Back To The Past Jane Austen ThirtyEight

The next morning, Jennifer and Megan had hang overs. Vicki fixed them some tea with lemon. She shook her head. "Ladies, you know Bill's whiskey has quite a kick to it?"

"We know." Megan's head was hurting. She started singing "Show Me The Way To Go Home."

Vicki put a cold compress on Megan's head.

"Why didn't you stop me after five shots?" moaned Jennifer.

"Me? You were there, too. Lady." Megan reminded her.

Megan decided she had better go feed Jasper. With an aching head, she made it to the barn. She picked up Jasper. The goat was trying to chew on her dress. Megan missed jeans, capris and denim skirts. Why didn't the women of this time invent jeans and comfortable clothing before the next century came along? Megan gave Jasper some oats and he placed his cold nose on her cheek.

Jennifer went back to bed. She couldn't believe she had drugged Bradley. She couldn't believe that she loved two men at once and had to choose someday soon.

It was lunch time and Jennifer got up and ate some vegetable soup. Megan ate some soup but she liked the chocolate chip cookies best. Vicki made the best cakes and cookies. Vicki was a great cook.

"Vicki, I am so sorry that you and Bill got sent back to the past with me. You had a nice quiet life in Pennsylvania. You cook all the time, let gypsies camp in thr back yard and Jennifer and I behave like two teen-age girls with our boyfriends. You put up with it."

"My Dear Megan. Bill and I like being in the past with you. We got to meet Jane Austen, gypsies and we love going to balls. When you are ready to go back, we will be, too. We love you and Jennifer. There are no regrets. We love being here."

Megan gave Vicki a hug and Jennifer did the same. Just then Jennifer excused herself to go outside. Everytime she drank too much, she would throw up.

Jennifer came back in and said she felt better. The rest of the afternoon, Megan, Jennifer and Vicki did quilting. Megan knew if she ever got back to the present, she would do quilting. She could be a pro at quilting in modern times. It was hard to quilt in this time period. The women talked about quilting but Jennifer's mind was on Bradley and Calin.

It was supper time and Vicki served bacon and eggs since the girls had missed breakfast. Bill could eat bacon and eggs anytime. The ball was tomorrow night. Jennifer and Megan felt better. They weren't drinking whiskey tonight. After supper, Megan went out to check on Jasper and gave him fresh hay. She wished she could use her cell phone to call Miles. Miles would
probably call her all the time. She loved being with Miles. She had a crush on Manolito but she loved Miles. Megan needed roots and traveling in a caravan would be fun for awhile but she didn't want to do it al the time. Megan kissed Jasper on the nose. He was such a cute goat. She got him at one of the balls when he wandered in and caused chaos. Calin was the one who let the goat in and Megan loved him on sight. The goat, not Calin. If she was to fall in love with a gypsy, it would be Manolito. HER CAPTAIN JACK SPARROW. She loved Johnny Depp. She loved Manolito but in different way.

"Hey! Are you alright in there?" Jennifer asked.

"I am saying good night to Jasper. I will be out in a minute." Megan was back to reality.

Jennifer looked at Megan. "You look like you do when you are day dreaming about pirates and medieval times. You wish Manolito would sweep you away, don't you? Maybe kidnap you and hold you hostage on a pirate ship. He could seduce you!"

"Shut up! I don't have a certain look when I dream of pirates." Megan threw hay at Jennifer. Jennifer was right but Megan wouldn't admit it.

Jennifer and Megan went back into the house. Megan went to bed. She did dream of pirates and Manolito seducing her. It was a good dream. Jennifer dreamed of Calin and the gypsies. Dreams are always nice.

Megan slept in until 10 AM and Jennifer did, too. Tonight was the ball. Vicki made them pancakes and sausage.

"I got up to go empty the chamber pot and I heard you say Manolito's name. You don't think about him? You are into him, too like you are Miles." Jennifer was grinning like the cat that swallowed the canary.

"I dreamed Manolto was a pirate and he kidnapped me. I was saying his name so he would let me off his ship."

"Tell me another one. Sounds like you were saying his name and he was seducing you."

"This conversation is over. I love Miles. I know who I want." Megan poured too much syrup on her pancakes.

"Hopefully, I will, too before the gypsies come back to visit."

After breakfast, Megan went to check on Jasper. The dream about Manolito was unsettling. She was going tro concentrate on the ball. She petted Jasper and when he fell asleep, she went back into the house. She wasn't mad at Jennifer. She didn't want to be torn between two men. She couldn't forget her husband. He was in the present and Angel and Gretchen had told them she and Jennifer were in Las Vegas. She would just stay in the past. She wanted adventure and fantasy and she got one.

