Twist of Fate by Kathryn Kelly

Author:Kathryn Kelly [Kelly, Kathryn]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2016-04-20T05:00:00+00:00

"Miss Erika?"

Erika froze and gasped as surely as if someone had socked her in the stomach. She didn't have to turn around to know that Villars stood at the foot of the stairs.

"What are you doing back so early? Where is Mister Charles?"

Erika turned and slowly retraced her steps. She kept her eyes on her feet. Dropping her skirts, she sat down hard on the bottom step and laid her head on her knees.

Her face wet with tears, she finally looked up into the man's kind face.

"Villars," she choked out, and fought hard to swallow the lump in her throat. "What am I going to do?"

"Now, child, don't cry." Villars went over and instinctively patted her back. Then he seemed to remember his position and removed his hand, but his words continued to soothe.

"Master Charles will be home directly and he'll know what to do."

"Of course he will," Erika answered absently. She had lost her grandfather and now she had lost Charles. What cruel twist of fate had sent her to a different century, then taken everything away from her? What was the purpose?

Jonathan's absence hit her again, full force. She wanted to see his dear old face, hear that beloved voice she had known all her life.

Villars held out his flickering candle to her and she took it. Looking into the yellow flame, the only image that burned across her mind was that of Charles holding Anna in his arms. They were a couple, engaged, and she had intruded. What had she been thinking? Practically throwing herself at an engaged man?

"You get some sleep and I'll tell Mister Charles you're here."

"No," she said quickly. "Don't tell him I'm here. I must leave first thing in the morning. I'll be gone before he gets up."

"Yes ma'am," Villars said slowly.

"What's wrong with the clock?" she asked, wiping her nose with the back of her hand.

"It just needs winding. Here, let me show you."

Erika caught herself just before she told him she already knew how.

She held the candle and watched him wind the clock as she had done so many times before. The only difference being that its face had no scar across its face. It soon resumed its steady ticking.

"That's all there is to it," Villars said, closing the delicately etched glass door. "You go on up, now, and get some sleep."

Erika hesitated. "You won't tell Charles?"

"Don't worry, Miss. I won't say a word."

Erika went upstairs to her room and after tucking the bag of coins safely away beneath the blankets in the bureau, carefully unpinned the cameo. Thinking again of Jonathan, she wistfully laid it safely on the dresser before struggling with the multitude of buttons on the back of her dress.

There was a button hook on her dresser, but she had no idea how to use it. Unable to reach any other than the very highest and lowest buttons, she gave up and decided it wasn't worth the effort.

Exhausted and heartsick, she lay down and arranged the folds of the silk and white cotton slips around her.

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