Chapter Eleven
When they arrived in the breakfast room, no one was there. The food had been cleaned up and the table was spotless. “These servants are quick,” Cyrus said, echoing Kaitlyn’s thoughts exactly.
She glanced outside the doorway they stood near, hoping no one would overhear them. “How many of her servants are magic, do you think?”
Cyrus shrugged. “Who knows. I’d guess most of them, though.”
Kaitlyn smiled at how he was more comfortable with it now compared to when they’d arrived the night before. She still wanted to find Aunt Nellie and ask her a little more about it. Find out what kinds of things they would be expected to do while they were stuck in the past. As if wishing to see her conjured her up, Aunt Nellie entered the room from a side door. She smiled brightly and moved forward to join them. Her silver hair was no longer done up fancy on the top of her head, but was twisted in an elegant style that still spoke of comfort more than propriety.
“Good day, my dears. How have you enjoyed your morning?”
“It’s been lovely,” Kaitlyn said. “You have such a beautiful garden. I was just walking in it with Jack.” Kaitlyn paused and grimaced. “I mean, Sir Hughes.”
“Nice correction,” Aunt Nellie said. “I understand it must be awkward to refer to people with their proper titles and references, but it is important.” She waited for a moment, and then nodded as if to encourage her to continue. “What did Sir Hughes and you see in the gardens?”
“I think it’s fun that you have so many of the same things as when we were here … before. But you also have made some changes. I have to ask: how did you get the water falls and the fountains to work so well?”
Aunt Nellie smiled. “I can’t be giving away all my secrets now, can I?”
Cyrus shifted on his feet. “I do hope you’ll be willing to share some. Like, how did we get back here?” Aunt Nellie looked at him and he continued. “I know you said the magic pulled us back on its own accord, but why here? Do you always have people traveling the same way we did?”
Nellie shook her head. “Not exactly. I don’t usually have such large groups. Yours is unique in that way, leaving from the same time and arriving on the same date. I don’t know if it was because you all happened to be standing close together at the time the magic reached out, or if you are all needed here for some reason or another.”
“What do you mean needed?” Kaitlyn asked. “Will we have to stay here?”
Nellie waved her hand. “Only if you choose to stay. But in the many, many years I’ve been the guardian of this opening, I have seen hundreds or more people brought from their time to mine. On occasion, some fall in love and chose to stay. Some find their situation here better than what they left. Others do a little good to help those here and then return home. So what happens while you’re here is all up to you.”
“Did the magic choose us?” Kaitlyn asked. “Are we pulled back here for a reason? Should I be looking for ways to help someone?”
Nellie took Kaitlyn’s hands in hers, sending a warm sensation up her arms and settling into her chest. “My dear child, I think in life we should all be looking for ways to help others. No matter where you are. And no matter if it was something huge and magical like your arrival here, or if it’s just taking a trip to the market on a fine day.”
Kaitlyn breathed in deeply, feeling the importance of Nellie's words. She glanced at Cyrus, who seemed to agree with the sweet woman. Aunt Nellie patted Kaitlyn’s hands before removing hers. “That isn’t to say you shouldn’t also look to enjoy yourself either. Life is meant to be lived, to have fun, but the best results you find in life are tied to the good you can do in your everyday interactions.”
Cyrus stood as if nervous and moved around the room. Nellie watched him, and Kaitlyn watched them both. Cyrus turned to her and then paused. He didn’t ask Nellie the question that was obviously bugging him. He glanced at Kaitlyn and back to Nellie. The old faerie smiled.
“You can go ahead and ask questions, Mr. Manning. I’m very open about most things. Some of the magical secrets I couldn’t tell you even if you would understand the process, but I don’t mind you asking what’s on your mind.”
Cyrus took a deep breath. “I just wanted to know about our safety here. I heard Reese talking about all the possibilities of illness or injury and it got me thinking. How do we know we’ll survive this trip back here?”
Nellie’s face softened, but she looked amused still. “Fair question. First, I have never once lost a visitor from another time. They have always been kept safe from harm or illness. Whether it’s part of the magic’s need for you here, or if it’s just your luck, I don’t know.” She held up a second finger. “Second, with some of the powers I’ve been gifted, I can help heal or cure many simple to severe injuries if presented early enough.”
Aunt Nellie looked at Kaitlyn and held up a third finger. “And lastly, as Kaitlyn has indicated, the future me knew of you. That means we met before.” She motioned her hands around the room. “Right now, technically. And that means you lived here for a time and then returned to your own place, giving me the peace of knowing you made it to the future. My future self can meet your past selves before my present self met your future selves.”
