I watched as Layla paced around my study, hands on her hips, while I could hear my nieces, my namesake Alexa and her younger sister, Ruthie, running around outside my backyard. Layla turned to face me, her large brown eyes pleading me to reconsider. "It's not like the Revolutionary War is going anywhere," she begged, this time crossing her arms, her hiking attire looking marvelous, despite the fact that she had had two children already and was already three months along with her third. "The girls want their favorite aunt there."

I playfully rolled my eyes at my sister-in-law; she could definitely play dirty, which was one of the many reasons why my younger brother, Toby, had fallen for her. "You're just saying that," I tell Layla; the former flight attendant-turned-housewife had met Toby on a flight from Los Angeles, California, where she was from, to Raleigh-Durham, our home base. A whirlwind romance had followed, with them getting married five years ago, and having Alexa four years ago and Ruthie two years ago, and, this time, they were hoping for a boy.

"You know I'm not," Layla replied, planting her hands on my desk, in yet another effort to distract me from grading the final exams for my history class, that I taught at a local private high school, due to my dual Bachelor's Degree in History and Teaching. "Sure, they love Kira and Mary, but they're..." She pursed her lips.

"Always so far away?" I ask, smirking.

"Distant, more like," Layla replied, shaking her head. "They're not as affectionate as you or I are, Alexandra."

"Affectionate?" I said, shaking my head, and marking Robert Jacobsen's paper with a B+; he had certainly improved quite a bit this semester. "Please. You know ever since Daddy and Mama adopted us that my affection for family has been stilted at best..."

"That's because they drilled Catholicism into you a bit too much," Layla said.

I shook my head, moving on to Grace Jensen's paper. "The whole romance thing just never appealed to me," I said quietly.

"You were with Colin for a while there," Layla reminded me, and images of my college boyfriend flitted into my mind.

Colin Laraby, who was two years ahead of me at Duke University getting his Master's in Medical Education, had broken my heart. He was nothing but a low-down dirty cheater and a liar, who had been wining and dining Meredith Pendleton on the side, despite his assurances that they were just friends. Just six months after I'd walked in on the two of them together, they had gotten married, with Colin finishing his degree in good time, and Meredith being the perfect little housewife with their two perfect sons, Colin Jr. and Jacob, and their two beautiful daughters, Elizabeth and Feodora.

"Well, that ship has sailed," I replied, scanning Grace Jensen's assignment and giving her an A-; she was truly gifted that one. "Besides," I continued, setting Grace's work aside and making a grab for Esmeralda Kirkwood's, "I'm perfectly happy with the way things are."

"You mean, entirely virginal?" Layla asked, and I glared at her before turning my eyes back to Esmeralda's final exam. "You may as well take the veil at this rate, and see if you can't get a position at a Catholic school."

"Like I said, I'm fine," I said, more firmly this time, giving Esmeralda a C—that girl really needed to study better—and moving onwards to Daniel King's test. "You know as well as I do that it's nothing short of a miracle that Saint Anne's Academy hired me, and that I'm able to afford this house..."

"Yes, it's a lovely house," Layla conceded, looking around my expansive study, with built-in bookshelves on every wall, the fireplace and mantel opposite my desk, and the large bay window positioned behind me.

The mantel itself was quite a grand affair, boasting a generous pile of wood on the left, as well as the various pokers on the right, and, up top, featured a shelf clock placed center stage. Alongside the clock were various cards from holidays past, and massive framed photographs of my parents, as well as brothers and their respective wives and children, my graduation from Duke University, and my most recent class photograph. My certificates for my respective Bachelor's Degrees in History and Education were hung just beside the mantle, framed expertly in rosewood, while the occasional knickknacks of varying significance dotted the surface of my bookshelves and desk, and a small television—one of three my house had, with the other two being in the living room and the master bedroom.

"Your house is just as lovely," I said after a few moments, and Layla smiled at me; she and Toby lived around fifteen minutes away, in a home with six bedrooms, to ensure that each of their children had their own bedroom, as well as rooms to spare, should any of our family decide to stop by, as Layla didn't really have any family to speak of.

"Thank you," Layla said quietly, and I finished grading Daniel King's paper—A; she watched as I set Daniel's paper into the graded pile, before I got to my feet.

"Well," I said at last, brushing down my blouse and skirt combination, "these are due to be handed back until Monday of the following week..."

Layla's eyes brightened at that. "Really?"

I nodded my head. "Yes," I responded, circling around the desk and gently shoving her, which directly prompted Layla to laugh. "I'll just go upstairs and change into some appropriate hiking attire, shall I? Will you tell the girls I'll be down in a few minutes?"

Layla clapped her hands. "Of course I will!"

I flashed a final smile towards Layla and walked out of my office, Layla just behind me to go through the dining room and outside to tell the girls, while I myself went through the kitchen towards the front of the house, where the staircase was. I made my way up the stairs, hearing Layla opening the patio door and announcing to the girls that she had—yet again—won the argument and that Auntie Alexandra would be joining them. Shaking my head with yet another smile on my face, I went upstairs and directly towards the master bedroom suite, which boasted a walk-in closet and an en suite bathroom.

