Time for Love (34 page)

The soldier ignored her male counterpart, who nervously adjusted his grip on his weapon and yelled at her to not get too close.

“What happened?” She placed her hands over Alex’s wound and indicated she would take over.

Nicholas had no chance to answer. The doors banged open, and more soldiers rushed into the room, followed by a portly man who walked with a confidence that showed Nicholas clearly he was the man in charge. With a simple gesture, the noise pounding in his head silenced and the lights ceased flashing.

The man strode right up to them and shot a withering glare at the soldier whose hands were now covered in Alex’s blood. “Back to your post, soldier,” he ordered.

She flushed and started to remove her hands. Nicholas placed his hand on her shoulder, and she stilled.

He stood, his movements lightning quick, and for the second time that night, his hands closed around another’s throat. He took some satisfaction in watching the leader’s eyes bulge as he struggled for air.

He held the man close, between himself and the soldiers, whose guns all pointed his way. He could see the indecision in their eyes. Could they shoot him without harming their leader?

He increased pressure slightly as the man attempted to pull away. “The soldier shall stay where she is until you summon a doctor to take her place.”

When the man stilled, Nicholas grabbed hold of his arm to hinder any escape he might attempt and eased the pressure slightly off his throat to allow him the possibility of speech.

The stranger somehow managed to maintain his air of authority, even with the undignified position. He breathed as deeply as Nicholas’s grip allowed before saying, “You must leave here immediately and take her with you.”

“She will not survive in my time. I have been informed there are doctors here that can heal her. You will summon one here immediately.” His teeth ground together in frustration, aware that Alex slipped closer and closer to death with each passing moment.

“I can’t do that. I’m sorry she’s going to die, but there’s nothing I can do. We are not permitted to do anything that might change history. Healing a wound that would kill her in your time is not allowed.”

Nicholas’s grip tightened involuntarily at those words, and the man’s eyes widened in alarm. “You can and you will. Or I will see that you regret it.”

He let go as he realized exactly how he would convince them to do as he wanted. He schooled his features to show no emotion as the man stumbled. Five guns now aimed directly at him. While many of them were of the unfamiliar larger variety the first two carried, he noticed that one of the soldiers carried a weapon almost exactly like the one he had seen in Tyndale’s hand. He realized from where it must have come.

Their leader straightened himself and laughed coldly. “Just how do you think you’ll be able to do that?”

Nicholas nodded toward the soldier he had noticed. “I must say I like your weapons. That one there is quite deadly but unheard of in my time.” He smiled grimly. “Except of course for the gun that wounded Alex. It will cause quite a commotion back home when people see this weapon of the future and the wound it caused. I’m certain I can convince some young craftsman to build more of them. Perhaps I will be known as the inventor of this gun your soldiers favor. Wouldn’t that be splendid?”

“You’re bluffing,” he stated, yet his face had paled.

“I have no need. Alex’s sister, Lady Charlotte Creswell, brought a few other items from the future as well. My friend, Lord Tyndale, described them as
truly amazing—
items that were quite obviously
beyond the capacity
of our time. Interesting that you would allow her to bring such items with her.”

Nicholas laughed, inflecting as much scorn into the sound as possible. “Oh, yes. That’s right. She overpowered your men. I see the mark of her passage all around us.” Nicholas nodded at the pile of rubble in the corner. Hate practically poured off the man. The same emotion clogged his own thoughts, but he had the upper hand. “We have no further time to delay. You will see to obtaining assistance for Alex. Now.”

The man’s shoulders slumped slightly in defeat, though he pulled himself back up quickly and resumed his confident manner. “The paramedics are already on their way.” He indicated the soldier still at Alex’s side. “She put the call out already.”

Nicholas relaxed marginally and nodded his thanks to the soldier. He knelt at Alex’s side and pulled her cold hand into his. He leaned over and whispered encouraging words into her ear. “You will be fine. Don’t give up, Alex. I love you.”

