Love Lost in Time (Victorian Time-Travel) Read online

  Love Lost in Time

  Time-Travel Romance / Mystery

  By: Marie Higgins

  The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or deceased, is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.

  Love Lost in Time

  Copyright © 2013 by Marie Higgins

  Cover Design by Sheri McGathy

  Edition License Notes

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, you should return it and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the author's work.

  For more information about author: http://mariehiggins84302.blogspot.com

  Contact Marie – [email protected]

  Andrew Merrick was whisked from his home in England, 1848 to another time, the very day a mob had attacked his family. Wondering why he remains in this strange place, all he wants is to find the treasure his father had hidden, hoping this might take Andrew back home. But he’s running out of time. When he meets a lovely woman in this new century, he feels she is the one who will help him.

  Halle Chapman has come to England to find her missing father. What she finds instead is a nice man who claims he’s from the past. Although she doesn’t believe in time-travel, deep in her heart, she knows she must help Andrew. What she finds instead is that discovering the key to her future lies in the past. Now, to return to her own time, she needs to solve the mystery surrounding Andrew Merrick and his family’s murder.

  Other stories from Marie Higgins

  “Waiting for You” – Paranormal / Time-travel Romance - http://amzn.com/B00EQQMACU

  “Becoming a Lady” – Regency Romance - http://amzn.com/B00BPJAGMC

  “Dreaming of You” – Romantic Comedy - http://amzn.com/B00A6G5JO0

  “In the Arms of Danger” – Romantic Suspense - http://amzn.com/B0087V3R0Y

  “Crazy For You” – Romantic Comedy - http://amzn.com/B00AZRMPOW

  “The Spanish Outlaw” – American Historical Romance – http://amzn.com/B00B40YQYG

  Christian Historical Series

  “A Walk In Heaven” – (book 1) - http://amzn.com/B0067F68FS

  “Touching Heaven” – (book 2) - http://amzn.com/B009DRV0MS

  “Reaching Heaven” (book 3 not out yet)

  Regency Romance Series

  “The Sweetest Kiss” – (book 1) - http://amzn.com/B0066HBZBE

  “The Sweetest Touch” – (book 2) - http://amzn.com/B007QH286Y

  “The Sweetest Love” – (book 3) - http://amzn.com/B00DSADZEC

  “The Sweetest Secret” – (not out yet)

  Victorian Romance Series

  “Love Me Always” – (book 1) - http://amzn.com/B007ZJC2DC

  “Charmed By Knight” – (book 2) - http://amzn.com/B007ZV5Y7Q

  “True Love’s Deception” – (book 3) - http://amzn.com/B0082R8OEW

  “Belong To Me” – (book 4) - http://amzn.com/B0084VC37A

  “Love Comes Blindly” – (book 5) - http://amzn.com/B0086K791O

  Colonial Romance Series

  “Take My Heart” – (book 1) - http://amzn.com/B005OU7VFS

  “Falling in Love Again” – (book 2) - http://amzn.com/B005YF5PBA

  “Wonderland by Night” – (book 3) - http://amzn.com/B00B9670IE

  Dedication

  I want to dedicate this book to the mother of my friend and critique partner, Melissa Lynne Blue. I thought her mother’s name would work very well for my hero’s sister—Georgiana / Georgi. Georgi Mayer, I hope you enjoy this story…and I have to say, you did an awesome job raising your daughter!

  And to my daughters, Chrystal and Heather Higgins, thank you for listening to me prattle endlessly about how I was going to write this story. Well, it’s here! I hope you enjoy it. Thank you Chrystal and Heather for being wonderful daughters and putting up with my odd sense of humor. Love you!

  I would like to thank my critique partners for helping me with this story: Melissa, Mary, Collette, Nancy, Ella, Cami, Elf, and Veronica. I would also like to give a big thanks to those Wattpad fans that loved this story and was on the edge of their seats waiting for me to upload another chapter. God bless you all!

