Tempus Guardians 2 – To Kill a Queen E-Book

Debbie Irving

• Herausgeber: novum pro Verlag
• Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 280

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2023

Beschreibung

Kate Oliver is a time traveller and a Tempus Guardian. Tempus Guardians are gifted to protect mankind from people who want to manipulate history to benefit themselves. Kate time travels to Elizabethan England, where, assisted by Christopher Marlow another Tempus Guardian she is given the task of protecting Queen Elizabeth the first from threats against her life. Masquerading as a Lady in Waiting at Queen Elizabeth's court, she uses her extraordinary powers as a guardian to spy on attendees at the royal court to find out who the suspects are. Kate an excellent swordsman as well as a trained archer, is assisted by various allies, including a member of the Queen's Privy Council, to fight off numerous challenges. The vital question is; will Kate manage to uncover the assassins plot in time?

Leseprobe

Imprint

All rights of distribution, also through movies, radio and television, photomechanical reproduction, sound carrier, electronic medium and reprinting in excerpts are reserved.

© 2023 novum publishing

ISBN print edition: 978-3-99131-764-7

ISBN e-book: 978-3-99131-765-4

Editor: Hugo Chandler, BA

Cover image: Debbie Irving

Cover design, layout & typesetting: novum publishing

www.novum-publishing.co.uk

Acknowledgement

No writer does it alone. I would like to thank my mum and sister for putting up with me.

My friends for supporting me. And my Boss.

Fame at last Liam!

Chapter One

A rude awakening

Kate Oliver had been asleep. Sound asleep in fact. When she became aware of a heavy feeling in her chest and a roaring noise in her ears. Her training kicked in and she went from asleep to alert in a second. Sitting bolt upright she turned on her bedside light.

‘Owwww. There was no need for that!’ said a muffled voice Kate recognised.

‘Ludo, you infuriating beast. What on earth do you think you were doing?’ Kate sat, blinking as her eyes became used to the light.

‘Trying to wake you up carefully. It didn’t work out as I planned, to be honest.’ Ludo sprang back onto Kate’s bed and focused his violet eyes on Kate’s green ones. Ludo is a cat, well a cat and a wizard. It’s a long story. The little cat with fur the colour of grey smoke stared intently at the girl in front of him.

Kates curly red hair was a mess and Kate was blinking at Ludo in confusion.

‘You will have to improve on your responses young lady,’ the cat grumbled. ‘A Tempus Guardian should not be taken by surprise. You should be ready to deal with anything, anytime. Look at you, not even awake.’

‘Really?’ Kate replied with a slow smile as she nodded her head in the direct of the cat’s stomach.

Ludo looked down to see the tip of a very sharp knife resting on his fur. Kate giggled and yawned, and the cat shuddered. He knew he should not have underestimated the young Guardian. Kate had recently proved herself more than a match for a difficult situation in keeping Queen Eleanor of England and her newborn son safe from harm.

‘Yes, well, very clever I’m sure. But there’s a reason why I’m here. It’s not for the good of my health you know,’ was Ludo’s sarcastic reply. ‘We, that is, Jonathan and I, have been notified by the office of Father Time that a situation is brewing in Tudor England. I needed to make sure you could come to the bookshop tomorrow to discuss it with us.’

‘Why me?’ asked Kate.

‘Because you have proved to be more than capable, little one; and Jonathan thinks your particular talents would be well suited to this problem. After all, you have worked hard these last six months to perfect your skills and knowledge; but get some sleep Kate and I will see you tomorrow.’ And with a quiet pop and a wisp of grey smoke, Ludo was gone.

Kate shrugged.Well, I wonder what that’s all about,she thought and settled back down to sleep.

Strangely enough, Kate did sleep. In fact, it was her alarm that woke her in the morning. Had she dreamt Ludo’s visit? No, he had most definitely been there. As it was a Saturday, Kate was able to go into town to Jonathan Carrs bookshop. Kate’s mum was well aware of Jonathan and her daughters’ abilities as a Tempus Guardian. Kate’s father had beena leading Tempus Guardian until his mysterious disappearance. Kate had been through Christmas and a birthday since he had gone.

