Page 31 of Last Knight (Knights Through Time #7)

The proposal changed everything. Now she was the one with the unforgivable secret.

Over the next few days they avoided each other.

Christian spent time with his brothers, while Ashley spent the days with Melinda and the rest of the women.

She knew she had to tell him, especially after their blow-up.

He deserved to know why she could not marry him.

They had taken over the ladies’ solar thanks to Ashley.

Charlotte was so happy they were all together, and would be for Christmas, hopefully with a new sister-in-law.

Ashley was chewing on something. It had to be big.

As much as Charlotte wanted to pry, she was trying to wait, see if Ashley and Christian would make up.

But if they didn’t soon, well, they’d all get involved. Shotgun wedding, anyone?

“You know, I don’t know what made me think of it, but do you remember that terrible row between Aunt Mildred and Aunt Pittypat? ”

Lucy looked up from her crochet, her silver hair pulled into a bun. Looked like she was making Ashley a scarf.

“I remember. We’d been there, what, about a month or so? You were hiding up in the tree, listening to them argue on the porch. I could see you from my bedroom window.”

Charlotte knew Lucy would remember.

“She said something about a mystery man who washed up on the beach…but do you remember what else she said?” After pausing for dramatic effect and making sure her sisters were itching for her to tell, Charlotte dropped the tidbit in their laps.

“Aunt Mildred said the man was dressed strangely.”

Melinda hopped up. “No way. Do you think it’s possible?”

“Wait, what are you talking about?” Anna, tired from dealing with her son, who wouldn’t sleep through the night, tucked her brown hair behind her ear and sat down next to Lucy.

“Tell us the story.”

“Yes, do.” Elizabeth and Jennifer shut the door behind them and proceeded to set up their easels.

Charlotte looked to her sisters. Lucy nodded.

“Our parents died in a sailing accident when we were little. I was eight at the time. Aunt Pittypat was kind of a hippie, and she took us in. Her sister, our Aunt Mildred, was always cranky and going on about how tired she was.”

“Aunt Pittypat died of a heart attack the same day Lucy went missing,” Melinda said.

“I’m so sorry,” Anna said, and the others offered condolences too.

“Before she passed, did she ever tell you the identity of the mystery man? An old boyfriend?” Elizabeth handed Jennifer a small jar, and the two of them faced the windows to paint the winter landscape. They’d been painting scenes at each of their homes, and planned to do a painting for each season.

“We don’t know. She would never talk about him, always changed the subject when we asked about the men in her life.” Lucy’s fingers moved quickly as she talked, and Charlotte always wondered how she didn’t lose her place.

Charlotte had been thinking a lot about her aunt.

She guessed it was natural during the holidays.

“You know, she never married again after we came to stay with her. I always thought it was because of us.” She grinned at the others.

“After all, she’d been married eight times—it wasn’t like she was opposed to the idea. But maybe it was because of him?”

“Do you think he could have been from the past? I wonder who he was. Do you think she let him go because of us?” Melinda frowned.

Charlotte didn’t know why—it seemed to fit, but maybe that was because there were seven of them sitting together, all women from the future, yet here they were in the past, all having somehow found each other.

“If she did fall in love and let him go back to the past without her, I can’t imagine how heartbreaking it must’ve been,” Anna said.

Elizabeth turned around, a smudge of green on her chin to match her eyes. “Who was the youngest? Your mom?”

Charlotte nodded. “Yes, Mom was the youngest. Aunt Pittypat was the middle sister, and Aunt Mildred was the oldest. She was very proper and never married. When we went to her house, we were always afraid to sit on the furniture.”

The memories washed over her as she thought back to that time in their lives when everything was so unknown, and how comforting it was to have her aunt accept them into her home, to love them as her own.

“The people here would call her a witch,” Lucy said.

“She liked to dance outside by the light of the moon, believed in ghosts, and I remember her talking to my parents every day after their deaths.” She put her project down, wiping her eye.

