The Time Hunters (Book 1 of the acclaimed series for children of all ages) (3 page)

‘Are you all right, Joe?’ Uncle Percy asked.

Joe paused for a moment, his mind still playing
catch-up. Then his face exploded with delight. ‘THAT WAS GREAT!’

‘I’m glad you enjoyed it. Now, Bowen Hall’s not far
now, and I believe Maria has prepared a magnificent lunch.’

But Becky couldn’t begin to think about food now.
Her thoughts were fixed on one
thing,
and one thing
only. If Uncle Percy could turn an antique car into the fastest she’d ever seen,
then what else was he capable of doing?

Maybe he wasn’t such a dweeb, after all.

Maybe …

Chapter 4

Bowen
Hall

They drove for a further five minutes and then
curved right into a narrow road, flanked by giant trees and very thick hedges.

‘We’re here,’ Uncle Percy announced.

Becky twisted her head, eager for the first glimpse
of her summer home. She saw nothing but an impenetrable wall of greenery.

‘Where is it?’ Joe asked impatiently.

‘Just beyond that perimeter fence.’
Uncle Percy nodded at the hedgerows.

‘I can’t see a thing,’ Joe said, sounding rather
disappointed.

‘That’s the point. Security is of the essence at the
Hall, so I’ve installed a number of measures to ensure the average rambler
can’t just wander in.’

They passed a succession of wooden signs that read ‘PRIVATE
PROPERTY – KEEP OUT OR DIE!’ - ‘TRESSPASSERS WILL BE BLOWN UP!’ - ‘INTRUDERS
WILL BE FED TO VERY BIG DOGS!’ and ‘BEWARE OF THE LIONS!’

Becky did a double take. ‘You have lions?’

Uncle Percy laughed. ‘Good heavens, no. Don’t take
those signs literally. I just thought they were funny and they certainly get
the point across. We never have any unwelcome visitors.’
 

Becky nodded. Somehow, she wasn’t surprised.

The Silver Ghost turned left and Becky saw a
wrought-iron gate set back from the road. Bringing the car to a halt, Uncle
Percy removed his goggles and climbed out. He approached a piece of foliage at
the side of the gate and inserted his hand until it disappeared, swallowed by
leaves.

Becky watched, intrigued, as the foliage slid to the
left and an electronic keypad appeared.

Uncle Percy bent over and stared into it. The pad
made a soft whirring sound and a fine ray of brilliant white light beamed from
its center, gliding over his left eye. ‘Percy Mathias Halifax,’ he said. Then
he did a very strange thing. He plucked a strand of hair from his head,
inserted it into a tiny slot on the panel. A second later, a shrill
beep
rang out, a light bulb flashed
green and the gate slowly opened.

Uncle Percy returned to the car to see two very
puzzled expressions staring back at him. ‘Oh, they’re just some of the
precautions I’ve installed: A retinal scanner, voice remodulator and a DNA
verifier.’

‘You can never be too careful,’ Becky said,
pretending she understood what he’d just said.

Facing forward as they entered the grounds, Becky
saw a stretched driveway, lined with dozens of spruce trees. But where was
Bowen Hall?
 
She felt Joe’s hand tighten
around her arm. Glancing over, she saw his eyes were fixed on something in the
distance. Following his gaze, she saw eight very small, coffee-coloured animals
frolicking in a field. ‘Are they dogs?’

‘Oh, err, no, they’re horses,’ Uncle Percy replied,
somewhat vaguely.

Becky looked again. She couldn’t believe it!
Horses?
They
were no taller than her knees. ‘Are they babies?’

‘Fully grown,’ Uncle Percy said. ‘The Eohippus is
just very small. I didn’t expect to see them, they’re usually very shy, but I
think they must be rather enjoying the sun. As a matter of fact, we have lots
of rare animals at Bowen Hall.’

‘Like what?’ Becky said eagerly. She adored animals.

‘Well, we have some hazel dormice - they’re quite
rare, and a family of Natterjack toads. We’re very fortunate.’

‘How about budgies?’
Joe smirked at Becky, who scowled back at him.

‘No budgies I’m afraid.’

‘And how big are the grounds?’ Becky asked, keen to
steer the conversation away from budgies.

‘A few thousand acres.
There’s a lovely lake, stables, a maze, a sizeable forest, that’s where Will
lives - ’

‘Who’s Will?’ Joe cut in.

