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My grandfather interrupted me. “But at the time of their visits here in 1948 and 1949, when they arrived from the years 1992 and 1993”—at the mention of each date, he tapped our notes and ran his forefinger along several lines with arrows pointing to them—“at those times, Lucy and Paul didn’t know enough either, and they told me everything that they did know then. No, if you meet them at all it would have to be after they ran away with the chronograph.” Once again he tapped our notes. “That would make sense. Anything else would just add to the confusion.”
“Then … then I’ll travel to the year 1912, when I met them once before, at Lady Tilney’s house in Eaton Place.”
“That would be a possibility, but it doesn’t work out in terms of time.” Lucas looked gloomily at the clock on the wall. “You weren’t even sure of the exact date, let alone the time of day. Not forgetting that we’d have to read your blood into the chronograph first, otherwise you couldn’t use it for time travel.” He ruffled his hair up again. “And finally you’d have to get from here to Belgravia on your own, and that’s probably not so simple in 1912 … oh, and we’d need a costume … no, with the best will in the world, it can’t be done in such a short time span. We’ll have to think of something else. The solution’s on the tip of my tongue. I just need more time to think it over, and maybe a cigarette.…”
I shook my head. I wasn’t giving up so easily. I knew it was a good idea. “We could take the chronograph to just outside Lady Tilney’s house in this time, and then I’d travel straight back to 1912—that would save a lot of time, wouldn’t it? And as for the costume … why are you staring at me like that?”
All of a sudden, Lucas’s eyes were wide open. “Oh, my God!” he whispered. “That’s it!”
“What?”
“The chronograph! Granddaughter, you’re a genius!” Lucas came around the table and hugged me.
“I’m a genius?” I repeated. It was my grandfather’s turn to do a kind of dance of joy this time.
“Yes! And I’m another! Geniuses, the pair of us, because now we know what’s hidden in the chest!”
Well, I didn’t. “So what is it?”
“The chronograph!” cried Lucas.
“The chronograph?” I echoed him.
“It’s only logical. Whatever period Lucy and Paul took it to, somehow or other it must have made its way back to me, and I hid it. For you! In my own house. Not particularly original, but very logical!”
“You think so?” I stared at him uncertainly. It seemed to me very far-fetched, but then logic had never been my strong point.
“Trust me, granddaughter, I just know I’m right!” The enthusiasm in Lucas’s face gave way to a frown. “Of course that opens up all sorts of new possibilities. Now we must think hard.” He cast another glance at the clock on the wall. “Damn it, we need more time.”
“I can try to get them to send me back to 1956 again next time I elapse,” I said. “Only it won’t be tomorrow afternoon, because that’s when I have to go to that ball and see the count again.” The mere idea immediately made me feel queasy once more, and not just because of Gideon.
“No, no, no!” cried Lucas. “That won’t do. We must be one step ahead before you face the count again.” He rubbed his forehead. “Think, think, think!”
“Can’t you see the steam coming out of my ears? I’ve done nothing but think for the last hour,” I assured him, but he’d obviously been talking to himself.
“First we must read your blood into the chronograph. You won’t be able to do that without help in the year 2011; it’s much too complicated. And then I must explain how to set the chronograph itself.” Another anxious look at the clock. “If I call our doctor now, he could be here in half an hour, that is if we’re lucky enough to find him at home.… The only trouble is, how do I explain why I want him to take some of my cousin Hazel’s blood? Back when Lucy and Paul were here, we took their blood officially, for scientific purposes, but you’re here incognito, and it must stay that way, or—”
“Hang on,” I interrupted him. “Can’t we take some of my blood ourselves?”
Lucas looked at me, intrigued. “Well, I’m trained in a good many skills, but I’m no use with medical needles. To be honest, I can’t even stand the sight of blood. It turns my stomach—”
“I can take the blood from myself,” I said.
“Really?” He looked astonished. “They teach you how to use medical needles in school in your time?”
“No, Grandpa, they don’t,” I said impatiently, “but we do learn that if you cut yourself with a knife, blood flows. Do you have a knife?”
Lucas hesitated. “Well, I don’t know if that’s a good idea.”
“Okay, I have one of my own.” I opened my schoolbag and took out the glasses case in which Lesley had hidden the Japanese vegetable knife, in case I was attacked while traveling in time and needed a weapon. My grandfather looked very surprised when I opened the case.
“Before you ask, no, this isn’t part of the usual students’ school equipment in 2011,” I said.
Lucas swallowed, then he straightened his back and said, “All right. Then let’s go to the Dragon Hall, stopping off on the way to collect a pipette from the doctor’s laboratory.” He glanced at the volumes of the Annals on the table and stuck one under his arm. “We’ll take this with us. And the biscuits. For my nerves! Don’t forget your bag.”
“But why are we going to the Dragon Hall?” I put the glasses case back in my bag and stood up.
“That’s where the chronograph is.” Lucas closed the door behind me and listened for sounds in the corridor, but all was quiet. “If we meet anyone, we’ll say I’m giving you a guided tour of the building, right, Cousin Hazel?”
