For You (8 page)

She grinned to herself thinking of her reason for being such a slug-a-bed this morning. He’d kept her up half the night with what he called their “explorations.” Just the thought of his mouth and hands running along her body made her shiver with delight.

He’d been so patient with her the past few weeks. He’d taught her delights she never could have imagined, and none of her friends had ever hinted at. The women of the twenty-first century must be happy indeed, if all future men were as thoughtful and giving as Drew.

She examined the sleek lines of her forest green habit in the mirror. Drew particularly liked this color on her. She’d had the dress made with his preferences in mind. Without Mr. Snell’s thievery, their fortunes had taken a turn for the better. This was the first new garment she had purchased since Payne’s death.

“Hurry, Lizzie. Lord Engledown will be waiting for me.” Sitting still as Lizzie pinned her hair under the stylish new hat she’d purchased to match her habit was a struggle. Desire to look attractive for Drew warred with her need to be with him as quickly as possible.

He’d left first thing this morning for yet another meeting with their solicitor. Drew was determined Vincent should never profit if anything were to happen. She shuddered at the thought. If any harm were to come to Drew, she didn’t know how she would go on. She loved him dearly.

She pushed the thought from her mind. There was no point in dwelling on such a horrible possibility. But she had to admire the way Drew was determined to look after her welfare. He’d made sure she was familiar with all the precautions he’d taken with Mr. Geeson. Vincent remained the heir until such time as she produced a son to inherit in his place. It frustrated Drew that this was so, but the law could not be avoided.

Clever man that he was, Drew made sure the earldom was less of a prize than it once was. Were Drew to die, all entailed property would fall to Vincent, that couldn’t be changed, but any and all money would go to Julia and Mellicent. If Vincent attempted to strong arm his way to her fortune, Drew made certain proof of his thievery would become public. Vincent would never risk such scandal.

She couldn’t wait to see the look on Vincent’s face when Drew informed him. They’d invited him to dinner that evening to share the news. She doubted he’d stay for the meal.

Lizzie tucked a final curl into place. “There you go, my lady. You look lovely.”

Julia smiled at her maid, who’d been with her since she was a child. “Thank you, Lizzie. Please lay out the blue flowered dress for this evening. It is Lord Engledown’s favorite, and I wish to look extra nice this evening.”

“Yes, my lady.”

One of the stable lads was waiting to accompany her to the park. The horses chomped at the bit to be off. Julia’s eagerness must have conveyed itself to her horse for Athena danced and swung her head, nearly pulling the reins out of her hands. But Julia was an excellent rider and quickly took control.

Though she wanted to gallop her way to Drew, she kept Athena at a sedate trot. She and Drew had been the topic of society gossip quite enough lately. She had no wish to add fuel to the fire. Behaving like a hoyden would win her no points with the ladies of the
ton
.

They reached the park soon enough, and she eagerly scanned the area Drew had designated for their picnic, slowing Athena to a brisk walk. The park bustled with activity, but he’d selected a slightly out of the way spot that provided enough shelter to give them some semblance of privacy.

Movement beyond a stand of bushes caught her eye, and she let Athena break back into a trot. They rounded a tree, and the small clearing opened before them. Drew stood in the center, helping the servants lay out a blanket and basket for their picnic.

An explosive, popping noise startled her. Athena bucked. Julia struggled to stay in the saddle. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Drew fall to the ground. Horror tightened her chest. She threw herself off Athena and raced to Drew.

“Drew! No!” she cried. Screams sounded all around. Everyone in the area turned to see what had happened. A dark figure dashed off into a line of trees, but she didn’t get a good look at him, her attention was all on Drew.

He lay deathly still. His face pale. Blood poured out of a long graze at his temple.

“He’s been shot.” A crowd gathered, their voices tripping over one another, competing with the buzzing of panic in her head.

“Quick, fetch the doctor at once,” she ordered the servants. They scattered, and she knew they went to all the spots the doctor might be at this time of day.

