*I*

July 4th 2013

My name is Jacklyn Sanders and until today I never believed in worm holes before, heck I thought they were just something made up off the science fiction shows I never believed in them at all. It wasn't until last summer that I found myself lost in a different place, wait, no, a different time; than I was used to. It was fourth of July weekend, I was really excited because that's usually when my Uncle John and Aunt Dot come up for the weekend and we usually go up to Wolfe Borough, New Hampshire to my parent's summer home and swim in the lake.

My aunt and Uncle are from New Jersey and it's usually my uncle and mine past time to go fishing in the lake. It wasn't the fishing I was excited about it was spending time with my family that was exhilarating me and seeing my aunt's dog Bailey that made me smile. My aunt and Uncle owned a chocolate lab that, even though she was getting on in years, still acted like a puppy and would stop at nothing to go swimming in the pond. My family and I have been going to that run down shack in Wolfe Borough since I was little and is one of the best parts of my summer.

I was running out of summers though, I just turned Twenty-one this past April and still didn't have a job. I feared that once I got a job that I would have no fun during the summer and would spend the rest of my youth in a job just trying to earn some money. So, I try to enjoy my life while I'm not tied down to too much responsibility. The camp or shack is situated fifty feet from a small pond.

I looked up at the run down looking brownish grey cabin with its two white brick chimneys and smiled. It wasn't much of a home and it had no electricity or in door pluming. For some of my female friends the mention of not having indoor plumbing would horrify them but not me, I was a hardy girl that didn't mind the outhouse as long as it didn't smell gross. My father unlocked the cabin and we walked in to put down our stuff.

The inside of the old cabin smelled musty. There was hardly any furniture left in the place since my older brother and my father ransacked the place for furniture for my brother's apartment. I put my bag full of things on the table and looked at the old fire place. There was a small kitchen in the room off to the left, none of the electrical things worked in there except the propane stove so we could at least have a cooked breakfast. My uncle was a great cook and would make us eggs and bacon in the morning. I looked at the dirty white rug remembering my dog that had passed away three years earlier.

There was a back porch in the little cabin where Mom and Dad were taking out chairs to put near the pond's shore. The sun was setting already and I had to help put up the tent before it became too dark out. Since there was no electricity in the cabin, it also meant that we couldn't use the electric fans and since I was a restless sleeper, that also meant the nights would be sweltering in that small cabin. After mom and dad were finished putting the chairs by the shore they asked for my help in putting up the tent. I helped them and then helped my aunt and uncle to put up their tent as well. We had dinner of hot dogs and beans. I didn't particularly like hot dogs after the food poising incident the week after prom.

The next day however would prove to be the scariest and wondrous day of my life. In the afternoon after much goading from my parents to get my eyes unglued from my surface, which was my laptop, I went swimming. I wasn't the best swimmer but not good enough to swim to the floating dock without a noodle. I took my noodle and swam out to the empty dock, it was really the neighbor's but they let us use it as well, and checked for any spiders. I hated the spiders that inhabited the floating dock with a passion because they were the one thing I could see without my glasses. I climbed the slimy ladder and put my noodle on the dock beside me. I dived ungracefully into the water and came face to face with another man's privates.

I came up out of the water spluttering. That was weird. I looked at the man in front of me, who was treading water; he didn't look familiar at all. Beside the fact that he wasn't wearing any clothes at all, he was a tall man with broad shoulders and bright blue eyes. I couldn't make out much more detail of him since I wasn't wearing any glasses. I can see things but they look absolutely blurry. "Who are you?" the man asked me in a British accent, he sounded surprised that a young lady would even be in his pond swimming. I looked behind him at the shore, it looked unfamiliar to me.

At my summer camp the ground was sandy and rocky with a dock. The path down to the water was sandy and made of set stones. There were many trees just about everywhere on the shore of our camp. To the right of the set of stone stairs the shore slopes downward into the weedy mucky part of the water. There's a blueberry bush on that side but as of late no blueberries have come. On the left side there is a rock shaped the same way as pride rock would be in the lion king, it got the most sun and mom was usually the one who set her chair out there to watch me swim.

