The Sunstone Brooch : Time Travel Romance Katherine Logan (no david read aloud TXT) 📖

“You…ssssson…of…a…bitch,” she said, slurring her words.

And that was the last she knew.

52

MacKlenna Farm, KY (1885)—Elliott

A light rap on the door awakened Elliott from a sound sleep. He’d dozed off while browsing through the collection of Shakespeare from Sean’s library. He immediately looked at James Cullen on the bed, still hidden by the red cloak, and let out a deep sigh.

No change.

Elliott closed the heavy leather volume and stretched.

Another knock, and then a woman’s whispered announcement. “It’s Kit.”

Of all the possibilities to show up on the doorstep, he preferred Kit above anyone else. If she gave him grief, he didn’t have to worry about pushing back and hurting her feelings. She gave as good as she got.

He shuffled across the plank floor and peered out between the slats. She was standing on the porch alone, with the handle of a straw basket slung over her arm. He slid back the bolt, opened the door wide enough for her to enter, then closed it and slid the bolt back into place.

Kit lifted the veil attached to her black riding hat. “You’re acting like a jerk, but you know that already. Right?” She peeled off her gloves, finger by finger, and clutched the kid leather in a stranglehold.

“Aye. I’m an asshole. I won’t disagree. But are ye complaining about anything in particular?”

She stepped over to the bed and looked down at James Cullen’s motionless body hidden beneath the cloak. “Let’s see. For starters, how about keeping a mother from her child?”

“Leave it alone, Kit. Ye know the rules.”

He tossed an extra log on the fire, then poured a few drops of oil into a pot of hot water before drizzling the scented water over the sauna rocks, increasing the humidity and eucalyptus aroma.

Kit’s gaze slowly moved from James Cullen’s feet to his head and back again. “Has he moved at all?”

“I thought so, but I decided it was my imagination.” He lifted the basket off her arm and carried it over to the table. After three days, his nose was so full of the stink of eucalyptus that he could barely smell the fried chicken and yeast rolls.

She removed her hat, tossed the gloves into the upside-down crown, and placed the felt hat on the table. “You’ll regret what you’re doing. You better fix it soon.”

He walked back to the door and reached for the bolt. “If ye’re going down that road again, ye can leave and not come back, which is what I told ye yesterday. So where’s Cullen?”

“You’ve run off everybody else. I’m sticking around and taking your abuse because you’re acting just like the jerk I remember from my childhood. I ignored you then, and I’m not paying attention to you now. And Cullen’s not coming back. He’s pissed at the way you’re treating Meredith. He said if he came back, he’d knock you out.”

“I’d like to see him try.”

She rolled her eyes. “You’re so full of yourself. No one’s going to take your side on this. If we were home, the family would ostracize you until you make up for drugging and excluding Meredith, and as mad as everyone is, a simple, ‘I’m sorry,’ won’t do the trick. You’ve got to go big if you ever expect to get out of the doghouse.”

Kit didn’t have to tell him what he already knew. He blamed Meredith, but truth be told, it was his fault. He should have gone with his gut and kept tabs on James Cullen—and communicated with her about what he was doing. Meredith had wanted to be discreet, which was fine, but she didn’t have enough control over her plan. And that was her mistake.

Kit dug into her skirt pocket and pulled out a piece of paper. “Here’s a telegram from Tavis. They found Ensley and will bring her to MacKlenna Farm to return home with Cullen and me.”

“Good. When do they arrive?”

She thrust out her hand. “Read it yourself, and you’ll know everything I know.”

He took the telegram and read it. “I’m relieved. That frees ye and Cullen to stay as long as ye want.”

He reached for a plate in the cabinet and put two pieces of chicken on it. “If ye’re going to stick around and annoy me, tell me about yer father.”

“It’s not my goal to annoy you, but there was a time when you didn’t want me to leave you.”

That certainly gave him pause. It nearly destroyed him when Kit returned to the past to marry Cullen, but it ultimately led Elliott to Meredith. He sent Meredith away before and restored the relationship. If he played it right, he could do it again.

Aye. I’m an asshole.

Kit sat in a chair at the table and unwrapped the biscuits. “Emily examined Dad. He has symptoms common in both TB and lung cancer.”

“Jesus Christ!” Elliott said midbite. “TB? Get him out of the house now before he infects everyone else.”

“Without a skin test, Emily can’t be sure. But Dad’s coughing up blood, has a non-specific fever, dramatic weight loss, hoarseness, and deep breathing aggravates his chest pain. The symptoms point more toward cancer than TB.”

“Emily still needs to be careful.”

“She’s put protocols in place. There’re only a few people who can go in his room, and those who do must keep their distance, wear masks, and wash their hands.”

“Have ye suggested he go to the future for treatment?”

“He won’t go. He said he’s been like this for months, and he’s not going to last much longer. He’d rather die here than in a future world.”

“But maybe modern medicine can extend his life. Can’t ye talk him into it?”

Kit shook her head. “God knows I’ve tried.” She picked up her suede gloves and straightened the seams. “I’m not here to talk about my Dad’s life”—she pointed to JC—“but his.”

Elliott picked up a biscuit. “Don’t go there, missy.”

She smacked her gloves on the tabletop. “Damn it, Elliott. You have to allow Meredith to come in here.