CLAYTON AND EMMA left the lake when the snow began to fall. They arrived back at the arena to find that Jamie and Sophie had just returned from a ride themselves.
“Hi, Em.” Sophie rushed over to her. “Did you have a nice time?”
“Yes, miss sneak.” Emma held up her left hand.
Sophie squealed with excitement and pulled her in for a long hug. “Congratulations! Are you excited?”
“Yes—and scared. But mostly excited. Thank you for wrangling Rose. I owe you one.”
Sophie grimaced. “You owe me more than one.”
“Deal.” Emma grabbed her hand. “I actually need you guys for something if you don’t mind.”
“Is it what I think it is?” Sophie asked.
“Yes, and as much as I hate to admit it, I’m chicken to do it without you.”
Sophie squeezed her hand. “Okay.”
Emma turned when she heard a stall door close with a click. Jamie hung the halter he was holding on the hook outside the door and stepped back when Samson shoved his nose into the aisle. “Sophie, I think your pet needs a good-bye.”
Sophie dug her hand into one of her deep pockets and pulled out a sugar cube as she made her way to Samson. “I only have one, Sammy.” She reached out and he took it from her palm. “Jamie, Em needs us to join her for a conversation.”
Jamie raised an eyebrow. “The conversation?”
Sophie nodded. “Yep.”
“Okay. I have time now. We could meet in the library for privacy and then have lunch afterwards.”
Emma took a deep breath and twisted her hands in the fabric of her skirts. Clayton stepped out of the tack room and shoved his hat on his head as he returned to her side. “Sweetheart?”
Emma swallowed and forced a smile. “Jamie has time now. Do you mind if we go back to the house and talk before lunch?”
Clayton drew his eyebrows together. “Not at all.”
His large gloved hand covered hers and she gripped it as they followed Jamie and Sophie back to the house. As they stepped through the front door, Emma’s body shook as she slid her hand out of Clayton’s and removed her gloves.
Jamie handed his coat, hat, and gloves to the butler. “Daniel, we’ll be in the library. Please make sure no one disturbs us for at least an hour.”
Daniel nodded. “Yes, sir.”
Emma felt sick as they walked back to the private room. She held her hand over her stomach, silently begging it not to betray her. Sophie gave her a sympathetic smile as she sat next to Jamie on the window seat. Clayton turned one of the chairs to face them and settled his large body on the edge.
Emma paced. “Clayton, there is something I have to tell you, but I need you to listen to everything first and then you can ask questions when I’m finished, all right?”
Clayton nodded.
“Remember the night you found me in your carriage house?”
Clayton nodded again.
“Less than thirty minutes before you found me there, I was standing in the library of Jamie and Sophie’s home.”
“All right,” he said slowly.
“Their home happens to be located in Portland, Oregon.” She squeezed her eyes shut and then looked at Clayton. So far so good, she thought. “In the year two thousand and seventeen.”
Clayton stood, but still didn’t say anything.
“One hundred and forty-five years in the future,” she added quickly.
He started to pace. Emma moved toward him, but Jamie motioned for her to wait. Clayton paused at the fireplace and then turned and looked at her. He opened his mouth, but then closed it quickly.
“Clayton, please say something,” Emma whispered.
He rubbed his forehead. “I don’t know what to say, Emma.”
“I don’t expect you to believe me right away, but I have proof if you’d like to see it.”
“Jamie, why don’t you go and get the bag,” Sophie suggested.
Jamie nodded and left the room.
Emma took a step toward him. “Clayton?”
He raised his hand.
“Give him a minute, honey,” Sophie whispered.
Emma sat next to Sophie and grasped her hand. Time stood still and it seemed like they had to wait forever for Jamie, but he finally returned with Emma’s carpetbag in hand. He dropped it on the chair next to Sophie. Emma rose to her feet and moved to Clayton’s side. “Clayton? Do you believe that I love you?”
He nodded.
“Do you believe I would never lie to you?”
He took an audible breath. “Yes, Emma. I know you would never lie to me.”
“Do you think I’m insane?”
He sighed. “No, I don’t think you’re insane.”
“Okay, will you come and have a look at what I have?” She held her hand out for his and led him to the bag.
Sophie rose to her feet. “What shall we start with, Em?”
“iPod.”
Sophie handed Emma the iPod Nano and ear buds, and Emma led Clayton to the chair he’d vacated earlier. “Please sit down.” Clayton stalled. “Clay, sit. It won’t bite.”
