Ever wondered what thoughts went round Gideon's head when a stranger becomes his time travel companion? What he felt over ten years for Charlotte?
Here is Ruby Red in Gideon's POV, dialogue straight from the book,
summery:
Ever wondered what thoughts went round Gideon's head when a stranger becomes his time travel companion? What he felt over those ten years for Charlotte?
Here is Ruby Red in Gideon's POV, dialogue straight from the book, new scenes from the past and present.
Today was not a good day.
Charlotte had been going to the temple more and more often, everybody was waiting for her to disappear, or more accurately, travel back in time.
I had gone through the same annoying process two years ago. I'd had headaches and stomachaches for a while so I was brought to the temple where I traveled back for the first time.
I traveled back in the office to- what I guessed was the late 80s. Even then the hideous painting of the count hung on the wall, the count had always unsettled me with his sharp eyes that seemed to look through you and wolf smile.
But I learned to respect the count after meeting him many times and the fear had left with it. Mostly.
I had dreaded reaching 16 and traveling back, knowing I would never be able to travel to places like Peru, France, Italy and all others.
But in the end I had been excited to enter this extraordinary life.
Not being able to travel wasn't completely true either, I did get to go to France but only to collect blood from a dead man.
Not exactly my idea of a fun holiday.
I just came back from a medical course so I got washed and took my car to the temple. Today I had been informed to come earlier then usual, I wonder what task lay ahead of me today.
Ideally I would've taken the rest of the day off to study and gone later at night. I needed to go everyday to the temple to elapse.
A highly annoying method in which I needed to travel back in time for four hours a day to make sure I didn't travel back uncontrolled like the first time.
Lately I had to elapse less and less because it was my job- as the only (available) time traveler at the moment to travel back in time and get blood from dead time travelers.
I was glad Charlotte was assisting me with this task, we worked well together, she always followed orders and saw reason, usually knowing what to do.
I made my way to the dragon hall when someone almost ran into me, stopping just in time.
I looked down and saw a girl, she must have been at least two years younger than me. She had straight black hair and striking blue eyes. She was wearing an identical school uniform to Charlotte so they must go to the same school at least.
"Oops!" Mr. George proclaimed at the near collision, clearly he nor the girl had seen me coming.
I wondered what her business was here, I didn't let my surprise show.
"Mr. George." I said in greeting as the girl stared at me in curiosity, surprise and typical awe, was that all girls really saw? But there was recognition in her gaze, as if we had met before. I was sure we hadn't met so I ignored it, annoyed at the waste of time.
I turned to Mr. George, hoping for an explanation.
"Gideon this is Gwyneth," he said, slightly annoyed and obviously tired. "Gwyneth this is Gideon de Villiers.
"Hello." I said, not really in the mood to make conversation.
"Hello." She answered hoarsly.
"I think you two will be getting to know each other better, " Mr. George said, laughing nervously, "It's possible that Gwyneth is our new Charlotte."
WHAT!!!!
all this time and training...
I voiced my surprise.
"What?"
I looked her up and down, she looked nothing like a Montrose. How was she going to be prepared?How could they have made this mistake? She just stared back blankly.
"It's a very complicated story," was all Mr. George gave as explanation.
"You better go up to the dragon hall and let your uncle explain."
That did seem like the best option.
I nodded,
"I was on my way up in any case. See you, Mr. George. Good-bye for now, Winnie."
For I was sure, if she really was the Ruby we would see a lot of each other.
Mr. George said something I didn't catch, my thoughts going wild.
I opened the door to the dragon hall, the engravings looking beautiful as ever. The next thing I registered was the noise, Charlotte sat on the sofa, looking pale as she had been for the past days.
Glenda, her mother who I had the unfortunate 'pleasure' to have met and another Montrose, I assumed, because of the red hair were speaking in raised voices.
Dr. White stood to the side, simply watching as my Uncle and Charlotte's grandmother stood, rubbing their temples.
Falk looked up as I came in and explained the situation at hand.
"This is Grace Shepherd, Glenda's sister and Gwyneth's mother," he said, nodding to - as I had correctly assumed the Montrose woman beside Glenda.
Glenda didn't look at me but had stopped arguing, Grace gave me a wary glance as if she'd had an unpleasant history with time travel or de Villiers which she had, I remember, she had hid Paul and Lucy for a time.
I nodded my understanding.
"I was introduced on my way here. "
He nodded and continued,
"Apparently," he said almost sarcastically, obviously he did not believe what he was about to say. "Grace changed her daughter's date of birth on her birth certificate to a day later, meaning Gwyneth was born on the same day as Charlotte and inherited the gene instead. Grace claimed she only wanted to protect her daughter and insure she lead a normal childhood."
I couldn't believe it.
Why would anyone want to risk it if the results could be life threatening?
"So now what?" I asked no-one in particular, "We have an unprepared Ruby with no idea of her duties and..."
I didn't get further before Glenda, as usual, interrupted me.
"She's lying, she simply can't stand not having her daughter at the centre of attention."
"As you've said so many times before Glenda," Falk jumped in before Grace could let out the deep breath she had taken to answer Glenda.
"And my answer in final, we will wait for one of the girls to travel back, then we shall know for sure."
The others nodded in agreement and Glenda, to everyone's surprise, shut up.
"Now, " Dr. White proclaimed, "we must decide what to do in case Charlotte really isn't the Ruby. We can't possibly teach her everything Charlotte has learnt over the years in a couple of days."
I leaned against the wall, listening and giving my own suggestions on how to prepare Gwendolyn.
