34
‘Are you absolutely sure about this, Ben?’ I ask him the next day as we wait for the moment when the sun moves onto the hidden building in Clockmaker Court.
‘Perfectly sure,’ Ben says, standing tall next to me. Adam and Barney are already down in the office waiting.
Yesterday was a tough one for many reasons.
After I returned from Ben’s shop and reported our conversation back to Adam and Barney, I then talked to both Harriet and Luca separately on the bench under the oak tree, while Adam and Barney took it in turns to watch their shops.
I told them what we now knew and asked whether either of them wanted to join Ben in attempting to return to their past lives.
Harriet’s reply was simple – a very clear and adamant no. She told me she was incredibly happy living here with Rocky and she never ever wanted to go back again. But she wished us luck on our quest to help Ben.
‘What you’re doing is wonderful,’ she told me before she returned to Rocky.
‘If anyone deserves a last moment of happiness, it’s our Ben.
We’ll miss him here in Clockmaker Court, of course – it won’t be the same without him.
But I know he’s doing the right thing for him.
’ Then, to my surprise, she hugged me. Which was so unlike Harriet that it actually left me speechless as she walked back across the court to her shop.
Luca’s answer to my question was undecided. He wavered between wanting to go and being scared to return. ‘I need to think about it, darling,’ he told me eventually. ‘It’s such a big decision. I’m just not sure yet.’
‘That’s absolutely fine,’ I told him. ‘I know it’s a tough decision to make.’
‘Are you cross with me?’ Luca asked anxiously. ‘Because I didn’t tell you my secret?’
I hesitated. Even though I know why Luca and the others have never said anything, I couldn’t help but feel a little upset by them keeping their past lives a secret from me.
‘No, I’m not cross as such – how can I be? If you’d told me the truth, I’d have thought you were crazy. It’s not your fault you had to keep it a secret. But it does feel like I don’t truly know who you are any more.’
‘Oh, beautiful, I’m so very sorry,’ Luca said, taking both my hands in his. ‘Of course you know who I am – I’m exactly the person you knew before. I’m just a few decades older than you thought! Look on it like I’ve had really good Botox, if it makes it easier!’
He was right, of course. These people are exactly the same people that I knew before.
Their personalities aren’t any different now I know where they came from – they are just older and they’ve been carrying the weight of a huge secret with them for many years.
A secret that I already know is going to weigh heavily on my shoulders now I’m a part of it too.
‘It might do,’ I said, smiling at him. ‘You know, I wondered why my Luca was such an expert on the Second World War. I thought you were some sort of secret history buff. Little did I know you actually came from that era.’
‘Ha, I nearly gave myself away that evening, didn’t I? Annie and Ed were really impressed by my knowledge too.’
‘It’s a shame you weren’t related to them. It would have been nice for you to find out something about your family.’
‘Who said we aren’t?’ Luca raised his eyebrows mischievously at me. ‘I found out Ed’s grandmother is actually my second cousin.’
‘What?’
‘I couldn’t tell them that, obviously. But it was good to know I have some family still in this life, even if I can’t find out too much about what happened to my own from back then.’
‘It’s amazing the pull you feel towards anyone who might have been your family, isn’t it?’ I told him, thinking of Dotty and the incredibly strong connection I felt towards her.
Luca nodded. ‘That’s what I’ve always found lovely about Clockmaker Court. We’re like a little family here. For whatever reason, we’ve all been orphaned from our original families, but because of that, we’ve all bonded and made our own unique little family right here.’
‘Gosh, I’ve never really thought about it like that. That’s really lovely, Luca, thank you.’ Leaning forward, I gave him a big hug. ‘You know, if you do decide to go back, I’ll support your decision, of course. But I will miss you terribly.’
‘Not as much as I’d miss you, my lovely.’
Now, as I stand waiting with Ben just in front of the oak tree, I’m reminded once more of those conversations. For today is the day we are attempting to send him back to 1904.
We all gathered to say goodbye and it was a tearful few minutes as Ben bade farewell to everyone. Now we are all waiting for the minutes to tick by until the sun moves into the right place and it’s the right time to instruct the portal to open on our requested year.
After my discussions with Harriet and Luca, I thought long and hard about whether to tell Barney or not.
