Chapter Thirteen
“Can you believe we’ve been here a week, Jem?” Kaitlyn asked her brother as the two of them walked in the small flower garden to the side of one wing of Aunt Nellie’s spacious home.
“I know. It’s gone by so fast. I think I might be able to handle it another few weeks.”
“Are you having a good time?” She looked at her brother, studying him to see if he would admit to enjoying his time with Reese. She’d noticed they spent a lot of time together, so much that she wondered if he would do something about his feelings for her friend. If they kept up this same pace for the next three weeks, they’d be a serious couple before they ever returned home.
“Yes, though it feels so odd to not be doing the same kind of work I’d always done. I almost feel restless. Like I should be doing something more. They had a lot of time for fun and leisure here, but I don’t feel complete really.”
Kaitlyn nodded. “I hear ya. I’ve been busy all day, but so much of it is just talking to other women or being told I should have learned how to draw or stitch or play an instrument. I’m so unaccomplished. I’m not really worth anything in their eyes.”
Jem shook his head. “You know that’s not true. You’re so fun and loving and kind to everyone you meet. You have a whole lot more to offer the world than just being a womb, like Reese likes to say.”
“I love her,” Kaitlyn said. “She’s so blunt and straightforward. We’ve only had a few minutes every night to talk, but it seems like she’s not hating this world as much as she did when she first got here.”
Jem nodded. “She’s warming up to it just a little, but there is no way she’d ever want to stay here. She can’t wait to get back home.”
Kaitlyn chuckled. “I know. She was telling me how hard it is to get in her regular exercise. She tried to do it in her room but was too afraid of having all the servants come pester her. I doubt she’ll be able to last long if she can’t get some serious cardio in.”
Jem smiled. “Yeah, she really likes her exercise.”
Kaitlyn lifted her skirt just a little. “I feel like I get tons of exercise just walking around, carrying all this extra weight. And the daily rides help. But there really is too much sitting for my preference.”
“So you don’t think you’d ever choose to stay here, would you?”
Kaitlyn turned to her brother. His tone was too serious for her to take his question lightly. “Why do you ask that?”
“I don’t know. I’ve heard some of the fae servants mentioning a couple of travelers who didn’t go home. They fell in love with someone and stayed.”
“In a month?” Kaitlyn asked. “How could anyone ever fall in love that fast?”
Jem shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess it happens to some.” He looked at her again. “You’ve been spending an awful lot of time with Sir Hughes Von Maughanhoe. And he is titled. A baronet, even. For some women, that would be a huge enticement for them to stay.”
Kaitlyn sighed. “Jem, you should know me better than that. I’m having fun, and Jack is a perfect gentleman. He shows me all the proper respect required of a young woman in this time, but he has shown no interest in me personally. He’s this way with all the women he’s around.”
Jem tilted his head to the side.
“No really, Jem,” Kaitlyn continued. “And I have things to do at home. I just finished my vet tech program and I’m going to be working with Dr. Kameron with Dad’s horses. I have a life I don’t want to give up. This is just fun.”
Jem gave her a side hug, pulling her close and squeezed her shoulder. “Glad to hear it. Because I don’t think Mom and Dad would ever forgive me if I let you stay here in the past.”
Kaitlyn shuddered. “Can you imagine? Mom would come barging into Aunt Nellie's house, demanding she give me back. Nellie would probably cower in fear.”
“Do you think anyone can come and go to visit someone in the past?” Jem asked after they stopped chuckling at the idea of their mother taking on Nellie.
“I don’t know. Nellie is sure she can get us back. And we came here through the portrait in the first place. Maybe once we travel somewhere, we could come and go again if the magic reaches out and touches us again.”
The sound of crunching gravel caused the two of them to turn around. Kaitlyn saw Cyrus and smiled. “Hello, Cyrus.”
“Kaitlyn.”
“Now, now, Mr. Manning, I must insist you refer to my sister in the proper manner. Miss Taylor to you, otherwise I’ll think you have an interest in my sister and will have to have a talking to you to determine your intentions toward her.”
Kaitlyn snorted at Jem’s words, but Cyrus didn’t think it was funny. He gave Jem a look that Kaitlyn thought meant he wanted to strangle her brother.
“Whatever, Jem. There’s no danger of anything from Cyrus. He has no interest in me. Cut him some slack.” She turned away, knowing Cyrus was probably annoyed at having to keep acting like a chaperone. Maybe she should ask Aunt Nellie to find him someone else to spend time with so he wouldn’t have to tag along with her. She knew he thought the whole thing was a bunch of nonsense.
Ever since arriving in the past, things had seemed so much different than the fun and easy-going friendship they’d enjoyed at Nellie’s immersion week. She wished they could have gone back to that comfortable companionship. She missed being able to just hang out with him. Now he’d turned back into a protective older brother and she was reminded of how he’d never want more than that kind of relationship with her. Even with all the time they’d spent together, he had never moved past the cousin role. It would be best if she’d just push him out of her mind and stop pining for him. If she could find something to interest him, then maybe she’d be freer to just have fun and get over her stupid school girl crush.
