Hide in Time (8 page)

“Write?”

“More than that. A new life where
you can be yourself – no VAT, nothing like that, just plenty of
time.”

“Not a new ID?”

Laura shook her head.

Xandra smiled. “As helpful as the
police might be if they relocated me, I would still feel vulnerable.”

Laura understood, nodded, and brushed
it aside; there simply wasn’t time for full justification. “I
know you will bring happiness…” oh this all sounded so
trite – what the heck could she say? Tears began to stream down
her face.

“Stop right there, Laura, you
have become the best friend I could wish for. You have somewhere I
can hide that is known to you alone and, if that is so, I need to be
there. I know I feel sick with fear here. You have Matt: I have no
one.”

“Oh, Xandra, I probably led the
sniper to “Foxhills”. What a fool I am.” Then she
looked Xandra, brave Xandra, straight in the eyes. “All I can
offer for comfort is that all this will soon be forgotten by you. The
gang will one day meet their Waterloo – never forget that.”

“Let’s go! I’m
anticipating some excitement.”

Laura took a deep breath and flung the
poncho at Xandra. “I need you to get dressed and put this
poncho on over the top. Keep your shoes, socks and cropped trousers
on underneath, but remove everything else, especially your wristwatch
with all its dials and things. Forgive me, but you must take off your
bra too.”

“My bra? Whatever for?”

“Trust me; we may not have much
time. We’ve probably got both the baddies and the goodies
looking for us now.”

There was a moment when they both
almost laughed. Almost.

“This is certainly an effective
disguise, Laura. A flowery, empire line frock and a woolly poncho. I
feel like a seventies’ hippie.” Laura looked baffled.
What on earth was… “Never mind, I’m sure I can
grow to like these. All I need now is a bonnet.”

A bonnet! She’d forgotten a
bonnet. How could she?

Xandra was laughing, “Oh your
face, Laura. It can’t be that important, can it? What about a
shower cap? Couldn’t I wear that?”

“No! You’re meant to be…”
Laura dashed to the bathroom and returned brandishing a pale blue
cap. “Oh well… a shower cap it is,” Laura said, as
she flung it at Xandra who twirled it around on her index finger.
“Now wrap this white lacy scarf around it like a ribbon and let
it trail to one side. Yes, that’s it,” she said, pushing
it on to Xandra’s head. “And try to keep your hair up
underneath it; sort it out while I’m driving. It’s
important as we haven’t time to dress your hair properly and
loose hair would give the wrong impression. Oh, and just a thought,
you might want to apply a little make-up over the bruises.”
Laura could not help herself. She went forward and hugged this brave,
engaging, thoughtful young woman who trusted her completely. It had
been like finding a sister and now she must lose her. Xandra was
still wearing the silver ring charm around her neck but Laura had to
ignore it for now – there were more important things to do.
“Xandra, I am the last person to see you before you disappear.
If you do not write something in your own hand, I may be charged with
your disappearance.”

“Pen. Paper. Let me set your mind
at rest. Now what do you want me to write?”

Laura felt a tear forming. She must not
cry. There must be no emotion to hold them up. As Laura remained
silent, Xandra began, “I, Xandra Radcliffe, being threatened by
the gang which kidnapped me after I thwarted their robbery in
Archangel Hill, do hereby wish to state that I am leaving this…
this…” Xandra stumped for a moment, quickly resumed with
gusto, “leaving this place for the time being. I do not wish to
be followed. I shall not be present for the trial – please use
my witnessed statements.” She looked less than satisfied as she
said, “No time for formal composition but does that suit the
purpose?”

Laura felt the tears rising again as
she said, “It does. More than you realize.”

“And I’ve added,” she
said as she scribbled, ‘I wish to thank my good friend, Laura
Yager, for finding the time to hide me and, until I need them, she
may use my car and other possessions.’ Keep it with you Laura,
or take it to Matt, just in case the gang comes here too.”

“How would you feel if you could
never come back here?”

“I don’t know, Laura.”
She shrugged her shoulders. “I felt I was just beginning to
make an interesting circle of friends and that my life had direction
at last. But I’m afraid I wasn’t insured.” Choking
back welling emotions, she elaborated, “The fire destroyed my
livelihood.”

