Chapter Eighteen

T hey tried to hide it, but something had happened while the men were gone. Even though they put on a good show and acted happy, there was an underlying current scaring her. Rather like in the parlor. The children's excitement about Santa's arrival overnight couldn't mask the tension in the air. With all the currents flowing around, they could float from here to the Gulf Coast.

As the eldest, Caleb read "The Night Before Christmas." With the help of the men, the stockings were hung accompanied by the children singing, Hang the stockings with care. Hang the stockings with care, so many times, Libby's ears rang and her head was about to explode.

"I should go with the children to put them to sleep." Maybe she could sneak into her room before any more questions were asked.

Before she could move, Colleen patted her arm. "That's all right. Bella will stay with the boys until they are asleep. June will take care of the girls."

"And Cora agreed to take care of the littlest ones."

Of course, she did. The woman wouldn't be happy unless there were babies in the house forever, but at some point, they all would grow up. Look how quickly Charlie was growing. Why, he would be four in February.

Colleen hid a yawn. "Well, then, I believe I'll retire for the night. Children, say good night to your parents and go with Bella and June. And go fast asleep so Santa can come."

Charlie stomped his foot. A tired tantrum was on its way. "But I want Bwad to put me to bed."

Brad knelt before him. "Do you know how special it is to have Bella put you to bed? Why, she put me to bed when I was a small boy like you."

She did? Libby peered beneath the woman's mobcap. If the woman had put Brad to bed, it had to have been when she was still safe in her mother's womb. The woman couldn't be more than eighteen.

Charlie's eyes widened. "She did?"

"Yes. And she did such a good job, I would fall asleep and not wake up until Santa had come." Brad kissed Charlie's cheek. "Now, go upstairs like a big boy and get some sleep. You'll need it for tomorrow. It's a special day."

"'Night, Mama."

Libby leaned over to receive a kiss on the cheek. "'Night, Charlie. Sweet dreams."

Once the children were gone, the noise level dropped dramatically. Colleen tugged on her earlobe. "I think my ears are still ringing."

Sybil stood next to her husband. "I know what you mean." She yawned behind her hand. "I believe it's time for us to retire, David. You know how I am at this stage."

Everyone halted in place. "What do you mean at this stage?" Colleen's eyes sparkled. "Do you mean what I think you mean?"

Sybil nodded. "Due in six months."

David beamed as if he didn't already have two children. Caleb slapped him on the back. Brad offered him a drink, which he refused. Colleen squealed and hugged her sister-in-law. Libby wasn't sure what to do. She only met Sybil this morning. While she liked the woman, she wasn't yet a friend and not family.

Simplest would be best. "Congratulations, Sybil. You, too, David. I can tell you are excited."

"We are." Sybil yawned again. "But tired. So, we'll say our good nights."

When they left the room Brad folded his arms over his chest and stared at his brother. "Well?"

What was that all about? Was Brad expecting news from Caleb and Colleen?

Caleb laughed. "Good heavens, Bradley. We have no news to share." He looked at his wife and raised both eyebrows. "Do we?"

"No, Caleb. We don't. I believe four is quite enough."

"Whew." He wiped a hand across his forehead. "I agree." He helped Colleen from her seat. "I believe it's time we go to our room, too. Those kids are going to be up before the roosters crow. You know how they are on Christmas morning." He bowed at the waist. "Good night, brother. Libby. Have a nice evening."

Libby stood. "I suppose it's time I retire, too. Charlie will be up before the crack of dawn."

"Wait." Brad put a hand on her arm. "We need to talk."

Had she done something wrong? She racked her brain over the events of the day. She'd assisted in getting the rooms situated. Helped with the children. Even though she'd been a nervous wreck, laughed when appropriate. Thought she'd used the correct utensils at dinner. Placed her napkin on her lap. Carried on a conversation. And most of all—didn't pick her nose.

Her stomach clenched. "What's wrong?"

Brad gestured to a red brocade chair before the fire. When she was seated, he pulled the other chair closer. "We have a problem."

He ran his fingers through his hair. She hadn't been lying when she told him he was handsome. Ben had been good-looking, but Brad carried it to another level. He closely resembled James Garner from the Rockford Files. To her, and obviously not to others, his scar only enhanced his looks.

