you to ignore your honor, and I won’t, Daniel. If you feel the need to ask if there have been any reports of a missing woman, you must ask.” She squeezed his arm. “One of the things I love the most about you is your sense of honor. Don’t compromise it for me.” He nodded and sighed. “You are right, of course. I would never be able to live with myself if I didn’t at least try to find your family.” Daniel walked them toward the office, the lump in his throat getting larger with every step. Lanie had been his guest for over two weeks now, closer to three. If someone were looking for her, there would be word by now. They stopped in front of the door. Lanie removed her hand from his arm and followed him into the darkened interior. The deputy sat at the desk. He was a burly man with a big belly and stained hat. His booted feet were perched on the desk and he had a piece of 194
Tianna Xander hay sticking from his mouth. Sweat poured down the sides of his face and under his collar, adding to the perspiration stain around his filthy neck. He stood up slowly and belched. **** The raunchy smell of stale alcohol on his breath almost knocked Lanie over. “What you want folks?” His words slurred drunkenly. “Sam’s not here. Said he had some bidness over in Cooperstown.” He swayed on his feet before he sat heavily in the chair behind him. He looked around as if surprised to find himself sitting down. “I came to ask if you had any reports of a woman matching this description.” Daniel handed a small piece of paper to the deputy with Lanie’s description on it. The man looked from the paper to Lanie, then pointed and grinned. “There she is.” “That’s not the woman we’re looking for, man.” Daniel fought the urge to shake him. “Have there been any reports?” The man pouted, obviously upset. It looked as though he just wanted to sleep off his drunkenness. He looked through papers on the desk, got tired of looking, then handed the pile to 195
Time Temptress Daniel. “You look. I can’t make head nor tails of anything there.” Lanie rolled her eyes. He probably couldn’t see clearly. She waved a hand in front of her face in an attempt to fan away the odor of his rancid breath, then hurriedly covered her mouth with her handkerchief when he belched again. She tried not to touch anything. The creamcolored lace on her dress looked stained just from walking into this sty. Lanie wrinkled her nose at the brown stained spittoon in the corner. A crooked door hung haphazardly from its hinges. Toward the back of the jailhouse, the sound of someone singing slightly off-key filtered through the opening. She backed toward the door. She needed fresh air. The rank smell of the deputy’s unwashed body and flatulence was making her ill. She put a shaking hand to her stomach. The corset didn’t help. The tightness of the stays felt like someone was squeezing her insides, trying to force her lunch from her stomach. Elisabeth took her hand and led her out into the fresh air. “I thought you didn’t look well, Lanie.” She looked back into the darkened interior. “I never did like that man. He is a pig.” She turned her gaze back toward Lanie. “That’s it. Take a deep breath,” she soothed. Lanie choked. “You’re kidding, right? My waist 196
Tianna Xander has been squeezed down to seventeen inches. Do you really think I can take a deep breath?” Elisabeth laughed. “You actually let them tighten you down that far?” Lanie blushed. “I wanted Daniel to look at me,” she said, her head down. Elisabeth rolled her eyes. “Sweetie, he looks at you every chance he gets.” She snorted. “He does?” Lanie blinked. “Yes, he does.” Elisabeth sighed. “I can’t believe you haven’t noticed. In fact, I’m surprised you haven’t caught him staring.” She looked from Lanie back toward the office. “Why is he asking about another woman?” “He wants to be sure I’m not married, He thinks someone will be looking for me.” “Well, anyone looking for you isn’t likely to look here,” she said dryly. Lanie chuckled. “Isn’t that the truth? But he doesn’t know that.” Elisabeth rubbed her back for a moment, keeping her mind off what she had been exposed to in the office. “There now, are you better? It would have been a shame to lose all of that lovely fruit salad to the street.” “You’re right. It was lovely.” She closed her eyes and inhaled the fresh air. She felt much better now and was more in control of her bodily functions. She heard a sound behind her and 197
Time Temptress opened her eyes. Turning, she saw Daniel walk from the office and take a deep breath. “I don’t know how you could stand it in there so long.” Lanie shuddered. “The man is a pig. Someone needs to help him keep a date with some soap and water.” Daniel grinned. “I agree. But Stanley, in there,” he said as he crooked his thumb toward the jail, “couldn’t find a thing on anyone fitting your description.” Lanie snorted. “In his condition, I’d be surprised if he could find the broad side of a barn.” He chuckled. “Perhaps, but I looked as well and you are not missed by anyone.” He cocked his head to the side. “I find that strange. Even missives from the North should have reached here by now.” He took her arm. “Why is no one looking for you, Lanie?” Lanie shot him a nervous glance. “I don’t think it’s wise to talk here, Daniel.” “You’re right, Caroline, let’s return to the carriage. We have a lot of preparation for Jack’s soiree tomorrow.” Lanie walked into the garden. Dinner had been lovely, but she needed time to herself. She wandered through the foliage, the skeletal trees making sinister shadows against the well-worn 198
Tianna Xander path. She wandered to the nearest copse, made her way to the bench and sat down. Daniel was with the doctor. He’d come to be sure Lanie was well enough to attend his soiree. Having received a clean bill of health, she was worried that she would make a fool of herself at the party. She knew she could dance with Daniel. She knew his moves. He would have to do something outrageous to trip her up. But what about others, could she dance with others without giving herself away? She dashed a tear from her cheek. When did she start crying? She looked down at her hand. “Is there something wrong, Miss Barrett?” Lanie looked up, startled. She wiped her face with the hanky Elisabeth had taught her to keep tucked inside her sleeve. “I’m fine. I was just thinking.” “It must have been something horrible to put a frown on your beautiful face.” The doctor stepped closer. She shook her head. “It’s silly, really. I’m just worried about something.” “You are coming to the soiree tomorrow?” he asked as he skirted the bench, then placed his foot on the seat. Lanie nodded. “Of course.” She canted her head. “That is what you want, isn’t it?” He smiled. “That is just what I wanted to hear. 199
Time Temptress You will save your first dance for your host, won’t you?” She gave him a sharp look. “How?” He shook his head and laughed. “I knew it. You don’t remember how to dance, do you?” She shook her head, near tears again. “Daniel has taught me to waltz, but what if someone else asks me? If I waltz with someone else, will I make a fool of myself?” She would never fit in here. Perhaps she should just find her way home and save them all heartache. “Why don’t we find out?” Jack straightened and held up his arms. **** “Have you seen Lanie?” Daniel asked his mother. She frowned. “I think she’s still in the garden.” “Thank you, Mother.” He searched the garden in the darkness, looking for Lanie, frantic that she’d left him for some unknown reason. He wondered if perhaps she’d gone to the orchard. She loved the way the blossoms rained down on her from the trees. Finally he heard her. She was laughing. He followed the musical sound. When he first saw her, his first reaction had been to catch her attention. Then he noticed she wasn’t alone. A man was with her. 200
Tianna Xander His hands clenched into fists. It was Jack, his best friend, holding her in his arms. He quickly stepped behind a tree. He leaned back, pressing his head against it. Squeezing his eyes shut, he berated himself for his ability to care for faithless women. He opened his eyes and walked back to the house, his blurred vision causing him to stumble. Daniel wandered into the study, grabbed the decanter of brandy and a glass. He carried both to the sofa, sat down and filled his glass. He downed it quickly savoring the burning liquid as it made its way to his stomach, bringing him closer to oblivion. He refilled the glass and decided he was going to get roaring drunk and forget about Lanie. For a little while at least. **** Jack danced two times with Lanie and set her mind at ease. “You’re going to do just fine tomorrow.” He gazed into her eyes. “Sometimes I wish I’d have run you over.” “Excuse me?” He smiled. “You’re one in a million, Miss Caroline. I would love to have been the one who saw you first.” He shook his head and offered her his arm. “Come. Let me escort you back to the house. I must be on my way.” 201
Time Temptress Jack left her at the back door. She closed the door quietly behind her, wondering where everyone was. She walked toward the library to get a book to read in bed. Lanie had just reached for the knob when a crash came from the next room. She wasn’t sure if she should investigate, but she crept to the door. She opened it a crack and peered in. She couldn’t see much, a desk, a few chairs and a sofa. Crash! The sound of glass breaking reverberated through the room. The fire flared to life, then just as quickly died down. Someone had thrown something into the fire. Lanie still didn’t see anyone. She heard a movement on the sofa. Of course. The back was to her. Someone was there, lying on it. She closed the door quietly and tiptoed to her room. She had just sent Carrie to bed and settled herself in for a restless night when her door burst open and Daniel stood swaying in the doorway. “When were you going to tell me about your friendship with my best friend?” The words slurred from his drunken lips as he locked the door behind him and stumbled toward her bed. “You’re drunk, Daniel.” She watched him with wide eyes as he made his way closer. “You shouldn’t be here.” Lanie didn’t tell him why she had been out in the garden with Jack. If he 202
Tianna Xander thought the worst of her, so be it. He should learn not to jump to conclusions. “I should be here.” He leered at her. “This is the one place I should be, the place I want to be more than anything.” Blood rushed to her face and her nether parts. Lanie’s heart slammed erratically against her ribs as she waited for him to come to her. He was drunk and the look on his face was one of longing and desire. Would he finally make love with her? Should she let him in this condition? Stumbling the rest of the way to the bed, he fell on her, his hands everywhere as he pressed his mouth to hers. His lips were soft and warm as he coaxed hers to part. The taste of whiskey filled her mouth as his tongue tangled with hers and her senses reeled. Wrapping her arms around his neck, Lanie leaned into the kiss. Who was she kidding? She wanted this, drunk or not, she wanted to feel him inside her at least once. Who knows if she would get another chance. She could go home at any time. Lanie didn’t want to go back to that place where he would be long dead. She didn’t even want to think about it. Instead, she put the thought from her mind and concentrated on the sensations he evoked. Daniel reached up and cupped her breast, palming her hard nipple for a moment before he grasped the neckline of her nightgown and tore 203
