Monckton Milnes harrumphed again and staggered out the door of Burton’s study.
“I’m sure I don’t have to tell you how dangerous this is,” said the indefatigable Miss Hemlock. “I’m afraid I have diverged you from your current time streams. We are tabula rasa from this moment forth.”
“We diverged long before you got here, Miss Hemlock. Whatever things come undone by this point, they are no fault of yours. We are all too familiar with the risks involved. In fact, you might be in even more danger than we are.”
Miss Hemlock shivered and nodded. “You are right, of course. But I don’t care what happens to me, so long as this unidentified miscreant isn’t allowed to meddle with Time!”
7. Weaponized Time
The late hour had become early morning, so Detective Inspector Abberline bid farewell and set off for home. Burton offered Miss Hemlock the use of his spare bedroom next to his study, and she took the offer.
Burton worried that people would start to talk about the mysterious woman who had taken up residence at Gloucester Place—and worse, tell Isabel—but Miss Hemlock assured the explorer she would be discrete, making use of the rear servants’ entrance for her comings and goings. “I’m a Time Agent, Captain, Burton. We are trained to blend in.” Burton didn’t know how such a flamboyant woman could blend in, especially one in such unusual getup, but he nodded and bid her good night.
The next morning, Burton sat in his study wearing his jebba and ate a hearty breakfast of eggs, sausage and coffee brought up to him by Miss Angell, who stared at Burton’s house guest crossly as she served them.
“Captain Burton,” she said finally. “Will your guest be staying long?”
Miss Hemlock looked up at his landlady and housekeeper, a huge smile on her face. “Only a few days. I am so sorry for imposing, but Cousin Richard insisted.”
Miss Angell fixed her with a flinty stare. “Cousin?”
“Distant,” said Miss Hemlock. “I came here to see the city. I’m Penelope.”
Unable to find fault with the ostensibly unseemly arrangement, Miss Angell’s mood softened. “Oh. Well. That sounds quite nice. Eat up. You’ll need your strength to keep up with the likes of him.”
At that she left the room, closing the door behind her.
“Well done,” said Burton.
Miss Hemlock giggled. “This isn’t my first time.”
“I’m sorry,” said Burton. “She can be overbearing at times, but she means well.”
“I like her. Though I wouldn’t like to get on her bad side.”
“That, my dear, makes two of us.”
They ate in relative silence for a time, Miss Hemlock making gentle noises as she wolfed down her eggs and sausage.
“Would you like some more? Mother Angell insists on keeping me fat like a prized pig.”
“No, no. This is plenty. In fact, it’s a veritable feast. Because of the war, we subsist on rations. We hardly get any meat at all, and what eggs we have are powdered.”
Burton arched an eyebrow. “Powdered?”
She smiled around a mouthful of eggs. “Please, don’t ask. You don’t want to know. It’s all due to the war, of course.”
Burton nodded. The war. The explorer had thought of little else since the Time Agent mentioned it the previous evening. What must it be like? No. He was better off not knowing. He couldn’t do anything about it, and he wouldn’t live to see it. There was that, at least. Still, he worried about those who would have to endure it. He had been a soldier, and knew the hardships involved. He doubted they had changed all that much. As he ate, he stared across the study at the wall of weaponry, mementos of death and destruction he had acquired during his travels. Guns, swords, spears. He had been stabbed in the face with a spear. What new methods of killing would man develop in the intervening eighty-one years? They already had flying vehicles that could drop bombs. He shuddered inwardly.
“So,” said Burton when he had finished his breakfast. “What is the plan for today?”
“We need to find Mycroft Holmes and see if he has the Map.” She wiped her small mouth with a linen napkin.
“You think he has already acquired it?” asked Burton.
The Time Agent nodded. “It’s a possibility. Actually, I’d prefer it, because our mysterious figure will go on about his way thinking he has succeeded.”
Burton nodded. “That way he won’t try to stop us.”
“Exactly. Now, you know the city at this moment in time, and you also know where Mycroft Holmes spends his days.”
“Well, I don’t know where he lives,” said Burton, “but he spends most of his time at the Diogenes Club. He also has an office in the Tower of London.”
Miss Hemlock nodded. “I thought as much. We’ll need to be careful. He can’t know who I am, and it would be best if he didn’t see me at all. In my time, that photographic memory of his is legendary. I don’t want him to recognize me when I interrogate him in his future, as he might not tell me what I need to know so that it is of use here.”
“And thus come back here to prevent it,” said Burton.
Miss Hemlock smiled. “Exactly. You have done this before, haven’t you?”
“More than I would like. So, where should we head first?”
“The Diogenes Club,” she said.
The explorer nodded. “We should round up Inspector Abberline. We might need his assistance.”
“Very good,” Miss Hemlock said, smiling.
“But how do we approach him?”
Miss Hemlock stood. “Leave that to me. Now, please exit your home as you normally would, and meet me down at the corner.” She pointed out the study window. “The less people who see us together, the better. I need to keep as small a footprint in this time period as possible. My own future could depend on it.”
“All right,” said Burton. “Then we’ll go find Frederick and get this Map of Time business attended to.”
As instructed, Burton donned his coat and topper and left his home through the front door, then turned right and walked to the corner. He had waited several minutes for Miss Hemlock to join him when a familiar voice called to him from a carriage pulling pulled up to the curb. “Captain Burton.”
He climbed into the carriage. “Where did you go?”
“This carriage was clopping by when I left through your servants’ entrance,” she said. “I hailed it and we went around the block. Oh, and I must apologize. I’m afraid you will have to pay the fare. I’m not carrying the proper coin of the realm, as it were.” She blushed.
Burton smiled. “No problem at all, Miss Hemlock. A common occurrence in your line of work, I’m sure.”
“Where to?” the driver called down.
“The Diogenes Club,” said Burton. “Do you know it?”
“Aye sir. Indeed I do.”
The driver urged his horse forward, and they started off.
“Were we not supposed to fetch Detective Abberline?” asked Miss Hemlock.
“If I know Frederick, he is already there waiting for us.”
Twenty minutes later, they alighted in front of the infamous Diogenes Club to find Inspector Abberline leaning against the formidable brick building. “Captain, Miss Hemlock,” he said cordially.
Burton paid the fare and shook Abberline’s hand. “What are you doing out here?”
“Those ruffians threw me out! Me. An officer of the law!”
“What happened?” asked Miss Hemlock.
“I told the doorman I needed to see Mycroft Holmes at once.” He glanced about the street before continuing, lowering his voice. “It’s about those bloody Morlocks, you see. They’re up to their old tricks again. More people have gone missing, this time somewhat closer to home.”