Come Back to Me by Jody Hedlund
~ 27 ~
WARMTHSTOLETHROUGH MARIAN, a warmth so encompassing she didn’t want to awaken. At the voices nearby, she could feel herself rousing. Had the servants already come to help her dress? Maybe the surgeon had returned again to check on Will.
Her mind rolled as she attempted to organize her thoughts into some coherence. She hadn’t meant to sleep all night. But she must have been more tired than she realized.
How were Will’s wounds this morning? With how quickly they’d healed, he’d likely be out of bed and back to normal in no time.
“Nothing is happening.” Even though the voice was distant, it was distinctly Ellen’s.
“We might not know if it works for some time yet, love.” Another voice sounded like Harrison’s. “Your father’s notes are dreadfully inconclusive.”
Marian’s heart gave a leap of hope. Somehow she’d slipped back to the present again. And this time Ellen and Harrison were in the room. She had to warn them to be wary of Jasper. Maybe if she could just lift a finger and point it at him if he was still in the room. Or try to mouth his name.
Focus, Marian. She didn’t have long. She never did before the holy water wore off—maybe seconds. Mustering all the strength in her hand, she attempted to lift it. She was unprepared for the ease with which it rose into the air.
A gasp sounded nearby, and someone clutched her raised hand. “Marian?” Ellen’s voice was above her, and it was laced with excitement. “Marian, can you hear me?”
Marian willed her eyes to open, put all her energy into making her lids move. Once again, she was surprised when her lashes flitted up, and she was able to see Ellen’s face hovering above hers. That face she’d never expected to see again, that cover-model oval-shape with her dainty chin and prominent cheekbones. Even though Ellen’s eyes were ringed with dark circles and weary lines creased her forehead, the sight was beautiful.
“Her eyes are open!” Ellen was smiling even as her voice wobbled and tears began to roll down her cheeks.
Marian wasn’t sure what was happening, but she knew she couldn’t waste time expressing her warning. “Jasper.” Her voice was hardly a whisper and was hoarse from disuse.
“Don’t worry.” Ellen squeezed her hand. “He stepped out for a few minutes and will be back soon.”
Marian tried to shake her head but only managed an exasperated breath. She shifted a fraction and found Harrison in his wheelchair beside her bed. His dark hair was slightly mussed, as though wind-tossed, but otherwise he was immaculately groomed as always in a crisp suit, matching vest, and bow tie. Through his thick spectacles, he regarded her anxiously.
“He’ll be glad to see you’re awake.” Tears still ran unchecked down Ellen’s cheeks.
Awake? Marian shook her head. No, she wouldn’t be there much longer. She had to warn them before she was whisked back into the past. “Don’t trust him.”
Ellen’s forehead crinkled with confusion. “Trust whom?”
“Jasper.” Marian’s eyelids fell and exhaustion dulled her senses. She felt herself slipping away from them, and then sleep claimed her.
* * *
Marian woke with a start. She wasn’t sure how long she’d slept again. All she knew was that she needed to check on Will. However, the drowsiness was so thick she felt as though she were climbing uphill through a dense fog.
“Will?” she managed to croak, praying he was completely restored.
A hand stroked her forehead, easing back her hair. It was too soft and feminine to be Will’s and had a clean lemony-lavender scent.
“Where’s Will?” she asked again, her voice gaining strength.
“Who’s Will?”
Marian’s eyes shot open. Ellen was sitting at the side of the bed. “Ellen? What are you doing here?”
“Waiting for you to wake up.”
Harrison was there again too, a stack of old, musty books on his lap, the top one open.
Marian glanced around the room to the sight of glass windowpanes, modern furniture, the open walk-in closet that led to the spacious boudoir with the bathroom door wide open, revealing the shower.
With each detail she took in, the horror inside swelled until it was an uncaged beast on the loose. She tried to sit up against the hard mattress of a hospital bed, but her limbs were too weak—atrophied from lack of use.
Her gaze returned to Ellen, and she could only look at her sister with utter despair. “What did you do?”
Ellen’s smile dimmed until it disappeared altogether. “I don’t understand.”
“The ampulla was for you. Not me.” Marian’s voice came out stronger and clearer. She wasn’t simply visiting the present time after ingesting holy water residue or having a time-slip overlap. No. She was back, had fully awakened from her coma.
Ellen’s lovely features were haggard, the strain of all that had happened taking its toll on her already taxed body. “I can’t believe you thought I’d drink the water while you were dying.”
“I wasn’t dying.” At least not yet.
“I’ve been worried sick about you since I arrived and found you in a coma, wondering which day would be your last, thinking I’d lose you like I lost Dad.” Distress punctuated each word, and Harrison gently rubbed Ellen’s arm as though to soothe her. “How could you believe for one second I’d give you up if there was even the slightest chance I could have you back?”