"Impatient little thing," I murmured, considering my sister-in-law for a moment as I walked towards my closet and opened my door. Seeking the section divvied up properly, I found one of my hiking outfits and brought out the light rain jacket as well, alongside my brown hiking boots, my favorite and most comfortable pair. The gloves I kept in my chest of drawers, along with a thicker pair of socks, and I hastily changed out of my customary attire and into the more rugged one to be more appropriate for the day ahead.

I was relieved that I'd had the foresight to fill up my green 1965 Checker Marathon, and I knew that Toby was likely outside somewhere with Layla, assisting her in wrangling up the kids, to pile into their own car. Stepping out of my bedroom once I'd changed, I headed downstairs directly, my raincoat draped over one arm, and made my way outside. I grinned as I locked up the house at the sight of Alexa and Ruthie, running around their father's car, and the pair of them shrieked when they saw me, hurtling forward across my front hard. I dropped to my knees and held out my arms, and they crashed into me, their little heads dropping down onto my shoulders as they clung to me, giggling profusely.

"Mama said you were coming!" Alexa said promptly.

"I hoped!" Ruthie put in.

I laughed, assuring them that I would always come, and got to my feet, holding their hands as we meandered towards my driveway, where Toby's car was parked beside Layla's. "Good flight week?" I asked Toby, and smiled as he leaned down to kiss my cheek.

"Same old, same old," my baby brother replied, staring down at me from his impressive height of six-feet-two, his dark brown hair shorter than it had previously been, for the airlines insisted on short-haired pilots. "Good class week?"

"Can't complain," I responded, grinning at Layla, who was already waiting in the car. I ushered the girls along, making sure they were safe and secured in the back of Toby's car, and flashed my younger brother a smirk when he opened my door for me. "Meet you there?" I asked, as I fished my keys out of my pocket and sat down in the car.

"Meet you there," Toby confirmed, shutting my door and walking over to his own car.

I pulled out of my driveway, Toby at my side, and we set off down the street and towards the highway, which would take us directly to the ferry on Ocracoke Island. From there, we would get on a ferry, and then get on a bus to get to our favorite trail within the woods upon the island. I had always enjoyed the tradition of hiking once a month with my family, and now that we were all older, we would have to do it on one of the Saturdays per month that Toby had off from the airlines. Isaac didn't work at the hospital on weekends, and court was not in session on Saturday or Sunday, so Sebastian was available as well. Isaac and Sebastian had three children each with their wives Kira and Mary, and were deliriously happy.

However, Daddy and Mama were away in England visiting Mama's sister, Aunt Carolyn, so they wouldn't be attending. Isaac and Kira were vacationing in Barbados, and so had left their three children in the care of Kira's mother and father, and so they wouldn't be there either. As for Sebastian and Mary, they had taken their children to California to go to Disneyland, and they, like most of the family, wouldn't be in attendance either. I understood their reasons completely, and I myself had bowed out of plenty of hikes, especially during my college years during the time in which I had to cram for exams, so it wouldn't do any good to bicker about it.

Once we arrived at the ferry, we parked our cars in the nearby lot and I was shocked and slightly amazed when Toby offered to pay for my passage. I didn't complain, knowing that Toby could get quite insistent about money, and Layla certainly didn't seem to mind the offer, knowing that Toby's income was by far more than mine. The girls loved running around on the top deck of the ferry, inhaling the sea air and shouting in enthusiasm when our final destination came into view at long last. I smiled; I didn't know if I myself would ever have children, but being on aunt duty certainly helped matters.

We docked on Ocracoke Island on schedule, and Toby picked up Alexa while I did the same to Ruthie, knowing that Layla would want a break, and she beamed at me for holding onto Ruthie so securely, due to the fact that she was clutching at our picnic lunch, all wrapped up with care in the large, woven basket. Stepping off the ferry and onto the island itself, we walked into the little town and got to the bus stop, which was scheduled to arrive within ten minutes. The girls chattered to themselves, while Toby, Layla, and I made vague adult comments with larger words so as the girls wouldn't understand. Ruthie snuggled closer into my embrace once the bus arrived, and we found the bench-like seats in the back row to be the most to our liking.

The journey to the preferred trail was around a quarter of an hour, and we thanked the driver once we stepped off the bus, me lowering Ruthie and Toby lowering Alexa onto the ground so as they could participate in the hike. We went down the trail, with Alexa pointing out a red squirrel and Ruthie excitedly proclaiming that she saw a cardinal, and Toby, Layla, and I laughed at their happiness and carefree nature. Going further, Layla asked Toby for the time, and when he mentioned it was half an hour until noon, Layla encouraged the girls to help pick out the best picnic spot the woods had to offer.

