Bitter Oath (New Atlantis) Read online

  ‘What would you prefer us to call you then, my Lord?’

  ‘We do not stand on ceremony at home. Would it be inappropriate if I asked you both to call me Rene?’

  ‘We tend to be rather informal ourselves. We would happily call you Rene, if you would do us the courtesy of calling us by our given names. I am Portia, the baby of the family. Livianna is our spinster, and goes by Liv or Livy.’

  Liv blushed at her sister’s lack of manners. But at the same time, it appealed to her to be allowed to call him Rene, as this was how she thought of him in her imagination.

  ‘Then it will be Portia and Liv, then. Is that acceptable, Miss Mulgrave?’

  This was the first time Rene had directly addressed her, and she blushed again. ‘Yes, Rene, it is perfectly acceptable to me. Although it might be wiser, when father is present, to remain on more formal terms. He can be quite prickly, as you have already witnessed.’

  Rene laughed softly and, for the first time, Liv saw the young man she had met at the British Museum. She couldn’t help joining in with his mirth.

  CHAPTER SIX

  ‘Who is he?’ Liv demanded of her sister, when she finally got her alone some hours later. Rene was ensconced in the library with the Journals, and the ladies had gone to their rooms to rest.

  ‘He is Rene L’Angley, it would seem. And you did not do him justice by your description. That hair and those eyes! And though his skin is overly dark for my taste, it is a beautiful colour. Makes our English gentlemen look quite insipid, beside him. When he looks at one, all I can think of is what it would feel like to kiss those beautifully shaped lips….’

  ‘Portia!’ Liv admonished in shock, even though that was exactly her thoughts when Rene looked at her. They were fuller lips than most men she knew, but not too full or red to be obscene.

  ‘Do not Portia me. I saw you looking at him like a cat watching a bird. That is, when you are not both studiously avoiding looking at each other. That alone was a giveaway. He is not here for the journals, sister dear.’

  ‘Do not be daft, of course he is. And even if he was interested, before he arrived, father’s attitude would have to have put him off. But all of this begs the issue. If it was not a relative or ancestor who accompanied grandfather on his expedition, who was it? Do you think he has found the fountain of youth in his travels?’

  Portia became serious for a moment as she considered the evidence. ‘Yes, it would seem our theory that he was this Rene’s lost family member has to be discounted. The description and the interest in the earthworm, not to mention the name, all lead to the only conclusion possible. This Rene is the same person who travelled the west with grandfather, sixty years ago.’

  ‘Do we challenge him on it? He will certainly find the references to himself in the Journals, soon.’

  ‘Has his luggage been taken to his room yet?’ Portia asked

  ‘Yes. Jenny has put him in the guest room at the far end of the corridor. Why?’

  ‘Because I think you need to go through his things to see if there is any evidence that might lead to another solution to this mystery.’

  ‘Portia!’

  ‘What? I can’t do it. I am an engaged lady. You are the one who brought him here. You must find out who he is and what he really wants. If you don’t ask him directly, then we have to use indirect means.’

  For a moment, Liv considered Portia’s outrageous suggestion. To go into a man’s bedroom and look through his possessions was both indecent and immoral. But it was a better alternative to a direct, full-on assault. The only other alternative was to forget the mystery and just enjoy his visit. But if he finds the description of himself in the journals, and realises they had read them, what might he do to protect his secret?

  With a reluctant nod, Liv agreed. They could expect Rene to be in the library for a few hours yet. He would not need to go to his room to change until dinner.

  ‘I will do it now, if I must. But I do not like it one bit. To invade his privacy in such a way is ignoble, at the very least.’

  ‘Stop complaining, and just treat it like a scientific observation of an unusual phenomenon. Get in, do the search, and get out. Easy!’

