Twin Flames (Twin Flames #1)

Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8

Y ork, present day

‘Darling, is that you?’ called Joanna from upstairs.

George heard his wife’s voice as soon as he entered the three-storey townhouse. He’d hoped she wouldn’t be home yet and he would have some time alone.

Bloody hell. I’m not ready to face her yet.

‘Yes! It’s me. I’m home,’ he called in as cheerful a tone as he could muster. He closed the door and let his leather travel bag fall to the floor as he bent down to stroke Blue, his beloved Russian Blue cat. ‘First thing’s first,’ he said. ‘Have you missed me, my girl?’ Blue favoured George above all others; she nuzzled her head against his leg, purring her approval like a finely tuned motor. The cat preened and stretched, before laying down on her side in blissful abandon as her doting master stroked her soft belly. George stood in the kitchen, wondering what the hell he was going to do. He wished he were back in Seville with Cara. He had never felt so lost.

Cara missed George. It had only been an hour since she heard his voice, but it didn’t stop her wanting him. She missed him every minute she wasn’t with him. It was a bittersweet longing she’d never before experienced. This must be what Sylvia meant about Twin Flames. She said Twin Flames share the same energy field and are connected even when apart.

‘I’m fine, thanks,’ said Cara, the next morning when Daniel called. ‘I need to talk to you, though. It’s important. I’ve got something to tell you.’ Cara clutched her phone.

‘You’re very mysterious. Will you give me a clue?’

’I’ll be there in about thirty minutes. I’ll tell you then. You weren’t planning to go out, were you?’

‘No. Sally’s going to pop in later.’

Sally, oh, God. She’s the last thing I need today.

‘Okay, I’ll see you soon,’ she said, ending the call.

Cara rushed to get ready. She must be gone before Sally showed up, or it would be intolerable.

It was Saturday. The spider’s web of streets was thick with traffic, and the pavements were lined with shoppers as Cara drove across the city to Daniel’s house on the river. The house she was supposed to move to when they got married. She was uptight, and couldn’t wait any longer to tell him. She pulled into his driveway, and a few seconds later, he opened the front door with a smile and gave her a warm hug. It was a Daniel special; he oozed charm.

He knows it’s bad news and is preparing to get his own way.

‘ It seems ages since I’ve seen you. I want to hear all about your trip. How was the conference? Come and sit down and tell me all about it. He patted the sofa for her to sit down next to him in his cosy den, where he liked to relax. I’ll make some coffee in a minute, oh and I bought your favourite cheesecake too.’ Daniel paused. ‘You look a little pale. Are you all right?’

‘I’ve got a headache. I think there’s thunder in the air.’

‘Did I tell you Sally is going to pop over this afternoon? She’s been up on business all week and wants to see me before she goes back to Manchester. I was so busy in court this week we didn’t have a chance to get together.’ The steady wave of Daniel’s chatter barely registered amidst her own frantic thoughts.

Daniel was aware that his daughter made little effort to conceal her disapproval of their relationship, but he preferred to ignore it. Cara looked at the clock.

‘Yes, you mentioned it on the phone. What time is she coming?’

‘I’m not sure. I think it’ll be a while yet.’

Daniel and Cara had barely spoken during her time away. She sat down wishing she was anywhere but in this room with her about to be former fiancé.

‘The talk seems to have been a success; several key people reached out to make enquiries about hiring me, so that’s promising. I think I may have a contract about to come through.’

‘Wonderful. And what did you do in the evening? You seemed pretty busy,’ Daniel probed as he searched her face. ‘I assumed you must be preoccupied with the group because I couldn’t catch you on the phone.’

‘Yes. I’m sorry I wasn’t very responsive. It was all a bit hectic. Daniel. . .’

‘Yes?’

‘I’ve got something important I need to tell you and. . .I’m sorry, but I don’t think you’re going to like it. I’m just going to come out and say it.’ Cara stuttered a little; a habit that bothered her as a child, and occasionally resurfaced when she was nervous.

‘Let me guess. You want us to move to Seville?’ he said with a wry smile.

‘No, of course not. Please be serious—this is hard enough as it is.’ His attempt to lighten her mood only irritated her.

He picked up her hand, pressed it to his lips and then held it in his. ‘Okay, sorry, my love, go ahead. There’s nothing you can tell me which we can’t handle together.’ He paused, ‘You’re not sick, are you?’ He sounded shaken.

‘No, I’m fine. It’s not that kind of thing. It’s, it’s—I’m afraid I can’t marry you. I’m calling off the engagement. We’ve rushed into this, and I can’t go through with it. I’m sorry, Daniel. The last thing I want to do is hurt you, but there’s no other way.’ The words spewed out of her mouth.