"I think we should ask the count what to do."
Falk suggested,
"At least before making any choices ourselves."
I agreed with him and Dr. White began to speak when the door opened and a rather sweaty Mr. George came in, dabbing his forehead with a cloth as he did when he was nervous or had to run.
Clearly both in this scenario.
"Don't just stand there gaping like a fish," said lady Arista (I was told her name,) scowling.
She didn't seem to have any other facial expression.
Mr. George spoke,
"She's gone."
The room went silent, Grace shoulders slumped, the rage gone as if she'd hoped she would be wrong. Glenda turned blue in the face and Charlotte looked even paler and like she could sink through the ground in shame.
"Well that fixes one problem then,"
Falk broke the silence and left the room, following Mr. George out, Dr.White and I close behind him.
Mr. George claimed she had left five minutes ago and with no idea when she would be back we had to wait.
The room looked the same as it did two years ago, my first trip had been here but her's clearly wasn't here and must not have been asproblem free.
Dr. White, Mr. George and Falk were talking to one another, they clearly couldn't agree on what to do.
"Don't be to hard on her,"
Mr. George tried to reason but Dr. White disagreed.
"We need to prepare her as much as we possibly can in the short time we have. To drill it in her. "
They had been discussing what to do for the next ten minutes when she appeared before me. Oh, what was her name again? It had seemed of so little importance before, I couldn't remember.
"Hi Winnie," I said, smiling at her.
She scowled at me, I had clearly guessed it wrongly.
"Gwyneth," she corrected me annoyed, as if I had nothing better to think about then her name.
The others noticed her arrival. Mr. George smiled from ear to ear, he was as delighted as he had been with my return two years ago.
That was almost fifteen minutes," he said, curious for more. "How was it, Gwyneth? Are you feeling alright?"
A simple nod as answer.
"Did anyone see you?" He continued questioning.
"There wasn't anyone there. I didn't move from the spot, just like you said."
She replied, giving George his signet ring and flashlight back. Precautions, precautions, always precautions.
"Where's my mum?" She asked, clearly uncomfortable with all of us looking at her like she was either the seventh wonder or the plague.
"Upstairs with the others," Falk replied.
"I want to talk to her." She invites. "Don't worry, you can. Later," said Mr. George assuringly,
"First … oh, I really don't know where to begin."
Mr. George looked most pleased that Gwyneth was the Ruby and not Charlotte or maybe he loved doing this again after two years.
"You've already met my nephew Gideon," Falk introduced us. Again. "He went through the experiences that you are now having two years ago." He assured her.
"Although he was better prepared than you've been. It's going to be difficult to make up all the ground you've lost these last few years."
"Difficult? Impossible is how I'd put it," said Dr. White. Not so encouraging.
"Anyway, there's no need," I said. "I can do it all far better on my own."
Doing it alone would mean I didn't have to work with someone who didn't know what was going on and what to do. If I worked alone we didn't have to teach her all the things I spent years practicing. She could just elapse every day and I could complete my task without any problems. Hopefully.
"We'll see," was all Falk said.
"I think you're underestimating the girl," Mr. George jumped in and turned to Gwyneth.
"Gwyneth Shepherd, you are now part of an ancient mystery. And it's high time you heard more about that mystery. In the first place, you should know that—"
"We mustn't go too fast," Dr. White stopped him. "She may have the gene, but that doesn't mean she can be trusted."
Dr. White and his paranoia, I almost rolled my eyes at him. My concern lay in the possibility she could mess up everything we've been working on.
"Or that she has any idea what it's all about," I added.
Gwyneth gave me a nasty look. "Who knows what instructions her mother has given her?" Dr. White insisted. "And who knows who, in turn, gave her mother those instructions? We have only the one chronograph. We can't afford another bad mistake."
Seeing Mr. George annoyed expression he added,
"I'm just suggesting you bear that in mind." Mr. George looked outraged and shocked even though he too had been present when Lucy and Paul betrayed them all.
"It's possible to make things unnecessarily complicated," he murmured, we all ignored him.
"I'll take you to my consulting room now," Dr. White instructed Gwyneth. "No offense, Thomas, but there'll be time for explanations later."
"I'd like to see my mom," Gwyneth said. How utterly childish furthermore it only encourages Dr. White suspicions. I clicked my tongue in distaste.
"There's nothing to be afraid of, Gwyneth," Mr. George assured her, again.
"We just need a little of your blood, and Dr. White will also be responsible for your immunizations and general health. I'm afraid there are all kinds of dangerous infections around in the past, things that the human organism never encounters these days. It will all be over soon."
I know he was trying to help reassure Gwyneth but he wasn't doing very well.
"But I … I don't want to be alone with Dr. Franken … Dr. White," she stamerd.
If she would stop complaining it would make things so much easier. But mistaking Dr. White for Dr. Frankenstein was understandably, he definitely looked and acted the part. I smirked at her but she didn't look at me.
"Dr. White isn't as … as heartless as he may seem to you," Mr. George reasons but I knew Gwyneth would think otherwise when he plunged the needle in her. It had taken a while for me to like Dr. White too but Mr. George was right, he wasn't heartless.
"You really don't have to—" Mr. George started, but Dr. White wouldn't have it.
"Oh, yes, she does!" he growled.
"Do I, though? What will you do if I refuse?" She hissed, she clearly has a deathwish, Dr. White did not take no as answer. Lucky for her sake my Uncle had a good proposal.