Time Temptress the ribbons that held it closed free. “God, you’re beautiful,” he said before he lowered his head and sucked her left nipple deep into his mouth, then reached up and took the other hard nub between his fingers. Lightning shot through her, scoring her senses before settling deep inside her. She felt every pull of his mouth, every nip of his teeth all the way to her groin. It was though her body drew a line between her nipples and her very core. Groaning, Lanie thrust her fingers through his hair and dragged him closer. Nothing could have prepared her for the onslaught of sensation as he alternately suckled and laved the turgid tips of her breasts. Reaching down, she tried to push his jacket from his shoulders, but he wouldn’t budge. “I want to see you.” “Not yet.” He panted above her. He moved lower and pushed her nightgown to her hips. “I want to see you. All of you.” Sitting up, she helped him with her nightgown. Never had she thought she would be so brazen as to help in her own seduction. She wasn’t a prude, but she knew men didn’t flock to her like they did the petite women who barely came to her shoulders. When he drew one large calloused finger over the center of her sex, Lanie took a deep breath. “Please…” Her head tossed on the pillow as she 204
Tianna Xander waited for him to touch her. Already this was more, better, than anything she had every done for herself and he had barely touched her. Her clit throbbed, waited for his touch and she felt moisture slide from her channel to coat the inside of her thighs. Slowly, Daniel pushed his finger through her wet folds and circled her clit. With one hand, he grasped her wrist and placed it on her chest. “Touch yourself.” With both hands, she cupped and kneaded her breasts as he watched. With his other hand, he thrust a finger deep inside her waiting channel. She thrust her hips up to meet him, needing the extra stimulation. She could feel her climax building, drawing closer and closer with each brush of his finger against her oversensitive clit. Lanie jumped with shock when she felt his tongue press into her belly button, then gasped as he kissed his way down to the top of her pelvic bone. If he stopped now, she would go mad. She needed to know what it felt like to have a man’s mouth on her flesh…his mouth on her flesh. Spreading her nether flesh with his calloused fingers, he slowly licked the length of her with the flat of his tongue. “You taste just as I thought you would.” He paused and looked up at her. “Exquisite.” Biting her lip, she grabbed one of the thick, 205
Time Temptress feather pillows and jammed it over her face with a loud groan. She would wake the dead with her screaming if he continued this. She knew it. With her labia spread wide, Daniel licked at her opening, tasting her and sending her even closer to her orgasm. She felt it building, building, winding her ever tighter as he continued to assault her senses with the warm wetness of his mouth and tongue. Finally, when she was sure she would go mad if he didn’t touch her there, his tongue swirled around her clit before he sucked the small bud into his mouth. Her hips bucked and she fisted her hands in the pillowcase. Thankfully, the pillow muffled her scream, but she still didn’t come. Her entire body was on sensation overload as he inserted another finger inside her and pressed up toward her pelvic bone. When he hit the small bundle of nerves there, Lanie rocked her hips, reaching for her elusive climax. It finally washed over her with the force of a tidal wave. Screaming again, she barely had the presence of mind to keep the pillow pressed against her mouth. She barely had time to think, to breathe when Daniel brought himself over her. Reaching down, he fumbled with the opening of his pants and pushed them down to his hips. She panted beneath him, uncaring that he hadn’t undressed. The only thing she cared about 206
Tianna Xander was feeling him deep inside her. She needed this. She needed his cock buried deep inside her. She couldn’t wait to feel him thrusting into her over and over again. If fate returned her home tomorrow, at least she could say she had this one night with the man she loved. Taking his shaft in his hand, he pressed it against her opening. Gritting her teeth, Lanie rocked her hips forward, trying to help him press deeper. “God, you’re tight.” He grabbed the pillow and threw it across the room before he pressed his mouth against hers, his tongue licking the seam of her lips. Lanie opened for him, tasting the slight tang of her juices on his tongue as he finally reached her hymen. Daniel looked down at her, his gaze almost sober, and grinned. “You are mine now and no one will ever take you from me.” With one strong thrust, he buried himself to the hilt. Lanie felt the warmth of his sac pressed tightly against her bottom for a moment before he slowly withdrew. Lifting her hips, she met his inward stroke and each powerful thrust after that. Reaching down, he grasped her leg and brought her knee up to her chest. Wrap your legs around me, love,” he said, then lowered his head to suckle her nipple. On the fringes of another climax, Lanie 207
Time Temptress clamped her kegels around Daniel’s cock and he groaned. His thrusts became harder, faster, more erratic as he reached for his own release. Thrusting his hand between them, he grasped her clit between his thumb and finger and squeezed. Light exploded behind her eyelids when Lanie threw her head back and screamed as another orgasm slammed into her. Increasing his pace, Daniel, too, threw his head back and groaned as he came inside her. Falling onto the bed beside her, Daniel pulled her into his arms. “Thank God, you have no husband. Now you are mine.” Smiling, Lanie drifted to sleep, snuggled close in his arms certain in the knowledge, that there would be no long betrothal now.
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Chapter Fifteen Lanie rolled over and reached for Stretching, Daniel, but he was gone. Opening one
bleary eye, she looked around the room and found nothing out of the ordinary. Could she have dreamed what happened? The twinge between her legs as she sat up told her otherwise. Perhaps he just left to protect her reputation. Standing, she tied the gown closed in case someone walked in on her and moved to the armoire. She wanted to look at the clothing she collected yesterday, but hadn’t gotten the chance until now. When she walked into her room the night before, someone had already put the clothes away. Carrie or Maddy must have hung the dresses and put the under clothing away. Her slippers sat like silent soldiers against the wall, the walking shoes beside them. Something about the shoes triggered 209
Time Temptress something within Lanie’s memory. She picked them up. The dainty one-inch heel was fine. Daniel was so tall it didn’t matter. The upper was made of white kid. The buttons and hooks up the side looked so familiar. There were shiny, jeweled bows attached to the toes. Lanie bit her lip, starting to shake. She carried them to the bed and slipped them on. She stood and walked to the mirror. Nothing happened. She had been sure when she saw the bows that the shoe was the answer. These were the shoes! She knew it. Lifting the hem of her nightgown, Lanie stared down at her feet. She resisted the urge to tap her heels together and say there’s no place like home. She dropped the hem and sighed. The hem, adorned with yards of frilly lace and seed pearls fell heavy on the toes of the shoes. Lanie fell into an endless whirlpool of color, spinning until she was sure she would be sick. When she was certain she couldn’t take anymore, the darkness rose up and claimed her once again. **** How many times did he have to get burned before he became afraid of the fire? How many times would his heart be ripped from his chest before he realized that the fairy tale really 210
Tianna Xander didn’t ever come true? Those silly tales his mother told Arabella when she was still just a child were worthless. Daniel laughed mirthlessly. He was an adult for God’s sake. You would think he would have known better. The only princesses he seemed to know how to find were faithless bitches who couldn’t wait to hotfoot it away from him at the first opportunity. He looked at the miniature portrait he’d had commissioned. It looked just like the one that hung on the wall of his bedchamber, painted from his sketches and descriptions of Lanie. It would have been his wedding gift to her, if she only would have stayed long enough. He watched a raindrop fall and hit his leg, then another. The water spread out along the linen of his trousers. Daniel looked up toward the sky and noticed there wasn’t a cloud in sight. Surprised, he reached up and brushed the tears from his face. He hadn’t truly cried in years. Daniel closed his watch and the portrait disappeared. He would never forget her. Lanie would live on in his heart forever. He stood and walked toward the stables. He had to piece his life back together the best he could. He would start by going back to work and straightening everything out that had gone wrong since she had left and he stopped caring. 211
Time Temptress He’d gone to Jack’s the next day, demanding to see her. Sure that she’d left with him after his midnight visit to her room. Dear God, what had come over him, barging into her room like some lord of the manor ready to claim conjugal rights of a woman beneath his roof? Jack took his punches. He even said he deserved them for not realizing she was going to leave when he had talked to her the night before. “We weren’t kissing, you damned fool! She was afraid to try to dance with someone other than you, for fear she’d make a fool of herself I just danced with her, old man.” He slapped Daniel on the back. “I knew she was taken. You were smitten with her from the first day.” Now he was alone again. He had to continue. He would continue. Regardless of her duplicity, this was something he knew she believed in as much as he did. He would continue his work with the Underground Railroad and would free as many slaves as he could. It was all he had left now. Daniel set out to the warehouse with a purpose. The gin was running as usual, the smoke that billowed from the building was so thick, it sometimes made his eyes water. It was the perfect place and suited his purpose just fine. He walked in and signaled to the few men 212
Tianna Xander who worked there. The freed men knew the danger as well as he. At his signal, they raked aside a pile of raw cotton and a trap door appeared. Beneath the trap door, several slaves awaited the information only he could give. “Tonight, there is a soiree at the Henderson’s, the search for you will not commence until midday tomorrow. The dogs and their keepers are allowed this night of rest.” He looked at them all in turn. “You must leave here tonight at sundown. Keep away from the roads. At night, follow the North Star. You must travel as far as you can in the first twentyfour hours. They will be following you, but they will rest. If you can keep from resting too long, you have a chance.” Daniel looked at the frightened, hopeful faces. He reached out, gave each of them five dollars in paper and coin, a fake set of papers and three day’s worth of food. “I cannot help you any further than this. May God go with you.” He turned and started to climb the ladder. “Sir?” The softly spoken word stopped his assent. “We thank you, sir. We know the risk to you and yours when you help us and we thank you, sir.” Daniel swallowed thickly. “You’re welcome, 213
Time Temptress Rosco. But you can thank me much better by making it to Canada. I hear just going North isn’t helping much anymore.” The sun seemed so much brighter when he climbed from the cellar. He was sorry he’d allowed them to be kept down there for so long. The sun was going to hurt their eyes come morning. He returned to the house. He was expected at the soiree and didn’t want to raise any suspicions by not being there. He had no choice. But first, he must make arrangements for the bedding in the cellar to be cut up and dragged away from here. If his riders left just after midnight, the scent on the bedding would be fresher than the scent left by the slaves tonight. His men knew what to do. They would drag the bedding to the West and South. Hopefully, it would buy them more time. He arrived at the house and bound up the stairs to get dressed. Daniel would have preferred to stay home. But his mother would have none of it. She seemed much more herself these last few days, with the exception of her grouping Lanie in with his father. She was certain they were both in the same place, and Lanie, of all people, would bring his father back. He’d heard of some special doctors up North, who specialized in the maladies of the 214
