The Bride Price (34 page)

“I think the person who shot Carl might be a
sharp shooter.” Jamie dragged his hands down his face. “From our
time.”

“Seriously?”

“Yes. Carl said someone is after you. The
reason the shot was so accurate is because it came from a high
powered rifle—I think.”

“Did you tell Andrew?”

Jamie shook his head. “No.”

“Why didn’t we hear the shot?”

“I can only guess the rifle would have a
silencer attached.”

Sophie sat next to him and leaned her head
against his shoulder. “This is like something out of a movie. Time
hopping, sharp shooters, intrigue.”

Wrapping an arm around Sophie’s waist, Jamie
pulled her closer to him. “What did Carl tell you?”

“He said someone was after me, that I’m the
key to a larger plot, and that a man named Victor Cary has brought
men back to kill me. At least, that’s what I think he was trying to
tell me. He didn’t finish his sentence.”

Jamie swore as he stood and began to pace the
room. Sophie stared at him and then down at her bloody dress. She
began to shake as reality set in, and she dropped her face into her
hands only to be met with filth. Dried blood and caked-on dirt
covered her fingers, so unusual on her perfectly manicured
hands.

“Baby.” Jamie knelt in front of her and
grasped her hands.

Pushing him away, Sophie stood, her control
slipping. “Get it off.” She dug her palms into the folds of her
dress and wiped as hard as she could. “Get the blood off me.”

Sophie ripped at her clothing and Jamie
grabbed her hands. “Shh, Sophie, it’s okay. I’m going to get this
off you, sweetheart, but you need to let me.”

Sophie nodded and tried to stand still as
Jamie made quick work of her buttons. She couldn’t stop shaking.
Placing her hand over her mouth, she took several deep breaths and
squeezed her eyes shut. Jamie loosened her corset and pushed it
over her hips then led her to the bowl on the bureau and dampened a
towel.

Sophie slid her hands into the bowl of water
and did her best to remove the blood and dirt as Jamie gently wiped
her face. Tears filled her eyes as the events of the past thirty
minutes replayed and before she knew it, Jamie had wrapped his arms
around her and led her to the bed. Holding the covers back, he
waited for her to climb in before joining her and pulling her into
his arms.

“Do you think the person was aiming for
me?”

“The one who shot Carl?” Jamie stroked her
hair.

Sophie nodded.

“I don’t think so.”

Sophie sat up slightly. “You don’t think so,
because if he was aiming for me, I’d be dead, right?”

“Baby.”

With a shudder, she let Jamie pull her
tighter against his chest. “What did I do that would make someone
want to kill me?”

“I don’t think it’s personal,
sweetheart.”

“Well, that makes me feel
so
much
better,” she snapped.

Jamie tipped her chin up. “I’m going to
figure this out, Sophie. I promise. You just need to be careful
now.”

Sophie sat up, onto her knees. “How am I
supposed to be careful with a freakin’ gun pointed at my head from
a hundred miles away?”

Jamie threw his legs over the side of the bed
as he sat up and pulled her onto his lap. “Melodrama aside, I think
it would be a good idea for you to stay inside for a while.”

“The house?” Sophie linked her arms around
his neck, already knowing the answer.

“I don’t want you out in the open. It’s too
dangerous.”

“I have work, Jamie. The hospital, Samson,
among other things.”

“Until we know exactly what’s going on,
you’ll have to find other things to occupy your time. Act the
quintessential Victorian lady.”

Sophie slid off his lap. “When did you become
such a chauvinist?”

Jamie stood slowly and crossed his arms. “I
want you safe, Sophie. If you feel that makes me a chauvinist, then
so be it.”

Sophie dropped her head onto his chest and
nodded into his sternum. “We need help,” she whispered.

“I know.” Jamie let out a deep sigh.

Sophie looked up at him. “You’re going to
have to tell someone in order to get it.”

“I know.”

“Which means you’re going to have to trust
someone with our lives.”

“I know.”

Sophie wrapped her arms around his waist.
“Andrew.”

“Yes, Andrew,” Jamie said with a humorless
smile.

“When?”

“No time like the present, I suppose.” Jamie
cupped her cheek. “Will you be okay if I leave you?”

She shook her head. “No.”

His eyebrows puckered. “You won’t be
okay?”