Marian’s throat clogged with the need to weep, and she let her lashes fall lest Ellen see the truth in her eyes. The truth that she hadn’t fully comprehended until this moment—that she hadn’t wanted to come back, that all she wanted to do was wake up in 1381 and be in Will’s arms, that she ached for him and didn’t know how she could live without him.
Not only had Ellen ripped her away from the man she loved, but now Ellen might have doomed herself. It was only a matter of time before the tumors came back—probably sooner rather than later with all the stress.
“It wasn’t just my decision.” As though sensing Marian’s turmoil, Ellen’s voice rang with defensiveness. “Harrison and I both agreed that if you were able to get an ampulla into the crypt, we’d give it to you. It was the least we could do for you.”
Marian wasn’t sure if she trusted her voice to work. But she opened her eyes and reached for Ellen’s hand, squeezing it between hers. “I carved your initials into it.” But even as she said the words, she knew she couldn’t blame Ellen.
Marian had known she was taking a chance that this very thing might happen when she’d given Will one of the ampullae. She’d hoped Harrison would convince Ellen to drink the holy water, but she’d also known her sister might refuse. Ellen was too kind, too giving, too sacrificial to do anything that might jeopardize someone else. With only one ampulla, Marian had practically given Ellen no choice in the matter.
Tears swelled in Marian’s eyes. She may have saved the man she loved, but he was lost to her all the same. Now, unless they uncovered the original spring at St. Sepulchre, Ellen would be lost too.
Whatever the case, Marian was here now. And she wanted to make the most of her time with her sister. “I love you. And I’m so glad I get to say it again.” Marian held out her arms.
Ellen choked on a sob and dropped into Marian’s embrace.
* * *
Harrison’s private nurse and doctor came to Chesterfield Park to assess Marian’s vitals and to remove all the monitors and tubes that had helped her live over the past two and a half weeks.
The medical professionals finished their examination and declared her 100 percent recovered. The astonishment on their faces as they’d exited would have been comical if Marian hadn’t been so shaken by the turn of events.
Once Marian was sitting up in bed with a cup of freshly brewed coffee and piece of toast, Harrison and Ellen explained all that had transpired in her absence. Harrison hadn’t known who took him captive that day in the crypt. His kidnappers blindfolded and drove him to what he believed was a secret underground laboratory where they bullied, interrogated, and bribed him for several days before dropping him back off at the cathedral.
He’d been bruised and hungry but otherwise hadn’t been harmed. Perhaps they decided he didn’t know enough about Arthur Creighton’s miracle cure. Or they realized he wasn’t planning to give away any information and would be more useful to them alive than dead.
In the meantime, during Harrison’s captivity, Ellen arrived only to discover Marian was in a coma. She knew right away Marian’s condition was somehow connected to their dad’s. Even though she wanted to transport Marian to the best medical facility and get more help, she honored Marian’s wishes to remain at Chesterfield Park and instead arranged for home health care.
With her nursing experience, Ellen spent all her time caring for Marian and finalizing the burial arrangements for Dad. After Harrison was safely home and recovered, he relayed the details of what had happened, showing Ellen all Dad’s notes and summarizing his and Marian’s conclusions.
“Harrison believes Dad’s research has merit.” Ellen was poised gracefully in a wingback beside Harrison’s wheelchair. Though she wore no makeup and hadn’t styled her long, straight hair, she was as stunning as always. “But I’m not sure I can buy into all the talk about crossing time barriers and miracle cures.”
Cupping her hands around the mug, Marian savored another sip of dark-roast brew. “I know it sounds completely far-fetched. But Dad was right all along about the Tree of Life. The water in the ampulla contains residue that has been in contact with the life-giving qualities of the tree.”
Ellen’s brows narrowed above her tired eyes. “The original tree from the Garden of Eden?”
“Legends passed down for centuries indicate that seeds from the original tree were preserved and scattered throughout the Roman Empire for protection from the invading barbarians. Two of the seeds were brought to England, and one was hidden here in Canterbury. While we don’t know exactly how the seed ended up in the ground—whether someone planted it or threw it out, whether it germinated or simply remained a seed—we do know that the life-giving qualities from the seed affected a water source.”
“And did you find the water source your dad was seeking?” Harrison’s eyes had grown intense behind his spectacles, so intense that for a second Marian hesitated. Harrison hadn’t mentioned anything yet about the piece of clay she’d put with the flask. He apparently hadn’t figured out the clue. Should she tell him?
But what about the worldwide, life-altering ramifications such a discovery would have? Did she want to be responsible for the good as well as the bad that could come from resurrecting the Tree of Life, something God had deemed as dangerous after Adam and Eve sinned and were ejected from the Garden of Eden?