Here it was different it wasn't as tree covered and sandy. It was mostly green grass that grew and there was one exit in and out of the water. Back at the summer camp the water was a dark blue almost brown color. The lake here was a lighter shade of blue but I still wouldn't drink it. I looked at the man again his eye brow slightly arched or from what I could make out without my glasses. I'm completely blind without my glasses; I can make out big things such as trees and such but not the fine details.

The man asked his question again this time he made sure to raise his voice because he must have thought that I might not have heard him the first time. "Who are you and what are you doing in this pond its private land." He felt like informing me but all I could do was stare at him shamelessly and blink. "Well?" he prompted his voice sounded agitated like I had interrupted something important.

"Oh right, I'm sorry my name is Jackie, I-I didn't mean to interrupt anything. I didn't know this was private land I just felt like going for a swim." I started swimming toward the shore but then turned back to the man who if I had my glasses on I would wager was at least in his late twenties. "Just where am I anyway?" The man looked at me but I had to squint my eyes to make out the quizzical look on his face.

"Miss did you suffer some sort of head injury when you were under that water before you submerged in front of me. You do realize this is Dorset England you're in?" I put some more space between me and him then turned around again realizing that I was no longer in New Hampshire. "Yes I must have hit my head under the water. Um I might regret asking but what year is it?" He waited until I was in shallow water before he answered again.

"I'm surprised you hadn't drowned when you were down there it's the year eighteen hundred and thirty-seven." What did he just say? Eighteen thirty-seven! I think I'm going to be sick! I made my way back to the shore and wringed out my thick brown hair. The man followed me out of the water but I refused to turn around. He didn't follow me completely he stopped at a bush and fished out his garments. I went and sat down on a fallen log to think out what must have happened in order for me to be in England in the year 1837. "Let me see I was at my summer camp in the year two thousand and thirteen. I decided to dive in the water and then turned up here. That still doesn't explain it though how on earth did I end up back in time?" I muttered to myself.

Luckily my companion was too busy putting his clothes back on because he didn't act like he heard anything I said. "Hey woman you still here? Why don't you just leave before I turn you in for trespassing?" He is quite rude by far but I guess he's just a rich ass of a man and nothing can be done for it. I mentally shrugged and clenched my hands into two fists at my side.

"I have a name and I believe I've given you it but you failed to give me yours sir. I would love more than anything to go back home but I'm not from here." He came toward me his tall form making me feel so small. I don't know whether it was the breeze that made me shiver or the look on his face.

"Well by your odd dress and American accent I would assume that you are very far from where you're from. That doesn't explain why you trespassed on this land. I guess there's nothing for it right now come with me and we'll figure things out at my manor. I expect to hear the entire story of why exactly you're here." He was making this so hard to be polite. This man was asking to be punched in the face for being rude.

I followed him to his horse and he helped me on. Then he swung one of his large muscular legs over the side of the beast and sat behind me and grabbed the reigns. He clucked his tongue and the horse trotted off up the hill. We rode in silence for a while until a giant castle like manor came into view. It was a big three story home made entirely out of smooth stone. It was fit for the pompous man sitting behind me. I may not be able to see the house detail for detail but I could tell that it was a mansion.

The man behind me led the horse into the stables. He got off the horse then was nice enough to help me off. "Thanks" I grunted as we walked toward the massive home. A young girl came running toward us and then hugged the man. "Hello Emily how are you doing today?" the little girl smiled and then looked at me and then back at her bother with what I guessed must be a questioning look. The young girl was my height with long blond hair and deep blue eyes. "Can you take this woman into the home and give her some proper clothes to put on?" The little girl smiled and nodded. Before I could ask what this was all about the young girl grabbed me by my wrist and gave me a swift tug in the way of the manor.