“Jem, Cyrus,” Kaitlyn said, turning back to the two men. “I was wondering... Do you think we might be able to convince Aunt Nellie to let us go into London?”
The two looked at each other and she smiled at the surprise in their faces at her abrupt turn of thought. “Why?” Jem asked.
“I just think it would be fascinating to see the differences in things from when we saw it last. The plays and operas are all very fancy things. I’d love to see all that happens in London in this time. What do you say? Should we see about going there?”
She turned to Cyrus, who looked skeptical. “We could even let you check out all the buildings. Can you imagine being able to see them before they were restored or changed? Didn’t you tell me they were all a different color? You can see firsthand how different it really was.”
“Don’t try to turn this on me,” Cyrus said with a frown, but he ruined the serious delivery when a crooked smile broke the corner of his lips. “You just want to go so you can have a chance to slip into one of those massive dances at some big events to say you’ve actually been to the London Season.”
“Whatever,” Kaitlyn said. “From what I’ve heard, the Season is over.” Of course, the high and mighty in London always had something going on. The thought of being able to go to a huge ball with the actual Peers of England gave her the familiar flutter of anticipation.
Jem chuckled. “I’m not sure about going. I’ll have to see if Reese is up to something of such magnitude. You could definitely check with Aunt Nellie and see if it is an option. She might have to get you some special invitations to go to that kind of stuff, wouldn’t she?”
Kaitlyn nodded. “Possibly. I’ll ask her.”
***
Returning from their walk, they found things at Nellie’s home in a frenzy. Even outside standing on the grassy side lawn and looking toward the huge manor, Cyrus could tell something was different. All the servants bustled about, preparing for something. Small carriages as well as large ones were being loaded with baskets, chairs, and umbrellas. Cyrus turned to Kaitlyn because Jem had left to go find Reese. “What’s happening today?”
“The picnic.” Kaitlyn turned to look at him, and he knew she was probably annoyed that he wasn’t more observant.
“Oh, that’s right. Isn’t that why Cora came back?”
“Yes.” Kaitlyn turned to him. “I’m a little surprised she just up and left. Like she’s not afraid of anything. And after talking to her last night, she still plans to go back with May.”
“Kinda crazy how all the people here just go hang out at each other’s homes.”
“And they do it all the time. If you get bored of your place, you just go to someone else's.”
“Do they invite themselves?”
Kaitlyn chuckled. “Oh no, that would be totally rude, unless of course you were specifically invited by a close friend to drop in any time. Mostly the guys do it. The ones who went to school together and became close friends. But if you were a woman, you had to be invited by the lady of the house and have a chaperone and all kinds of stuff.”
Cyrus listened as Kaitlyn explained some of the nuances of the time. He was glad he didn’t have to deal with it in person. But since he wasn’t rich in any way, he’d never have to deal with it. Everyone they had seen at these events had wealth or titles. Some had titles but needed money, so that’s why they hung around all the rich young women looking for money.
His thoughts went immediately to Jack. Cyrus didn’t know if he was poor, but from what he’d overheard there was definitely a need to revitalize his estate. If the guy spent some time at home, working on improvements instead of wasting his time on looking for a rich wife, he could probably do something on his own instead of trying to win Kaitlyn over like some insurance policy.
As if thinking of the man sent out a bat signal, Sir Jack Hughes Von Maughanhoe turned the corner of the house and made a beeline for the two of them, where they stood watching the servants.
“Miss Taylor, Aunt Nellie was wondering where you’d gotten off to.” He looked at Cyrus as if accusing him of stealing Kaitlyn away.
Kaitlyn smiled and answered with ease, apparently not thinking the same thoughts that Cyrus had toward the man. “My brother Jem and I took a walk in the gardens, and then Cyrus joined us after a while. We’ve just been enjoying the bustle as everyone prepares for the picnic. They work like a well-oiled machine.”
Jack nodded. “Aunt Nellie has mastered the art of efficiency. It’s like she’s been doing this forever. She never misses a single detail.”
Kaitlyn smiled. “One could almost believe she possessed a little magic.” It was said quietly, but Cyrus heard it and smiled in return. Before she could return his smile, Jack offered his arm to Kaitlyn, effectively cutting him out of the picture.
“Miss Taylor, may I escort you back inside to Aunt Nellie? She asked if you could help her with something. I cannot shirk my duties to make sure she sees you are safe and well. Then perhaps you’d like a few minutes to prepare for the day. Take a little refreshment before the carriages are to leave.”
“I thank you, Sir Hughes.”
She placed her hand on his arm and walked with him, leaving Cyrus behind to wonder if he would ever be able to think quick enough to beat Jack. Yet Kaitlyn would think his efforts at being a gentleman were lacking since he was so unused to all of this. Not wanting to follow behind like a lost puppy, Cyrus turned once more to watch the preparations of the picnic, but he felt like he was standing there with his tail between his legs.