A Stitch in Time (27 page)

‘Yes, but there was the line about them not thinking we will be true and long-lasting.’ She traced the line on the screen. ‘That needs explaining.’

He shrugged but wrote:

Sarah wants to know why you aren’t convinced that our relationship is true? She is willing to do whatever it takes to make you understand how much she loves me and assures you that she will never try to interfere with needling.

Before he pressed send he asked, ‘Is that OK?’

She nodded and squeezed his hand.

Again a swift response:

Sarah was tested and found wanting. We deliberately told you that Sarah was due back later from 1874. When she came back early and found Josephina at your house, we had to be sure she loved you enough to fight for you – she didn’t. This, coupled with the last debacle in 1928, means that we feel it would be kinder to disallow continuance.

Sarah flopped back on the bed and covered her face with a pillow. She’d been right about all of that then. Of all the conniving, spindly, medievally-sleeve waving …

‘Hey, help me here, come on, what do we say back?’ John pulled the pillow away. She looked at his pinched expression and the fear behind his eyes. This was no dress rehearsal. The next email had to cut the mustard or she and John would be history. She guessed she would have to do something pretty drastic for them to change their minds.

She swallowed hard. ‘Ask them if I’m allowed to type the next one.’

John raised his eyebrows but did as she asked. The request was granted.

Sarah wrote:

Thanks for letting me communicate directly. I realise how very stupid I have been and I can fully understand why you have arrived at this decision. I should have fought for John, but I was too scared of having my heart broken again. I recklessly strayed from my recent task and drew John in to save me with disastrous consequences for him. If you allow me to remain with him and make a life together, I will swear to do two things: 1) I will be available for stitching whenever you ask for the rest of my life, and will carry out my duties willingly and without straying from my task. 2) I will take John’s injury instead. Please turn his hand back to normal and if you could be sure to maim my left hand, as I’m right handed.

I hope these two things will assure you that I am serious about making amends.

‘You can’t do that, I won’t let y—’ John stopped in shock as Sarah had already pressed send.

They waited in silence. The reply didn’t come. Perhaps they were having a chinwag about it all. A surreal thought forced its way through her anxiety. Did they actually have chins, or did they just have …

‘Sarah, my injured hand is burning!’ John yelled, held it to his chest and grimaced.

‘Here, let me see,’ she said, unfastening the safety pin and slowly unwinding the bandage.

‘It’s stopped now, feels almost—’ he murmured as Sarah revealed his hand ‘—normal.’

John’s hand was indeed normal. He wriggled his fingers and turned it first one way and then the other. Sarah kissed it and then bravely held her left hand up, tuned her head away and screwed up her eyes. She waited … and waited …

A reply:

Sarah, it has been agreed that you have learned the error of your ways and are ready to make sacrifices to show your love for John. You will be spared injury, but not the first promise. You will be required to stitch as you described and should be prepared to journey to the past a month from now. If you ever renege on this promise in the future, yourself, John, or any offspring you may have will suffer. I trust you understand this is no idle threat.

The laptop screen went black and it was clear the computer had shut down.

They both sat in silence looking at it for a few seconds and then John grabbed her round the waist and threw her back on to the bed. ‘We won, Sarah! We’re allowed to be together
and
my hand is completely healed.’ He showered her face with kisses. ‘You were so brave, I love you so much.’

She smiled and kissed him back. ‘No braver than you were when you came to save me the other day.’

He stopped kissing her and frowned. ‘You do realise you’ve just signed your life over to stitching? That was a huge thing to promise.’

‘Yep, well you have signed your life over to needling, and I do enjoy it mostly. I’m still going part-time, so it won’t be so stressful juggling school work with time travel. Besides, it will look great on my CV.’

John laughed. ‘You are crazy, Sarah Yates, do you know that?’ He started to kiss her neck and ran his hand along her leg.

‘But you love me, right?’ she murmured slipping her hands around his waist.

‘Oh yes.’

‘Hadn’t you better stop all that? We have soil to dig, veggies to tend.’ Her sky-blue eyes locked on to his.

‘They can wait,’ he said, and placed his mouth on hers.

Amanda James (aka Mandy) was born in Sheffield and now lives in Bristol with her husband and two cats. In her spare time, she enjoys gardening, singing, and spending lots of time with her grandson. She also admits to spending far too much time chatting on Twitter and Facebook! Mandy recently left her teaching role to follow her ambition to live her life doing what she most enjoys – writing.

Follow Mandy:
Blog –
www.mandykjameswrites.blogspot.co.uk
Facebook –
www.facebook.com/mandy.james.33
Twitter –
@akjames61

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Find out more and purchase in the kindle store (
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Out-Sight-Mind-Choc-ebook/dp/B00B7RAQN6
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Christina Courtenay

Winner of the 2012 Best Historical Read from the Festival of Romance

What will it take to put the past to rest?

Professional genealogist Melissa Grantham receives an invitation to visit her family’s ancestral home, Ashleigh Manor. From the moment she arrives, life-like dreams and visions haunt her. The spiritual connection to a medieval young woman and her forbidden lover have her questioning her sanity, but Melissa is determined to solve the mystery.

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Visit
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Find out more and purchase in the kindle store (
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silent-Touch-Shadows-Choc-ebook/dp/B008834GRY
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