HANNAH TRIED NOT to audibly sigh as she took a bite of cheesecake. Apparently, she failed. Christopher chuckled, eliciting a blush from her. She lowered her fork. “I have a minor weakness for cheesecake.”
“I’ll be sure to remember that.” He leaned closer and whispered, “Would you join me for a walk?”
Hannah nodded. “Yes, I’d love to.”
As the group separated for dancing and other activities, Christopher and Hannah gathered their coats and stepped outside. The crispness of the evening covered them as they walked away from the house, and the snowfall during the night seemed to make the stars even more luminescent. The moon was a full one and it shed light across the vastness of the property in front of them. Hannah gasped as she stared up at the sky. “How beautiful.”
“Yes, how beautiful.”
Hannah glanced at Christopher, to find that he wasn’t looking at the sky. “You’re entirely too charming, Sir Knight.”
Christopher gently cupped her face in his hands and kissed her. “I love you, Hannah.”
“Eh?” She pulled her face away. “You can’t.”
He shrugged. “Well, I do.”
She placed her hands on his chest and looked at him. “No, you can’t. It’s too soon.”
“Why?”
“Well, it’s just that... that... I have no idea.” She took a moment to study him and it struck her. She knew she was staring at her future. “I love you, too.”
He kissed her again, and as the kiss intensified, Hannah felt his hands slide down her back and rest on her hips. She knew he wanted to go further, but also knew he wouldn’t. Her hands found their way under his heavy coat. Christopher broke the kiss but pulled her closer. “When would you like to get married?”
Hannah playfully slapped his chest. “You’re a dag.”
“Is that another strange family saying?” he asked.
“Sorry, yes.” Hannah chewed her lower lip. “I have a lot of them.”
“I hope to learn them all intimately when we’re married.” Christopher took her hand and kissed the place where her gloves separated from her cuff.
Her skin tingled as she looked up at him in confusion. “You can’t be serious! We’ve barely known each other a week.”
“I know we haven’t known each other very long, Hannah, but I feel as though I’ve known you forever.”
Hannah frowned.
Christopher smiled. “I’m sorry, your knight is not doing this very well.” He knelt on one knee in the snow and took her left hand in his. “Hannah Nelson, would you do me the honor of being my wife?”
She pulled at the shoulders of his jacket. “Christopher, stand up.”
“Not until you say yes.” He pulled her glove from her hand and slipped a ring on her hand, turning it upside down so she couldn’t see any of the detail.
Hannah stared down at him, her heart beating wildly in her chest. “I’m crazy.”
“Is that a yes?”
She nodded. “Yes, it’s a yes.”
He stood and pulled her into his arms, lifting her off the ground and spinning her around. “I love you.”
She gripped his shoulders and laughed. “It’s completely irrational, you realize that right?”
“Absolutely.” Christopher kissed her again. “Now, please approve your ring.”
Hannah twisted the ring around her finger and gasped. “Knight, this is incredible.”
“Do you like it?” He stroked her cheek gently with his knuckles as she stared down at diamonds surrounding a large princess-cut emerald, set in platinum.
She started to pull it from her finger. “It’s too much. I can’t take this.”
Christopher frowned. “I rushed the purchase, didn’t I? If you don’t like it, we can exchange it for something else.”
“Not like it? It’s exquisite! I’m just not sure I deserve it.”
Christopher laughed. “Of course you deserve it.”
“You’re entirely too generous, my Sir Knight.”
Christopher kissed her nose. “We have a decision to make.”
Hannah raised an eyebrow. “I think we have more than one.”
Sweeping a stray hair away from her forehead, he gave her a half-smile. “True, but for now, are you ready to share this?”
Hannah slipped her arms around his waist. “Are you not?”
“You just keep mentioning how soon it is, so we’ll go by your timetable if that will make you feel more comfortable.”
“Have you told anyone?”
Christopher stroked her back. “My family. No one else. I wanted to talk to Clayton, but knew he would tell Emma, and I wanted to surprise you.”
“Well, I’m surprised.” She took a deep breath. “But before we tell the masses, you and I need to talk, and it will require Clayton and Emma to be present.”