  Prologue

  Gloucestershire, England 1848

  “Let’s toast the happy couple, Lord and Lady Brimhall. May your lives overflow with joy forever.”

  Andrew Merrick nodded to the toast given by his father and raised his champagne glass in a silent farewell salute. The newly married couple locked glimmering gazes as if sharing a heady secret, and sipped their champagne. Andrew wanted to punch his fist in the air and cheer to be rid of his older brother, but instead he tipped the flute to his lips and drank—gulped was more like it. At long last, Edward had married the Earl of Caldwell’s daughter, Agnes, and they would soon live in Grandfather’s old estate.

  Andrew wished his brother could have seen through Lady Agnes’s false sweetness instead of being sucked in. She was only after Edward’s money. The poor sot had been struck hard by Cupid’s arrow, unfortunately. But now that he was married, Andrew could look forward to some peace and quiet around the manor and wouldn’t have to hear his brother talking about her any longer. To be precise, Andrew wouldn’t have to hear his sibling trying to prove himself as the better brother…yet again. After a while, Edward’s tactics had become bothersome.

  A crackling fire blazed in the hearth keeping the drawing room warm, a refreshing change from the chilly weather outside. But it was mid-December and they were lucky they didn’t have snow yet.

  Andrew leaned against the wall, blindly tracing his finger along the hearth’s smooth marble as he watched the bride’s parents and their two sons exchange hugs with Agnes. Irritably, Andrew shifted. The sooner this night was over, the better. Eager to have his body slide in between the sheets and for his head to rest on the soft, downy, pillow, he willed time to pass quickly.

  As he gazed around the room, he noticed the pleasant expressions of his mother and younger sister, Georgiana. His sister’s blue eyes danced with excitement, and he couldn’t help but smile. She’d been talking for days about adding another woman to the family. She’d always wanted a sister. Andrew hoped Agnes would take in sweet, little Georgi who, at age sixteen, looked forward to a sisterly connection. He had a sinking feeling his sister would not get her wish. Agnes had always been a twittering henwit within the ton’s social circle. She was too selfish in his opinion, and he prayed his sister would understand when the other woman ignored her.

  “You are next, you know.”

  The stern, but loving, voice of his father, Duke of Harrington, startled Andrew. He pasted on a smile and turned his attention to the older man. Laughing, Andrew shook his head. “Father, I beg you not to start counting my offspring as of yet. I have no desire to marry. Too many things are more important at the moment.”

  His father carried his authority well on his tall broad shouldered frame. At least he did so in a loving manner.

  “Pray tell,” his father chuckled, “what do you have to accomplish that is more important than finding a good woman, siring babies, and making a happy home?”

  “Forgive me if I don’t share yours and Edward’s beliefs, but I would like to make something of myself before marrying.”

  “Oh, my dear boy, have you not already done that? You have been in the military; you are now with the Foreign Office. For certain, marriage will
not put an end to the life you currently enjoy.”

  Andrew arched an eyebrow, wondering if his father would ever understand his reluctance. “It will when I finally decide to marry.”

  “Only because you will have to remain at home longer than a fortnight, I suppose.” His father took a sip of champagne. “But once you have sown your wild oats and found the right woman, you will be satisfied staying home night after night, I assure you.” He scratched his chin. “If I recall, Miss Dorthea Cummings has been asking Georgi after your welfare lately.”

  “I’m not interested, Father.”

  “Oh, and there’s the Earl of Blackwood’s youngest daughter. I believe she had her come out ball recently.”

  “No, Father—”

  A loud crack ripped through the air. Andrew jumped away from the shattered window, his heart hammered as he stared at the object lying on the glass-littered floor. A jagged rock with a string securing the paper around it lay in the center of the shards.

  Cursing, his father rushed to his wife and Georgi, shielding them with his body as he put himself between the women and the object. The women screamed and huddled against his father’s large frame.

  “What is the meaning of this?” the Duke of Harrington bellowed as his gaze swept the room, then moved to the window.