“Jamie, I want to be there when you tell him.
It might help if Christine is there, too.”

“That’s a lot of people, Ten-Cow.”

“No, it’s not. Christine already knows about
us, and Andrew is the only other person who will know. I trust
them.”

“I hate the thought of waiting.”

“They’ll both be here for dinner. I’m sure we
can find some time alone.”

Jamie pinched the bridge of his nose. “You
have an answer for everything, apparently.”

Sophie kissed his chin. “I think the fact
that you are worried about me might be clouding your judgment a
bit.”

Jamie smiled. “You might be right.”

“Why don’t I make things clearer for you?”
Sophie started to unbutton his shirt. “Because I happen to need a
distraction, and I’m thinking you’re the perfect person to provide
it.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yes. Are you up to the challenge?” Sophie
slipped her hands under the waistband of his trousers and chuckled.
“It would appear that you are.”

Jamie laughed as he pushed her to the bed and
then spent the rest of the afternoon distracting her.

An hour before dinner, they heard a sharp rap
on the door.

“Yes?” Sophie called through it.

“Sophie, are you all right?” Christine
asked.

Sophie opened the door slightly and smiled.
“Yes, I’m fine. Did you talk to Andrew?”

Christine nodded. “Yes, he came to the
hospital to find me. Are you certain you’re not hurt? You have
something in your hair.”

Sophie reached up, felt the roughness of
dried blood, and shivered in disgust. “Yuck.”

“Shall I organize a bath?”

“That would be much appreciated. How long
until dinner?”

“One hour.”

“Jamie wants to tell Andrew everything after
dinner,” Sophie whispered. “We need some help to figure out what’s
going on.”

Christine gasped. “My word. I didn’t realize
it was that serious.”

“I know. We’ll fill you in after dinner,
okay?”

“Of course.” Christine smiled. “You can trust
Andrew, as you can trust me.”

“Why do you think we’re telling him?”

“I’ll send Betty in with your bath.”

Sophie nodded and closed her door. Jamie sat
in the chair and started to pull on his boots. Sophie raised an
eyebrow. “Where are you going?”

“I need to check on a few of the horses.” He
rose to his feet. “Can I leave you to your bath?”

Sophie nodded. “Sure. Don’t miss dinner.”

Jamie chuckled. “I’ll be back in plenty of
time.”

“Oh, wait. I need to check on Samson.”

“You’re not leaving the house, remember? I’ll
check on him for you, and will even give him sugar and remind him
that you love him.”

“You better,” she warned as Jamie opened the
door. “I love you.”

“I love you more, Ten-Cow,” Jamie whispered
and then he was gone.

Sophie wrapped a robe around her body and
waited for Betty, who arrived just a few minutes later. Once she
felt clean, she dressed quickly and made her way downstairs,
surprised to find Jamie had beaten her to the parlor.

“How did you do that?” she asked as he met
her at the doorway.

Jamie chuckled as he leaned down and kissed
her cheek. “Everything was in order, so I visited with Samson and
then had a quick swim.”

“How is he?”

“He’s good, baby. He thanks you for the
sugar.”

Sophie giggled as she leaned her head against
his shoulder and. “Mmm, you smell good.”

“How was your bath?”

“Lonely,” she whispered.

“Naughty.”

“How are you, Sophie?” Andrew rushed forward
and raised her hand to his lips.

“Hold that thought,” Jamie whispered.

“I’m fine, Andrew.” Sophie smiled. “I
promise.”

Andrew stared at her briefly and then lifted
his head to Jamie. “I understand we need to have a
conversation?”

Jamie nodded. “We’re hoping we can steal some
time after dinner.”

“I think that’ll be fine.”

The butler announced dinner, and as her plate
was set in front of her, Sophie thought she’d never survive the
evening. With stomach churning and heart racing, she couldn’t eat,
so she stared at her plate and occasionally moved her fork
around.

“Relax, sweetheart,” Jamie whispered as he
reached under the table and squeezed her thigh. Sophie nodded but
continued to push the food around on her plate.

“Sophie?”

“Hm?”

“You’re distracted, dear. Is anything amiss?”
Nona asked.

Sophie shook her head. “Sorry, Nona. I’m
fine. It’s just been a long day.”

