“I do not have to convince you. We are in the nineteenth century. If you don’t want to believe me, the evidence will convince you soon enough. But it will be best if you don’t do anything rash in the meantime.” Pigheaded woman! Yet... this situation was indeed an odd one. He could not blame her. In her position, he’d deny it as well.
“All right,” he said, “I understand this is rather unbelievable. I have had more proof. Seeing that object you call a phone, and this conveyance... they could have come from nowhere but the future. I am convinced, and yet I still can scarcely credit it. What would it take for you to believe it?”
She looked at him, mouth open, head shaking.
“What would it take for me to believe I have somehow fallen into the nineteenth century? Nothing! The mere idea is preposterous. Time travel is science fiction. I have watched movies about it. The concept makes for an amusing story. But I’ve never believed it was possible.”
“And yet, believe it or not, here you are.”
“Okay, take me to the nearest city. A big city. Not a little village isolated from the rest of the world. Let me see for myself. Interact with other people.” This way, if he was crazy, at least she would be surrounded by people and could get help. If he was right... no. Of course, he was not right.
“All right, I will take you. Oxford is but an hour away. However, we can’t go in this carriage of yours. And if you want to interact with people, you must wear appropriate clothing.”
“No. I’m not getting out of my car.” She looked down at her phone, which still had no signal, and an icy fear tried to creep up her certainty. She shook it off.
“I’m going to find the nearest town or road by myself. England is not that big. I’m sure I’m no more than a few minutes away from a gas station or some place where I can ask for directions. I can drop you off at your house. Otherwise, get out now.”
“I am not going anywhere. You need my help, even if you don’t realize it yet.”
“Suit yourself. I suggest you buckle your seatbelt.” Signaling to her own fastened seat belt, she put the gear lever into drive and started moving again down the dirt road.
And just like that, they were off at an alarming speed.
CHAPTER 12 - Far from Home
“WOULD YOU SLOW DOWN, please?” Dale asked as he grabbed onto the door handle. “How in heaven’s name am I supposed to fasten this thing?”
Livvy watched him struggle before she lost patience, reached out, grabbed the strap, and inserted it into the buckle. Her hand brushed his leg as she did so, and he sucked his breath. Heat flooded her face. She had not intended to touch him. Shaking her head, she concentrated on looking forward.
She kept driving a couple of miles down the dirt road away from the manor until she got to an intersection. Several signs on a post indicated the way to different towns to the left and right. She chose the right by instinct. And kept driving.
The road was dreadful. She hoped to intersect a paved road soon. That thought gave her pause. Last night before the accident, she had been driving on a paved road. But this morning, the only road near the car was the dirt road they had left behind. There had also been electrical posts running parallel to the road. She saw none now.
Even if she was in a remote location, it didn’t explain how she had gotten there. Again, a creepy feeling overtook her. Could this guy be telling the truth? But it was absurd! This sort of thing didn’t happen in real life. She stopped the car.
He had been observing her, his eyes kind and understanding. Strangely enough, even as her intellect suspected and was wary of him, on some deeper level, she felt safe with this man. But she wasn’t ready to trust her instincts where a handsome stranger was concerned. She needed to be cautious.
