EMMA SHUFFLED BEHIND everyone into the dining room, feeling a bit like the center of a hurricane as the chaos of dinner whirled around her. She hardly ate anything and when dessert came, she pushed it around her plate.
“Emma?”
She glanced up at her sister. “Hm?”
“You have chocolate in front of you, and you’re ignoring it.”
Emma sighed. “Not hungry, I guess.”
“Not hungry? Not possible.” Sophie rose to her feet and grabbed Emma’s hand. “Excuse us, please.”
“Soph?” Jamie inquired.
“I’m just going to borrow Emma for a few minutes. We’ll meet you in the parlor.”
She pulled Emma down the hall and into the library. Sophie closed the door and faced her sister. “Spill.”
Emma burst into tears. Sophie pulled her into her arms and stroked her hair. “Honey, what’s going on? Do you not want to get married? You don’t have to if you don’t want to. If you feel like it’s too soon, we can stop it. Emma?”
“I want to marry Clayton,” she sobbed. “That’s not it.”
“Well, what is it that has you so upset?”
“I don’t want to leave you.”
Sophie handed her a handkerchief. “Oh, sissy, I’ll see you soon. The time will fly by, you’ll see.”
Emma pushed away from Sophie and started to pace. “But I’ll be in Washington alone. When Clayton’s working, I’ll be all by myself, and I won’t know how to navigate this century without you.”
“Emma, you’ll be fine.”
“No, I won’t be, Sophie! I won’t have anyone to talk to. I’ll be shut in the townhouse alone without you, without Clayton, without television.” She stomped her foot. “There will be no horses, or music or—anything fun.”
Sophie chuckled quietly.
“Don’t laugh at me! It’s not funny.”
“I’m not laughing at you, sissy. I’m sorry.” Sophie wrapped her arms around Emma and rubbed her back.
Clayton pushed the door open and peeked inside. Concerned to see Emma in Sophie’s arms and sobbing, he stalled slightly, but Sophie motioned him in and let him take Emma in his arms. She left the room and closed the door. Clayton lifted Emma’s chin and smiled gently. “Sweetheart? What has you so upset? We don’t have to get married on Monday, we can wait.”
Emma pushed herself out of his arms and paced. “That’s not why I’m upset! Why does everyone think that?”
Crossing his arms, Clayton leaned against the back of one of the chairs and waited for her to work it out. He stood quietly until he heard the telltale hiccups that signaled the end of her sobbing.
“Emma?” Clayton held his hand out to her.
She stepped closer to him and sighed. “I’m sorry.”
“Why are you sorry?”
“Because I’m an unstable female, who can’t seem to control her emotions.”
He stroked her cheek. “Tell me what has you so upset.”
“It’s just really hard leaving my sister. That’s probably the simple answer.”
“Do you want to tell me the complicated one?” He pulled her over to one of the chairs and waited for her to sit. He sat on the hearth facing her.
“My sister died, Clayton—or, at least, we assumed she did.”
“Tell me what happened.”
“Well, about two years ago. No, wait, let me rephrase. In two thousand and sixteen, she was diagnosed with a failing heart, probably the same thing daddy had. In order for her to survive, she would need a new heart. She disappeared before she could get a transplant. In my mind, she was gone, but apparently, she was somehow sent here.”
Clayton gently swept her hair from her eyes, but didn’t say anything.
“I just got her back, Clay, and now I’m leaving her again. But I can’t live without you. I know that, too, so I just feel a little between a rock and a hard place. You know?”
“I’m looking forward to the conversation on the ability to transplant a heart, but we’ll get to that another time,” he said. “Let’s tackle this problem with Sophie, all right?”
Emma nodded as tears slid down her face again.
“I know you hate surprises…” He sighed. “I had one planned that I’d hoped you wouldn’t discover, but for the sake of my silly sweet girl, it looks as though I’ll need to tell you.”
She sniffed and he paused while she blew her nose. “Tell me.”
“The President has approved nothing yet, but Jamie has agreed that if he is given the go-ahead, he and Sophie will come with us to Washington. My townhouse has plenty of room for the four of us, and it will mean you don’t have to be without your sister. Richard will be home tomorrow and will take over the training efforts once again.”
Emma gasped. “You did all of this for me?”
He sat back and drew his eyebrows together. “All of what?”
