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The roo to spin around

"I love you, Grandpa!" I called

"So the blood of all twelve tiraph isn’t the whole story! The secret will be revealed only when--" I heard Lucas say, before I ept off my feet

A fraction of a second later, I was blinking at bright light And I was close up to a white shirt front Half an inch to the left, and I’d have landed right on Mr George’s feet

I let out a small cry of alarm and took a few steps back

"We ive you a piece of chalk next ti his head, and he took the flashlight fro for my return on his own Falk de Villiers stood beside hihost boy, Robert, was peering at e white plaster on his forehead, was leaning against the wall by the door

At the sight of him, I had to take a deep breath

He was in his usual attitude--arms crossed over his chest--but his face was almost as pale as his plaster, and the shadows under his eyesdesire to run to hi my arms around him, and kiss his forehead better, the way I always used to with Nick when he hurt hiht, Gwyneth?" asked Falk de Villiers

"Yes," I said, without taking my eyes off Gideon Oh, God, I’d missed hireen sofa been only a day ago? Not that you could describe it as one kiss

Gideon looked back atme for the first time Not a trace of yesterday was left in his eyes

"I’ll take Gwyneth upstairs so that she can go ho his hand on ently past Falk to the door And right past Gideon

"Have you … are you all right again?" I asked

Gideon didn’t reply He just looked atwith the way he did it As if I wasn’t a person at all, only an object So like a … a chair Maybe he did have concussion after all, and now he didn’t knoho I was? I suddenly felt very cold

"Gideon ought to be in bed, but he has to elapse for a few hours if we don’t want to risk an uncontrolled journey through time," Dr White brusquely explained "But it’s ridiculous to let hio alone--"

"Only to spend two hours in a peaceful cellar in 1953, Jake," Falk interrupted hiht you are," said Gideon, and his look beca even darker Suddenly I felt terrible

Mr George was opening the door "Coe" Gideon was holdingI’d like to know What year did you send Gwyneth to?"

"Just now, you e "Why?"

"Well--because she srip on

Autoht Hours in that smoky café had left obvious clues behind How on earth was I going to explain that?

All eyes in the rooood excuse in a hurry

"Okay--I ad at the floor "I did sarettes Honestly!"

Mr George shook his head "Gwyneth, surely I’d made it perfectly clear to you You can’t take--"

"I’ in that dark cellar, and a cigarette helpsmy best to look eht them all back You don’t have to worry someone will find a pack of Marlboros and be surprised"

Falk laughed

"It seeirl as she h of relief "Don’t look so shocked, Thoe of thirteen"

"So did I My first and also ain "Sood idea, Gwyneth I’m sure your mother would be rather shocked if she knew"

Even little Robert nodded hard and looked at ood, either," added Dr White "You get bad skin and ugly teeth fro But he still hadn’t relaxed his firrip on my arm I forcedto suetic s his head very slightly Then he slowly let go of me I sed hard, because I suddenly had a lu like this? Nice to me one moment, kind and affectionate, next moment chilly and unapproachable? It was more than anyone could bear Well, I couldn’t for one What had happened down here, between hiht And now all he could find to do was expose ot? What was his idea?

"Coain

"I’ll see you the day after to day"

"Don’t forget to blindfold her," said Dr White, and I heard Gideon laugh briefly as if Dr White had made a bad joke Then the heavy door closed behind e, and ere out in the corridor

"You’d think he didn’t like s into floods of tears