Tianna Xander mind. Perhaps he would take her to one. He heard a sound behind him and turned quickly. “Travis!” He smiled, hugging his friend. “What are you doing here?” Travis grinned. “They sent me home. Apparently, they only teach us blacks so much before they start thinking our brains leak.” “Are you back to stay?” “Yes, if you’ll have me.” He bowed his head. “Why would you think I wouldn’t?” Daniel asked, curious. “Cause of all of the things I said when I left.” He looked at his feet and scuffed his shoe on the floor. “I didn’t mean none of them. I just wanted to see what it was like.” Daniel raised a brow. “Do you want your old job back?” “If you’ll have me.” Travis shrugged and stared at his feet. “It doesn’t seem to matter how well educated I am. No one will hire me for anything but menial work. I figured if I had to be a valet, it might as well be for you.” Daniel slapped him on the back with a grin. “Of course I’ll have you, wait till Jack finds out you’re back.” Pausing on his way out, Daniel turned to look at Travis. “What did you study while you were away at that fancy school I paid for?” “Engineering.” Travis looked sheepish. “I 215
Time Temptress know there’s not much call for that around here. I’m happy to take up my old position.” “Hmm…” Daniel rubbed his chin and stared at his old friend. “What would you say to designing and running a foundry?” Grinning, Travis said, “I’d say to hell with being your valet.” “We’ll talk about the foundry later. You can be my valet until then.” “I was hoping you’d welcome me back, Daniel, but I never dared to dream…” “Shut up and start doing what valets do already. I’ll be back in a few minutes.” “You’d better hurry or your water will get cold. I already have a bath waiting in your dressing room.” “Thank you for the bath, Travis. I didn’t think of bathing myself.” Travis gave him a look that said no kidding. “I assumed that since you haven’t bathed in the four days since your houseguest disappeared, that I wouldn’t be amiss in preparing a bath for you.” “How did you find out about her?” “The staff, of course.” Travis raised his brow. “You should know they know everything and don’t mind repeating it by now.” Daniel covered his face with his hands. “I 216
Tianna Xander never should have sent you North and had you educated. They’ve turned you into a smartass, Travis.” Travis snorted. “It wasn’t the education that did that, Daniel. It was growing up by your side.” He grinned. “The education just helps me be a more articulate smartass.” Daniel threw the sponge at him. “Something told me not to give you your papers.” Travis laughed, ducking the sponge that flew over his head and landed with a splat against the wall. “But you couldn’t help yourself.” Daniel grinned ruefully. “No, I couldn’t help myself. Our friendship is just that. Now I know you are my friend because you want to be.” He stood, the water sluiced down his body and into the small tub. Daniel pointed across the room. “Bring me that towel.” “Yes, suh, massa suh.” Daniel shook his head. “Oh shut up.” Travis grinned. His white teeth gleaming in his dark face. “I stopped by the gin. Everything is in motion. The bedding has been cut in two and is currently being dragged in circles. Later, one of the riders will head West and the other South as you suggested.” “With any luck, they will all be in Canada before anyone realizes that they have been sent 217
Time Temptress on a wild goose chase,” Daniel said, as Travis helped him into his coat and tied his tie for him. “Hopefully.” Travis turned his worried gaze on Daniel. “Do you think there will be many more?” Daniel nodded. “Unfortunately, yes. Very many more. The lure of freedom is a powerful thing.” He looked at Travis meaningfully. “How much did it mean to you? And you have always been a part of this family.” He shrugged. “Think about those who have been abused. Being free means more to them than living. Each and every one of them knows that they will die if they are caught, yet every one of them is still willing to risk it. Why?” Travis nodded, his Adam’s apple bobbed in his throat as he swallowed a few times. “You’re right. I have always had it good here, yet the idea of being my own man was a seduction, pure and simple.” Daniel cocked and eyebrow at that. “A seduction? I don’t’ think I have ever heard it described that way before.” Travis smiled, reached out and slapped Daniel on the back of the head. “Oh shut up.” The soiree was the most boring affair he’d been subjected to, since Letty Potter’s recital. He shuddered at the memory. His mother had 218
Tianna Xander dragged him to that debacle two years ago. No one had bothered to inform him that Letty was short and round, with spots all over her face. They also didn’t mention that Miss Potter couldn’t play the piano to save her life, as his mother would say. He’d sat for three hours listening to the most horrendous poetry he’d ever heard before he finally left. Apparently, she hadn’t been able to sing either. Jack talked him into going. He knew good and well Miss Letty had set her cap for Daniel. So much for virginal shyness. Letty tried to ravish him in the library when he’d finally crept out for a moment to himself. Jack, the dolt, told her where he’d gone. Daniel looked around the ballroom. At least Letty wasn’t here tonight, or, if she was, he hadn’t spotted her yet. And she’d never spot him if he saw her first! That was a certainty. He scoured the area around the refreshment table, before wandering closer for a look. “My, Daniel, it has been a long time. I hope you have been well.” He stiffened at the familiar voice. What in the hell is she doing here? Daniel turned and smiled with difficulty. “Hello, Felicity. I thought you were in California with—“ He frowned. “What is his name again?” He waved his hand in the air. “It doesn’t matter.” He looked around the 219
Time Temptress ballroom. “Where is the lucky gentleman?” Felicity laughed. It was high pitched and grating. Was that the same laugh he’d always found so sweet? He listened closely to the abrasive sound. What a fool he had been. She simpered. “Why he’s standing in front of me, silly.” She reached out and slapped him lightly on the arm with her fan. “You don’t really think I was serious, do you? I just wanted one small adventure before we settled down. That’s all.” Opening her fan, she placed it in front of the lower half of her face and batted her eyes. “Oh, is that what you call it?” he asked, sarcastic. “Most people call what you did a breach of promise, Felicity. You ran off with another man.” Her laughter trilled again, striking false. “You always were so naïve, Daniel,” she said, even as her kohl-rimmed eyes showed her fear of rejection. “I’m here now, to keep that promise,” she pouted prettily. “And I intend to hold you to yours.” “Surely, you’re joking.” Daniel laughed mirthlessly. “My promise to you became null and void when you ran off with your lover.” He noticed his voice had risen in anger. He tried to calm himself by taking a deep breath. The last 220
Tianna Xander thing he needed was a scandal. “Perhaps, Felicity, this is not the best place to discuss this.” He turned to walk away. Felicity grabbed his arm and turned him to face her. “Don’t you walk away from me, Daniel. You made a promise to me three years ago and I intend to see that you keep it!” Her eyes shot daggers at him as her nails curled into his arm like talons. Daniel looked at Felicity, as if for the first time. He noticed the lines around her eyes that the kohl and powder couldn’t hide. He also noticed the telltale thickening around her middle. If she had been a lady, he wouldn’t finish this here. Lord knew he didn’t want this. Like his father, he hated scandal. The more people scrutinized the family, the more likely they were to find they were not what they seemed. Felicity knew him all too well. But she’d backed him into a corner. He shook his head slowly. He wouldn’t marry her. Not now. He thanked God for the day she left him at the altar. If not for that day, he would never have experienced the sweetness of true love with Lanie. He pressed his lips together as he stared down at her waist. Besides, she wasn’t foisting her bastard on him. He may have been naïve, 221
Time Temptress but he had never been stupid! He sighed. The only way he would stop her plan would be to repudiate her, publicly. “Very well, Felicity, remember you asked for this. Three years ago I loved you. I veritably worshipped the ground you walked upon. I would have given you the world, had you asked.” He turned, ran a hand through his hair and grabbed a glass of punch from a nearby table. “I was completely devastated when you left. It took the last three years to get you out of my mind.” Felicity smiled confidently. “Then, one night, about a month ago.” He smiled, wistfully. “I met an angel.” He paused, took a sip from his glass and looked down into the liquid. “She is everything you are not. Kind, witty. Has an easy laugh.” “And an easy body no doubt.” Felicity snorted, looking around for support from the tittering women surrounding them. She crossed her arms under her breasts in an obvious ploy to draw his attention to them. Daniel raised his brow. “Did I not just say that she is everything you are not?” Felicity flushed at his meaning. “I love her, Felicity, and I will have her as my wife, if she will have me. And if not, I will have no other.” He merely needed to find her first. 222
Tianna Xander “Your attempts to kill her are through. She will no longer be alone while under my protection. Whomever it is in my employ who is working with you had better never help you again or they will find themselves in the street.” Felicity’s faded beauty turned mottled. Her eyes glittered with her determination. “What about me, Daniel? You have made promises!” she screeched. “You can’t think that I will just stand by and let you marry that…that little nobody!” He shook his head. “Stop the theatrics, Felicity. I promised to marry you April fourth, three years ago. You left me standing at the altar, remember?” His gaze raked her with contempt. “To run away with your lover, no less.” He said the words loud. Knowing the argument would feed the ruthless appetites of the local gossips. But he was past caring. The only thing he cared about was finding the woman he loved and find her he would if he had to search the world over. “Do not presume to think that you are going to return to my open arms after your lover used and discarded you.” Daniel sneered, uncaring of the outraged gasps of the women and embarrassed young misses. This purging had been a long time coming and Felicity had chosen the wrong prey. “You are used goods, 223
Time Temptress Felicity. Do not expect me to marry you and give a name to your bastard!” Daniel smiled when Felicity slapped him. The loud crack seemed to echo in the strangely silent room. “Why whatever is the matter, Felicity, darling? Does the truth hurt?” He stepped closer and lowered his voice. “Remember, you brought this on yourself.” He pointed a finger at his chest. “I was willing to walk away.” He knew when she wouldn’t give up that he would have to denounce her publicly or she would have later claimed that he was the father of her babe. Felicity turned toward their hostess. Mrs. Henderson slowly turned away. Every woman in the room turned from Felicity, as if she no longer existed. Standing straight, holding her head high, she walked through the ballroom to the door. The women pulled their skirts aside as she passed, as if she had something they might catch. Perhaps she did. Daniel’s gaze followed her proud figure. She walked from the room, her spine straight and head high. He lowered his hand to the table and released the glass. Something had happened to Felicity in the last three years that had brought her to this. It was almost sad. 224
Tianna Xander Daniel turned and left the room and the house. The footman retrieved Aeolus and Daniel headed home. There he would await Lanie. Forever, if need be. Daniel knew in his heart that she loved him and no other. And if she could, she would return to him one day. He had to believe that.
