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“Suppose you lost your mobile in the past,” said Mr. de Villiers. “Whoever found it wouldn’t be able to make out what kind of thing it was. But then again, maybe he would. And then your mobile could even change the future. So could a pistol. And I hate to think what might happen if mankind thought up the idea of sophisticated weapons any sooner than they did.”
“Such items would also be proof of your and our existence,” said Dr. White. “One little mistake could change everything and then the continuum would be in danger.”
I bit my lower lip as I wondered if losing a pepper spray in another time might change the future of mankind. Maybe any change would be only for the good if the right person found it.… Maybe I should tell Lesley to call off the plan to buy pepper spray, though, just to be safe.
Mr. George put out his hand. “I’ll look after that for you.”
Sighing, I put my hand down inside my collar and gave him my mobile. “But I want it back at once afterward!”
“Are we finally ready?” asked Dr. White. “The chronograph is prepared.”
I was ready. I had a slight tingling inside me, and I had to admit that I liked it much better here than having to sit in a cellar in some boring year to do my homework.
Gideon looked inquiringly at me. Maybe he was wondering what else I might have hidden away. “Ready, Gwyneth?” he asked.
I smiled at him. “Ready when you are.”
The time is out of joint; O cursed spite
That ever I was born to set it right!
WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE, HAMLET
FIFTEEN
ONE OF THE GUARDIANS’ cabs, a horse-drawn hackney carriage, took us from the Temple to Belgravia, driving along the banks of the Thames, and this time I could recognize a fair amount of the London I knew outside the window. The sun shone on Big Ben and Westminster Abbey, and I was pleased to see people strolling down the broad avenues with hats, sunshades, and pastel-colored dresses just like mine. The parks were full of green spring foliage; the streets were well paved and not at all mucky.
“This is like the set of a musical,” I said. “I’d love one of those sunshades.”
“We’ve picked a good day,” said Gideon. “And a good year.” He had left his top hat in the cellar, and since I’d have done exactly the same in his place, I didn’t blame him.
“Why don’t we simply wait for Margaret in the Temple when she goes there to elapse?”
“I’ve tried that twice already. It wasn’t easy to convince the Guardians of those days of my good intentions, in spite of having the password and the signet ring and so on. It’s always tricky assessing the reaction of Guardians in the past. If they’re in any doubt, they’re more likely to back the time traveler they know and are duty bound to protect than a visitor from the future, someone they know either not at all or only very slightly. Like last night and this morning. We may be more successful if we visit her at home. And it’s bound to be more of a surprise.”
“But couldn’t she be guarded day and night by someone just waiting for us to turn up? We know she’s expecting that. She’s been expecting it for years, right?”
“The Annals of the Guardians don’t say anything about additional personal protection. They just stipulate that a novice Guardian has to keep a discreet eye on the place where every time traveler lives.”
“The man in black!” I cried. “A man just like that stands outside our house.”
“Obviously not making himself particularly inconspicuous,” said Gideon, grinning.
“Not in the least. My little sister thinks he’s a wicked magician.” I thought of something. “Do you have any brothers and sisters yourself?”
“A little brother,” said Gideon. “Well, not all that little now. He’s seventeen.”
“And how old are you?”
“Nineteen,” said Gideon. “Or as good as nineteen, anyway.”
“So if you’ve left school, what do you do?”
“Officially I’m down to study at the University of London next year,” he said. “But I think I can take this term off.”
“What subject?”
“Inquisitive, aren’t you?”
