Chapter Three
Kaitlyn stood in front of Twickenham Manor, looking up at the beautiful white building with the Gothic architecture. So different than a lot of the other buildings in the city, but it seemed to fit the place. Something felt magical as she stared at the building. All the excitement caught up to her, because as soon as she stepped across the threshold into the large entryway of the mansion house, her skin broke out in gooseflesh.
A small adrenaline rush spread throughout her body. She smiled. “Isn’t it amazing?”
Cora nodded. “You know, I wasn’t sure at first about coming, but I think this will actually be a lot of fun,” she said. “I’ve got a good feeling about this.”
“Me, too,” Kaitlyn said.
“Do you think we’ll be getting fitted right away or will that be tomorrow?” Reese asked, looking a little nervous.
Kaitlyn nodded. “I think tonight is mostly about getting the lay of the building, having dinner, getting our measurements taken, and reading up on some of the rules and the customs of the time. Tomorrow we’ll actually be trying on all the clothes.”
Just then, a cute little woman, probably somewhere in her early fifties, walked into the foyer. “Welcome to Twickenham. I’m Nellie Milton, but everyone calls me Aunt Nellie. You must be the group from America.” She looked over all the girls and nodded with a mysterious smile. “Oh yes, it’s you. I’m so glad to see you a… to see that you’ve arrived safely.” She moved closer to them and searched each girl’s face. “Cora, I’m delighted you’ve come. You’re going to have such a wonderful time.”
She turned to Reese and looked around the group as if searching for someone. “Reese, such a pleasure to see you. What a wonderful heart you have.”
Nellie turned to Kaitlyn, and she felt as if the woman was reading her soul. Nellie glanced at Cyrus and smiled a warm smile that took over her entire face, making her look younger than her gray hair indicated. “Kaitlyn, thank you for choosing Twickenham. I know you will all have such a wonderful time here. You’ll do things you never dreamed of and leave here changed forever. There is much to do to prepare you for your trip into the past.” Her eyes twinkled.
“What do we do first?” Kaitlyn asked.
“Most of the preparation was done when you sent in your questionnaires and photos. We’ve already gotten most of the clothes prepared for your stay. We’ll just need to take some final measurements and do a few quick fittings to see if we need to make any alterations. And make sure the fabrics and colors we’ve chosen will work with your complexions.” Nellie reached for a dainty silver bell on the wood table lining the wall.
Moments later, a few men and women entered the room and waited along the side of the room. Nellie nodded at them, looking at Kaitlyn and her friends. “If you’ll follow these dear friends of mine, they will show you to your rooms and help you get settled. Don’t hesitate to ask if you need anything. For this week, they will be your ladies’ maids or the men’s valets.”
The servants moved closer to Kaitlyn and her friends as if picking which visitor they would be working with. Nellie nodded and smiled. “Starting in the morning, they will come wake you and guide you through the ins and outs of the time period, teaching you the proper behavior and assisting you in preparing for the ball we’ll hold at the end of the week. By the time Saturday night arrives, you’ll feel like you’re living in the past.”
Her smile brightened again and her eyes sparkled with mirth. Kaitlyn bubbled with excitement. She looked at the others. Cora seemed interested in the prospect, but Reese looked a little hesitant. She hadn’t actually complained, but Kaitlyn knew Reese was quieter than normal.
As for Kaitlyn, she couldn’t wait to dive into it all. It was only for a week, and she would live each second to the fullest. The brochure indicated they would invite locals who were into reliving the past to the ball where they would dine, dance, play games, dance some more, and eat again. She turned to Cyrus and smiled. He returned her smile, but she doubted it was all for the prospect of becoming a gentleman. She wondered how he would look dressed in the clothes from the early 1800s.
Though he looked good in the clothes he wore, he was never one to really live up to the current style. It would be fun to see him in something other than the t-shirts and jeans he always wore.
***
Cyrus entered the room behind the man servant assigned to him and immediately felt awkward as the guy turned to him. “I am Harvey and I will be at your service during your stay. If there is anything you need, don’t hesitate to let me know. If you’ll forgive me for saying, I can tell this isn’t something you came for on your own accord, but more as a support for another.”
Cyrus chuckled. “Yeah, that’s true.”
“Is it the young lady with the light brown hair?”
“I’m good friends with the family. Her brother is coming soon, but he had to get his passport renewed. For now, I get to act as her chaperone, I guess you’d say.” Cyrus thought back to the movies he’d watched and was glad he lived in a time with more freedom. He couldn’t imagine being bound by all these crazy rules.
