Spacetime (Time Quest Chronicles Book 1) by Patrick Sheridan

Author:Patrick Sheridan [Sheridan, Patrick]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Romance, adventure, Science Fiction, Time Travel
Publisher: Lux Dictum
Published: 2017-11-22T07:00:00+00:00

Chapter 17

There were two barred cells, one containing a crudely constructed timber cubical in a corner, presumably a hastily constructed privy. Jacqueline sat on a low fixed wooden bed, gazing dully at the floor. She looked subdued and withdrawn, and glanced up disinterestedly as I walked in. A whole gamut of emotions flashed across her face: surprise, pleasure, confusion, sadness and despair. I was surprised myself when my heart gave an unexpected lurch at the sight of her.

‘Richard!’ she gasped, ‘I thought you were dead. I can’t believe you are here… why are you here?’

‘I wanted to see if you were all right,’ I said a little lamely.

‘That’s kind of you,’ she said, getting to her feet. Her eyes were suddenly glittering with tears. ‘But I’m not all right, as you can see.’ She moved to grip the bars of her cell, her fingers absurdly sensual and delicate against the ugly ironwork. Everything about the setting seemed completely wrong.

‘Mary told me what happened,’ I said after an awkward pause. ‘I suppose your stepfather is involved.’

‘Yes of course,’ she said wretchedly. ‘You were right about him. He tried to force me to marry one of his men, and sent him to … compromise me when I refused.’

‘He tried to rape you?’

She coloured, and nodded briefly.

‘But you had your little gun?’

‘I didn’t mean to kill him. He tried to take it from me, and it went off.’

‘You seem upset he is dead.’

‘I feel bad about it. I am a murderess, I suppose.’

‘Well, I don’t feel bad he is dead at all. What is bad is that the law has condemned you for it. Didn’t you explain what happened?’

‘I tried of course,’ she said. ‘But Jeremiah had men to say that I planned it. He has a story that I became strange after my mother died, with witnesses to uphold it. He even had a man swear that I threatened to kill Jack if he would not marry me.’

‘What about the things we talked of at Gettysburg,’ I asked grimly, ‘did you see a lawyer?’

‘I did, but he turned that against me too. He had a doctor testify I was imagining things.’ She gave a sad little grimace. ‘I was starting to wonder if I was really deranged after all – but now I have seen you I feel myself again. I thank you for coming, even if it is too late.’

‘It is not too late,’ I said fiercely, ‘I am not going to let you die here.’

She smiled wanly, ‘there is nothing you can do.’

‘I can get you out,’ I said.

‘Don’t be foolish Richard,’ she said quietly.

‘I mean it,’ I insisted. ‘Would you come away with me to a different life?’

She gazed blankly at me for a moment. There was a subtle shift from puzzlement to misgiving. Something like the old Jacqueline surfaced: a glint of steel in her eyes.

‘And what might I have to do in such a different life?’

‘Nothing,’ I said hurriedly, ‘that is, whatever you want. This is me remember, the man without experience in paying compliments to ladies.

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