"There!" Alexa cried out fifteen minutes later, into an immaculate clearing, where there were a handful of picnic tables.

Toby took Alexa onto his shoulders, and I managed to do the same with Ruthie as we stepped into the clearing, relieved to have it to ourselves. Layla set up the picnic, draping the blanket onto what Alexa proclaimed to be the best picnic table, looking up from time to time and smiling at the sight of Toby and me, giving Alexa and Ruthie respectively pony rides throughout the clearing, amid their cheers and begs to go faster, faster!

Layla set up the picnic in record time and called us all over, where she had our favorite sandwiches waiting for us. For Toby, it was ham and cheese; for the girls, it was peanut butter and jelly; for herself, it was a club; and for me, roast chicken. Layla had also packed a plethora of chips, as well as individual bottles of juice, and Snack-Pack pudding cups, which were all the rage at the moment, and delighted Alexa and Ruthie to no end. We ate amidst various conversations and then, once we were finished, Layla brought out wet wipes with which we cleaned our hands, and then Alexa shot up with excitement.

"Mommy, may me and Ruthie play hide and seek with Auntie Alexandra?"

"Ruthie and I," Toby said softly, for it was something that Daddy had always drilled into our heads as young children.

"Sorry," Alexa said, turning pink. "Mommy, Daddy, may Ruthie and I play hide and seek with Auntie Alexandra?"

Layla smiled. "Well, it's all right with me. Toby?" she asked, looking across the table at her husband.

Toby nodded. "Of course you may. But, you need to ask Auntie Alexandra if she's willing to play with you, of course."

Ruthie turned to me, the dark brown eyes of her father staring back at me. "Will you play, Auntie Alexandra?" she asked, very formally.

I nodded, holding out my hands. "Of course. But, we've got to run to find the best hiding places, remember?"

Alexa and Ruthie squealed with delight, jumping up from the picnic table and taking me by the hands as we hurried deeper into the woods. Thankfully, since I had been coming here since I was just a bit older than Alexa, I knew the woods like the back of my hand, so there was very little chance we'd end up getting lost. I stopped running after around three minutes and bent down so as I was eye-level to my nieces, grinning at the two of them.

"All right. I'll count to ten, and you run and hide, all right?" I asked them.

Alexa nodded. "Yes, Auntie Alexandra!"

"Good," I said, kissing their foreheads. "Run along now." I watched with glee as they both took off, their little legs pumping with extra effort to get away from me and hide, and I turned to face the tree I'd selected for counting. "All right!" I called out, letting them know that I was going to begin counting. "One!" I boomed out, and I could hear their squeals as they hurried to get a good hiding place. "Two!"

"Hurry!" Alexa cried.

"Tying!" Ruthie said back.

"Three!" I continued counting, doing my best not to laugh at their antics, and knowing quite well that Toby, Isaac, Sebastian, and I likely acted the same way when Daddy and Mama had been counting for the two of us. "Five!" I called, and they continued hurrying in the distance. "Six, seven!"

There were a series of giggles erupting from somewhere a little bit away.

"Eight, nine!"

"Ruthie!" Alexa shouted.

"Coming!" Ruthie said indignantly.

"TEN!" I shouted triumphantly, and stepped away from the counting tree. "Ready or not, here I come!" I announced, turning the survey the terrain in front of me. "Hmmm. I wonder where Alexa and Ruthie are?" I said, deliberately asking the question loudly, so as they would be able to hear me. "I wonder..."

I trooped through the leaves upon the forest floor and continued looking around, knowing that they could have easily hidden behind a tree, inside a fallen log, or propped themselves against a large rock. I hummed to myself, walking deeper into the woods, in the direction I'd thought they'd gone to, and kept telling them where I was, due to my voice's projection. As I turned a corner, I blinked, surprised that the terrain didn't look at all familiar, and wondered if this was a portion of woods I'd never before encountered.

"Alexa? Ruthie?" I called, hoping that not too much uneasiness crept into my tone as I continued forward, looking around.

Finally, I stepped into a grove of trees, and my eyes widened at the sight before me. Never before had I encountered such a sight, of massive obelisks before me, which were all formed in a circle. Blinking, and unsure of what the buzzing around me meant, I climbed onto the ridge which they sat upon, and gasped aloud at the sight before me—it was a man, based on his build, lying face down in the direct center of the stones, his brown hair pulled back by a silk ribbon, and he was dressed immaculately in what appeared to be eighteenth-century garb, with knee-high, black leather boots to match.

"Oh, my god!" I cried out, rushing forward, for I could tell that the man was still breathing. I gently took him by his shoulder and rolled him over, and I could see that he was attractive, due to his pale skin and fine features. "Hello?" I whispered to him, and gently shook his body, enough to potentially wake him, but not enough to cause damage. "Hello? Are you all right? Are you hurt? Can you speak?" I found myself asking him.