  Liv left her sister’s room without another word, determined to get it over with as soon as possible. He wouldn’t have brought much with him, as he would only be expected to stay a few days – a valise or two, at most. It should take very little time to have a cursory glance through the luggage. Her face burned as she considered what she might find in the way of intimate apparel. She had no idea what men wore under their outer garments. The thought of what lay beneath Rene’s dark clothes made her squirm.

  She opened and closed his bedroom door quietly, and got to work. There were two valises on the bed, which young George would probably put away shortly. If she’d had her wits about her, she would have had him do it first. Then it would feel less of an invasion. But she was here now, and as she opened the first bag, her heart pounding in her chest, she got down to business. One way or another she was going to solve the mystery that was Rene L’Angley.

  God, it was worse than he suspected. Hugo had written at length of Rene’s involvement in the expedition. He’d even described Rene in detail. Only to be expected from a keen observer, he supposed, but if anyone who knew him here should read this…

  Liv hadn’t said she’d read the journals recently. It might yet be safe.

  He stopped for a moment to savour her diminutive name – Liv. It suited her in a way that her full name didn’t. She was as sensible and practical as ‘Liv’ sounded, and not at all starchy and formal as Livianna implied. But it was that other meaning that gave the pet name its spirit – to live. She did live – in a vital and engaging manner.

  But not for much longer, came the ominous refrain. His gut clenched at the thought.

  She was more beautiful than he remembered. He had half expected, and secretly hoped, she would be less so, considering how the imagination tended to embroider reality over time. But not Liv. She was still as pretty and pert as the image he held in his mind had portrayed her. Even though her sister had dominated the conversation most of the day, he had seen her humour and intelligence shining through.

  Being with her hurt. Even though Jane had encouraged him to do this, she couldn’t have known how much it would hurt. If she had, she would have helped him forget her. Thoughts of her life cut short filled him with terror. It was a mistake to have come here, knowing what he did about her future.

  He needed to get away from here for a while, so he could consider his options. There were the journals and his feelings to sort out before he saw her again. If he Jumped home with the Journals, he could seek the advice of the Committee before he took action. And the longer they took to consider, the longer he could postpone seeing her again. During that time, he could reflect on the time they had spent together so far, paw over every word and every expression, until they were stored forever in his memory. Then he could come back and collect more seeds for his lonely future.

  God he was a sap. This maudlin romantic he’d become was not him at all. The longer it went on, the more convinced he was that Jane had the truth of it. He’d fallen in love at first sight, and all his carefully controlled and archived emotions had come pouring back – out of control. Totally out of control.

  Rene closed the journal of 1850 with a snap, and stood up. Before he changed his mind, he needed to head for his room. The PA was in his coat pocket, but he would need the privacy of his room to activate it. If anyone asked, he would say he was weary after his long journey, and needed a nap. Locking his door would be essential. He would be gone and back before anyone noticed, and yet he could have had the break he needed to sort through his disordered emotions.

  With quick, economical movements, he opened his door, pulled out the PA, set it to triangulate his GPS, as he locked the door behind him, and then activated the device. The light and hum was startling in the darkened room, but not enough to attract attention from beyo
nd these walls. He put the journal under his arm, and stepped through the shower of sparkling lights.

  Autumn 2334, New Atlantis GAIAN CONFEDERACY

  Rene wasn’t sure when he first became aware that he was not alone in the Portal. It wasn’t as if he could see anything. But, by the time the slow motion seconds had passed and he stepped out into Start Point, he knew he wasn’t alone. He looked over his shoulder, and saw Liv Mulgrave falling toward him.

  Fast reflexes had him reaching out to catch her before she crashed onto the stone dais. While he righted her on her wobbly legs, he tried to take in the enormity of what had just happened.

  He had somehow Retrieved an unsanctioned Target. And she was not just any Target. She was the woman who turned his gut to jelly; the woman who would be dead by October.

  She was the woman who had to be dead by October 1810.

  How had she followed him? He was sure he’d been alone in that room, and had locked the door behind him.