She took me into a bedroom that I took to be hers. It was a huge room; one and half of my room could fit in this room. The windows were all closed and the red velvet drapes were open. The windows looked out over a beautiful garden. The wall was a paler red. Her dresser was littered with makeup that had to belong to an older woman. I only had to turn my head to the right of the dresser to see that this girl shared a room with her older sister. They both had pink canopy beds and only one walk in closet to share. The rug was a blood red color that made this unfeminine room even more unfeminine.

The girl had gone to her side of the room and gotten a pot of ink and paper. She went to a desk near one of the windows and began to scribble something down then silently crept back to where she left me in the doorway. She handed me the note, I put it close to my eyes so I could read it.

My name is Emily, I'm sorry if my brother was rude to you he hasn't been the same since mother and his wife died in childbed two years ago. He's been stuck taking care of us ever since. I think he just needs another lady friend but he's being stubborn.

I looked at the girl and sadness washed over me. "Can't you talk?" The little girl just shook her head and reached out for the note.

A fire at the first estate when I was a baby made me mute ma'am. I'm eleven now and I've seen all the doctor's this world has to offer all of them say the same thing, I'll never talk again.

"I'm sorry to hear that. My name's Jacklyn Sanders I just turned twenty-one last April. Out of curiosity Emily how many of you are there that your brother is taking care of?" Again she took the paper and scribbled down her answer. I waited patiently as she wrote. I wondered what her voice would sound like if she wasn't mute. Just as soon as I started on my daydream on her missing voice she handed me her answer.

There were a dozen of us at one time according to James but my three younger brothers, Michael, Mathew, and Caleb died three days after they were born. Our oldest brother left us after father died. He said that the Duchy wasn't for him and went on a grand tour. James is left to take care of the other seven of us. Peter is the youngest at only two years old. CasLauren is five, Thomas is seven, Simon is nine, I'm eleven, Lauren is sixteen, and James is thirty and one.

I gasped at the thought of having even one kid let alone a dozen. At least now I know the name of the arrogant man. Okay he isn't entirely pompous but it would have been nice to know his name before finding it out from someone else. A knock at the door came and two women came in. I couldn't see either one of them but one of them couldn't have been older than seventeen maybe sixteen. "Who's this Emily? Never mind I have to get ready my date will be here any minute." The younger girl roughly pushed past me to her make up. Emily scribbled down something on her piece of parchment and handed it to the other girl. The other woman must have been the young teen's maid because she at once started going over to the walk in closet and taking clothes out and laying them on the bed. "I can't do that Emily a commoner doesn't deserve to borrow my clothing even if it's only for a few minutes. James will just throw her out the second he sees she's trespassing." Manors must be lost in this family; I hope this James guy is nice enough to help me get back to mine.

"Even if he does throw me out to the dogs at least I'll have something more than my bathing suit on." I said after a few moments of watching the girl put on some more make up that she clearly didn't need. The girl just shrugged her shoulders. "You're too big to fit into one my dresses anyways." Another knock came at the door. This one was harder and the voice at the door belonged to a male. "Lauren, I told your suitor to come back in fifteen minutes could you please get Miss Jacklyn a dress and escort her to my study?" I heard a groan pass Lauren's lips and James's retreating footsteps. Emily scribbled down another note and gave it to Lauren. Lauren's lips spread into a smile.

"Emily that's just brilliant James is in need of a woman in his life. Tell James this project might take longer than fifteen minutes. Mildred you'll have to help me with her hair removal." I didn't like the smile that had been growing since she read Emily's note. Emily left the room and in an hour and a half miserable moments I was being escorted to James's study. I had been waxed from head to foot, very painfully might I add. I didn't have on as much make up on as Lauren but I still felt that there was too much make up on my face. Mildred nearly killed me putting on my borrowed Corset. I borrowed one of their mother's dresses. It was a big blue tent to me. It was a lace and blue silk dress that didn't quite fit me but it was the only one I could feel comfortable moving around in. Their mother must not have had a big chest because it was really uncomfortable in the chest area. There wasn't a matching pair of slippers so Lauren just gave me one of Emily's, which actually fit me perfectly.

