Timeless Heart Read Online Free PDF Page B

opening scenes of Saving Private Ryan. It couldn’t
be a gardening show, no, he managed to turn on the television
during one of the bloodiest, disturbing images ever put to
film.
    “Utter slaughter! What is this
deviltry?”
    Sandra motioned to the couch, “Have a seat,
Jerrod, I’ll try to explain.”
    She reached for the remote on the coffee table
and quickly changed the channel, it landed on CBC News Network. She
turned down the volume and turned to face him. The poor man still
looked bewildered and dismayed.
    Jarrod sat down, his brow was furrowed in
confusion at the numerous images that passed by his vision as
Sandra channel surfed through the hundreds of stations on her
satellite dish.
    She tried to explain the concept. It was
make-believe, like never-ending plays, intersected with news of the
day and sporting events.
    She observed myriad emotions cross Jerrod's
face: horror, confusion and astonishment as he watched the progress
of on-going wars, political upheaval and arguments, floods,
killings, protests. Sandra tried to turn it from the news channel
but he held up his hand, halting her.
    He watched.
    "So, this is the world today. It is moving far
too fast. I could not live in this time," he said softly. "Please,
turn it off. I cannot absorb anymore. Your world, it has such
beauty and so many horrors." Jerrod slowly shook his head, staring
off in bewilderment.
    Sandra snapped it off with the remote. "It’s a
turbulent time."
    "Anytime in history could be categorized as
such. You are a teacher, Sandra, is this not true?"
    She shrugged. "I suppose. But it can be
overwhelming, even for the sturdiest of us." She paused. "Maybe we
could go for a drive, into Halifax, it’s only about an hour from
here. You should see more than the inside of this flat.”
    He raised an eyebrow. "Halifax...my God. My
father fought against the colonial uprising here in the Americas in
1780. He was injured, he recovered in Halifax, took the ship home
from there. Astounding." His voice trailed off, lost in thought. "I
should very much like to see it."
    "You mean the Revolutionary War?"
    "Yes, I surmise there has been much war since,"
he replied sadly.
    Sandra sighed. "You don’t want to know. Come
on. Let's go into the city for a while."
    They arrived in downtown Halifax. No sooner had
they approached the black wrought iron main gates of the Public
Gardens than a soft, late summer shower began to fall.
    "Oh, damn it!" Sandra cried.
    Jerrod laughed. "Such language for a lady. It
is no matter, the rain reminds me very much of Cornwall, reminds me
of home. It will not hurt us. Come, let us enjoy the
afternoon."
    Sandra smiled. "My language? For a gentleman
from the past, I've heard far worse come from you, from the first
time I saw you!"
    He reached down and took her hand, his thumb
caressing her skin, setting it alight. "What do you think, people
in your past did not curse, have dark thoughts? Make passionate
love?"
    Sandra looked at him, and laughed along with
him. God, his laugh was deep, and sexy as hell. But that last part
set her ablaze. Passionate. Yes, she imagined he was all that, and
more. Sandra pulled herself closer to him as they
walked.
    They strolled in companionable silence. Sandra
watched as Jerrod looked all around him, taking in the beautifully
situated gardens, the lush flowers of every sort bordering
fountains and statuaries, surrounded by large elm trees.
    "Gardens such as these in the middle of the
city? How long have they been here?"
    "Since Queen Victoria's time." She saw the look
of puzzlement on his face. "Who was ruling in 1821?"
    "George the sixth,” Jerrod sniffed in
distaste.
    Sandra reached back in her mind, through her
history lessons. "Victoria was after William, she was his niece.
William was younger brother to George, wasn’t he? Anyway, she
spawned a whole era, the Victorian Age. She ruled over sixty years,
it was the age of 'British Greatness'."
    They walked along again in silence. The rain
was soft,