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Part 6

"Thalia!" called Nick in surprise. "What the devil are you doing here?"
The woman, Sylvia now realized, must be Peter's sister, Thalia. She had noticed in the many tales Nick had told her of his boyhood with Peter that Peter's sister, younger than the boys by two years, had tagged along.
Thalia laughed. "Nick, did you really expect I would let Peter help himself to my clothes and not come along. You, perhaps more than anyone, should have realized I would accompany him."
"There was no stopping her," said Peter, ruefully.
"An introduction, Nick, please," said Thalia. " Explanations can wait until we are more comfortably settled inside."
"Peter and Thalia, may I present Sylvia Woods of Canada? Sylvia, Lord Brant and his sister, Countess Grenfield."
The way Sylvia held Nick's hand for assurance had not escaped the notice of Thalia, nor did the look on Sylvia's face as the introduction was made. She almost laughed when she saw Sylvia tug Nick's hand so that he bent slightly to hear a whisper.
Sylvia was feeling rather overwhelmed and whispered in Nick's ear. "You never mentioned they were titled! I don't know what to do or say!"
Nick smiled. "It's not funny!" Sylvia whispered.
Nick whispered back. "It's alright. These are my friends. Just say hello."
After Nick straightened up, Sylvia managed to say, "How do you do? Please forgive me but I really do not know the proper way of doing things here. If I do things wrong, which is most likely, I mean no offense."
Sylvia was relieved to see both of Nick's friends smile at her.
Thalia stepped forward, taking Sylvia's free arm and lead her toward the door saying, "Do not worry." Sylvia was forced to drop Nick's hand as she was pulled along back into the lodge. Nick and his friend followed behind.
"We were about to have tea in the study," said Sylvia.
Nick heard her and said, "Thalia, Peter, would you like to freshen up first?"
"Oh no," said Thalia. "Tea and talk first.
Nick could almost swear he heard Sylvia groan.
Once they were seated Nick asked Thalia, "How are Grenfield and the children?"
"They are all well," answered Thalia. "And on their way to the country. I shall join them there when I'm done here."
"Need I worry what Grenfield will do to me since you are here?"
Thalia laughed. "After nearly ten years of marriage, my husband knows me enough that I see through anything I have set my mind to. He is more likely to commiserate with you than threaten you."
"It's true," said Peter. "I spoke to him before we left."
"Enough about that. Miss Woods, how did you come to be here?" asked Thalia.
"Please call me Sylvia. Oh," said Sylvia. "Is it okay for me to say that?"
"Perfectly alright among friends and I think we will be friends," answered Thalia.
Nick, who had seated himself next to Sylvia, took her hand and spoke to her, "These are my oldest and dearest friends, Sylvia. Please don't worry so."
Peter and Thalia exchanged smiles at Nick's obvious caring for Sylvia.
"Why not forget about titles altogether while we visit here?" suggested Peter."I would like you to call me Peter."
"Thank you," said Sylvia. "You are kind but being Nick's friends that does not surprise me."
"And I am Thalia. Now back to my question," said Thalia.
"I'm afraid I don't have an answer," admitted Sylvia. "I honestly have no idea how I came to be in Nick's woods and even seem to have lost a period of time before that."
Seeing the sadness creep into Sylvia's eyes, Nick said, "We won't worry about that now. I see you brought Mary with you, Thalia."
"Who is Mary?" asked Sylvia.
"My personal maid," answered Thalia. "She is wonderful with a needle and can help alter some of my gowns. We brought ribbands and lace and some lengths of fabric with us. Although I can manage some stitching myself, Mary will be able to make a couple of new gowns."
"Thank you," said Sylvia. "That sounds so inadequate. I do appreciate your help very much."
"As do I," said Nick. "Although I've gotten rather fond of seeing Sylvia in my robe."
Sylvia felt her face warm and could not believe she night be blushing. She had never blushed before.
"Nick!" said Thalia. "Do not make the poor girl blush. After tea we will go up and work on finding something for you to wear to dinner this evening, Sylvia."

