Changed by Time

by Zoe Matthews

  Barbara shook her head. She was relieved at the thought of not spending another night like last night, but she didn’t want to impose on Keegan. “Wait, you two. I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself. I don’t think I need to move in here.”

  “Of course you can take care of yourself, Mom. But George Manning could be very dangerous. You should really be around someone all of the time. You never know when he might snap and actually try to hurt you,” Megan persuaded. The lines of worry started creeping back around her eyes.

  Barbara realized if she wanted Megan to be able to enjoy her engagement and her wedding, she would need to do as she asked.

  “Okay, you’re right. It’s better to be safe than sorry, right?” Barbara tried to make light of the sentence, but it sounded much more foreboding out loud.

  Megan leaned over and hugged her mother. “We will go to the police first chance we get, but until then, we need to make sure you have a safe place to stay.”

  Barbara just nodded. She could barely admit to herself how much better she felt knowing she would be safe tonight. Maybe if George knew that she was no longer living at her condo, he’d get discouraged and leave her alone.

  Just then her phone rang. Mary Anne was on the other end.

  “I was wondering if you were serious about offering me a job,” Mary Anne said after greetings were exchanged.

  “Of course,” Barbara said. “I do need to warn you though that I really would like you to work full-time, at least until after my daughter’s wedding.”

  “That would work great for me, actually,” Mary Anne admitted. “I just received word from my employer that they are downsizing. My position was one of the first to go.”

  “I’m sorry about that,” Barbara told her. “Why don’t you come and meet with me tomorrow morning? I can show you around and explain what you would be expected to do.”

  Mary Anne agreed and promised to come by the shop at ten o’clock. After she hung up, Barbara quickly explained her plans to Megan who had been listening curiously to the conversation.

  “I think that’s a good idea, Mom,” Megan told her, almost with a sigh of relief. “I have to admit that Keegan and I have been a bit worried about being gone so long on our honeymoon. We don’t like the idea of leaving you alone to run the shop.”

  “Well, this should work nicely then,” Barbara said. “I know I just met Mary Anne, but she seems to be a sharp woman.”

  Keegan stood. “I need to go and switch on some water for the garden. Shall we plan on heading over to your condo right after closing for some of your belongings?”

  Barbara agreed and soon she was busy helping another customer. She was grateful that she had met Mary Anne and hoped she would be a big help with the shop.

  Chapter 6

  Barbara did hire Mary Anne, after giving her a tour of the shop and allowing Megan and Keegan to meet her. The woman seemed like she would be a nice fit and Barbara was glad that that was one thing she didn’t need to worry about anymore. Mary Anne left the interview, with the promise to start the next day.

  Right after lunch, Barbara took a break with the idea that she would go to the police with the pictures. But as she left the house, she decided she would spend a few minutes in the gazebo in the backyard of Keegan’s house. She loved this part of the garden and she liked the idea that Megan’s wedding ceremony was going to be held in the gazebo. She was very relieved that Megan and Keegan had insisted she move into the large Victorian home. She felt perfectly at home there, something she hadn’t ever felt in her life. She had slept better last night; the comfort of the house had helped calm her.

  Megan and Keegan had gone with her to pack a suitcase the night before, along with some of her other belongings, just enough to get her by at Keegan’s house for a few days. She hadn’t had any time to go to the police to file her report the day before. She sat down on a bench Keegan had just painted a few days before under the gazebo. She smoothed her flowered skirt as she settled on the bench, her large bag was sitting at her side with the envelope of photos and notes in it. She’d planned to go to the police first thing that morning, but the gazebo had seemed to call to her, and she decided to take some time to regroup before taking care of that unwanted chore.

  She smoothed her full skirt again, wondering if she should go to her condo to change into a comfortable pair of jeans before heading to the police. When she packed the night before, Megan had taken charge of her clothing and only included this skirt and a pair of pants that had grown too tight. She’d never felt comfortable in dresses and only wore them when she absolutely had to.

  She took a deep breath and clutched the locket around her neck. She hadn’t taken it off since she’d first put it on. She couldn’t figure out why it gave her so much comfort. She felt so much familiarity with the couple. She wondered if they were somehow her ancestors--even though she couldn’t figure out how they could be, but she couldn’t think of any other reason for the connection between her and them.

  She sighed as the sun rose higher in the sky and she knew she needed to leave soon. She would need to open the shop in a few hours and needed to get back in time to start the opening chores. For the first time, she longed to get away from her shop and responsibilities. She had always thrived on her own accomplishments and rarely wished she had more time off. Today, however, she couldn’t think of anything she would rather do than sit in the sun all day.

  Still holding the locket tightly in her hands, she closed her eyes, and imagined what it would be like. She would get a good book and stay in the gazebo for hours. Maybe she would have company-- a man? The image of the man in the locket jumped to her mind, and she tried to imagine how a man like him would act.