Chapter 2 

Explanations

Kate packed her sword, Saviour, into her fencing case and headed into town by bus. As she trundled along, Kate tried to imagine what was in store. Tudor England. It sounded interesting. Queen Elizabeth the first, the Spanish Armada and all that. It sounded exciting. Little did Kate know just howexcitingit would become.

Meanwhile, in the bookshop, there was an interesting conversation going on between a Guardian trainer and a talking cat.

‘At least this time we can prepare her properly,’ Jonathan said as he closed the dusty curtains in the shop window and turned on lamps on several tables.

‘And you are right Ludo, Kate has come on by leaps and bounds. Her sword skills were always excellent, but she is now proficient with a dagger and to some extent as an archer.’

‘Indeed, her knowledge of how things work has also grown.’ The cat interrupted himself for a quick lick of his front paw. ‘She knows why Tempus Guardians are needed and the types of people she may encounter, including witches and to some extent, magic. She could do with knowing more in that area, to be honest.’

The bookshop tried its very best not to be noticed by passing people. The brown flaking paint and dusty display in a rather dirty front window did not say ‘come in and look around,’ and that was precisely the point. Johnathan’s shop was there as a meeting and training point for Tempus Guardians. Messages were left, visits arranged, training organised, missions assigned and reports given. Jonathan was a Moderari or the trainer of Guardians.

The inside of the shop was actually quite large but was an odd shape, full of nooks and crannies; and everywhere, there were books. The walls were covered with bulging bookshelves. There were tables of all sizes from large kitchen tables to small round side tables, all piled high with books. Old, new, hardback, paperback and some wonderful ones bound in leather with gold lettering. There were comfy looking old armchairs beside some of these tables and the occasional Turkish rug on the floor; but the whole place had a feeling of slight neglect. Ludo was quite proud of it all. It had been a labour of love for him and Jonathan to get it all looking just right.

The little brass bell on the door tinkled as Kate entered, her fencing bag slung over her shoulder. It was summer now, and she was dressed in a long gypsy skirt with white trainers and a white t–shirt with a big red rose on the front. Her hair was piled on top of her head in what Ludo considered a mess but he had been assured by Kate it was the way you wore it these days and that he should stop being so old fashioned.

‘Wow, it’s getting hot out there,’ said Kate throwing herself into her favourite comfy armchair and resting her bag beside her feet. ‘Edinburgh in June, who would think it could be so hot at eleven in the morning?’

‘Do you think it’s warm?’ said Jonathan who was wearing his usual cord trousers, lace up oxford shoes, tie and knotted waistcoat. He was a tall thin man with a bald head and a long face. His face wasn’t very lined, but his eyes were old, very old indeed. However, today he was smiling at Kate. He had become incredibly fond of her over the past few months. They had been through a tricky patch when Kate thought he was plotting behind her back, but they had worked past that now and had a relaxed, teacher and pupil relationship. Standing beside Kate’s chair he looked at her fondly and saw energy, enthusiasm and intelligence shining from her.

Kate was a very special Tempus Guardian indeed. She was only the second known female Guardian. Kate had met the first known female Guardian, Heloise, who was a Lady in Waiting to Queen Eleanor of England. As they looked so much like each other they had bonded immediately; they could have been sisters. Heloise had the same flaming curly red hair and green eyes as Kate. She had returned from her adventure in medieval Oxford with a greater understanding of her power and skills as well as more confidence.

However, beneath it all Jonathan was still worried. Kate’s father, Matthew Oliver had disappeared from Jonathan’s life and his role as a Tempus Guardian at around the time Kate was born and now Jonathan knew why. Matthew had gone into hiding in Edinburgh, reimagining his career as a clockmaker; but eighteen months ago, he completely vanished, despite a police investigation, and in the last few months, both Jonathan’s and Ludo’s efforts to find him, they were still none the wiser.