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Chapter Sixteen sat up and looked around. She was in Lanie her own bed. Not the borrowed bed at
Daniel’s, but her bed in Michigan. She combed her fingers through her hair and looked across the room. Her things were just as she’d left them. “Oh, no! It was just a dream.” Tears blurred her vision as she realized she’d fallen in love with a dream. She threw the covers back and swung her legs over the side of the bed and gaped. She still wore the shoes. Now, instead of just the left shoe, she also wore the right one. Standing, she ran her hands down the lacy nightgown. She reached up, untied it and pulled it over her head. “It wasn’t a dream,” she whispered. How many times had she tried to convince herself that she was dreaming while in the past? Now she could see that it was so much more 226
Tianna Xander than that. And somewhere in the past, Daniel really existed. She put a trembling hand to her lips. The tears ran down her face. Lanie looked down at the shoes. It must be the shoes! She had gone back in time when she put it on the first time. Now they had somehow sent her back to her own time. “But why? When I finally realize I love him, why?” She shook her head. It didn’t matter why. All that mattered was finding her way back. Lanie removed the shoes and immediately put them back on. Nothing. She bit her lip and frowned. What was the catalyst that sent her hurtling through time? She looked up and cried. “I can’t leave him like this. Please! He won’t understand. He may never trust himself to love again. Please send me back!” Lanie fell on to the bed and cried herself to sleep. When she woke the next morning, she was disoriented and groggy. She looked at the clock with bleary eyes. No wonder, she had slept over fourteen hours. Groggy, she changed into her favorite pair of jeans. They felt tight on her legs. Her sneakers felt heavy and cumbersome. The house smelled like stale, filtered, conditioned air. She inhaled deep, missing the 227
Time Temptress smell of beeswax and chicory. She looked at the front door as she passed. One letter lay on the floor under the mail slot. Picking it up, she read the return address for a charity. “I’ve been gone a month, you’d think I’d have bills.” Out of habit, she shuffled to the refrigerator and opened the door. She wasn’t really hungry, besides, everything was probably spoiled anyway. Lanie closed the door and made her way to the bathroom. She splashed cold water onto her face and looked into the mirror, wide eyed. “What in the world are you doing, Lanie?” She had hot and cold running water. Lots of it! She closed her eyes anticipating bliss. “Mmm… A nice, hot, shower.” She began to undress. Lanie stepped into the shower and sighed. The hot water ran down the length of her body, soothing aches she hadn’t noticed before. She scrubbed her hair three times before stepping from the glass enclosure. She inhaled deeply and smiled. How she had missed the scent of her bath gel and shampoo. The harsh soaps she had to use in Daniel’s household had been the best money could buy, then. But it couldn’t compare to what she had here. She walked back to her bedroom wrapped in a towel and bit her lip, wondering if she should attempt to wash the nightgown. She dismissed 228
Tianna Xander the thought. There was lots of work to do. At the least, she had to try to find Alex for Elisabeth. That way, she could honestly say she tried to find the other woman’s husband if she managed to get back. Should she check history books? Would she be in them if she decided to stay in the past? Provided she could find her way back to begin with, of course. She shook her head at the idea. The only way she would be in any history books was if she became famous somehow. Considering the grandfather paradox, she would be lucky if she was able to go back and stay at all. Some would argue that she was meant to go back, because if she wasn’t, the shoe never would have been made in the first place. Damn, if she thought too long on that, the whole thing would give her a friggin’ migraine. Would Daniel still want her to stay if she returned? She checked the answering machine. There were no new messages. Not one person called the entire time she was gone. Impossible! She snatched up her keys and headed for the door. It didn’t matter if things went her way or not. She didn’t plan to be around here much longer anyway. At a loss as to where to look for Mr. 229
Time Temptress Hastings, Lanie went to the library. “Excuse me,” Lanie said to the pretty woman behind the desk. The woman turned and smiled. “Can I help you?” “I hope so.” Lanie smiled. “I was hoping that you could recommend a book on how to find missing…er, objects.” “I would suggest the police, miss. Especially if it is a valuable object.” Lanie’s face reddened, why didn’t she think of that? “Who did you say was missing, miss?” the burly police officer asked. He held his face close to the papers in front of him. Lanie absently wondered if he needed glasses. She twisted the straps of her purse, nervous. “My father, officer. He used to participate in Civil War reenactments, and sometimes, when he disappears like this, he thinks he is his character, Alexander Hastings.” He logged onto his computer to check the missing person reports, then tossing Lanie a quick glance, he looked embarrassed as he pulled out a pair of thick, black-rimmed glasses. He put them on and began to check crossreferences to a John Doe fitting his description. “Nothing on either name in this state, ma’am.” 230
Tianna Xander He frowned at the screen. “The good news is, we don’t have any John Does fitting that description either.” “Thank you anyway.” She smiled, rueful. “I knew it was a long shot,” she told the officer. She crossed the street to the convenience store to get a cup of coffee. Lanie’s eyes widened at the headline on the cover of The National Tattle Tale. Middle-aged man claims to be Antebellum plantation owner. Lanie swallowed. “It can’t be that simple.” She snatched up a copy, paid at the counter and ran to her car. The date on the cover surprised her. Either this was a month old issue or she had spent a month in the past while only a few days passed here. She looked at her receipt. Had she really only been gone less than twenty-four hours? “I don’t even want to try to understand it,” she said, as she flipped through the pages, looking for the article. “If I do, the whole thing will give me a migraine. I just know it.” “Man claims to be true southern gentleman.” She read aloud. A middle-aged man was found near one of South Carolina’s Historical Monuments. He was disoriented, spouting gibberish about giant metal monsters and nearly naked women two weeks ago. When asked about the gentleman, city officials have no comment other than, He is getting the help he so desperately needs. One thing remains 231
Time Temptress unexplained. He was dressed in period clothing, right down to his underwear, states one Charleston hospital employee. If he’s an actor, he has one heck of a costume maker. His boots were hand tooled and the clothing made with a rough cloth, which would have been widely used in the nineteenth century. Mr. Doe has never fallen out of character and remains adamant that he has traveled through time.” Lanie’s eyes were wide. Dare she hope that this could be Daniel’s father, and not some kook? Was he really who he claimed to be? She bit her lip. Should she take the time to travel to South Carolina? Getting the flight down to South Carolina wasn’t a problem, but Lanie did have worries about getting back to Michigan. If the man turned out to be Alexander Hastings, he certainly wouldn’t have identification. Which was a must to fly these days. Not that she entertained any real hopes that he would agree to travel on a plane in the first place. “Well, Lanie, first things, first. You have to establish that the man really is Daniel’s father.” Finding the hospital that was keeping him wasn’t hard at all, since there weren’t many in the area that fit the description in the tabloid. 232
Tianna Xander Lanie visited each hospital, claiming to be looking for her father. The second hospital showed her a picture of their time traveler, Lanie took one short look and cried, “Yes, that’s him!” He was an older version of Daniel. This could only be Alexander Hastings. Just seeing his picture helped her believe in her own sanity. Lanie looked at the orderly with tear-filled eyes. “May I see him?” He shrugged. “I don’t see why not, miss. He hasn’t been violent. He only got agitated once, when we tried to take that locket from him.” He shook his head. “He holds it constantly. But for the most part, he is a gentleman.” He grinned. “A few of the nurses think that he is exactly what he claims to be because of his mannerisms.” A nearby nurse smiled sadly. “I’m so glad you’ve come to get him. He doesn’t really belong in a place like this. It’s just too bad he’s so confused.” The orderly touched her shoulder. “Just don’t try to take that locket from him.” “I won’t,” Lanie agreed. Alex looked up when Lanie entered the room. He sighed. “Are you another doctor?” He looked back at the locket he was holding in his 233
Time Temptress hand. “I keep telling you people, that there is nothing wrong with me. I do not understand why you will not listen.” Lanie approached the table he was sitting at. She took a chair across from him. “Are you Alexander Hastings?” She knew he was, but still needed to hear it from his mouth. He looked up at her, his tortured eyes nearly made her cry. “How many times do I have to tell you people who I am? Yes. My name is Alexander Hastings. I was brought here from the year of our Lord, eighteen-hundred and fifty-six.” He turned to look longingly out the barred window. “I own Belle Isle plantation, where my wife and son reside with me.” His shoulders slumped. “Only you people keep telling me my Belle Isle doesn’t exist.” Lanie was ecstatic. Standing, she flew around the table to his side, wrapped her arms around his neck and squeezed. Taken aback, Alexander stiffened. He raised his arm to pry her loose. “I do beg your pardon, madam, but I am a married man,” he said in a decidedly nineteenth century tone. Lanie kissed him on the cheek and stepped back. She grinned. “I know. I met Elisabeth and stayed in your house for almost a month after your son ran me down with his buggy,” she whispered. 234
Tianna Xander Alex stared, his mouth slack. He shook his head, quickly coming to his senses. “You believe me?” He was incredulous. Lanie smiled. “Yes.” She looked around to make sure they were alone. “Apparently time passes differently here than it does there. I was gone from this time for twelve hours, yet I had spent a month in the past with your family.” She returned to her seat when she noticed an orderly frowning at her through the window. “We haven’t a moment to lose.” Lanie looked at him intently. “How long have you been here?” He shrugged. “In this time? About eighteen days, why?” Lanie stood and began to pace. “That would make sense then, wouldn’t it? When I arrived there, you had already been gone for three years.” He stood abruptly, nearly overturning his chair. “Three years!” His eyes were stricken. “Sit down, will you?” Lanie hissed. “They’re going to come in here thinking you’re getting violent with me.” “Elisabeth, what of my Elisabeth? No doubt she has already found another.” He sat back down, his head in his hands. Lanie looked at him and smiled softly. “Elisabeth is fine, Mr. Hastings.” She looked at him as he raised his head. “May I call you 235