We passed another woman on the stairs down to the study. She seemed to be in the worst mood. "Those children of yours are monsters complete monsters. I'm sorry miss but I quit there is no hope for them at all." She shoved a baby into Lauren's arms and headed in the direction of the front door. I wish I could have seen the face on that woman or on any human being right now. I don't like stumbling through this hallway trying to keep up with someone I can barely see.

Lauren managed to wrench the door open even though I offered to help. "James it would seem that Mrs. Jones the governess you just hired yesterday, quit." Lauren said plain face, but I could hear her trying really hard not to laugh. "I don't know who did it but when she came down the stairs from the nursery there was ink in her teeth, her hair was dyed orange and some sort of blue red jelly smeared all over her face." This time Lauren did let out a laugh. James seemed to be stuck looking at his books for his bleary form didn't move. "I just see if Peter needs something for lunch then." Lauren said to her brother who nodded in return. She bent down close to my ear and whispered. "I think you have his attention now, don't blow it. See if you can become the next governess. It's been far too long that James had a lady in his life." Then she left the room leaving me blind in a strange man's study.

"Please sit Miss Jacklyn." He said putting down his book and gesturing to an empty seat across from his desk. I sat down and straightened out my dress. He didn't look me directly in the eye but rather at my chin. "Do you have any experience with young children by any chance?" I thought about the only experience I had; was baby-sitting my youngest cousin for a couple of hours at a time when we stayed over for the New Year.

"Yes?" I said doubtful of myself.

"That doesn't sound very convincing, but since I've wasted too much money on every governess in England you'll have to do. I know you don't have any references or paperwork but unless you want me to turn you in for trespassing on private property I suggest you take my offer." I swallowed on a lump that had formed in my throat all of a sudden. I had no choice and no way of getting back home. I decided I'd better accept his offer before he threw me out on the streets.

"I accept the job Mr. Holden but I have some terms." He folded his hands and looked directly at me this time. "All right name your terms."

"First and foremost I'm going to need my own wardrobe I can't be borrowing your family's clothes without permission. I feel afraid that I would tear such lovely fabric." He nodded and motioned for me to continue. "The next thing I need is a pair of glasses I can't see anything without them. Third, I need at least one day off from your children I don't care which day as long as I have that day to myself. Fourth, I want thirty-five pounds a month if I'm to take care of your children. The fifth term is more of a question really. Where will I be staying? Will there be a room in this manor or not? Will I have to find housing of my own? What am I expect to do?" He leaned back in his chair and cleared his throat.

"You drive a hard bargain madam. I'll pay you twenty pounds a month to start off with. I will get a tailor for you as well. It seems that my mother's dress doesn't quite fit you right. I'll bring you to the eye doctor to get your spectacles tomorrow morning before you start. As far as housing goes there is a small room right across the hall from the nursery you'll stay in. You will have weekends off, which is when I set my busy schedule and spend some time with my younger siblings. You are welcome to join us at church if you wish. Now I have some questions of my own for you Miss Jacklyn."

"Before you question me Mr. Holden I still need to negotiate my money again. How about twenty-five pounds a month to start with?"

"Twenty pounds and not a farthing more. Now first question where are you from?"

"America but more specifically Londonderry, New Hampshire. I know you're probably not going to believe me I can hardly believe it myself that I can be here, but I'm not from this time period." James cocked his head to the side.

"What do you mean?"

"I'm from the twenty first century."

"I don't believe you" He said coolly

"You don't have to but in one hundred from now a dictator from Germany will be building an army for a war that will happen two years later. Ten years before that was the creation of the jazz age and women's fashion begins a different turn. Fifty years from now a man will bike across the world." I've always been a history geek, I would read just about anything on any historical figure there was. I volunteered at the Minute Man Museum in Massachusetts. I've always wanted to be a park ranger at one of the revolutionary war time museums. Out of all the historical times I believe Revolutionary war times are my favorites.

