They passed a sturdy-looking barn, and a man emerged carrying a crate of apples.
“Joseph!” Charlie called.
The man turned, breaking into a wide grin. “Ah! Lady Charlotte!”
Ruby blinked at the title. Joseph wiped his hands on his britches and approached, nodding respectfully to Ruby. He was in late middle age, with kind eyes and weathered skin.
“Ruby, this is Joseph,” Charlie said. “Flora’s husband. He manages most of the estate’s affairs and keeps the place from falling apart.”
Joseph chuckled. “That’s generous, but I think ye overestimate my abilities.”
“Nice to meet you,” Ruby said.
Joseph smiled at her. “Flora’s been buzzing about ye all morning. Says ye’ve come a long way. Almost as far as our Charlotte, perhaps?”
Ruby glanced at Charlie, wondering how much she’d revealed about where she came from. “I have,” she replied carefully.
“Well, ye are very welcome here. Now I’d best get these apples to the kitchen or my wife willnae be happy.” He gave them both a wink, hoisted the crate, and strode away.
Ruby and Charlie continued walking, stopping to greet a seamstress who lived in one of the cottages, then a young stablehand who blushed furiously when Charlie teased him about a lass he’d recently been spending some time with. Everywhere they went people smiled at Charlie—not out of obligation, but genuine affection.
“Everyone likes you,” she murmured.
Charlie shrugged lightly. “We’ve been through a great deal together. That tends to bind people.”
“You’ve built a life. A whole new life.”
Charlie’s smile softened. “Yes. I suppose I have.”
“Do you ever miss home?”
Charlie didn’t answer immediately. They reached the edge of a field where the breeze tugged at their skirts, and she paused, looking out.
“Of course I do,” she said at last. “I miss Mum and Dad and my old friends. I know I visit, but it’s not the same. And I miss electricity. Hot showers. Proper coffee.” She shot Ruby a mischievous look. “And online shopping.”
Ruby laughed. “God. What would we do without that?”
“I wouldkillfor next-day delivery.”
They dissolved into giggles at the absurdity of the conversation in this setting.
“And television,” Charlie added wistfully. “Tell me what’s happening inHearts Entwined.”
Ruby groaned. “You are not serious.”
“Deadly.”
“It’s been the usual chaos. Maya finally found out about Leo’s secret twin.”
Charlie gasped. “I knew it! I always said there was something off about him.”
“And now there’s a baby involved.”
Charlie pressed a hand to her chest. “Right. That’s it. Next time I visit home, I’m binge-watching the lot.”
Ruby rolled her eyes. Charlie had always been a sucker for soap-operas and her words stirred up some questions Ruby had been avoiding. Since coming to live in the past, Charlie had visited home several times—and was supposed to have returned in order to be Ruby’s bridesmaid in a few weeks’ time. Ruby had never askedhowshe moved between times. She realized now, she’d been avoiding it. That way, she’d been able to pretend that her cousin was still only in Cardiff, many miles away, true, but still in the same century at least.
But she couldn’t ignore it any longer. When she’d come here, when she’d done that reckless ritual in Princes Street Gardens, she’d given no thought as to how she might get home. To be honest, she’d not given thought toanythingbeyond the desperate need to escape her life.