He sat.
Emma held the ear buds up. “Take these and put them in your ears. See how this has an R on it and the other has an L. Right ear, left ear, okay? Actually… wait, just put one in. That way if it’s too loud, it won’t freak you out.”
“Freak me out?” he asked as he took the right ear bud and put it in his ear.
“It’s a term we use. Never mind. I’ll explain another time.”
He looked at her and slowly put the ear bud in his ear. Emma turned on the iPod and picked Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake, hoping to ease him into modern music.
“I know this song,” he yelled.
Emma and Sophie giggled. Clayton took the earphone out and then put it back in. He repeated this motion several times with a look of awe on his face.
Emma turned and smiled wickedly at Sophie. “Should I put on The Citizens?”
Sophie nodded. Emma picked “Low Ceilings, High Tides,” her favorite song from the band, and pressed play.
Clayton jumped out of his seat and pulled the earphone out of his ear. “What is that?”
Emma pressed pause. “It’s our favorite band.”
“It’s noise!”
“Sorry.” Emma smiled as she held her hand out and waited for Clayton to give her back the iPod. “Are you okay?”
“I feel as though this is all a very strange dream.”
Emma nodded her agreement. “Would you like to see something else?”
“All right,” he said carefully.
She pulled out her wallet and showed him her driver’s license and checkbook. He stared at her driver’s license photo and glanced up at her.
Emma pulled out her Julia Quinn paperback. “This is the latest book I have from one of my favorite authors. If you open it up, you’ll see the copyright.”
He opened the front flap. “Why do you have photos of undressed people in your bag?”
Emma giggled. “That is a romance novel and they use models to illustrate the characters in the books.”
“Why?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. It’s a way to get lost in the story, I suppose. A great-looking man and a beautiful woman very much in love.”
He turned the book over a few times and then handed it back to her. Emma dropped the book back in her bag. “Do you believe me?”
He held his hand out to her. “Come here.” She slipped her hand into his and he pulled her into his arms. “I believe you, sweetheart. I believe all of it. I just need my mind to slow down.”
“Do you really believe us, Clayton?” Jamie asked.
He took a deep breath and nodded. “From the moment I met Emma, I knew there was something different about her, and although it went against everything in my military training, I have trusted her from the very beginning.” He smiled down at her. “This would explain the bizarre style of dress you were wearing when I found you… and your unusual spectacles.”
Emma grinned. “In a hundred years, these’ll be all the rage.”
Jamie stood and leaned against the wall. “You’re taking this very well, Clayton.”
Sophie laid her hand on her stomach. “Yes, we won’t have men in white coats showing up at the door to take us all away will we?”
Clayton smiled. “I believe you. I admit, I’m stunned, but I also know you wouldn’t lie to me.”
Jamie pushed away from the wall. “There are two other people who know.”
“Who?”
“Andrew and Christine.”
“That’s good information to have, but I won’t discuss anything unless we’re alone.”
Sophie stood and picked up Emma’s bag. “Emma, we’ll take the bag and hide it again and leave you two alone for a little while.”
“Thanks.” They left the library and closed the door. Emma raised her chin to meet Clayton’s gaze. “Clayton, are you okay with all of this?”
“I will be.” He kissed her palm.
“How can you accept this so easily? It must be blowing your mind right now.”
He gave her a strange look.
“Oh—‘blow your mind,’ means hard to imagine,” she clarified.
Clayton laughed. Out loud. A deep, bottom of your belly kind of laugh, and Emma wasn’t sure what to think. He pulled her over to the chair and settled her on his lap. Drawing her chin down, he kissed her and her concern dissipated. He broke the kiss and linked his fingers with hers. “I have to admit, this is all strange. Why are you here? Do you know? How did you get here?”
“I don’t know the why or the how. All I know is that I had a strange vision as though the room in front of me was rippling, and then a sharp pain in my head and I came to in your carriage house. I don’t know if I was unconscious, or if it was all instantaneous.”
Clayton rubbed his chin. “Who would know?”
Emma shrugged. “You’re asking me as though I have more answers than you do. I don’t.”
“Does your sister?”
“We could ask her, I suppose.”
“Emma, aren’t you at all curious? Why aren’t you asking a dozen questions, trying to find out?”
Emma dropped her head back with a sigh. “Because I don’t know if I care. Because what happens if I find out and then I have to go back and lose you? I’d rather just live in the here and now, and be done with it.”