“Remember on Friday nights how we got to stay up late and hang out with all of her friends? ”

Charlotte laughed. “She had the most interesting friends. Poor Aunt Mildred couldn’t handle them.”

A servant brought wine and pastries for everyone, and Melinda served, pouring as the scent of spices filled the air. “Remember Aunt Mildred’s favorite saying?”

“No use borrowing trouble,” all three sisters said together.

Charlotte looked at Ashley. “I used to say that the Merriweather sisters had the worst taste in men. Even Aunt Pittypat always said men were fun but they were more trouble than they were worth. She was a hippie with flawless manners, dancing naked under the full moon and then serving snacks afterward on china that was over two hundred years old.”

Melinda jiggled her foot as she watched Elizabeth and Jennifer sketching out the scene. “I wonder if she and Aunt Mildred fell out over this mystery man.” She wiped her eye. “Remember Aunt Pittypat used to say, ‘Better shut your mouth before you swallow a bug, sugar’?”

“I wish I could have met her,” Jennifer said. Charlotte thought she had the most beautiful hair, so black it was almost blue.

Charlotte had to swallow a couple times before she spoke.

“She was right, though—she always used to say if you’re in doubt about a man and your feelings for him, ask him to talk about himself or explain something.

It worked for her, eight times.” She put a hand to her neck, touching where the necklace had been, missed holding the charms in her palm.

The necklace had belonged to Aunt Pittypat.

It was a heavy gold chain with four charms. There was an emerald, a diamond, a sapphire, and one gold charm in the shape of a unicorn.

“Your aunt sounds fascinating. I’m sorry your Aunt Mildred wasn’t kinder to all of you.” Ashley had moved over by the fire. “I never had an aunt. My parents didn’t have any siblings.”

“We loved Aunt Mildred, even though she was annoying. The woman was set in her ways. I think sometimes when people get older and they live alone it tends to happen—a least, that’s my theory.” Charlotte looked over at Anna. “You’ve been sniffing a lot. I think you’re getting sick.”

Anna’s nose was as red as a Christmas ball.

“Aunt Pittypat had a tried-and-true, never-fail hot toddy recipe. A cup of hot tea with a splash of whiskey, a spoonful of honey, and squeeze of lemon.” Charlotte felt Anna’s forehead. “You feel warm. I’m going to have a cup brewed for you.”

“You have tea? And lemons?” Ashley said. “How did you get them? I didn’t think they were in England at this time.”

Charlotte resisted the urge to laugh. Ashley looked so excited at the thought of tea and lemons that you would’ve thought someone had given her a brand-new sports car. “James knows a guy. A sailor. And through some convoluted means, we’re able to get them, though it takes forever.”

Elizabeth turned from the painting. “You have to keep quiet about it. We don’t want to change history somehow, in case some of the things we’re doing cause tea and lemons and other things to come into general use earlier than they are supposed to. It might have some kind of strange ripple effect.”

Ashley made the motion of locking her lips and throwing away the key. “I’ll keep your secret. It might not be coffee, but what I wouldn’t give for a cup of tea with lemon and honey.”

Charlotte opened the door and spoke to one of the guards. “One hot toddy for Anna and tea for the rest of us. Don’t worry; the girl I brought with me will be discreet.”

Anna sneezed. “I hope it works. This is the first cold I’ve had since I’ve been here.”

“It works wonders. You’ll want to drink it three or four times a day, for a couple of days, and you’ll be back to yourself in no time.” Charlotte handed her a handkerchief.

Lucy looked out the window at the tiny flakes falling.

“It’s been the coldest winter I can remember since I got here, and the most snow I’ve seen.

It’s no wonder everybody’s getting a cold.

” She looked at Ashley. “You’ll have to work with your household to make sure everyone washes their hands.

That’s one of the most effective ways to stop the spread of germs and illness.

Just tell them it’s a ritual. That seems to work better than trying to explain germs.”

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.”