Rowen stood in a corner alone.  It was the first ball he’d attended in the five months he’d been in 1752.  He couldn’t fight the feeling of jealousy he felt as Alexandra engaged in a lively conversation with two gentlemen. He couldn’t pull his eyes away from her.  Ever since news of her husband’s death became public, she always had some gentleman coming to call on her.  He wanted to go over there.  He wouldn’t say anything, but he wanted to be near her.  Just as he took a step forward, he saw Marlyssa Barnes heading his way.

 

“Shit,” he said under his breath.

 

“Mr. Clark!!  What are you doing here in the corner alone?  I was beginning to think Alexandra had left you home.”

 

“I would have preferred to be home.”

 

She laughed aloud, making sure to draw attention to herself.  Music started for a dance.  She grabbed Rowen’s hand.  “Come, Mr. Clark.  You must dance with me.”

 

“I’m not much of a dancer,” Rowen said.  He really didn’t want to dance with anyone but Alexandra and she wasn’t even looking his way.

 

Rowen continued to protest but stopped when he glanced at Alexa.  A third gentleman had joined their conversation and she had her arm through his.  Rowen decided to join Marlyssa.  He was thankful it was a waltz.  That’s what Alexandra taught him the night before.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Alexandra stopped listening.  She didn’t want to be rude to these gentlemen, but she really wanted to talk to Rowen.  She watched as Marlyssa practically bum rushed him.

 

Geez, could the hussy be more obvious?  Alexandra sighed to herself.  Stop name-calling.  He was standing alone and she took advantage of the opportunity.

 

Her eyes followed him from the corner where he was standing to the dance floor where he and Marlyssa were dancing the waltz that she, Alexandra, took the time to teach him.

 

“Seems like Ms. Barnes has caught herself a man,” one of the gentlemen said.

 

Another asked, “Isn’t that your cousin, Mrs. Brandon?”

 

She didn’t want a reminder that she lucked out.  “Yes, it is.  Which one of you fine gentlemen would like to dance with me?”

 

“Oh!  Let me!” they all said at the same time.  They were acting like children.

 

Alexandra chose the fist man that spoke.  She kept her eye on Rowen.  He was laughing at something Marlyssa said.

 

Soon, the song was over.  Rowen bowed to Marlyssa and went to take a seat.  Marlyssa stopped him.

 

“Mr. Clark, you have to join me for one more dance.”

 

He watched the other people getting in their places for the minuet.

 

“I don’t know that one,” Rowen said.

 

She laughed.  “How can you not?  Everyone knows the minuet.”

 

“Everyone but me.”

 

She poked her bottom lip out into a pout.  She swished away, looking for another partner.  No sooner had she left, three ladies came up to him.  They were Leslie Gordon, the dressmaker and the two other ladies that were at the shop, begging Alexandra for an introduction.  They seemed to start talking at once.  Rowen didn’t listen.  He was too busy watching Alexandra circling the dance floor.  He smiled to himself as she graced the floor.  He had to learn that dance.

 

“Mr. Clark, you aren’t even paying attention,” Ms. Gordon said.

 

Rowen forced himself to look away from Alexandra.  “I’m sorry, what were you saying?”

 

“We were noticing how protective you are of Lexie.”

 

“I love her very much.  I don’t want to see her get hurt nor for her heart to be broken.”

 

In the five months he’d been in 1752, he’d fallen in love with Alexandra.  He hadn’t told or shown her, but he felt it.  Sometimes, she acted like she shared the feelings, sometimes she didn’t.  Rowen looked at the women that had gathered around him.  “Besides, I have a secret.”

 

“Oh, really?” Jackie, new acquaintance one, asked.

 

Rowen leaned in.  He instructed the women to get closer.  When they did, he said in a low voice, “I’m from the future.”

 

“The future?” Marlyssa asked.

 

Rowen smiled and nodded as their eyes grew wide.  “I’m from the year 2002.”

 

“H-h-how did y-you end up here??” Leslie asked.

 

Rowen related the hike, finding and exploring the cave, seeing cavemen, and how he got to meet Alexandra.

