in the talking tub (which only irritated her today) and dressed quickly in her own, old clothes, which had been laundered and pressed beautifully without her even noticing.
She barely even noticed now. She hurried out of her room and swatted away the robots that crowded her, keen to do her bidding.
‘Breakfast, miss? Coffee?’
45
Martha found that the Tiermann family had been up for a while, and they had swung straight into action. At last the reality of the situation seemed to have hit them and they, along with their Staff, were a blur of activity, passing back and forth. They were packing up everything essential, and checking on the supplies they would need for their imminent journey.
They all ignored Martha, except for Solin, of course, who stopped to have a tiny cup of sharp, hot coffee with her. They sat in the brilliant sunlight of the conservatory beyond the kitchen area. From here they could see the lawns spreading eastwards and the tennis courts and pool. The bristling, frozen trees beyond the force shield could also be seen.
Solin kept glancing at the view outside. ‘Look. The shields are flickering in and out of existence.’
Martha squinted into the sun. ‘I think I see. . . ’
‘Father says we haven’t time to mend it all properly.’ Solin sounded almost shocked. ‘We just have to hope. . . nothing too bad gets in before it’s time for us to go.’
Martha raised an eyebrow. ‘Well, we went stomping through the woods yesterday. Nothing too bad happened to us, did it? Apart from the sabre-tooth.’
Solin frowned and flicked his dark hair away from his face. ‘The animals out there know we have food, shelter, warmth, here. They’ve looked at us jealously for years. Now they can get in. When they realise the shields are as good as gone. . . ’
Martha stared at the deep, wintry green of the forest again. Perhaps Solin had a point.
They were joined in the kitchen area then by Amanda. Solin’s mother was still in her dressing gown. She was pale and upset, and barely noticed the two young people sitting there. A short, fussy robot was handing her pills, one after another to calm her down. Amanda slugged them back and drank a glass of water and sobbed.
‘Mum?’ Solin went to her, concerned.
‘It’s nothing,’ she said. ‘My nerves, you know.’ She eyed Martha warily. ‘Good morning.’ She waved her tablet robot away.
46
‘Is Dad OK, Mum?’ Solin asked her. ‘Last night, he was acting so. . . ’
‘Your father has a lot to consider, Solin. He has the safety of all of us on his shoulders. Naturally, his patience is worn thin by. . . meddling and foolishness.’
Martha held her breath. She wasn’t about to get into another argument.
‘What shall we do?’ Solin asked his mother. ‘Packing the ship and preparing to go. . . there must be so much to get ready.’
‘The Staff have it in hand, mostly,’ Amanda said. ‘But you must choose which of your own things you wish to take, Solin. Your father has outlined very strict weight guidelines for our personal items. . . ’
‘I see,’ said Solin. ‘And will Martha count, when it comes time to leave? Has father adjusted his calculations to include Martha and the Doctor?’
His mother turned away. ‘You must talk to your father. . . when he is less busy,’ she said. ‘I can’t answer for him. But beware, Solin. You weren’t punished for stepping outside the boundaries of Dreamhome yesterday. Your father has been very lenient with you. Don’t push him any further. Don’t go plaguing him with silly questions.’
Martha pulled a face. Cheers, she thought. Silly questions, indeed.
It was starting to sound like the Tiermanns were prepared to leave her and the Doctor stranded here. Well, she didn’t want to get in their old ship anyway. She’d settle for the TARDIS, thank you.
Now Amanda was crying openly. Her head was in her hands and she was shaking. She was right on the brink of hysteria. Up came one of the kitchen
She barely even noticed now. She hurried out of her room and swatted away the robots that crowded her, keen to do her bidding.
‘Breakfast, miss? Coffee?’
45
Martha found that the Tiermann family had been up for a while, and they had swung straight into action. At last the reality of the situation seemed to have hit them and they, along with their Staff, were a blur of activity, passing back and forth. They were packing up everything essential, and checking on the supplies they would need for their imminent journey.
They all ignored Martha, except for Solin, of course, who stopped to have a tiny cup of sharp, hot coffee with her. They sat in the brilliant sunlight of the conservatory beyond the kitchen area. From here they could see the lawns spreading eastwards and the tennis courts and pool. The bristling, frozen trees beyond the force shield could also be seen.
Solin kept glancing at the view outside. ‘Look. The shields are flickering in and out of existence.’
Martha squinted into the sun. ‘I think I see. . . ’
‘Father says we haven’t time to mend it all properly.’ Solin sounded almost shocked. ‘We just have to hope. . . nothing too bad gets in before it’s time for us to go.’
Martha raised an eyebrow. ‘Well, we went stomping through the woods yesterday. Nothing too bad happened to us, did it? Apart from the sabre-tooth.’
Solin frowned and flicked his dark hair away from his face. ‘The animals out there know we have food, shelter, warmth, here. They’ve looked at us jealously for years. Now they can get in. When they realise the shields are as good as gone. . . ’
Martha stared at the deep, wintry green of the forest again. Perhaps Solin had a point.
They were joined in the kitchen area then by Amanda. Solin’s mother was still in her dressing gown. She was pale and upset, and barely noticed the two young people sitting there. A short, fussy robot was handing her pills, one after another to calm her down. Amanda slugged them back and drank a glass of water and sobbed.
‘Mum?’ Solin went to her, concerned.
‘It’s nothing,’ she said. ‘My nerves, you know.’ She eyed Martha warily. ‘Good morning.’ She waved her tablet robot away.
46
‘Is Dad OK, Mum?’ Solin asked her. ‘Last night, he was acting so. . . ’
‘Your father has a lot to consider, Solin. He has the safety of all of us on his shoulders. Naturally, his patience is worn thin by. . . meddling and foolishness.’
Martha held her breath. She wasn’t about to get into another argument.
‘What shall we do?’ Solin asked his mother. ‘Packing the ship and preparing to go. . . there must be so much to get ready.’
‘The Staff have it in hand, mostly,’ Amanda said. ‘But you must choose which of your own things you wish to take, Solin. Your father has outlined very strict weight guidelines for our personal items. . . ’
‘I see,’ said Solin. ‘And will Martha count, when it comes time to leave? Has father adjusted his calculations to include Martha and the Doctor?’
His mother turned away. ‘You must talk to your father. . . when he is less busy,’ she said. ‘I can’t answer for him. But beware, Solin. You weren’t punished for stepping outside the boundaries of Dreamhome yesterday. Your father has been very lenient with you. Don’t push him any further. Don’t go plaguing him with silly questions.’
Martha pulled a face. Cheers, she thought. Silly questions, indeed.
It was starting to sound like the Tiermanns were prepared to leave her and the Doctor stranded here. Well, she didn’t want to get in their old ship anyway. She’d settle for the TARDIS, thank you.
Now Amanda was crying openly. Her head was in her hands and she was shaking. She was right on the brink of hysteria. Up came one of the kitchen
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