contraptions for measuring time. He also has vials for water. Father allows me to wander into his study, even when he isna there. He knows I adore playing with the water.”
I felt a pang of pity for her. The essay kicked off in my head.
Children two hundred years ago didn’t have anything like as many toys as us. They played with water.
Agatha wrinkled her nose and laughed, again spookily reading my thoughts. “You see little joy in water? Ach, Saul, it is wondrous great. Especially thewater lovingly collected from the river Tweed and now kept in Father’s study. I see many grand images on its surface.”
She’s mad. That’s what shot through my mind. She’s off her head.
Agatha went on, growing excited. “Aye, water is a happy pastime. Even better is playing with my monkey, or teaching him new tricks.” Agatha paused and smiled fondly into the distance. “Dearest Pug. I miss him so.”
“Right. Um, Agatha, I was going to ask you about that. Are you serious? You’ve actually got a pet monkey?”
“Indeed I have. Pug can be a rogue at times. Ach, he will be searching high and low for me now. On busy market days, Pug and his antics bring in a good shilling or even two. Oh Saul, yea should see his tricks. He can smoke a pipe!”
“Really?”
“Aye, a clay pipe. He puffs away, quite the thing. The folks love it. They throw farthings and I scoop them up and gather them in my pocket.”
I laughed, trying to imagine what they’d say about a smoking pet in our health and wellbeing lessons at school. “Well, it must be pretty amazing to have a monkey,” I said. “You’re lucky. I don’t even have a guinea pig. We had a goldfish once, but it died.”
Agatha looked as if she might burst into tears. I don’t know if she was sad at my dead goldfish, or if she was missing her monkey. “Anyway,” I hurried on, “you didn’t do the time travel experiment on Pug.”
“Heavens no!” Agatha frowned. “On no account is my monkey allowed in Father’s study. Yea see, thereare many candles burning in there. Father is afeart Pug could start a fire.”
“Seriously?”
“Hand on my heart, Saul. It is true.”
The stupid giggles had taken hold of me, though a burning house and burning monkey weren’t exactly a laughing matter. Agatha, who thankfully seemed to have a sense of humour, laughed too. “Then where would I be, Saul?” she said, her face all flushed with mirth. “If the house were to burn down together with all Father’s contraptions, I would surely never return!”
“You could hang out here, I suppose?”
But Agatha shook her head. “No Saul. I must return. I have my life to live. I will tell yea what I understand of time travel. If yea are to help return me to 1812, yea will need to learn something of this abnormal art. Yea will become the apprentice!”
“You, Agatha. I told you. It’s
you
, not
yea
.”
Agatha knitted her brows then smiled. “Beg your pardon: you,” she said. “
You
heed well. Father calls upon the elements. There are seven of them. And they must all be in harmony. So in the study Father collects earth and water, air and fire. And I – the experiment – must be surrounded by these elements.”
This was getting interesting and scientific. She went on, growing excited. “You see, Saul, the air element must be turned to vapour. Father has been experimenting with different kinds of vapours.”
I frowned. “Steam,” she explained, “and Father can colour the vapours blue and red.”
“How?” I asked.
“He suspends a glass globe by the one small window in the study. It catches the sunlight. The colour glances off the glass and colours the vapours. Then there is the element of gold. This, alas, is costly and father scrimps on this. But, so he tells me, the vibration of gold will protect me as I travel through time.” Agatha laughed sadly and shook her head. “The fleck he gave me was that small I couldna even feel it.”
I could see tears well up in
I felt a pang of pity for her. The essay kicked off in my head.
Children two hundred years ago didn’t have anything like as many toys as us. They played with water.
Agatha wrinkled her nose and laughed, again spookily reading my thoughts. “You see little joy in water? Ach, Saul, it is wondrous great. Especially thewater lovingly collected from the river Tweed and now kept in Father’s study. I see many grand images on its surface.”
She’s mad. That’s what shot through my mind. She’s off her head.
Agatha went on, growing excited. “Aye, water is a happy pastime. Even better is playing with my monkey, or teaching him new tricks.” Agatha paused and smiled fondly into the distance. “Dearest Pug. I miss him so.”
“Right. Um, Agatha, I was going to ask you about that. Are you serious? You’ve actually got a pet monkey?”
“Indeed I have. Pug can be a rogue at times. Ach, he will be searching high and low for me now. On busy market days, Pug and his antics bring in a good shilling or even two. Oh Saul, yea should see his tricks. He can smoke a pipe!”
“Really?”
“Aye, a clay pipe. He puffs away, quite the thing. The folks love it. They throw farthings and I scoop them up and gather them in my pocket.”
I laughed, trying to imagine what they’d say about a smoking pet in our health and wellbeing lessons at school. “Well, it must be pretty amazing to have a monkey,” I said. “You’re lucky. I don’t even have a guinea pig. We had a goldfish once, but it died.”
Agatha looked as if she might burst into tears. I don’t know if she was sad at my dead goldfish, or if she was missing her monkey. “Anyway,” I hurried on, “you didn’t do the time travel experiment on Pug.”
“Heavens no!” Agatha frowned. “On no account is my monkey allowed in Father’s study. Yea see, thereare many candles burning in there. Father is afeart Pug could start a fire.”
“Seriously?”
“Hand on my heart, Saul. It is true.”
The stupid giggles had taken hold of me, though a burning house and burning monkey weren’t exactly a laughing matter. Agatha, who thankfully seemed to have a sense of humour, laughed too. “Then where would I be, Saul?” she said, her face all flushed with mirth. “If the house were to burn down together with all Father’s contraptions, I would surely never return!”
“You could hang out here, I suppose?”
But Agatha shook her head. “No Saul. I must return. I have my life to live. I will tell yea what I understand of time travel. If yea are to help return me to 1812, yea will need to learn something of this abnormal art. Yea will become the apprentice!”
“You, Agatha. I told you. It’s
you
, not
yea
.”
Agatha knitted her brows then smiled. “Beg your pardon: you,” she said. “
You
heed well. Father calls upon the elements. There are seven of them. And they must all be in harmony. So in the study Father collects earth and water, air and fire. And I – the experiment – must be surrounded by these elements.”
This was getting interesting and scientific. She went on, growing excited. “You see, Saul, the air element must be turned to vapour. Father has been experimenting with different kinds of vapours.”
I frowned. “Steam,” she explained, “and Father can colour the vapours blue and red.”
“How?” I asked.
“He suspends a glass globe by the one small window in the study. It catches the sunlight. The colour glances off the glass and colours the vapours. Then there is the element of gold. This, alas, is costly and father scrimps on this. But, so he tells me, the vibration of gold will protect me as I travel through time.” Agatha laughed sadly and shook her head. “The fleck he gave me was that small I couldna even feel it.”
I could see tears well up in
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