When the Walls Fell (12 page)

Simon strained for a glimpse of Elizabeth behind her, but the hall was empty. Belatedly, he realized he was being introduced. Simon plastered on a courtly smile and gave a small deferential bow. “Mrs. Eldridge. I’m sorry for barging in like this.”

Harrington leaned against the door jam. “Rank has its privileges.”

“You’ll forgive my nephew, Sir Simon. What he lacks in tact he more than makes up for in impudence. Won’t you have a seat?”

“Thank you. I—”

The rest of the words were lost when Elizabeth, his Elizabeth, walked into the room. Simon’s heart, like a cannon shell trapped in the breech, nearly exploded in his chest.

She playfully greeted Harrington and then, as she turned, she saw him. In the breadth of a few seconds her expression raced from disbelief to something he prayed was love. “Simon?”

He ignored the shock and heard only the hope. His voice was a rasp, rising from deep within his soul. “Elizabeth.”

In a way he’d missed her more than he could have imagined. She smiled. Then, as she remembered their audience, she bridled her emotions, but like her, they were far from tamed and it took an effort to control them.

“What are you doing here?” she asked in a voice pressing far too hard on insouciance to be anything but the opposite.

Simon kept his eyes fixed on her, drinking in every aspect. “It’s good to see you.”

He could see her breath was short. Her chest rose and fell quickly and her cheeks were flushed.

“I’ve just arrived from New York. Imagine my surprise when I saw you in the paper.”

Her blush spread to her neck, but she recovered quickly. “Looks like it’s a day full of surprises.”

“Isn’t it?” Harrington said as he glared at Simon for a moment, before turning to Elizabeth. “Are you ready to go?”

“Be a good chap, won’t you?” Simon said before Elizabeth could respond. There was no way on heaven or earth she was leaving his side now. “I’m sure you could spare her for the day, so two old friends might get reacquainted.”

Judging from Harrington’s reaction, Simon knew he had him trapped. Good manners were an underrated weapon.

“That’s up to Elizabeth.”

And damn her if she didn’t think about it. What in God’s name was there to think about?

Finally, she broke the silence. “Do you mind, Max?”

He was obviously crestfallen and Simon managed not to gloat. Too much.

“I’ll make it up to you,” she said, winning a smile from Harrington and a silent curse from Simon.

“Dinner tonight then? I’ve already made reservations, so you can’t say no.”

Elizabeth hesitated, but only for a moment. “That would be lovely.”

Harrington grinned stupidly. “I’ll fetch you around eight,” he said and then cast a crowing smirk at Simon. “Cross.”

Simon nodded his head in acknowledgement content to let him enjoy his false victory, after today that would be all he’d have.

Harrington left leaving Mrs. Eldridge standing awkwardly in what was obviously a private moment. The older woman looked at them with what Simon thought was envy, but whatever it was, it quickly fled. “I’m sure you two don’t need me for this,” she said and quietly closed the door behind her.

For a long moment, neither Simon nor Elizabeth moved. He could barely believe she was standing there before him. Flickers of emotion played upon her face—relief or anger—he didn’t care which. He’d wanted only one thing for the last few days.

When she finally spoke her voice quavered as much as he feared his own would. “What are you doing here?”

All the speeches he’d rehearsed in the last few days didn’t mean a damn thing. Now that he’d finally found her, there was only one thing wanted and words had nothing to do with it. With three quick steps he closed the distance between them, pulled her into his arms and kissed her with all of his heart.

Fierce desire and tender affection blended together in that kiss. The feel of her in his arms set all that was wrong to right again. The nights filled with longing and misery vanished. He pulled her body against his, not daring to let go.

After a long moment he pulled back. “That,” he said, “is what I’m doing here.”

Chapter Twelve

E
lizabeth stood frozen, trapped between wanting to fall into his arms and wanting to sock him right in the nose for everything he’d made her go through. He’d been a colossal ass, but he’d also fought through time and space to be by her side. Seeing him again and kissing him had addled her brains a little, but not completely.

“Don’t think we’re not going to have a serious talk about you know what,” she said.

He stared at her expectantly torn between fear and hope. It was a stark reminder. That very dichotomy was one of the reasons she loved him so much. He was a collision of opposites. The cool, so very British exterior that hid the most passionate man she’d ever known. He could recite Chaucer and quote Monty Python. He shut out the world and let her in.

“But right now,” she continued, reaching up to caress his cheek. “I think you’d better kiss me again.”

He gladly obliged. “God, I missed you,” he whispered in a voice rough and tender with emotion.

She rested her head on his chest for a moment, content to let everything that was and everything that would be disappear. She’d been so intent on doing everything alone, she’d forgotten what a gift it was not to have to.

Simon kissed the crown of her head and she felt as much as heard his sigh of relief. In the days since she’d arrived, she’d spent so much time angry about what had happened, she’d forgotten even to consider what he must have been going through. She eased back and one glance at his face told her the story of hardship, worry and desperation he’d endured. No matter how often she saw it in his eyes, or heard him whisper it to her in the dark, she was always awed by the sheer power of his love. The stoic, impenetrable Simon Cross laid bare and offered his heart to her again and again.