“All right,” he said cautiously.
“Once we talk, you might change your mind about me.”
Christopher frowned. “Sweetheart, I won’t.”
“Well, I won’t blame you if you do,” she said ominously.
* * *
Christopher’s heart raced. He couldn’t imagine what she could possibly tell him that would change his mind. Hannah took his hand with a grimace. “Let’s find Emma.”
Christopher followed her inside and they located Emma in the parlor with the women. Hannah motioned her into the foyer.
“Are you okay?” Emma asked.
Hannah held up her left hand. Emma squealed, jumping up and down. Hannah grabbed her arm. “Shhh, I don’t want anyone to know just yet. Can we please find Clayton and then find somewhere to talk?”
“Oh, yes, of course. Do you want Sophie and Jamie as well?”
“No, just you guys, please.”
“Okay, I’ll get him. We can go into the library. That’s where I told Clay.”
Christopher couldn’t fathom what they could possibly want to tell him. They found Clayton in the library with the rest of the men.
“Shoot,” Emma whispered.
“Everything all right, sweetheart?” Clayton asked.
“Yes, fine. Hannah wants to tell Chris and we thought we’d do it here, but now I don’t know where to go.”
Clayton glanced at Christopher and then back at Emma. “Are you certain this is the right time, sweet?”
“He has proposed, Clay, so this is the best time.”
“Ah.”
“Yes, ah,” Emma imitated.
“All right. Stay here. I’ll ask Michael if we can use his office.” Clayton returned a few minutes later and led everyone to Michael’s office.
Christopher, a little frantic with his thoughts, imagining every worst possible scenario, followed. Once everyone was through the door, Clayton closed it and Emma sat. Hannah stayed standing, so Christopher did too.
“Hannah, we’re here for whatever you need.” Clayton sat next to his wife.
“Thanks,” she squeaked.
She walked over to where Christopher stood. “Something very strange has happened and none of us can explain it.”
“All right,” Christopher said quietly.
“Remember when I told you that the last thing I remember was being in my studio in Chicago, looking at a painting of you?”
“Yes.”
Hannah took a deep breath. “Well, all of that is true and strange enough on its own. However, what I didn’t tell you was that—” She stalled.
“Hannah, you can tell me anything,” he said.
She nodded. “I was in my dance studio in Chicago, but I was there in the year two thousand and eight. One hundred and forty-five years in the future.” She squeezed her eyes shut.
Christopher was stunned silent. He glanced at Hannah and then looked at Clayton, who stood. “It’s true, Chris. All of it. Sophie, Jamie, Emma, and Hannah are all from the future.”
Hannah opened her eyes and found Christopher gazing at her, full of love, and not as though she were mad.
“How did this happen?”
“We have no idea.” Hannah sighed. “Do you believe me?”
He nodded his head. “It explains a lot, quite frankly.”
“Really?”
“Yes, comments that James makes especially.”
“Like what?” Emma asked.
“Nothing specific comes to mind, but he did seem to know a lot about Lincoln’s movements, especially during the speech at Gettysburg.”
“Oh, that’s because of Sophie,” Hannah said.
“Sophie?”
Hannah nodded. “Yes. She’s what you would call a Civil War buff. She knows names, dates, and places of everything that happened. I mean happens.”
“Really?”
“Yes, Chris. She’s a wealth of knowledge,” Clayton said.
“Chris, how is it you’re taking this so well?” Emma turned to her husband. “You totally made me think you were going to leave me!”
“I did not.”
“You did so. You didn’t speak for what seemed like hours.”
Clayton rolled his eyes. “Seconds, Emma, it was seconds.”
“It didn’t feel like seconds and you know it.”
“Hel-lo... this is so not about you here,” Hannah broke in.
“Sorry.” Emma blushed.
“Do you have things from the future?” Christopher asked.
“Yes,” Hannah said.
His eyes widened. “You do?”
“You wouldn’t think I’d make you take my word for it, do you?”
“I would believe you solely on your word, Hannah.”
“You would?” Hannah raised an eyebrow in suspicion.
“I know you, Hannah. You don’t lie, and you’re not insane. It’s difficult to fathom, but I do believe you.”
