An Untimely Romance: A Time Travel Romance (15 page)

Back to Normality

“E
re y’are, girl.” A cheeky grin appeared around the door.

Heather sat up, a
slight frown on her face as to his choice of vocabulary, but that was just
Ruben, and she knew now she wasn’t going to change him. The scent of marmalade
toast wafted into the room. Slightly overdone;
whatever
, she thought,
taking a sip of orange juice, its bittersweet companion, both made very welcome
by her returning appetite. She munched away at her toast, quite forgetting that
she had company. Looking quite embarrassed at her rush, as discreetly as
possible she wiped the crumbs from her lips.

Pulling a chair up next
to the bed, Ruben reached for her hand.

“Saw ya mum on my way
in, said you were gettin’ up today?”

“Yeah, feeling loads
better. Pass me the brush, bet I look awful.”

“Well, didn’t wanna say,
but you have looked better,” he smirked. “Anyway, do you feel up to meeting
Mum? She’s been out of hospital for a few days, and I’ve told her all about
you.”

She could hear the
excitement in his voice. “Yeah, that’d be nice. Give me half an hour to freshen
up, and I’ll be with ya.”

“Okay, I’ll see if ya
dad can use me for a bit,” Ruben said, pushing the chair back and standing up.

“Aren’t you forgetting
something?”

“Don’t think so,” Ruben
answered, looking confused.

“I think you are,” she
said, grinning up at him from the bed. “Come here.” Her face lit up as he
approached, and she grabbed the waistband of his jeans, pulling him closer.

As he leant over her,
she could feel the roughness of his stubble, then his moist lips as they met
with hers. She responded, closing her eyes.

“I love you, Ruben,”
she whispered between kisses.

“And I you,” he
breathed against her face, kissing her forehead. “Best let ya get ready then.”

It felt so nice to be
out of bed, and Heather closed her eyes as the shower’s warm water caressed her
face. She felt an inner glow as her mind wandered to Ruben, and his tenderness
and undivided attention over the last few weeks. Wrapping the towel around
herself, how she wished she was in his arms.
He’s almost told me he loved me
,
she thought;
well, as good as. And taking me to meet his mum ... it
must be getting serious.
Heather and her towel danced around her bedroom,
almost childlike, as she dried off.

After running the brush
through her hair, she got dressed, feeling a sudden gain in confidence. She
knew she was pretty, and she knew Ruben knew it too, so playing to her finer
points she rummaged through her wardrobe. Wanting to give the right impression,
she plumped for a floral peach dress with capped sleeves and a sweetheart neck.
Perfect
, she thought.
And just the right length
. She rested it
nicely on her knee. Grabbing her white handbag and slip-ons, she left the
bedroom.

It was virtually
impossible not to hear her dad’s deep voice constantly booming around the
annex, so it wasn’t hard for her to locate Ruben. The lounge door was open, and
she stood watching them as they chatted away, the drone of football commentary
in the background. With a sixth sense perhaps, Ruben’s head turned and his face
lit up.

“You look gorgeous, as
beautiful as a portrait,” he said admiringly.

Her dad grunted.
“Finally back with the living, eh, Hev?”

Heather shook her head,
her dad’s words bringing her back down to earth.

“Right, Walter, we’d
best be off. Probably see you later,” Ruben said, getting up.

“Okay, son, have a nice
time both of you.” He looked up as they left.

As the car pulled into
the private driveway, Heather couldn’t help smiling to herself as she thought
back to their night in the hot tub. How on earth was she going to look his mum
in the face?

“Don’t worry about Mum,
she’s fine,” Ruben reassured, obviously sensing her apprehension as he turned
off the engine. “She just seems to have problems with the medication from time
to time ... but she’s quite normal,” he teased.

On opening the door,
the hallway was filled with the smell of baking.

“Just gunna tell Mum
we’re here. Make y’self at home,” Ruben said, squeezing her hand.

Heather sat in the
lounge looking around. It felt more homely on her second visit;
a woman’s
touch around the place
, she thought. The odd cup and glass had been left
lying about, and the cushions looked flat and misshapen. She picked up on muffled
conversations, presumably coming from the kitchen.

“Hello, flower,” a
stocky woman with long auburn hair said as she bustled into the room.

