"Your father says within the day." He waved the letter. He didn't appear to know how to take the request.
"True, but that doesn't work for me."
"Because of your dream." He gave me the knowing look Nell did whenever I said something my nanny found ridiculous. "You do need someone to look out for you."
Other than Fighting Badger? "I think I'm doing fine on my own."
He studied me, pensive.
"Are you really considering it?" I asked curiously.
"My job is to keep the peace between the settlers and savages. This would give me more influence with both than I have now, not to mention a home, a little bit of respect from the townsfolk." He shrugged. "What's not to consider?"
"Oh." So it had nothing to do with me. I didn't know why I was disappointed. "You'd have to deal with me all day, every day, and I tend to run away from home often."
He appeared amused. "I think I can handle you, ma'am." He lifted his chin towards the handcuffs. "Besides, you may be returning to wherever you came from soon, or disappearing like the others."
I froze. By his face, he didn't mean I'd end up in the well, but I wasn't able to stop the chill that went through me.
As if realizing what he'd said, he sighed. "My apologies, Josie. I didn't mean ... well, not dead. I meant …" It was the first time I'd ever seen him flummoxed.
"It's okay," I murmured. "I understood." My phone buzzed. I tugged at the cuffs. "Philip won't be happy."
"Him I look forward to handling," came the hard response. Taylor picked up his hat. "Stay here, ma'am. I'm going to verify this is genuine." With a glint of humor in his gorgeous eyes, he left.
I faced the cell I was chained to, mind racing. I picked up the memories of the snoring man but nothing from Taylor. The handcuffs were much thicker than the ones from my time, and I gave up pulling at them quickly.
I had no alternative but to stay where I was and wait.