However, today was for other things and he pushed his worries about Kate’s father to the back of his mind.

‘Don’t worry Jonathan. I am fine, honestly. We both know Dad left to protect me. I am sure we will find him soon,’ Kate said, smiling at her friend and mentor.

Ludo shivered. Honestly, the child could be unnerving at times with her ‘witchy ways’, as Ludo called them.

‘Will we be doing any training today? I brought my sword,’ Kate said, while nodding towards her case on the floor.

‘It’s too hot I think dear,’ Jonathan replied. ‘Besides, we need to talk about the contact we received from Father Time. He needs someone to attend to a problem that seems to be escalating in Tudor England, March 1598 to be exact. Have you heard of the actors called The Lord Chamberlain’s Men?’

Kate shrugged. ‘No I haven’t’.

‘They are a group of actors or players who were based in the centre of London in the Elizabethan and early Stuart era. They were formed around the greatest actors of their time. Richard Burbage* and William Kemp, among others. They were the first to perform plays by Shakespeare, who was also a member of the company. Modern acting started with them. One of the playwrights they worked with frequently was Christopher Marlowe*. He was a brilliant playwright and poet. There have always been rumours about Marlowe being a spy for the Queen, and he was; but he was also a Tempus Guardian.’ At this point, Ludo made a strange huffing sound and wandered off, tail erect.

Kate sat forward in her chair.Spies and Guardians, she thought.Now this does sound interesting.

‘Marlowe has reported to Father Time that someone was trying to meddle with a proposed staging of the play being put on for Queen Elizabeth – strange goings on and the kind of mischief that only another time traveller would think of.’

‘So, what has this got to do with me?’ Kate asked.

‘The problems only arose when the company was at Richmond Palace. They experienced what some thought were ghosts, but Marlowe recognised them as time travellers and other weird and wonderful things such as missing equipment. The actors, the Queen’s advisors, the Privy Council, the senior noblemen who advised the Queen, are all worried. The Queen herself is resolute about staying at Richmond Palace. However, the actors can’t stay there. It simply isn’t done in Tudor times. Acting did not have the prestigious image then, as it has now. It was not considered a noble profession and therefore they can perform for the Queen but not under the same roof.’

‘I still don’t see where I come in,’ Kate said, looking puzzled.

Jonathan sighed. ‘Marlowe has come up with a plan. The Queen needs a new Lady in Waiting as one of her favourites is leaving to marry, much against the Queen’s wishes. Marlowe has suggested a Tempus Guardian who can pass dressed as a woman, to replace her in order to have someone on the inside, and Father Time thought this would be the perfect assignment for you. We need to ensure that these Scrutari, (the name given by the Guardians to those interfering with time for their own goals) are not going to succeed.’

‘You want me to go to the court of Queen Elizabeth the first in disguise as a Lady in Waiting and find the culprit?’ Kate said, swallowing hard.

‘That’s the idea,’ Ludo replied as he jumped onto Kate’s lap.

‘But they will find me out straight away! I know nothing about all that etiquette stuff and courtly manners.’ Kate was beginning to panic.

‘It won’t be a problem my dear. You know more that you think after your Oxford trip and we have time to teach you the basics. Marlowe has thought of that too and suggests making the new Lady in Waiting someone from a very sheltered part of the country. You would be the daughter of Earl Charles Rivers. He is a reliable man and is aware of the Tempus Guardians from another incident and is sworn to secrecy. He will be at court to help you. You would be Lady Kate Rivers.’

Kate just stared at Jonathan; her mouth open. Then she giggled and laughed. She laughed so much that Ludo slid off her lap and landed on the floor with a thump.

‘Rude,’ said the cat.

‘You can do this my dear.’ Jonathan knelt down in front of the young woman he had become so fond of and held her hands in his. ‘I know you can; Ludo does too, don’t you, old friend? You have come so far and your skills have improved immensely since your return from your last task.’

‘Debatable at this moment,’ replied the cat haughtily.