“Um, something huge like asking the President for a favor.”
“Sweetheart, I would do anything for you.”
She grasped the lapels of his jacket and pulled him forward for a kiss. He broke the kiss and they sat there for a few minutes with their foreheads together in an attempt to catch their breath. Emma sat back again. “I don’t think chemistry will be an issue with us.”
“Why would we need to do chemistry?”
Emma bit her lower lip. “Oh, right. It’s a term we use to describe whether or not we find each other attractive enough to—you know.”
“I know?”
“Have sex,” she whispered.
His smile changed and she knew he’d been teasing her. She smacked his knee.
Clayton laughed. “I think we find each other attractive enough. Are you nervous?”
“What? Me? No. I’m a professional, remember?”
He leaned forward. “Emma, are you a virgin?”
“Are you?”
“Emma,” he said, lowering his voice.
Emma poked his shoulder. “Just because you lower your voice at me and hold out my name a little longer, does not make me afraid of you, or make me suddenly want to confess all my sins to you.”
Clayton took a deep breath. “I will be truthful with you, if you will be truthful with me. Is that a fair compromise?”
Emma grimaced. “I have never done anything except kiss. You will be my first.” She saw his shoulders relax. “Now, you.”
“Are you certain you want to know?”
Emma gasped. “Have there been that many?”
“There have been a few, but none in the last three years. When I chose to get back on track with God, that was one of the areas I chose to get right.”
She covered her ears. “Okay, I don’t need any other information.”
The door opened and Sophie knocked as she walked inside followed by Jamie. “You look much better, Em.”
Emma jumped up and ran to her sister. “You are such a sneak and I love you!”
Clayton grimaced. “I told her.”
Jamie laughed. “I applaud your efforts, but I told you there would be no way you could keep that from Emma.”
“I will surprise her one day. It might be when we’ve been married for twenty years, but I will do it.” Clayton stood and held his hand out to Emma.
Sophie smiled. “Well, I think you should get some rest, Em. We have a busy few days coming up and you’ll want to be rested.”
“You’re probably right.” Emma turned to Clayton. “I’ll walk you out.”
She led him down the hall and into the foyer. Clayton gathered up his outerwear. “Are you feeling better?”
Emma nodded. “Yes, much better. Thank you.”
He leaned down and gave her a quick kiss. “I’ll see you at breakfast, sweetheart. Sleep well.”
Emma closed the door behind him and made her way up the stairs. Entering her room, she found Sophie waiting for her. “Hi.”
Sophie smiled and gave her a hug. “Do you have an idea for a dress?”
“No, actually I haven’t even thought about a dress.” Emma presented her back so that Sophie could unbutton her gown.
“You can wear mine, if you like.”
“Seriously? You’d let me wear your dress?”
Sophie untied Emma’s corset and loosened the strings. “Of course I would. We’re the same size, so we wouldn’t even need to alter it.”
Emma slid the hooks open in the front. “I am almost an inch taller than you.”
“You can wear it anyway, smarty pants.”
“Wow, Sophie, I love your dress. I would be honored to wear it. Thanks.”
“You’re welcome. Are you happy?”
“I’m so happy.”
Sophie hugged her again. “About freakin’ time.”
Emma stuck her tongue out at her sister. Sophie giggled and made her way to the door. “We’ve got a lot to do over the next week. Sleep well, love.”
* * *
Clayton made a surprise visit the next morning and whisked Emma into his buggy without any information as to what was going on. They arrived in town to find Sophie and Jamie waiting for them near the haberdasher.
“What are you guys up to?” Emma asked as Clayton lifted her from the buggy.
“You’ll see,” Sophie said.
It didn’t take long for Emma to figure it out and Clayton chuckled when she clapped her hands and let out a little squeal. “Madame’s!”
Sophie nodded. “She sent a message that she had a shipment of new fabrics arriving.”
Clayton kissed her palm. “An early wedding gift.”
Emma grinned. “I love you.”
“There is something you should know, Em,” Sophie warned.
“What?”
Sophie glanced up at Jamie and then back at her sister. “Madame is the reason we are here… in the past.”
Emma gasped. “Seriously?”
Sophie nodded. “Yes.”
Emma narrowed her eyes. “Well, then why didn’t you tell me?”