And I decided for the time being, it was best not to, even though it didn’t sit well with me.
Barney was happy here in Clockmaker Court – he’d told me that.
Knowing his true story would surely only upset him and cause the sort of trauma that Luca is now wrestling with.
So, for now, I’ve decided to keep quiet about it.
‘I will miss you all when I go,’ Ben says, looking around at the buildings and all the people waiting to see him off.
‘But I know I’ll be leaving Clockmaker Court in safe hands.
It’s time to pass this secret on to the next generation to keep it safe and secure.
Just as our predecessors have been doing for thousands of years before us. ’
I’m trying to be as brave as Ben is appearing, but I’m failing badly. ‘I’m worried about you, Ben,’ I say anxiously.
‘Why, my lovely girl? I’ll be absolutely fine.’
‘I know you think you will. But the truth is, you’re not getting any younger. How will you cope back then? It’s not like it is now.’
Ben smiles. ‘No, I know it isn’t. But don’t you worry, I’ll be just fine.
Our friend Luca has given me a good start with this wonderful attire,’ he says, gesturing to his outfit.
He looks like a fine Victorian dandy in his long black tailcoat, pinstripe trousers, burgundy-red cravat, and, to finish it all off, a shiny black top hat.
He’s also carrying a cane and some gloves, and tucked into his waistcoat, he has a gold pocket watch on a chain.
‘I look just the part of an elderly man who hasn’t quite left the Victorian era behind yet. I’ll fit right in.’
‘But what will you do for money?’
‘Eve,’ he says. ‘I’ve been running a shop for over fifty years that sells antique maps, coins and notes.
’ He opens one side of his jacket and I can see a bundle of large banknotes tucked away in his inside pocket.
‘And there’s plenty more where that came from,’ he says, lifting up a large brown suitcase.
‘I’ll be able to buy whatever I want with the amount of money I’ve got tucked away. Enough to live comfortably on, anyway.’
‘Good, at least that’s something. But you will be careful, won’t you? I mean, is there any way you could let us know you’re all right? Could you send a letter or something, and have it arrive next week?’
‘How would I do that?’
‘You could give it to a solicitors’ office and ask them to keep it until the year 2024 and then have them deliver it?’
‘Is this something you’ve once again seen in a movie, by any chance?’ Ben asks, raising his eyebrows.
‘Yes … but I think I might have read it in a book as well. It’s a good idea.’
‘Eve, this is real life – it’s not as simple as some of those stories make out. There’s far more complexities and things we don’t know about.’
‘Please?’ I ask. ‘Can you at least try?’
Ben nods. ‘I’ll see what I can do. No promises, though.’
‘Thank you.’ The sun is moving ever closer to the building, but more worryingly, there are now several large clouds drifting slowly across the sky as well. I’m praying they don’t cover the sun just at the moment we need it to shine fully on the building.
‘Can we talk about you for a moment,’ Ben says. ‘There’s some things I need to tell you.’
‘Of course, but we don’t have a lot of time before the sun hits the building.’
Ben glances at where the sun currently is. Happy, he continues. ‘Now you and Adam are the new timekeepers – I know you don’t like that word, but that’s what you are – it’s down to you to both protect the portal and decide how it’s used in the future.’
‘What do you mean, how it’s used? Once we get you back safely and any others that might want to return after you, that’s it, as far as I’m concerned. We’ll seal it all up again and keep it safe.’
Ben smiles. ‘That would be the simplest plan. But remember, we sealed the building up when we couldn’t control the portal.
Now you and Adam know how, the temptation will always be there to go back to try to change things.
I’m certain you’ve learnt from all your movies that the one rule of time travel is you mustn’t change the past.’
‘Of course, I know that.’
‘But you will be tempted. Both of you. Especially with both your histories. There are things you don’t know yet. Our tale is only one chapter of a much bigger story.’
‘OK,’ I reply, looking behind me. I am listening to Ben, but one of the clouds has just parked itself in front of the sun. I hear a sharp intake of breath from those behind us as the sun’s rays are immediately blocked.
‘I mean it, Eve,’ Ben says sternly. ‘It’s only natural to want to right wrongs – especially if they’re personal to you. But you must remember the portal is there for much greater reasons than we understand.’