‘And you will have help from Marlowe and Earl Rivers; but there will be times when you are alone in the Queens close circle. It is then you are most vulnerable, and it will be up to your own judgement to take anyone else into your confidence.’ The old man’s concern was evident on his furrowed brow and questioning eyes. He knew Kate could do this. However, he was not so sure whether Kate herself knew she could handle it.

Blinking a few times and taking a deep breath, Kate smiled. ‘Okay then. What do I have to do to prepare, more fencing practice?’

‘Etiquette,’ said the cat. ‘More specifically, how to behave in an Elizabethan court without getting your head chopped off.’

‘Behave Ludo,’ Jonathan said, giving the cat a long stare. ‘He is right though my dear. We need to give you some help in this. For example. most eating is done with a knife or fingers. Spoons are rarely used, and forks are non-existent. Nobody drinks the water in London as it comes from the Thames and is filthy. Instead, they drink diluted ale during the day and wine at court. Mead, made from honey, is also drunk by most people but is also alcoholic, so you need to bear that in mind.’

Kate looked horrified. ‘But I have only ever had a small glass of champagne at a cousin’s wedding. I have never drunk anything alcoholic. I am only thirteen.’

‘Oh, and no chocolate or potatoes,’ Ludo said. ‘Walter Raleigh has only just brought them back from his travels. Nobody has a clue what to do with them yet.’

‘I think this is going to be harder than I thought.’ Kate looked concerned, but she stood up and squared her shoulders. ‘Where do we start then?’ she asked.

For the next few hours, Kate learnt about Elizabethan London; who was important, and why, how they dressed, how they ate, how they walked and talked and what was going on historically at the time. Jonathan told her it was important that she understood the background of what was happening and why. She couldn’t simply blunder in and alter history, especially as a Tempus Guardian. She had to be careful and think of the consequences of any actions she took.

Kate went home on the bus late in the afternoon. She left her sword at the bookshop as she had a heavy bag of books to read. Some were historical but there were a couple of fictional adventures that Jonathan recommended, that had been well researched, where she would learn about the society and enjoy doing it. Kate had always been a reader, so she was looking forward to getting stuck in and finding out more for herself.

After dinner with her mum in the back garden; just a salad and cold meat due to the heat, Kate took herself off to her bedroom to start her research. Her room was as everyone’s bedroom is. It was a reflection of who Kate truly was. She had several of her father’s clocks, including the alarm clock he made especially for her, on her bedside table. Several bookshelves held some of Kate’s favourites and a desk and chair sat under the window that looked out onto the garden. There were a couple of fencing foils hanging on the wall, along with a new addition of a blown-up photo of Kate, her mum, and her dad on a holiday not long before he disappeared.

They all stood in a row with their arms around each other’s shoulders with Kate in the middle, holding onto her parents’ waists. They were smiling in the sunshine wearing shorts and tee-shirts and looking relaxed and happy. The walls were a newly painted pale apple green and a rug on the floor in shades of green matched the curtains that had been the work of Kate’s mum. She had wanted to do something for her daughter on her return from Oxford, especially when Kate gave her all the details. Kate loved the room; not that she hadn’t before. It was now a grown-up room; not a cute little girl’s room anymore.

It was midsummer and still light, so Kate curled up in the chair at her desk and began reading. She was still there when her mum went to bed and she had to be chased under the covers for some sleep. That night Kate dreamt.

We all dream, of course we do, but when a Tempus Guardian has a dream it can mean something specific. It could be a warning they have sent to themselves from a time they travelled to in the past. This could be both useful and scary; and in Kate’s case tonight, it would be a definite nightmare.

Chapter 3

Ludo’s Tale

Just as she came back from brushing her teeth for bed, Kate noticed a ball of grey fur on her bed that unfolded itself into Ludo.

‘Kate, I felt I must come and tell you more about Christopher Marlowe and how I know him. What do you know about my background, before I was a cat? What has Jonathan told you?’

‘He said you were a wizard or something and that a witch turned you into a cat forever for conducting experiments on them.’