Time Temptress Alex?” He nodded. “It doesn’t seem to be so improper here.” “You have been presumed dead.” He looked deflated. “So, she has remarried by now. I have nothing to go back to.” Lanie sighed, exasperated. “Give the woman some credit, would you? She’s the only person who thinks you’re still alive. Everyone thinks you were killed in a warehouse fire and that she’s gone a little off the deep end, if you know what I mean,” she said twisting her finger by her temple. Alex sat up straighter. “Daniel has had her— ” “But Daniel loves her and keeps her home with him,” Lanie interrupted when she realized he thought Daniel had locked her away in an institution. “Why are you telling me this?” he asked. “It’s not as though I can do anything about it.” He jerked his head toward the door. “They won’t let me out of here and even if they did, I don’t know how to get back.” Lanie knelt beside his chair. “Don’t you see? If I can go back, then come forward, we both should be able to go back.” She looked at him earnestly. “We both have the key or, at least, we had it. We only need to figure out what it is.” 236
Tianna Xander Standing, she looked into his eyes, so like Daniel’s, and reached out her hand, “Now, you’re going to have to trust me.” “I do not believe they just let me go.” Alex frowned. “How did you convince them to release me?” Lanie shrugged. “It was simple, really. I have my father’s birth certificate with me. I told them that you were him.” She smiled. “I said you’d obviously lost your identification. And, since you’re roughly the same age my father would be.” She grinned, “Give or take a hundred years or so, they believed me.” “I would have thought they would need more proof than that.” Lanie tilted her head and gave him a grin. “Well, you have to look at it from their point of view. First, why would I lie about something like that?” He quirked his brow at her. It reminded Lanie so much of Daniel, she giggled. “I wonder if that gets to Elisabeth as much as it does to me when Daniel does it.” He continued to give her that quizzical look. “Why would you lie indeed?” His mouth twitched. Lanie realized he was trying not to smile. “You do know what that does to a woman!” She 237
Time Temptress slapped his arm. “Anyway, the clincher was, when I asked you to give me the locket.” Lanie gave him a look and smiled. “You wouldn’t let anyone else touch it.” “Because I had nothing else to link me to Elisabeth, to the past.” “Exactly!” Lanie pointed. “Then I come along, name your wife and son. I tell you that I, myself, have experienced the same incredible journey. You saw me as a link as well.” He nodded as understanding dawned on his face. “Yet, all they saw was a man trusting his daughter.” She nodded. “Yep. The only person you would have trusted, in their eyes…a member of your family.” He sighed, looked around the city, watching as cars sped by. He jumped whenever one got too close. “Where do we go from here?” Lanie looked around. “Well, one thing is certain. We can’t sit on this bench forever. The people in the hospital might commit us both.” She stood up and started walking. “We need to find a phone. You’re going to have to keep trusting me. And, for a little while at least, you’re going to have to pretend to be just who this birth certificate says you are, my father, Anthony Barrett.” Alex bowed his head, in a gesture of respect. 238
Tianna Xander “I defer to your good judgment and your superior knowledge of this era.” Sighing, Lanie rolled her eyes. Would she ever get used to the way they talked? She hoped she’d get the chance to. He looked confused, the poor man. Their first stop was the police department where they procured special permission to get a state ID card since they weren’t legal residents. Looking down at the ID, Alex marveled at the picture. “Such detail, such color.” He looked at Lanie and grinned. “Do I really look like that?” Lanie smiled. “Yes, you do, and if I didn’t know better, I’d think you were fishing for compliments.” “Never!” he said, scowling, obviously insulted. He turned the card over in his hands. “What is this card and what is its purpose?” She did her best to explain. “The ID card proves you are my father, Anthony Michael Barrett.” “But I am not he,” he said, perplexed. Lanie sighed. “I know that and you know that, but the authorities don’t know that,” she said patiently. “Why will we be dealing with the authorities? We have done nothing wrong.” He 239
Time Temptress blushed. “Well, except lie about my identity.” Lanie looked around nervous. Thank goodness no one was paying any attention to the two of them. She put her hand on his. “We are going to need the ID at the airport. You won’t be able to board a plane without identification.” Alex stepped away from her, looking at her as if she belonged in the booby hatch. “Do you mean to tell me that you plan to stuff me into one of those giant metal contraptions that defy gravity?” She looked around, hoping no one had heard his outburst. “Will you keep it down?” she muttered through her teeth as she kept a smile pasted on her face. “You’re supposed to know all about flying on airplanes.” She heaved a sigh at his forbidding look. “How do you think I got here from Michigan so fast? I left Michigan yesterday morning.” He seemed ready to protest again. Lanie hit him where she knew it would hurt the most. “Every day we spend here, Alex, is two months in the past. Did you hear me? Every day is two months your wife lives without you.” He looked about to say something, but that brought him up short. “I have no idea how to send you back. I have 240
Tianna Xander been hoping to take you back with me, when I figure out how I did it in the first place. To do that, you will have to come with me.” Alex stood up straighter, as if bracing himself. “You are right, of course. I have no idea how I came to be here. The last thing I can recall is trying to climb out from under a pile of debris when the warehouse collapsed, I was sure I was about to die.” He looked at Lanie and sighed. “You are my only hope for return and I find I must trust your judgment.” He smiled. “I admit when it comes to the possibility of flying, I find it both intriguing and terrifying.” Lanie smiled and squeezed his hand. “You’ll do just fine, Alex.” She noticed a cab approaching and waved her arm. Alex quirked his brow as he watched it approach. Smiling up at him, Lanie said, “They’ve changed shape dramatically since your time, but a cab is still a cab.” The ride to the airport seemed to take a lot out of Alex. “Are you all right?” Lanie asked. “I don’t think you look well.” She bit her lip. How in the world was he going to survive the flight if a ride in a cab undid him like this? “I’m sure forty-five miles per hour cannot be 241
Time Temptress safe,” he said. Lanie mumbled something. “What do you mean, I have not seen anything yet?” He narrowed his eyes. “How fast does a plane travel?” “You don’t want to know, Alex, just drop it.” **** He stopped in front of a mirror in the entrance of the gift shop and gaped. “Look at my hair,” he hissed. “Doesn’t that cabby know how long it takes for a gentleman to get his hair to look just so?” He grimaced at his reflection. “I so wanted to look my best for Elisabeth when I see her next.” The whole concept of what happened to him was mindboggling. No matter how impossible it seemed. It had happened not only to himself, but it had happened to Elisabeth and Lanie as well. When Elisabeth first told him of her experience, he’d believed her because he loved her and trusted her. But he’d never really believed her. He sighed inwardly, glad that he had never ridiculed her for having flights of fancy. He smiled ruefully. They were going to have much to talk about when he returned. If he returned. 242
Tianna Xander They didn’t have many problems at the airport. When they boarded, Alex was berating himself for his fear. He’d always been a courageous man. Yet, here he was with his knees knocking together while a woman patted his hand and told him everything would be all right. That was his job. **** Lanie felt sorry for him, the poor dear. Eighteen days ago, he had experienced something that had terrified her and she was more open minded than the average nineteenth century gentleman. Not to mention the fact that he hadn’t been lucky enough to find a nice family to care for him. He’d been stuck in a cold institution and labeled a fruitcake. She watched him sitting in the window seat next to her, eyes closed, his knuckles white from the strain of gripping the arms of the seat. She felt the vibration of movement and heard the rumble of the engines as they taxied down the runway, preparing for take-off. They tilted back, the plane leaving the ground behind them. The seatbelt light went off and Lanie removed the belt to get more comfortable. They were in the air finally, and Alex still held his 243
Time Temptress eyes squeezed shut, his grip on the armrest still tight. A flight attendant leaned down toward him, giving him an appraising look as she said, “The seatbelt light is off, sir, you can remove your belt.” Still looking at Alex, she licked her lips, then glanced at Lanie. “First timer?” Lanie chuckled. “You have no idea.” She nudged Alex with her elbow. “You know, you are missing this opportunity of a lifetime, Alex,” she whispered. “How many people do you know who have flown above the clouds? You have the chance to see what Charleston looks like from the air.” His eyes popped open at that. Lanie reached across him and opened the shade. She grinned at the look of awe on his face. “I have never dreamed to see this,” he said, watching Charleston disappear. He hardly moved for the rest of the trip. Even watching as the ground seemed to rush upward toward the plane as they landed. He turned and looked at Lanie. “If we weren’t so short of time, I would love to do that again.” Lanie smiled. “So that’s where Daniel gets his courage from. He didn’t tell me that you were a daredevil, too.” At his confused look, 244
Tianna Xander she said, “A thrill seeker.” “Oh, is he?” His smile caused the corners of his eyes to crinkle. Lanie shook her head. If she hadn’t already given her heart to Daniel, Alex may have stolen it himself, and he wasn’t even trying. He stood when the plane came to a stop and the flight attendants announced it was time to disembark. “Do we not have work to do?” Lanie grabbed her carry on, the only bag she’d brought with her, and led him off of the plane.
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Chapter Seventeen opened the door. “Welcome to my Lanie home. You are welcome to use the bedroom
to the right at the top of the stairs.” She pointed down the hall. “That way is the living room. The bathroom is at the end of the hall upstairs. You’re also welcome to take a shower. Towels are in the cabinet next to the sink.” She thought for a moment. “If you can wait a few minutes, I’ll get you some of my dad’s clothes. They aren’t quite what you’re used to, but I think you’ll be more comfortable in those than what you’re wearing.” She tried not to smile. He looked adorable in the jeans and tee shirt that one of the orderlies had given him. They tried washing his clothing when he arrived at the hospital, and they’d shrunk. Lanie ran up to one of the spare rooms and looked through the closet. Her father’s suits were still there. She didn’t have the heart to get 246