‘What? Why?’ he said. And then a few seconds later, ‘I see.’

She looked at his stunned expression and saw he didn’t see at all. He was trying to piece the puzzle together.

‘What happened in Seville? We were fine before you went. I don’t see you for a few days, and suddenly you’re calling off our engagement! It makes no sense. Calling off our future, as I understand it. Correct?’

He’d become cold and officious with the sudden shock. His tone was formal and clipped; he was now committed to gathering data. If there was one thing he was good at after years in court, it was asking questions and making people squirm. Cara could see he’d slipped into his barrister persona and expected the worst. She chose her words with care. ‘I’ve been having second thoughts for some time. You know I was never keen to get married. It’s nothing to do with you; I’ve never wanted to be married. I thought we were okay as we were, but you were so keen to formalise things. I didn’t want to disappoint you.’ Sentences tumbled from her lips, but her explanation sounded feeble to her own ears, and she abruptly ceased talking.

‘Okay. So, let’s not get married then. Let’s be together as we were before the engagement. It’s not my preference, but I can live with it if that’s what you want. Marriage isn’t the be-all and end-all. I know you aren’t particularly conventional. I’ve always admired that; actually, it’s one of the qualities I love most about you.’

Tears glistened on her lashes as she saw the hurt in his eyes. She put her head in her hands; looking at him was too difficult. She couldn’t stay with him any longer, but telling him was excruciating. She wished she was back with George on the road to York. They were married and free to love each other without these complications.

Except for being hunted down for execution!

She pulled herself back to the present with an effort. ‘I can’t, Daniel.’

‘Why not? Why can’t you? What’s happened? Something has happened, and you’re not telling me what’s going on. None of this makes any sense.’ He was angry, and his words cut through the air. ‘You’re not telling me everything. You at least owe me the truth,’ he snapped.

He’s right. I do owe him the truth, but the truth is too incredible. Well, you see Daniel, I met a man called George who I’ve been in love with for at least five hundred years, and I don’t want to live without him. Um, he wouldn’t believe me even if I told him the truth!

Instead, she said, ’I understand why you’re angry, and I’m so sorry. It’s not something I planned or expected. All I can say is that when I was in Seville, I had time to think about things from a different perspective. I think it’s better we make a clean break of it. It’s not fair on you for me to stay in the relationship when it’s not the way you want it.’

‘Please don’t decide for me what I want and what’s fair on me. What’s fair on me is that you don’t throw it all away with no logical reason.’ His tone was severe. Cara felt reprimanded like a wayward child in the headmaster’s office.

She drew a deep breath and calmed herself. ‘Sometimes, there isn’t a logical reason; not everything can be analysed and proven. It’s just a feeling. I can’t carry on as we are. I’m being as honest as I can with you even though I knew you’d be angry and you wouldn’t like it.’

‘Well, thank you very much. Am I supposed to be grateful that you’ve bothered to drive over here to rip my heart out of my chest? Is that it? You seem to think you’re doing me some kind of favour!’ He burned with anger and paced about the den from one side to the other. ‘Can you really say you don’t love me?’ He dropped onto his knees in front of her, and he gripped her shoulders as his eyes beseeched hers. His stance softened as she looked back at him. ‘Cara, my love. Please don’t do this. We’re supposed to be getting married next year. You’ve got cold feet, that’s all. Don’t turn it into a drama.’

‘I’m sorry, Daniel. My mind is made up. It’s not going to change. I wish it were different, but that’s how I feel. You’ll find someone who wants the same things you do; someone who’ll be thrilled to marry you. Perhaps you’ll marry someone from Manchester, so you can move near your kids again. You’ve tried to hide it, but I know that’s what you want. It’s what you deserve, and I can’t give you that. York will always be my home.’

He sank onto the sofa with a sigh. The anger had left him, and he looked crumpled. Cara’s heart expanded, and she reached out to him. ‘I’m sorry Daniel. I’m grateful for the wonderful times we’ve had but staying together isn’t the right thing for us. I know that now. You’ll see it too once you get over the shock.’ She released him and rose from the sofa. ‘Please forgive me. I never meant to hurt you. It’s the last thing I ever wanted to do.’ She picked up her handbag and headed for the front door.

‘Cara. Wait.’

She stopped and turned. ‘Yes?’

He ran his fingers through his usually immaculate silver hair, it was dishevelled, and his eyes looked haunted, ‘Is there someone else?’

Cara hesitated for a second, her chest tight. She struggled to breathe. She opened the door, looked at Daniel whose face was drained of colour, tried to say something meaningful, but all that came out was, ‘I’m sorry.’