 

“So, I’m not Alexandra’s cousin.  My last name isn’t even Clark.  It’s...”

 

He paused, building the anticipation.

 

“What?  What is it??” Olivia, new acquaintance two, asked excitedly.

 

“Hashiba.”

 

“If a friend came with you, what happened to him?” Leslie asked.

 

“Sadly, he returned to the present...well, my present, without me.”

 

Marlyssa applauded.  “That is a wonderful story, Mr. Clark!  Lexie, you must bring your cousin to the next ball!  You didn’t tell us what a fantastic storyteller he was,” she said, taking Rowen’s arm.  Rowen looked up.  Alexandra had just joined his accumulating fan crowd.

Alexandra was seething.  Marlyssa was hanging all over Rowen as if he was going to run away.  She forced herself to ignore it.  “I had no idea myself.  What was it about?”

 

Olivia spoke up.  “That he was from the future and you bailed him and his friend out of jail and he’s lived with you since.”

 

“Oh really?”  She looked at Rowen.  Concern and worry was written all over her face.

 

“I tell you, I’ve never heard of anything so brilliant in all my life,” Marlyssa said.

 

“Well, I’m sorry to interrupt your story time, but I was hoping to dance at least one dance with him before the night ended.”

 

The dance was another waltz.  Rowen led Alexandra to the dance floor.  They quietly danced, never taking their eyes off each other.  Right after, Alexandra said that she was ready to go home.  Rowen agreed and grabbed their coats.  The temperature had dropped.  It was November, after all.  Halfway sneaking out, Rowen helped Alexandra into the carriage.  They wanted to leave before the pack of females sniffed him out.  Rowen drove slowly.  Alexandra had cuddled up beside him, trying to warm herself.

 

“Rowen, what did they say when you told them you weren’t my cousin and were living in my home?”

 

Rowen heard the hidden question: Did you open the door for me to be branded a whore?

 

“They didn’t believe me,” he answered.  “They thought it was a great story.”

 

“Marlyssa was at the house when Pierce brought you and your friend before taking you to jail.”

 

“Was she really?”

 

Alexa nodded.  “She was in the house.  I had come out.  She must hot have remembered.  She certainly would have made it known.”

 

“Darn, I thought I had one of those faces.”

 

“If anything, it should have been your hair.”

 

They arrived home.  Nigel had every fireplace in the house lit, so it was warm.  Rowen walked upstairs with Alexa.  Stopping outside her door, he told her that he had fun and softly kissed her before wishing her a good night.  She stood there, watching him go in his room.  All night, Alexandra half expected Rowen to come to her, but he never did.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

The four guys were nodding off to sleep.  They’d been sitting in the jeep for the last nine hours.  Sage turned the lights off.

 

“Hey, what are you doing?” Kento asked sleepily.

 

“Making sure we’d be able to leave when Rowen comes back.”

 

“If he comes back,” Ryo added.  He didn’t open his eyes.

 

Sage sighed.  “He’s coming back.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

The morning passed slowly.  After a late breakfast, Rowen went back to the cave.  A carriage pulled up.  Nigel opened he door when the visitor knocked.  It was Marlyssa.  She and Alexandra took a seat in the parlor.

 

“Your cousin is a remarkable man,” Marlyssa said.

 

Alexandra nodded.  “Yes, he is.”

 

“Is he here?”

 

“No, he had to go out for a little while.  He’ll be returning soon.”

 

Marlyssa started talking about her observation of Rowen.  Alexandra blocked her out.  She really didn’t want to hear this.  She wanted to tell her to back off.  Rowen was her man.  She groaned to herself.  Why did she use the farce that Rowen was her cousin?  She should have taken him to her parents’ house.  That way, she could have openly allowed him to pursue her after her husband died.  She could have staked her claim on him instead of keeping everything behind closed doors.  In the middle of her thoughts of self-disgust, she heard Marlyssa call out.

 

“Mr. Clark!”

 

Alexandra looked up to see Rowen coming to the door.

 

He asked, “How do you do, Ms. Barnes?”

 

She smiled.  “Always the gentleman.  I’m fine, thank you.”