"I'll ask Mrs. Jenkins to go with you," he said. "And Mr. George will stay with you until she arrives." She cast the doctor a triumphant glance, as if she had achieved anything other than an annoyed doctor but he ignored her.
"We'll meet in the Dragon Hall in half an hour's time," Falk continued. Dr. White, Mr. George and Gwyneth left the office but not before she looked over her shoulder at me. Now I looked at her from a distance I noticed scratches on her legs. Were those from school or had they been from her first travel back in time? I'd ask her another time.
Once they left I turned to my uncle,
"How did we end up in this mess? "
I really couldn't believe it, we'd spend years preparing, we'd gotten the right people for centuries, never masking a mistake until now. It was some sick joke to make things even harder. A stolen chronograph wasn't bad enough apparently.
"I don't know, Gideon, I don't know. "
It was all he said before leaving to room. But he turned around at the door.
"By the way, could you bring the other Montrosen to the car? Thanks."
He'd already left when I answered.
"of course."
I went up to the dragon hall again, wondering when I would elapse today, or maybe I had to send an update of the Ruby's unfortunate arrival to the count.
I went in after meeting Mrs. Jenkins on the way and briefly explaining the situation. The hall was the same as I'd left it only there was a plate of untouched cookies. Glenda had stopped arguing and was pacing the room, Grace was muttering to herself, Charlotte and her grandmother sat on the sofa.
They looked up at my arrival, Charlotte sitting a little straighter. I send her a sympathetic glance that made her sigh and slump back in her seat.
"Gwyneth is the Ruby."
I declared, getting straight to the point. Not knowing what else to say I said,
"I will take you back to the car."
Charlotte nodded and left the hall, not saying a word as she walked passed me, I called after her but she kept walking.
"Charlotte wait," I grabbed her arm lightly and she stopped and turned to me.
"This is all so embarrassing and humiliating," she said,
"No, it isn't. It's not your fault." I said as softly as possible, trying to make her feel better.
"Phantom symptoms! I could sink into the ground. I really did think it was going to happen any moment—" Charlotte said, looking like she might burst into tears.
I interrupted her before she felt too hopeless.
"That's exactly what I'd have thought myself in your place," I said and I meant it. I would have thought it to be the time travel gene in her place, she was born on the right day, and was the right age. I wouldn't have thought anything different.
"Your aunt must be crazy to have kept quiet about it all these years. And I really do feel sorry for your cousin."
I felt more sorry for myself really, I know had to work with someone who had no idea about any of this. It was going to be a lot harder than it should have been.
"Oh, you do, do you?"
She clearly didn't like me worrying about her cousin.
"Well, think about it! How on earth is she going to manage? She hasn't the faintest idea.… How will she ever catch up with all the things you and I have been learning for the last ten years?"
"Yes, poor Gwyneth," said Charlotte, almost sarcastically.
"But she does have her strong points." she continues and I nodded.
"Giggling with her girlfriend, sending text messages, rattling off the entire cast list of films—she's really good at that sort of thing."
A typical 16 year old highschool girl than. Great. This will be fun.
"I thought as much when I first saw her earlier today," I said, more to reassure her then anything else.
"Hey, I'm really going to miss you." I said. She smiled and said.
"We had fun, didn't we?"
"Yes, but think of all the new opportunities open to you, Charlotte! I envy you that! You're free now. You can do anything you like." That's what I would've done if I were freed from time travel.
"I never wanted anything but this!" I knew she hadn't.
"That was because you had no choice," I said encouraging . "But now the whole world's before you. You can study abroad, you can go on long journeys, while I can't be away from that damn …"
Respect, I had to respect that stupid, retched thing.
"From the chronograph for more than a day, and I spend my nights in the safety of the year 1953. Believe me, I'd happily change places with you!" Mostly true, but the excitement of time travel, a gift many would kill for was irreplaceable.
The door of the Dragon Hall opened and Lady Arista and Glenda came out into the corridor. Done discussing whatever they were talking about. Grace was still inside.
"They'll regret this yet," Glenda said angrily.
"Glenda, please! We're a family, after all," Lady Arista tried to reason.
"We must stick together."
Glenda snorted and said,
"You'd better tell that to Grace. She's the one who got us all into this mess. Protect her! Ha! No one in possession of their senses would believe a word she says! Not after all that's happened. Still, it's not our problem anymore. Come along, Charlotte."
Glenda stormed of leaving her mother behind and waiting for Charlotte to follow.
She clearly didn't take it well.
"I'll see you to the car," I said, fulfilling my given task and giving myself a chance to say goodbye. I'd never really had friends because of the lessons but Charlotte had been there. She hadn't made it a competition of who was the best time traveler but had wanted to work together and now she didn't have the one thing she'd wanted in her life. I couldn't just forget about her and avoid her, I would stick by her side like we had all those years.
I opened the car door for them all and leaded into the window.
"Good-bye for now Charlotte but I'm sure we will see each other again."
She smiled and despite everything I smiled back.
"I'd like that," she said and the window rolled up, a memory came to me as I watched the car sped away.
My 9 year old self, sat on the bench in the Dragon Hall, feet dangling not yet touching the ground. I was waiting nervously when the door opened. Thinking it was my instructor, I sat straighter and looked up, thinking over my line. But I was wrong. Through the door came a woman, holding a little girl's hand. Both had red hair and the little girl wore a blouse and pink leggings. She too was nervous because she was playing with the hem of her blouse.
Her mother told her to wait next to me on the bench and turned to leave.