She carried a silver
tray with iced cakes and bite-size sausage rolls, which she placed on the
coffee table in front of Heather.

“I’m Angie, pleased to
meet you.” She beamed, and Heather couldn’t help but notice the similar
mannerisms they shared, even down to the half-smile. “Heard lots about you off
our Ruben.”

Heather stood politely,
only to be enveloped in the woman’s arms. She stepped back, turning to the
sound of Ruben’s voice.

“Afternoon tea with my
two favourite ladies,” he said, pouring milk into three very delicate-looking
china cups and then sitting himself next to Heather on the settee.

Apart from the odd yes
or no, Heather hardly managed to get a word in as Angela’s conversation jumped
between their visit to Snowdonia, her latest stay in hospital and her husband’s
work ventures and visit to the States. If Heather was honest, she spoke enough
for all three of them, hardly taking a breath between sentences. She could feel
Ruben’s hand on her knee as the conversation turned.

“Beth was here this
morning.”

Heather felt uneasy as
Ruben shuffled awkwardly in his seat at the mention of her name. After they had
decided to give things another go, on the proviso of him cutting all ties with
Beth, she was quite a sore subject.

“She’s a good’en that
girl, brought all my new medication from the hospital, and she’s taken my
washing...” And so she continued.

It may have looked as
if she was listening, but Heather’s interest was lost, and she switched off to
the praises Angie paid Beth. Instead, she took a more in-depth look at the
middle-aged woman, whose face was open and friendly, with the lightest green
eyes that held a genuine kindness. She couldn’t help but notice her hands were
always on the move, constantly pulling at the cuffed sleeves of her blouse to
stop them riding above her wrists. Her continual talking was probably a
camouflage for her nervous disposition, which she seemed to do her best to
conceal.

“...Beth’s lovely, but
definitely not the right girl for you. Far too bossy and outspoken that one,
and anyway, she’s had her family; she’s at the next stage of her life.”
Smiling, Angie looked from Heather to Ruben, and appeared to be more than happy
with his choice. “And to think you gave her Grandmother’s engagement ring; I
was never happy about that, Ruben.”

She sat up, her
demeanour changing, an anxiousness in her tone.

“You, er, did get it
back?” she enquired.

“Yeah, Mum, of course.
Stop worrying, it’s in the flat, boxed up somewhere with the rest of the stuff
she’s yet to take.”

“She needn’t think
she’s taking that; it’s staying in our family, to be passed down to your
children.”

“Mum, stop worrying,”
Ruben said, sipping his lukewarm tea. “I’ll sort it, bring it down tomorrow if
ya like,” he continued, trying his best to placate her.

Oh God
, Heather thought, her blood running cold,
the ring. I remember
putting it in my pocket. What if it fell out? No, it can’t have, surely. I put
my clothes in the laundry bag... What if Mum’s washed them? Shit, Ruben put the
laundry bag in the room, that room.

“Heather, are you still
with us?”

Heather jumped,
startled from her thoughts.

“Yes, sorry, Ruben,”
she stuttered, “I was miles away.” She smiled, not wanting to appear rude.

“What do you think to
Mum’s suggestion then?”

Heather gave him that
‘fill me in look’, which he must have read.

“Meal, and shopping;
it’ll be a great chance for you two to get to know each other better,” he
prompted.

Feeling rather awkward,
but noticing that Angie was awaiting a reply, Heather simply smiled in answer.
They helped clear away the plates before leaving, and then Heather sank back in
the car seat after waving goodbye. The engine hummed quietly as they drove
along and she wound down the window, met by a warm breeze. She breathed in the
aroma, the sweetness of pollen, crying out summer. It had been an enjoyable
afternoon, but in another way she was glad it was over; those first meetings were
always rather trying.

“Well, we’ve still got
the rest of the day ahead of us. What do you fancy doing? Anything at all,”
Ruben asked.

“Would you mind taking
me home? I’m still rather tired.” It was a white lie, but then she had other
things on her mind.