Maybe her dad’s mission to uncover the wellspring was ill-fated. Maybe it was time to let his research die with him. But could she give up helping Ellen now that she had a chance?
She focused on the steam swirling up from her coffee, her thoughts tangling and twisting just as swiftly. “I have an idea of the location. But it’s just speculation.”
Harrison nodded and sat back in his wheelchair. He didn’t press her further, but the determined set of his mouth told her he wouldn’t let the issue drop for long.
Her gaze traveled around the room as it had already a dozen times since awakening. Deep inside, she hoped for a glimpse of the past—an open shutter, the burgundy tapestries, or even the rushes on the floor—something to assure her Will was only a breath away. But as before, she saw nothing but the contemporary furnishings.
Swallowing her disappointment, she brought her attention back to Ellen and Harrison. “Tell me how you managed to get the ampulla out without getting caught this time.”
After what had happened to Harrison after his first visit to the crypt, he’d been extra cautious about going a second time. He gave Marian one week as she’d instructed in her notes. Then he made arrangements with the cathedral supervisor to allow Drake to come in during the middle of the night.
Harrison planned a series of decoys to throw anyone off Drake’s trail. The manservant made it into the crypt without any altercations. But on his way out, he was attacked and brutally beaten. Since the hiding spot had been empty, Drake didn’t have any ampullae for his attacker to steal. Even though Harrison was furious over Drake’s injuries, he also worried Marian’s lack of follow-through meant she’d gotten herself into trouble.
Of course, by that point Jasper had arrived at Chesterfield Park. When he started asking lots of questions, Harrison hadn’t known for sure if Jasper was trustworthy and so tried to remain evasive.
Harrison pushed his glasses up on his nose before glancing sideways at Ellen. “When the chap began to pay Ellen too much attention, I admit, I wasn’t keen on it.”
Marian watched the play of emotions cross Harrison’s face—first tenderness, then embarrassment. She sat up straighter. Had Harrison been jealous of Jasper? Did he care for Ellen as more than just a friend and sister-figure?
“At first I didn’t realize Jasper was flirting.” Ellen hugged her arms to her chest but was unable to contain a shiver. “I thought he was being nice to me because I was your sister. And I assumed we were both sad about your condition. But when he tried kissing me one night, I decided I didn’t like him—not if he could cheat on you so easily.”
Harrison shrugged out of his suit coat and draped it around Ellen’s shoulders. She offered him a smile of gratitude, and he returned the smile, his attention lingering, as though he couldn’t quite get enough of her.
Harrison did care about Ellen. Marian’s gaze darted back and forth between the two. Why hadn’t she figured that out before? Especially after seeing his home lab and realizing how hard he was working to find a cure for VHL.
Was Ellen aware of Harrison’s feelings?
As though sensing Marian’s scrutiny, Harrison fiddled with his bow tie. “Jasper obviously fabricated his reasons for coming. It’s a shame I didn’t work out his duplicity sooner.”
“If anyone should have figured it out, it should have been me. Now after overhearing his call, I have no doubt he’s working for one of Mercer’s competitors.”
“Once you warned us not to trust him, I phoned Sergeant Huxham, my private investigator, straightaway. She searched the manor and located several bugs. I confronted Jasper, and of course, he denied knowing anything about them, but I asked him to leave nonetheless.”
Marian swallowed another mouthful of dark brew. Each sip was heavenly. “So then we have no idea how much information Jasper gleaned during his visits or how much he heard through the bugs?”
Harrison cleared his throat, but before he could answer, Ellen spoke in a rush. “I didn’t mean to share as much as I did. But I may have mentioned the holy water and something about the journeys into the past. Only because I thought it was all so silly, and I needed someone to commiserate with me.”
Marian’s pulse stumbled a beat. If the wrong people discovered that crossing time was possible through the use of the holy water, the trouble wouldn’t end, it would only escalate.
“I’m sorry, Marian.” Ellen’s expression radiated misery. “I know you and Harrison believe Dad’s research, but you have to realize how ridiculous it all sounds.”
“I know.”
“What if you simply had very realistic dreams?” Ellen’s pretty blue eyes pleaded with Marian to agree with her.
But Marian couldn’t. What she’d seen and experienced had been all too concrete. She pressed one of her hands against her chest to the pain radiating there. How could her heart ache so desperately for Will if he didn’t exist?
“Ellen, love.” Harrison reached for Ellen’s hand, enfolding it within his. “If Marian didn’t cross into the past, how else could we explain the presence of the ampulla in the crypt during that last visit?”
Ellen seemed to welcome Harrison’s hold as if it was the most natural thing in the world. “I just don’t know, Harrison. I can’t wrap my mind around it. There has to be some other explanation.”
Marian couldn’t blame Ellen for her confusion. She would have been just as skeptical if their roles had been reversed and if she hadn’t experienced the time crossing for herself. “You were delayed in getting the ampulla out on day fourteen. How did you finally manage to get it without being caught or attacked?”