Emma punched Clayton’s arm.
“Ow, what was that for?”
Emma smirked at him.
“I’ll show you a few things that made it back with me when we get to Emma and Clay’s tonight,” Hannah said.
Christopher pulled her into his arms. “I look forward to it.”
She glanced up at him. “Do you still want to marry me?”
“Of course.”
Hannah’s eyes filled with tears.
“What’s amiss?”
She laid her cheek against his chest. “I really thought you wouldn’t want me anymore.”
Christopher nodded his thanks to Clayton as he pulled Emma out of the office.
“Silly girl. I love you.” Holding her for several minutes, he kissed the crown of her head and then handed her his handkerchief.
“Ta.”
“Is that a term from the future?”
Hannah giggled, tears still falling from her eyes. “No. Well, maybe. It’s a term from New Zealand. It means thanks.”
“Where is New Zealand located?”
“It’s a very long way from here. In the South Pacific.”
He stroked her cheek. “Why are you crying, sweetheart?”
She shrugged. “I guess I’m just relieved.”
“I must admit I’m relieved myself.”
“You are? Why?”
“I thought you were going to tell me you were a prostitute.”
Hannah laughed. “Oh, not anymore! I gave that up when I was arrested for the fifth time. It just didn’t seem worth it.”
He raised an eyebrow at her. “You’re hilarious.”
“And you’re entirely too good to be true, Christopher Butler.”
He laughed. “I hope you feel like that even when I’m angering you.”
“Don’t anger me and there won’t be an issue.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
Hannah’s hands found their way to his chest and she glanced up at him. “Do you want to tell people?”
“I want to shout it from the mountaintops, sweetheart.”
Hannah groaned. “Okay, the romance is over the top, big man.”
“Kiss me.”
She raised her chin. “Gladly.”
* * *
Christopher and Hannah made their way back to the ballroom. As they approached the celebration, they could hear music and entered the room to find Christine on the pianoforte and Sophie ready to sing. Hannah let out a quiet squeal and clapped her hands. “You’re in for a treat.”
“What kind of treat?”
“Sophie is an amazing singer.”
She rushed to join everyone and Christopher followed. Emma pulled Hannah in for a hug. The girls stood with their arms around each other as Sophie began to sing. Christopher stood next to Hannah and took her hand in his.
Sophie truly was incredible. She started laughing halfway into her performance and told everyone they better start dancing, or she’d stop singing.
Christopher pulled Hannah into his arms and they moved onto the dance floor. “I probably should have asked if women in the future can dance,” he whispered.
Hannah giggled. “Most cannot. However, Emma and I can.”
“Very well, it would seem.”
“Thank you.”
“I love you,” he whispered.
“So you’ve said. I love you too.” She turned as Gwen passed by them in the arms of Andrew. “Look at your sister, Knight. She’s glowing.” She heard him growl quietly, which made her laugh. “How funny that you have proposed to me in less than a week and I’m only a little over a year older than Gwen. But you have an issue with a handsome young man paying attention to your sister.”
“You think he’s handsome?” Christopher asked.
Hannah laughed. “What if I do?”
He growled again.
“Knight, he doesn’t hold a candle to you.”
“That’s more like it. Would you like to join me for a picnic tomorrow?”
“I’d love to.”
The evening wrapped up close to midnight and it was time for everyone to go to their respective beds, so the couples gathered their outerwear and began the walk back to the Maddens’. Hannah and Christopher decided to wait for their engagement announcement, not wanting to share each other just yet.
When they walked through the front door, Christopher helped Hannah remove her cloak, and then spent several minutes saying goodnight. “You can show me the items from the future tomorrow, Hannah.”
She closed the door behind him and then made her way upstairs, where Emma assisted her with her corset. With a full heart, Hannah climbed into bed, ready to sleep deeply.
* * *
Christopher had just removed his shirt when he heard her scream at almost three in the morning. He’d been going over a stack of paperwork he’d brought with him... paperwork he’d chosen to look at after Hannah had gone to bed. He didn’t want to waste any time with her during the day.
