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‘He says he doesn’t want it back, but, ya know…’ Trinity said hesitantly, which suggested she’d voiced what the rest of us were thinking.
‘What if he does change?’ Sirius asked. ‘What if fate’s too strong for him? How will Wulfram manage him?’ He gave me a questioning look. ‘Do you think you’re up to handling a powerful witch like Blaise St Clair? Because, believe me, he is a powerful witch, and if his magic turns him into the old version of himself you’d better be ready.’
‘Romy won’t let him do anything to harm me,’ I said, with more confidence than I felt.
‘Romy might not be able to stop him,’ Hector said gravely. ‘You should be aware of that, Wulfram. I can’t guarantee the effect his magic will have on him. He’s been without it for four years. This could go to his head.’
‘Well,’ I said uncertainly, ‘I guess we’ll just have to see what happens won’t we?’
I glanced at Emrick, and he gave me a reassuring smile, which cheered me up a bit. After all, Emrick had prior knowledge of events, and he didn’t seem too worried. I just wondered how much prior knowledge Emrick actually had. Hadn’t he admitted that, by the end of the year, we’d know as much as he did? Maybe I shouldn’t be so confident in him after all.
‘I think I’ll go upstairs and make sure those two are okay,’ Emrick said. ‘They may need some help with their dress.’
Ten minutes later there was a clattering sound on the stairs, and we all fell silent as Emrick, Romy and Blaise returned to the living room. The appearance of the latter two had an extraordinary effect on us all. Seeing them in seventeenth century clothing was a real shock, and a bit of a reality check. This was how they would be dressed from now on.
Romy wore a dress with a long bodice. The overskirt was draped and pinned up behind revealing her petticoat. I could only suppose that was the fashion. Her hair, although partly pinned into a bun, had tight curls hanging at either side of her face. She reminded me of an illustration in my childhood nursery rhyme book of Little Bo Peep. For the first time she was wearing the fede ring Meri had left her in her will, adamant that she wouldn’t be parted from it. She’d also manifested a long cloak, which she’d certainly need at this time of year.
Blaise looked like a different person and wore his clothes well. I saw Celeste’s face and knew she’d had a flashback to the Blaise St Clair she’d once known, loved, and feared. I could only imagine how unnerving this must be for her.
‘Your hair…’ I swallowed, eyeing Blaise in some dismay. ‘Please don’t tell me I have to wear my hair like that.’
‘It’s the fashion of the time,’ Romy said with a shrug. ‘We have to fit in. Besides,’ she added, giving Blaise an admiring look, ‘I think it looks rather dashing.’
Dashing! Blaise’s hair tumbled to his shoulders, a glossy mass of dark, loose curls. Oh please, no!
‘Well,’ Blaise said awkwardly, ‘this is a strange feeling, I must say. I’d forgotten how uncomfortable these clothes are. I’m going to miss zips!’
He managed a laugh, but I could see he was scared. Truly scared. I wondered what it was he was most afraid of.
‘There’s an outfit waiting for you in your room,’ Romy told me. ‘You’d better go and put it on.’
‘This I’ve got to see,’ Keely said, giggling. ‘Go on, Wulfram. Go and get your kit on.’
‘I’ll come with you and show you how to dress,’ Blaise said.
I pulled a face but headed upstairs where I found my new clothes hanging on the back of my door. The outfit, like Blaise’s, consisted of a long and rather baggy coat, with an upturned cuff and three-quarter length sleeves, a waistcoat, a ruffled, long-sleeved white shirt, cravat, breeches, and a hat with a large brim, turned up on one side.
I won’t lie. I felt an absolute fool. It wasn’t the easiest thing in the world to put on, and it wasn’t the most comfortable either. I was glad of Blaise’s advice, and I could only be grateful that I wouldn’t be stuck with this sort of clothing for long.
‘We’ve gone for a look that will be just a couple of years out of date when we get back,’ Blaise explained. ‘We don’t want to draw attention to ourselves by looking too grand, but we need to command a little respect so people will help us if needed. We thought we’d aim for a faded gentility.’ He grinned. ‘These people have a little money but they’re not worth mugging.’
That made sense to me. I braced myself for Keely’s reaction when she saw me.
Predictably, she burst out laughing when I entered the living room, dressed in all my finery. I could tell, though, that she was partly laughing with nerves, and that tears weren’t far away. She was dreading me leaving.
She’d clung to me last night in bed, as if she was afraid she’d never see me again, and no amount of reassurance had persuaded her to let me go. It had been a very hot and uncomfortable night, not helped by the fact that Frey and Runa were lying across our legs, having sulked for the last couple of days because I’d told Frey he couldn’t possibly go back in time with me, and he’d just have to stay here and help Runa care for Keely. This had deeply offended Runa, who’d informed me, via Keely, that she was perfectly capable of looking after her charge herself and didn’t need her brother’s help.
Now the moment of our parting was almost here she gripped my hand, and I squeezed her fingers reassuringly.
‘It’s okay,’ I told her. ‘I’ll come back to you. I promise.’
‘You’d better,’ she said tearfully. ‘Don’t make me set off another alarm by hijacking Hector and forcing him to take me back there to look for you. Because I will,’ she added firmly. ‘Count on it.’
‘Your hair, Wulfram,’ Romy reminded me, and I groaned. ‘Seriously?’
‘Absolutely.’
‘Do I have to wear a wig?’