“Mum was right, ya
know, Beth and me would never have worked. She had a past, too much baggage. I
dunno, we were far too similar I guess; she always wanted everything her own
way. That night we slept together, Beth turned me down, said she’d never have
me back. You know what, I thought I’d be heartbroken, but actually I really
didn’t care.” Ruben paused. “To be honest, I thought I’d blown it with you,
didn’t think you’d forgive me.” His eyes momentarily searched hers. “But we’ve
been able to start afresh, you’ve given me a second chance, which I probably
don’t deserve, but it’s different with you somehow; you’re all mine.”

Not knowing how to
react to his words, Heather sat feeling quite confused.

Picking up on this,
Ruben was quick to add, “Luv ya,” and reached for her hand, allowing her that
half-smile she knew so well. “And you’re for keeps ...
we’re
for keeps.”

The grand opening was
less than two months away, and the manor’s gardens were a picturesque array of
colours still being tended daily. Heather couldn’t put into words the
difference since their arrival, and she felt quite excited as they pulled up in
front of the steps.

“See ya tomorrow then,
that’s if I can wait that long,” Ruben said, leaning over. “Text ya later.”

He kissed her on the
cheek, but Heather didn’t linger, as the ring was paramount in her mind.

As the sunlit hallway
loomed, her heart sank at the thought of entering that bedroom. She felt a
heaviness in her legs as she made her way towards the landing. She felt as
though she was being watched by the grandfather clock, whose face held its
usual non-committal expression. As she stood outside the door, strategies ran
through her mind, but there weren’t really any; she just needed to get in and
out as quickly as possible. The hinges screeched as she opened the door;
perhaps it was the room’s warning at her intrusive steps. There were no
remnants of her occupancy, and all was as it had been, everything in its place.
She scoured the very corners of the room, yet the laundry bag eluded her. Her
mother must have moved it; she must find her and quick, before its entire
contents were thrown into the machine.

~•••~

Flustered, Heather ran from the room,

“Upon my word!” Lady
Haunchwood shouted out. “I can scarce draw breath, Miss Richardson. Do you not
look where you go?” The elderly woman breathed deeply, clearly winded by
Heather’s untimely collision.

“God no, I can’t be
here, not now. I need to find the ring.” Heather voice was anxious, and she ran
her hand through her hair nervously.

“Child, you talk in
riddles.” Stepping back, her displeasure distorted her features. “Good heavens,
your dress!”

Heather looked down.
“What about my dress? Do you like it?”

“Do I need to speak
plainer? A gentile girl of good breeding should not, I repeat, should not be
exposing herself in such a manner. Mr Boswel has guests arriving in but an
hour, and he will be most displeased.” Pausing, she looked round and caught
sight of a maid.

She called for
assistance. “Anna, Anna, come here at once,” she beckoned.

Anna curtsied. “Yes,
mam?”

“See to it
immediately,” Lady Haunchwood stressed, “that Miss Richardson is in appropriate
attire to receive guests this evening...”

Heather was
overwhelmed, and feeling quite hurt and belittled, she turned away, only to
come face-to-face with Anna’s sullen expression. It was almost too much to take
in as she looked into her cold eyes, overcome by the maid’s obvious disdain for
her. Her previous visions replayed in her head, of the cruel way in which she
had seen Anna die. There was something calling her back into these times, the
bedroom, the porthole for her entry, and she knew she was here for a reason;
somehow Anna was at the heart of her travels.

“Come with me, miss.”

Heather responded to
the mouse-like voice as Anna’s head bowed once again, following her down the
lengthening corridors. She watched with interest at the subservient way in
which the maid carried herself. Maybe her being there was a chance to change
Anna’s fortune and destiny. Her thoughts became more intense.
That was it!
Things were starting to piece themselves together. If Frank hadn’t taken Anna
to the dance that night, the unfortunate events that followed would never have
taken place.

Anna’s step slowed and
she paused outside a bedroom door. Heather’s visits to this part of the house
were relatively infrequent. Anna knocked, and on hearing a reply she opened the
door, explaining Lady Haunchwood’s wishes. Curtsying once more, she excused
herself and hurried away, not meeting with Heather’s gaze. Heather stood
awkwardly in the open doorway of a dark oaken bedroom, in a similar style to
the others. A girl much the same age as herself sat before a mirrored dressing
table, while a maid stood busily pinning her thick mousey hair into place. On
seeing her reflection in the mirror, she turned, smiling.