And for the moment, she remained his link to a world far gone. “Summer, I have need of you. It seems as though fate has cast us together, and I will be here for some time. You are a fine lady and I know that you can be of assistance to me. I must know why I was sent to this time and what I have to do until I can return to my own.”
Summer’s cheeks flushed and her heart beat a mile a minute at this earnest plea. “Look Malcolm, yes I would love to help you, but I can’t. I need you to go back where you came from and that doesn’t mean that I believe anything you said about the past. You must be from the mainland and you were hiding in Mr. Neely’s library for a reason. So we are going back there right now. So just sit tight and leave the driving to me.”
Malcolm inclined his head and acquiesced to her desires. He allowed her to place a restraint across his chest to keep him in place, and soon the horseless carriage galloped at a great speed. He noted the sights resembled the off lands from the books he read. Places where natives made their dwelling. Some men spoke of it when they returned from their ocean voyages and in the books on the discoveries of the new world, there were similar features. How strange that he should land somewhere similar.
~~~~~~0~~~~~~
Summer rushed Malcolm inside the library and gave a gusty bellow. “Mr. Neely, where are you?”
When the older gentleman appeared, his face and clothing reminded Malcolm of the old woman in Sedgwick’s’ library. Could they be akin to each other? Before he could inquire, Summer ran over and hugged the gentleman in a scandalous manner “Mr. Neely, I am so glad to see you. You don’t know how much!”
Mr. Neely’s lined face broke into a warm smile, and he motioned for her to sit down. Summer was too anxious to sit, and she paced back and forth. “I can’t stay long, so I will just explain as best I can. This man, Malcolm is the name, was in your library and he fell out, excuse me, he fell from behind the mirror. It is clear that he was hiding from someone, but I don’t know who he really is —”
“He is the Marquis of Thornbrook, I believe.”
Summer stopped pacing and stared at him in stupefied disbelief. Did she land in the twilight zone or something? “I’m sorry, but how, I mean where did you get that? What I mean is…I don’t know what I mean.”
Malcolm cast a glance at the older man “And how do you know who I am?”
Mr. Neely ambled over to his desk, and returned with a large bound volume. He pointed to the title and said “This is a book about famous men and their portraits. I read this today and it’s your picture if I’m right.”
Malcolm examined the pictures. The old man spoke the truth and his portrait stared out at him with a note that read “Malcolm Theodore Fenton, Marquis of Thornbrook, picture commissioned by the Marchioness of Thornbrook. For my loving husband ‘Now, and to the ends of time.’
No further information was provided about his past life, and Malcolm closed the book with a frustrated sigh. Although comforted to have found a wife did not explain how he would return or who his wife would become. He turned to Summer to get her thoughts on the matter and grimaced. She looked as ill as he did when he first arrived, and he felt a sense of concern that he had affected her to such an extent. Getting down on one knee, he spoke in a soft tone “Summer, you need not fear. All will be well. It is clear that I am here for some reason that will reveal itself in due time. I dare say, I cannot stay in these soiled clothes any longer, and I need somewhere more appropriate to lay my head. Can you help me to find a place more suitable than your little rock dungeon?”
Summer jumped up apparently distressed to sit still “And just how am I going to do that and what explanation will I give? Mr. Neely do you have any ideas?”
Mr. Neely raised his
Summer’s cheeks flushed and her heart beat a mile a minute at this earnest plea. “Look Malcolm, yes I would love to help you, but I can’t. I need you to go back where you came from and that doesn’t mean that I believe anything you said about the past. You must be from the mainland and you were hiding in Mr. Neely’s library for a reason. So we are going back there right now. So just sit tight and leave the driving to me.”
Malcolm inclined his head and acquiesced to her desires. He allowed her to place a restraint across his chest to keep him in place, and soon the horseless carriage galloped at a great speed. He noted the sights resembled the off lands from the books he read. Places where natives made their dwelling. Some men spoke of it when they returned from their ocean voyages and in the books on the discoveries of the new world, there were similar features. How strange that he should land somewhere similar.
~~~~~~0~~~~~~
Summer rushed Malcolm inside the library and gave a gusty bellow. “Mr. Neely, where are you?”
When the older gentleman appeared, his face and clothing reminded Malcolm of the old woman in Sedgwick’s’ library. Could they be akin to each other? Before he could inquire, Summer ran over and hugged the gentleman in a scandalous manner “Mr. Neely, I am so glad to see you. You don’t know how much!”
Mr. Neely’s lined face broke into a warm smile, and he motioned for her to sit down. Summer was too anxious to sit, and she paced back and forth. “I can’t stay long, so I will just explain as best I can. This man, Malcolm is the name, was in your library and he fell out, excuse me, he fell from behind the mirror. It is clear that he was hiding from someone, but I don’t know who he really is —”
“He is the Marquis of Thornbrook, I believe.”
Summer stopped pacing and stared at him in stupefied disbelief. Did she land in the twilight zone or something? “I’m sorry, but how, I mean where did you get that? What I mean is…I don’t know what I mean.”
Malcolm cast a glance at the older man “And how do you know who I am?”
Mr. Neely ambled over to his desk, and returned with a large bound volume. He pointed to the title and said “This is a book about famous men and their portraits. I read this today and it’s your picture if I’m right.”
Malcolm examined the pictures. The old man spoke the truth and his portrait stared out at him with a note that read “Malcolm Theodore Fenton, Marquis of Thornbrook, picture commissioned by the Marchioness of Thornbrook. For my loving husband ‘Now, and to the ends of time.’
No further information was provided about his past life, and Malcolm closed the book with a frustrated sigh. Although comforted to have found a wife did not explain how he would return or who his wife would become. He turned to Summer to get her thoughts on the matter and grimaced. She looked as ill as he did when he first arrived, and he felt a sense of concern that he had affected her to such an extent. Getting down on one knee, he spoke in a soft tone “Summer, you need not fear. All will be well. It is clear that I am here for some reason that will reveal itself in due time. I dare say, I cannot stay in these soiled clothes any longer, and I need somewhere more appropriate to lay my head. Can you help me to find a place more suitable than your little rock dungeon?”
Summer jumped up apparently distressed to sit still “And just how am I going to do that and what explanation will I give? Mr. Neely do you have any ideas?”
Mr. Neely raised his
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