‘He’s a good friend. A fine chap,’ Uncle Percy said.
‘He tends the grounds.’

‘And he lives in the forest?’ Joe asked, intrigued.
‘Why doesn’t he live at the Hall?’

‘He’s the outdoorsy type,’ Uncle Percy said simply.
‘Besides, he’s got a wonderful tree house he made with his own hands. You’ll
like Will.’

‘A tree-house?’
Joe breathed.

‘Yes. It’s an amazing construction and very
comfortable. I’m sure he’ll let you sleep there one night, if you ask him
nicely.’

Becky realised if she heard this a few hours ago she
wouldn’t have believed a word. Now, anything was possible. As they reached the
end of the driveway, Becky and Joe let out a simultaneous gasp of astonishment.

Uncle Percy smiled.
‘Home sweet
home.’

Becky couldn’t believe her eyes. Before her stood an
enormous Jacobean mansion of red and orange brick with large windows that
reflected the sunlight from countless panes of glass. A central clock tower
overlooked a series of weather vanes, domes and spires. Passing a central
fountain, the Silver Ghost stopped before a series of stone steps. Uncle Percy
leapt from the car, opened the rear doors, and Becky and Joe stepped out.

Then, with a shattering bang, the front door burst
open, and a short, elderly woman wearing a black and white uniform appeared.
She had curly black hair, a round, pink face and a wide smile that showed off
her misshapen teeth to full effect.

Becky thought she resembled a human skittle.

‘It’s the children – the children …’ the woman
screeched with an accent, rushing down the steps, her apron billowing before
her. ‘Jacob! It’s the children.’ A very thin old man with agreeable eyes,
shuffled through the door, his right leg affected by a slight limp.

‘My angels,’ Maria gushed, just managing to stop
herself
before slamming into Becky. ‘My little darlings…
look at you both! You must be Miss Becky?’ Maria cupped Becky’s astonished face
in her sausage-like fingers. ‘Look at your pretty face and your lovely long
hair.
 
Isn’t she beautiful, Jacob?’

Jacob joined them at the car. ‘She is very
beautiful,’ he said in a soft voice that shared the same clipped accent as his
wife.

Becky blushed and returned Maria’s smile. ‘Thank
you. You’re Maria, right?’

‘Yes, indeed, Maria, that is me. And this is my
husband, Jacob. We are so pleased to meet you finally.’

Jacob bowed. ‘It is my great honour, Miss.’

‘Nice to meet you, Jacob,’ Becky said.

Maria turned slowly to Joe. Then she pounced,
grabbing him with the force of a wrestler. ‘And you must be Master Joe? You are
such a good-looking boy, too. You will be a strong man, one day, as strong as a
lion. I know these things.’

Joe’s face reddened. ‘Thanks.’
 

‘The bags, Jacob.
Get their bags!’ Maria ordered in a way that suggested refusal would be
punishable by death. ‘These children must be fed. They are far too thin.’

Jacob nodded and grabbed the cases.

‘No, let me take those, Jacob,’ Uncle Percy said,
moving to the rear of the car. ‘They’re heavy.’

Scowling, Maria blocked his path, arms folded. ‘You
will do no such thing. Jacob, take the luggage to their rooms at once.’

‘No, Maria, really… I want - ’

Maria shot him a ferocious glare. ‘Do not dare! That
is my husband’s job. You try, and I jolly well kick your rump for you. You are
the master - ’

‘I’m really not!’ Uncle Percy muttered awkwardly.

‘Jacob. Do as I say,’ Maria yelled.
‘NOW!’

Jacob bowed and limped off dutifully in the
direction of the Hall. Satisfied, Maria turned to Uncle Percy and smiled
sweetly. ‘Now, sir, I have prepared -’

‘How many times, Maria, must I ask you to call me
Percy?’

‘I will do no such thing, sir,’ Maria replied. ‘Now
you will be shutting your mouth.’ She grabbed Uncle Percy’s head roughly and
planted a wet kiss on his forehead. ‘This is a happy, happy day. The children
are here.’
 

Uncle Percy looked at Becky and shrugged. It was
clear this was a battle he’d fought and lost many times before.

‘Now, please,’ Maria said to Becky and Joe. ‘You
must be following me, and I will be showing you to your rooms.’ She led them up
the steps, and through the open door.