Julia gathered Drew into her arms. He lay still, limp across her lap. She watched his chest rise and fall with each breath, clinging to the steady rhythm as reassurance that he would be all right. He had to be.

****

Drew groaned as a light shone directly into his eyes, his lids peeled back one at a time to experience the torture. He tried to swat the hand away, but his arm wouldn’t move.

“Mr. Engledown. I’m Doctor Isaacs. You’re at London Central Hospital. You’ve been in an accident. We’ve had to intubate—we inserted a tube into your trachea to help you breath. I’m going to remove it now so you can talk to us.” The doctor gave some instructions, and the tube was painfully removed. Dr. Isaacs checked him over and then said, “I’ll let you rest a little before we talk. You have some friends here who are eager to see you.”

He waved at the door. Drew blinked to clear his vision and stared as Chuck and Brenda entered his room.

His attempt at cursing brought on a coughing fit. The nurse put a straw to his lips with the warning to take only small sips. The water eased the burning in his throat only slightly, but he worried he’d throw up if he took any more. He waved the nurse away, and she left him alone with Chuck and Brenda.

Brenda’s eyes brimmed with tears, and Chuck had to clear his throat several times before he could speak. “Dude, that was a stupid move, jumping in front of that bus.”

Drew choked back a laugh—it would be too painful. “Saved your ass,” he croaked out. Barely.

“I’m so sorry, Drew,” Brenda said. “It’s all my fault. I got this feeling that you needed to be there. I had no idea what would happen. I swear.” She brushed a tear off her cheek and squeezed his hand.

“Go back.” He had to get back to Julia. Last he remembered was seeing her approach and admiring the way she looked atop the sleek black horse. Then a gunshot, searing pain in his head, and everything went black.

“Back? Back where?” Chuck frowned, confusion evident in his expression.

Brenda’s face turned thoughtful. “Did you go somewhere, Drew?” An eager light glinted in her eye. What did she know?

He nodded.

Brenda clapped her hands, a delighted smile on her face. “Tell us.”

The story took a while to tell. He stopped frequently for small sips of water to soothe his throat. Chuck looked incredulous, but Brenda soaked up the story. He could tell she believed every word he said.

“Time travel. Marvelous!” she exclaimed when he’d finished. “I’d always believed it possible, but it’s so rare. The circumstances must all align perfectly for it to happen.”

He gave her a questioning look. His voice had given out on him.

“This Lord Payne you replaced, he must have been you from a past life. That’s why you share the same name, if not the title. And because of your selflessness in saving Chuck from that bus”—she paused to smile at Chuck—“you’ve been given a second chance to connect with Julia. She must be your soul mate.”

That Julia was his soul mate, he well believed. The rest of what Brenda said left his brain spinning in confusion. Frustration tore at his gut when he tried to ask how to get back and all that came out was a croak. Exhaustion dragged at his limbs. He struggled to keep his eyes open. A needle pricked dully at the back of his hand when he moved his arm. His thoughts were muddled.

He tried again. “Back.”

Brenda nodded. “We’ll figure out a way, Drew. You rest now. Chuck and I will be back in the morning.”

He struggled against the drowsiness dragging him down. He didn’t want to wait until morning. He wanted to return to Julia now. But the nurse came in and ushered his friends out. She bustled around him for several minutes, doing who knew what, and then with a pat on the shoulder, told him to get some rest and left him alone.

Sleep pulled at him. His last thoughts before succumbing were of Julia. He had to get back to her. He had to.

****

“Julia, you must get some rest. You won’t do Payne any good if you collapse in exhaustion. I must insist you finish your meal and then retire to your room for a good night’s sleep. I will inform you immediately if there is any change in Payne’s condition.”

Julia wanted to ignore Mellicent’s warning, but she knew she was right. “Of course, Mellicent.” She picked at the plate of food before her. She had not had an appetite since Drew had sustained his injury two days ago. How could she eat when her beloved lay as if dead upstairs? She pushed back from the table. “I’ll look in on him for but a minute before I retire.”