There was a moment’s silence when
they both stared at each other as Xandra let Laura absorb the full
implications of her situation and Laura hoped Xandra was doing the
same. Evidence that she was came as Xandra added, “The thought
of the gang’s retribution for my being unfortunate enough to
identify them as robbers, kidnappers, arsonists and attempted
murderers, narrows my options. And one of them’s a mad man.”

The mention of the gang provoked fear,
and fear brought haste, but Laura knew with overwhelming certainty
that they were racing with destiny on their side.

Within moments, one twenty-first
century lady got into the driving seat and one passable nineteenth
century lady slid into the passenger seat clutching a heavy brown
leather bag.

They drove in silence until they
reached the motorway.

“Xandra, suppose you don’t
like where I’m taking you? You may not e able to return.”

“Stop worrying, Laura. I’d
led a very solitary existence until I found the courage to answer
your agency’s advertisement. I was happy enough but knew I
couldn’t continue forever working alone day after day with no
family and little opportunity to make friends.” Xandra seemed
to be considering carefully before she added, “I felt I had at
last taken a step towards changing my life. Everyone I met was so
friendly; Andy, Nick, you. It sounds ungrateful, I know, but still I
felt something, maybe someone, or a raison d’etre was missing.
I now feel I’ve found the courage to live a life true to
myself. It’s as though I’m going on a much longed for
adventure and that you know more about it than you’re telling.”

A barely visible smile crept across
Laura’s face. She checked her mirror for the umpteenth time.
No, they were not being followed. “You’re right to feel
it will be an adventure. I think you’ll love it.”

Xandra looked across at Laura, then
pulled her poncho out to catch her eye. “So you are not asking
me to join the circus or a strolling group of troubadours?”

Laura laughed. The thought of Xandra as
a strolling minstrel or pirouetting on the back of an elephant was as
far from the approaching reality as her beloved Micra being given a
thumbs up by that guy on ‘Top Gear’. She relaxed and
reduced speed as they took the road towards the coast.

~

Laura hated making decisions. Should
she park close, so that Xandra was unlikely to be seen, or should she
be more cautious?

Yet again, destiny intervened. It
started to rain as they approached the sea at Merrygate and the rain
became heavier as the car wound its way up the hill towards Clifton.
Laura always kept a pocket, plastic raincoat in the boot; a vast,
hooded coverall was exactly what was needed now.

She parked carefully, rummaged in the
boot, ordered Xandra to put the rain cape on, checked she had all
they’d prepared, locked the car and called, “Follow me.”
Xandra, swamped ghost-like in white plastic, ran through the streets
trailing Laura under her umbrella. The torrential rain emptied the
neighbourhood of all sensible people. Only Billy Beggar saw them
hurrying towards the boarded entrance to the caves and Billy never
told on Laura for he adored the girl who saw beyond his old greatcoat
into the life he once had fighting for his Queen and country. A
justly proud soldier in The Royal Engineers, brought down for lack of
care. Neglect of our warriors who protect…it was ever thus,
she remembered. She slowed as she passed Billy, pulled her reserve
chocolate bar from her pocket and dropped it in his lap.

She pushed her way through the
overgrown hedging, followed by Xandra who was endeavouring to wrap
her long skirt around herself underneath her over-sized cape. Laura
took Xandra’s bag; it would be a precarious journey and she was
more familiar with the difficulties to come and unencumbered by
Xandra’s bulky garments. They passed the old entrance, also
overgrown but just visible, and went further along to what had once
been the advertising hoardings. ‘Step Back in Time,’
enticed one slogan, though the paper advert below had long gone.
‘Hide in History’ invited another. ‘Let your
imagination take you to the adventure of a lifetime,’ the last
urged. Laura remembered when she had first seen it and the picture,
though much faded, was of a smuggler with a barrel on his shoulders.
How fortunate that the caves were now closed to the public.

Ignoring the rain, Laura faced Xandra.
“Are you sure?”

Xandra pointed to the last hoarding and
said, “I am ready for that adventure.” She paused before
she said, “Laura, there has been an inescapable magnetism to
this moment. You felt it. I felt it. Yet I take this step of my own
free will. If I were to advise anyone else, I would say, ‘don’t
do it’ or even ‘it’s impossible and dangerous’.
I cannot articulate it in its entirety but I believe I know where it
leads and I want to go. I believe you have been there before me.”

