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He glanced around. ‘Why hasn’t Wulfram used his magic to give us all some comfort?’ he whispered.
‘He’s just not confident enough,’ I confessed. ‘He was worried something would go wrong and alert the landlord that we weren’t exactly normal guests. Besides, he wasn’t himself last night. He was absolutely drained, and you weren’t really up to it last night, so…’
‘So you had to put up with sleeping on a floor?’ He shook his head. ‘I’m so sorry, Romy. What are we doing here anyway? Does this mean the island isn’t back from the Otherworld yet?’
‘No,’ I said with a sigh. ‘It isn’t. But don’t worry. Wulfram says if it isn’t back today we’ll find better accommodation.’
‘Well,’ he said, grinning at me, ‘that shouldn’t be too difficult. It would be hard to find anywhere worse.’
‘We were in a bit of a hurry last night,’ I said. ‘It was getting dark, and we had no idea where we were. I warn you now, Gerrenporth looks nothing like it did in our day.’
Although, even as I said it, I realised that 1673washis day. It was me who was out of time. ‘Well,’ I added, ‘you know what I mean.’
‘I’m not familiar with Gerrenporth anyway,’ Blaise said. ‘I don’t remember visiting it, in my time or yours. It’s Polkayne I vaguely know. The next village along.’
‘Oh yes,’ I said eagerly. ‘You mentioned that last night. It’s ringing a bell with me, too, but I can’t think why.’
He gave me a sad smile. ‘It was where my family lived when I was young, just for a few years, while the war was going on. It’s where my mother’s family are from. Bevil and my baby sister were born there, and my mother and sister are buried there.’
I put my hand to my mouth. ‘Oh, Blaise, I’m so sorry! I didn’t realise.’
‘It’s okay. It was a long time ago.’ He tilted his head to the side, thinking. ‘Though not as long ago as it was yesterday. This is so confusing, isn’t it? I expect you’ve had an awful shock. No regrets? Because if you’ve changed your mind—’
‘I haven’t,’ I said quickly. ‘I just want to be with you.’
He kissed me. ‘I have no idea how I got so lucky finding you,’ he said. ‘But I’ll never stop being grateful that I did.’
Chapter 40
Wulfram 1673
I tapped gently on the door and called quietly, ‘Are you awake?’
‘Come in, Wulfram,’ Romy replied, and I pushed open the door and stepped inside, closing the door after me. I stood, my back flat against the door in a highly dramatic fashion, as I stared at the two of them in horror.
‘There was a rat in my room last night!’
To my indignation, Blaise laughed.
‘Sorry, but you should see your face!’
‘It’s true, you do look funny, Wulfram,’ Romy admitted apologetically. ‘Mind you, I’ve just realised that it was rats I heard scratching around in here, not mice. I’m so glad I didn’t realise that before.’
‘It ate my bread,’ I told her, still feeling queasy at the thought.
‘Ours, too. Good luck to it,’ Romy said, grimacing. ‘How are you? You look more awake anyway.’
‘Slept like a log until that rat ran past me,’ I said, pulling a face at the memory. ‘I’m feeling loads better today. What about you, Blaise?’
‘I’m fine, thanks,’ Blaise reassured me. ‘I think my memory is fully intact, and nothing else seems to be wrong, so it looks like my return trip was a lot less traumatic than my first.’
‘Have you told him about his hair?’ I asked, unable to resist.
‘What about it?’ Blaise said immediately.
‘Er, you’ve just developed a very distinguished white streak in it, that’s all,’ Romy said hastily.
‘You’re kidding?’ he said aghast.