"Good-bye mommy, " she said waving,
Her mother waved back before disappearing, closing the door behind her,
"Bye Charlotte,"
Charlotte walked up to me and sat down next to me,
"Hello Charlotte," I said, "My name is Gideon."
"Hi," she said, looking at her feet as they swayed next to mine.
"Did you have to practice lines too?" I asked, she nodded.
"Yes but I forgot them," she looked really upset about it,
"Me too." I assured her and she smiled at me and said,
"We're going to be best friends and we'll do everything together forever, I know we will."
She said and held out her pinky.
"Pinky promise?"
I smiled, liking the idea.
"Pinky promise," I said, hooking my finger with hers, "Forever and forever."
Of course we didn't believe in pinky promises anymore but we'd still kept it, but maybe that forever and forever was coming to an end.
I stood there until the car turned the corner before going back inside, I'd wait in the Dragon Hall until someone came to tell me to elapse and with all this chaos I didn't know when that would be. I bumped into Mr. George and Dr. White I'm the corridor.
"Sorry Gideon, we just need to check something with Grace and Gwyneth then we're done."
I nodded my understanding, today was going to be a long day.
We entered the dragon hall where Falk, Grace and Gwyneth were all ready waiting.
"Everything's ready, the time machine is ready to start" said Mr. George happily as if he didn't have a trouble in the world, which, looking at the circumstances he did.
I glanced at Gwyneth and she waved at Dr. White, had the meeting really gone that well? I'd ask her about it later.
"Well, we're all present and correct, then," said Falk."That is to say, I'm afraid Glenda and Charlotte have had to leave us. They send warm good wishes to everyone."
There were definitely a lot of words from Glenda spoken to certain individuals but they weren't warm.
"I bet they do," said Dr. White, always on to speak his thoughts.
"Poor girl! Phantom symptoms for two whole days—it can't have been much fun for her," said Mr. George, with a sympathetic expression.
"And add a mother like that into the bargain," muttered Dr. White, I couldn't agree more, Gwyneth's look seems to say she too, thought Glenda to be most awful.
"Mrs. Jenkins, how's Madame Rossini getting on with Gwyneth's wardrobe?" Mr. George ignored Dr. White.
"She's just … wait, I'll go and ask." Mrs. Jenkins hurried out again.
Mr. George rubbed his hands, ready for action. "Then we can go!"
Yes! Finally, I'd have to spend the next four hours underground but at least I was away from this mess and...
"But you won't take her into danger, will you?" said Grace, turning to Mr. George. "You'll leave her out of this business?"
Oh, no. Now we really would be here forever. I contained my sigh and said,
"We will certainly leave her out of it," that would be the best solution.
"We'll do all we can to protect Gwyneth," Mr. George assured Grace.
OK great, conversation closed.
"We can't leave her out of it, Grace," said Mr. de Villiers. "She's part of this business, as you put it. You ought to have realized that earlier. Before you began this stupid game of hide-and-seek."
Or not.
"With the result that, thanks to you, the girl is entirely unprepared and ignorant," said Dr. White. "Which of course will make our mission even more difficult. But I expect that was just what you wanted."
"What I wanted was to keep Gwyneth out of danger," she spat back.
"I've gone quite a long way on my own," I insisted.
"I can see this thing through by myself."
"That's just what I hoped," Grace defended herself while Gwyneth looked offended and gave me a nasty look.
We'll see what kinds of tasks she may be suitable for," said Falk.
"We have her blood," I argued. "That's all we need from her. She can come here and elapse every day as far as I'm concerned, and then everyone will be happy."
And no time would be wasted on a helpless cause. Gwyneth only proved my point by looking rather confused, Mr. George saw and explained.
"By elapse we mean deliberately tapping your time-travel quota by setting the chronograph to take you back into the past for a couple of hours. That prevents uncontrolled travel." He turned to the others. "I'm sure that after a little while Gwyneth will surprise us all with her potential. She is—"
"She's a child!" I insisted, did nobody else see what a lost cause this was, what a lost cause she was. "She has no idea about anything."
I looked at her and she looked back, her face turning red with anger.
"That's not true," she said. Obviously thinking I meant her age alone but there was so much more that made her incapable of this.
"Oh, no?" I said sarcastically. "Then what, for instance, do you know about history?"
The most important thing for a time traveler to know absolutely everything about time. Not just dates but details.
"Enough!" she shot back angrily.
"Really?" I couldn't believe her nativity and how oblivious she was to how little she knew.
"Who came to the throne after George I?"
She looked alarmed at the question. "George II?" she said hesitantly.
She must have guessed, I should have asked something harder.
Oh, she'd never be able to guess this one.
"And which royal house replaced the Stuarts in 1702 and why?"
Her triumphant face fell.
"Er … we haven't got to that yet," she said.
"So I see." I said to the other, having proven my point.
"She doesn't know anything about history. She can't even speak appropriately. Wherever we go, she'd stick out like a sore thumb. And she has no idea what's at stake. She wouldn't just be totally useless, she'd endanger the entire mission!"
I didn't look at her as she no doubt turned red again.
"I think you've made your opinion quite clear, Gideon," said my Uncle. "At this point, it would be interesting to find out what the count thinks of these developments."
"You can't do that to her!" Grace interrupted. Her voice all choked up.
"The count will be delighted to meet you, Gwyneth," said Mr. George. "The Ruby, the twelfth, the last in the Circle. It will be a solemn moment when the two of you come face-to-face."
"No!" she said.