Ludo sighed. ‘Typical, but not the whole story my dear.’ Kate curled up under her duvet to hear her friends story.

‘Yes, I was turned into a cat by a witch, but she had her facts wrong. You see my dear. I was working hard on a cure for the Black Death or the bubonic plague as it came to be known. We had just emerged from the first truly awful episode of it back in 1348. We lost what is thought to be half of the population of the country at the time. I was what in those days we called a wise man, sometimes even a wizard; but I felt anything but wise. Doctors as we know them now didn’t exist and people were using all manner of silly remedies to try to stop the disease.’

Ludo took a breath. ‘I realised that the disease was spread not by ‘ill humours’ as people called them then, but from person to person, but nobody listened to me. I saw village after village wiped out, people I knew and cared for. I was desperately trying to find a cure. I could not of course practise on humans, so I made the decision reluctantly do so on cats. Goody Williams, a local witch found out. Instead of asking me what I was up, to she simply cast her spell. It was for me to become a cat forever, or until Goody decided I deserved to be human again. There were two problems. First was that the spell said ‘forever’ and when a skilled witch like Goody cast one, it stuck, believe me!

The second was that within a month she too, was dead from the plague. So, I had no way of becoming Ludovic again.’ The little cat’s voice became very quiet. Kate gave him a hug.

‘I wandered through time, helping when and where I could. It was a lonely life … and eventually, Father Time found me and took me into his organisation. He knew that my extensive knowledge would be a huge asset to the Tempus Guardians and as a cat, I could be almost anywhere without attracting attention. I was assigned to many people including an arrogant young Christopher Marlowe who was at Cambridge University. I was the fool who told Sir Francis Walsingham, Queen Elizabeth’s spymaster about his potential. I ended up on a case with him involving precious stolen books from Cambridge Library. After that I worked with many Moderari until I ended up with Jonathan about forty years ago.’

‘Oh Ludo, I am so sorry. I wish I could find a way to change you back to your human self.’ Kate hugged the cat again.

‘Oh no my dear girl. Despite my moaning about it. I would not wish to be human again. Remember, I was human for barely thirty-five years and have been a cat for hundreds more. I would not be able to slink about and carry out my little pieces of magic, as Jonathan calls it. But now you know the who and what and why about the creation of Ludo the cat.’

‘Bless you for that Ludo. Although I don’t see why you always have to appear at night and disrupt my sleep.’

‘Sorry Kate, that is a cat thingy I have picked up.’ Ludo made a strange purring noise that Kate realised was a cat version of a laugh.

‘Well good for you, but bad for me. Oh, I am so happy you feel you can trust me with your story Ludo, but frankly I am exhausted. I need sleep.’

‘I will leave you in peace then Kate.’ The little grey cat with the violet eyes rubbed himself against Kates arm then quietly disappeared.

Chapter 4

Trouble is coming

Kate woke again later in a cold sweat. Bleary eyed, she looked at her alarm clock, it was two in the morning. Kate shivered, not with cold but with fear. She remembered every part of her dream and knew it was something important. Since meeting Jonathan, she had started to keep a dream diary at her bedside. After blinking to get used to the light she wrote down all she could remember and put her diary in her bag to discuss it with Jonathan, but especially Ludo.

Something about writing down the dream had helped to reduce Kate’s anxiety and she found that she must have drifted back to sleep, as her alarm clock woke her at eight in the morning. She showered, dressed and went down for some toast and tea before heading off into town, leaving her mum a note on the fridge door.

Kate mulled over what she remembered from the dream last night and looked over her diary while riding on the bus into town. There were two things she decided were important. One, a small, hunched back man was very important and two, something to do with eyes was important too. Dark brown eyes, probably a man’s judging by the eyebrows.

As soon as she arrived at the bookshop, Ludo was beside her. ‘Okay Kate, what’s bothering you? I know there is a lot to take in about going to Elizabethan England, but we would not send you if we didn’t think you could deal with the task.’ The little grey cat’s tail whisked backwards and forwards, sensing his friends anxiety.