"That's just a bunch of which craft, there's no way a normal human being can tell the future."

"It's not future telling and I'm not a witch I'm just a normal human being that likes history is all. All those facts are just that facts, they just haven't happened yet." I said stubbornly.

"Whatever you want to tell yourself." He shrugged "now about those glasses, I think I'll take you right now so you don't bump into anything breakable while Mrs. Morris shows you around." We stood up and he let me exit first. We rode in his carriage for fifteen minutes before the coach stopped in front of a store. We went inside the small shop and James went right up to the counter where a small stout man was sitting reading a book.

The man looked up when he saw that he was in the presence of a lord. "What can I do for you my lord? You need a shave? Need your teeth cleaned? Need glasses? I got it all right here all you need to do is ask." I was starting to feel uncomfortable all of a sudden. This man was a jack of all trades but some of the stories that came up about those people who kept shop as a barber and a dentist during this century kept coming to nip at my heels. James just shook his head.

"No nothing for me thanks but my newest servant is in dire need of a pair of glasses. If you could be so kind as to set her up with a pair?" The store manager looked at me ogling me up and down making me feel even more uncomfortable.

"This beauty right away can you come with me miss?" I blushed at his compliment and followed the man to the back. James waited for me while I tried on some frames. After I found a pair that didn't feel like having a ton of bricks on my face and actually looked good the man had me try the lenses. I was so blind I didn't think that they had my prescription in stock, but the last lenses I tried was absolutely perfect for me. The last thing was fitting the lens into the frame. After another ten minute wait my glasses were ready. I could finally see and it felt good.

I came back with the clerk and nearly gasped when I saw James standing there waiting for me. He was so perfectly handsome with his tall lean form. His lips were full and kissable. His short dirty blond hair was styled perfectly. His light blue eyes were beautiful but sad and lonely at the same time. I swear to god I could feel my pulse pick up when I came around the corner.

"Got everything you need?" he asked me. I couldn't form words now so I just nodded my head stiffly. We rode back to the manor in uncomfortable silence. When we got back inside the home there was such a ruckus coming from what I guessed as the dining room. Before we could investigate any further an inside footman came up to James and handed him a note.

"I'm sorry Miss Jacklyn but this is an urgent matter I need to attend to right away. Mrs. Morris here will show you around the manor if you have any questions just ask one of my sisters or one of the other servants. I shall be back before dinner." He turned around and left.

An elderly woman came up to me. This must be Mrs. Morris; she looked old enough to be my grandmother. She had a hunched back and wrinkled skin. She carried a walking stick in her left hand. She wore a nice white and yellow flowered dress with a maroon skirt and maroon shall. Her peppered grey hair was tied back in a tight bun.

"You must be Miss Jacklyn, The young mistresses were just whisperin' about you. Been a long time since the young master has had any young lady servant or otherwise in this manor. "It turned out that the youngest female servant that James had, been fifty-six. The men who were servants were young. There were at least eight stable boys ranging from ten years old to fourteen. They were all local boys who worked for James. James would pay their fathers and they would see to it that the family stayed alive. The inside foot men were all in their thirties and there were only five of them.

I learned that James also owned a small dairy not far from the stables. I'll have to check that out on one of my weekends. I always liked farm animals and even worked on a dairy farm once as well. I learned the names of my coworkers. There was Mrs. Din who did the laundry. Mrs. Porter who was the cook. Mr. Thomas James's driver whenever he went somewhere. Mr. Thomas was sweet on Mrs. Din. Mr. Sampson the Gardner, he was a grumpy old man who didn't want any trouble. The only place Mr. Sampson was not allowed to go to garden was the conservatory. That's where James goes when he's having one of his tempers. Mr. Black was in charge of all the bank accounts in the home, however, James keeps insisting on doing it when he's in a bad mood.