‘Ben, I get it, all right. Don’t mess with time or it will mess with you.’ I’m smiling again now, because the cloud above us has moved on quickly to allow the sun to shine once more.
‘I’m serious, Eve. You and Adam have great power now, and with great power—’
‘Comes great responsibility? Yes, I know that one. Are you the one quoting movies now?’
‘Comic books, actually.’ Ben visibly relaxes and I’m pleased to see him smile.
‘That phrase is often attributed to one of my favourite comic-book stories. But it’s been said many more times before that, by a great many people.
Winston Churchill said something similar and I believe you will find it in the Bible too.
’ He thinks. ‘Yes, Luke 12:48 – look it up sometime.’
‘I will,’ I tell him.
‘It’s true, though – you must not treat this responsibility lightly. You must treat it with the respect it deserves. If you do that, you will never go far wrong.’
The sun moves onto the outside of the building.
‘It’s almost time,’ I say. ‘Are you ready?’
Ben nods and we stand in silence for the next few moments as we watch the sun move to the centre of the building. I hold the brass calendar up so the shade from the tree passes over the Roman numerals set to the exact date in 1904 that Ben has requested to return to.
‘It’s time,’ I tell him.
Ben nods at me, then he turns and gives one final wave to the others behind us, before we both enter the shop together.
The hands on the grandfather clock are spinning backwards as we pass, just like they did before. We go through the door and down the stairs to the office where Adam and Barney are waiting for us.
‘Did it work?’ Adam asks as we enter the office.
I nod silently. The emotion of this moment has suddenly got to me and I know if I don’t hold it together, I’m going to burst into tears.
‘Adam.’ Ben shakes his hand. ‘Your grandfather would be very proud of you. I’m very proud of you too. Look after yourself and Eve, won’t you?’
‘I will,’ Adam says stoutly, but I can hear the emotion in his voice as he speaks. ‘Good luck, Ben.’ They embrace briefly, patting each other’s back.
‘Barney,’ Ben says, reaching into his jacket pocket to pull out an envelope. ‘These are the deeds to my shop. It’s yours if you’d like it.’
‘Really?’ Barney says, looking shocked as he takes the envelope from Ben. ‘Are you sure?’
Ben nods. ‘Perfectly. Do what you want with it. But, if you’d like to open a shop that sells comics, that would make me very happy. And I think possibly you too?’
Barney grins. ‘Oh, yes. That would be amazing. Thank you so much.’
Ben bends down and hugs him. ‘You’ve grown into a fine young man. Clockmaker Court will continue to look after you, if you look after it in return.’
Barney nods. ‘I will, Ben. I promise I will.’
‘Eve,’ Ben says, turning to me.
‘Oh, Ben, I will miss you,’ I say as tears begin to pour down my face as we embrace.
‘You’ve been such a help to me since I came to Clockmaker Court, and not just recently, but all those years before, when I was simply trying to keep the shop going.
I don’t know if I could have done it without you. ’
‘You would have done,’ he whispers, his voice breaking a little.
‘You’re a true Sinclair, Eve. You don’t give up easily.
Your grandparents were so proud of you. Dotty would have been proud of you too.
Never doubt yourself. You are more than up to the challenge that lies ahead.
Now, I must go,’ he says, pulling away from me.
He ducks his head to go through the wooden doors already open for him, using his cane to support him.
Then he turns as he stands up fully in the space on the other side.
‘I bid you all farewell, my friends. It’s been an honour and a pleasure knowing you, and your families.
I have a feeling we’ll all meet again one day. ’
With one final salute, Ben turns and walks away from us down the tunnel, carrying his top hat in one hand, and his suitcase and cane in the other, and he looks younger and more alive than I think I’ve ever seen him as he disappears into the darkness.
Once he’s out of sight, Adam moves forward and silently closes the doors behind him. Then we wait.
After a moment or two, Barney asks, ‘How long before we see if he’s gone?’
‘I don’t want to look,’ I say, turning away. ‘I want it to have succeeded, of course I do. But I don’t want to think he’s gone for ever.’
Adam waits another minute, then opens the doors once more and calls into the darkness, ‘Ben? Ben, are you still there?’
Silence fills the tunnel. Slowly it filters through to the office.
‘I think he’s gone,’ he says, turning back to us. ‘Back to his right place and his right time.’