It took a moment for Becky’s eyes to adjust from the
daylight, but when they did she found herself in a gigantic entrance hall with
a patterned marble floor. There were eight closed doors and, on the left-hand
wall, a stone fireplace with a coat of arms bearing the inscription ‘
Tempus omnia sed memorias privat’
carved
into the chimneypiece.
 
A number of stone
busts of very serious looking bearded men lined the walls. Portraits of all
shapes and sizes filled every inch of wall space. However, the most impressive
object stood in the center of the room - a life-sized bronze statue of a Roman
centurion wielding a sword.

‘Cool,’ Joe said, his eyes glued to the sword.

‘Very,’ Becky replied, facing a grand staircase that
divided into two curving flights and led to a balcony above.

‘Come, come… I will show you to your rooms, my
angels,’ Maria said, guiding them up the left flight.

Becky followed Maria as she passed through an
archway into a narrow corridor lined with doors, more portraits, and wall
lights that shed a homely auburn glow.

Stopping at the end of the corridor, Maria took a
heavy set of keys from her waistband. ‘Miss Becky, this is your room.’ She
unlocked a thickset oak door and pushed it open. ‘I hope you will be happy
here, if not you will tell me at once. There are seventy two others from which
to choose.’

‘I’m sure it’s fine, Maria,’ Becky said, surprised
to find she felt suddenly nervous. She took a hesitant step into the room.

‘We have all been looking forward to you being here,
Miss Becky…’ Maria said softly.
‘Your uncle, especially.’
Before Becky had a chance to thank her, Maria had gone.

Becky stood there in a rapt silence. The room was
enchanting. Scarlet and gold tapestries tumbled from the ceiling and a huge
four-poster bed with silk hangings tied back with silver ribbon stood on the
right hand wall. A mahogany dressing table with an ornate copper framed mirror
rested beneath a window, a yellow cushioned stool tucked neatly between its
legs.

Becky was about to unpack when the door burst open
and Joe raced in.

‘This place is amazing, isn’t it?’ Joe panted.

‘Yes, it is,’ Becky said softly.

‘Do you still think Uncle Percy’s a loon?’

‘Absolutely,’ Becky replied warmly. ‘In the best
possible way…’

Together, and for what felt like hours, Becky and
Joe sat silently on the bed, neither of them daring to close their eyes for
fear of waking up from the most delicious dream. A sharp knock at the door
brought them back to reality. ‘Err, come in,’ Becky said.

The door opened to reveal Jacob, wearing a black
double-breasted tailcoat. ‘Would you care to take lunch in the morning room,
Miss Becky, Master Joe?’

Following Jacob, Becky and Joe walked through the
archway and down the right-hand staircase. At the bottom, they bore right
through a side door into the morning room and saw Uncle Percy sitting at a wide
bay window, reading a book entitled
The Myths of Stonehenge: Fact and
Fiction
.
He lowered the
book and beckoned Becky and Joe to join him, smiling all the time. ‘First
things first, are your rooms to your liking? You must say if they’re not, we do
have plenty of others. You can even have mine if you’d like.’’

‘They’re terrific,’ Joe said.

‘Really great,’ Becky said sincerely and, as her
eyes met his, something quite unexpected happened. Somewhere in the deep
recesses of her memory something stirred. She did recognise him. She couldn’t
pinpoint the time or place but she felt certain he represented something good,
something significant. ‘Uncle Percy, I hope you don’t mind me asking, but how
can we be related to you? I mean, you’re like royalty, and we’re just - well, we’re
ordinary -’

‘Gosh, I’m not royalty. Between you and me, I’m not
exactly a royalist. And you - you are far from ordinary.’ A glint flickered in
his eye. ‘You see, I was your late grandfather’s cousin. God rest his soul. And
I did know your father very well. We were -’ he fell silent for a second, ‘- we
were close friends. No, if truth be told, you are my only true family. There’s
Maria, Jacob and Will, of course, but - ’

‘You don’t have any other relatives?’ Becky
interrupted.

‘I’m afraid not. My parents died many years ago,’
Uncle Percy said. ‘I’ve never been married and have no children.’

‘What about brothers or sisters?’ Becky asked.

‘I had a younger brother, Myron.’ Uncle Percy looked
away. ‘But sadly he passed away many years ago.’