It takes me weeks to teach the men already part of the Torchwood branch I'm working with how to read and write. I write to Catalina in code to explain my situation to ask if she can spare anyone to teach everyone in Torchwood how to read and write. I haven't got a reply back yet, but I'm expecting one any day. Each day I'm here, I see everyone improving, and not just in their reading and writing.

"Miss Smith-White!" Thomas calls. He is hurrying over, and I notice there is a young lady with him.
"Master Drake, it's good to see you. Who is this young lady with you?"
"This is my sister, Lucy. She is—"
"I believe your sister can speak for herself, Master Drake." I look over at Lucy and offer her a warm smile. "It's all right; I will listen."
"My family want me to marry, but I have no desire to," she begins. "I do not want to become a nun either, so my options are limited. I am a fast learner, and my brother already taught me how to read simple sentences."
"How do you feel about interacting with extra-terrestrials, Miss Lucy?"
"Extra-terrestrials?"
"People from the stars."
"I am excited to learn more about them. Not all of them can be hostile."
I beam when I hear what she says. "That's brilliant! When will you want to start?"
"Can I start today?"
"Of course. Do you know how to write your name?"
"That is one of the things Thomas taught me."

We head inside the manor house that is housing the Torchwood members. "We'll have to find somewhere for the women to stay," I mumble.
"I can see if I can get someone in to make a plan of a new wing," another man says.
"That sounds like a great idea, but I will run it by the King and Queen before we call anyone in."
"Of course, Miss Smith-White."

We go into my temporary office, and I pull out a piece of parchment. "I'm going to write up your contract, which explains your terms while you are working with us. It also outlines your rights and what time off you are allowed."
"We are allowed time off?"
"Of course. I believe that workers who have time off are more productive. So, we will make sure to give you scheduled time off, but you will need to clear it with the leader of your branch first, which will be this one."
"All right." I gesture to the seat before me, and Lucy sits down.

A few minutes later, I finished talking through the contract with Lucy, and she signs on as Torchwood's first female member. For Tudor England, this is quite impressive. Long may it continue! "Can I tell my family?" She asks before she leaves.
"Sure, tell anyone you like. Torchwood will take on anyone who is willing to give aliens a chance. As you said, not all aliens are hostile."
"Do you have experience with aliens?"
"I am half alien myself, so I think it's necessary for an organisation like Torchwood to be accepting of us." Lucy nods and beams as she heads out.
"Thank you, Miss Smith-White," Thomas says.
"You're welcome. I just hope Lucy will be the first of a long line of women that will arrive at Torchwood's doors. However, I will leave for the next branch in the next few days."
"So soon?"
"There are a lot of Torchwood branches around, and I want to be at each of them for long enough to make sure they'll keep on the changes I'm trying to bring in." Thomas nods as he sits in the seat opposite me. "Who is the current head of this part of Torchwood?"
"We don't have one. It used to be the Duke of Norfolk, so—"
"That explains the sexism," I say.
"Sexism?"
"Judging someone based on their sex, so believing that women cannot achieve the same things a man can. But we need to find a new leader before I leave."

Over the next few days, I interview everyone who has been at Torchwood for a while, but most are either arrogant, selfish, or both. After the end of one of these interviews, I bang my head on the desk and groan. "Is this ever going to end?"
Thomas chuckles. "It depends on whether you decide to leave or not."
"I must move to the next branch. London has a few branches, then there are others in the major cities, especially near the north."
"I would avoid the north right now, Miss."
"Why is that?"
"Scotland has entered some villages and burnt them to the ground."
I sit up. "They did what?"
"From what I heard, King James himself sanctioned it."
"Well, he is not going to last long."
"How can you say that with such certainty?"
I gesture to the seat before me, and Thomas sits down. "What I am going to tell you must stay between the two of us." I try and make my tone as serious as possible, and I think I succeed. Thomas' confused expression soon smooths out. "Under no circumstances can you tell anyone about what I say. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Miss Smith-White."

I check to make sure the door is shut. It is slightly open, and I can see someone beyond it. I stand and cross over to the door. "I assume you have some work you must do," I say to the young man.
"Miss Smith-White, this will not take too long."
"What is it?" I hate to sound blunt, but I was about to give Thomas critical information.
"It is my daughter. She has no desire to marry, and she is certainly not the type who will quietly go to a nunnery. Is it all right if I bring her here?"
"Bring her by tomorrow, and I will talk to her, but please make sure it is tomorrow. I will leave the day after, and I will hate to miss her."
"Of course. Thank you for your time." The man heads back down the corridor, and I close the door behind him.

"Sorry about that." I sit back down again. "I had to make sure no one was around."
"I guess that makes sense. What is it you want to tell me?"
"I am from the future, centuries in the future."
"What century?"
"The twenty-first century. The beginning of the twenty-first century, to be in fact, so that is almost five centuries from now."
"So you know what is going to happen in England?"
"Not everything. There were certain parts I chose to not study before I travelled back as five hundred years is a lot."
"It would be, yes. A lot can happen in that time."
"You don't seem that surprised."
"I do not think much can surprise me now."

We continue holding interviews with other potential candidates, but no one comes up. I meet with Elizabeth, the young girl her father was telling me about, and I give her a contract with Torchwood the same day. Sadly, she has no reading or writing skills, but her father is willing to teach her. "We are progressing in the right direction," Thomas says.
"Indeed, we are. You have been most helpful during my stay here."
"Even if I had been the village idiot when you first arrived?"
"You changed your act quickly, which is something Torchwood should commend. How would you feel about becoming the leader here?"
"Me? Leader?" Thomas splutters and eventually meets my gaze. "Do you think I can do it?"
"Or if you want to be co-leader with a woman helping you, I can easily arrange that."
"I think that will be best."
"Lucy could be our best option. She is the only woman here, and she knows how to read and write."

I talk to Lucy about it before I leave, and she is open to the idea. "But it might only be temporary," I warn them. "I do not want the others to think I'm prioritising certain families."
"We understand," Lucy says.

We all head outside together, where everyone is waiting. "Thank you for coming, Miss Smith-White," one of them says.
"I am glad I could come; Torchwood needs some serious reformation. I trust you will all try to keep the changes I started. Let me know if you need any help. Thomas and Lucy know the next town I am in, so they can write and let me know what is going on." I climb on my horse and set off once I said my goodbyes. I will miss this Torchwood branch. Maybe I can ask King Henry if I can come here and help when I'm not serving a queen. That is one idea to keep in mind.