Tianna Xander rid of them. She dug through the closet and found a pair of slacks and matching sport coat. She found a white shirt and found a box marked Dad’s socks and underwear and took the whole box. If he was going to have to live through the embarrassment of having to wear someone else’s underclothes, the least she could do is give him the opportunity to choose what he wanted. She took the items to the room she’d told him to use. He was looking out of the window, his hands in his pockets. He turned when she entered and ran to take the things out of her arms. “You didn’t have to do this,” he said after she told him why her father’s things were packed away. “Don’t be silly. Elisabeth and Daniel saw to my needs in much the same way. The least I can do is repay their kindness by offering the same to you.” Lanie turned to leave. “I’ll just go into the bathroom and lay out some things for you to use.” She left him rummaging through the box. She went into the bathroom, set out a towel and washcloth and made sure the shampoo and soap were on the edge of the tub. Whether he chose a bath or shower was up to him, but she’d left him prepared. She stopped when she 247
Time Temptress met him in the hall. Tears ran down her face. He reached out and took her chin in his hand. He looked into her eyes. “You love him, don’t you?” She nodded. “I love him so much and he thinks I left because I didn’t want to marry him.” She sobbed. “He thinks I just ran off in the night like that Felicity.” He took her into his arms, rested his chin on the top of her head. “Don’t worry, my dear, we’ll find our way back.” She sniffed. “But what if he doesn’t want me anymore?” “Then he’s a fool and I know I didn’t raise my son to be a fool.” Alex pulled back, holding her at arm’s length. “Now,” he said with a smile. “I think you should be finding out how we’ll get back.” Lanie nodded. “You’re right of course.” She left him at the bathroom door. It felt so strange being held like that. Alex had held her like a father would have. Lanie smiled. If she were to marry Daniel, at least she knew she was going to get along with her in-laws. She made her way down the stairs and into her office, switched on her computer and waited for it to boot up. It was strange to sit in front of the small screen again. She didn’t think she’d ever sit in this chair again. 248
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Lanie spent a good portion of the afternoon searching the Internet. “Hmm. This could be useful,” she said, printing off a few pages she thought might come in handy. She shut down her computer, deciding the best place to look, would be the library. “Alexander?” She knocked on the bedroom door. “Yes?” he said, opening the door. “Is there something you needed?” “Well, I figured that since you have already been exposed to the future, that it couldn’t hurt for you to help me do a little research on the Civil War at the library.” Alex snorted. “Civil War! What is civil about any war?” Lanie shrugged. “I thought you might be interested in finding a way to keep Daniel out of it. After all, two heads are better than one.” At his look of confusion, she rephrased her statement. “Two people searching for the same thing is better than one person searching by themselves.” Another thought occurred to her. “Besides, any information we take back with us is going to have to be stored right here,” she said, tapping her temple. “I’m going to go take a shower. Please, make yourself at home,” she said as she walked from the room. 249
Time Temptress Lanie stepped from her room refreshed. She’d enjoyed the hot shower immensely. Who knew when she would get to have another? She shrugged at the thought. She knew she would give up anything to be with Daniel again. She walked silently down the carpeted stairs. Turning the corner to the living room, she found Alex sitting on the sofa, gaping at a Victoria’s Secret catalogue. “I think we could stop by the local store and buy a few things for Elizabeth if you want,” Lanie said with a smile. Alex dropped the catalogue as if it had burned him. His face turned red at being caught staring at the scantily clad women. “She would never wear anything so revealing,” he looked longingly at the cover. “Would she?” The look he gave Lanie was filled with hope. She could only wish that Daniel felt half as much for her as this man did for his wife. “I don’t know why she wouldn’t,” she shrugged. “The first fourteen years of her life were spent in this time. She’s most likely worn less on the beach.” Lanie sat down across from him. “And she loves you. I don’t know why she wouldn’t want to please you.” He ran his fingers through his too short hair. The nurse at the hospital had informed her it was standard procedure to cut the hair of indigent patients to prevent lice infestation. 250
Tianna Xander Alex put his face into his hands. “It is hard to believe that I have been gone so long from her. These last eighteen days have been hell for me.” He looked up with pain-filled eyes. “An eternity. Yet, you say she has waited three years for me to return.” Lanie scooted forward, resting on the front of the chair. “She has waited for you, Alex. Elisabeth sits in her garden and waits for your return. She was sure that was why they couldn’t find your body after the fire, that it was the locket that sent you away.” She stood and began to pace. “And I am certain that it was my shoes that sent me back.” She stopped pacing to look into Alex’s eyes so he could see her sincerity. She knelt in front of him. “Before we go back, we have to learn where the safe places are. How we can get out of the South without raising suspicion. There is a war coming to the South. One they will not win. All of us must be living elsewhere prior to the start of it.” “War?” Alex looked startled. “What war?” Lanie sighed. “There will be a horrible war between the North and South.” He looked up, his eyes blazing. “It is over that damnable slavery, isn’t it?” He stood so abruptly, Lanie almost fell over backward. 251
Time Temptress “Those damned people and not wanting to let go of their antiquated ways!” Lanie scrambled to her feet. “That’s why we have to stay here for at least one or two more days. We have to get them out of the South and take them where they will be safe. Where we’ll all be safe.” She frowned. “I think Canada or Europe would be the best bet. Possibly even the extreme northwest or Alaska territory.” Alex nodded his agreement. “Yes. We must all leave that place.” The library told them what they wanted to know. Alex decided to take the family overseas, where they would all take an extended vacation. “I shall withdraw all of my funds from my Southern ventures and place them in English investments.” “Yes, Alex. That would be a good idea. You have to get rid of all of the paper money you have.” Lanie packed an antique steamer trunk she found at a flea market. “I’ve paid my house payment three months in advance. If anything should go wrong, we can try to bring them all forward,” she said as she packed her grandmother’s paintings into the trunk. “Why are you bringing those?” Alex gestured toward the paintings. Lanie sighed. “They are all I have left of my 252
Tianna Xander family and while I don’t care if I never come back, I don’t want to lose these.” The box carrying her mother’s and grandmother’s jewelry went into the chest, followed by fifteen pounds of dry Hershey’s Cocoa and a recipe for fudge and milk chocolate. Lanie slammed the lid down. “There. I think that’s everything,” she brushed her hands together. “Oh. I almost forgot!” She ran to her room and grabbed the nightgown she’d been wearing when she left the past. She didn’t want to leave it behind. Since she was wearing the gown the night Daniel first made love with her, it was special. She crammed them into the trunk on top of the cocoa. “Are you ready?” she turned toward Alex. His expression was grim. He wore the costume she bought for him. It resembled his original clothing, well, except for the zipper that he was going to have to keep hidden. Alex nodded. “I hope you are right and we do go together.” “This has to work,” Lanie said, giving him a quick hug. “Now you take that end of the trunk,” she said, pointing. “And I’ll take this end.” She walked to the other end and grabbed the handle. She reached for the shoes Mr. Colts made her and closed her eyes. “I don’t think anything is happening, Miss 253
Time Temptress Barrett.” “Lanie, call me Lanie,” she cracked one eye open. “It has to be the shoes,” she stomped her foot, looking down at her sneaker clad feet. She bit her lip. “Maybe I have to be wearing them.” She sat down on the coffee table and took her sneakers off. Slipping the old shoes onto her feet, she stood. Lanie looked down past her jeans clad legs and snorted. “Now, doesn’t that just look ridiculous?” She crossed the few steps to the trunk and sat down on it. She patted the spot next to her in invitation. “I have an idea,” she said as Alex sat next to her. “Now, take the handle of the trunk with your left hand and my hand with your right,” she said as she reached down to take the handle on her end. She smiled at Alex, “Hopefully, this will work.” Still nothing. “I don’t understand. The last time I put the shoes on I was thrown back in time.” “Perhaps you did something differently, my dear,” Alex suggested. Lanie bit her lip, thinking. “I don’t think so,” she looked down. “I put the shoes on, I—“ She got excited as she grabbed onto the trunk more tightly. “I reached down and fiddled with the string that holds this button in place.” Alex tightened his hold on Lanie and the 254
Tianna Xander trunk as she lifted her foot and rubbed the toe of the shoe against the back of her leg.
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Chapter Eighteen blinked. Lanie blinked. The cow Alex standing in the road in front of them
blinked before it let out a bellow that made them both jump. “We did it!” “I think we have succeeded,” they said at the same time. Alex turned around in a circle. “This looks like the road to Belle Isle,” he pointed in front of them. “If we walk this way, we should be home before nightfall,” he said, looking up at the sky. He lowered his head. “Is there something amiss?” he asked, looking at Lanie’s stunned expression. She shook her head slowly. “No. I’m just surprised that we made it and the trunk, too.” Lanie leaned down and took the handle on her end. “Well, I suppose that we aren’t going to get anywhere if we don’t start walking.” 256
Tianna Xander “It feels like we’ve been walking forever,” Lanie said, setting her end of the trunk down. The sun beat down on her and perspiration trickled down her face and neck, under the collar of her shirt. Alex looked down, noticing her discomfort. “It’s only another seven miles or so.” “Seven miles! I can’t lug this thing another seven miles.” Lanie slapped the lid of the trunk. She cocked her head. “What’s that noise?” They listened intently. The faint clang-clang of metal banging together got gradually louder as they listened. Soon, Lanie heard the clop-clop of a horse amid the clanging noise. “Why, it sounds like a peddler,” Alex frowned. Lanie jumped from her perch on the trunk. “Do you think he’ll give us a ride?” Alex shrugged. “I don’t see why not,” he cast a meaningful glance at the trunk. “You do have something to bargain with.” Lanie plopped back down. “I don’t think so.” She crossed her arms under her breasts. “Everything in this trunk once belonged to my family.” Alex raised a brow. “You have a large quantity of something that is very, very expensive here. One small can should procure passage to Belle Isle for us both.“ 257
Time Temptress Lanie snapped her fingers, “The cocoa!” “Exactly, my dear.” Alexander flagged down the peddler while Lanie hid in the brush blanketing the side of the road. The wagon stopped roughly as the man yanked on the reins. Lanie grimaced at the rough treatment of the poor animal as the horse cried out its distress at his abuse of its tender mouth. The mare slowly came to a stop, rearing slightly and prancing sideways. “Can I help you, sir?” the peddler asked. Alex nodded. “Yes, sir, you can. We were set upon by ruffians back toward Charleston,” he said, jerking his thumb over his shoulder. “They stole everything we had of value, except my daughter’s large trunk. It’s locked so they couldn’t open it and it was too cumbersome for them to take by horses,” he scowled. “We would appreciate a ride back to Belle Isle.” The peddler laughed. “Well, then, sir, you have certainly stopped the wrong man.” Alex raised his brow, “Indeed?” The man nodded. “Yes, sir. Old Alexander Hastings has banned the likes of me from his property.” He bowed his head and shook it with disgust. “The old fool thinks someone is going to steal one of his slaves.” 258