The man groaned beneath me, and his eyes squeezed impossibly shut at that before he coughed and tried to ease upwards. "Christ..." He murmured, his voice an English accent.

"No, don't try to move just yet," I urged him, gently maneuvering him onto my bended knees, and dipped into my small first aid kit, where I always kept a bottle of water. I opened it up and tucked my free hand underneath his neck so as he wouldn't choke, and propped the bottle gently to his lips. I sensed him hesitating, and I said quietly, "Don't worry. It's just water. I thought it would ease your throats' passageway."

The man kept his eyes closed, but nevertheless parted his lips and accepted the token offering, and his Adam's apple bobbed up and down as he accepted the drink. Finally, he opened his eyes, and I noticed that they were dark brown. He blinked, staring at the obvious stranger before him, before he decided he'd had enough to drink and pulled away, so I capped the water bottle and returned it to my pack.

"Feeling better?" I managed to get out.

The man blinked a second time, before he spoke. "I... I do not know," he said at last. "Might I be permitted to attempt to sit up?"

I nodded at him. "Yes, of course," I replied, gently easing him off my knees and propping him up against one of the stones. "Do you know your name?"

"Lord John William Grey," he responded slowly, his eyes surveying my face. "And may I know your name, madam?"

"It's Alexandra," I replied, swallowing slightly at the stare he was giving me, and he raised his eyebrows, and I knew then that he was desirous of my name in full. "Alexandra Conradina Hathaway."

"Well, you are not of British stock, I take it," he said at last, smirking.

I rolled my eyes. "If you're inquiring, I was born in England," I informed him. "However, after my parents died, my father's elder brother, and my aunt, his wife, adopted me and my younger brother, Toby. They raised us alongside their sons and my cousins, Isaac and Sebastian."

Lord John looked around. "Are we still in North Carolina?"

I nodded. "We are indeed."

Lord John's gaze returned to mine then and his eyes widened. "Why are you wearing trousers, then, Mistress Hathaway?" he demanded, seemingly shocked.

"Trousers? You mean my hiking pants?" I asked, and he looked stunned. "It's quite common for women to wear trousers in this day and age. I frequently wear them when I go to work."

"Work?" Lord John asked. "Haven't you a husband?"

"No," I replied primly, shaking my head. "I work at a school, educating children in history. I quite enjoy it, thank you. I also own my own home. Is that really so surprising?"

Lord John reached up to massage his temples. "Mistress Hathaway, what is it you are saying to me right now? It is 1766, and I'll have you know that—"

"1766?" I whispered, my voice filled with enough shock for him to lower his hands and stare at me once more. "No, it's not. It is 1968."

"1968?" Lord John whispered. "But, for that to be true, I would have had to..." He shook his head then, almost as if he couldn't believe it. "No. That is impossible. I could not have..."

"Alexandra?" called Toby's voice through the trees, and I shot to my feet, which caused Lord John to flinch at the unexpected movement and unfamiliar voice.

"Who is that?" Lord John whispered to me.

"That's my younger brother, Toby," I responded, looking down at Lord John. "Look, you obviously are experiencing some memory loss of some kind..."

Lord John blinked once again. "Am I?"

"Oh, yes, you are," I assured him, bending back down again. "Can you walk, or do you give me permission to assist you?"

Lord John glared up at me. "I can walk," he replied, sounding like Ruthie whenever she didn't get her way, and struggled to her to his feet, his knees nearly buckling in the process.

"Alexandra?" Toby called again, this time his voice filled with concern.

"Look, you've got to let me help you here," I told him, swinging his arm over one of my shoulders, and he looked shocked at that.

"You'll never be able to..."

"Please," I scoffed, leading him out of the circle of stones. "I grew up with three brothers. I am stronger than I look."

"Alexandra Conradina Hathaway!" Toby shouted then, this time bypassing worried and concern and going into full-blown panic mode. "You get your ass out here right now!"

"Such words to say to a lady!" Lord John whispered, shock peppering his tone, as we walked back onto the main path.

"I apologize for this in advance, Lord John," I whispered back to Lord John. "Tobias Raymond Hathaway!" I shouted, causing Lord John to swear from beside me. "I am perfectly all right! I am coming, so you needn't worry!"

"Thank Christ!" Toby shouted back.

"Is this the preferred method of communication?" Lord John asked, wincing slightly at the shouts from me and Toby.

"No," I told him, flashing him a smile, and his eyes widened at my expression. "I'd have to say that title goes to the telephone."

"The what...?!" Lord John began to demand, whereupon we stepped out of the grove of trees and back onto the main trail.

I could hear rushed footsteps ahead, and I gave a sheepish grin to Toby as he came into view, Alexa and Ruthie hanging from both his arms, and Layla just behind them, carrying the picnic basket in her hands. "Hello all," I said, waving awkwardly.

Toby promptly set down the girls. "Stay with your mother," he ordered them and, as Alexa and Ruthie scurried to Layla's side, Toby marched up to me and fixed a glare onto Lord John. "And just who the hell do you think you are?!" he demanded.