He grabbed his discarded shirt and pulled it back over his head as he rushed to her bedroom and opened the door, relieved that apparently no one else had woken up. He stroked her face and called her name. “Hannah? Wake up, sweetheart.”
Her eyes finally fluttered open. “Hi.”
“Was the dream the same?”
She shook her head. “My engagement ring shattered and the diamonds turned into bullets, aimed for you. It’s so stupid.”
He continued to stroke her face.
“I’m okay, Knight. You should go to bed.”
“You need to sleep.”
“So do you.”
“Lie down.”
Once she acquiesced, he lay down next to her and she rolled over and kissed him. “Knight, I don’t want you tired like you were today.”
“Yes ma’am.”
“Christopher,” she growled.
“I’m fine, Hannah.”
“I can’t wait until you don’t have to leave me.”
“I cannot agree more.” He reached over and swept her hair gently away from her face. “Now, sleep.”
Hannah fell asleep with a sigh, her hand on his chest. Christopher didn’t have as much luck. Her tiny hand didn’t stay still, stroking his chest, and it drove him to distraction for over an hour. At one point during the night, she moved her body halfway onto his and he groaned as his arousal became ever more prevalent. He tried to roll away, but she found him, even when he was so far at the edge, she nearly pushed him out of the bed. In the end, he rolled closer to her and pulled her into his arms and finally slept.
* * *
Hannah felt as though she were wrapped in ice. She reached a hand out to the pillow next to her and felt nothing but cotton. Forcing her eyes open, she turned her head and sighed. Christopher was gone and the fire had died out. Climbing out of bed, she ran to the window and rubbed her arms as she shivered. A haze of white met her view.
Well, there goes our picnic.
She jumped back into bed, crawling deeper under the covers, but couldn’t get warm. A few minutes later, she heard a knock at her door. “Come in.”
“Good morning,” Emma said as she entered.
“Hi.”
“How did you sleep?”
“Very well, thank you.”
Emma rubbed her arms with a shiver. “Jeez, Louise, its cold in here!”
“Tell me about it. I can’t get warm,” Hannah grumbled.
“Well, let’s get you dressed and then we’ll go on down to breakfast. I know the fire is roaring in the parlor, which is probably where we’re going to end up, with the weather like it is.”
“Sounds good.”
Hannah shook as she donned her clothing, but they were finally able to get her jacket buttoned and then she followed Emma downstairs, where they found everyone already in the dining room.
Christopher stood and Hannah made her way to him with a wide smile. “Good morning.”
He held a chair out and waited for her to sit. “Good morning, sweetheart. How did you sleep?”
“Perfectly.” She looked closely at him. “How did you sleep?”
“Perfectly.”
“Mm-hmm,” Hannah said. “Are you sure?”
He grinned and took the seat next to her. “Yes, sweetheart, I’m sure.”
“We’ll talk more about it later.”
“All right.” He kissed her hand. “You’re freezing!”
“I know... the fire died out in my room. It felt like a fridge.” He raised an eyebrow in question as he rubbed her hands between his, and Hannah smiled. “I’ll tell you later.”
“I’ll speak with the staff to ensure your fire is stoked when it needs it.”
Hannah narrowed her eyes at him. “Don’t you dare use that tone. I’m sure the staff has more important things to do than worry about whether or not I’m cold.”
“No, they do not.”
“Knight.” She pulled her hands from his and waited for him to look at her. “Be nice, please.”
He raised an eyebrow. “I’m always nice.”
“Right.” Hannah rolled her eyes then decided to change the subject. “Can we tell people?”
“Absolutely. When?”
“Now?” she whispered.
Christopher laughed, which made everyone at the table look at him, so he stood, having acquired everyone’s attention anyway. “I have an announcement.” The table went quiet. “This might come as a surprise, due to the speed with which it happened, but I have requested Hannah’s hand in marriage and she has accepted.”
The group clapped and his father stood. “I would like to propose a toast. Hannah, you have done what no other person could. You have made my son uncomfortable.” He received laughs and continued, “We could not be happier to welcome you to our family. You have both chosen perfectly.”
More applause as everyone picked up their juice or coffee and sipped. Breakfast was finished joyously, and as everyone made their way to the parlor, hugs and handshakes were freely given.