Lou, who’d been pretty quiet so far, tapped the tines of her fork nervously on her water glass. “Isn’t changing history what this is all about? Reno goes back in time to stop the massacre of the Native Americans and to save his brother. That’s changing a lot of history. I wonder what all repercussions there’ll be?”
“Innocent people won’t die, that’s the best repercussion there can be.” Reno acted shocked that she’d even voiced the thought.
Lou wasn’t through. “I realize what you’re saying, but the consequences could be far-reaching. Generations of people will be born that wouldn’t have been born otherwise. Their actions will have an impact on society and on history. Some actions will be for great good and others will undoubtedly be for great evil.”
“Are you trying to talk me out of this?” Reno asked. “Because it’s not going to work. I can’t worry about those far-reaching effects. All I want to do is save the people I care about – what happens after that is in the hands of fate.”
Lou said no more. She just studied her plate, seeming to choose not to argue. Aunt Myra looked thoughtful, but she didn’t voice an opinion either. Journey just chose to let it be. As far as she was concerned, Reno was right. This was too important for him to worry about a future he couldn’t control.
“Well, how about dessert?” Myra stood and began to gather the dishes. “Get some bowls, Journey.”
“What are we having?” Folding his napkin and placing it by his plate, Reno pushed his worries aside for another time.
“Homemade peach cobbler using fresh Stonewall peaches.” Myra named a small community just east of Fredericksburg famous for its peach orchards. “And! Homemade vanilla ice cream!”
In no time at all, they were all chowing down on a bowl of sweet goodness. Reno ate two helpings, then groaned because he was so full. Once they were finished, Journey rose to her feet. “I’ll clean the kitchen, Aunt Myra. You go sit down.”
“No. I’ll do it. Everyone out of the kitchen, it’s my turn.” Lou shooed them away.
“Okay.” Journey agreed, noticing Lou looked a bit guilty. “Thanks.”
“I appreciate the break. My feet are killing me.” Myra doled out hugs to all three of them. “I’m going to reward my pups for their good behavior with a bite or two of ice cream, then we’re going to hit the hay. Someone please make sure everything is locked up tight.”
“I’ll take care of it,” Journey promised as she wiped the crumbs from the table. “I’m going to be up a while.”
“You are?” Reno asked as he lingered nearby. “I thought you’d be coming to bed.”
At first, she didn’t answer him. Instead, she turned to Lou. “Thanks for everything. I don’t know what we’d do without you.”
“Oh, hush.” Lou threw a dishtowel at her. “Go be with your cowboy.”
“Yes, ma’am.” She left the kitchen to meet Reno in the dining area. “I was just stalling. I’m worried about having sex so near to Aunt Myra. She’ll hear us.”
“Okay. Let’s sleep in my room.”
“Won’t help. She’ll notice when I don’t come to my room.”
“Problem solved. You go to your room and I’ll sneak out and climb in your window. We can have a contest as to who has the quietest orgasm.”
“Oh, Reno.” A grin came to her face. “That’s silly.”
“The window or the orgasm?”
“Climbing through the window is silly.” She took hold of his arm to face him toward the hall. “She’ll just have to deal with it, the idea of those orgasms sounds too good to miss.”
CHAPTER NINETEEN
After the loving, Reno lay facing Journey in the bed. Moonlight from the window over the head of the bed illuminated her beautiful face. “Do you think she’s asleep?”
“Probably not. She likes to read once she’s in bed.”
“Did you read in bed before I started keeping you company?”
“Sometimes. My favorite books were romance novels set in the old west.” She gave him a cheeky little grin. “Guess who was always the hero?”
“Little Joe Cartwright?”
She reached out to playfully touch his nose. “When are you watching so much television?”
“You have a kindle HD, remember? I watch it when I’m visiting Sir. John.”
She giggled. “When did the John get knighted?”
Now, it was his turn to tap her on the nose. “I bet you didn’t know this…the first flushing toilet was invented by Sir John Harrington, a poet and Queen Elizabeth’s godson. Gentry says he was her favorite. She was blessed with a hundred and one other godchildren, but only John made it possible for her stercus to go away.”
“Her what?”
“Stercus is another name for…” He whispered the unsavory word in her ear.
“Wow, who would’ve thought? I’ll always think of the toilet as Sir John from now on.”
“Now, look who’s teaching who stuff.” Reno was so proud of himself.
“Will I have to use the outhouse at King’s Ransom, or do you have an indoor Sir John?”
“Fancy has the best facilities Kingston could get his hands on.” He paused a moment. “I always intended to have one put in the cabin.”
“I hope you do. I don’t relish the thought of braving freezing weather to do my business.”
Reno felt the now familiar rush of anxiety at the thought of Journey traveling through the portal. He quickly sought to change the focus of their conversation. “Guess what? I’ve also been listening to Elvis. You were right. The King is cool.”
“Cool? Listen to you. With that lingo and this long hair, people are going to mistake you for just a regular Austin hippie.”
“That’s all right. Let them think what they will.” He let his eyes rove over her features. “I just