“Perhaps you should turn in early. We’ll go
for a walk tomorrow morning, bright and early.”

Sophie glanced at Jamie, who shook his head
slightly.

“Perhaps, you’re right, Nona. I’ll turn in
early.”

“I think Sophie should stay in tomorrow. She
hasn’t been feeling well, and I’d like her to rest,” Jamie
said.

Sophie sent him a pointed frown.

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Nona said.

“Is there anything I can do?” Michael
asked.

“No, it’s just a headache,” Sophie said
quickly. “I’m sure a day or two of rest will suffice.”

“Well, if you don’t feel better in the next
few days, let me know.”

“I will, Michael. Thank you.” Sophie glanced
at Jamie and then back at her plate.

“Shall we move to the parlor?” Nona
asked.

“Actually, I need to speak with Jamie.”
Andrew stood. “Do you mind if we take a few minutes?”

“Not at all.”

“I’d like Sophie and Christine to join us as
well, but it won’t take long,” Jamie said.

“We’ll meet you in the parlor shortly,”
Christine said, and the foursome stood and made their way into the
library.

“So, what’s this all about?” Andrew asked as
Christine closed the door for privacy.

Sophie slipped her hand into Jamie’s for
silent support and smiled encouragement.

“Someone is targeting Sophie and they want
her dead.” Jamie squeezed her hand.

Christine gasped. “Whatever for?”

Andrew crossed him arms and waited.

“Andrew, I am about to tell you something
that can never leave this room.” Jamie grimaced.

“All right.”

Jamie looked at Sophie and then back at
Andrew. “Sophie and I are not from this time.”

“What do you mean?”

“We are from the future.”

Andrew raised his eyebrows and Christine
stepped in front of him. “It’s true, Drew.”

“Explain, please.”

“I don’t think we can explain. Exactly. We’re
just as confused.”

Jamie filled Andrew in on everything they did
know, ending with Carl’s warning and the name of the man after
Sophie. Andrew sat on the hearth and rested his forearms on his
knees, waiting several minutes before speaking. “I don’t know why,
but I believe you.”

“You’ve both accepted this quickly.” Sophie
said. “I don’t know that I would have if I were in your shoes.”

“After knowing me, you wouldn’t believe me if
I told you something like this?” Christine asked, surprise in her
voice.

“I guess I didn’t look at it that way.”

“Sophie, we know that neither of you are mad,
and having spent so much time with you these past few months, there
are things that didn’t make sense, other than this.”

Andrew nodded.

“Really? Like what?”

“Your strange speech, for one,” Christine
said.

“The fact you know so much about the war,”
Andrew added and then looked at Sophie. “
Before
things
happen.”

Sophie shivered. “Have I really been that
loose lipped?”

Christine wrapped an arm around her
shoulders. “With me, you have, and on occasion I know that Andrew
has overheard.” She sent a look of admonishment in his direction
for his eavesdropping and frowned when he shrugged in response.

“I need to watch that.” Sophie sighed.
“
You
need to help me watch what I say.”

“I will,” Christine promised.

“What if this man, Victor Cary, is part of
the Confederacy?” Andrew ran his hands through his hair.

Jamie let out a low whistle. “He could be
posing as the enemy and providing crucial information to the other
side.”

“I didn’t even think of that.” Sophie rubbed
her temples. “And I don’t really want to think of it now.”

“We should contact Clayton.”

“Who is this Clayton person?” Jamie raised an
eyebrow.

“Richard’s brother,” Christine provided.

Jamie shook his head. “Absolutely not!”

“I agree,” Sophie said quickly. “Especially a
relation of Richard’s.”

Andrew stood. “He should know this
information. He and Christopher run the war offices and would be
highly interested. Clayton can also help us.”

Jamie paced the room, and Sophie gripped the
back of one of the chairs in an effort to stop herself from
mirroring his motions. The ramifications of bringing another person
into their secret circle could be huge, and the fact that Clayton
was related to Richard made it even more difficult to believe it
would be a good idea.

“Jamie, it’s the only way. I trust Clayton,”
Andrew said.

Jamie stalled once as if to say something and
then ran his hands through his hair. It was a tense several minutes
as the only sound in the library was the sound of Jamie’s heavy
footsteps on the hardwood floors. “Can we let Clayton know about
the threat without letting him know about us?”