A World Apart (The Hands of Time: Book 3) (6 page)

Louisa bolted out of bed just as the first rays of the rising sun began to caress her face.  She hadn’t meant to fall asleep, but she was tired and must have dozed off.  Thankfully, Evie was still
out, content after her 3 a.m. feeding, and Kit was sleeping soundly, his face serene.  He had no trouble sleeping through stressful situations, but Louisa usually tossed and turned, unable to find oblivion.  She must have been more overwrought than she realized. 

Louisa
slipped on her dressing gown and crept from the room, crossing the hall to Valerie’s bedroom.  Her heart hammered in her chest as she turned the handle and looked inside.  The bed was neatly made, the Whitfields still gone. 
There’s still hope
, she told herself as she made her way downstairs.  Mrs. Dolly was alone in the kitchen, teasing the smoored fire back to life, so Louisa changed track and peeked into the parlor.  Empty.  Her stomach did a somersault as she stepped out onto the porch.  The morning was fresh and cool, making her shiver in her thin dressing gown.  There was no sign of anyone.  Louisa trudged back upstairs with a heavy heart.  She’d fervently hoped that Alec and Valerie would find Finn quickly and return before anyone was even up, but that obviously wasn’t the case. 

“They’re not back,” Kit said quietly.  It wasn’t a question; it was a statement of fact.  He was sitting up in bed, gently rocking the baby.  Her tiny mouth was already opening and closing, searching for a nipple.  Louisa just shook her head and took the baby, sitting down in her nursing chair and putting the baby to her breast. 

“They’re not back,” she repeated, almost to herself.  “You know what this means, Kit.  If Finn had stayed close to the house, they would have found him quickly.  If they’re still not back, it means he’s left the area and he could be anywhere by now.  And there’s a war on.”  Louisa sniffled, using the sleeve of her gown to dab at her wet eyes. 

“What war?”  Kit was alert now, his interest piqued.  “You hadn’t mentioned
anything about a war last night.”

“I never got the chance.  Finn’s landed in the middle of the Revolutionary War.  I wonder what made him pick that year,” Louisa added absentmindedly as she switched Evie from one breast to another.

“Revolutionary War?  Who revolted?” Kit asked with undisguised interest.  Louisa had forgotten that Kit had no idea about what happened in the future.  Alec had gotten an education from Valerie, but Kit had known about things for less than twenty-four hours.

“The colonists rebelled against England.  The
y wanted to break with England and govern themselves.”  Louisa watched as Kit’s eyes widened in shock.

“Really? 
What an extraordinary notion.  That must have been a short conflict.  Did England beat them back into submission?”  Kit was warming up to the subject, his face aglow with boyish curiosity.

“Actually, no.  It lasted for years, and the
American Colonies won their independence.  They became the United States of America and eventually grew from thirteen to fifty states.  England never did get over the shock.” 

“Fascinating,” Kit said.  “Who would have thought it was possible to
defeat England?  Were they very well-armed and trained?”

“Not as well as the British.  The Continental Army was better armed and trained, but the
Militia was mostly farmers and tradesmen, armed with pitchforks and hunting rifles.  The British didn’t take them seriously enough until it was too late.”  

“Fascinating,” Kit said again, his eyes shining with wonder. 
“Who became their king?  Was the rebellion led by someone of royal blood?”

“Kit, I’ll tell you more later, but right now, we have more pressing issues.  Since they
’re not back, we have to figure out what to tell everyone.  We need a plausible explanation for Mrs. Dolly and Minnie, and the field workers.  Charles will have to be told something as well, and what about little Louisa?  How do we explain the disappearance of her brother and parents and the appearance of Mr. Taylor?  He’ll have to stay here until they return since he’s got nowhere to go.  Oh, Kit, what if they can’t find Finn?”

“They’ll find him, Louisa.  They must.  Think good thoughts.  There’s nothing more we can do now, except make sure that everyone is calm and ignorant of the truth. 
Let’s tell them that they went to North Carolina.”

“Why would they suddenly go to North Carolina?” Louisa asked.

“Everyone is worried about the lack of supplies for the coming winter.  We’ll just tell them that they wanted to barter for some additional items, not available here.  Finn would have gone with them.  I don’t think anyone will question it.  As far as Mr. Taylor goes, just say that he’s a relation come from England to visit.”