  Andrew carefully crept to the rock, glass crunching under his boots. He pried away the string and opened the note.

  You have refused to divulge where you are hiding the ancient jewels. You now must watch your family burn to death.

  “I demand to know who is doing this,” his father barked.

  Andrew jumped. Because of the screams and sobs filling the room, he hadn’t realized his father stood behind him, reading the note over Andrew’s shoulder. He glanced at the faces of his mother and sister, then to Edward who clutched Agnes in his protective arms. Finally his gaze rested on Agnes’s parents, Lord and Lady Caldwell and their sons. Fear etched their expressions. Confusion constricted in Andrew’s chest, as did the fear stirring from the threat.

  “Another threat, Father? Why haven’t these stopped?” Andrew asked, meeting his father’s eyes. “Who would do this?”

  His father took in a deep breath, releasing his clenched jaw, then met Andrew’s gaze. “I have my suspicions, but I will not relent. Our ancestor’s jewels have been in the family for two hundred years and will remain with us for generations to come.”

  “But Father, these people are serious. Haven’t you figured that out yet?”

  Heavy footsteps ran up the hallway as voices rose in alarm. Andrew rushed to the door and threw it open just as the servants clamored in, half of them wailing in panic.

  “My lord,” Mr. Pitt, the butler said breathlessly. “There is a mob of people out front carrying torches and weapons.”

  His father snapped his head toward his wife and Georgi. “Get upstairs. Now! And take Lady Caldwell and Lady Brimhall with you.”

  Andrew’s mother nodded, clutching her daughter’s hand as they hurried out of the room, the others following. No sooner had they left, when a flaming arrow shot through the broken window, piercing the drapes and igniting the material.

  Andrew cursed and grabbed a cloth off a small table, trying to put out the fire, but more arrows flew through the house. Outside shadows danced across the lawn as the mob marched closer. Dear Lord above! It was a small army!

  His father shouted instructions to the servants and to the other men. Edward ran toward the adjoining room to the gun cabinet, his new father-in-law and brothers-in-law followed. Another arrow passed through the window, barely missing Andrew. His parent’s painful grunt pulled Andrew’s attention to his sire…and to the arrow protruding from his chest.

  “Father!” Andrew ran to him just as the older man fell to the floor.

  Gasping for breath, the duke clutched Andrew’s hands. “Protect our family.”

  “I will.” Tears burned Andrew’s eyes.

  The angry voices of the mob sounded closer. They’d be upon their home at any moment.

  “They want...the hidden treasure.” His father gasped for air. “Do not let them find it.”

  Emotion clogged Andrew’s throat. “But that is the only way to save the family.”

  The duke’s eyes slowly closed as he struggled to take another breath. “By the tree... Go by the tree...” Then his father’s body fell limp.

  Tears blurred his vision.

  Screams from upstairs tugged at his conscience. Mother! Georgi! Although his father didn’t want to give up the family’s treasure, Andrew couldn’t allow his family to die because of it. His gut clenched and he gritted his teeth. Regretfully, he would go against his father’s last wish. Andrew needed to find the treasure and put a stop to this madness!

  He kissed his father’s forehead then gently laid him down before jumping to his feet. Glancing to the ceiling as he heard his mother and sister’s panicked voices, he said a silent prayer that God would watch after them. I’ll save you, I promise.

  He lunged out the door, dodging the servants running through the halls wielding weapons. Outside, a musket fired and the ball blasted through the nearby window—whooshing by his cheek. Too close. He prayed for strength and protection.

  The back stairs were the only way Andrew could get outside. His father’s last words played in his mind. Go by the tree. Perhaps the duke was trying to tell him where the treasure had been buried.

  Once outside, Andrew glanced around the yard. A light snow covered the ground from this morning’s storm.