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Part 7

Sylvia looked at herself in the mirror. At least now she looked right for the time she was in. They had found that a short overgown with a long underskirt combination compensated well for the slight extra height Sylvia had over Thalia. Gowns would need something added to the hemline though to keep her ankles from showing. Trying on the gowns Sylvia couldn't help but exclaim, "Why is it shocking to show a bit of ankle or leg but alright to have all this show?" pointing to the cleavage revealed by the decolletage. She was relieved to find that daytime dresses had much more modest necklines. For this evening the overgown she wore was a pale blue trimmed with silver embroidery. The waist was high and the neck low. The underskirt was a slightly darker blue. Mary had dressed her hair pinning most of it up but leaving some hair curling down her back. Silver ribbons were entwined into the dark tresses. She had soft kid slippers to wear on her feet. At least, she thought, I've come to a time with comfortable fashions.
She was so worried how this dinner would go. Meals the past week with just Nick had been informal. Someone once told her in a situation not unlike this to just wait till others start then follow their example so that is what she planned to do.
There was a knock on her door. She knew it would be Thalia to walk down to dinner with her. Although this was Nick's hunting lodge it was larger than most homes Sylvia knew. Nick had told her there were only six bedchambers, the morning room, the dining room, the study and one salon. Sylvia was almost afraid to think how large and grand Nick's home must be.
Sylvia opened the door. Thalia smiled at her, "Ready?"
"As I'll ever be," said Sylvia.
Nick and Peter were standing by the fireplace talking in the salon awaiting the women. As Sylvia and Thalia entered, the two men looked toward them. Sylvia was pleased to see the adoring look Nick gave her. She completely missed that Peter looked at her similarly, as she watched only Nick.
"Our lovely ladies have arrived," said Peter.
"Yes," said Nick who looked only at Sylvia. He had enjoyed seeing her in his robe with her hair hanging loose down her back, but he was mesmerized by her more formal appearance. Peter went to his sister's side and whispered, "Do you sense something between these two?"
"Oh, I do," whispered Thalia in reply.
They went into dinner with Thalia on Nick's arm followed by Peter and Sylvia.
On the way in Peter whispered to Sylvia, "You've done wonders for him."
That gave Sylvia something to think about. And think about it she did, all during dinner. She knew that Nick had become very special to her. Did he feel the same for her? Quite apart from the worry that she felt she could be whisked back to her own time with no warning, she knew she must appear very backward. She had little knowledge of proper etiquette or dress or what the issues of the day were. She had tried to guard her heart but now realized that the guard had many cracks in it and might totally give way soon. Nick had seemed to accept her with all her eccentricities. He had also been a perfect gentleman all week. Surely she wasn't feeling disappointed about that; was she?

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Part 8

Peter and Thalia stayed a week. Together with Nick, they taught Sylvia much about the etiquette of the day, and much of the time Sylvia spent biting her tongue to keep from giving her opinion on some of the rules. When Peter and Thalia left to join Thalia's family on her husband's estate, Thalia said that she would return in a fortnight to take Sylvia to London to introduce her to society. Sylvia was not at all sure that was a good idea but she found, as the others knew, when Thalia was determined, nothing stopped her. Sylvia was enjoying her new clothes. She had always had an appreciation for the elegance of past eras. The longer she stayed in this time, the more she felt that she was destined to stay, but not knowing the how and why would keep the doubt entrenched. There really was not anything she would miss in her true time. She had no close family. She had friends but none so dear that she would turn down a job that would have taken her hundreds of miles away and this she felt was not that much different. She would miss them but it wouldn't hurt. She finally admitted to herself that she loved Nick and returning would hurt very much indeed. She was getting frustrated with his gentlemanly conduct though. If he did not soon kiss her she might just shock him by taking the initiative.
Peter and Thalia had talked to Nick about his intentions toward Sylvia before they left. Nick admitted to them that he had become quite enthralled by her. He knew, too, with inheriting the title from his brother he did need to marry and set up his nursery. Unlike many men he knew, he had nothing against marriage; he'd just not found someone he wished to spend the rest of his life with before. He believed marriage vows to be sacred and once he took them he had no intention of breaking them. Now there was Sylvia in his life and he was sure he would never tire of seeing her; being with her. With great effort he had acted the gentleman but that grew more difficult by the day.
Thalia had come up with a plan and convinced him of the rightness of it. Thalia would take Sylvia to London as her friend and establish her in society. Nick could court her while she stayed with Thalia. Nick had grown used to seeing Sylvia all the time and was not entirely happy with having her go off with Thalia, seeing Sylvia only the brief times it would be proper. But he could live with that so that she could enter society. His biggest fear was the unknown. Sylvia still had memory gaps and he was so afraid that she was not free to marry him.
Nick and Sylvia were sitting in quiet companionship by a brook. He looked at her leaning back, letting the sun warm her face, and knew how society would frown on that. Would London change Sylvia? Would he lose his sweet wood nymph? Perhaps London was not such a good plan.
Sylvia looked over at Nick and saw that he was looking at her intently. "What are you thinking about" she asked him.
"You, of course," he answered with a smile.
"Anything in particular about me?" she asked.
"I wonder how you will like London," he said.
"Oh, Nick, the idea of going there scares me so," she said. "Especially since you will not be with me. Thalia is a wonderful person but ..."
Nick moved closer to Sylvia and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "But?"
Sylvia looked up at him. "She is not you. I want to be with you."
Nick lowered his mouth to Sylvia's. Finally! thought Sylvia before the kiss chased all thoughts away.

