Charlotte stood next to Jennifer and Elizabeth. “I love the snow. You know I’m going to want a winter scene for Ravenskirk.” She turned to Ashley. “Make sure you shamelessly flatter both of them. They’re incredibly talented, and we all have paintings they’ve done. Soon you will too.”
Ashley looked like she was about to cry, so Charlotte changed the subject. As she looked at her sisters, and the women who had become sisters through marriage, her heart overflowed with love. Ashley would be part of the family, she knew it.
“I just know Aunt Pittypat would’ve loved traveling back in time. She was always up for new adventures.”
“Couldn’t you see her on the battlements under the full moon? Wherever she is in the afterlife, I know she’s having the time of her life.” Melinda blew her nose.
“We’re sorry for being depressing, but today would have been Aunt Pittypat’s birthday and she’s on our minds. We wanted to remember her.” Lucy let the tears flow.
Anna hugged Lucy. “Tell us more about her.”
As Lucy told more stories, Charlotte touched her neck again. Though her aunt had never been one for material possessions, for some reason the necklace was really important to her. She remembered when her aunt went to Italy, attending mass at Easter in St. Peter’s Square. The Pope gave his blessing, and it was said the objects that were there were also blessed. Charlotte and both of her sisters had always believed the necklace brought good fortune until it was lost.
As they ate, they shared more stories about Aunt Pittypat. The ache unbearable, Charlotte knew she had waited long enough. “I’m going to feed the baby and then I’ll be back.”
“I can’t believeI’m sitting here talking to other time travelers. It makes me feel like we’re all in a movie. Everything that’s happened has been so surreal. I know you’ve probably talked about it a million times, but would each of you tell me how you ended up here and how long it took all of you to feel like this was home?” Ashley crossed her fingers as they answered, hoping she’d hear something that might help her with Christian.
Melinda groaned. “Better get comfortable, sugar. We’re going to be here the rest of the day.”
“And night,” Jennifer added. “Wait.” She jumped up. “Don’t start yet. I’m going to get my sketchpad and capture all of us together. It will take a while, but I’ll do a watercolor for each of us. To always remember this time.”
Elizabeth joined her. “I’ll help.”
Anna finished her story, and then it was the Merriweather sisters’ turn. Ashley liked their maiden name. It fit them. As they talked and laughed, her throat closed. So this was what it was like to have sisters.
The next night after dinner,they were back in the solar. A fire crackled cozily in the hearth, which, of course, was big enough for all of them to stand next to each other. There were tapestries on the walls and the floors were done in beautiful tiles. When she’d asked, she’d been told they had come from Italy. Christian wanted them after seeing them at the other castles. They would’ve cost a fortune in New York.
Thinking of him made her feel sick. Ashley had tried to tell Christian but only ended up making things worse as he stomped out to the lists. She was thinking of enlisting the women’s help when Lucy gasped.
“I almost forgot, which is crazy, because this is way important. Since I’ve been here in the past, I’ve asked everyone. And no one, not a single soul, knew anything about a curse.”
Anna looked up from the yarn she was sorting for Lucy. “Do you think you made it up to help your future self?”
“Wouldn’t I remember if it had already happened?” Lucy looked at all of them as they debated how time travel and time worked.
Melinda held up her hands. “You guys are making my head hurt. We keep going in a circle.”
Anna dropped the ball of yarn she’d been holding for Lucy. “That’s it. Time isn’t linear. It’s layered, like circles stacked on top of each other. When we fall through time it becomes our new present, even if we are in the past. So we wouldn’t remember, because it’s happening now.”
Charlotte looked thoughtful as she tapped a finger to her lip. “You know, it makes sense. And it’s the best explanation I’ve heard so far.”
“Then you have to make sure the curse is strong enough that it will be repeated as the years pass.” Ashley couldn’t imagine believing in a curse, but then again, she had traveled through time, so who knew what else might be real?
Jennifer looked up from the easel, a smudge of charcoal on her hand. “Tell us the curse.”
They all got comfortable in the chairs, blankets on their laps as Lucy settled back in a chair next to the fire, tucking her feet under her dress. As she did, Ashley caught sight of brightly colored crocheted socks.
“Simon Grey was Lord Blackford, the castle was practically a ruin, and his family had owned it since the 1300s.”
“Homicidal jerk,” Melinda added.
Lucy grinned at her. “Well, that’s true, but if he hadn’t been such a whack job, I might not be here. Might not have met William.” They sat there for a moment thinking about whatmight or might not have happened if they hadn’t all fallen through time.
“The curse said when the last of the Grey line betrays the last of the Brandon line by foul deeds for the second time, the curse shall be lifted, and the castle owned no more by the Grey family. William is William Brandon, Lord Blackford, and I thought Simon was crazy for thinking I was a Brandon.”
“I’ve got chills,” Anna said. “So what was the second time?”
Charlotte’s girl brought tea, and when she left, Lucy continued.
