I sat and waited until I heard Nell's footsteps fade before I pulled my cell free.
What if someone figures out I'm not supposed to be here? Like Taylor Hansen?
I waited, listening for the sound of anyone coming.
That's not the kind of change history needs. Carter's response made me roll my eyes. His second message was even less encouraging. I can't confirm it, but I think he's one of those people I warned you about, who doesn't want history changed. They can be motivated enemies. If you could figure it out, it'd help me decide how to manage him.
Manage him. It didn't sound like a good thing. I sighed. I wasn't manipulative and had never been a good liar. How, then, did I figure out what I needed from Taylor and determine which twin I needed to be wary of?
I texted Carter again. I'm having nosebleeds. Is that a side effect?
Voices came from down the hallway. I watched the text bubble pop up that said Carter was writing a response and urged him silently to hurry.
It is. Not a good one. Anything about the chip's abilities that seems unusual?
"Aside from reading people's memories?" I almost laughed. After a quick hesitation, I answered him. I can read living people, dead people and places. Is any of that abnormal?
Not wanting to miss his response, I slid out of the second entrance of the room into the servants' hallway that led to the kitchens.
Yeah, it is. Let me do some research, came his response.
"Research. It's the answer for everything." I nibbled on my lower lip, pensive, and tucked the phone away.
So the sheriff had been correct. The nosebleed wasn't normal.
Did I venture out and talk to him or wait for Carter to do his research? My goal was to save lives, and I wasn't expecting anyone else in this time period to know I was from the future. Carter hard warned me about the sheriff, and now, the sheriff had warned me about Carter.
I was almost too tired to process what all that meant.
If nosebleeds were an issue, could the man in this time help me more than Carter?
And what - or who - was in the well? My stomach churned at the idea of discovering the truth, but I didn't think I could remain here without knowing for sure.
Hearing Philip and John, I darted back into the dining room and sat down at my setting. The men entered, and John's face lit up the way it had yesterday.
I love that. I knew I didn't deserve it, because I wasn't his real daughter, but I let myself wallow in the happiness of knowing I was the center of his attention.