Tianna Xander She clapped her hand over her mouth in an attempt to stifle her giggle. She knew it was most likely a precaution to make sure a peddler didn’t camp on his property and see that he’d been helping slaves escape. Alexander puffed himself up. He was outraged and it showed. “Old fool?” he asked, his face turning red. He clenched his fists at his sides. Sticking her head out from behind the bushes she’d been using for cover, Lanie said, “Now, Papa, hold your temper.” Alex turned and looked at Lanie with surprise. “You don’t want to throw yourself into another fit of apoplexy,” she admonished. Lanie winked and crawled from her hiding place. “What would Mama say if she could hear you?” Alex stood gaping at her. Lanie reached up to wipe her face with her hands. “Do I have something on my face, Papa?” Oh, she was having fun, now. Daniel’s father snapped his mouth shut, shoving his hands into his pockets. “I can’t say your mother would begrudge me my upset, my dear.” Lanie smiled. She had to hand it to him, he recovered quickly. 259
Time Temptress Alex turned back to the peddler. “I am grievously sorry, sir. I should have introduced myself immediately,” he gave the man a tight smile. “I am Alexander Hastings.” The man sat up straighter, apparently startled. “Are ya now?” “Yes, and I would consider it a tremendous favor, sir, if you would do us the kind service of providing transportation to my home, Belle Isle.” He gave the man a meaningful look. “Where you will receive compensation and, I am certain, some… arrangement can be made for your return in the future.” He smiled. Lanie could tell he didn’t like the idea. His smile looked more like a strained grimace. “Of course, Mr. Hastings,” the man said with a smile. He hopped down from his perch to help Alex put Lanie’s trunk into the back of his cart. He then helped Lanie climb aboard to sit on the narrow seat. The man would have climbed up next to her, but Alex stopped him with a glower and his hand on his arm. “I will sit in the middle next to my daughter if you don’t mind.” “How long do you think it will take to get to Belle Isle?” Lanie asked as Alex climbed up next to her. “Not more than a couple of hours, I would think,” he gestured toward the peddler’s tired 260
Tianna Xander looking horse. “It depends on how fast this old nag can move,” he whispered. Lanie grinned. “It doesn’t matter. It will be faster than walking.” “This is true,” Alex nodded. The ride was hot and tedious, each of them in a hurry to reach Belle Isle for their own reasons. Lanie was excited at first, starting at each turn in the bend. She bit her nails. When would they arrive? After a while, boredom set in and she nodded off, her head resting on Alex’s shoulder. The rhythmic clop, clop, clop of the horse’s hooves on the hard-packed earth, coupled with the steady sway of the wagon, induced sleep like a drug. She was in the world in-between sleep and wakefulness when she heard Alex’s sigh. “Home.” That one word told her everything. Spoken with such reverence by a man who could only be described as severe. An old brown hound lay in the front yard. The retired coach dog lifted his head and voiced their arrival with gusto. Lanie clapped her hand over her mouth and tried to stifle the tears that threatened. She’d 261
Time Temptress never seen a more beautiful sight than the welcoming house before her. Alex stiffened when Elisabeth stepped from the house. He drew in a sharp breath when she turned, smiling at someone behind her. His breath rushed out in a relieved sigh as Daniel stepped through the door behind her and offered his arm. They both turned toward the drive as the cart hit a rut and the pans hanging from the back clanged together. Elisabeth paused, raised her hand to her breast. She turned and said something to Daniel. He shook his head and tried to grab her as she snatched up her skirt and flew down the stairs. Alex stood in the lurching cart and launched himself past Lanie, barely landing on his feet next to the vehicle. He ran full tilt into Elisabeth’s arms as Lanie sat and watched. Tears streamed down her face as she looked at the reunited couple with something that felt suspiciously like envy. She wondered what kind of reception she was going to get from Daniel. She looked toward the house. **** Daniel started down the stairs slowly. He 262
Tianna Xander couldn’t believe his eyes. He walked toward his mother, who was embracing a man he dared not believe was his father. He couldn’t go through the pain of losing him again. He didn’t know what to think. Had his mother been telling the truth when she claimed to be from the future and that Lanie was as well? Had she also been right all of these years and his father had been trapped in a time far ahead? He looked at Lanie still perched next to the peddler on his cart. She held her hands primly in her lap. He started toward her. His feet carrying him to her even though his mind was screaming stop! What if she wouldn’t forgive him for forcing himself upon her the night before she disappeared? His heart beat faster in his chest, drumming against his ribs. His breath caught in his throat as she stood on the step of the cart and launched herself toward the ground. Daniel’s traitorous feet flew across the lawn, even as his mind raged that she had left him with no word as to where she was going. He didn’t care. She was back now and that’s all that mattered now. He caught her up into his arms and looked deeply into her expressive eyes. “You just left. You didn’t even say goodbye,” he accused. Lanie lowered her head and nodded. “It was 263
Time Temptress the shoes, Daniel. The left one brings me back and the right one takes me forward.” He reached out his hand. “Then give them to me and I will burn them. I don’t want you to ever leave me again.” “You can’t!” she cried as he reached into the bag she carried and removed the shoes. He turned toward her, his eyes shuttered. “Why not?” “Because if you destroy them, there will be no left shoe to bring me back. Without that shoe, we will never meet.” It would cause a paradox. Daniel paused. “You said it was the left that brought you back?” She nodded. “I think it was the right one that took me forward.” “Then.” He smiled grimly. “I will destroy only the right shoe.” Daniel’s gaze flicked over her, the vulnerability showing in his eyes. “I never want to lose you again.” Lanie smiled. “That’s fine with me, Daniel. I never want to leave you again.” She looked up into his eyes. Eyes that told her she was everything he ever wanted. She tilted her head back, wrapped her arms around his neck and reveled in his kiss. It was something she had feared she would never get to experience again. Lanie inhaled deeply. She loved the way he 264
Tianna Xander smelled. The slight scent of tobacco mixed with mint and the musk of the man was a heady mixture. They both jumped away from each other startled when they heard Alex clear his throat loudly. Lanie looked toward the older couple, her face red, hands behind her back. She resisted the ridiculous urge to look at the ground like a recalcitrant child. Alex clapped Daniel on the back. “You do plan on marrying this young woman, don’t you?” he asked, just before he pulled Daniel into a tight embrace. “I missed you, son.” “I missed you, too, Father,” Daniel said, returning the embrace. He pulled away and looked into his father’s eyes. “I’m sorry,” he looked at Elisabeth. “I’m sorry I didn’t believe you, Mother.” Elisabeth looked between them and smiled softly. “Don’t blame yourself, sweetheart. You had no way to know that I wasn’t losing my mind, as you thought.” Alex stiffened and threw Daniel a sharp look. “Now, dear.” Elisabeth put her hand on his arm. “Can you truthfully say you have believed me all of these years?” Alex looked sheepish. “Well, I believed that you believed it.” Elisabeth raised her brow. “Which is saying 265
Time Temptress that you thought I was crazy as a loon.” Daniel looked at them and smiled. “Why don’t we continue this in the house?” He flicked his gaze to the peddler. “Where we can speak in private.” He wrapped his arm around Lanie and started walking toward the house. “Oh, my trunk. I can’t forget my trunk.” Lanie pulled her arm from Daniel’s grasp and headed for the cart. She looked back at Daniel. “Besides, your father promised him that a return visit was possible.” Daniel threw his father a sharp look. “Have you lost your mind?” he whispered when Alex caught up to him. Alex shrugged, “We needed a ride. It was one of only a few bargaining chips we possessed.” He leaned closer to his son. “Others, with the exception of Lanie’s dress and corset, were precious to her.” They followed the peddler to the back of the cart, removed Lanie’s trunk, and carried it up the steps of the porch while Elisabeth instructed Cubby to direct him to the back door. Daniel met Lanie’s eyes. “What do you have in this thing, rocks?” he asked as he set his end down in front of the door. Lanie stuck her chin out. “That’s not funny.” She looked at Alex. “I’m beginning to wonder if I should have just given you the shoe and let 266
Tianna Xander you come home on your own.” “It wouldn’t have fit.” He grinned. Lanie made a grab for the shoes. “Maybe not, but they will certainly still fit me.” “Oh, no you don’t!” Daniel held them just out of her reach. “You are not leaving me again.” He turned, handed the shoes to Elisabeth and took Lanie’s hands. “I don’t want you to leave.” He got down on one knee. “I’m begging you to stay.” Lanie looked down, watching him with tearfilled eyes. “Why, Daniel? Why are you doing this?” He looked at her incredulous. “Don’t you know?” He searched her face. “I love you, Lanie.” He reached into his pocket, pulled the tiny wooden box he’d been carrying with him since Jack’s soiree. He held the box out, took her hand and placed the hand carved box into her palm. “Will you do me the singular honor of becoming my wife?” Lanie was stunned. “What?” she asked, sure she was hearing things. She raised a trembling hand to her face, wiping the tears from her cheeks. She never dared dream he would still want her. She knew what Felicity did to him. She was certain he would think the same of her when she returned only she couldn’t help herself. She had to be near him. 267
Time Temptress Daniel smiled softly and pulled his handkerchief from his pocket. He pressed it into her hand. “Why do you never seem to have a hanky?” He got to his feet and looked to his parents for help. Elisabeth wrapped a comforting arm around Lanie and walked her into the house. “Come with me, my dear. Why don’t we go into the parlor for a nice cup of tea?” She leaned over to whisper, “I hope you brought me a pair of jeans, I have missed their comfort so much.” Lanie smiled through her tears and nodded, “We brought you a few things we hope you are going to like.” Alex clapped Daniel on the back. “Well, son, I suppose congratulations are in order.” He frowned at Daniel’s grim look. “What’s the matter? This is a time to celebrate. Why the long face?” Daniel turned, giving him a level stare. “Is it, Father? What have I to celebrate?” Alex looked taken aback. “Why, your coming nuptials, of course.”
