Disclaimer--I do not, regretably, own A Great and Terribe Beauty or Rebel Angels. If I did, do you really think I'd be writing fanfic for it? No.
"Yes, 1895! What are you, dumb?" Felicity asked with annoyance.
"No—it's just that—well, yesterday, it was September 14, 2005," I said, not believing it.
She rolled her eyes. "Yes, I'm sure it was" was her amused response.
"No! I swear it was! See? I don't know any customs or dress or anything from this time period! I never pay attention in history class!" I almost yelled, pissed that she wasn't believing me. Though I wouldn't have believed it, either, if someone from the year 2125 came and told me that they were from that year. "My name isn't Liberty. It's Lea. Short for Leanne. Leanne Hewis. I—" I stopped here, because Felicity's amused look was turning into one of annoyance. "Please, just help me. What do I wear, and what do customs dictate?"
She once again rolled her eyes. "Fine, I'll humor you out of the goodness of my heart," she said. She began telling me what I was supposed to wear and describing things, all the while keeping a vaugely amused look on her face. She really did not understand how hopeless I was.
Breakfast was, to be blunt, crap. The bacon was all cold and greasy, but it was the only thing left to eat by the time we'd gone downstairs. Felicity was glaring daggers at me (probably from the missed edible breakfast) whenever she wasn't talking to her friends, Ann and Gemma. (She'd introduced me to them and then ditched me. I had the feeling that she was just helping me because she either was assigned to or wanted to suck up to the teachers by being nice to the New Girl).
First lesson was French. I've never taken a French class in my life, although I am fluent in Hindi. (for some reason, my parents spoke it at home, even though neither of them were (a) Hindu or (b) had gone to India in their lives. My mother once told me that it was because they had taken Hindi classes together while they were dating and didn't want to forget it. "Yeah, because Hindi classes are totally romantic," I'd scoffed.)
"Quel est votre nom?" the teacher, Mademoiselle LeFarge asked.
"Uh...comment-allez vous?" I responded, using all of the French that I knew. The class giggled quietly, even though they shouldn't have. (Politeness factor, remember?)
The teacher looked at me with an annoyed expression. "I asked you what your name was, Miss Bell, and you responded with 'how are you?'"
"Um...I'm sorry?" I said, unsure of how to respond.
"Do you mean to tell me, Miss Bell, that you know no French whatsoever?" she said in an almost angry voice.
"No, Mademoiselle, I speak fluent English—"
"We know that," I heard some smart-ass whisper loud enough for the whole class to hear. More laughter.
"—and I also speak fluent Hindi," I finished.
The teacher thought. "Well, Miss Bell, I suggest you catch up to your age level. Otherwise, I'll be putting you with the younger girls."
"Yes, Mademoiselle," I manged to get out.
I silently lamented for the rest of class. Why the hell am I here? What did I ever do? Is there anyone here who will willingly help me? Does this have anything to do with...
"Miss Bell?"
I looked up. It was the teacher. "Yes--I mean, oui, Mademoiselle?"
"Class was dismissed."
"Oh," I responded, and got up to leave.
The rest of the day went like that—a big mess. Lunch wasn't any better than breakfast, and tea was just plain horrible. I did have a free period though, right after tea. I decided that, since Felicity seemed to all but hate me at this point, I'd go out and explore the grounds.
Boy, did I get a surprise. There was a pond with a dock, boathouse, and boat out near the woodsy area of the grounds. Who would've thought, for a Victorian girls' boarding school? I'd heard rumors about gypsies out in the woods, but I didn't care. Maybe they'd know a spell to get me home again. It honestly can't get much worse than this...
Dammit, Lea! Don't think negative thoughts! I mentally chastised myself. Then--
"Lea?" I heard a surprisingly familiar voice say. I turned around and...
"What the—Bono?"