Travelling In Love

Chapter 2

I am standing on the street where my house is in. I recognise this, but at the same time, I don't. It looks oddly familiar, but then again, there are no streetlights. Instead, there are lanterns with fire in it. The cars that usually drive by are missing. My house isn't there, nor are the houses of my neighbours. The street is just empty in it's morning glory. On both sides of the street, where the houses used to be, are now growing big oaks, because they are losing their leaves, I can tell it's autumn. There is no brick to be found under my feet, just sand. I'm starting to get cold, but that isn't so weird since I'm still in my pyjama shorts.

I look further on the road, which is actually a lane. And I come to the conclusion that this leads to a mansion. I'm starting to freeze to death. How did I even end up here? Giving in to the fact that I've got no other option than to walk towards the mansion, since I have no idea where I am and I really need some warm clothes.

The mansion isn't that large, but you couldn't call it small either. It is surrounded by a large but detailed fence. Now closer to the house, I see that the gate is closed, I sigh. I think I could have expected that and - I see someone. He looks like a sort of butler, with his neat suit and white gloves. He is walking towards the gate, and I quickly jump into the bushes to prevent him from seeing me. The man opens the gate, and I try to think of a way to sneak past him.

Just as the butler looks away and I wanted to take it for a run I hear the sound of hooves clattering the grit. The sound comes closer and then I see two horses pulling a carriage. It looked like it stepped out of a play about the 19th century. This day gets weirder and weirder.

When the carriage past by, and the butler is walking away from the gate, I take my changes. I sneak trough the gate and past the man, and run into the direction of what seems like a big garden with hedges of 10 ft. high. "Halt!" Oh shit, the butler spotted me and is now running towards me. I run even faster till I reach the port to enter the gardens. I turn left. Why coulnd't I just ask this man for warm clothes? It's too late now. I turn right. "Young lady, stop!" As I go right again I look back to see if the man can still see me. He doesn't. This garden more looks like a maze. When I turn another corner I bump into someone that hard that we both fall on the ground. While laying on top of him, I look at his face. It's a young men around 20 years old with chocolate brown hair and beautiful green eyes. He is wearing a white blouse with his sleeves rolled up. On top of the blouse he is wearing suspenders.

"What is.." he starts. But I stop him from talking by covering my hand over his mouth just as I hear the sound of footsteps passing us. I realise we are still laying on the ground, and I recover my hand from his mouth and try to stand up, but my knee is bleeding from the fall, so I just sit on the ground.

"What in Gods name are you trying to do here?"

"I just, uh.." I mutter "I'm Rikkie and I'm sorry for bumping into you, but this creepy butler chased me." He looks startled, as if he can't believe his eyes. And then I notice him checking me out.

"What is it you are wearing, exposing your legs like that?" He asks. "And how did you get on my property?"

Damn. I'm so cold, and I'm not in the for all his stupid questions. While I'm still sitting on the ground, covering my knee, I start to shiver. He is standing, looking down at me.

Noticing me shivering, he offers his hand to help me up. "Well?" He asks as I put my hand in his.

"Well, as you can see I'm not very warm dressed, and I dindn't knew where I was, so I decided to walk to this house, asking for directions and maybe some warmth, and then I sneaked pass this butler, because I'm so cold and the gate wasn't open and then.."

"Hey" He cut me off. "You are bleeding and if we're are going to stand outside any longer, you are going to freeze to death." Thank you! He finally understands me.

"So I suggest I take you inside to clean the wound and give you something to eat." I nod. He could be nice then.

We start walking trough the garden, and my knee hurts a little while I walk, but I can manage.

"What's you name? I've told you mine, but what's yours?"

He suddenly stands still. "We haven't introduced properly" he shakes my hand "but I'm Matthew Conyard, nice to meet you.. Rikkie was it?"

"Yes, Rikkie, nice meeting you." He has proofed he is a real gentleman now, doesn't he?

"Matthew?" I ask as we approach the house.

"Yes?"

"Can you tell me where we are?"

"Of course I can my lady, we are at the Greenyard mansion, where I live."

"Right." Like I've heard of this place before. I don't even know how I end up here.

"And what time is it?" I continue.

"That, I don't know, but we're approaching noon." How vague.

"Halt!" I scare the big Jesus out of me by the butler that chased me and is now standing in front of the staircase that leads to the house. "If you please come with me I can escort you to outside the fence." Hello no, you can shove that fence right up your arse. I'm this close to some warmth. Just as I was going to reject his offer, Matthew said

"There is no need to worry Scott, she's with me."

Pfieuw, this man saved my ass from the scary butler named Scott. Scott nodded and then walked up the stairs to open the front door for us.

The hall we came in was quite big. In the middle of the hall hung a big chandelier, and on both sides of the hall there were stairs that led to the second floor. On my right was a smaller door where what seems to be a maid in disappeared. On my left was a bigger door that probably led to the living room. And it all looked so 19th century-ish.

"Are you coming?' Matthew asked from halfway the left staircase. I was too busy looking around that I didn't notice him walking upstairs. I quickly followed him.

Upstairs there was a large room that has several doors in it. Matthew opened the one in the middle and we stepped inside. Again, this was a large room. But this seemed to be a bedroom, with it's large king size bed and dresser in the corner. Even a couch by the window. He also had a door that led to the balcony. He told me to take place on the couch and he disappeared into a door that I assumed led to the bathroom.

"You live really nice, but what's with all this old fashioned stuff and your clothes?" I asked. He comes back with a cloth and some water.

"What are you talking about? This is the newest fashion. I can more ask you what sort of underpants you're wearing." I blush a little at the thought of my still bare legs.

"Newest fashion?"

"Yes?"

"Come on are you kidding me?" I asked while he started to clean the wound on my knee.

"No, what do you mean?"

"You have this 19th century stuff and you look like you stepped out of a play of Marie Antoinette."

"Have you bumped your head on your way here or something?" He asks, now serious.

"No, why?" He doesn't make any sense.

"Because you do know we're in 1821?"