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Chapter Nineteen stepped into the foyer and inhaled Lanie deeply. She loved the scent of beeswax and
chicory, the combination of scents that would always remind her of this house. She followed Elisabeth down the hall to the parlor. She nearly burst into tears when she saw the portrait of herself above the piano. How Daniel was able to have it painted without her knowledge was a mystery. “Have a seat, dear,” Elisabeth said, as she walked to the bell-pull. Lanie sat down on the mahogany settee and placed her trembling hands in her lap. She couldn’t stop staring at the portrait. She looked so different, so beautiful. Elisabeth followed her gaze. “He drew a picture of you after you left. He brought an artist friend from Philadelphia to have it painted.” She sat down next to Lanie. “He even told him which colors to use.” 269
Time Temptress “Is that how he sees me?” she asked, after she studied it for a moment, her hands fluttering nervously in her lap. “Why…why would he do such a thing, even after I left?” Elisabeth shrugged . “I think it’s called love, dear. Do you still want to leave?” Lanie swallowed thickly and shrugged. “I don’t know,” she turned toward her friend. “I don’t know if I could live with a man who feels as though he owns me—as though he has every right to force me to his will.” Daniel’s mother sighed and handed her the shoes. “Then take these and go.” “But I—” Elisabeth held up her hand and said, “Before you make this decision, keep in mind that my son is a product of his time.” She shrugged. “He’s bound to be a bit bossy, but once he commits himself, he is honor bound to keep that commitment. In other words, he will never leave you, he will never lay a hand on you in anger and he will always place your needs above his own.” She stood and walked toward the door. “I’ll give you a few minutes to think on it. If you decide that you can’t live with him the way he is, don’t bother to say goodbye, just go to your room and put the shoes back on.” “Why do I need to go to my room?” Elisabeth tilted her head to the side. “Your 270
Tianna Xander trunk is there. I assumed you would want to take that with you.” Lanie nodded. Elisabeth was right. If she left, she would want to take her things back with her. She watched the older woman walk from the room and wondered what life would be like with a man like Daniel. She looked at the shoes sitting in her lap, then looked up at the painting he’d commissioned. It was such a beautiful painting. It almost didn’t look like her. Indigo eyes stared back at her from the canvas. Her red gold hair framed her face. What wasn’t piled on the top of her head, fell in long ringlets around her shoulders . The rose-colored lips looked full and glossy, as if she’d just moistened them, and they were parted slightly in a half-smile. She looked beautiful. Daniel had given her more beauty in that painting than she had a right to claim. Could she really leave a man who loved her enough to see her in that light? Lanie shook her head. She needed some air and needed to think. She stood and walked to the French doors. Opening them, she let herself out into the garden. She walked through the roses. Wandering among the tall trellises, she looked down at the shoes in her hand and frowned. 271
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**** “You did what?” “I left her in the parlor with the shoes.” Elisabeth took Daniel’s arm as he turned to rush into the other room. “You can’t force her to stay, sweetheart.” She stiffened when he turned to glare at her. “Don’t you look at me like that, young man.” She drew herself up to her full height, which was still at least five inches shorter than her son, and poked him in the chest. “Don’t even pretend that you would rather force her to stay instead of letting her choose. Don’t you see? If you force her, not only do you take her choice from her, you won’t know if she stayed because she loves you or because you took the choice away.” She searched his eyes. “Do you want to wonder for the rest of your life if she stayed here because she had nowhere else to go?” Daniel shook his head and sighed. “No, Mother, I do not want to wonder. I want her to stay here because she loves me. Is that too much to ask?” He ran his fingers through his hair. “But having her here hating me is better than not having her here at all.” “Is it?” Elisabeth shook her head. “You’d better be sure because if you’re wrong, you’re 272
Tianna Xander the one who will have to live with her hatred for the rest of your lives.” Daniel pulled his arm from her grasp and stepped around her. “I have to go see. I have to know.” Elisabeth watched her son stride to the double doors of the parlor. He paused, casting an apprehensive glance over his shoulder as he reached for the knob. His look told her he feared the worst. She almost cried out a denial when he pushed the door open and his shoulders slumped in defeat. She was gone. Elisabeth put her hand to her mouth and met her husband’s eyes. “Oh, Alex, what have I done?” He took a deep breath. “What your conscience bade you to do, my love.” He wrapped his arm around her and kissed her temple. “I was sure she loved him enough to stay.” “So was I, Libby. So was I.” Alex led her slowly up the stairs. **** Daniel walked into the parlor and stared at the portrait that had dominated the room since he’d placed it above the piano. Even the huge painting of his parents, which held the place of 273
Time Temptress honor over the fireplace couldn’t capture his attention like Lanie’s portrait had. He lowered himself to the settee and put his face in his hands. He pulled them away from his face with surprise when he felt the moisture on his hands. He shook his head in denial. Pulling the watch from his pocket, he opened the face. Her miniature stared back at him. She’d been so happy that day, so full of joy. He laid the watch on the table in front of him, held his head in his hands, and for the first time in years, Daniel allowed himself to cry. **** Having made her decision, Lanie turned back toward the house. She walked slowly, working things out in her mind. What she would say, what she would do? She knew she had no real choice. She understood what was expected of her and knew what she needed to do. She opened the door, stepped into the parlor and stopped. Making up her mind had never been so easy. Closing the door, she locked it behind her and left the key in the keyhole. She had never expected to see this side of him. “Daniel?” she finally squeezed the word out. When he didn’t answer, she stepped closer. She looked down at the watch on the table and was 274
Tianna Xander stunned to see another miniature likeness of that amazing portrait in the front cover of his watch. Every time he checked the time, he looked at her face staring back at him. She looked at Daniel. He still hadn’t moved, still didn’t realize she was here. He looked so dejected with his head in his hands, his shoulders shaking. Was he actually crying? “Daniel, look at me,” she said it louder this time. He looked up through red-rimmed eyes, the disbelief written on his face. “I…thought you’d left.” He looked down at her hands holding the pair of shoes. Lanie walked over to one of the chairs, which flanked the settee and sat down. “Would you really want to keep me here if I didn’t want to stay?” she asked. Daniel took a deep breath and exhaled loudly. “No,” he shook his head. “I would never force you to remain here against your will. No matter how much I wish you would stay.” He looked over at her portrait on the wall. “If you want to go, I won’t stop you.” He put his head in his hands “You’re going to leave, aren’t you?” Lanie stood, stepped around the table and sat next to him. “Here,” she said, holding the right shoe out with a tremulous smile. “I can’t 275
Time Temptress say things will be easy for us because we are both products of our times. But I’m willing to try, if you are.” When he didn’t lift his head, she nudged his shoulder with the shoe. “If you don’t take this, I’m going to assume you don’t want me to stay after all.” He tilted his head up and looked into her eyes. “Are you sure?” Lanie threw her arms around his neck. “More sure that I have ever been about anything in my life.” **** Daniel took her into his arms. “I want nothing more than to take you for my own right here on the rug.” Hell, he had been able to think of little else since their night together three months ago. Jesus, it was hard to wrap his mind around the idea that Lanie and his father had been to the future, lived in the future. Only a few days had passed there while months had passed here. Just thinking about it made his head ache. “Why not?” She pulled back with a grin and a wink. “I locked the door and I think your parents are…otherwise engaged themselves.” He shook his head. “I’m not sure I want to think about that.” Looking deep into her eyes, he knew she was the one he wanted to spend 276
Tianna Xander the rest of his life loving. He lowered his head slowly, giving her the opportunity to reject him if that was what she wanted. “I wouldn’t blame you if you hated me for coming to you after drinking the way I did.” “Don’t you know,” she asked, cupping his face in her hands. “I love you so much. Even time couldn’t keep me away from you.” She straddled his hips, pressing the heat of her mound into the hard ridge of his cock. “I’ve never felt anything like what we did the other night.” “It was three months ago, love,” he whispered against her lips. “Not for me. For me it was just a day or so ago and I want you again.” She reached down to cup his cock in her hand. “Bold wench.” Groaning, Daniel pressed his mouth against hers and groaned again when she opened her mouth and licked the seam of his lips. Taking control of their kiss, he thrust his tongue into her mouth, relishing her taste and the feel of her tongue against his. When she pulled free of his kiss, she trailed kisses down his chin to his neck. The feel of her mouth against his throat sent blood rushing straight to his cock. After three months of living without her, he could think of nothing more than burying himself inside her wet passage. 277
Time Temptress Being separated from her these last months was a living hell. Wanting, needing her had nearly driven him mad. Pushing the unwanted thoughts to the back of his mind, he reached down, cupped Lanie’s buttocks and pressed her tighter against his aching shaft. Thrusting his fingers through her hair, he pulled her head up and slanted his mouth over hers. His tongue pushed its way inside her mouth, tasting her. He loved the way she felt as she opened to him, giving as well as taking. The thought of how close he came to losing her to the future made him groan and ratcheted his need higher. He wanted nothing more than to bury himself so deep inside her neither of them would know where she left off and he began. Standing, he carried his sweet burden to the fireplace and stood her on the thick carpet. He wanted to peel her strange garments from her like the wrapping from a present. She was his gift from the universe and he would never fail to treat her as such. Daniel kissed every inch of skin he exposed as he slowly peeled the clothing from her perfect body. God she smelled good. Her sweet scent was intoxicating. It surrounded him and he inhaled deeply, taking her essence into his lungs. After shedding his own clothing, he fused 278
Tianna Xander his mouth to hers and gently lowered her to the plush carpet. She squirmed beneath him when he rested his body against hers. His hands on her hips, he gazed down at her, reveling in the need he saw mirrored in her eyes. “I can’t wait. I’m sorry. I have to be inside you before I die.” When she fisted his cock and led it to her already dripping channel, he moaned. The feel of her hand circling his cock felt good, too good. With one strong thrust, he sheathed his length in her tight channel. Sweat poured from his face as he gazed down at her. Nothing would ever change the way he felt about this woman. No one would ever take her from him or him from her. Never would they stand the test of separation. If he had to leave the South, nothing would ever come between them again. He groaned when she wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled him deeper. Leaning down, he took one diamond hard nipple into his mouth and tugged gently with his teeth. “More,” she gasped, her fingers threading through his hair. She pulled him closer, held his head to her breast as he continued to suckle and lave, worshipping every inch of her that he could reach. Lanie’s passage wrapped around his cock felt like a tight velvet glove. He could feel his 279
Time Temptress climax approaching. It wouldn’t be long before he spilled his seed deep inside her. Reaching between their bodies, he stroked Lanie’s clit before he latched onto it with thumb and forefinger, mimicking the act of jacking off. Once, twice, the third time his fingers tugged on her sensitive nubbin she stiffened beneath him. He increased the speed of his thrusts when he felt her channel squeeze down like a vice and she threw her head back. He covered her mouth with his own just in time to swallow her scream of ecstasy as she fell apart in his arms. Surging ever deeper, he emptied his seed against the mouth of her womb. Keeping his weight on his elbows, he leaned down and kissed her once more. “I love you.” She smiled, her eyes still closed. “I love you, too, Daniel.” Rolling off her, he grinned as she punctuated her declaration with a soft snore. He pulled her tight in his embrace, hoping no one decided to come looking for them here. If they did come looking, there would be a wedding tomorrow, minus the pomp and circumstance he knew his mother loved so much these days.
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Epilogue where do you think we should go, Mrs. “So,Hastings?”
Lanie smiled and shrugged. “I don’t care, as long as it’s out of this country, Mr. Hastings.” She picked up a piece of fudge the cook made with the recipe Lanie brought with her. The chocolate had gone over so well at the plantation that they were looking into buying a cocoa farm. She was glad that she talked them into leaving the South before the war. Travis agreed to stay behind and care for the plantation and run the Underground Railroad as long as he could while Daniel and his father took their women to safety. Travis agreed with Lanie that their child shouldn’t grow up without a father, and since he had no one, it was logical for him to stay on—although, they wanted him to leave as well. “Care for one?” she offered. Daniel looked at her outstretched hand. 281
Time Temptress “Don’t mind if I do.” He grinned. “What are you going to do when we run out?” “You, sir, are going to go broke importing it for me, if you don’t buy that farm.” She smiled. “That is, if you want to keep me happy.” “Oh, yes, Mrs. Hastings,” Daniel leaned over and placed his hand on her swollen middle. “I plan to keep you very happy.”
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About the Author Tianna Xander is an eclectic author of numerous paranormal, sci-fi, time travel romance erotica books. Gaining inspiration for her characters and dialogue through her family and her addiction to the internet, she never fails to amaze readers with each new book she creates. As a reading junkie herself, Tianna has no problem reading whatever is available at the moment from romance novels, murder mysteries and encyclopedias to books on solar energy. Tianna’s life wouldn’t be complete without a happily ever after of her very own. She resides in Michigan with her husband, two children, three cats, two dogs and an intimidating bunny. Never one to fail to give credit where it’s due, she commends her family for their constant support. After writing many books and receiving rave reviews, her family is just as proud of her. Always full of ideas, Tianna rarely puts the pen down, so readers can look forward to many more exciting stories in the future. Tianna’s email:
[email protected] Tianna’s website: http://www.tiannaxander.com Tianna’s MySpace: www.MySpace.com/Tianna_xander Tianna’s yahoo group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TiannaXander/ Tianna’s newsletter: www.tiannaxander.com (enter your information on her newsletter link)
