Chapter Seven
“Another two,” Nellie said, meeting Kaitlyn’s eyes. “How many were with you again? I believe Mr. Taylor said five. Am I correct? I wonder if you’ve all traveled to today.”
“What?” Kaitlyn asked, feeling dizzy and confused. She turned to Cyrus, who still held her hand. She looked for the others, only to find the room empty besides Nellie and Cyrus. Did she mean Jem when she said Mr. Taylor?
“Where are the others?” Kaitlyn asked. “Cora and Reese and Jem were right here just a moment ago.” She looked again, hoping to find them where she’d missed them before. Instead the empty room was lit from the sunny day out the huge windows. “Did you say Jem is here?”
Nellie nodded. “Yes, Mr. Taylor and Miss Hamilton arrived a few hours ago. Though I have not seen your other friend yet, rest assured that she will be fine. If she traveled with you on the same thread, she’ll arrive sometime soon. And if another thread plucked her up, I’ll meet her then and take care of her. We’ll get you all sent back through the portrait when the magic bubbles up again on the next full moon.”
Kaitlyn turned around to find the wall blank. As if it hadn’t been painted on yet. The unmistakable feeling of something powerful surrounded her.
“Where’s the painting?” Kaitlyn asked at the same time Cyrus asked, “What’s going on?”
“You were at a Regency event at my house, correct?”
Cyrus nodded. “You should know this. You are the hostess.”
Kaitlyn took a step forward and studied Nellie, a crazy thought entering her mind. “Are you a fairy godmother?” she asked, feeling breathless at the idea.
“Oh, please, Kate,” Cyrus said. “Be serious.”
“In a sense, yes. I’ll get more into the details later, but I need to get you grounded to today. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to experience the real Regency period. The year is 1850.”
Kaitlyn’s stomach fluttered as if she’d just swallowed a handful of pop rocks. She turned to look at the room, noticing all the differences in the color of the wallpaper and placements of the paintings and decorations. Even the clock that had been in the room seemed different. Kaitlyn was sure Nellie was telling the truth. The sunlight streaming through the window was proof enough that time had passed. So how hard was it to believe they had passed through time to end up where they were? Nellie was even dressed differently.
“I can’t believe I’m actually here.” Kaitlyn could barely contain her excitement at the idea.
“Now wait a minute,” Cyrus said, his voice taking on a hint of panic. “Something is going on here and I want to know what. Last thing I remember is feeling a little light headed and some crazy light glowing. Did you put something in our drinks? Where are the others?”
Nellie smiled patiently at Cyrus. “I know it is hard to believe, but you and your friends have been caught up in the magic that my home protects. The year is 1850, and Queen Victoria rules the British Empire.”
“Time travel is impossible,” Cyrus said, rubbing the spot between his eyes like he had a head ache.
“Time travel is possible because time is like a fuzzball. Everything is connected, touching everything else all at once.”
“But what about—”
Nellie held her hand up, cutting him off. “I cannot explain everything now. I have guests arriving soon for a house party. Hopefully you two remember your training in manners and etiquette. You’ll need those skills while you’re here. For now, we’re going to say you are from the Americas. Kaitlyn, you, just like Clarisse, will be American heiresses here to visit me. I’m well known for inviting people to stay with me, and no one will question your sudden arrival. After all, sometimes mail gets lost at sea.”
“What?” Jem asked.
Nellie continued without acknowledging him with more than a hand raised. “Your attire is a bit out of date. Luckily I have clothing for situations just like this.”
Kaitlyn looked back to the room off the side of the grand hall with all the portraits.
Nellie caught her looking and nodded. “I see I still have it there in your time?”
Kaitlyn nodded.
“Excellent. Go get fitted for the right kind of dresses immediately.” Nellie turned to one of the servants who had just entered the room. “Andrews, please get our new guests some of my special tonic. I think they’ll be in need of it soon.”
Another servant entered the room. “Begging your pardon, Aunt Nellie. Your attention is needed below.”