Laura inhaled sharply – Xandra
knew.

Despite their need to hurry, they both
stood completely still for a moment composing themselves like divers
on the high board. Then Laura squeezed behind the hoardings and
whispered to Xandra to make certain no one was looking. “I’d
prefer to enter this gateway at night,” she said. Behind the
visible hoardings was a single, older advertisement board. Pushing on
the side of the frame, but being careful not to cause it to buckle,
Laura opened it as if it were a door and gradually forced her way
through the narrow gap. As a cat is faster to enter an opened door,
so the daylight shone through first, allowing Laura to locate the
wind-up torch stored just inside. Shivering, she whispered to Xandra,
“Like stepping into a fridge.” Clutching the bag
securely, knowing it held the plan for Xandra’s future, she
beckoned her to follow. Unhesitatingly, Xandra did so and took off
her wet cape.

Laura closed the entrance and stood the
dripping umbrella against it.

“Time to start living the life
you have imagined,” Laura said to Xandra. It just popped into
her head and she was sure it was a quotation. Perhaps Xandra, being
better read, would recognize it.

They followed the feeble beam –
adequate in the chalk-walled cave. The passage descended to a vast
cavern with tiny rivulets of water carving channels in the walls and
running through the narrow tunnels leading from it. Laura, still
concerned that they had entered the cave in daylight, clutched
Xandra’s arm when she thought she’d heard a noise behind
her. Even a whisper would echo, so she just put her finger to her
lips and indicated to Xandra to listen. Only the sound of dripping,
running water could be heard. They were safe.

“This is the way you must go,
Xandra,” said Laura pointing to a slit in the wall. “You
must not take the torch. The tunnel will open out after a few yards
and all you have to do is keep your right hand, at all times,
following the curve of the wall and you will avoid the worst of the
rock fall.”

“I shall miss you, Laura.”

“I can’t come any further,
Xandra, but I shall be with you in spirit whenever I can,”
Laura’s lips smiled but her eyes filled with tears, “whatever
it costs me,” she added. The significance of this remark was
lost on Xandra.

Xandra took her bag, held it close with
her left arm, squeezed through, and stepped on the damp, sandy floor
of the cave. Laura stood watching and, in the light of her torch, she
caught sight of her wristwatch. Four o’clock. What a lot had
happened on this twenty-ninth day of September. Shining the beam
through the gap for as long as was useful gave her a few moments to
wonder – would the time be right? Most importantly, she was
sure Xandra would, in all ways, be human. Laura had previously
experimented by taking a mouse from the twenty-first century and
releasing it in the nineteenth. It could be seen. When she'd
recaptured it and brought it back to its rightful time, it could not
be seen. She'd felt terrible, poor little mouse, and she'd not been
able to catch it, of course. Laura had spent a long time working out
the rules. The most frightening was the way the twenty-first century
faded whenever she went back, as if no one is allowed to know the
future. The parson would agree with that.

Xandra did not look back. Laura stayed
until Xandra’s sandy footsteps faded from the squelching sand;
it was as though no one had ever walked that way.

Hide in Time ~ Anna Faversham

How long it seems since yesterday,
thought Xandra. Today, like this tunnel, seems longer than forever.
Will there be a tomorrow? Apprehension sowed the seed of fear. Her
feet were no longer feeling the touch of the ground. She stopped.
Silence. Absolute silence. Not even the sound of her own breathing.
She took a step forward then stopped again. She was in control. She
had mastered fear before and would do so now. Tentatively feeling the
wall with her right hand, and reassured by its cold, damp reality,
she clutched her bag closer and resumed her dark journey.

Xandra followed her outstretched hand
as it felt around a corner. She stopped. Fear dispelled, a smile
germinated. A glorious shaft of light, like a curtain of rainbow
colours, was no more than fifty yards ahead. Xandra gasped as, once
more, she felt the sandy floor beneath her and hastened towards the
irresistible luminance. She hesitated before stepping into the
wispy-looking light; it stole her breath. Not light and airy as she’d
expected, it was heavy, an intense radiance, as if the light of
centuries had been condensed into this one, deceptive shimmer.
Defiantly, she shielded her eyes, pushed through the curtain of light
and did not look back.