Everyone looked at her, Mr. George and Dr. White saw no reason why not to let Gwyneth see the count but Grace insisted without a reason of her own, or at least not one she was willing to share.
"It's not up to you to decide," said Falk.
"But she's right! It won't do anyone any good for us to drag the girl into this too," I really saw no point. "I'll explain what happened, and I'm sure the count will agree with me."
"He's going to want to see her, anyway, to get an idea of her for himself," said Falk. "There's no danger for her. She won't even have to leave this house."
"Mrs. Shepherd, I assure you, nothing will happen to Gwyneth," said Mr. George. "I imagine your opinion of the count is based on prejudices that we'll all be very happy to dispel."
But Grace wouldn't tell us why she was afraid of the count and didn't want Gwyneth to meat him. She only said it was a 'kind of feeling,'
everyone ignored.
"Who is this count anyway, and why aren't I supposed to meet him?" Gwyneth asked, I had a feeling I would have to answer a lot of her questions in the future.
"Because your mother has a kind of feeling," said Dr. White, straightening his jacket. "The man has been dead for over two hundred years, Mrs. Shepherd."
"And that's the way I'd like him to stay," she muttered.
"Count Saint-Germain is the fifth of the twelve time travelers, Gwyneth," Mr. George explained, telling her how he'd discovered how to use the chronograph and decoded ancient scripts that foretold the prophecy of each time traveler. Falk didn't give the count all the credit.
"The count had scientists, philosophers, and scholars such as Raimundus Lullus, Agrippa von Nettesheim, John Colet, Simon Forman, Samuel Hartlib, Sir Kenelm Digby, and John Wallis to thank for the decoding of the Ancient Writings,"
The two of them were wasting their breath, everything either went in one ear and out the other and she probably didn't know a single one of these people.
"None of those names rings a bell anywhere in her head," I said sarcastically.
I had clearly guessed correctly since she gave me a nasty look, clenching her jaw.
I simply looked away, not caring what she possibly thought of me or the terrible things she wished upon me. Not caring one bit.
After much more discussing, explaining to Gwyneth and protests from Grace, we were finally getting somewhere.
"You'll meet him in the year 1782. The count was a very old man then, but conveniently for our purposes, he was making a visit to London. On a strictly secret mission, the nature of which is unknown to historians and his biographers.
Falk said, explaining where the count and Gwyneth would meet.
"He spent the night here in this house. So it will be very easy to arrange a meeting between you. Gideon will escort you, of course." Great those idiots were sending me to babysit Gwyneth in 1782, I'd rather elapse.
"Very well," Grace said, finally giving in after Gwyneth insisted she would be fine and that Grace should go home to be there for Caroline and Michael, Gwyneth's sibling I assumed.
"I'll go." She continued and even Gwyneth looked relieved. "I'm trusting you to make sure that no harm comes to Gwyneth." Grace said, more to Mr. George then anyone else.
"And that she will be at school on time tomorrow morning," said Lady Arista. "She shouldn't miss too many lessons. She's not like Charlotte." Lady Arista clearly didn't believe in not playing favorites or being nice, to anyone.
"Where are my hat and coat?" she asked, looking around.
There was silent collective sigh of relief from the rest of us in the room.
"Mrs. Jenkins will take care of everything, Lady Arista," said Falk. I wondered why Charlotte and Gwyneth both called their Grandmother Lady Arista, I'd ask about it later.
"Come along, my child," Lady Arista told Grace.
"Grace." Falk said, taking her hand and raising it to his lips. "It's been a great pleasure to see you again after so many years."
"It hasn't been all that long," she said, slightly smiling but she was still angry and upset.
"Seventeen." said Falk like nobody was counting. I smirked at him.
"Six," she corrected him. Ouch, not so smooth.
"We saw each other at my husband's funeral, but you've probably forgotten." She ignored him and looked at Mr. George. "Will you take care of her?"
"Mrs. Shepherd, I promise you that Gwyneth will be safe with us," said Mr. George. "Trust me."
"I don't seem to have any other option." Grace muttered, withdrawing her hand from Falk's and slung her bag over her shoulder.
"Can I have a word with my daughter in private?"
"Of course," said Falk.
"You'll be undisturbed in the room next door."
"I'd prefer to be outside with her," said Grace annoyed. My uncle raised his eyebrows.
"Afraid we'll eavesdrop on you? Watch you through peepholes in the portraits?" He laughed, she didn't.
"I need a little fresh air, that's all," was all she said and the three of them were gone.
Falk plopped down on the nearest chair and let out a sigh.
I smirked at him.
"What?" he asked annoyed, clearly knowing what I was smirking about.
"It was a long time ago, besides, de Villiers and Montrosen never work out. Grace was just...a thing."
"mmmhu" I said sarcastically, not believing him and continued to smirk. He ignored me.
"Get me a whiskey would you?"
He asked Dr. White. The doctor nodded,
"Make that three," the doctor said rubbing his temples and looking at Mr. George.
"Woman, always so dramatic and..."
He muttered on his way out, while my family and the lodges view on women was very old fashioned I couldn't help agree, they had indeed managed to mess things up spectacularly.
Mr. George and Falk left shortly after Dr. White did and after they'd had a whiskey. I was to go to Madam Rossini to collect my clothes but first I felt like I could use a bit of fresh air myself.
I went out to find Lady Arista gone but Grace had stayed, she was sitting on the bench crying. I walked towards her, ignoring the voice in my head telling me it wasn't my problem. I cleared my throat and offered her a tissue, she looked up at me, wiped her eyes and smiled, taking my tissue and snorted loudly. She got up, taking her handbag and rucksack,
"I'm sorry, I just had a rough day, I should go home, thanks for the tissue."