“All right.  I suppose that’ll do since I can’t think of anything better at the moment.”  Louisa sighed.  “I’m so frightened, Kit.  What if they don’t come back?”

“Sweetheart, you managed to find Valerie after going back in time, crossing an ocean, and surviving a pirate attack.  Alec and Valerie have much better chances since they know where Finn went, and have some useful knowledge of the future.  Even if Finn left the area, he must be somewhere close by.  They will find him.  You’ll see.  Now, get dressed and come downstairs.  We must act normally.”

“You’re right, of course.  I’ll just
change Evie’s clout and check on Bridget before I come down.  She’s been unwell.  I hope she’s feeling better today.  I wish I could tell her the truth, Kit.  She’s always so practical and resourceful; she’d know how to make me feel better.”  Louisa unwrapped Evie’s blanket to a howl of protest.  She hated getting her clout changed. 

“
Louisa, you must say nothing to Bridget.  I know she can be a source of comfort to you, but the less people know, the better.  I’ll go have a word with Mr. Taylor and advise him of the plan.” 

Wispy ribbons of mist wrapped themselves around tree trunks, and pooled in the hollows still shrouded in darkness as the sky began to lighten in anticipation of sunrise.  The air was cold, turning their breath to white puffs as they walked in silence down the road to Jamestown.  Alec desperately wanted to say something to comfort Valerie, but no words sprang to mind.  She walked beside him, silent and distant, lost in her own thoughts.  They’d spent the whole night searching the area, but found no signs of Finn, and they both knew what this meant.  He could have gone anywhere.  Going to town seemed like the most logical idea, since Finn would likely try to find Charlie before realizing that he was in a different time.  How long would it take him to grasp the reality of the situation?  What would he do then?  With no one to turn to, Finn might take to the woods, making him impossible to find.

T
hey left the woods before the current inhabitants of the house began to rise and go about their business.  Alec didn’t really have a plan, but it was vital to make Valerie believe that he had an idea.  Her eyes looked haunted in the gray light of the early morning, her face pale and drawn.  He hated to admit it, but she had been right last night.  They should have gone immediately.  The hour it took them to prepare probably made all the difference, although Finn might have already gone by the time Mr. Taylor raised the alarm.  They had no way of knowing at exactly what time Finn transported himself.  Valerie thought she heard him on the stairs, but it could just as easily have been Minnie.  Finn obviously came home sometime after they sat down to supper, which had been a lengthy affair.  He might have been gone for as much as two hours by the time they discovered him missing.  Alec turned to Valerie, trying to appear much calmer than he felt.

“
Sweetheart, here’s what we’ll do.  Once we get to town, I’ll find us an inn where you can freshen up and rest.  You need to sleep.  I’ll search the town.  Someone must have seen him.  Are you hungry?”

Valerie just shook her head.  She was exhausted and terrified, her stomach revolting against even the sip of cider she took a few moments ago.  She’d like to have argued with Alec, but at the moment, sleep was the only thing she craved, aside from the sight of Finn.  She needed to lie down, if only for a short while.  Alec must be exhausted too, but arguing with him would be futile.  He wouldn’t stop to rest
for fear of allowing Finn to get even further away.

“Why don’t
we go over everything you remember about 1775?” Alec suggested.  “I know they are in the middle of the Revolutionary War, but what else can you tell me?  I must know as much as possible.” 

Alec would never admit it to Valerie, but he was excited about finding himself in the future.  This wasn’t the future he dreamed off, but it was still one hundred and fifty years past his own time, and he was more than curious to see how life had changed.  The idea that the colonists could take on the might of Britain and win boggled his mind, making him strangely proud of the future citizens of the United States.  He only hoped that Finn would stay clear of the conflict, and not set himself up as a target for the
revolutionaries.

Valerie suddenly stopped walking and turned to face Alec.  Her eyes looked even more panicked than they did a few moments ago, although as far as Alec could tell nothing had changed. 

“Something’s been niggling at me all night, and I finally remembered what it is.  It’s been a very long time since I’ve studied American history, but I seem to remember that at some point during the seventeenth century the capitol was moved from Jamestown to Williamsburg.  Jamestown eventually fell into decline and ceased to exist
altogether, but I can’t remember exactly when that happened.  There might not even be a Jamestown any longer, Alec.  What do we do then?”  Valerie looked at Alec, her expression forlorn.  If Finn wasn’t in Jamestown, they would have no clue where to look for him. 