“Mostly because we don’t know why you’re here.”
“But you know why you’re here.”
Sophie grimaced. “Yes.”
“Why are you here?”
Jamie groaned. “How about we talk about that after you find out why you’re here. It’s a really long story.”
Sophie nodded. “Yes. I thought you could ask her a few questions. She doesn’t know we’re coming, so she won’t have time to hide.”
Emma grabbed Clayton’s hand and began to pull him across the street. “Yes, as a matter of fact, I have several questions.”
Emma pushed the door open and Madame Desmarais, in the middle of discussing something with one of her assistants, turned at the sound of the bell on the door. Madame’s hand flew to her mouth.
“You!” Emma exclaimed. “What the heck are you doing here?”
Jamie had failed to mention that Madame was the grief counselor who had spent so much time with them over the past year.
“Come with me, sil vous plait,” Madame whispered and escorted the couples into the back room.
“What’s going on?” Clayton asked.
Jamie crossed his arms and gave the dressmaker a “gotcha” look. “This is the woman who consoled us when Sophie disappeared.”
Emma nodded. “And the woman who visited me after Jamie disappeared. What are you doing here? How did you get here?”
“It is tres complicated.”
“Why don’t we start at the beginning? How did we get here?” Emma asked.
Madame took a deep breath, but did not speak for several minutes. “There is a time portal—”
“Duh!” Emma interrupted.
“Emma,” Clayton admonished. “Let her explain.”
Madame began to pace. “My husband and I ensure that the wrong people don’t end up where they don’t belong,” she explained.
Emma frowned. “Who determines who the right people are?”
“We do.”
“Why?”
“Various reasons.”
“Like?” Emma pressed.
“Destiny, mostly.”
“Why Sophie? Why me?”
“Sophie knows the reason for her and Jamie’s travel, I’ll allow her to tell you that story.” Madame paced. “As for you, Emma. Your life was in danger.”
Clayton pulled Emma against him.
“It was?”
“Yes. Cary’s men had failed to silence Sophie, and they watched you to see if you knew anything.”
“But I don’t.”
“They don’t know that. However, you also needed to be close to your sister.” Madame gave a tight smile. “Unless, of course, you don’t want to be.”
“What does that mean?” Clayton asked. “Can they go home if they choose to?”
Emma gasped. “Can we?”
Madame sighed. “You can go back.”
“We can?” Emma asked.
“Yes. You can go back to your old life, but Clayton would not be able to follow. No one is able to go forward in time, unless they were already there. Clayton would have to stay and you would not be allowed to return.”
With a curse, Clayton stalked out of the room.
“Clayton!” Emma rushed after him.
He continued to the buggy and jumped in. Emma climbed in after him and closed the door. She was shocked to see tears in his eyes.
“Clay.” She cupped his face in her hands. “I’m not going anywhere. Ever.”
“I want you to be happy,” he whispered.
“I am happy.”
“But you’re subjected to living without your iPod and other things I know nothing about.” He kissed her palm. “I’ll let you go if it’s your wish to return.”
“Stop this!” Emma scowled. “Right now, Clay. You’re starting to piss me off.”
“Emma,” he said with a sigh.
“I love you more than life itself. Nothing… look at me! Nothing could ever make me want to leave you.”
“What if Sophie chose to go back?”
“As a corpse?”
“Emma!”
Emma wrinkled her nose. “If Sophie was able to go back and live with Jamie alive in the future and she chose to, I would still want to be here.”
“You would miss her.”
“Of course I would. She’s my sister. I love her. But I love you more and if I couldn’t be with you, I would die. I can live without her, but I can’t live without you.”
“Truly?” he asked.
She smacked his knee. “Yes! Now stop being an idiot. I’m not going anywhere, except back inside. I need to spend your money.”
Clayton kissed her once more and jumped out of the carriage. Emma followed him back inside. Sophie reached for her hand with a sympathetic smile. Emma turned to Madame. “So, what do we do now?”
“Nothing,” Madam stressed. “You cannot discuss this with anyone. Should they find out you’re here, there might be danger.”
“Okay, people.” Emma sighed. “Can we please change the subject? I’d like to spend my fiancé’s money.”
Clayton raised an eyebrow and then chuckled. He kissed her cheek and led Jamie out of the store so that Emma could be measured.