  He would be a gentleman, always caring for those around him. She could tell by the smile in the picture that he had a sense of humor. He would tease her lightly while they took a walk in the garden. He would take her hand and promise to always protect her, no matter what. He wouldn’t care about her past and he would accept Megan as his own.

  She chuckled out loud, realizing she was caught up in the image of what he would be like, falling for a man who had obviously lived some time in the 1800s. Suddenly, she started to feel dizzy and clutched her bag close to her side, allowing the swirling to pass.

  Time to start my day, she thought ruefully, letting the locket fall against her chest. She opened her eyes and looked around. Her heart started to pound loudly in her ears. She didn’t recognize anything around her. She was no longer in the gazebo but what looked like a small shed. A long wooden shelf full of garden tools lined one of the walls. In a corner of the shed sat a stack of what looked like burlap sacks. The wooden floor of the shed was covered with dirt. There were no windows in the shed, but light showed through the large gaps between the logs that made up the walls. The dizziness she had experienced had caused her to fall. Noticing the dirty floor she was sitting on, she jumped to her feet, keeping her bag clutched to her side. The ceiling was so low, her head almost touched the top.

  Where was she?

  And how did she get here?

  ****

  Daniel left his house, trying not to slam the kitchen door behind him, but it still made a loud bang. He ignored it, and strode toward the garden, the one place he knew would help bring him some peace.

  He knew he shouldn’t be angry; the doctors were trying their best. He still couldn’t help the frustrated desperation that seeped into him as he remembered his younger sister -- his beautiful, loving, selfless sister -- looking so weak as she lay in bed.

  He had contacted about half a dozen doctors, some from different cities, trying to get different opinions on what they could do to help Laura get better so she could live a normal life. All of them told him the same thing. Some people were weaker than others. His sister was one of those who just couldn’t handle as much. There was nothing they could do but try to make her comfortable and hope and pray the sickness would pass.

  He couldn’t stand to think
of his sister so sick. She had once been so vibrant, so eager to experience whatever she could. It had only been last year that she started getting weaker. She would get sick with a cold. Sometimes the cold would run its course and she’d be fine within a few days. Other times, she could get a high fever and have a difficult time breathing, along with intense dizzy spells. She would sleep much longer than normal, sometimes for days. When Laura first started with these “sick spells,” as she called them, she’d start feeling better within a few weeks, and then she’d be fine for a month or two, although she would still tire easily. But lately, it seemed it took her longer and longer to recover from them.

  He knew this wasn’t just his sister not being able to handle life like others. She was sick. Yet, no one was able to diagnose what was wrong with her.

  As the newest doctor he had found -- and practically bribed to come from London to examine Laura -- tried to explain away his sister’s symptoms, he had gotten so angry he had stormed out of the house. Did he need to take another trip to London? Surely there was someone who knew how to help her.

  His younger brother, Edward, was still in Laura’s room, so he hadn’t felt too guilty about leaving her. Laura was actually doing quite a bit better that day, but the doctor had nothing to do with it. It seemed that her sickness went in cycles, and she was tired of lying in bed. She insisted she was feeling better and was making plans to get a good night’s rest so she could perform her usual duties the next day, but Daniel was hoping to keep her in bed at least one more day.

  Daniel was an earl who came from a wealthy family. Because he was the eldest, he had inherited all of that wealth as well. He scoffed. What good was the money if it wouldn’t help heal his sister? How could he keep living a life of luxury if Laura was gone?

  His breathing evened out as he wandered the gardens. The sun was starting to set and the trees were casting long shadows around the garden. His thoughts turned back to his sister. Even as his heart broke, he knew the best thing he could do for Laura was to care for her the best that he could. She had such a gentle spirit that any anger affected her much more than it affected anyone else, and he regretted leaving the house so upset. He needed to be better at providing a peaceful atmosphere for her to rest in.

  He jumped as he heard a thump. He looked around, trying to figure out where the noise had come from. He heard another, quieter thump, and realized it was coming from an old shed at the back of the garden.

  That’s strange, he thought. No one has used that shed for ages.

  He walked over to the shed and tried to open the wooden door, but it was stuck. The door was obviously warped from the weather. It took him a few seconds, but he finally pried the door open. He peered in, wondering if an animal had somehow gotten stuck in there.

  What he saw definitely wasn’t an animal. A woman stood there with shoulder-length hair that was dark and silky. Her equally dark eyes, although frightened, seemed to pierce right through him. He stared in shock, and only then did he realize she was wearing the strangest clothing he had ever seen. She had on what looked like a man’s shirt with a skirt that had flowers all over it. He had never seen colors like she had on her skirt. But then, he would be the first to admit he wasn’t up-to-date on women’s fashion.

  “I…I’m sorry. I’m not sure how I got here,” the woman stammered, clearly frightened.

