hand. Like this.’ He showed her his hand, held in a loose, upright fist.
She did as he asked and suddenly she was holding a bunch of gerberas and tulips, in all the bright colours he’d described.
‘Oh, they’re beautiful,’ she whispered, a catch in her voice.
He inclined his head in a slight bow. ‘An apology for my rudeness earlier.’
‘If this is what I get, you can be as rude as you like as often as you like.’
David chuckled. ‘Don’t encourage him, honey.’
‘If you can do that kind of stuff, what do you need me for?’ Emilia asked, puzzled. ‘Surely with a click of your fingers you could be any place, any time?’
Seb shook his head and wandered further into the room so he could perch on the arm of a chair. ‘I’d have no way of being able to pinpoint or control where or when I ended up. Only a time keeper can manipulate time.’
‘Right. So what now?’ Still holding the flowers, she sat in the other chair.
‘Before you go on a mission, the two of you are going to do a test run,’ David shared. ‘You won’t be going to rescue anyone or change events. You’re simply going to pick a time and place to go to and travel there, so you, Emmy, can get the hang of the time device and get a feel for what it’s going to be like to travel through time.’
‘Anywhere in particular you’d like us to go?’ she asked and couldn’t help the spurt of excitement she felt inside.
‘You get to decide, Angel.’ Seb draped his arm across the top of his chair. ‘But preferably not the Stone Age.’
‘Okay. I’ll think about it over lunch.’
Emilia stood up and headed for the kitchen. She retrieved a second vase, filled it with water and placed it on the kitchen windowsill with Seb’s flowers. She cooked salmon steaks on the grill while she tossed a fresh salad and served them both with warm crusty bread. The three of them sat around the table to eat and David and Seb talked companionably while Emilia thought about where and when in history she’d like to travel back to.
David looked like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders and Emilia realised he’d been deeply concerned about Seb’s state of mind. Seb’s behaviour this morning and reluctant acceptance of a partnership with her had obviously set his mind at ease.
The two men made quick work of the dishes, while Emilia made coffee for them all. The second injection of caffeine was doing wonders for her and she was full of energy again.
Seb settled down at the table again and rocked back on the rear legs of his chair. ‘Where are we going, Angel?’ he asked lazily, turquoise eyes clear and calm. She wasn’t sure if it was all a show for her father’s benefit, but Seb looked like he didn’t have a care in the world. She grinned inwardly. Once he found out where she wanted to go, he might not be so relaxed.
‘Regency England,’ she announced with relish. ‘I want to attend a debutante’s ball.’
The front legs of Seb’s chair hit the floor with a crash. ‘You have got to be kidding me!’ he growled, and sure enough, his carefree attitude was nowhere in sight. ‘What the hell kind of clothing did the men wear back then?’
‘Think Pride and Prejudice . You know, tight pants with knee high boots, high-necked ruffled shirts and elaborate cravats. That sort of thing.’
‘No way! I am not under any circumstances going to wear leggings !’ He turned to David for support. ‘Clearly this proves Emilia is not taking things seriously, David, and until she can, I don’t think she’s competent enough to be operating the time travel device. She’s not ready.’
David smiled serenely. ‘While you might be adverse to the costume, Seb, Emilia has in fact chosen very wisely. Regency England is a very safe period of history. What possible trouble could she get into there?’
Seb’s shoulders slumped. ‘Fine, but I’m not going to any damn
She did as he asked and suddenly she was holding a bunch of gerberas and tulips, in all the bright colours he’d described.
‘Oh, they’re beautiful,’ she whispered, a catch in her voice.
He inclined his head in a slight bow. ‘An apology for my rudeness earlier.’
‘If this is what I get, you can be as rude as you like as often as you like.’
David chuckled. ‘Don’t encourage him, honey.’
‘If you can do that kind of stuff, what do you need me for?’ Emilia asked, puzzled. ‘Surely with a click of your fingers you could be any place, any time?’
Seb shook his head and wandered further into the room so he could perch on the arm of a chair. ‘I’d have no way of being able to pinpoint or control where or when I ended up. Only a time keeper can manipulate time.’
‘Right. So what now?’ Still holding the flowers, she sat in the other chair.
‘Before you go on a mission, the two of you are going to do a test run,’ David shared. ‘You won’t be going to rescue anyone or change events. You’re simply going to pick a time and place to go to and travel there, so you, Emmy, can get the hang of the time device and get a feel for what it’s going to be like to travel through time.’
‘Anywhere in particular you’d like us to go?’ she asked and couldn’t help the spurt of excitement she felt inside.
‘You get to decide, Angel.’ Seb draped his arm across the top of his chair. ‘But preferably not the Stone Age.’
‘Okay. I’ll think about it over lunch.’
Emilia stood up and headed for the kitchen. She retrieved a second vase, filled it with water and placed it on the kitchen windowsill with Seb’s flowers. She cooked salmon steaks on the grill while she tossed a fresh salad and served them both with warm crusty bread. The three of them sat around the table to eat and David and Seb talked companionably while Emilia thought about where and when in history she’d like to travel back to.
David looked like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders and Emilia realised he’d been deeply concerned about Seb’s state of mind. Seb’s behaviour this morning and reluctant acceptance of a partnership with her had obviously set his mind at ease.
The two men made quick work of the dishes, while Emilia made coffee for them all. The second injection of caffeine was doing wonders for her and she was full of energy again.
Seb settled down at the table again and rocked back on the rear legs of his chair. ‘Where are we going, Angel?’ he asked lazily, turquoise eyes clear and calm. She wasn’t sure if it was all a show for her father’s benefit, but Seb looked like he didn’t have a care in the world. She grinned inwardly. Once he found out where she wanted to go, he might not be so relaxed.
‘Regency England,’ she announced with relish. ‘I want to attend a debutante’s ball.’
The front legs of Seb’s chair hit the floor with a crash. ‘You have got to be kidding me!’ he growled, and sure enough, his carefree attitude was nowhere in sight. ‘What the hell kind of clothing did the men wear back then?’
‘Think Pride and Prejudice . You know, tight pants with knee high boots, high-necked ruffled shirts and elaborate cravats. That sort of thing.’
‘No way! I am not under any circumstances going to wear leggings !’ He turned to David for support. ‘Clearly this proves Emilia is not taking things seriously, David, and until she can, I don’t think she’s competent enough to be operating the time travel device. She’s not ready.’
David smiled serenely. ‘While you might be adverse to the costume, Seb, Emilia has in fact chosen very wisely. Regency England is a very safe period of history. What possible trouble could she get into there?’
Seb’s shoulders slumped. ‘Fine, but I’m not going to any damn
Similar Books