****

Nicholas no longer doubted the existence of purgatory. It was a small room with furniture upholstered in strange fabric that stuck to your skin if you sat still for too long. It was crowded with people who paced restlessly or sat listlessly as they waited to discover whether they would be descending further into the abyss or rising above to join their loved ones in heaven. False hope was continuously raised and dashed as men and women in loose trousers and flapping white coats paused at the entrance to select the lucky few who would journey on.

The man in charge, Sawyer, tried to send him back through the portal, but Nicholas refused. He would not leave Alex. They cowered before him and caved to his demand to accompany her. He would make sure her condition improved.

They had bundled him up and brought him to this modern hell called a waiting room. Sawyer instructed him to speak with no one and gave him a strange set of garments to replace his own soiled eveningwear in an attempt to make him less noticeable.

A soldier sat casually in a chair near the door, just another family member waiting for news, but Nicholas was well aware he was under guard.

He ignored him. They could set all the guards they desired, provided they made no attempt to keep him from Alex’s side the moment she returned from surgery.

He did not completely understand why he was unable to attend her during her surgery. He assured them he was no stranger to bloodshed. He had seen horrendous injuries during the war and held the hand of many a fellow crewmember as they suffered amputation or had wounds cauterized. He would not faint or any such nonsense.

They had stared at him in horror, and Sawyer had ushered him out, leaving the female soldier behind to speak with the doctors.

Sawyer had explained their theory of germs, and that his presence during the surgery could cause fatal harm to Alex, besides which she would be unconscious during the entire surgery and would not be aware of his presence. He had reluctantly left her side and had been waiting ever since.

He brought to mind an image of Alex as she had looked descending the stairs before the ball. How lovely she had looked, her face glowing with health and youthful vivacity. He concentrated on this image whenever he thought of her still and blood soaked body rushed away on a wheeled bed by a large contingent of doctors.

That image could not be his last.

Another doctor paused at the entrance to the waiting room. Nicholas stood as the doctor headed in his direction. Sawyer followed a few steps behind. “Are you Nicholas Somerville? I believe you are a relation of some sort to Alexandra Turner, the young lady with the gunshot wound?”

“Yes. Lady Alexandra is my fiancée.” Nicholas kept his voice calm and impassive.

“She’s out of surgery and doing well. She’s not out of the woods yet, but she appears to be a fighter.”

The doctor smiled kindly, and Nicholas allowed himself to smile back in relief.

“Do you know what blood type you are? You might like to give blood while you’re waiting for her to be transferred to a recovery room.”

“I am not ill. Bloodletting is unnecessary.” He frowned. “Save your concern for Lady Alexandra.”

The doctor gave him an odd look and opened his mouth to speak, but Sawyer interrupted. “Thank you, doctor. Perhaps we’ll donate later.”

At this obvious dismissal, the doctor shrugged and left the room.

“I wished to speak more to that doctor regarding Alex’s condition. You will call him back to explain his comments,” Nicholas demanded.

“She’s doing okay. You wouldn’t understand anything the doctor could tell you, and I’d prefer you have as little interaction with people here as possible. Your ignorance of common facts will make people suspicious, and that won’t help Alex.”

Nicholas bristled at the insult, but Sawyer continued in a low voice, glancing around to make sure they weren’t overheard, “Simple, everyday items will seem extraordinary to you, and your reaction will cause people to notice you. That’s the last thing we need right now.”

Still seething, but recognizing Sawyer’s point, Nicholas nodded. “When will I be allowed to see Alex for myself?”

“Soon. You’ll just have to wait here a bit longer.”

Nicholas sighed and sat once again, still in hell but with that glimmer of hope that he might ascend shortly.

****

A woman burst into the small hospital room. Nicholas rose to block her before she could reach the bed where Alex lay still, covered in a starched white sheet with tubes and wires draped under her nose, attached to her arm and affixed to her chest. Small boxes on pedestals near the bed beeped and flashed, while under the window, the large box that kept the air a pleasant temperature added a constant whirring noise to the background.

She skidded to a stop, almost bumping into his chest. She was a tiny thing, her short blond head came only to his chest. Much smaller than his Alex. Her mouth gaped open as she lifted her head to stare up at him.