“Ah, you actually know a little of the time period.” Harvey moved over to the bed and picked up a thin book. “If you’ll read through this, I think it will prove helpful. Although you’ll have a week to prepare, it will be good to know as much as possible before the night of the ball. You will feel more at ease in the activities you’ll experience over the next few days.”
“What’s all on the agenda?” Cyrus asked as he flipped through the book, skimming sections on the rules and requirements of men at a dance. One phrase caught his eye. If you don’t intend to dance, you should not attend. Cyrus doubted he’d have any say in the matter.
“Aunt Nellie will go over the schedule with you once you’re all settled and join her for dinner. But you can expect a few outings, visits from neighboring estates, dinners, card games and the like,” Harvey said as he opened the ornate wardrobe and started to unpack Cyrus’s bag.
“I can do that,” Cyrus said.
“Not to worry, sir. It’s part of my duties, and most of it you won’t really need since all of your wardrobe will be supplied to match the time period.”
“Please tell me I can wear my own underwear and not any of your crazy stuff.”
Harvey chuckled. “I won’t ask what’s under as long as you look proper on the outside.”
Cyrus sat on the edge of the bed and flipped through the book. The different section headings made him shake his head. “What do women see in this stuff?”
“I don’t know, sir. I really don’t,” Harvey said. “I much prefer what today has to offer.” He brought over a pair of dark breeches and a long white shirt. “If you could get started with this, I’ll get the rest of the items ready.”
Cyrus turned to look at the clothes laying across the back of the chair and took a slow breath. He was doing this for Kaitlyn. He could play dress up for a week. And if it didn’t work, then he would know he gave it his best.
Cyrus stood in front of the mirror nearly thirty minutes later and assessed his reflection. The clothes fit well. He wondered how they had got the fit and cut just right. When he first put the breeches on, they seemed a little long, but after Harvey checked the hem Cyrus didn’t notice the length as much. The leather boots came to his knees and felt comfortable on his feet. The sensation around his calves was a little odd since he’d never worn pant legs inside a boot before.
“Are you ready, sir?” Harvey asked. “The ladies won’t be much longer, but it’s customary for the gentlemen to await the ladies in the room. Aunt Nellie feels it gives the women a chance to shine right from the beginning.”
Cyrus turned. “Lead the way.” He doubted the three girls would care all that much about him waiting for them, but he didn’t want to break the tradition. As soon as he walked into the gathering room, he was surprised to see five other men there.
He looked at Harvey, who whispered in his ear. “There are three groups this week. One is from America and the other is from France.”
Harvey made the introduction to the butler, who then cleared his throat to draw the attention of the others. “Introducing Cyrus Manning, from the territory of Ohio in the Americas.”
A few of the other men bowed, and then the stragglers followed suit. Cyrus wondered what he was supposed to do in response. He didn’t feel like bowing low, so tipped his head a little and bowed slightly forward. He hoped it wasn’t wrong. He glanced at Harvey, who gave a nod of approval and then stepped out of the room. Cyrus took a step forward, feeling stiff and awkward in his boots. The cravat at his neck itched a little. He wanted to pull at it, but saw how foolish the red-faced blond looked as he messed with his own neck cloth so Cyrus held himself stiff and formal, hoping it would keep it from bugging him anymore.
After a couple minutes of listening to two other men making small talk, Cyrus wasn’t sure if they were pretending to be in character. He took a short stroll around the room, looking at all the paintings lining the one wall.
Before he was required to really talk to any of the other men, the sound of the door opening made everyone turn. Aunt Nellie entered the room, followed closely by four other women. Two looked to be in their early twenties while the other two were older. One maybe late thirties, the other past fifty for sure. The odd ringlets framing their faces didn’t flatter their features, but they looked thrilled to be there.
More movement from the door pulled his attention back. Cora entered with her bright blonde curls tamed and looking rather cute in the style they’d done. Reese and Kaitlyn walked in together, their arms were threaded through each other’s and they had their heads close together as if telling secrets. Cyrus took advantage of her distraction to really take her in.
Kaitlyn looked stunning. The dress fit her well and she wore it like it was something she had always worn. No tugging at the neckline, no grabbing at the loose skirt that hinted at her curves under the empire waist. Reese looked a little self-conscious. She looked nice in her dress, but she didn’t wear it as confidently as Kaitlyn did. When Kaitlyn looked up, she stopped, making Reese pull up short and look at her. When his eyes met Kaitlyn’s, everything else in the room dropped out of his awareness.
***
Kaitlyn took a moment to realize that the handsome man studying her was actually Cyrus. He cleans up good. His hair had been brushed back and styled differently than his normal way, his stubble from the past few days had been shaved and he held himself up straight, making him seem taller than the six feet he was. And next to the other men the room, he was obviously the finest specimen. When they had the little dances and the ball at the end of the week, he would be one of the favorites for sure.
