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“What I did at that time had nothing to do with your … mission,” Mum went on. “To be honest, I hardly know anything about it, and I understand only about half of what I’ve picked up over the years.”
“I can’t imagine,” said the gloomy Dr. White, “what gave you the audacity to interfere in such a way with matters of which you know nothing.”
“I only wanted to help Lucy,” said Mum. “She was my darling little niece. I’d looked after her since she was a baby, and she asked for my help. What would you have done in my place? For goodness’ sake, the pair of them were so young, so much in love, and … I simply didn’t want anything to happen to them.”
“Well, a fine way you chose to go about it!”
“I loved Lucy like a sister.” Mum glanced at Aunt Glenda. “More than a sister,” she added.
Aunt Glenda took Charlotte’s hand and patted it. Charlotte stared at the floor.
“We all loved Lucy dearly,” said Lady Arista. “That made it all the more important to keep her away from that boy and his outlandish opinions, rather than encouraging her to indulge her feelings.”
“Outlandish opinions, indeed! It was that red-haired little wretch who put those silly conspiracy theories into Paul’s head!” said Dr. White. “She persuaded him to commit the theft!”
“That’s not true!” protested Lady Arista. “Lucy would never have done such a thing. It was Paul who took advantage of her youthful naivety and led her astray.”
“Naivety! You must be joking!” snapped Dr. White.
Falk de Villiers raised his hand. “We’ve had this discussion often enough already, and it never gets us anywhere. I think we all know one another’s views.” He looked at the time. “Gideon will be back any moment now, and before that we ought to decide what to do next. Charlotte, how are you feeling?”
“I still have a headache,” said Charlotte, without looking up from the floor.
“There, you see?” Aunt Glenda gave a venomous smile.
“I have a headache too,” said Mum. “But that doesn’t mean I’m about to start traveling in time.”
“You’re … you’re just so horrible!” said Aunt Glenda.
“I think we should simply assume that Mrs. Shepherd and Gwyneth are telling the truth,” said Mr. George, mopping his bald patch with a handkerchief. “Otherwise we’ll be losing yet more valuable time.”
“You can’t be serious, Thomas!” Dr. White struck the mantelpiece with his fist so hard that the silver cup standing on it fell over.
Mr. George jumped, but he went on calmly. “According to what they say, the last time Gwyneth traveled back in time was an hour and a half to two hours ago. We could prepare her for her next journey and record it as closely as possible.”
“My own opinion exactly,” said Falk de Villiers. “Any objections?”
“I might as well be talking to a brick wall,” said Dr. White.
“How true,” Aunt Glenda agreed.
“I’d suggest the documents room,” said Mr. George. “Gwyneth would be safe there, and then on her return, we could read her straight into the chronograph.”
“I wouldn’t let her anywhere near the chronograph!” said Dr. White.
“Good heavens, Jake, that’s enough,” said Mr. de Villiers. “She’s only a young girl! Do you think she has a bomb hidden under her school uniform?”
“Her predecessor was only a young girl,” said Dr. White in tones of contempt.
Mr. de Villiers nodded to Mr. George. “We’ll do as you suggest. Will you see to the arrangements?”
“Come along, Gwyneth,” said Mr. George.
I didn’t move. “Mum?”
“It’s all right, darling. I’ll wait here for you.” Mum managed a smile.
I glanced at Charlotte, who was still looking at the floor. Aunt Glenda had closed her eyes and was leaning back, resigned. She looked as if she, too, suddenly had a bad headache. My grandmother, on the other hand, was staring at me as if she was seeing me for the first time. And possibly she was.