Harrison held Ellen’s hand only a moment longer before releasing it. “A genius plan, if I may say so myself.” He relayed how he remembered that tunnels existed under Canterbury, a network of passageways that had been developed as early as the Roman era but then strengthened during World War II as part of the preparation for a possible German invasion. After several days of researching, he located a tunnel that connected St. Thomas Catholic Church to the cathedral.
Although he had to bargain and bribe, Harrison gained permission from the church to clear out and reinforce the tunnel, in exchange for hiring workers to do long overdue repairs of St. Thomas Church’s interior as well as within the cemetery and external grounds. Lionel Inc.’s men watched and catalogued every move of the repairs but didn’t discover the tunnel connection until it was too late.
“I paid one of the cathedral security to unlock the tunnel door within the crypt. When the tunnel was repaired enough to traverse, Drake made his way into the crypt while Ellen and I pretended to be fascinated with something in the cemetery.”
Marian smiled. “Your plan was genius.”
“That’s because Harrison is a genius.” Ellen reached over this time and grasped Harrison’s hand.
Harrison ducked his head, but not before revealing his pleasure. At Ellen’s praise or her touch?
Ellen grasped Harrison’s hand more firmly.
Marian studied Ellen’s face, searching for a flicker of some kind of romantic interest that her sister harbored toward Harrison, but she didn’t see anything that hinted at more.
Even so, Ellen continued to hold Harrison’s hand. “I added the droplets from the ampulla to your IV fluids, and then we waited and waited and waited. It was excruciating, wasn’t it?”
Harrison nodded. “You can imagine how relieved we were that it worked. But . . . the question is: Why aren’t you relieved?”
Marian wanted to be honest, but what could she say? That she wished they hadn’t brought her back? She leaned her head against the raised bed and soft mound of pillows, expelling a sigh. “It’s complicated.”
Ellen curled her long legs up under her in the deep cushioned chair, getting comfortable. “We’ve got all the time in the world.”
“Do we? While a comatose body in the present can live indefinitely, a comatose body in 1381 won’t last long, not without modern technology to help sustain life.”
Harrison’s brow furrowed. “I pondered the dilemma before we gave you the holy water to revive you. But since we don’t know the repercussions, I decided we had to take the risk. There’s the very good chance you’ll recover.”
“But Dad’s list of speculations indicates there’s the possibility I won’t. Look what happened to Dad.”
“Arthur was still comatose and technically in the past. But you’ve returned and are fully healthy. I’m sure that will make a difference.”
“Other than a few records of people having visions, have you ever considered why there aren’t any historical accounts of people claiming to cross the time continuum? What if those who did, like Dad, never revived from their comas to talk about their experiences? Or if they returned, maybe they didn’t live long enough to write down what happened.”
“Let’s hope that’s not the case for you.”
After only a few hours of wakefulness, she was feeling stronger and more alert. It wouldn’t be long before she would be able to get out of bed and resume her life. What if she wouldn’t need that extra dose of holy water to live after all? She could only pray Harrison was right and that she’d be fine.
But would she ever be fine again? How could she continue on as though nothing had happened to her? How could she simply pick up where she’d left off? Without Will? She wasn’t sure she could.
And what should she do next regarding the miracle cure? Now that she knew the possible location of the spring, could she sit back and do nothing while Ellen wasted away from cancerous tumors?
As though sensing her inner turmoil, Ellen leaned forward and reached for her hand, finally releasing her hold of Harrison. “Please don’t worry, Marian.”
She tried for a smile. “It’s my job to worry about you, Ellen.”
It had been her job for so long that she didn’t know what else to do with her life. Finding the cure had consumed her. It had been why Dad had risked everything and why she had too. After all he’d sacrificed to test his theories, she couldn’t let his life’s work die with him.
And yet how could she go on when she’d left her heart behind with Will?
Overwhelming longing flowed through her veins, constricting her passageways with the need for Will every bit as much as her need for oxygen. By now he would realize she was unresponsive and not waking up. She hated to think of his turmoil, how he might even be blaming himself for what had happened to her.
Harrison’s expression turned somber. “What about it? Are your thoughts in order enough to tell us what happened? I, for one, am keen to hear your experiences.”
Did she want to tell them? How could she explain all she’d lived through, especially the part about getting married? If she was married in the past, was she technically still married now? She guessed it didn’t matter. If she lived, she couldn’t imagine ever wanting to marry anyone else anyway. She’d never forget about Will. And she’d never be able to love another man the same way she’d loved him.
She placed her mug on the bedside table, took a deep breath, and then started her tale. “You’ll find this hard to believe, but I’m officially married to William Durham, the grandson of the man who built Chesterfield Park.”