"Toby!" Layla hissed. "Be nice, and not in front of the girls, please!"

"Hell!" Alexa and Ruthie cried gleefully together.

Layla stared up at the forest canopy. "God help me," she whispered.

"Lord John William Grey, at your service," Lord John replied, bowing as gracefully as he could, despite his impairments. "A pleasure, Master Hathaway."

"What...? How did...?"

"I told him who you were," I informed Toby, who finally looked at me.

"You left the girls—" Toby said, waggling his finger in my face. "You left them, to fend for themselves in these godforsaken woods—"

"Toby, for goodness sake!" Layla said, shaking her head at her husband, once he had turned around to look at her. "The girls are fine, and it's obvious this poor man has been through quite the ordeal..."

"Got a bit of memory loss at present," I explained to Layla, knowing that she would be easier to talk to at the moment. "I think he's some kind of method actor..."

"I take offense to that!" Lord John cried, puffing himself up. "I am Lord John William Grey, the second son of Gerard Grey, Duke of Pardloe and Earl of Melton, and his wife Benedicta Grey. I have an older brother, Harold Grey, who is now Duke of Pardloe and Earl of Melton, and furthermore—"

"Method actor," I interrupted, and Layla nodded with understanding, while Toby himself appeared to be unconvinced. I turned and regarded Lord John for a moment, who seemed resigned, before I faced them both again. "However, he seems harmless enough for me. But I do believe he needs some rest, so I'll be taking him home with me to ensure that."

Toby shook his head. "Alexandra, you can't be serious—"

"Oh, I assure you, I am completely serious," I told him, and Toby backed down, although he didn't appear to be very happy about it. I turned to face Lord John again, and said, "Would you mind accompanying me to my home?"

Lord John sighed, but nevertheless nodded his head. "All right," he responded. "Perhaps you are the lesser of two evils here," he said, glaring at Toby.

Toby glared right back. "Now, wait just a moment—"

"A marvelous idea, Alexandra," Layla interrupted, coming to stand beside Toby with the girls in tow. "Come along, then. We'd best get to the bus stop." She dove into the picnic basket then, and asked, "May I offer you a sandwich, Lord John?"

Lord John blinked. "A sandwich? What is this you offer me?"

"Well, you can have roast chicken or ham and cheese, between two slices of bread," Layla told Lord John in a patient manner. "The ham and cheese has mustard and lettuce on it, and the roast chicken has mayonnaise."

Lord John straightened up then, and put a bit of pressure on his legs, and sighed with relief when he found he could walk. "Thank you, Madam Hathaway," he said. "I would be in your debt for some sustenance. The roast chicken, thank you very much."

Layla smiled and unwrapped Lord John's selected sandwich. "I've been told it's quite good," she said, handing it over to him, "although Alexandra does make the best roast chicken out of everyone I know."

"Does she?" Lord John asked, unwrapping the sandwich the rest of the way. He smelled it for a moment before taking a hesitant bite, and closed his eyes, moaning in appreciation. "That is delicious, Madam Hathaway. Simply marvelous."

"Layla, please," my sister-in-law said, as we continued walking along. "May I also offer you some lemonade, and some chocolate pudding, perhaps?"

"Lemonade, I am familiar with. I would love some, thank you," Lord John said, becoming quite giddy, and accepted the small bottle. "But what is this chocolate pudding you speak of?"

Toby rolled his eyes, and Layla and I elbowed him in the ribs.

"It's a dessert," Layla explained patiently, and took out the serving, along with a clean spoon for Lord John, and smiled as he hurriedly finished his sandwich and drank down his lemonade. "It is relatively new to the market, but the girls love it."

Lord John turned his gaze down to Alexa and Ruthie, and smiled. "My son is no longer as young as you are, but I am sure he would be polite anyway. What are your names?"

"I'm Alexa, and this is Ruthie," Alexa said promptly, tossing her mane of blonde hair, while Ruthie tugged at her dark brown curls.

"A pleasure to meet you both," Lord John said, dipping his spoon into the chocolate pudding, and his eyes widened. "This is simply delightful..."

"What is your son's name?" I found myself asking, and Lord John turned to face me again.

"His name is William, and he is the Earl of Ellesmere," Lord John replied proudly.

"Method actor, remember," I whispered to Layla, who nodded.

We finally reached the bus stop, and Lord John was tickled by the notion of the wet wipes that Layla offered him. Once on the bus, we got more than a few stares, but I was determined to get Lord John back to my house in one piece. He was very frightened of the bus, due to the fact that the only methods of transport he was likely used to were horseback, carriage or cart rides, or that of a massive ship.

"Is you home nearby?" Lord John asked, and, when we went over a speed bump, he clutched at my hand, and I gasped, and he quickly released it. "Sorry... You do not wear gloves?"