“Let us wait and see, shall we?  It can’t be as bad as all that.”  Alec fervently hoped that he was right.  What if there was no
longer a Jamestown?

Jamestown eventually came into view, bringing relief and despair
.  The town had grown since their own time, but it had the distinct air of decline, especially at the outskirts.  Alec and Valerie passed several abandoned houses and the ruins of a church on their way to the center.  The buildings in the heart of the town were much grander than they were in the seventeenth century, but some of the windows were still shuttered, giving the square a melancholy air.  The sun was fully up by this time, and the place should have been a beehive of activity, but it was strangely quiet.  A few masts could be seen rising above the roofs of houses facing the docks, but there wasn’t the usual flurry of activity.  Several women, some of them colored, passed by, baskets slung over their arms, obviously en route to a shop or a market. 

A wagon rattled past, loaded with barrels of something; the driver wearing a beat-up tricorn
, which obscured the upper half of his face.   

“What
manner of hat is that?” asked Alec, looking after the wagon. 

“That’
s a tricorn.  They were very popular during the eighteenth century.”  Valerie barely paid attention to their surroundings, tired as she was.  Her feet were swollen in her shoes from hours of walking, and she grew more anxious by the moment, seeing the sad state of the town.  How would Finn react to seeing this?  Where would he go next?

**

The bed was lumpy and hard, but Valerie didn’t care.  They were lucky to have found this much.  There were only two inns, and one of them had been full.  The Crowing Rooster was a bit run down and in need of a good cleaning, but at least they had rooms available.  The room was on the uppermost floor, small, with a sloped ceiling and a tiny window which refused to open.  Valerie poured some water from the pitcher, splashing her dusty face and washing her hands, before sitting down on the bed and kicking off her shoes. 

Alec washed his face and hands,
wolfed down a sausage roll and drank the last of the cider, before heading into town to look for Finn.  He assured her that it was all right for her to stay at the inn and get some rest.  Alec would also find someplace to trade his gold ring for currency.  They’d need to buy food and pay for the room. 

Valerie peeled off
her gown, used the chipped chamber pot under the bed, and climbed under the covers in her shift.  She felt guilty for resting while Finn was out there somewhere, scared and confused, but her body refused to obey any of her commands, forcing her to seek oblivion.  She’d been up all night, but it was the anxiety that really wore her out.  Her eyes felt heavy, and her mind shut down, refusing to dwell on any more fearful thoughts until it got some rest.

It was nearly dark by the time
Valerie finally woke up, hungry, but rested.  There was no sign of Alec, so she stood on tippy toes to try to see out of the window.  She couldn’t see much from her vantage point since a ledge from the floor below blocked the view of the street.  For a moment, Valerie considered going outside, but quickly changed her mind.  Alec would worry if he came back and found her gone.  She’d just stay and wait for Alec to return. 

A half hour turned into an hour before Valerie finally heard the sound of footsteps on the creaky staircase outside.  She made for the door, yanking it open just as Alec reached the top of the stairs.  He looked exhausted, his clothes soiled and smelly.  He carried a pot and a loaf of bread under his arm. 

“Alec, where have you been all this time?”  Valerie asked, taking in his disheveled appearance.

Alec sank onto a wooden chair and handed the pot and bread to Valerie as he removed his
boots. “I spent the first few hours walking around asking anyone I could find if they’d seen Finn, but no one could remember anyone like him.  I decided to go to the docks to ask there.  Same result.  A vessel was being unloaded, and extra men were needed to help the sailors.  I thought it a good opportunity to earn a little money since there was nowhere to trade the ring.  I stayed until the work was finished, earning enough to pay for the room and some supper.  The proprietress promised to send up some ale to go with our meal.”

Valerie’s hunger
vanished after hearing Alec’s account, but she forced herself to eat the oyster stew, and drink the ale, which had been brought up by a scrawny girl in a stained frock.    Alec ate slowly, his eyes heavy with fatigue.  Valerie wanted to ask him what they would do next, but decided to wait till morning.  In the meantime, she’d wash his shirt and stockings.  They would be dry by morning, in case they needed to leave.