 

Alexandra noticed the way Marlyssa practically drooled over him.  Alexandra abruptly stood and excused herself.  Rowen watched her.  Quickly excusing himself, he went after her.

 

“Alexandra, what’s wrong?” he asked in a low voice.

 

“Nothing.  You have company.”  Alexandra wouldn’t look at him.

 

“Who?  Her?”

 

She nodded.  “She came to call on you.” Alexandra turned away and headed upstairs.

 

Rowen went back to the parlor.  Marlyssa chatted away, oblivious to Rowen’s ignoring her.  Rowen thought about Alexandra.  What was she doing?  Why did she leave him alone with this woman?  Finally, Rowen couldn’t take it anymore.  Was Marlyssa was irritating him or was he just in a hurry to be with Alexandra?  Either way, he stood and apologized.

 

“I’m sorry to seem rude, but I went for a ride this morning and the cool air is giving me the start of a cold.”

 

“Oh, I’m sorry.  Perhaps I can call on you tomorrow?  To see how you are?”

 

“How about I call on you when I’m feeling better?”

 

Marlyssa grinned.  “I’d like that.”

 

She left.  Rowen dashed upstairs.  He knocked on Alexandra’s door.  She opened it and went back to her dressing table.  She was pulling hairpins out.  Rowen sat on the edge of her bed, watching her.

 

“What did Ms. Barnes have to say?” Alexandra asked.

 

“I don’t know.  I wasn’t paying attention.”

 

“That’s not very gentlemanlike, Mr. Clark.”  Rowen could hear the jealousy in her voice.  “I’m surprised to see you back so early,” she added.

 

“I was eager to see you.”

 

Her dark brown hair fell in soft waves down her back.  Alexandra stood and approached him.  Rowen reached out and softly caressed her face.  Alexandra closed her eyes, enjoying the nearness of him.  His hands were soft.  Whatever he did in the year 2002 certainly wasn’t hard labor.  His fingertips traced down her neck to her shoulders.  Gently pulling her near, he kissed her.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

They lay entwined in each other’s arms.  She was in love with Rowen.  This is what Alexandra wanted.  This was what she was missing when she was married.  The downside was that Rowen wasn’t here permanently.  He would be going back to his time once he found a way.  Everyday, for the last five months, he went back to that cave.  She didn’t want him to leave but she couldn’t make him stay.  She blinked back tears.  Rowen saw it.

 

“You’re crying?  Were you that disappointed?”

 

She laughed.  “Of course not.  I was just thinking about how I would manage when you leave.”

 

Rowen didn’t respond.  She knew he was thinking about it.  He was torn.  He didn’t want to leave her, but he didn’t belong 250 years in the past.  Maybe she could come with him.  She didn’t belong 250 years in the future.  When he went back to the cave, there was no light.  The portal was still closed.  He didn’t know when he’d be going back.  He wasn’t even sure if he could get back.  Rowen held her close.

 

“We’ll worry about that when the time comes.”

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

The maid was curious where her lady and the gentleman had disappeared.  She went upstairs and softly knocked on Alexandra’s door.  There was no answer, so she let herself in.  Two partially covered naked bodies were sleep in each other’s arms in Alexandra’s bed.  She softly gasped as she backed out.  Closing the door, she fanned herself.  She shouldn’t have seen that.  She rushed downstairs, past Nigel, who was on his way up.

 

“Where are you going?” she asked.

 

“Neither the mistress or Mr. Hashiba has been around all afternoon.  I was just wondering if she was alright.”

 

The maid stammered quickly.  “I-I d-don’t th-think that’s s-such a good idea.”

 

“Why not?”

 

“Uh...uh...” What was she going to say?  Nigel took another step up.  The maid stopped him.  “Wait!  I’ll do it.”

 

Nigel shrugged.  “Okay.”

 

The maid waited for Nigel to go back downstairs.  She stood in the hall outside Alexandra’s room.  After a moment, she went back downstairs and told Nigel that she appreciated his concern, but she didn’t want to be bothered until morning.

 

Nigel raised an eyebrow, but didn’t respond.