He pointed to the cliffs. “One of my ancestors fell from that cliff.” He turned to her and smiled. “She traveled through time, and then married James Kendall, the Duke of Weston that lived in 1815.”
“Is that so?” It sounded fantastical to her. If he believed that he might actually entertain her story as factual. “Do you expect me to believe that?”
“I do,” he said. “Because it’s the truth. In time, we’re supposed to conceal that truth so one of my descendants is unaware of it. His lack of knowledge is essential to ensuring my ancestor does everything exactly the same so that we all exist. It’s a weird paradox you see, because she’s from the future.”
“Uh huh,” Anya didn’t believe it for one second. “Why are we heading toward the cliffs.” Why would he think she might? He couldn’t possibly know about the dream she had about traveling back in time and inhabiting another person’s body. Could he? If he believed a person could feel another’s emotions or have visions then anything was possible. With that line of thought then her experience could have actually happened to her as well. Mind boggling really…
“So we can go down to the beach.”
She gasped. Had she heard him correctly? “Do you plan on jumping then?” She swallowed the lump in her throat. “Or push me?”
He chuckled. “I promised I wouldn’t harm you. We’re going down to the beach by less suicidal means; though I must warn you, the path can be slippery. I’ll protect you as best I can. Are you willing to take that risk?”
Anya sighed. She’d already died in a dream; how much worse could this be? “I am,” she agreed. He was a fount of knowledge, but she wasn’t certain she understood why he imparted some of it. Perhaps, as the day went on, she’d uncover the truth. So she followed him down the path to the beach below, ready for anything.
Chapter 13
When they reached the bottom of the path, Anya breathed a sigh of relief. He hadn’t lied about the slipperiness. She was glad to be off it and didn’t particularly look forward to the trek back. The beach was gorgeous, and Mathias had definitely planned ahead. A dark blanket had been laid out with a basket laying on top of it. Admittedly, she was curious what foods he had packed for their picnic, and she couldn’t help being a little interested in him as well. She hadn’t wanted a picnic alone with him, but now, she hoped to uncover some of his secrets. Why was he so insistent about spending time with her? What was his goal? She needed to understand him and she couldn’t fathom why.
“We will eat later. I wanted to walk with you on the beach for a little while first.”
“I’m not particularly hungry at the moment, so that is all right with me.” She was curious, and she’d follow along with his plans as long as she remained so.
He was silent for a while as they walked along the beach. Anya stopped to pick up a rock and skipped it across the waves as they rolled to the shore. She almost wished she had a bathing suit so she could swim. Maybe another time, if there was another one…
He stopped and stared out at the water. “I know you don’t believe me about the time travel,” he began. “I could prove it to you, but that part of my family’s past doesn’t pertain to you or me, not exactly.”
What did his “not exactly” mean? How could it not pertain to them, but somehow it did? That made no sense. “Then why tell me that story?” She turned toward him and lifted a brow. She didn’t understand Mathias, or why she was so drawn to him. She needed to know more, and then perhaps it would all make sense somehow.
“To warm you up to the idea,” he said simply. “The idea of its existence had to be a possibility to you for you to accept everything else.”
She had thought she’d traveled through time while she was in a coma. Of course, she hadn’t physically traveled, it had been her conscious that had done so. That wasn’t even the truth. Her brain made up some weird story she had believed she lived through. She kept telling herself that, but she didn’t really believe it. If she had she’d never have left London and went searching for Lady Vivian.