"Not really," I replied. "Only when it is particularly cold out... As for my home, we will have to take something called a ferry, and then we will drive there."

"Drive?" Lord John asked, turning to look at me. "You've a horse-drawn carriage?"

"No, in my car," I told him. "I'll show you."

Lord John nodded. "And this... Fairy?" he asked, obviously confused. "Does it have wings in which to transport us?"

I shook my head. "No," I told him. "It's a large boat, actually, and uses something called a motor to transport us along the surface of the water."

Lord John continued to listen to my explanations as we continued on the bus trip, and, when we finally got off and arrived at the ferry, his eyes widened at it. "It's...very large," he said at last, and I could see how overwhelmed he was.

"Don't worry," I told him, squeezing his arm. "It'll be all right."

Toby begrudgingly paid for our transport across the water, and I was relieved that we had left so early, because now I knew we would have to go to a department store to update Lord John's wardrobe, as well as purchase some food at the supermarket. The ferry ride was glorious, and Lord John seemed to enjoy himself immensely, listening with glee at Alexa and Ruthie telling him all about their little friends at school.

"Auntie Alexandra works at a school," Alexa informed him, a very serious look on her face. "It's not for little kids, though, it's for big ones."

"Kids?" Lord John asked, turning to look at me. "You teach goats?"

I smothered a laugh. "No," I explained. "'Kids' is a more casual term for 'children'."

We stepped off the boat and said our farewells, and I showed Lord John in the direction which I'd parked my car. As we approached it, however, he hesitated, and I turned to regard him over my shoulder.

"It has a motor as well," I explained, and his eyes locked onto mine. "Trust me, it's very safe. It only would be unsafe if the driver lost control, or if someone or something wandered into the road and we couldn't stop in time."

Lord John warily stepped forward, and watched as I showed him how to get into the car and use the seatbelt, which he struggled with a bit. "And what is this strap of fabric?"

"A seatbelt," I explained, showing him how to buckle himself in. "It keeps the driver and passengers safe during driving. Many cars, or automobiles, still don't have them, and many drivers refuse to use them."

Lord John blinked. "If it is a safety measure, why do drivers and passengers refuse to use them, then?" he asked.

I smiled; it was an excellent question. "Well," I replied, fishing my keys out of my pocket, "I think it has to do with pride."

"Pride?"

"Yes. They figure that, since they have not encountered accidents before, they needn't worry about future accidents."

Lord John looked bemused. "A foolhardy practice."

I nodded at him. "You're right," I told him.

As we drove, I pointed out various landmarks on the way to the larger part of the city, where I explained to Lord John that we would be going to a department store to get him some updated clothing.

"Is there something the matter with my attire?" Lord John asked.

I gave him a small smile. "Well, Lord John, to be honest, people don't dress that way anymore unless they're in something called a film, or performing on stage," I told him, and Lord John raised his eyebrows at that. "This way, you'll be able to blend in with the crowd. I mean, you don't want everyone to know what is happening with you, right?"

Lord John sighed. "They would think me mad, wouldn't they?"

"Well, yes," I replied sympathetically. "And we don't want that. We... I want you to be safe," I said softly.

Lord John blinked. "You wish me to be safe?"

"Yes," I told him, doing my best to focus on the road. "I do."

I pulled into the multi-purpose parking lot for the local shopping plaza, making my way directly for a prime spot outside the department store. Once we were out of the car and heading inside, I called over a sales associate and explained that Lord John was a friend and a method actor but that he had had some head trauma and was convinced that he was from two hundred years ago and, as such, needed a new wardrobe. The sales associate was plenty sympathetic and took Lord John's measurements, while Lord John did his best not to look too terribly uncomfortable at the prospect of getting up close and personal with a stranger.

We got Lord John an entirely new wardrobe, including casual clothes, suits, shoes, socks, and more ribbons for his hair, as he refused to get it cut. After loading up the purchases into the car, I showed Lord John the way to the supermarket, located just two doors down between the department store and a laundromat. Lord John's eyes went wide at the sight of all manner of food around him, and I smiled at his childlike wonder.

"I work Monday thru Friday," I told Lord John as we walked around the store, stopping first in the produce section with my shopping cart. "I'll be gone from seven-thirty in the morning until four o'clock in the afternoon, and sometimes I will bring my work home with me and work in my study."

Lord John nodded. "Very well," he replied.

"Just pick things you like to eat," I said, and gestured to the wide variety of fruits and vegetables on offer. "This supermarket has a plethora of things to choose from, and although I'm sure that some will appear unfamiliar to you, you'll recognize some things." I got some berries and apples from the fruit section for myself, and Lord John selected bananas and kiwis. I also grabbed some potatoes and leeks, and Lord John grabbed some asparagus and turnips.

"Sparagi and narkies," he said fondly to himself, putting them into the plastic bags on offer and placing them into my shopping cart.

I blinked. "Never heard those names before," I remarked, moving on to the dry goods section, and set about procuring some oatmeal and cornmeal.