Mellicent stomped her foot. “No, you will not. If you go to his chamber, you won’t leave it again until I force you out. I have instructed Brecken not to let you into Payne’s room until the morning.”

Julia gasped. “Mellicent. That is outrageous.”

Mellicent smiled kindly. “I know, dear. But Payne would not forgive me if I allowed you to come to harm before he recovers.” Mellicent squeezed Julia’s hand. “He will recover, my dear. He was not brought into our lives only to be taken away in such a manner. Especially now that Vincent won’t be troubling us any longer.” She gave a most unladylike snort. “Foolish man. I hear he’s taken ship to America. Attempted murder with the Duke of Harringdon as witness. Imagine. The fool.”

“Has the tale spread? The
ton
must be enjoying such a fantastic scandal.”

“I spoke with the duke. He has no intention of speaking of it. As far as the
ton
is concerned, it was an accident.” Mellicent gave her a stern look. “Now, off to bed my dear. I shall see you in the morning.”

Julia stood. “Yes, Mellicent.” She dragged her weary body up the steps, leaning against her door for a moment before stumbling across the room to the door connecting to Drew’s chamber. Locked. “Damnation.”

“Why Lady Payne, did I just hear you curse?”

Julia gasped. “Drew?” She turned slowly to find him standing at the side of her bed. The drapes had hid him from sight when she entered the room. She couldn’t believe her eyes. The bandage remained wrapped around his head, but a normal, healthy color had returned to his skin. He stood straight and had a smile on his face.

Then he opened his arms, and she flew across the room into his embrace.

She caught a faint coppery scent of blood from his bandage, but the smell no longer overpowered her as it had when he lay like the dead in his bed. His familiar, beloved scent filled her senses. She breathed him in, soaked up the warmth of being in his arms.

“I’ve missed you,” he whispered and kissed the top of her head.

“And I you.”

“What happened here?”

She told him how she’d heard the gunshot, seen him fall, and everything that happened after. He wiped her tears when she spoke of her despair that he might never wake. Then he described waking up in the hospital and what he’d learned from his friend’s wife, Brenda.

They kissed, sinking onto the bed, reveling in the fact they were together once more.

After a while, they sat side by side on her bed, propped against her pillows, wrapped in each other’s arms. Drew picked up a box that lay on the bedside table. It was wrapped in the piece of striped silk he’d called a tie.

“I found that among the clothing you wore when you first arrived. I’ve barely left your side except when Mellicent forced me to attempt to get some rest. I wanted something of yours close by.” She ran a finger along the silky material. “Will you miss the future? From what you’ve described, your time sounds fascinating.” She worried at her lip, glancing at him from under lowered lashes. “Why did you return? Surely life is better in the future.” She hoped she knew the answer. That he loved her as much as she loved him. She needed to hear him say it.

“The thought that I’d never see you again—” He broke off, clearing his throat. He opened the little box and tiny hearts poured into his palm. He sifted through them, turning them over one at a time.

Luv You.

Be Mine.

Marry Me.

Her heart fluttered wildly.

“You’re my soul mate, Julia. Nothing can separate us. I love you.” He smiled and placed one of the hearts in her hand. “I came back—”

Tears of joy clouded her vision, but she had no problem reading the tiny heart in her hand.

For You
.

A word about the author…

Emma Kaye is married to her high school sweetheart and has two beautiful kids that she spends a ridiculous amount of time driving around central New Jersey.

Before ballet classes and tennis entered her life, she decided to write one of those romances she loved to read and discovered a new passion. She’s been writing ever since. Emma’s first Wild Rose Press book,
Time for Love
, combines two of her favorite romance genres—time travel and Regency.

With her loving family, a hyper dog, and an extremely patient cat, Emma’s living her own happily ever after while making her characters work hard to reach theirs.