  Glass breaking, pistols firing, and screams from the frightened women upstairs rang through his head, just as the voices of the angry mob grew louder. Smoke filled the air as the crackling of wood echoed in his ears. He ducked behind bushes, hoping nobody would notice him. Another ball from a musket whizzed by his head, this time stinging his ear. He touched the spot as warm blood coated his fingers. Just a scratch.

  There could only be one tree his father could mean...the very tree where Edward, Andrew and Georgi played as youngsters. His father had a swing built for his children. After they grew older, his mother turned the area around the tree into a flower garden. Her pride and joy.

  Andrew stayed close to the outside wall of the house. He turned the corner and struggled against the wind as it whipped his body. He adjusted his collar and pulled his coat tighter. The flames from the house licked the air. Straight ahead, the tree stood out like a beacon in the dark night. Andrew squinted against the brightness illuminating its branches. Had it been set on fire as well? The more he studied the tall oak, the more he realized it wasn’t on fire...but he couldn’t understand where the light came from. Still, he felt this was where the treasure had been buried. He must find it or die alongside his family.

  He rushed toward the glowing tree. A ball from an unseen musket nicked his arm. Growling with frustration, he slapped his hand over the wound. At least the ball hadn’t embedded in his flesh.

  His feet slipped a few times on the frozen ground, but he gained his footing and surged onward. He glanced toward his goal. He blinked, not believing what was in front of him. Had the trunk of the tree parted—almost as if beckoning? He glanced over his shoulder at the mob. He’d been spotted! No time to worry about what he saw. Andrew ran toward the bright tree, hoping he’d find the jewels. If not, he prayed heaven was within reach.

  Chapter One

  Gloucestershire, Present Day

  “Oh good heavens... Would you look at that?”

  Halle Chapman nodded slowly at her friend’s comment, her mind still whirling in amazement. Mouth agape, Halle gazed upon a sight she’d never seen before except in her dreams. The thirteenth century manor rose majestically from the rolling greenish-brown flat of the surrounding yard and gardens. Earthen stones blended with the towering forest behind the ancient house as though the peaks and angles of the roof were not man made at all, but a natural piece of the landscape.

  “Here ye are. Buckland Manor.” The taxi driver pulled to a
stop. He climbed out, opened the doors for his passengers, then moved around back to open the trunk and pulled out the suitcases.

  Beside Halle, her friend, Samantha Beck, climbed out of the taxi. The third in their trio, Colin Reynolds, exited his side. Halle stumbled over her feet as she hurried out of the vehicle. She fixed her gaze on the beautiful manor. How long had she pictured herself at a place like this? Too long to remember, that was for sure.

  As a little girl, she loved learning about history, especially England. Her father—a man she’d never met, but kept in touch with through letters—had been here. And disappeared a month ago. Winter break came at the perfect time, and she talked her friends into coming with her to England for a week to find her father. Now, staring at Buckland Manor gave her a sense of belonging. Of peace. This was where she would find answers.

  Serenity filled her as she glanced at the grounds. The trees were bare and some lightly covered with the snow that had fallen a few days before. Wooden benches and birdbaths stood empty, however most of the trees and walkways were lit with Christmas lights. Off to the side of the manor, a large tree towered over the area like a giant mother protecting her children. Kneeling underneath it, tending to the nearly dead lawn, a man watched Halle and her friends as they collected their luggage and headed toward the manor. He appeared quite handsome, but his skin was paler than she had expected to see for a gardener, and she wondered if he was perhaps sick.

  Halle lagged behind a few steps, still taking in everything about the place, but for some reason her gaze kept returning to the man who continued to stare at her. He knelt in the tree’s shade, but from the distance, his gaze nearly pierced clean through her.

  Made uncomfortable by his close perusal, she shivered and pulled her coat tighter around her, hurrying to join her friends climbing the stone steps. A waiter and maid in black uniforms trimmed in white cuffs, scurried across the terrace. The cheerful porter with a brown Labrador at his heels, whistled while he tended to some chores, and a gardener trundled his wheelbarrow toward the side of the house.