She slipped out of the door and into her car. An intense sadness gripped her, and she let herself sob for several minutes, her head resting on the steering wheel, before wiping her eyes with a tissue and turning the key in the ignition. Once on her way, a flood of relief swept over her as the car moved to the gentle rhythm of the road.

I told him. Thank goodness, it’s done now.

It was as if the lid had been removed from a pressure cooker. All the build-up of steam was released. She was sad but free.

Back at the cottage, Cara sat in the kitchen for a while, doing nothing but staring out of the window at the dark clouds in the grey sky. Then she got her phone out of her bag and typed a message to George:

‘Hi. I told Daniel. I feel awful, but it’s done. How are you?’

A reply came within a few minutes:

‘Doing all right. Tired. I hope you’re okay. Will try and call later. x’

At ten o’clock that night she’d had no further word from George. She climbed into her big empty bed, pulled the soft cotton sheet up to her chin and drifted off into a deep sleep. It was after midnight when she awoke. There was still nothing from George, and she grew more anxious. She managed to sleep again, waking shortly after seven in the morning to the bright light streaming through the blinds. She checked her phone. Still nothing. Her heart throbbed. What was the point? This was all too painful.

There was a message from Daniel. ‘Can’t sleep. I need to see you. Did you really mean it?’

Cara felt fragile and small.

What am I doing? I’ve broken Daniel’s heart for a man who can’t even call me once he gets home.

And then a memory of them together at Willow Manor flooded her consciousness. It was as vivid as watching a movie at the cinema. Because of the frequent memories she’d been experiencing since meeting George, she knew they’d enjoyed wonderful years together before they were summoned to court and lost their independence to the Crown. Now she saw a dashing young George; he must have been in his late twenties, holding her close as they swayed to the music. He whispered in her ear in the beautiful library, which was their favourite room at Willow Manor. A sharp longing to be back in his arms in those joyous days filled her. She was his wife then, not bloody Joanna.

Panic stirred in her chest as she rose from the bed and entered the bathroom. Then she heard the unmistakeable whooshing sound like in the bookshop when she travelled to her incarceration in the notorious Newgate Prison. Chilled air filled her lungs in time to realise she was about to time travel again.

Oh no! I don’t want to go after all! I want to stay here and figure things out with George, not be on the run again.

She could remember their prison escape clearly, and the reality of fleeing to York in 1536 suddenly didn’t seem as attractive as it had earlier. She tried to focus on staying in her bathroom, but she feared this mysterious force. She knew instinctively that she couldn’t prevent herself from slipping away. And she possessed no recollection of when or how she had returned to the present day.

Do I flit back and forth between the timelines or are there two of me; Dr Cara Bailey and Countess Cara Cavendish, who are always present? Am I really experiencing two different lives simultaneously?

She suspected this might be the truth of her bizarre situation but couldn’t be sure.

I need to find a way back to Sylvia.

And then she was gone. She had no say in when she travelled.

Outskirts of York, 1536

Cara sat at a table with George in a sumptuous parlour. Red velvet curtains trimmed with gold silk covered the windows, and the walls were lined with solid oak panels adorned with tapestries. The light was dim, and the room smelled of musk and alcohol. Shapely, exotic looking women served drinks, swinging their hips and pouting at the drunken men.

Looks like I’m back! Where the heck are we now? I think I may be the only woman customer here.

She inched closer to George on the wooden bench and touched his upper arm to get his attention. He turned to her and smiled, glass of wine in hand, and said, ‘It’s quite an eye-opener, isn’t it? This is the last place I’d expect to be spending the night with you! Hopefully, if we lay low here for the night, we’ll lose the soldiers on our tail. I don’t imagine they’ll think to look for us in a brothel.’

Cara paused as his words sunk in.

A brothel!

She placed her finger to his lips to pause his chatter, raised her mouth to his and gave him a long, passionate kiss.

George looked a little stunned. He felt her kiss in his groin. ‘Have mercy upon me. Do you want to give a man a bulging codpiece in public?’

Perhaps I’m too demonstrative for 1536? I am in a brothel, though!

Cara laughed with abandon, revelling in her new-found freedom to show her passion for George in public.

‘Are you suggesting I escort your codpiece upstairs, my lord?’ Cara fluttered her long eyelashes and flashed him a coy smile. ‘When in Rome and all that.’

‘When in Rome? I’ve no idea what you’re talking about, but my codpiece definitely wants more attention. Let’s make haste upstairs. Madame Alicia has kindly arranged a room in her private wing for us so we should be comfortable.’

They left the parlour, hand in hand, glowing as only lovers do. No one would suspect they had King Henry’s army seeking their heads except perhaps the two bounty hunters who sat at the opposite side of the parlour watching their every move.