  He instantly picked up that she had an American accent. He knew he should be wondering if she was trying to cause trouble on his property, but something inside him made him want to comfort her, to erase the fear in her eyes and replace it with laughter.

  “That’s quite all right. Why don’t you step outside, and we can try to figure this out?”

  She obliged, and he was even more taken with her once the sun shone on her and he noticed red tints in her dark hair that had been cut to just below her shoulders. He found it odd that she didn’t have a bonnet or hat to cover her hair.

  “What household are you living in? Or are you just visiting? Are you lost? I know most of the people who live around here.”

  She seemed dumbfounded as she looked around at her surroundings. “Where am I?” The words were quiet, and he was certain she didn’t know he had heard her. She looked over at him, the fear in her eyes stronger than ever. “I’m sorry, I can’t seem to remember how I got here.”

  She couldn't remember where she lived? He considered that with a slight frown. Was she telling the truth? Or was she in danger and hiding from someone?

  “I see,” he finally said, although he didn’t see. “Why don’t you come inside my home? I am sure we can figure this out.”

  She didn’t say anything and only nodded. He led her through the garden, feeling her presence more than hearing her, as she followed behind him. Despite the fear in her eyes, he could tell she was intelligent. She must be on the staff of a neighboring estate. So, who was she hiding from?

  He led her to the front door of his home and stepped back to allow her to enter. He noticed that she seemed utterly shocked by everything around her. She looked in awe at the foyer and the sculptures they displayed. There were a few tables with beautiful bouquet of flowers from the gardens on top of them. The floor had just been cleaned with polished that morning. There were a few Oriental rugs covered the floor.

  He didn’t say anything as he led her through to their parlor. The room was filled with expensive furnishings, but he’d always felt this room was a bit too stuffy. He didn’t think he would ever change things, though, because his mother had decorated it just before she died. Even still, he knew the parlor was the proper place to bring a woman to sit and wait until someone else could be in the same room with them as a chaperone. His butler, Henry, approached them.

  “Henry. Please, will you go fetch Laura?” Daniel asked him. If Laura was serious about not wanting to rest all day, she might as well come to the parlor and meet their surprise visitor. He knew the doctor had already left since his carriage was no longer in front of their home.

  “Of course, sir.” Henry inclined his head and left the parlor to do his bidding.

  He turned to the woman to offer her a seat, and she looked at him with a mixture of shock and discomfort. It was only then that he realized he hadn’t even introduced himself to her. Embarrassment flushed through him. She must think him very rude for such behavior.

  “I thoroughly apologize, but I believe we haven’t been properly introduced. I am Daniel Gouldsmith. I live in this home with my younger brother Edward, his wife Isabella, and my sister, Laura. Edward and Isabella also have two children, although the house is big enough that they won’t be a bother to you.”

  The woman looked confused. “Children are never a bother to me.”

  She sat down quietly on a sofa. He watched her for a moment as she rubbed her hand gently on the smooth fabric. He waited for her to introduce herself, but she said nothing, still acting as though she was in shock. He wondered if she really didn’t know where she was from. What if she had injured herself and now had amnesia?

  “I’m sorry, I don’t seem to know your name,” he hinted, hoping she would at least remember that much.

  “Oh, my name is Barbara,” she said, while making eye contact with him. It was as though the two of them were frozen together for a moment. She brushed her hair from her face in a shy move that only endeared her to him more. “Barbara Conway,” she added.

  Daniel wanted to ask her how she could remember her name, but not how she came to be in the old garden shed, but decided he could quiz her later. Right now it was more important that she feel comfortable in his home. He also noticed she hadn’t indicated whether she was a Mrs. or Miss. He could tell that she was probably a few years younger than his 45 years, so most likely she either was married or had been married and was a widow.

  Laura entered the room at that moment and looked between the two of them, not missing a beat at Barbara’s strange clothing. He briefly noticed that Laura was no longer in her nightgown. He had to admit that she looked like
she was feeling much better.

  Daniel sighed with relief. “Laura. Thank you for coming so quickly. This is Barbara Conway. I found her in the gardens and fear she has amnesia. She…can’t seem to remember where she has come from, or how she got here. I feel that due to the lateness of the hour, it would be best if we helped her get settled into a room for the night. We can revisit this situation in the morning to see what can be done to help her find her way home.”

  “Oh, of course,” Laura said with a sweet smile.

  Daniel watched as Laura looked curiously at Barbara’s clothing. He was almost embarrassed for the woman because she was wearing a man’s shirt. His sister’s gaze lingered on the flowered skirt. He waited to see if Laura would comment on the woman’s attire, but she just kept smiling in welcome. He knew Laura would be the right choice to help Barbara. She had such a naturally giving personality. It was hard for people to feel uncomfortable around her. As he had predicted, he could see Barbara relax as Laura took her arm and started to lead her out of the parlor and towards the stairs. They both moved slowly, so Daniel could hear their conversation.