Lord John looked perplexed. "Well, what do you call them here, then?"

"Asparagus," I said, pointing to it, "and turnips."

Lord John smiled. "You Colonists certainly are interesting," he remarked.

I smirked, getting a generous amounts of the cereal grains I wanted, before moving on to get some varying shapes of pasta. "It hasn't been the Colonies for nearly two hundred years," I said quietly.

"What do you call it now, then?" Lord John asked.

"America, the United States, or the United States of America," I explained, peeking over at Lord John over my shoulder in between gathering some breadcrumbs for the meatloaf. "We win against the redcoats, by the way."

Lord John looks amazed. "Do you?"

"Sorry if it's a disappointment," I say, loading up the bags of cereal grain, pasta, and breadcrumbs and make my way towards the butcher department. I first ask for two pounds of ground beef, one pound of ground pork, and one pound of ground turkey to fashion a meatloaf for our dinner during the week, which I decided we would have mashed potatoes and Lord John's asparagus with. I also plan to use the additional pound of ground beef for hamburgers, but decide to keep that to myself for a surprise.

"What are you going to make with that?" Lord John asks.

"Meatloaf," I reply, and Lord John looks confused. "Ah, yes. It's about a hundred years too late for you," I said with a smile, and turned back to the butcher, who looked perplexed, but still waited for me to complete my order with him. "A beef roast, please, and a whole chicken," I went on, and I could sense Lord John smiling as the butcher wrote it down. "Two pounds of bacon, and two pounds of sausages as well, please." I thanked the butcher and waited for him to gather and wrap up our purchases while Lord John continued looking around the place.

"Where are the candles?" he asked me quietly.

"They sell them here, somewhere," I said, looking around myself. "But we rely on something called electricity, in which something called a lightbulb gives us light through wiring," I said, biting my lip and doing my best to explain to Lord John how power worked. "It has to do with power," I continued, and Lord John turned to look at me. "It's quite a bit different..."

I took my meat orders from the butcher, thanking him again, and placed them carefully into my cart as we continued around the store. Next was the dairy case, where I selected eggs and many varieties of cheese, all of which Lord John looked hungrily at. I also selected some milk, and Lord John agreed that I would know best when it came to milk, and that he would drink whatever milk was placed in front of him. Lastly, I got some full-fat butter, knowing that I would get some great use out of it, and, when Lord John wasn't looking, some vanilla ice cream and chocolate syrup.

Continuing to meander through the store, I pick up some bits and bobs that I'm out of, and I find I am smiling as we step into the bakery portion of the store. Lord John looks like a literal child in a candy store, looking this way and that at the colorful cakes, cookies, and other confectionaries currently on offer. I quickly got some buns for the hamburgers, as well as some sliced bread for toast in the mornings.

"Do you see anything you like?" I asked Lord John.

Lord John was staring longingly at a beautiful cake—it was a white one, with white buttercream frosting, and was three layers. "No," he said wistfully, apparently not wishing to ask me for too much and take advantage of my generosity, since he'd already selected some fruits and vegetables, and had gotten a new wardrobe.

I walked past Lord John and picked up the cake, placing it into my cart. "I assure you, I love cake," I told him, and Lord John looked surprised. "It's not a bother, really." I looked up at him and smiled. "Now, will you want to see their coffee and tea selection?"

Upon our arrival back at my house, which Lord John complimented, likely due to the fact that it was built in the late-1790s, he helped me inside with his new wardrobe and the groceries. We had even bought some lemonade, even though I didn't like the drink myself, but because Lord John had asked so politely, and I certainly didn't mind it in my house. He didn't complain when I told him I didn't drink, and he assured me that he understood and that it was fine with him to go without alcohol.

"You can help me put the groceries away if you like," I said gently to him, "and then we can bring your clothes upstairs and I can show you to your room."

Lord John nodded. "Of course I'll help... What is that contraption?"

I turned and looked at where he was indicating. "Oh. That's the refrigerator," I told him with a smile. "It keeps food items cold with electricity."

"Your refrigerator is pink," he said, looking quite surprised at its color.

I smiled. "It was one of the color options in the catalogue," I explained.

Lord John gave me a small smile at my reply. "Thank you, Mistress Hathaway, for being so patient with me."

I turned and looked at him over my shoulder as I proceeded to put our dairy purchases away in the fridge. "It's just Alexandra," I said with a smile. "That there is the bread box," I explained, nodding to the prettily-painted, rectangular-shaped box with a knob on it, which could be pulled upwards to open it. "The buns and the sliced bread go in there, please."

Lord John nodded, and took the bread from the bags and moved to yank the drawer open, but all it did was cause the bread box to rattle. "Oh, goodness. It doesn't seem to be working..."

"Here, let me," I said, shutting the fridge door and stepping forward, and placed my hand on top of his to open the bread box. "There we are," I said, sliding it upwards, and Lord John gasped then. "Interesting, isn't it?" I asked, turning to look up at him.