  ‘Rene?’ Jane’s voice seemed to settle the chaos of his thoughts, and he turned to look down at the red head at the bottom of the stone stairs. She looked shocked and confused, just as he was. From her perspective, it had only been ten seconds since he’d left and returned.

  Determined to provide what moral support she could, Jane had insisted on accompanying him to the cavern that morning. Julio had made a point of tagging along, and in a way, that had been better. If Jane had been on her own, he might have fallen into another emasculated heap, from which she would have felt obliged to rescue him. He didn’t like being pitiful. He didn’t want to be seen as needy, as he made this journey back to meet his dying love.

  Jane broke away from Julio’s proprietary arm, and raced up the stairs. She grabbed Liv by the arm he was not holding, adding her support to the wavering woman.

  ‘You’re okay. Just breathe. You’re wobbly and disorientated, but that will pass quickly. You are safe. Don’t think about anything but that you are safe.’ Jane spoke gently but firmly, and the look Liv gave her said it was just what she needed to hear.

  Rene felt helpless and overwhelmed. What was happening here? Could he get her back to her time before she realised what had happened? Would she Crash and Burn? What would the Start Point cavern look like to an early 19th Century woman, unprepared for it? Nothing would look familiar. Her brain wouldn’t be able to process what had occurred.

  ‘Did you mean to bring her through?’ Jane asked him, as he stared at Liv in stunned silence. He shook his head, unsure he could find words quite yet. He didn’t usually suffer the ‘jet lag’ many Jumpers underwent after a trip through time, but at this moment, that was exactly what seemed to be happening to him.

  ‘She followed you? How?’ This was Julio, who had joined them on the dais. He seemed as befuddled as Rene felt, standing there, unsure what he was there to do.

  ‘I… I do not know. I was locked in my bedroom. I was alone… and then I felt her behind me as I came through.’

  The Portal had closed, and the echoing hum was gone. It relieved some of the auditory discomfort.

  ‘Let’s get her somewhere quiet and gadget free,’ Jane suggested, as she helped Liv down the stone stairs. His Regency Miss walked like a mechanical doll, her head down, watching each step she took, as she made her way across the marble floor. A floor lit by the same undulating lines of light that covered the walls of the cavern.

  ‘I’ll contact Jac. Maybe we should take her to the surface. To the garden we set up for the kids from the train?’ Julio offered, a little more in control now.

  ‘Fresh air, sunshine and flowers. Perfect. Come on Livianna, let’s get you out of here. I am assuming this is your Livianna?’ Jane looked over at Rene for confirmation.

  ‘She prefers to be called Liv. Come on Livy, let’s get you somewhere that makes sense…’ He had locked on to Jane’s wisdom, just as Julio had, and now had a course of action to follow. The panic began to recede.

  Rene tried to tune out the shocked expressions all around him. The technicians who worked at Start Point were used to people transiting this place in strange costumes, but the arrival of this unexpected young lady, from five hundred years in the past, had them all dumbfounded.

  Jane and Rene led the unresisting woman into the lift, and she seemed unaware of the upward sensation that brought the three of them to the surface. Step by slow step, they led the stranger around the side of the building to a large, perfectly laid out garden at the rear. Here, the only part of New Atlantis to be seen was the columned portico, which would have fitted well into Regency England. The rest was natural – the mountain in the background, the orderly pattern of colourful flowerbeds, green grass, and peerless, blue sky stretching overhead.

  Liv seemed to relax a little, and took a deep stuttering breath when she sat down on the park bench. Jane sat down on her right, and Rene sat down on her left. Following Jane’s lead, Rene picked up her limp left hand, and held it tightly between his own.

  ‘It’s pretty here, isn’t it, Liv? Look at that sky. You don’t get to see much sky like that back home, do you?’ Jane started rambling, and Rene wanted to correct her English so it wouldn’t seem so strange to Liv. Her abbreviations were jarring for him on occasion. And he was used to them. For Liv, it would just add to the strangeness of what she was experiencing.

