“How many?”
He did not know what she meant.
“How many are from the damn future?”
“All of the women.”
She gaped at him. “Six women are from the future and you kept it from me?”
He’d never heard such words—well, mayhap his brothers’ wives had said some of the words. She let out a breath.
“It’s over. We’re finished.”
“’Tis you I want to wed.” How did he make her understand how much he loved her? Could not live without her?
She whirled around, her eyes full of fire. “Don’t you see? It wasn’t your choice.”
“I could not find the words.” He had made a grave mistake. “Now you have met them, you can have speech together, they will tell you what they know, and you can choose.” He took her hands, a sick feeling in his stomach. “Would you stay? Give up your life in New York? I would have a modern carriage made for you, give you everything I have to make you happy.”
Her hands were so cold.
He choked out. “Do not leave me.”
“Just go, Christian. I need time alone.” Her eyes were leaking, so he decided to seek the counsel of his brothers.
In his chamber, Christian opened the pouch at his waist, pulling the ring out. He’d had his men out searching ever since they were set upon by the thieves. Now the remaining three men were dead and Christian had the ring back, the one belonging to Ashley’s dam. He wanted to rush back to the stables and offer it to her, but she was so angry. He would wait and try again, beseech her to forgive him.
And if she left him?
Nay, he would not think on it. The loneliness he thought banished was back, blackening his soul.
Melinda had never been sohappy to see Christian smiling instead of moping about.
Ashley was the one he wanted, not Helen. She was dying to find out what on earth had happened since he’d left a couple of months ago. She and James had a bet—she thought the girl would run off with a sailor, but James picked a baker.
The way Christian looked at Ashley, Melinda would bet a pound of country ham he was in love with her. Which was fantastic, because Melinda had a feeling Ashley was the perfect match for him. She saw the way they looked at each other before Ashley stormed off. It was obvious they both cared for each other, so why hadn’t Christian proposed?
Melinda had found Ashley in her classroom, teaching kids and a few of the guards to read. After the lesson, they’d talked over a few cups of wine, and she’d laughed when Ashley confessed she had been mean to him on purpose to annoy him and put some distance between them both. Then everything changed, and Helen was out of the picture. And they all showed up. Leave it to Christian to not have told Ashley about them. So Melinda told her about meeting James and how her sisters met their husbands. They talked late into the day, and Melinda left determined to see them together.
Ashley couldn’t believethere were six other women just like her. She really liked Melinda, appreciated her sharing her story and that of her sisters. But how could Christian have kept such an important thing from her? It was unforgivable.
Being here somehow felt like she had gone backward. Not just in time, but in her goals and dreams. To stay here in the past was to fail. In the future she had a good life. A fabulous apartment, a couple of good friends, an amazing job… Strike that. No more job. But she had plenty of money saved, and she knew she could find another job and another place to live. A better place.
Plenty of firms would be happy to hire her. She would be free to do as she wished whenever she wanted. No bratty kids screaming for her attention or a husband expecting a hot meal after a hard day at the office. At night she could sit on the counter, bare feet in the sink, eating cereal for dinner. And on the occasional weekend day when she didn’t go into the office, she would sleep half the day away, take a long nap and then a bath. She was answerable to no one, and it was the way she liked it.
The kids here would be fine. Someone else would finish teaching them to read, Christian would make sure Merrick was taken care of, and she would forget him.
In time.
The decision made,Ashley thought she could find a place in the village. She had her hair combs to barter. No matter what, she wasn’t staying at Winterforth one more second. The old gray horse was nervous as thunder boomed across the sky.
“Ashley, halt.”
Lightning flashed and the horse reared. She slid off, hitting the ground, a sharp pain slicing through her leg.
The sky opened up, rain stinging her skin.
Christian lifted her in his arms. “I’ve got her. Take her horse.” He carried her to his horse. “Silly fool, you could have been killed.”
