by Beth Trissel
“The house is safe, my dear. Look.” Anne opened the locket at her throat. Inside, was a miniature of the portrait, identical to the original. “I made a duplicate, in case we needed it. Appears we do.”
“What? How does that work?”
Realization spread in the smile curving Stan’s face. “Simple. Ancient H. cannot enter a house in which she has possessed the girl in a portrait or photograph. Not the home of a wizard with power over images, anyway. If she wants to leave and evade capture.”
“Just so.” Anne nodded. “My goal was to transfer her essence from the larger painting into this, and then hide the locket out of sight, or secured in a safe.”
“I’m sorry I spoiled your plan,” Avery sniffed.
The assembly gathered around her. “It’s all right,” everyone murmured, with pats on her shoulder and back.
“You helped save us from her wrath, and that’s what counts the most,” Anne said.
Her latest victim, now survivor, pushed up on her elbows. “I cannot thank you enough, and your friend. And you, Cousin.”
Ignus knelt back down to assist her to rise, keeping a supportive arm around her. “We are very distant cousins.”
His father smiled at him with knowing eyes then gazed around at the wreckage. “After what you dear people have done for me, I believe it’s my turn to help you.”
“How? What is your gift?” Stan asked.
“Besides time traveling, I’m a restorer, my boy.” Jude raised his hands and got to work.
Like a conductor directing a symphony, he guided everything back into place. Furniture righted itself and the damage was repaired by invisible fingers. Missing pieces reassembled themselves. Broken parts were made whole again.
Fascinating to watch. He didn’t pause until every single thing was mended down to the last glass ball, and most importantly, the damaged gramophone. Dings in the wall, ripped draperies, the shattered bookcase, torn volumes…all fixed.
When he’d finished, he brushed his hands together with satisfaction. The room was restored to its former festive glory. Christmas awaited the children, as if nothing had changed from when they’d gone to bed. The stockings hung in readiness. No doubt, they’d be bulging by morning.
He patted dust from his suit. “There. That’s better.”
Stan gave him a high five. “You’re what I call a real handyman. You have similar wreckage awaiting you in twenty seventeen. Helen left a damage path.”
“Oh well.” He shrugged. “I’ll follow along on clean up.”
“Thank you.” Anne closed her arms around his neck. “We’re grateful.”
He returned her embrace. “Glad to be of service, Great-Great Grandmother.”
David shook his hand. “Good work. I couldn’t have done a better job myself.”
“You mean?” Jude broke off.
“Yes. I’m also a restorer. Probably the one you inherited this talent from. All in the family, you see.”
Avery absorbed this with a mix of mystery and wonder. “But Stan and I aren’t in the family, and we also have rare talents.”
Smiling, Anne touched her cheek. “You belong in our broader family. Unique souls do. Ignus and his mother sensed it instinctively. Our gift to you, and our descendants here on this sacred eve, is the wisdom we have to impart. You are not bound in your travels by this house. Not strictly.”
Ignus swiveled his head at her. “What do you mean?”
“It’s true, you require images of people connected to the house to work with, and the pictures must be stored here, but you need not remain within its confines to find them. No matter how far this may take you in your travels.”
“Oh.” Avery exchanged glances with Stan, and then swept her gaze at the youthful wizard. “You can journey through time out there, if the image you touch is connected here.”
“Do you mean me, or we? Are you two still in?”
She searched Stan’s eyes, reflecting the rapid workings of his mind. “What do you think? Want to go college next term, or travel with Ignus?”
He brightened like a kid on Christmas morning. “Is that even a question? We’re in, bro.”
“Not sure where you’re going, but can I come, too?” The query came from their fast-reviving rescue.
“Fine by me,” Ignus assured her, then glanced dutifully at Anne for approval.
“I think we can spare her for a visit. Pop back in from time-to-time. And um, she has a yet to be discovered gift.”
“Great. All good.” He returned his admiring gaze to their new companion. “But you’ll have to come up with a different name. We have ‘issues’ with Helen.”
“Kind of falls into the she-who-must-not-be-named realm,” Jude agreed.
“We can go with Babykins, Dollface, Lady of the Lake…” Stan trailed off.
“How about Helena?” she suggested.
The four of them eyed her with the same question. ‘Why?’
“That’s my actual name. It was Helen for short.”
“Ok then. Helena it is,” Jude said, heads nodding in agreement. “And now, we must take our leave of you fine folk. I have a wife to return to, if Elaine will forgive me.” He gave Ignus a sideways glance.
“Might take a while, Dad, but you’ll get there.”
“I’ll devote my life to her.”
“That’s a start. By the way, we have staff now. Mr. Silvestre and Miss Bloom. Kind of like family. You may remember them. And then there’s Guy.”
“The clown/cook,” Stan clarified. “You’ll like him.”
And maybe Guy would award Ignus the respect he craved and refer to him as grand’uomo, a big man. He’d earned it, and Avery would be certain the substitute father figure knew.
Jude beamed his approval. “Super. All shall be revealed.”
She gave Anne a parting hug, heartily returned. “We’re leaving you the carpet bag. It’s filled with goodies, and not like it will even be leaving the house. Dispose of the modern packaging hidden beneath the traditional containers. We don’t want inventions created before their time.” Like plastic.
“I will,” she said, with a light laugh. “And thank Elaine for us. Extra gifts are most welcome. We have some shortages from the war. Promise you and Stan will return to visit.”
“I promise.”
“Seconded,” he added.
Jude waved them together. “Huddle in. Time we’re off. Not even sure what day or hour we’re returning to.”
“The week before Christmas twenty seventeen. A Wednesday at, oh say, ten in the evening,” Ignus volunteered.
“Whew. The years have passed. So be it. Will you do the honors of seeing us on our way son, or shall I?”
“Have you an image of mom?”
“Here. We saved it for you, hoping this day would come.” Anne withdrew a small picture from her purse.
The touched man took it in his grasp and gazed fondly at his wife’s face. He nodded at Anne and David with profound gratitude. “I can’t thank you enough. Gather round everybody and join hands. You, too, Helena. We’re going home.” He tapped the photograph. “And this fine lady is getting us there.”
And Avery was returning not only with fellow travelers, but the newly discovered love of her life, who happened to be her closest friend.
What better Christmas gift could there be?
A word from the author…
Married to my high school sweetheart, I live on a farm in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia with my human family and fur babies. An avid gardener, my love of herbs and heirloom plants figures into my work. The rich history of Virginia, the Native Americans, and the people who journeyed here from far beyond her borders are at the heart of my inspiration. I’m especially drawn to colonial America and the drama of the American Revolution. In addition to historical romance, I also write time travel, paranormal, YA/NA fantasy romance, and nonfiction.
www.bethtrissel.com
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