“Ah, thank you.” She turned to the two of them and smiled. “Now remember what you learned at my other home. Your training should suffice. Any oddness can be blamed on your being from America. Don’t forget to refer to each other with your last names. Miss Kaitlyn Taylor, Mr. Cyrus Manning, and when you meet up with them, it will be Mr. Jamison Taylor and Miss Clarisse Hamilton. I would advise you even try to stick with it in private so you don’t make a mistake.” She studied them for a moment. “I believe it will be best if we have Mr. Manning be cousins to the Taylors. And Miss Hamilton will be another cousin.”
She paused a moment. “Did I tell you what your fortunes were?”
Kaitlyn shrugged. “Well, you did when we first arrived last Monday back in my time.”
Nellie smiled and rubbed her hands together with enthusiasm. “Wonderful. Let Agnes here know if you need anything. She will take care of you until I have a chance to meet with you again myself.”
And with that, the little fairy woman glided away and out of the room.
***
Cyrus shook his head. “How is any of this possible?” he asked, pulling Kaitlyn to the side. “Do you really think we’re more than a hundred and sixty years in the past?”
“How else do you explain all the differences?” she asked.
“What if we’ve been drugged? Maybe Nellie’s snapped and decided to do this to us just to fulfill some sick scheme.”
Kaitlyn rolled her eyes, giving him a long-suffering sigh. “Think about it, Cyrus.” She pointed at the windows again. “It’s the middle of the day now. And it was midnight just minutes ago. Do you feel sick? Any weird hallucinations?”
He shook his head. “No, but I do remember feeling really off right before the light changed. Kinda sick to my stomach. Maybe there was something in the drinks I had right before we left the ballroom.”
“Okay, but who else had that same drink?” Kaitlyn asked. “I didn’t have the same punch as you, so why am I in this dream of yours?”
He would never admit to having her visit his dreams before, but she was right. They were nothing like this.
“Besides, would dream me do this?” She reached out and pinched his arm. “And if I did, would it hurt like this?”
“Ouch.” Cyrus pulled his arm back. “Okay, so maybe it isn’t a dream or hallucination, but how is it possible?”
Kaitlyn shrugged. “I don’t know for sure, but Nellie said she’d explain it later. She’s got to have some kind of magic in her. And you heard what she said about time being like a fuzzball. I’m sure I’ve heard of a theory like that before.”
Cyrus shook his head as they left the room, following Agnes.
While a small army of servants joined them and searched through the clothes for the right time period, Cyrus looked at Kaitlyn. “What are we going to do? How do we get back home? How do we avoid catching anything here that they can’t cure?”
Kaitlyn shrugged. “This is how I see it. Aunt Nellie doesn’t seem mean or dangerous. She seems like she’s genuinely thrilled we’re here. And don’t you remember when we first arrived? She kinda acted like she already knew us. And all the servants in the house. I’ve noticed a few things that didn’t seem possible, and I just pushed the idea aside as silly, but the more I think about it, the more I’m sure they’ve been using something like faerie magic.”
“Come on,” Cyrus said. “Do you truly believe they are faeries?”
Before Kaitlyn could open her mouth, the servant Nellie had sent for their tonic entered the room. “Of course we’re fairies,” he said, motioning with his hand and levitating the little crystal goblets. He moved them on a string of air to each of them.
Kaitlyn grinned. “See?” She reached for the cup.
“This will help you calm down and give you a little energy boost for the long day ahead of you. If your experience is like many others we’ve had, you probably came to us after a full day.” When Cyrus nodded in shocked surprise, the servant smiled. “Please, drink. It will help.”
Kaitlyn brought it to her nose, smelling it first, then taking a small sip.
“Wait,” Cyrus said. “What if it’s poison or drugged?”
Kaitlyn tipped the cup back and swallowed the rest of it in one gulp. “Then I won’t have to worry about you bringing me down.” She handed the cup to the servant, who reached for it and turned away to move closer to the closets full of clothes. Cyrus felt the cut deep. He knew he had been a little harsh with her, but who could blame him for not believing this?
Cyrus studied the iridescent liquid and, hoping he wouldn’t regret it, he took a swallow. He immediately felt better.