"Yes," Lord John replied, staring into my eyes. "Very."

I bit down hard on my bottom lip, my cheeks blooming with a flush as I hastily pulled away from him, and made my way back to the grocery bags. "Meat goes into the fridge as well," I said, and continued explaining my routine. "The bananas and apples go into the basket here," I went on, indicating the fruit basket on the counter, and Lord John quickly moved to place them inside the confines of it. "Kiwi and berries go into this drawer," I said, and indicated the left drawer inside my fridge, "and the vegetables go in here," I said, and placed them into the right drawer of the fridge. "However, potatoes," I said, taking them out of the bag, "go into a dark, cool place." I opened a pantry where I kept a basket for my potato purchases, and placed them inside there with a small smile.

"And the cake?" Lord John wanted to know.

"Cake? The fridge," I said, placing it onto a shelf beside some of the still-wrapped meats. "The chocolate sauce goes into the fridge as well, along with these," I said, showing Lord John the chocolate pudding Snack Packs I had snuck into the shopping bag. "And this," I said, taking out the vanilla ice cream, which caused Lord John's eyes to widen, "goes into the freezer," I said, and pulled out the drawer-style freezer, and placed the ice cream inside of it, shutting the door behind me. "Now, shall we go upstairs? You can settle in, put your clothes away and such, perhaps have a shower, and I can prepare dinner?"

Lord John nodded, although he appeared quiet. "All right, then."

I motioned for him to follow me, and we made our way through the kitchen and up the stairs, and I showed him where my bedroom was. Walking down to the other end of the hallway, I opened the door to the guest room with the attached bathroom and motioned for him to follow me. "As you can see, you've your own fireplace," I said; it was one of four the house had—one for my study, a second for the living room, a third for the master bedroom, and a fourth for the main guest bedroom. "I keep a steady supply of wood in here, so if you're too cold, you're more than welcome to use it."

Lord John looked impressed. "Thank you."

"This is your closet," I said, opening a door and showing him inside. "There's the chest of drawers next to the fireplace as well."

"It all looks very nice," Lord John said, nodding.

"Now this may frighten you a bit," I said, motioning for him to leave his purchases in the closet as he followed me out into the bedroom proper, and into the second room, which was the en suite bathroom. "Here you have your toilet, sink, bathtub, and shower."

Lord John looked around. "I see nothing too frightening..."

I smiled at Lord John, making my way towards the bathtub for a demonstration, and turned on the water without hesitation.

"Dear God in heaven!" Lord John yelped. "What is wrong with it?"

"Nothing," I assured Lord John, shutting off the water and turning around to face him. "It's just water, I assure you. The bath and shower are connected to these things called pipes, so you can just step inside and use them, without having to haul buckets of water up the stairs, or heat them on a fire beforehand."

Lord John hesitantly stepped forward. "It is really just water, then?"

I nodded at him with a smile. "Yes," I confirmed. "There is shampoo, conditioner, and body soap for you in either the bath or the shower, and the towels and bath mats in here are all fresh. You use the shampoo first, rinse it out, and then use the conditioner, before rinsing that out as well. I suppose you know what to do with the body soap."

Lord John grinned. "Yes, I'm aware of what to do with it."

"Lovely," I said, attempting not to imagine Lord John washing himself. I crossed the room towards the sink and opened the door beneath the vanity. "Trash can is in there for anything you need to throw away," I went on, and picked up two things from the shelf, and showed them to Lord John. "This is a toothbrush, and this is toothpaste. You put a pea-sized amount onto the bristles here, wet it, and then brush every surface of your teeth until you create a lather. Then, you wash your mouth out, rinse the brush, and you're done." I unwrapped the toothbrush and showed it to Lord John.

"Most extraordinary," Lord John whispered, running the pad of his finger up and down the bristles, and laughed. "My, my. It tickles."

"As for the toilet," I continued, trying not to laugh at his childlike innocence, "you lift up the lid, do as you will, and then push down this lever here to get rid of the waste."

Lord John raised his eyebrows. "What I wouldn't give for one of those."

I smiled. "Well, now you've got one..."

"For now," Lord John added quietly.

I nodded back at him. "For now," I agreed. "Will you be all right?"

Lord John nodded. "Yes, I think so. Thank you...Alexandra."

I flashed him a smile. "You're very welcome, Lord John."

Lord John turned, watching me walk off. "Wait," he said, and I turned around, waiting for him to continue speaking. "You needn't call me 'Lord John' any longer. John is all right."

I gave him a small smile, hoping to diminish the fear in his eyes in the days that followed, no matter how long he would be here. "Of course, John," I said. "You do whatever you feel the need to do here, and I'll start on dinner."

It was all very domestic, I reasoned as I left John to his own devices, and yet I couldn't bring myself to feel comfortable, for I knew that, on some level, he must be telling me the truth, and, one day, he would have to return through the stones.