“Oh!” she exclaimed, a trifle breathless. “Hi. I’m Jessica Faraday. Alex’s friend.”

He lifted a finger to his lips and gestured to Alex. He kept his voice low so as not to disturb her. “It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.” He inclined his head. “I am Nicholas Somerville, Marquess of Oakleigh. I am Alex’s betrothed.”

Miss Faraday’s jaw dropped and her eyes widened. “Betrothed? Does that mean what I think it means?”

“We are engaged to be married,” he confirmed. His heart ached at the knowledge this was a lie. She had never agreed to their engagement.

Her gaze raked over him from head to toe. If he weren’t so damn tired, he’d be amused at her temerity. Yes, she was an appropriate friend for his Alex. He recalled Alex mentioning her once
.
She had, perforce, left out many salient details.

“That’s kind of sudden, isn’t it? I mean, she never mentioned you and she’s been, well, out of the area for the past…” Her voice trailed off and she cleared her throat. “So, ahem, do you know where she’s been?”

He regarded her with renewed interest. “Alex confided her plans to you?”

“Yes, we’re very good friends. I came as soon as Sawyer,” She sneered as she said the name. “told me she’d returned. I came directly from Heathrow the minute I got in. I’ve been extremely worried about her.” She nodded to the bed and frowned. “With good reason apparently. Please, tell me what happened.”

Nicholas ran a hand along his jaw. His whiskers scratched along his palm. He refused to leave Alex any longer than necessary and this showed in his appearance. His nose wrinkled at the nauseating smell of his hands. The doctors insisted he bathe them frequently with a liquid that irritated his skin and the smell wouldn’t go away.

He indicated two chairs in the corner of the room. He smoothed out the sheet where he’d clasped Alex’s hand throughout the long night and placed a light kiss on her knuckles before following Miss Faraday. Once she had taken her seat, he lowered himself with a stifled groan and told her a tale he barely believed himself.

****

Nicholas convinced Miss Faraday to check into a hotel and get some rest, but only after she spoke with the doctors and was reassured Alex was not in any immediate danger.

She seemed like a pleasant woman, but he was happy when she left. Her presence reaffirmed Alex didn’t belong with him, and he needed time to think.

He studied Alex’s still face. Her color was much improved, and the doctors were confident she would make a full recovery. She needed rest, relaxation, and frequent follow-up visits to make sure her recovery remained on target.

What she didn’t need was to suffer the excruciating pain of the time portal, crawl her way up a dark narrow tunnel only to walk several miles across rough terrain to come to the nearest habitation. Travel, even in this century, was to be limited, and from what little he had seen, they traveled in extreme comfort compared to the rigors of travel in his time.

How could he put her through all that? Yet he could not remain. This century was not for him even if he could manage to convince Sawyer to allow it.

He was on borrowed time. A soldier stood guard outside the room at this moment. He had not left Nicholas’s side since they arrived. Sooner or later, Sawyer would insist on their return to the past. Alex might not survive it.

He leaned over the bed and kissed Alex gently. Her lips were warm, and it gave him the courage he needed. He could not allow any more harm to come to her. He would do what was necessary, but it was killing him.

He opened the door and motioned to the guard. “I need to speak with Sawyer.”

The guard nodded, and Nicholas returned to Alex’s side.

A deep sigh came from the bed. Her eyelids fluttered open, and she gazed around the room, blinking rapidly. “Nicholas?” Her voice was scratchy from disuse and barely audible.

“Alex. I’m here. You’re home now. You’re going to be all right.” Nicholas grabbed hold of the hand that trembled as she tried to lift it toward him. He brought it to his lips and kissed gently. “I love you.” A smile stole briefly across her face then faded as she drifted back to sleep.

She would be all right. He would see to it. He would convince Sawyer to allow her to stay here, where she would be safe. His life would be over, but hers would go on.

****

Alex drifted in and out of consciousness. She struggled out of the fog that enveloped her head and opened her eyes to look around the modern hospital room in confusion.

“Nicholas?” She could have sworn Nicholas was with her but didn’t see him. Had she imagined him?