‘Bless you Ludo. No, it’s not that at all. I can cope with it fine. I have already finished reading some of the stuff you gave me yesterday and I think that part is going to be fine. It was a dream last night that is the problem. You know, a Guardian dream?’

‘Ah, sit and talk to me,’ the little cat said. ‘Jonathan is out getting some supplies and a costume for you to practise wearing. He won’t be too long. Tell me everything.’ Kate sat in her usual chair and reached into her bag for her dream diary. Ludo perched on the little table piled with books beside her.

‘A dream diary? Good, good. Now you know just how useful they can be. A Guardian dream is special as you know. It can be a flashback to an earlier incident in your own travels, or it can be a message from the past sent to help you, from Father Time or another Guardian. Go ahead, tell me everything.’

The bell above the shop door tinkled and Jonathan came in with several bags. ‘Tell who what?’

‘My dream last night,’ said Kate.

‘Okay, give me two minutes to put these bags away and we can have a cool drink and a chat. It’s another scorcher of a day.’

Kate could have screamed with frustration. She had been waiting hours to tell her friends what had happened last night. She looked at Ludo and could see he was equally frustrated.

‘Patience is a virtue Kate.’ Jonathan’s voice drifted from the little room behind the sales desk at the back of the shop. After a few thumps and clangs, Jonathan appeared with a tray of drinks and a plate of snacks. Kate was happy to have waited when she saw frosted glasses with apple juice and a plate of fruit, watermelon, grapes, and strawberries. Perfect for a hot day.

Taking a big breath Kate began. ‘Last night I had a true Guardian’s dream. I have had a few before, but nothing like this. I was there, in the dream, but not there, if you know what I mean?’ The cat and the old man nodded. ‘First, I was in what was obviously an office of some kind. There were little compartments filled with scrolls all over the room and a huge desk and chair. There was a small man sitting at the desk. I couldn’t see him too clearly as he was in shadow. There was a blazing fire in the fireplace behind him. He told me to sit in a chair in front of the desk and then I could see his face. His hair was brown and swept back from his face and he had brown eyes and a brown pointy beard. In fact, everything was brown as he was dressed in brown velvet with the exception of a small white ruff at his neck.’

Kate looked at her friends.

‘Cecil,’ said Ludo.

‘Sir Robert Cecil* the Queen’s Chancellor and leader of the Privy Council to be exact,’ said Jonathan. ‘Part of the Privy Council and advisor to the Queen. The son of Lord Burghley; interesting, very interesting.’

‘Well,’ Kate continued, ‘he looked at me and smiled. It was not a friendly smile. You could tell he wanted something from me and was thinking about how he could get it.’ I knew in the dream that whatever he wanted to know I couldn’t tell him. It would mean the death of a friend; but not telling him could be the death of me! It was scary Jonathan…’ Kate’s voice trailed off to a whisper.

‘And the rest of the dream. It is best that Ludo and I know everything first before trying to interpret anything my dear.’

‘This is the strange bit. I was in a small room there was space for a table and a number of chairs and nothing else. There were several people in the room and one of them looked like the picture of Christopher Marlowe you showed me yesterday. There was an argument going on between two men a woman and Marlowe. They wanted something from us, well him, and Marlowe said no. Then the men lunged at Marlowe. There was not enough space in the room to draw a sword and the last thing I saw was a knife heading for Marlowe’s face. But Marlowe was smiling. That was when I woke up.’

‘No, it can’t be.’ Jonathan looked at Ludo. ‘I think so. I think Kate saw the inn in Deptford the day of Marlowe’s death,’ Ludo replied.

‘He died?’ Kate looked horrified and took a drink with shaking hands.

‘Well, I have to say there has always been rumour and speculation about exactly what happened that day Kate.’ Ludo frowned as he spoke. ‘Could it be that he didn’t die at all? Could it be that he used his skills as a Guardian to travel through time and evade death?’ The little grey cats tail swished as the thought ran through his mind.