Her grin was full of mirth and Kaitlyn smiled back. “Aunt Nellie, you are adorable.”
Nellie’s smile grew wider and she pulled Kaitlyn into a hug. “I’m glad you think so, my dear. Now are there any more questions?”
Kaitlyn paused for a moment. “I think maybe I’d just like to know some of your personal ground rules. Things we can or cannot do here. Are there any places we really have to stay away from because of some secret magic or faerie stuff?”
Aunt Nellie met her eyes. Kaitlyn once again wondered what the woman could see in her.
“The magic only really comes alive on the full moons. It’s often times unpredictable on whether things come or go. Since you’re here, I’ll be able to play with some of the strands of time and push the magic into it to send you back, so you shouldn’t worry about the magic grabbing you again. As for places you should stay away from, I would say use your common sense. Don’t go into the woods alone. Not that there are any horrible things out there, you just shouldn’t go alone. And if you do go in there, stick to the paths and trails already established. And for propriety’s sake, you should always have a chaperone. It’s how things are done and I expect you all to follow the etiquette of the day.”
Kaitlyn nodded.
“The kitchens aren’t really for guests to just wander through, but if you become hungry outside of regular meal times, just let your personal assistants know and they can get something for you. The gardens and fields are open for your enjoyment. If you’d like to ride my horses, you’re welcome to them as long as you check with my stable master and get his approval first.”
Nellie went over a few more simple rules. Kaitlyn knew things would be mostly relaxed and fun here. She had a whole month to enjoy herself and see the past from a closer view. She couldn’t wait to get started.
***
Cyrus stared at the baronet across the table and to the right of him as he kept Kaitlyn engaged in conversation throughout the whole meal. Nellie stationed him next to one of the young daughters of a neighboring family. Miss Forrester was obviously too young for him, but she was doing her best to flirt with him.
She was kind and had wonderful manners. Nothing she did was inappropriate, but her compliments to him and her deference to his views and opinions was a little unnerving. No one seemed to care how much she flirted with him. He had nothing to say that wouldn’t take a lot of thought behind it to keep him from giving away too much information.
He once again adopted the aloof personality that had helped him last night at the ball and tried to listen to the conversations at the table. Miss Forrester finally seemed to tire of carrying on all the conversation between them and began speaking to Kaitlyn across from her. When Kaitlyn answered, Cyrus perked up. Her words weren’t profound, and she wasn’t speaking of anything that should draw his attention. It was just her.
And she was still something he couldn’t resist. He loved how she was fun and lively. How she was able to blend into this crazy situation without freaking out like he wanted to do. Cora had seemed to accept it all easily. She’d latched on to another girl who’d been visiting Twickenham for the ball and had accepted an invitation to go visit at her home.
Cyrus looked back down the table and saw Reese and Jem sitting together. Reese still had a bit of a look of panic in her eyes and Jem seemed to be keeping her calm. At least Jem was fortunate enough to have some time with her. Though this meal wasn’t nearly as fancy as the one they’d enjoyed before the ball on the day of their arrival, it still had more courses than he wanted to eat. Instead of being able to eat what he wanted and then excuse himself from the table to go do something interesting, he had to stay there and follow the conversations of everyone around him.
Aunt Nellie studied him for a moment. When he looked directly at her, she just smiled and turned her attention to the person next to her, asking a question and ignoring Cyrus completely. Her scrutiny almost seemed like she knew more than she let on. That everything that happened in her house was on her radar.
Kaitlyn seemed to ease into the conversation with little issues. Cyrus heard Jem whispering to Reese to calm down as she got more passionate and heated about something she thought was unjust here. Kaitlyn, whether she just didn’t care or didn’t hear Reese, kept up a lively conversation, making all the men in her hearing turn their attention to her.
He didn’t know how she did it. She had them all laughing off and on with the witty things she said, yet none of it was off or seemed unusual for the time. She didn’t talk politics, she didn’t talk about the queen or any of their previous rulers, and she didn’t talk about how things were in America, yet she kept them all enraptured with her lively conversation and her continuous questions of the men around her.
Finally the dessert had been consumed and the women left the table.
Cyrus wished he could be excused to follow the women when they departed, but when all the men stayed in the room after the ladies left, he knew he was trapped in there unless he wanted to be the uncouth American and leave as well. Since Jem stayed, he figured he’d need to remain as well.
