Page 9 of Caught in Time
Chapter Three
As the carriage rattledalong the muddy cobblestone road winding through Savannah, Charlotte was fascinated and listened intently to Annabelle as she spoke about an array of obscure topics. As a Civil War buff, and as someone who had participated in reenactments, Charlotte was deeply interested in what Annabelle had to say. The Civil War from her perspective was something you spoke reverently about from time to time because it was an awful part of the past.
Charlotte stared, mesmerized. She may well have stepped intoGone with the Wind,butthiswas like nothing she could have imagined. The streets were alive with people and activity and while nothing modern met her wide-eyed gaze, nothing about the city struck her as antique either. This was a place of vibrancy, fascinating in its richness and range of sights.
“The Union officers are having a Christmas dinner and ball at General Sherman’s headquarters, the Green-Meldrim House, in a few days, and now that you’re here you simply must come with me,” said Annabelle. “Dr. Abbott will be there, you know,” she added with a mischievous smile.
“That sounds wonderful,” Charlotte replied, trying to sound enthusiastic. She had a sudden change of mind.Perhaps still being caught in 1864 for a few more days isn’t so bad after all.
“But I don’t have anything to wear.”
Annabelle’s blue eyes glowed at the prospect.
“Don’t you worry, my dear. I have more clothes than I could wear in three lifetimes. I’ll make you the most ravishing belle at the ball.”
Eventually the carriage rattled to a stop before the Marshall House Hospital. It was a massive four-story brick building. Nerves assailed Charlotte. Getting a job was without a doubt a disaster waiting to happen. She had less than no idea about what to expect of medicine in this era.
Together the two women exited the carriage and entered the arched doors of the building, Charlotte lagging a step behind.
“Good day, Dr. Abbott,” Annabelle drawled sweetly.
Charlotte’s gaze instantly homed in on Spencer’s towering form. He turned toward Annabelle’s voice. Charlotte stared. Oh, fate was a cruel, bitter entity indeed.
Stop it, she ordered herself.You are here to start a new life and now it’s happening just as you wanted it to!
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Spencer greeted thenewcomers politely. “Good morning, Miss Annabelle, Miss Liddell. I’ve been expecting you.”
Amazing. He’dfeltCharlotte’s presence—known she was there without looking. The sensation was so profound he was taken aback, but a quickening in his chest had alerted him tohereven before she’d passed through the door. He remembered again how taken he was with Charlotte when they had strolled in Annabelle’s backyard and how she had seemed so ... sincere. She was incredible.
Beautiful and intelligent, Charlotte seemed his match in every way. He wanted her. He wanted her as he’d never wanted another woman and ... and what? She was what he’d spent years dodging, a woman to share his future with. But she was more than that.She was an angel, too, but no, his thoughts ran on,that wasn’t right—she was quite simply a goddess, she was...
Dear Lord, but he was acting like some love-struck fool! He was no poet and yet his mind ran circles trying to find an adequate description for Charlotte.
Raking a hand through his hair, Spencer contemplated the course of his future. He’d spent years skirting the altar and it wasn’t just looking for a woman with genuine qualities, but a deep-seated almost irrational fear of losing the one he loved.I must admit it. I’m in love with her!
Having been one of the more sought-after bachelors in New York city, Spencer had always kept a wary eye on interested women. Scheming young misses and their mothers would find it impossible to snare him. He had no desire for them to do so. As he asked Charlotte some more questions, the extent of her medical knowledge continued to thoroughly stagger him, even if some of the ideas had been a little farfetched.
“I’ve already discussed you working here with the other doctors and they think they’ll give you a try. Lord knows we need the help,” he said to Charlotte.
Damn! Why can’t I stop staring at her?
