“Julia, you go and wash up. We need to leave in ten minutes, so make it quick.”
Julia emerged from the bedroom looking like she could have done with several more hours of sleep. Aurelia put a hand on the top of her head as she passed, then waited for the bathroom door to close before speaking again.
“Well?”
“He’s upset. He wants time to talk to you today, just the two of you.”
“Upset? But… I thought he understood? He said he believes us.”
“I think it’s one thing to believe you, but it’s another to get past the fact that he’s been with you, and living here, for so long without you saying a word until now.”
Aurelia closed her eyes.Right, she told herself with a sinking heart,the small matter of me lying to him for as long as he’s known me.
She walked into her bedroom and dropped onto the bed.
“Somehow I forgot that part.”
Antonia leaned against the doorway and said, “It’s sort of a big part.”
“I know… I was just so relieved when he believed me that I put it out of my mind.” She sighed, her eyes moving around the room without taking anything in. “You helped me convince him that the characters are real. I wish you could stay here and convince him to forgive me, too.”
“I wish I could.”
Julia came out of the bathroom and stood behind Antonia, peering around her.
“Can we come back, Aunt Aurelia? After a few days?”
“I hope so.” Aurelia smiled sadly.
Julia ducked past her mother and sat down next to Aurelia.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make Oliver angry.”
“Oh, you didn’t,” Aurelia promised, pulling Julia to her. “Not at all.”
“But I told Mum, and then that meant you had to tell Oliver, and now things are all weird.”
“No. It’s my fault for not telling him sooner. It’s nothing to do with you, okay?”
Aurelia could feel Julia nodding and released her.
“You and your mum will head up to see Granddad, and Oliver and I will sort things out here. We’ll be fine.”
Tears threatened to fall but Aurelia managed to keep them in check. She didn’t want to make Julia feel worse after having reassured her that everything would be alright.
“Let’s get you two to the station, hey?” she said, standing and pulling Julia up beside her.
As they walked back to the guest room to gather their bags, Julia turned to Aurelia.
“You won’t put the books away, will you? I want to see Kitty again, and I haven’t finished reading all their books. And we still haven’t figured out why everyone came to meet me.”
“Oh… No, I’ll leave them there. I promise.”
“I’ve packed my books and I’ll finishJane Eyreon the train so I can startPride and Prejudice.”
“That’s great!”
They were in the shop now, heading toward the spiral staircase.