He hoped he might have a few minutes to talk to Jem and find out how things were going with him. Instead, Jem got caught up in a conversation with one of the other men at the table. He seemed to be asking him questions about random things, but as Cyrus watched him, he could tell Jem was listening to the way the man spoke, internalizing it. As Cyrus focused on the conversation between the other two, he heard some men speaking at the head of the table.
“I do believe I might have an opportunity to discuss an arrangement with her uncle.” A man with an extra fancy, tied cravat spoke to a man in a blue coat next to him.
“When does she come of age?” the other man asked.
“She is currently nineteen. Old enough to marry, of course.”
Cyrus glanced at the two. Neither of them were his age, but seemed to be at least five or ten years older. At least they weren’t old enough to be the girl’s father. Whoever they were talking about, the thought of some poor girl being set up with one of them made him a little sick to his stomach.
“I wonder how many men here will be after these American heiresses Aunt Nellie has invited,” the man with the dark blue waist coat said. Cyrus had a moment of worry about Kaitlyn and Reese. At twenty-seven, Cora was considered too old by many of their standards and for a moment, he envied her. At least she would be able to just enjoy her time in the past without fighting off the stupid advances of these men who only wanted a woman for their money.
“I can already see one who’s interested.” The two of them looked over toward the table where some drinks were placed. Cyrus turned to see Jack standing by another man, having a private conversation. “And if her fortune is as large as Aunt Nellie hints it to be, he could hardly find anyone better to help him revitalize his title and lands.”
Cyrus knew Jack had eyes for Kaitlyn. Every time he thought about it, it irritated him. If he was only after her for her money, that was even worse. Kaitlyn needed to know.
For a brief moment, he was tempted to tell the men here that the girls didn’t have any money, and that Aunt Nellie had made it all up. He knew that would be a horrible thing to do. Aunt Nellie didn’t deserve to have him rat her out, and the girls were here to have fun. If they were considered poor and penniless, they wouldn’t be allowed to socialize with all these fancy folks.
Of course, the society of these high-ranking people of society wasn’t all that wonderful.
“What about you?” the guy in the blue jacket asked the other man. “If Miss Forrester’s uncle won’t give you permission to court her, would you consider one of these heiresses Aunt Nellie likes to invite?”
The guy shook his head. “No, they are all a little peculiar in my opinion. More sure of themselves, a little too demanding. I don’t think I’d want to deal with a bossy wife. I’d like my wife to be more docile.”
“I hear you on that, but sometimes, it seems like it might be a little fun to have a woman with a little fire on occasion. Only under the right circumstances. I wouldn’t want to have to constantly worry about her making a fool of me, no matter how much money she had. It seems like the Americans are a little more troublesome than their funds might warrant.”
The other guy nodded. “Yes, but remember Edwards? Didn’t he end up falling for one of the women a few years back who came to visit Aunt Nellie from the Americas? Whatever happened to him?”
“He’s doing extremely well, from what I understand.”
“Well, perhaps her large dowry was highly beneficial.”
The conversation mercifully changed to talk of politics and fashion. He happily tuned it out as he imagined what he might find the women doing. He had no idea if they were in there gossiping about the men, or if they were working on doing something like needlework, or if they were reading. He was sure none of them would have wanted to be in here listening to the men talk about them like mere property. Of course, he wouldn’t doubt some of the mothers were talking about how to get their daughters noticed by the men with lots of money.
Cyrus was relieved when they were finally allowed to join the women and happy to see that some card games had been set up. Some of the men decided to stay in the corners talking amongst themselves. He happily left them to join the ladies at the tables and participate in the game.
He hadn’t played most of them even when they’d been at Aunt Nellie’s house during their first visit, but he was happy enough to pick up the rules of the game. He lost more than he won, realizing that the women really liked being able to best a man on occasion. He felt pleased when he could allow a woman to feel happy, even if it was at a simple game.
Kaitlyn and Reese whispered a few things as they passed each other between some games, but neither of them sat at the same table throughout the evening. Reese had a cute new friend named Ellen who had latched onto her, and he could see that Reese was on a mission to help her. And while watching Jem, Cyrus wasn’t sure how beneficial that help might be. Or how well received in this day and age, though Ellen seemed smitten with Reese.
While Cyrus was busy watching Reese and Ellen talking with Jem, he missed the moment Sir Jack Hughes Von Maughanhoe had maneuvered his way to Kaitlyn’s table to play the game with her.
Once again, Cyrus felt more jealousy than he had any right to feel, but he didn’t like the guy taking all of Kaitlyn's attention. Jack was most likely only interested in the money Kaitlyn could provide.