“All right, sweetheart, I’ll drop it for now.” Clayton gave her his sexy half-smile. “Would you like to tell me about your parents?”
She reflected back on her short life. “My mother died of breast cancer and then my father died less than a year later. The doctors said his was a heart attack, but Sophie and I think he died from grief.”
“How old were you?”
“I was fifteen, Sophie was nineteen.” Clayton gave her a squeeze and she continued, “I moved in with Sophie and we just kind of figured out how to make it. Of course, if it hadn’t been for Alex’s family, we might not have done as well.”
“Alex?”
“Sophie’s best friend.”
“Ah,” he said.
“And the man… the one with the scar who was after Topper?”
He cocked his head to the side. “Yes.”
“He’s from the future as well. He was watching me at my house.”
Clayton shifted slightly. “What do you mean?”
“After Sophie and Jamie disappeared, the man would follow me and sit outside my house. I thought he was with the police.”
Clayton pulled her close. “No wonder you were so frightened.”
“Ow, Clay, my hand.”
Clayton loosened his grip and frowned. “Sorry.”
“I just want to forget about the past… future, whatever… and move on. We survived and here I am ready to marry my dream man.”
“I’m your dream man, am I?”
“Most definitely.”
A knock at the door forced Emma from his lap, and he stood beside her as Sophie poked her head inside. “Lunch is ready.”
Clayton smiled. “Thank you, Sophie.”
Lifting Emma’s hand, he tucked it into his arm and followed Sophie to the dining room. Michael and Nona were already there, along with Rose and Andrew.
“Clayton, darlin’! Did you have a nice time with your friend?” Rose whined.
“We had a wonderful time, Rose. Thank you for asking.” He held Emma’s chair and waited for her to sit down before sitting next to her.
“I’ll forgive your inattention, Clayton, if I might have you this evening all to myself.”
“Rose, as much as I would enjoy spending the evening with you, I have a wedding to plan. I have already promised Emma my undivided attention until I depart for Washington.”
Emma could have sworn she heard Rose hiss and raised an eyebrow toward her. Rose smiled, although it didn’t reach her eyes, and Emma dismissed her thoughts.
Nona set her glass on the table and smiled. “Clayton, congratulations!”
“I’m assuming Emma is the lucky lady?” Michael teased.
Clayton chuckled. “Yes, sir, or I’m in some serious trouble.” He took Emma’s hand and gently kissed her fingers.
“This is a reason to celebrate. Have you told your brother?” Nona asked.
“I have told him my intention, but not that I have been accepted.”
“We’ll host a small dinner to celebrate.”
“Here we go,” Jamie whispered.
Emma smiled as Sophie reached over and squeezed his hand.
“May I say something?” Emma broke in.
“Of course, dear,” Nona said.
“Clayton has to leave in three days and I’m wondering if it would be possible to get married before he leaves.”
Sophie raised an eyebrow. “Emma, are you sure?”
“Yes.” Emma faced Clayton. “If that is acceptable to you, Clayton.”
“I’m sure Minister Cunningham would be happy to perform the ceremony,” Michael said.
Clayton nodded. “I’m visiting Richard this afternoon, so will stop in at the minister’s home on the way back.”
Nona clapped her hands. “That’s a wonderful idea.”
As the group made plans for their quiet ceremony, Emma sat silently. She was finding it difficult to catch her breath, her nerves on edge. The thought of not being with her sister scared her to no end, but she felt worse when she thought about not being with Clayton. She jumped slightly when she felt Clayton grasp her hand under the table.
Once lunch was finished, Clayton pulled her back into the library. “Emma, are you certain this is what you want?”
Emma squeezed her eyes shut. “Yes. I wouldn’t have said it if I didn’t mean it.”
“And leaving Sophie?”
Emma felt the prick of tears. “Clay, it’s worse for me to think about not being with you. Just promise me we’ll be back before she has the baby.”
“I promise.” He kissed her again. “I have to leave you now. Will you be all right?”
Emma nodded and pulled a handkerchief from her sleeve. “Yes, go.”
* * *
Sophie and Christine interrupted her pity party and dragged her into the ballroom. Christine sat down at the piano and waved her hand toward the dance floor. “You’re going to teach Sophie to dance.”
“Easy as pie,” Emma retorted.
An hour later, all they’d accomplished were sore stomachs from laughing so much.
“Sophie! Listen, it is not that hard.” Emma tried to sound stern but it wasn’t working.