"Is it one of the children? Your brother? Sybil? Is someone sick? Everyone seemed perfectly

healthy tonight." She gasped. "It's Cora, isn't it?"

He shook his head. "No. No one is ill." He ran his hands down his pant legs. "Caleb and David are asking too many questions."

Libby huffed breath and rested her elbows on the arms of the chair. "Must run in the family. So are Colleen and Sybil."

"Because of Charlie?"

She nodded. "Of course, Charlie."

"Is there any way to stop him?"

"Short of following him around all day, no. Besides, I don't want him to forget. What if we can go back to our time?"

"Do you want to?" Brad ran a hand over his mouth. "I don't understand all this time traveling."

"Neither do I. I can honestly say this is a first for me. And I have no idea why or how it happened."

"What if you went back to your time? Do you believe it will bring Ben back to you? He died in this time."

Heavens. Over the past months, she assumed if she went back, Ben would be there. What if he wasn't? What if she went back and people started questioning where he was? What if they thought she killed him and disposed of the body? This was getting more convoluted all the time. She closed her eyes and rested her head on the back of the chair. "I'm so confused." She opened her eyes. Brad held out a glass of sherry, one of the weakest drinks she'd ever had. "May I have some brandy?"

Brad raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

She nodded. "I need something stronger. An old-fashioned would be amazing."

The brandy decanter clinked against a glass. "What's an old-fashioned?"

"A wonderful Wisconsin drink."

"Do you know how to make one?"

Libby chuckled. "I do, but you probably don't have the ingredients for it. So, I'll settle for a plain brandy with a bit of water added." He handed her the glass with three fingers of liquor in it. If she drank all of it, she'd have to be carried to bed. A vision of Brad carrying her in his arms, laying her on her bed, or maybe his bed, flashed through her head.

She stared into the glass. He'd slowly remove her clothes, taking time to learn her body. His body was probably sculpted like a man who works outdoors. She'd seen him work horses, cut wood, clean a horse stall. He believed he should be able to do whatever he asked of his workers.

Her breath hitched, and heat rose to her face. One good thing about poor lighting, blushes were hard to see. Waving her hand in front of her face would be a poor choice, but she sure wanted to. Women used fans, probably to relieve heat from dreaming about men. She didn't have a fan. Couldn't snap one open like they did in movies. She'd probably poke herself in the eye. "Um. Let's get back to your family's questions."

Brad cleared his throat. There was no way he could read her mind. Had she said anything out loud? Could she bury herself in the backyard like Charlie thought his father was?

"Yes. We need to make a decision."

"About what?" The brandy was going down too easily. She set the glass on a side table.

"There are people who are counterfeiting money and bank notes."

"What does that have to do with me?"

"Caleb and David know there is something different about you and Charlie. They think you're harboring a deep secret. Caleb even intimated you're part of the counterfeiting ring and will have you arrested if we don't confess who you are."

Libby leapt from her chair. "What? Why would he think such a thing? He wouldn't really have me arrested, would he?"

"Please, sit down. Not unless we tell him the truth."

"But what if he thinks I'm crazy and sends me to a nut house?" She dropped onto her chair and held back flooding tears.

"Nut house?"

She shook her head. "An asylum. A place where they put crazy people."

"Trust me, I won't let it happen."

"So, you think I should tell them I'm from the future?"

"It certainly would help them understand the things Charlie says and does."

"Your family seems like an intelligent bunch. They aren't going to give up asking questions, are they?"

"Probably not." He downed the remaining brandy in his glass and refilled it. "They were mostly questioning the things Charlie says."

If he continued downing drinks as he was, she'd be carrying him up to bed. Her bed. Stripping— Stop it.

"Hmph. I made the mistake tonight of saying something about a semi."

Brad frowned.

"Never mind. I can explain it some other time. Ben and Charlie were so into sports of all kinds and anything on wheels is ingrained in him. There is no way he would forget it."

"Can I assume by into you mean they really, really like them?"

"You don't have to assume. Ben lived for the weekends when he could watch football and explain the nuances to Charlie. After the game, they'd go outside and pretend to be a team."

"And I'm going to pretend I know what the hell you're talking about." He returned to his chair. "I reminded Caleb and David about children's active imaginations."

Libby crossed her legs at the ankles like a proper woman when she wanted to hook an ankle over her knee. "I told them the same thing. Do you think they bought it?"

