Page 92 of The Lovers
“Sleep well, my love,” he whispered as his eyes closed. They would lie together for eternity, locked in a kiss of love and devotion. James let out a final breath as his heart stilled.
SEVENTY-ONE
DECEMBER 2013
Surrey, England
Quinn dropped James’s belt buckle and collapsed into Gabe’s arms, sobbing her heart out. “Oh, Gabe, he just left them there to die. It took days. They died of asphyxiation and dehydration, but most of all, they died of a broken heart. James blamed himself for Elise’s fate, and Elise died believing that her son would despise her and never know how much she loved him. And she had been pregnant.”
Gabe held Quinn close and kissed her tenderly. At this moment, he understood why she hated her gift. James and Elise would have died centuries ago anyway, but seeing their suffering in her mind was like having them die all over again and feeling a terrible helplessness at the inability to help them.
“It’s all right, love. They are long gone, but you will bring their story to life. Their names will be heard again. And maybe there are descendants.”
Quinn shook her head. “There are none. I looked and looked, but there’s no record of Charles anywhere. Lord Asher died a decade later, and his estate went to a distant cousin, but there was never any mention of a son. Charles must have died in infancy.”
“And Barbara?”
“Barbara died two years after her father. Of neglect, I imagine. Poor girl. No one would have cared enough to look afterher after Edward was gone. He despised her, but he did see it as his duty to see her provided for.”
Gabe held Quinn nestled in his arms until she finally calmed down. He was glad that this particular story was over, but Quinn was committed for two more hour-long episodes of theEchoes from the Pastseries. She was also determined to find the man who might be her father. Gabe tried to dissuade her from pursuing this quest, knowing that it could lead to nothing but heartache, but Quinn was adamant, driven by a desire to find out where her strange gift came from. He supposed he would feel the same if he were in Quinn’s place. All he could do was offer his love and support, something he was prepared to do unconditionally.
“How about a nice hot bath?” Gabe asked, hoping Quinn would agree. A bath always put her in a favorable frame of mind.
“All right,” Quinn sniffed.
“Be back in a moment.”
Quinn lifted a soapy arm out of the tub and took a sip of her wine. It was cool and crisp, which made it even more delicious since she was warm and drowsy. A dozen candles flickered in the steamy bathroom, and soft music played in the background. Quinn leaned against Gabe, and his arms encircled her as she closed her eyes in contentment. She still grieved for Elise and James, but Gabe was right—they were long gone and there was nothing more she could do for them. Once the program was filmed and their remains buried, it’d be time to move on and put them to rest.
Quinn hardly noticed when Gabe lifted her left hand out of the tub. She felt an odd weight on her finger and forced her eyes open to see what Gabe was up to. An antique diamond ring sparkled on her finger. She’d seen that ring before. It had been inGabe’s family for generations, and Quinn felt her stomach clench with apprehension. She couldn’t possibly accept a ring that had belonged to countless women who’d come before her.
“Gabe, I…” Quinn protested as she made to remove the ring before images of owners past assaulted her.
“It’s brand-new. I had a copy made. The only memories associated with this ring will be your own, if you agree to marry me, that is.” Quinn smiled as she felt Gabe’s heartbeat accelerate and heard the intake of breath. He was nervous, poor man.
She flipped over, splashing water all over the floor in the process, and wrapped her arms around Gabe’s neck as his arms came around her, holding her tight against his naked body.
“Yes,” she said simply. “Yes. When do you want to get married?”
“Next week works,” Gabe joked. He smiled hugely and kissed her, his worries of a few moments ago clearly forgotten.
“How about in the spring? We do need a few months to plan a wedding.”
“Spring, summer, whatever you want.”
Quinn reached out of the tub and grabbed her phone, which was lying on a low bench. “I have to call my mum and dad,” she said breathlessly.
“Can’t it wait?”
“Absolutely not!” Quinn laughed. “I must tell them now. They’ll be thrilled. Oh, there’s message from Rhys. Let me see what he wants,” Quinn said as she put the phone to her ear, trying in vain not to get it wet.
Quinn listened to the message and turned to Gabe. “The planning might have to wait a few weeks. Rhys says that a child’s remains have been unearthed in Dunwich. The grave is severalhundred years old, at least. The child was buried without a coffin, facedown, and appears to have a skull fracture. He wants me there tomorrow.”
Gabe took a deep breath and sank beneath the water, pulling a giggling Quinn with him. Tomorrow she’d confront death once again, but today she’d be happy.
EPILOGUE
Mercy pressed herself against the wall when she heard the voices of the two men. Uncle James told her to stay out of the way since Lord Asher didn’t want her in his house. She’d never met him, but she’d seen him at the funeral for his mother when they buried Harry on the sly. He did not look like a kind man, and the other man with him was downright frightening. She’d studied him when she peeked through the keyhole while they dined.