“So you say, little sister. But how many of your toes do I have to break before you recognize that I will never get it?” Sophie giggled.
“You self-sabotage yourself! You know you do.” Emma turned Sophie again and caught sight of Clayton and Jamie leaning against the open doorway. “Hi!”
Clayton made his way over to her and gave her a quick kiss.
“Isn’t there a rule about PDA in the nineteenth century?” Emma joked, adding quickly, “Not that I’m complaining.”
“What’s PDA?”
Sophie and Emma echoed “Public Displays of Affection,” and then dissolved into laughter again.
Jamie rolled his eyes. “Clay, we’re doomed. We won’t be able to say anything to them for at least twenty minutes. They are too far gone. Join me for a drink in the library?”
“Excellent idea,” Clayton said.
They left the girls to their dance lesson.
“So, Miss Christine, what’s happening with Dr. Stephen Paxton today?” Sophie asked.
“Why do you always say his full name, Sophie?” Christine groaned.
“Because Dr. Stephen Paxton is a doctor and so obviously into you, my friend.”
Christine missed a key. “What does that mean?”
Emma adjusted Sophie’s hips and grinned at Christine. “It means he would like to court you.”
Sophie snorted. “Oh, I think Dr. Stephen Paxton would like to do more than court her, Emma. I think Dr. Stephen Paxton wants to kiss her and hug her and call her his own.” Sophie delivered her opinion in an annoying singsong voice while she twirled around in a circle.
Christine slapped her hands on the ivory. “He does not! Don’t be ridiculous.”
Emma tapped her lip with her fingernail. “He did seem to hold your hand a little longer in the receiving line during the ball. Is that allowed?”
“He did not!”
Sophie nodded. “And Dr. Stephen Paxton didn’t take his eyes off you the whole night! I’m sure he hated that he only got to dance with you once.”
Emma grabbed Sophie’s hand and placed it on her shoulder. “Yes, and remember the lady who cleared her throat to remind him to stop touching you?”
Christine scowled at Sophie. “Maybe I should have organized men in white coats to take you away!”
Emma and Sophie dissolved into more giggles.
“Is sarcasm allowed in the nineteenth century?” Emma asked.
“You two are lethal!” Christine couldn’t keep up her façade and laughed.
“May I join in on the joke?” came a voice from the doorway.
Christine stepped away from the piano. “Andrew! We weren’t expecting you until dinner.”
Andrew leaned against the doorframe. “Sister dear, it’s almost five-thirty.”
“What?” Sophie broke in. “We have been in here for three hours?”
Emma sighed. “And we have achieved nothing!”
“You must not be a very good dance teacher, Emma,” Christine pointed out.
“I’m a great teacher. There are just people in the world who refuse to learn. Of course, I won’t name names. Sophie.”
Sophie wrinkled her nose. “Go with that, Em. That way I don’t have to have any more lessons.”
“Nice try, Skippy.” Emma turned back to Andrew. “Where’s Rose?”
“She’s in the parlor—with Dr. Paxton.”
“Andrew!” Christine punched her brother in the arm. “That’s not very nice.”
He rubbed his bicep. “What was that for? She really is.”
“Stephen’s here?” Christine sounded nervous all of a sudden.
“Yes. Michael invited him when he made his rounds at the hospital today.”
Sophie pointed a finger at him in accusation. “I can’t believe you left that poor man alone with the Fluff. We should probably go save him.”
Andrew grinned and then turned and left the room.
Christine laid her hands on her hair. “I can’t go in there looking like this.”
Sophie squeezed her shoulder. “Christine, you look beautiful. You look happy.”
“You do, Christine,” Emma reiterated.
“All right, if you’re certain.” She rubbed her hands together.
Sophie pulled Christine toward the parlor. Emma followed. As they walked through the foyer, the front door opened and Clayton and Jamie walked through it.
Emma raised an eyebrow at her fiancé. “Where have you been?”
Clayton removed his hat and handed it to Daniel. “We’ve been making plans.”
“Why does that make me nervous?”
“I’ll give you all the details after dinner.” He took her hand and they followed Jamie into the parlor.
“Dr. Paxton, thank you for joining us for dinner.” Christine made her way to Stephen and his face lit up as he lifted her hand to his lips.
“I thought I asked you to call me Stephen,” he said gently.
Christine blushed crimson. “Stephen,” she whispered.
“Dinner is served,” Daniel said from the doorway.
The group moved toward the dining room.