  ‘Formal English, Jane,’ he said, as gently as he could. ‘She is not familiar with …’

  ‘I understand well enough, Rene, thank you,’ Liv interrupted in a stiff, little voice. ‘Your lady is kindness itself. Do not correct her.’

  ‘Not my lady…’

  ‘Not his lady…’

  Jane and Rene both corrected her perception at the same moment, and then laughed.

  ‘And if Julio was here he’d have drowned us both out with that same clarification,’ Jane said, between waves of nervous laughter, as she watched a frown wrinkle Liv’s brow.

  ‘You are both so beautiful… and well suited… I assumed… I do apologise.’

  ‘No apology necessary. Rene is my friend. The Latino down in the cavern is my … husband.’

  ‘Latino?’ Liv’s frown deepened.

  ‘Portuguese. Julio is Portuguese.’

  ‘Oh yes, the one who asked how I came to be here… wherever I am…’ Her voice faded out, as if she was lost in confusing thoughts.

  ‘Do not think about it,’ Rene advised. ‘Just enjoy the sunshine and the flowers. Can you smell the roses? They bloom all year long, here…’

  ‘Where is here?’ Liv asked in a singsongy voice.

  ‘It does not matter now. Just smell the roses, Liv. The rest will come with time.’

  ‘Very well, I will try. But are my family safe? That light and noise did not hurt them did it?’

  ‘No. Your family and Foxmoor Manor are just as you left them.’

  ‘Have I lost my mind? Will my father have to place me in a lunatic asylum?’

  ‘Your mind is just fine. You’ve just had a bit of a shock, that’s all. In a little while you will start to feel better. Until then, just let everything here wash over you like water off a duck’s back,’ Jane advised, pressing Liv’s hand reassuringly.

  ‘Am I in the New World? This is your home, is it not, Rene?’ Her voice was still spacey, but her mind was obviously drawing conclusions from the information that had been presented to it.

  ‘Yes, the New World, Liv. This is my home. You are visiting for a little while, and then you will go back to your home.’

  Liv nodded like a child who is trying to understand a complex matter. ‘It is lovely here. I can understand why you love it so much. But my grandfather never described this place. It feels as if I am on a Greek Island where the ancient ruins have been rebuilt.’

  ‘Not far wrong. Have you ever heard of Atlantis?’ Jane asked, and Rene shot her a quelling look. She ignored him.

  ‘Oh yes. Homer wrote of Atlantis. But it sunk, I believe.’

  ‘Yes it did. And then it rose again, and we have rebuilt the
city. We call it New Atlantis.’

  ‘New Atlantis… hmm. How interesting. Is there a Fountain of Youth here?’

  Jane and Rene exchanged confused looks. It was Jane who replied. ‘No, why do you ask?’

  ‘I reread my grandfather’s journals before your arrival, Rene. And you were there on that expedition, looking just as you look now. So I thought, mayhap, you had found the Fountain of Youth.’

  Rene groaned, and rubbed his hands through his hair. The length was annoying him. Longer than what he was used to here and yet much shorter than what he wore when he was in-situ with the aboriginal tribes.

  He looked around for the journal he had brought through the Portal with him. It was gone. He must have dropped it on the dais when he reached for Liv.

  Later, he would have to go find it. Liv would want it, and the Committee might want to see it. Although, being discovered was a moot point now that his neglect had allowed Liv to experience New Atlantis for herself. When she went home, and if she stayed sane after this experience, the temptation to tell her sisters what she had been through would be great. How did you contain such a leak, once it was out?

  They could try clearing her memory, but that process was haphazard at best, and she might go home having forgotten he existed at all. Then what would Portia and her father make of it?

  What a mess!

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  For Liv, the next hour passed like a beautiful dream. All of the strangeness she had experienced seemed to fade away. There was just the handsome Rene holding her hand like he never wanted to let it go, and the beautiful Jane, whose comforting presence made the strangeness less threatening.