She hoped he would have a good time. It was kind of him to put her mother at ease, but she didn’t want to make him miserable. The last thing she needed was for him to torment her on her obsession with the time period. But having Cyrus here was helpful. Aunt Nellie would have fewer men to provide on her own since they’d brought one with them.
Aunt Nellie introduced the other guests to them ― Mr. and Mrs. Conner with a son and two daughters, and Mr. Jacobson, who was married to the niece of the Connors with their fourteen-year-old son. The whole family looked eager to be there. Well, most of them did.
As the introductions kept coming, Kaitlyn tried to commit them to memory. The French couple had a few children with them, and then there were two sisters, Miss Annette and Miss Eliza Price. There were twelve women and six men, making their dinner party a total of nineteen with Aunt Nellie as the hostess. The odd number made Kaitlyn wonder if Aunt Nellie would have one of her house-hold servants take the part of a guest. Did they need even numbers, and would they equally spread men and women?
With all of the introductions of the house guests complete, Nellie invited them all to join her in the dining room, where she could go over the week’s schedule. Kaitlyn couldn’t help feeling flattered when Cyrus moved to stand next to her to escort her into the dining room.
When they were all seated at the table with the little name cards indicating where they were to sit, Nellie smiled. “Tonight is a little less formal than most. We’re going to ease you into this tonight, but tomorrow, we will expect you to try your best for the proper etiquette at meal times, with the dancing and while interacting with members of the opposite sex. You should have all looked through the material we sent you when you first signed up for our week. You’ve each been provided with a small booklet highlighting some of the key things to remember for your stay.
“There will be many times we invite neighbors and visitors to join us. You’ll also see some of my own staff holding multiple positions throughout the week. Just go with the flow and you will enjoy yourself, guaranteed.
“We’ve got a back-story built up for all of you and the reason you’ve been invited to my home. When dinner is over, you’ll need to read over them and learn your history enough to converse easily with others you meet. The more you put into this, the more fun it will be for everyone. Are we all in accord?”
Everyone at the table indicated their agreement and Nellie clapped her hands together in joy. “Wonderful. Now one last thing. The bottom three floors are for your use, but the top floor is off limits.”
Without any more explanation, she looked at the head servant and gave a signal. The servants immediately sprang into motion, serving up the most elaborate meal Kaitlyn had ever seen. By the time the second course was served, Kaitlyn knew she would need to pace herself if she wanted to try all of the tasty options she saw listed on a little note card. She was lucky enough to sit next to Reese with Cyrus directly across from them. The conversations flowed easily and Kaitlyn realized that socializing was definitely an art form. Miss Annette Price, who sat to the right of Cyrus, chatted easily as if she had grown up in this environment.
“Where are you from?” Kaitlyn asked.
Annette smiled. “I grew up a couple hours north of here.”
“This world seems so familiar to you,” Cyrus said.
Annette glanced at Nellie at the head of the table and lowered her voice a little. “When I first left home, I wanted to do theatre, but it’s hard to break into it without some experience under my belt, so Aunt Nellie offered me a place here to fill in whenever she needed more variety. It also helps the guests to feel a little more at ease when they can see someone to model things after.”
Kaitlyn grinned. “Excellent. I think you and I will need to be best friends during this week.”
Annette returned the smile. “I do believe you are right, Miss Taylor. And I shall have all kinds of fun teaching you the art of the fan.”
“Art of the fan?” Cyrus asked.
Reese set down her fork. “Isn’t that where you show whether you are interested in a man or bothered by his presence? A way to tell them to come hither or get lost?”
“Exactly,” Annette said. “And I’ll show you all about it.”
“But how on earth is the guy supposed to know?” the young Mr. Conner asked. He looked about nineteen or twenty. Kaitlyn wasn’t sure if he was pleased to be there or if he was forced to because his parents were into it.
“There’s a little bit of body language involved. The look in her eyes, of course,” Annette said.
“If you would read the manual, you’d be able to see too,” Jessica Conner said. She was a little older than him and looked more into the whole immersion thing than her brother.
Cyrus looked at the younger guy. “I hear you, Matthew. Texting now is a much easier way to see what a girl thinks.”
Matthew shook his head. “Unless she only uses emojis.”
Aunt Nellie at the head of the table laughed. “See, young man. We aren’t all that different now than in the past. The key to surviving in a world full of people is to be observant and wise.” She surveyed everyone at the table as if studying them. Kaitlyn felt Nellie’s gaze rest on her for a moment before looking over at Cyrus and then continuing to scan the rest of the table.