"No problem," I said.
She started walking away but changed her mind and turned around to face me again.
"Promise you'll take care of her for me, to protect her. She's...she's everything to me...I can't...I just can't lose her."
"Of course," I said, a promise I knew I might not be able to keep. Grace knew it to because she smiled sadly,
"thank you."
and she walked away.
I went back inside and went to Madam Rossini's room.
I came in without her noticing me, there was an old record player playing on French, most likely a phonograph, which were invented in 1988 by...
Anyway, not important.
The old record player was playing a jazzy tune and Madam Rossini was humming along happily while working on a dress. The dress was put on a doll and Madam Rossini hopped around it, putting needles in places and making little adjustments. The dress was beautiful in a magnificent bleu, I looked sadly at the dress, a dress made for Charlotte but Gwyneth would get to wear.
I coughed, knowing Madam Rossini would not appreciate someone creeping up on her. She indeed jumped, almost tearing the dress.
She turned to me.
"Zut slots, w'at do you t'ink you're doing, creeping up on me like t'at?"
She said angrily and disappeared in the racks of clothing and came back with a handful of clothes.
I loved her accent and how she forgot the t and the th when she got mad. But she was very forgiving and gave me the clothes with a smile.
The outfit however I did not love, the yellow breeches, red waistcoat, a brown coat with gold buttons and gloves of yellow chamois leather.
God what were people thinking.
But I smiled,
"Thank you Madam Rossini,"
She waved me off but there was a suspicious glint in her eyes as if she knew I would not wear this outfit, not matter what the period.
I changed in the room next door, a small storage room full of old clothes, hats, pins and so much more, I looked around a bit, hunting for something acceptable to wear instead.
Oh perfect, I put on dark green trousers that cut off at my knees, and striped silk stockings but kept the red waistcoat and tied my hair up in a bow. I went back to Madam Rossini's dressroom where Gwyneth had all ready being fitted with the new dress which looked beautiful on her. But my attention went to the monstrosity on her head, I contained my laugh at the feather disaster.
"Nice hat."
I said jokingly
"Lovely," said Mr. George, coming into the room behind me, I hope he was talking about the dress and not the hat.
"Madame Rossini, you've worked wonders." He said delighted and possibly relieved at how simple changing the dresses from one girl to another had been.
"Yes, I know," said Madame Rossini. Looking pleased at her work.
"Nice velvet bow," Gwyneth said sarcastically, trying to get back at me for the hat comment.
"Mrs. Counter, our geography teacher, always wears exactly the same thing." Her attempt at insulting me was hilarious I smiled, glad I hadn't worn those ridiculous trousers,
"Oh, the bow is nothing special. You should see me in a wig." I said, knowing she'd have nothing to say to that. Jet she didn't look as puzzled as I'd hoped.
"Monsieur Gideon, I 'ad put out zose lemon-yellow breeches for you, not ze dark ones."
Madame Rossini complained, I looked away from Gwyneth, her hat more accurately and turned to Madam Rossini.
"Yellow breeches with a red waistcoat and a brown coat with gold buttons? I thought it was just too many bright colors." I said, as politely as possible without insulting her.
"Men of ze Rococo period liked colors."
As if that explained their horrible taste. Madame Rossini looked at me crossly.
"And I am ze expert here, not you!"
I knew there was no point arguing any further. Or I would just upset her more.
"Yes, Madame Rossini," I said.
"I'll listen to you next time."
Unless it was completely ridiculous again, I said to myself.
"Where are ze yellow chamois leather gloves?"
"Oh, I thought if I wasn't going to wear the breeches, I'd better steer clear of the gloves as well."
"Of course!" Madame Rossini huffed. I had refused her clothes before, the first time I had gone to visit the count days, (from the count's prospective) before Gwyneth will or did.
"With respect to your sense of fashion, young man, we're not talking good taste here, we're talking authenticity. And I took care to pick colors that would suit your complexion, you ungrateful boy."
Pink did not suit me.
"Thank you very, very much, Madame Rossini," Gwyneth said as she left the room very slowly, making sure her dress didn't bump into anything.
"Ah, my little swan-necked beauty! It was a pleasure! At least you appreciate my work." Madam Rossini said to Gwyneth, giving me a sour look.
"If you'll follow me, please, Miss Gwyneth." Said Mr. George smiling. "We have to blindfold her first," I remind him, or else we would never hear the end of it from Dr. White, no matter how many times I insisted she wasn't capable of such a crime as stealing the chronograph.
I thought, trying to find the best way to take Gwyneth hat of so I could blindfold her.
"Dear me, yes. I'm afraid Dr. White insists on it," said Mr. George, with an apologetic smile to Gwyneth. "But it will ruin her 'airstyle!" Madame Rossini complained, smacking my hand away for more than just helping with the hat I was sure.
"Tiens! Do you want to pull 'er 'air off 'er 'ead? Never 'eard of a 'atpin? There!"
She firmly planted the hat and hatpin in Mr. George's hands who clearly had no idea what to do with it or why she had given it to him. "And carry that 'at carefully!" Mr. George assured her he would and I tied a black scarf around Gwyneth's eyes, trying to avoid messing up her hair as much as possible, knowing Madam Rossini was looking over my shoulder like a hawk.