‘You might be onto something old friend,’ said Jonathan is a quiet voice. ‘Kate, have you read any of the books on Christopher Marlowe I gave you the other day? No of course not, you haven’t had time yet. I will explain.’ The old man leant back in his chair to tell a tale.

‘Christopher Marlowe was an exceptionally talented poet, playwright and Guardian. This you already know. But his temper was legendary. He did not suffer fools or anyone else for that matter, gladly. His temper got him into many difficult situations to the point that Lord Walsingham, who was then the old Queen’s Spymaster, refused to use him. But Robert Cecil could see the potential in Marlowe and reinstated him as an Intelligencer as they called them then. His ability to think on his feet, along with his extraordinary skills of being in the right place at the right time made him a valuable asset.’

Jonathan paused to take a cool drink of apple juice.

‘The story as I know it goes like this. In early 1593 a conspiracy to implicate Marlowe and others in sedition which is talking and writing against the government and the Queen was started. A warrant for his arrest was issued on 18 May. Marlowe presented himself to the Queen’s Privy Council according to the warrant and amazingly, was sent away again without charge. What happened next is not known for sure, but the most popular story is that Christopher Marlow was at an inn in Deptford with three companions Ingram Frizer, Nicholas Skeres and Robert Poley. There was an argument which resulted in Marlowe being stabbed in the eye and killed. Marlowe was buried in an unmarked grave with no ceremony and his family were not notified, There was an inquest where Ingram Frizer was released without charge. It was all very, very odd. I always hoped that Marlowe had escaped, and your dream seems to point in that direction.’

‘Oh, I hope so,’ Kate murmured. ‘I have only met him in a dream, but I liked his smile, it was cheeky as if he was just about to perform a magic trick.’

‘But he was!’ Ludo started pacing up and down the carpet in front of Kate and Jonathan. ‘Don’t you see? The magic he was about to perform was time travel! He survived!’ Ludo, Jonathan and Kate all smiled at the thought.

‘Well, there is only one way to find out, and that’s to send you back to London in 1593 and see for yourself. So, let’s get on with the training Kate. The sooner we can send you back, the better. This time we can be very accurate about when and where to send, you since it is a request by Father Time himself.’ The old man rubbed his hands together making a sound like dried sandpaper.

The rest of the day was spent in Kate learning more on Elizabethan court manners, of which there was a lot, she practiced walking in the costume Jonathan had borrowed to get used to the clothing. The ruff, a white starched round collar that make her resemble a bird who had swallowed a plate, was especially difficult to master. But she was assured she would only have to wear it in front of the court itself and not even then in most cases. It was decided that she would travel back in the clothes she wore on her last adventure. A black jumper, long skirt, and boots, as she was expected, and would not be seen by anyone else but Christopher Marlowe himself on arrival. He would have something suitable for her and then arrange for the seamstresses at the theatre to equip Kate with the right clothes. She would then spend the day being updated by Marlowe and would then be taken to Earl Rivers. ‘He would already have some idea why you are there posing as his daughter, but not that you are a Guardian,’ Jonathan told her.

It was agreed that Kate would leave the next day from the shop in the early afternoon, after a final briefing and some last-minute practising Kate went home exhausted. Jonathan had taken pity on her and driven her home. He let her out of the car in front of the house but said he wouldn’t come in. Jonathan had a difficult relationship with Marion, Kate’s mother, who had blamed him for her husband’s disappearance. She now knew he wasn’t responsible, but the relationship was still on shaky ground.

‘Get a good night’s sleep my dear and remember to bring your chosen clothes with you for travelling with tomorrow.’ Jonathan waived and drove off.

Kate dumped her bag in the hall and stepped out of her hot trainers, letting her feet cool on the tiled floor. She caught a brief glimpse of a hot, sweaty and dishevelled looking young woman in the mirror in the downstairs bathroom and splashed her face with cold water and finger combed her hair before going into the kitchen where she could hear her mother chopping something and pots boiling