The lump in her throat grew to guava-size and the glistening around the edges of Simon’s eyes told her they were both on shaky ground. And Mrs. Eldridge’s parlor was no place for an emotional scene. Gerald wouldn’t approve.

Clearing her throat, she managed a smile. “What took you so long?”

Simon laughed with that deep, rich resonate sound that found its way straight into her soul. He really needed to laugh more often.

He matched her smile, but his eyes gave him away.

“I’m glad you’re here,” she said. And then she noticed a small bruise on the edge of his jaw. “What happened?”

She touched his cheek and he took her hand and kissed her palm. “It’s nothing.”

The final burden seemingly lifted from his shoulders, he let out a deep breath and gently tucked a stray tendril of hair behind her ear. With as much tenderness as he’d had passion a few moments ago, his gaze caressed her face. His long fingers traced the edge of her jaw.

Elizabeth closed her eyes and leaned into his hand.

“Are you all right?” he asked.

“Much better now.” She took his hand and led him to the sofa. She stared at him for a long moment before looking down. “I never thought you’d…”

Simon tilted her chin up. “I will
always
come for you.”

Her heart fluttered
in her chest. Love’s arrhythmia. “What made you change your mind?”

Simon frowned and his eyes darted from side to side like they did when he was searching for the right words. Giving her a wan smile, he shook his head. He walked to the window and stared out into the yard before turning back to her. “I should have listened. I’m still not ready to trust the Council, but I should have trusted you. But I…was angry and if I’m honest, I was afraid.”

“I know it’s hard.”

He shook his head. “I’m not sure you really know how difficult it is for me. I never thought I’d fall in love. I certainly never thought I’d fall in love with someone like you.”

She smiled wryly. “Thanks a lot.”

Simon ran a hand through his hair and rubbed the back of his neck. “You’d think after nearly twenty years of teaching I’d learn how to say what I want to say.”

“You don’t have to say anything.” She crossed the room to stand next to him. He always looked so lost when he tried to make amends.

“For five days, I’ve been thinking about what I was going to say when I found you. And now that I have, every word has fled me,” he said with a sad smile.

She stepped toward him and cupped the side of his face. “Simon.”

He closed his eyes for a moment and then sighed. “I can’t promise that I’ll always be the man you deserve, but I can promise that I’ll always try to be.”

Elizabeth felt tears welling in her eyes.

“When you came to me about the Council. I reacted badly. I’m sorry. I should have told you the day they came to me.” He took both of her hands in his. “I need you to know something, Elizabeth. I need you to know that I will always support you. No matter how reckless and insane your ideas may be.”

“And there’s my Simon,” Elizabeth said with a laugh.

“And yours for the taking.”

She kissed him again. “Consider yourself took.”

***

San Francisco was the poster child for growing America. Brash, striving and never satisfied, it embodied the spirit of a nation feeling its oats. From President Teddy Roosevelt to the newest immigrant to land on its shores, America was in vigorous pursuit of greatness. Always bold, often blundering, and seldom tactful, America was reaching for the brass ring with both hands.

Full of growing pains and beautiful mistakes, San Francisco was a teenage city ready to bust out. The population had grown from a mere 500 before the gold rush of 1849 to close to half a million by the turn of the century. What had been little more than pastures and mining towns was now a cosmopolitan city with thriving industry, modern technology and more money than you could shake a stick at. Empire building was its favorite pastime.

At the city’s heart, Market Street was packed with every possible conveyance known to man. Horse drawn carts and carriages parried with a few boisterous automobiles and bulky cable cars. Pedestrians and cyclists wove in and out of the mess at will. If there were laws of the road, no one obeyed them.

“Be careful,” Simon said as he tugged on Elizabeth’s elbow, pulling her back and keeping her from being run over by a low-slung drayage cart.

Elizabeth sheepishly smiled her thanks. She’d been so caught up in the spectacle, she wasn’t paying close enough attention. It was only her second time travel experience, after all, she was allowed to gape a little.

She knew Simon didn’t quite share her enthusiasm for the adventure of it all. What she saw as wondrous, he saw as potentially dangerous. And that was the rub, wasn’t it? That, in part at least, is what had split them apart.

She was bound and determined that it wouldn’t keep them apart though. Simon was, deep in his heart, an explorer too. He might have preferred to do it from the safety of a leather wingback chair and risk only paper cuts, but his mind was as inquisitive as hers. She just needed to give it a little nudge.

And, if she were honest with herself, she liked the feeling of his protective presence. If it could always be like it was now, like the reassuring feeling of his hand lightly holding her arm. Not guiding her, not holding back, just being at her side.

She and Simon had left Mrs. Eldridge’s to go for a walk and ended up, as apparently did everyone else in the city, on Market Street. As they walked they’d caught each other up on their adventures so far. While his description was concise and on point, very Joe Friday, hers was long, rambling and would have been bound in several volumes.

The most maddening part was that he didn’t seem to be as worried as she was, or frankly at all, about the consequences if they failed. You’d think not existing would be troubling, but he didn’t seem bothered. That was, she supposed, one of the perks of thinking the Council was full of beans. He considered the whole thing a wild goose chase, but had learned enough not to repeatedly point that out.