Thursday's Child (Out of Time #5) Read Online Free

approved it and their glasses filled, a gentleman and two very attractive women entered the restaurant. They must have been well-known, because a few of the patrons stared and whispered appreciatively. Judging from their make-up, so much rouge and lipstick were hardly de rigueur for the typical Southern woman, they might be from the showboat that docked at the landing earlier that day. One of the women even winked at Simon as they passed by.
    Simon coughed to hide his embarrassment.
    “Too bad Jack isn't here,” Elizabeth said not bothering to hide her amusement. “He would have enjoyed that.”
    Simon took a sip of wine. “No doubt, but I think he made the right choice in staying home. He needs some time to himself.”
    That was probably an understatement. Jack's broken heart had a long way to go before it healed. If it ever did, Elizabeth thought sadly. Since they'd returned from 1930's Hollywood, Jack hadn't been the same. Oh, he'd dated. A lot. But his heart wasn't in it. He'd sacrificed his chance at love to protect the timeline and the wounds were still raw even a month later.
    “He'll be fine,” Simon said as if he'd read her thoughts. “And, after all, we'll be back before he has a chance to miss us. Or miss you, at least.”
    “You're probably right,” Elizabeth said. “But it wouldn't have been the worst thing in the world to have another set of eyes on this.”
    “It is a bit of a puzzle, isn't it?”
    The waiter arrived with their meals — stuffed chicken and new potatoes for Elizabeth and roast mutton and asparagus for Simon. They both smelled delicious. Now that she'd had a chance to cool down and recover from the day, she realized she was actually starving.
    She took a bite of chicken and then washed it down with a little wine.
    “If she is our Mary, what are we supposed to see tomorrow? I mean, who goes to visit a grave in the middle of the night?”
    “Someone who doesn't want to be seen.”
    “The two women we saw there today didn't mind being seen. We should track them down tomorrow.”
    “Agreed,” Simon said. “They were an odd pair, weren't they?”
    Their clothes were definitely from different social strata. “Neither of them looked very motherly.”
    Simon swallowed a piece of his mutton and wiped his mouth with his napkin. “You could tell that from twenty yards away?”
    “Maybe. You have to admit, neither of them looked like you'd expect a mother to if she'd just lost her child.”
    Simon nodded. “True.”
    “Did you see all of those children's graves? Can you imagine?” The memory of it made her shudder.
    “Considering the infant mortality rate is nearly one in ten and worse still until adulthood, I'm surprised there weren't more.” He took a long drink from his wine glass. “But, no, I can't imagine.”
    The topic settled like a lead balloon on the table between them. The idea of burying her own child chased away Elizabeth's appetite. She reached for her wine.
    “We should start with the priest tomorrow,” Simon said, neatly closing the door to that topic. “I'm sure he can tell us where we might find those two women.”
    “Good idea.” Elizabeth put her glass down and ran her finger along the stem. “I've been thinking. If she is our Mary, why don't we go back earlier in time,” she continued, “and help her before she…”
    “Dies?” Simon finished for her. He frowned. “I've thought about that as well, but however tempting, I don't think it's wise. We have no idea the repercussions a change like that might bring to the timeline.”
    Elizabeth sighed. “I know. I just…” She shook her head.
    Simon reached across the table and gave her hand a comforting squeeze before letting go. “We have to trust that we've been given this window, here, now, for a reason. We have to trust my grandfather. We have to trust the list.” He picked up his wine glass and stared into it before meeting her eyes again. “No matter how difficult that might be.”
    He was