It was noon. Time seemed to go so slow. She missed the computer. Vicki and Jennifer were working on the quilt. The quilt had butterflies and diamonds designs. Megan helped. She couldn't wait to get ready to go to the ball. She felt like Cinderella.

"Are you mad at me?" Jennifer asked Megan.

"No. I know I love Miles. I could never be with Manolito. I always have strange dreams. Rather they mean anything or not, I am never sure. I just want to go to the ball and be with Miles."

"I look forward to the ball. That Rainey chick bothers me. There is something strange about her. With her, it is like The Twilight Zone."

"Jennifer, we are back in the past. We are like "The Twilight Zone". We are also like "Twilight". Vampires and a wolf."

"Don't start talking about Bella, Edward and Jacob again!"

"I love Bella, Edward and Jacob. Too bad we haven't met them."

"They haven't been born, yet and neither is the story. Rainey. I bet there is a story there."

"I am sure we will learn about her in time. Jennifer. Bradley wants you, not her."

"I know that. Hey! Vicki, how about Jed? That cute blonde groomsman? He is perfect for Rainey. I think I will introduce her to him."

"He is a nice kid. He descended from Vikings but he is Irish and his family moved from Ireland. Bill likes him. He has been invited to the ball. His family are friends of the Duttons who are rich, society so Jed's family get to live in a nice house. Jed has no girlfriend. I will introduce him to Rainey." Vicki smiled.

"Thanks. I hope Rainey is nice and they like each other." Jennifer wanted Rainey away from her and Bradley.

They had a quick dinner of tuna sandwiches and left over vegetable soup. Soon, it was time to get ready for the ball. Megan put on her new lavender and mauve dress. Jennifer put on her sea green dress. They strutted around like Princesses. Megan and Jennifer put on their white gloves and got out their fans and pretended to be aristocrats.

"All I need is a Princess Beatrix hat! Hey! It would be great to meet Queen Victoria. We could tell her that England and the royal line never die out. Maybe we could prevent Princess Diana from dying ."

"Megan, we can't change things. Princess William and Duchess Kate are the future of England."

"You're right I love William and Kate. It would have been nice to meet King Arthur and see Camelot. Forgot King Henry. I will pass." Megan liked going off into her fantasies.

"Reality check. We are going to a ball, not Buckingham Palace." Jennifer shook her head and laughed.

"I will pretend Miles and I are going to the castle. Let me stay in Fantasy Land." Megan started to dance the minuet.

Vicki came downstairs and was dressed in a pretty peach colored dress. She wore a cameo and looked like a lady. Megan and Jennifer never got the thing about cameos.

The women sat on the winged back couches waiting for their dates to pick them up. The clocks ticking didn't make the waiting go faster. Suddenly they heard the sound of horses and looked out the window. There was Bradley's fancy white carriage with the outside lanterns and out of the carriage came Bradley and Miles. They were handsome as usual. Megan and Jennifer ran back to sit on the winged back couches. They had to pretend they were ladies.

There was a knock on the door and Vicki opened the door and greeted the men. Bradley kissed Jennifer's cheek and told her she looked beautiful and Miles kissed Megan. He told her how beautiful she looked. They felt like school girls going to the Prom and Princesses at the same time.

"Shall we go?" asked Bradley. Bradley took Jennifer's arm in his. Miles took Megan's arm. They told Vicki they would see her later as they hugged her.

The couples got into the carriage and Bradley banged lightly on the ceiling and the carriage took off. It was getting dark and there was a full moon. Megan always thought of werewolves when she looked at the moon. Megan and Jennifer wished that they were going in a car but there was no cars in this time period.

"What have you ladies been doing? asked Bradley.

"Quilting." Jennifer answered. She didn't want to tell him she had found a man for Rainey or that she and Megan had gotten drunk the night before.

"Maybe someday, you will make a quilt for us." Bradley put his arm around Jennifer and pulled her close.

"How is Midnight?" asked Megan.

"He is doing good. You know you can stay with me anytime and see him. He likes you." Miles reminded her.

"I like him, too. I love him. I don't get to know many colts and horses."

"You have a way with animals. You have a way with me, too." Miles kissed Megan.

Jennifer lit up a cigarette. Bradley told her it was from a new crop that they had planted. Jennifer said she liked it.,

Some clouds were over the moon but it was still bright outside.

They arrived at the Olsons. The Olsons house looked like Lady Catherine's house in Pride and Prejudice. This is where Jane got her ideas thought Megan and Jennifer. Beautiful.

The inside was breathtaking. Bradley and Miles had fancy houses but this one was fancier, yet. There were furnishings from France and everything was made out of cherry wood. The walls had scenes of blue birds, unicorns, forests and medieval castles and Princesses. It looked like Camelot. If Megan married Miles, this is what she wanted for their house. Jennifer knew Megan's mind was over the moon on this one.