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Part 9

"That was wonderful," said Sylvia when Nick ended the kiss.
"You amaze me," he laughed.
"May I have another helping, please? It was so delicious," she said.
"How can I refuse such a polite request?" said Nick as he proceed to fill her request. When the second kiss finally ended, Nick held Sylvia close and turned his head to rest his cheek on the top of her head.
"Any more of that and my gentlemanly intentions will become impossible instead of very difficult," said Nick.
Sylvia pulled away enough to look at Nick's face as she asked, with a smile, "You've had ungentlemanly thoughts about me?"
"Often," replied Nick.
"Should I confess to having unladylike thoughts of you?" she asked.
"Best not," he said. "That might lead to more ...."
"Yes?" she asked as his voice trailed off.
"Just more," he said. "Let's walk back to the house."
He stood and offered Sylvia a hand up.
On the walk back Nick returned to the subject of Sylvia's trip to London.
"While you are putting together a proper London wardrobe and Thalia lays the groundwork for your entrance to society, I will check my estates," explained Nick. "The stewards are all trustworthy managers but I still have an obligation to oversee the lands."
Sylvia stopped abruptly. "What is it?" asked Nick as she seemed to stare into space.
"Stewart," she muttered and shook her head. "You mentioned your stewards and it made me recall my friend Stewart."
Nick was surprised at the mixture of concern and jealousy he felt. "Is he a very close friend?"
"Sort of," she said. "Sort of like you and Thalia only it doesn't go back so many years. We've known each other since high school."
"High school? You and he attended some type of school together?" he asked.
She smiled at him and resumed walking toward the house. "Things are very different in my world. Everyone attends school near their homes, boys and girls together. Oh, boarding schools still exist for the rich but mostly children live at home and attend school starting around age five for twelve or thirteen years. The last school for the higher grades is called high school."
"You know how you got here now?" he asked.
"Not really," she said. "While my memory gaps have filled in and I know why I was dressed as I was and where I fell asleep, I do not know what happened while I was sleeping to bring me here or if I'll be allowed to stay."

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Part 10

Nick pulled her into an embrace. "Do you wish to stay?"
"Yes, Nick, more than anything I have ever wanted in my life," she answered.
He let out the breath he had been holding as he loosened his hold. He held her hand as he lead her back to the lodge and into the study. After seating her in, what had become her favourite wing chair by the fire, he got them both a brandy.
He sat on the arm of her chair. "Sylvia?" he asked softly.
"Yes?" she said turning slightly to look up at him.
"After you have seen London and met other men, I hope you will still hold me in regard," he said.
Sylvia looked at him puzzled.
"I guess what I am trying to say is that after you have had some time to meet other eligible men, so that you can know your heart, I plan to ask for your hand," he said.
She smiled at him. "I know my heart now."
He placed a finger to her mouth. "Please, don't answer yet."
"Alright," she said. "But you know nothing of me, so how can you know your heart?"
"I know that it has never felt this way before," he said. "Do you wish to tell me more about you? I suppose I should really write your father."
"There is no father to write to," she started. "He passed away my last year in high school. Actually that is why I ended up staying in one place long enough to make friends with Stewart. Dad was always trying a new job in a new place. He was a sweet man but very restless."
"Do you have a brother then?" he asked.
"No. Nor any sisters. There was only me. And if I had any grandparents, aunts, uncles or cousins, I never met them. Mom followed Dad within a year. She always followed where he went. I think they are happy together."
Hearing the sadness in Sylvia's voice, Nick knelt in front of the chair and hugged her. "I am sorry, my love. I did not wish to make you sad," whispered Nick.
"It's alright, Nick," she said. "I've been on my own for six years now."
"I think you were always alone," observed Nick.
"You may be right," she said.
"But you will not be anymore," Nick said and kissed her again.
"I love you, Nick," said Sylvia. "I don't want to meet other men. I don't need London."
"Sylvia, you will make me forget my good intentions and whisk you away to Gretna Green talking like that," warned Nick.
"Sounds good to me," said Sylvia laughing.
"Perhaps you are more witch than wood nymph as I have fallen under your spell," said Nick.
Sylvia sobered. "We can't marry, Nick. What if I cannot stay. You would be unable to marry someone else."
"No one has come looking for you and it has been nearly a month," said Nick. "I would rather be alone than with anyone else if something did happen. I will happily take my chances."
"There's one more thing then that I must tell you," she said.

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