Chapter 20

CHAPTER 20

The days passed quickly. Each day Anna and Charlotte explored the tattered remains of Blackmoor Castle, a large key ring in hand. Emory handed over the keys and said he was going to stay with his sister in the village. He couldn’t stand all the racket and chaos after being alone at the castle for so long.

John and Henry, along with the rest of the men, were busy making repairs. John grumbled it would be a waste, since he’d die soon enough. Anna caught him looking over the work a few times, a smile on his face.

He was afraid. That was why he acted like they shouldn’t bother with repairs. He didn’t want to lose his home twice. So she didn’t say too much about the work or the future as they waited for John’s oldest brother, Edward, to send his mason and more men. They would need to accomplish a great deal of work in order for the place to be habitable by winter.

Winter. It was the first time she’d actually thought about a future here. Now was not the time, not when there was the tiniest sliver of hope she might be able to get back to her dad and her own time. She felt the passage of time. Soon she would have to insist it was time for her to leave.

“Hey, look what I found.” Charlotte wiped a smudge of dirt off her cheek as she poked her head out of a door at the end of the corridor.

Anna pointed. “You have cobwebs in your hair.”

Charlotte shrieked and brushed it away. She peered at Anna. “I’m afraid you have one on your shoulder and on your back. Turn around.”

At least Anna didn’t shriek, though she might have jumped. Just a little. She turned so Charlotte could wipe the cobweb and who knows what else off her dress.

“Thank you again for the dress. It’s nice to have two so I can rotate them.”

“Don’t mention it. I’m having a seamstress come next week. You need more to wear. If I left it to John, you’d still be walking around in your grubby jeans. Men. Clueless.”

“One of the women threw my jeans and t-shirt in the fire. I know they were absolutely disgusting…do you think it will harm my chances to go back?”

Charlotte chewed her bottom lip. “My sisters and I talked a lot about how we traveled through time. We don’t think you have to be wearing what you arrived in.” She patted her arm. “It’s for the best. Lucy was almost burned as a witch. Jeans are bad.”

“Don’t you miss wearing jeans?”

“All the time. And shorts and flip-flops. You?”

“I do, though it certainly is easy wearing a dress like this.” Anna looked down at the long dress with a simple apron over it. “I didn’t think pockets had been invented yet.”

Charlotte winked. “My sisters and I put them in all of our dresses. I don’t know how anyone survives without pockets.”

They looked over the room they’d unlocked. It was crammed floor to ceiling with furniture and bedding and other assorted bits and pieces. Guess Robert and Henry didn’t take everything with them. Talk about a daunting task. Anna was glad Charlotte was here to help her.

“All righty then, let’s start by pulling everything out into the hallway so we can see what we’ve got.” Charlotte dusted her hands off and slid what looked like a piece of a bed out of the room. “Can you imagine trying to move all this stuff if the floors were carpeted?”

“No way. I love hardwood and tile floors. You can move most furniture by yourself.” Anna held up what must’ve been bedding at some point but looked as if the rats and mice had had a field day over the years. “I’m thinking rag pile for these.”

“Ugh. Absolutely. Don’t worry; Henry and I brought plenty of bedding, pillows, and other odds and ends.”

“It’s so nice to have someone to talk to…you know, from our own time.” Anna was prevented from saying more as a small girl and boy skidded to a stop in front of them.

“My lord says we’re to come and help you, lady.”

“Fetch buckets with water and soap. Then wipe down all the furniture.” Charlotte barked out orders, and Anna was impressed. She looked like such a sweet thing, but she probably could command her husband’s guards with a single glare. Anna felt a tiny twinge of jealousy. What she wouldn’t give to have that confidence and boldness.

As if Charlotte knew what she was thinking, she nudged Anna with an elbow. “They need a firm hand and expect to be ordered about. Try it.” She grinned. “Once you get used to it, you’ll find the power quite heady stuff.”

“I believe you. I’ve seen the crew you put to work scouring the hall and kitchen.”

“Don’t worry, Anna. We’ll have this place gleaming in no time.” Charlotte looked up at the roof. “That’s assuming there aren’t any other holes in the roof and it doesn’t rain and ruin all our hard work. ”

The day flew by as they talked of their old lives. What they missed, the things they had been glad to leave behind.

“…at first I couldn’t live without my phone and checking in on social media. Even when I traveled I was always plugged in. Totally addicted. But now, I like the fact I live my life and everyone doesn’t have to know what I’m doing every moment of the day. And I don’t need to know what they’re doing every moment either.”

Charlotte sat on a chair they’d pulled from the room and wiped her brow. She’d sent the kids down for clean water.

“There are people at Falconburg who have been there their entire lives. It certainly changes your perspective, doesn’t it?”

“You’re not kidding. I’m glad I have a good sense of direction. Imagine being here without the maps app on your phone.”

Charlotte burst out laughing. “We Merriweather sisters are known for one thing above all others…we’re all dreadful with directions.”

They both laughed. Anna peeked up at her new friend.

“Is this what it would be like to have a sister?”

Charlotte hugged her. “Absolutely. I want you to know, you are officially an honorary Merriweather. And the Merriweather sisters stick together. No matter what.”

Charlotte sat back and took a sip of wine. When their stomachs started to growl, she’d sent one of the girls down to bring up food and drink.

“Now you have three sisters, Anna.” She wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. “Look what you’ve done; you’ve made me cry.”

Anna half laughed, half sobbed as she too wiped her eyes. “When I go back to my own time, I’ll never forget you.”

Charlotte patted her arm. “Oh, sweetie. I hope you can get back. Though a part of me wishes you would stay. I think you’re good for John, and I can see how much you care for each other.”

“I do. A great deal.”

“Has the work reduced both of you to weeping?” John stood there, hands on his hips .

Anna winced. Please don’t let him have heard what she said.

“No. We were just talking about our families,” Anna said as she and Charlotte shared a look. Her heart skipped a beat. It was a look she had seen many times over the years, but never one she’d shared with anyone. It was a look between family that said, I’m here, sis. I’ve got your back, no matter what.