The Olsons were nice and welcomed Megan and Jennifer. The band was playing and Megan and Jennifer couldn't wait to dance. Miles and Bradley got some punch for their dates along with some strawberry tarts. Jane showed up and Megan and Jennifer hugged her. A miltary man was escorting her and Jane looked happy. She introduced Major Joseph McFadden to her friends and he was polite. He had dark hair and blue eyes and he was over six feet tall. Jane went to dance with her date and told the girls she would see them later. Megan danced with Miles and Bradley with Jennifer. After three dances, Rainey walked in. Jennifer wasn't happy. Bradley excused himself and went to talk to Rainey.

"Miss Molson, you look lovely tonight."

"Thank you, Mr. Kentsworth. This is one of the dresses you bought me." Rainey turned around in the pink dress that hugged her curves. Jennifer watched wanting to slap her.

"I am glad you could be here." Bradley smiled. She was a beautiful. If he wasn't committed to Jennifer.

"I stopped by to invite you to dinner the other day but Jennifer said you were busy."

"I am so sorry. Jennifer didn't tell me."

Rainey fanned herself. "That is alright. Shall we dance, Mr. Kentsworth?"

Bradley escorted Rainey to the dance floor and they danced. Jennifer didn't like how he was holding her and she hated Rainey's smile. WHAT AN EVIL TRAMP!

Jennifer went out to smoke behind the gazebo that was quite a few yards from the house. The clouds had left the moon. It seemed a little misty. Jennifer smoked and thought about Calin.

"A penny for your thoughts."

Jennifer jumped. Calin!

Calin embraced Jennifer and kissed her. "What are you doing here?"

"We are camped down the road. You look a little down. That Rainey girl wants Bradley. Who do you want?"

"You know Rainey?" Jennifer asked.

"Yes. She has time traveled from the medieval times. A gypsy bought her to this time by chanting and dancing. She wasn't kidnapped by gypsies. She has secrets, too." Calin lit up a cigarette.

"I knew there was something strange about her. I don't want her with Bradley. No one takes a man away from me. I cut the man loose because I want to."

"So, is it him or me? Hopefully, you will cut Bradley loose or I could just cut him! It will be three months before we come back and I will want an answer. I love you. I truly do. If you need me sooner, just have Megan use the moonstone. I have to go." Calin kissed Jennifer and held her a long time. He patted her behind and left.

"DON'T GO!" yelled Jennifer.

Calin had left.

"Who are you talking to?" said a woman's voice.

Jennifer turned around. RAINEY!

"The moon. What's it to you?"

"Good one. You didn't tell Bradley I stopped by. You know Bradley looks sad. Maybe your bed games aren't working."

"I know all about you. You are from another time period. The Medieval times. You weren't kidnapped by gypsies!"

"If you know that, you are from another time, too. My guess is you are from the future. Does Bradley know?"

"You don't know anything. You are an annoying brat and you aren't a woman, yet."

"I led men into battle, was horse whipped by an evil warrior but I got even with him. I am not afraid of anything. I slayed a dragon. If you don't treat Bradley right, I will take him from you. I, too can seduce a man and make him happy. I am much younger."

Jennifer grabbed Rainey by her blonde braid and acted like she was going to wrap it around her neck but Bradley grabbed Jennifer's hand. "Darling, don't you think we should get back to the dance?"

Bradley led Jennifer back to the dance. Calin walked up to Rainey.

"You know how to get to her. She will be ready for me when I come back. Keep flirting with Bradley and show some of yourself to him and we will both get what we want. You will have Bradley and I will have my Jennifer." Calin kissed Rainey's cheek and handed her a pearl necklace and an emerald ring. "I stoled these from the Olsons. See you in a few months." Calin walked away and Rainey walked back into the ball.

She bumped into a blonde young man. "Excuse me. I am sorry." The young handsome man look embarrassed.

Rainey looked at the young man. "I'm not. Do you care to dance?"

"Sure. I am Jed."

"I'm Rainey."

Jed and Rainey went out unto the dance floor. Good thought Jennifer. Let her seduce him. Megan and Miles danced. Megan saw Bradley and Jennifer and she saw Rainey with Jed. It was a peaceful , normal ball. Megan could have danced all night. Rainey was kissing Jed and Jennifer didn't like the look on Bradley's face. Did he have feelings for her? Maybe she should choose Calin. Let Rainey win? Not in this life time. Jennifer kissed Bradley and the guests were appalled. This was unacceptable behavior. Jennifer didn't care. Calin was hid in a tower above the house and could see everyone and if he had a gun, he would have shot Bradley and no one would know who did it. The Olsons had a nice fancy house with plenty of places to hide. Calin watched Jennifer with a sad heart. He hoped Rainey would keep her part of the bargain.