'Millie, you have to go!' Mother had said.

'My mother doesn't take no for an answer, Millie.' Father had said.

'Come on, don't be stuffy!' Gianna had said.

Andrew had merely given her an empathetic look as they got ready to travel in the ballroom. This time, Gianna forced Millie to go first, so that there would be no mistakes or retreats.

It was now mid-April. Millie's ankle had completely healed, and she was now able to take walks through the countryside. Mother was still forbidding her to work, and though she was glad for the extended break, Millie wondered at the decision. Mother still had not found work, and Father was starting to have to go farther away for jobs.

Millie lounged in the music room, looking out the window over the waning March landscape. April was finally coming, and with it, a hope that warmer days would be soon follow. Her recovery had been slow; Dr. Rawlings had said that while her ankle wasn't broken, it was still badly sprained, and that it would take a few weeks for it to heal. Her mother had forbidden her to go to work, though Millie knew how badly they needed the extra money, what with Mother losing her job and Father finding it increasingly harder to find work.

Millie nearly collapsed on her bed. It had been a long night.

Memories came flooding into her mind; it was hard to sort through them. At first, she dwelt only on brief moments that were yet fresh in her thoughts... but then, everything began to fall into place.

Millie sped up the staircase with the full intention of returning to the ballroom. She didn't know why she was running, in fact, she was starting to wish that she hadn't. The idea that had once seemed the proper course of action suddenly appeared silly and ridiculous.

Just as she reached the top, however, a voice from behind stopped her dead in her tracks.

'Miss Taverner!'

Doctor Rawlings. She turned to face him- he was standing at the bottom of the stairs, looking earnestly up at her.

I would like to just make a quick note; thank you to everyone who commented on the previous parts of this serial! You have all encouraged me... thank you so much! 

First, I wanted to thank James for promoting me to the most esteemed honor of becoming a Monthly. I am deeply honored, I hope to become worthy of that title. In the meantime, I present the next set of chapters for the Taverner Chronicles.

Millie pulled the curtains aside. There she was, in her own time, for her brother and sister were standing over the trunk full of clothing. Millie shivered as the warmth left her cheeks and hands, realizing that it was again cold. Very cold. Andrew looked at her with a puzzled expression.

Millie followed her Grandfather out of the study. It felt strange to see him so young and full of life, walking tall and without a cane. As they made their way up the stairs and through the long hallways, Millie was amazed to see just how many servants there were bustling about. The majority seemed to be gathering things and taking them in the direction of the ballroom, but there were a few with anxious looks on their faces. Millie pulled at Grandfather's sleeve.

'Is there something wrong? Why are some of them worried?'

Millie eyed the strange tag that was attached to the dress she was holding.

'Yes, I think you're right...' she said, peering closely at the ink jots on the faded paper. Then, she let out a strange shout, 'Hey, this one was first worn exactly forty years ago today!'

Millie sighed as she walked towards the edge of town. She had just finished a long day of sewing with the town's dressmaker. Tuesdays were always really hard days, and this was no exception. Not only were the hours long, but business in the shop was slow so that Millie had few excuses to leave her stitching to help customers. Now she was done. But instead of feeling relieved, she was far from it; she had yet to walk home in the bitter February cold.