"Ow!" she shrieked, overreacting hugely as a few hairs got stuck in the knot, I rolled my eyes but she couldn't see."Sorry. Can you still see anything?"
"No."
"Why can't I see where we're going?"
She asked confused.
"You're not allowed to know exactly where the chronograph is kept," I explained. I put a hand on her back and guided her forward, she almost stumbled a step.
"An unnecessary precaution, if you ask me," I said. "This house is a labyrinth. You'd never find your way back to the room. And Mr. George thinks you're beyond any suspicion of treachery anyway." But not for the same reasons I believed she wouldn't do anything. Mr. George thought she was nothing more than confused and...
"Ow!"
Gwyneth said as she collided with the wall, I must have led her into the wall by accident, I cursed myself for not paying better attention.
"Hold her hand, Gideon, you stupid oaf," said Mr. George, sounding annoyed.
"She's not a supermarket trolley." Fair enough, I thought and I took her hand which was warm and soft, she jumped at the touch. "It's okay," I said, feeling her heartbeat quicken. "Only me. We go down a couple of steps now. Watch out."
So we went on in silence I instructed her where to go, telling her when we took a step down side or around a corner. We didn't talk but really what was I to say to a 16 year old, she wasn't like Charlotte so we couldn't talk about politics or discuss events of the past.
Gwyneth missed a step and she stumbled almost falling over but I caught her just on time with both hands and put her back on solid ground. I put my hands around her waist. "Careful, there's a step here," I said smiling.
"Yes, thanks. I noticed when my ankle turned over," she answered, not so amused.
"For heaven's sake, Gideon, do be careful," said Mr. George. "Here, you carry the hat, and I'll help Gwyneth."
For the next 5 minutes Mr. George led Gwyneth through the halls and there were no more accidents. After the last left turn we finally arrived in the chronograph room where I'd been many times before and Charlotte had looked forward to going to but now... maybe she never would. Mr. George took Gwyneth's blindfold of an she squinted at the bright light.
"Here we are."
Mr. George said as I came in after him.
"Exquisite as a young May morning," Dr. White told me, "Thanks!" I said and made a little bow while Gwyneth was blinking, trying to get used to the light.
"The latest thing from Paris. I ought really to be wearing yellow knee breeches and yellow gloves with this outfit, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it." Dr. White grinned darkly.
"Madame Rossini is furious," said Mr. George.
"Gideon!" Falk said disappointed. "Well, Uncle Falk, I ask you! Yellow knee breeches?"
He must realize how ridiculous that is!
"It's not as if you were going to meet old school friends who might laugh at you there," he said sighing. "No," I said smiling and putting the hat down. "More likely I'll meet guys wearing embroidered pink breeches who think they look terrific," I said, shaking my head. Mr. George smiled but Falk simply shook his head and turned to Gwyneth,
"Blue suits you wonderfully, Gwyneth. And Madame Rossini has done something very elegant to your hair."
"Er … thank you." Gwyneth muttered, unsure what to say.
"We'd better hurry up. I'm dying of heat in these clothes." I said undoing my stuffy coat.
"Come over here." Dr. White told Gwyneth and I walked to the table where the chronograph had been wrapped in red velvet, completely over the top.
"I've adjusted all the settings. The window of time available to you two is three hours." The chronograph looked absolutely stunning, no matter how many times I saw it, it still astonished me every time. The precious stones on the chronograph were priceless, the engraving beautiful,
"Is that the chronograph? It's so small!" Gwyneth said, not too impressed.
"It weighs nine pounds," said Dr. White proudly. "And before you ask, yes, the stones are all genuine. This ruby alone is six carats." Before Dr. White could rattle on about the chronograph any longer Falk interrupted him, and just as well or else we would still be here tomorrow.
"Gideon will go first," he said.
"The password?"
"Qua redit nescitis," I said, knowing it by heart like I should.
"Gwyneth?"
"Yes?" she asked, clueless of what she'd been asked.
"The password!" Falk said a bit annoyed. Gwyneth just looked even more confused.
"What do you mean, password?"
I gritted my teeth to keep from shouting at her or sighing. Hadn't he just asked me the same thing two seconds ago.
"Qua redit nescitis," said my Uncle. "The password of the Guardians for this twenty-fourth of September." "But it's the sixth of April." I turned his eyes to heaven, was she really this clueless or did she not think before she spoke?
"We arrive on the twenty-fourth of September inside this house. If we don't want the Guardians to chop off our heads, we have to know the password. Qua redit nescitis. Go on, repeat it." I said, hoping she'd remember it then.
"Qua redit nescitis," she said before asking,
"What does it mean?"
Oh my God! Was there anything she could do?
"Don't tell me you're not learning Latin at school!"
"Well, I'm not," she snapped back. "In full, Qua redit nescitis horam. You know not the hour of your return," said Dr. White before I could explode.
"Rather a flowery translation!" Mr. George protested. "One could also say, 'You don't know when—'" "Gentlemen!" Falk said, having clearly had enough of this discussion and tapped his wristwatch urgently.
"We don't have forever. Ready, Gideon?" As I held my hand out to Dr. White, I noticed the hat still on the table, I could go and get it but we would only waste time and nobody would miss it anyway. Dr. White put my forefinger in the opening underneath the diamond and the familiar humming sound began, with a flash of white light I ended up in a familiar corridor, the one I had used to travel back to meet the count for the first time, to inform the count of the missing chronograph and later my progress in seeking the dead time travelers blood.
Once Gwyneth arrived I laid a hand on her shoulder to support her. She tensed up,
"Is that you, Gideon?" Gwyneth whispered.