Mrs. Morris said that James wasn't always like this; he was very nice once before his late wife died. I asked more about her but she wouldn't say anything only said that they couldn't speak of her anymore it was forbidden. The only thing Mrs. Morris could tell me about her was her name, Abigail. I found out later from one of the other maids that James was in love with her the moment he laid eyes on her. She was a dairy maid and he the son of a Duke. Their parents wouldn't let them marry but they decided to go and elope on their own.

After Mrs. Morris showed me around she felt like it was time for me to introduce myself to the children. She warned me that Simon was the leader of the group and if I wanted anything done I would have to meet his demands first. I don't know about that but I would try my best to steer all of them in the right direction. We went into the nursery, which looked like a tornado had just blown by. The children were jumping up and down on their beds. The young girl was trying to break up a fight that had broken out between the other two boys. The two year old was in his crib crying. "Alright I leave you to it then call if you need anything." Without warning Mrs. Morris left me alone with the screaming children.

I walked further into the room and noticed that a stray dog was tearing up a pillow. I went up to the dog and in my most commanding voice I could muster I said "Hey! Get off!" I grabbed the scruff of the dog and ripped the remaining pillow away from him and threw it onto an empty bed. I then opened the dog and gently patted him out the door.

This action gave me the attention of the three youngsters. The oldest boy stared right at me and with glaring eyes asked "who are you?" When he glared at me his freckled nose crinkled and his blue eyes became darker. I decided to keep my voice even. "I'm your new governess Miss Sanders. I can't wait to work with you. All of you seem so very sweet." The little girl started to laugh hard. She had dark brown hair like me and her hair was up in pigtails. "Go ahead and try the last governess only lasted half a day with us." The first boy said threateningly. Hmf this is going to be tough, my brother is more of the authority figure when it came to younger children. I was always the one who wouldn't fight them I would rather join them.

"Pick this mess up right now!" I ordered hoping that would do the trick. It didn't do anything the kids just went back to playing and jumping on the beds. "Fine if you don't pick this mess up right now I'll just go to his lord and tell him his brothers and sister was being disobedient." With a groan from the two young boys they went to work picking up all the wooden blocks they had built into a castle at one point but were now a scattered mess. The young girl was picking up all the small tin soldiers that were scattered across the room.

I went across the room, carefully so not to break a leg, to the crib where the youngest of the siblings was still crying. "Shh, little one it's alright I'll take care of you." I whispered in his ear. The toddler quieted down considerably and smiled at me. I could smell that he had just wet his pants. The changing table was on the other side of the room, so again I carefully crossed the room. I had no idea how to change a diaper but if it were anything like changing a 'Baby Alive' doll it shouldn't be that hard. I made quick work because I knew that boys would just try to wet themselves if you weren't fast enough.

There was a knock at the nursery door. The door swung open to reveal James. He looked around the room at the kids then at me changing the boy's diaper. He walked over to me and the changing table. I could feel the heat radiating off of his body. His smell was intoxicating me and I could hardly breathe. He helped me put the diaper on the right way and put the boy's pants back on. "You were supposed to be potty trained what happened?" He asked the toddler in a high soothing voice.

"Fight" was the only word that the toddler said to his older brother. James looked directly over to where the other three were. "How many times have I told you three there is no fighting in the nursery? Too many for me to count. There shall be no story tonight because of that, now if she hadn't already introduced herself to you this is Miss Jacklyn." He said gesturing to me with a free hand. The young ones just grumbled their hellos to me. "Now I know I'm only torturing you guys by hiring miss Jacklyn but it's for your own good. Miss Jacklyn make sure that these guys don't ruin this house ok? If you can do that I'll let you stay." As if the pressure wasn't on me already now I have to make sure that three brats don't catch this house on fire. That's easier said than done.

"I will make sure that these three lovely children all behave themselves." I said forcing a smile. He nodded toward me.

