“The Sun of New Holland? Confound it!”
“New Holland? Oh, you mean Australia.”
“What?”
“Nothing. Is that what it’s called? The Sun of New Holland?”
“It’s only the most famous diamond in the world. Where is it?”
“Upstairs.”
“You didn’t take it to the authorities?”
“Not yet!” I laughed.
“Why not?”
“Because of tonight.”
“Good thinking. I wish he’d quit doing this to us.”
“There was a note with it.”
“What did it say?”
“He must have heard of your nomination. He called you a … what was it? A ‘dastardly turncoat bent on self-destruction.’”
“That’s nothing new.”
“He vowed never to let the world forget of your connection with him, adding that you can only get so far into purgatory with him to thwart you. He would save you in spite of yourself.”
We both laughed, Mallory with some reluctance.
“What else did he say?”
“There was a note for me. Moral support. He is anticipating a little Fredrick or Fredericka. I thought it was a nice idea.”
“He can wait until h –”
“Captain,” I whispered with a laugh. “Hush!”
He shut his mouth.
“We can return the diamond to authorities later,” I told him. “I believe they have come to expect us. Every time we have a child, something outrageous is looted.”
That night as we prepared for bed Mallory asked me why I looked so smugly pleased with myself.
As I coyly, though awkwardly, removed my stockings, I replied, “Just how do you expect the wife of the most handsome, most intelligent member of Parliament to look?”
He smirked wryly. “Even when it’s all due to you?”
“What a thing to say,” I added with a smile, “Not
all
.”
There was silence. And when I clumsily straightened, I found him watching me soberly. “What?” I huffed.
He came to me suddenly, a touch of fear in his eyes. He sat down and took me in his arms. “What is it, Captain?” I asked with some concern.
He laughed brokenly. “You’ll think I’m mad … to feel like this just as everything seems to be going our way. I know you don’t want to tell me of your past, and I accept it. I sometimes suspect I prefer not to know. But … every now and then, when I wake up in bed and you’re not beside me, or when I lose sight of you in a crowded room, as happened once tonight, I cannot help but become afraid … afraid that you can disappear out of my life as abruptly as you appeared into it. And a fever seizes me, and I have to look for you.”
I laughed in his arms. “I’m not going anywhere. You’ve seen to that. Look what you’ve done. I can hardly walk around the room.”
He smiled half-heartedly.
I sobered and touched his face. “I see. Levity is inappropriate. Forgive me. I thought I could laugh you from your fears, but that is not so. Of course not. Your unhappy past warns you to be cautious. And our unusual introduction does little to encourage feelings of stability. But I think … yes, I am sure it would comfort you to know that I very deliberately and forcefully thrust myself out of the life I knew, and it took every ounce of courage and determination I had to do it. You once said I ran away. You were right. I did run away. And surely you must know I would never run away from you … or the boys. How could I? When I would be lost without you, and you would be lost without me?”
He smiled briefly. “Is it as bad as that?”
I looked at him in all seriousness. “I think it is. Just look at what we were without each other. You were tormented and broken. I was even worse. Limping along, blindly unaware of my pathetic condition. But together we’re an impenetrable powerhouse. We’re unstoppable!”
I had assured him. His face lost its strain as he laughed at my zealous choice of words. His eyes fell to the cross and lightly touched it. “You used to hate that.”
I held it protectively. “I know.”
“But not now?”
I shook my head. “It was the answer to everything.”
*** *** ***
I make an end now. I had to finish the memoirs simply because every story needs an ending. But this story will never be read.
Now that Mallory is on his way, we must tread carefully. He has enemies, those who would love to see him fail, love to utterly destroy him. They have, and will continue, to dig into his past … and mine. They are welcome to, of course. There is nothing regarding my history that they can possibly find.
Except these notes.
Imagine what would happen if they were found and interpreted. It would not be impossible … and less so as the years go by. Even if they go undiscovered for the rest of our lives, these papers can easily outlive us … as they outlived Serena Metcalfe, even though she buried them under the sea. They had still been unearthed.
Everything Mallory has done or will ever do, would be questioned if they discovered his wife claimed to be a time traveler. Years later, generations later, no matter what he did or how he excelled, there would still be questions, even ridicule.
I couldn’t bear that.
I won’t bear it.
So when I found these notes that needed an ending, I ended them. But no one will ever read my words. For when I have written the last sentence, I shall put all my papers into the fire and watch them burn.
He is more important than anything else. Can you understand that? More important than fame, than acclaim. More important than academia and knowledge. Indeed, more important than truth itself.
Against all odds, in rebellion of all established law and understanding, in defiance of my academic colleagues and associates, I once successfully traveled through time.
I know it. And God knows it. And it is enough.
I am greatly gratified.
I had a dream once that I flew.
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