"Who else?" I whispered back, and let go of her shoulder. "Well done, you didn't fall over!" I said, not quite joking, I had fallen over the first 3 times, not that I saw going to tell her that.
I took the torch I knew was hanging on the wall and lit it. I could see her face now, her eyes were dancing in the light of the candle, and she looked up at me. She looked so... innocent that I could understand why Grace had hidden her.
"Cool. Did you bring that with you?"
How was I supposed to have taken a torch with me? Hid it under a waistcoat? I would have at least taken a flashlight.
"No, it was here already. Hold it for a moment." I told her handing her the torch as turned the key in the lock, having left it locked on my last visit, the last thing we wanted was someone ending up in the nuthouse because they told all their friends about people appearing out of nowhere in corridors.
"Hush," I said, knowing she would most likely ask questions. I peered out into the corridor, praying there would be nobody there. There wasn't so I stepped out, Gwyneth right behind me.
"This place smells kind of like something decaying," she said, so much for being quite.
"Nonsense. Come along!" I said, and closed the door behind her, making sure to make a minimal amount of noise. I took the torch from her again, and we walked down the dark corridor, the torch the only light.
"Aren't you going to blindfold me again?" she asked, almost sarcastically.
"It's dark, you'd never remember the way," I replied. "One more reason to stick close to me. We have to be back down here in three hours' time."
We kept on walking up the same path we'd gone done minutes earlier, only everything looked a lot less modern, no light or even torches anywhere, Gwyneth stayed close, looking around fearful, clearly in no hurry to find out what animals roamed these halls. We turned into a lot corridor where we reached a set of double doors and one of the suits of armor pointed his spear at us and said, "Stop!" Gwyneth jumped in fright and turned pale as a ghost, I had been told to expect this when I came here the first time, Gwyneth had been less fortunate. I couldn't help smile at her reaction. The other guard spoke, also in a suit of armor.
"We have to speak to the Master," I said, "On urgent business." I added so they would speed up. "Password!" said the second guard.
"Qua redit nescitis," I said for both of us since Gwyneth had probably already forgotten it, not that the guard would bother asking her. "You may pass," said the first guard, opening the door for us. We went through a second corridor, lit well enough that I didn't need the torch anymore so I put it in a holder and we continued on.
"This is like a horror film. My heart almost stopped." Gwyneth said, slightly out of breath. "I thought those things were just for decoration! I mean, suits of armor aren't exactly modern in the eighteenth century, are they? And not much use either, if you ask me."
Completely useless, if someone were indeed to attack which in itself was very unlikely, they wouldn't be able to do anything because the armors were to heavy to lift and probably rusty as well.
"It's a tradition for the men on guard to wear them," I said. "They do in our time as well."
"But I haven't seen any knights in armor in our time,"
Only because she had been blindfolded and they were empty anyway. But I was sick of answering questions.
"Get a move on," I hurried her on. She ignored my obvious annoyance at having to a answer her questions and asked another.
"Who is 'the Master'?"
"The Order is headed by a Grand Master. At this period of course it's the count himself. The Order is still young; the count founded it only thirty-seven years ago. Even later, members of the de Villiers family often held the post of Grand Master." I explained as simply and straightforward and possible, but Gwyneth looked even more confused and had many more questions
"What about now? Er, I mean in our time. Who's the Grand Master today?"
"At the moment, my Uncle Falk," I said, "He took over from your grandfather Lord Montrose."
"Oh." She said, looking slightly upset that she had never known. Another secret she didn't know.
"So what position does Lady Arista hold in the Order?" The question took me by surprise, I'd thought she'd ask more about her grandfather.
"Oh, none. Women can't be members of the Lodge. The immediate families of the members of the Inner Circle automatically belong to the Outer Circle of initiates, but they don't have a say in anything."
She had on 'oh, obviously' expression on her face. I could tell she wanted to roll her eyes at our anti-feminism.
"Why do you always call your grandmother Lady Arista, by the way?" I asked now we were talking about her anyway. When she didn't answer I continued, "Why don't you say Grandma or Granny?"
She thought about it for a moment.
"I don't know. We just do," she said. "So, why can't women be members of the Lodge?" She returned to the subject, but I heard footsteps and then voices so I quickly pushed her behind me, she clearly hadn't hear anything because she began to protest.
"Shut up for a moment, would you?" I whispered, hoping they hadn't seen or heard us.
"What?" She said, not listening to simple instructions.
Two men with drawn swords stepped out of the shadows, blocking our way. "Good day," I said as casually as I could, a hand on my sword, a warning for them to stay away.
"Password!" demanded the first man.
"Surely you were here only yesterday,"
said the second man, coming a little closer to take a look at me, not feeling threatened I stood my ground. "Or your younger brother was. The likeness is remarkable." He looked at me astonished.
"Is this the boy who can appear out of nowhere?" asked the other man. Both of them were now staring at me openmouthed, last time I'd had shaken them off with a lie, I told them them the same one as I had two years ago.
"Let's just say I know ways about this house that are unknown to you," I said, looking down at them, something I hadn't been able to do on my last visit.
"I and my companion have to speak to the Master. On urgent business." "That's right, mention yourself first," Gwyneth said, failing miserably to sound superior, and at remaining quite. We all ignored her.
"The password?" They insisted, "Qua redit nescitis," I said, between my teeth, annoyed at the delay.But followed him on.
And that's chapter 7,8,9,10,11. Next time we'll have 12,13,14.
Bye