"Good. Come on Peter let's see if cook has anything for you to nibble on. Oh Miss Jacklyn, we have dinner at eight o'clock if you can get them ready by then I'll make sure it's worth your while." He took the two year old with him and left the room. As soon as the door was closed and James's footsteps were far enough down the hallway the got a gleam in their eyes. The two boys grabbed their wooden swords they were playing with earlier and came running toward me. "Let's see if this witch's blood is red!" Yelled the older boy. I had no imaginary weapon of my own so I couldn't fend off the young knights. "Stop Simon don't hurt Miss Sanders I like her she seems nice." This only stopped them. The oldest boy named Simon turned around to his younger sister.

"Stay out of this Cassandra this is a man's fight." The boys charged at me again. I held out my hands in front of me like I was about to get arrested.

"Hold it; are you saying that I'm a witch?" I asked innocently the boy just pointed his sword toward me.

"yes, you are every governess is. They only order us around and don't have any fun that's why you're no different." He poked at me again. This gave me an idea. I played like I was stabbed in the ribs and slunk over to the window. "Oh no get her Thomas before she get a magic wand." The other little boy was running toward me with his own wooden sword. I was faster and got to the window first. There was a tree near the window that had thorny branches. Carefully, not to get too scratched up I picked my thorny branch.

In my best imitation of the Wicked Witch of the West I said "I've got you my Pretty and now your my doggy too." I called the best I could without sounding too creepy. I flicked my wrist and pointed my "wand" at Thomas, who, went down on all fours and started barking like a little dog.

"Oh no Thomas! I'm coming to rescue you!" The little boy charged at me again. I flicked my "magic wand" again this time at the floor.

"Don't come any further. I just layered this floor with poison, you step any further you'll die. I have an antidote but I'll only give it to those little boys and girls who get ready for dinner." Simon grabbed his chest.

"I will never succumb to your tricks witch. I would rather die than cleanup for dinner."

I just shrugged my shoulders and looked at the clock; there was only a half hour until it was time to eat. "Fine don't wash up for dinner that only means you won't be able to eat. Those who don't wash up for supper will go hungry." I said throwing my wand out the window and walking over to the door. "Anyone want to join me washing up for supper?" The other two followed me to the door. They showed me to the bathroom down the hall and we all washed out hands. I noticed in the candle light that I had gotten a splinter in the palm of my hand.

"What's the matter Miss Sanders?" Cassandra asked me as I poked my now stinging hand. I hated splinters they're always a pain. "It's just a little splinter but I don't know how I'm going to get it out at the moment." I answered her.

"Emily has a pin you can use tomorrow maybe she can take it out for you." I smiled at her. After we were all done washing up then the four of us went down to the dining room to wait for the food. I noticed for the first time how big the dining room really was.

It was a huge room with portraits of some of the family hunting and fishing. There was even a mural of the family tree painted on the opposite wall. It was really cool painting of a tree with a different photo of a family member on a separate branch and their names underneath. The rest of the wall paper was a burgundy red color with gold trim. The rug was a lush red color as well. The table was one of the longest tables I've ever seen; it could fit fifteen or sixteen people at one time. Sitting at one end of the table was James. To his left was Peter sitting in a high chair. To James's right was his younger sister Lauren. Across from Lauren was Emily smiling brightly at me.

Thomas and Cassandra took their places at their sides of the table. "Glad to see you've found your way down here without getting lost." James said to the children as soon as they entered the room. "Miss Jacklyn where's Simon?"

"Oh right, I'll see if he's ready for dinner now. He was being stubborn about washing up before." James nodded at me and I left the room. Simon met me at the bottom of the stairs glowering at me. "I washed my hands alright." He flashed me his small hands. "My stomach told me to wash up or I'll never eat again." He said walking toward the dining room.