"I highly doubt it."

"What do Caleb's kids say?"

"They love Charlie's stories and ask him for more."

"That's all we need is having them egg him on."

"Egg him on?"

"Make him say more." She raised her glass for a refill. "Go on. What else has he done?"

"Then there's the games he has them play."

She could only imagine. "Like what?"

"The football thing you mentioned. He gets frustrated because he doesn't have the proper... What did he call it?"

"Pigskin?"

Brad snapped his fingers. "That's it." He shook his head. "Then he finds a stick and a small rock and hits it with the stick to something called a goal. He calls it hockey. He was doing it around the dining room the other day until Cora told him to stop."

"Why didn't anyone tell me? I'll talk to him."

"He was having so much fun. In fact, he had Cora doing it until she was laughing so hard she nearly fell over. At least tell him to play his games outside."

Brad picked up a poker, pushed at the logs in the fireplace, and added a few more.

Libby moved closer to the heat. Someday she'll tell Brad about furnaces and central heating. She paused. What did she mean some day? She wanted to go home, didn't she? If she were in Wisconsin in December and the temperatures rose into the fifties, she'd be wearing short sleeved shirts and shorts.

"So?"

What was he asking her? "So, what?"

"What should we do? Should we share your story? Should we tell them Charlie's stories are true?"

If they did, what would happen? If they didn't, what would happen? Would she end up in prison? "Why do we have to tell them anything?"

"Oh, c'mon. You've met my sister. Can you imagine her forgetting her questions? Colleen and Caleb are the same. I'd bet my favorite racehorse, right now the four of them are not in their rooms but talking with each other. Comparing notes. Coming up with ideas which would be downright crazy."

"Crazier than time travel?"

Brad put the poker back in the stand. "You have a point."

"Here's a novel idea. Why don't we tell them the truth?"

His gaze went right through her. "The truth? He can't handle the truth."

Libby snickered and couldn't hide her smile at the famous line he'd quoted.

"What? You think this is funny?"

She shook her head. "No. You just said a line from a movie."

"Movie?"

Libby sighed. "Never mind."

"You keep saying never mind. I'm keeping track of every time you say it . " He glanced at her over his glass before taking a sip. "So, you believe we should tell them."

"It's better than Caleb believing I'm a counterfeiter."

"What about the children? Do we tell them?"

"No. They wouldn't understand. And what if they say something to the wrong people? Charlie doesn't know or understand."

"I agree. We find a time tomorrow to tell my siblings and their spouses." He paused, looked into his glass again, and glanced up at her.

"What's wrong now?"

He rolled his head and sighed. "I have more to tell you. It's serious."

"More serious than having to tell people from 1870 I'm from over a hundred and fifty years into the future? I mean we're skipping nearly a century and a half."

"Well, it might be. Cora, Caleb and Colleen, and Sybil and Dave." He took drink. "Well, I'm not sure about Dave, but the rest of them are trying to get us together."

Libby chuckled. "Oh really? I hadn't noticed."

"All right. No need for sarcasm." He grinned. "I want you to know it's not my idea. I haven't said anything to them."

"You don't have to. It's pretty obvious."

"Well, they're not known for their subtlety."

"So, what do they think?"

He set his glass down on the side table. "There is something between us, and I should marry you. Evidently, there is talk out there about a widow living with a widower."

Libby snorted. "And don't they realize how chaperoned we are? And again. Why should we care what people think when they don't know the truth? I just lost my husband and had a baby. Like I'm going to jump into bed with the first man who comes along! People are too narrow-minded and nosy."

"Is it the same in the future? I mean, do people keep their noses out of other people's business?"

Once again, she snorted. "Not hardly. I guess some things never change."

Brad let out a breath and ran his fingers through his thick hair. "I believe we should tell them together so we each know what the other told them."

"Keep our stories straight?"

He took a seat beside her where his knee brushed against her leg. Even through her layers of petticoats and her dress, his heat sent a rush of unwanted feelings racing through her. What was wrong with her today when a simple, innocent brush of his leg sent her libido into overdrive? She moved away from him. No sense in inviting something she shouldn't.

"Let's think about this a minute and get it over with."

"You certainly know them better than I do. What do you think their reaction will be?

Brad shrugged. "Damned if I know."