"Hold it, let me smell them, I need to see if they really are clean." With a heavy sight Simon held out his hand to me and I sniffed the back of it. "Alright you're clean." He half smiled at me and dashed into the dining room. My heart sank and I felt homesick for the first time in a long time. I turned around and headed back upstairs to my new room across the hall from the nursery. I lay down on the feather mattress that wasn't very comfortable at all. I looked around the room that would fit better as a closet than as a bedroom. All the walls were bare and covered in cobwebs. Maybe that's why most of the governesses left because they were afraid of the spiders? I don't mind them that much they don't frighten me as much as most people do but I also don't like them either. So long as they don't crawl all over me I'll be fine sleeping in here.

I was still caught up in my thoughts about what my parents must be thinking right at this moment, when there was a knock on the door. It was Lauren with a tray of food for me. She looked around the tiny room and crinkled her nose. "Not very big is it?" She asked sitting on the bed next to me putting the tray between us. I nodded my head and rubbed my face with my hands.

"The children are curious about you and were drilling James on anything he might know about you; the only thing he could say was that you're from America." I nodded again. I highly doubt they would believe me if I told them I'm not from 1837 but really from 2013. "I'm curious myself, he hired you out of the blue, and no references, no paperwork, and you were just hired." No it was more forced to do the job or go to nineteenth century jail for trespassing on private property.

"I don't know I guess he just wanted to see if I could hack it. I've never worked with children before, sure there are children that come to the museum where I worked before but they just came to watch the movie and then left to do the next activity." I talked without really thinking it; these people wouldn't know what movies are they haven't been invented yet. Luckily for me Lauren didn't hear that other half of the sentence.

"You work at a museum?" I nodded

"Yes, I work at a museum. It's just has exhibits about the revolutionary war. I only hand the little children activity books and make sure no one steals anything. But it's in a different area than where I actually live." I apparently had the attention of the young woman her eyes had this interested look to them.

"it sounds so fascinating, around here we don't have to work. Women only have to look pretty and bear the children. I wish there were more to life than that. I mean I don't wish to work any time soon but rather to get married to someone who will take care of me you know." I did and that was the other thing that came into my mind lying on my bed. I didn't have a boyfriend when I left but I definitely had some crushes on some people. I may not be some raving beauty or had that sexy body with huge boobs, that every man even in the nineteenth century craved, but I had a personality to make up for it all.

"Oh don't worry there'll be a guy out there for you I'm sure of it, you're young yet don't worry." She was only sixteen what was she so worried about? She was very beautiful and had a very attractive body I bet.

"The problem with being the daughter of a duke is that it attracts the wrong kind of people to your court. I am old enough to marry and all the men who are eligible are either old enough to be my grandfather or drunkards." I chuckled a bit; it seemed that the only people who were attracted to me were old enough to be my father.

"there has to be at least one guy that isn't drunk or old out there, I say keep trying and don't give up until you find him." She smirked at me.

"There is one but he's not a lord." I repositioned myself on the bed and grabbed a piece of bread from the tray. "It's a stable boy named Edward. We've been friends since childhood and he's only two years older than me. Lately I feel stronger feelings for him now and I'm not sure he feels the same." It was funny talking about boys to a complete stranger was actually relaxing. "That's actually not what I came up here for, but thanks for the talk." I took a bit out of the piece of bread. It was delicious, warm and flakey.

"No, what I want to ask was how you like the job so far? I know my brothers and sisters aren't the best behaved children but once they get to know you they'll stop joking around I promise." I felt doubtful about that statement especially around Simon. I would stick with the job though, even if that means dodging whatever these kids can throw at me.

"They are quite entertaining I'm looking forward to it." She smiled and got up. "Oh, if you need any more advice on boys you can always see me." She nodded and left me to eat my meal in peace. I had a feeling that asking about the job was not the only intent she had for me. I know something's up around this place and I intend to find out what it is.

I know I haven't written anything in a long time and this isn't based off of anything but I was wondering if I could get some advice on what to do next for my book I'm writing called holes in time. I will write more on 'The roll of thunder' for now enjoy this first sampling of my book I'm writing.