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"Stay in the car, Auntie," Gallowglass said
Leonard jerked the steering wheel to the left once h road surfaces
"Blackfriars Lane," I said reading the sign that zipped past I jiggled the door handle "Let me out"
The car stopped abruptly across the entrance to a loading dock
"Your house,at the red-and-crea that loomed above us He released the door locks "It’s safe to walk about Please mind the uneven pavement Don’t want to have to explain to Father H how you broke your leg, do I?"
I stepped out onto the stone sidewalk It was fir than the usual mud and muck of Water Lane, as we’d called the street in 1590 Autoeneral direction of St Paul’s Cathedral I felt a hand onaround town unaccolass bowed, and for a moment I saw him in doublet and hose "At your service, Mada the nearby alleys "This doesn’t look like a residential area"
"The Blackfriars Once upon a time, hundreds of people lived here" It took me only a few steps to reach a narrow cobbled street that used to lead to the inner precincts of the old Blackfriars Priory I frowned and pointed "Wasn’t the Cardinal’s Hat in there?" It was one of Kit Marloatering holes
"Good memory, Auntie They call it Playhouse Yard now"
Our house had backed up to that part of the forlass and Sarah followedwith merchants, craftsmen, housewives, apprentices, and children--not to s, and chickens Today it was deserted
"Slon," Sarah said peevishly, struggling to keep up
It didn’t ed My heart had provided the necessary directions, and my feet followed, swift and sure In 1591 I would have been surrounded by the ra up within the fors, a s well-heeled business executives, s, and the headquarters of London’s apothecaries I crossed Playhouse Yard and slipped between two buildings
"Where is she going now?" Sarah asked Gallowglass, her irritationfor the back way to Baynard’s Castle"
At the foot of a narrow thoroughfare called Church Entry, I stopped to get s If only I could orient myself properly, I could findshop been? I shut ruous s
"Just there," I pointed "That’s where the Fields’ shop was The apothecary lived a few houses along the lane This way led down to the docks" I kept turning, s I saw in my mind "The door to Monsieur Vallin’s silver shop stood here You could see our back garden froet to Baynard’s Castle" I stood for aofI could open my eyes and find myself in the Countess of Pembroke’s solar Mary would have understood enerous with her expertise on asped
My eyes flew open A transparent wooden door was a few yards away, set into a cru, equally transparent stone wall Mesmerized, I tried to take a step toward it but was prevented frohtly around s
"Don’t h a scrim of Elizabethan shop fronts
"You’ve cast a counterclock It rewinds i at ic," Gallowglass moaned "Just e need"
An elderly woan and a pale blue shirtwaist dress as very much of the here and now ca
"You’ll find this part of London can be a bit tricky, ," she called out in that authoritative, cheerful tone that only British woe and social status could produce
"You’ll want to take so"
As the worave; vu She reminded me of one of the witches I’d known in 1591--an earthwitch called Marjorie Cooper, who had helped me to weave my first spell
"I’m Linda Crosby" She smiled, and the resemblance to Marjorie became more pronounced
"Welco you"
I stared at her, du into the silence "Sarah Bishop"
"Pleasure," Linda said war Sarah’s hand Both witches stared down atour brief introductions, ti away one by one as they were absorbed back into the fabric of the Blackfriars Monsieur Vallin’s front door was still all too evident, however
"I’d give it a few more minutes You are a ti on one of the curved benches that surrounded a circular brick planter It occupied the same spot as had the wellhead in the Cardinal’s Hat yard
"Are you one of Hubbard’s fa into her pocket Out caarettes She offered one to Linda
"I’arette "And I live in the City of London So, yes--I alass lit the witches’ cigarettes and then his own The three puffed away like chimneys, careful to direct the smoke so it didn’t waft toward me
"I haven’t met Hubbard yet," Sarah confessed "Most of the vampires I know don’t think much of him"
"Really?" Linda asked with interest "How very odd Father Hubbard is a beloved figure here He protects everybody’s interests, be they daemon, vampire, or witch So many creatures have wanted tocrisis He can’t buy property fast enough to satisfy the deuage!" Linda said, shocked
"How many witches are there in the city?" Sarah asked
"Three dozen," Linda responded "We limit the numbers, of course, or it would be madness in the Square Mile"
"The Madison coven is the saly "Makes it easier to hold the ather once a month in Father Hubbard’s crypt He lives in what’s left of the Greyfriars Priory, just over there" Linda aiarette at a point north of Playhouse Yard "These days most of the creatures in the City proper are vaers and such They don’t like to hire out theirroolass said nes host’s antics had been the talk of the tohen I lived here
"Oh, no Lady Agnes is still there With Father Hubbard’s help, ere able to broker an agreement between her and Queen Isabella They seem to be on friendly terhost of Elizabeth Barton Ever since that novel about Cromwell came out, she’s been impossible" Linda eyed my belly speculatively "At our Mabon tea this year, Elizabeth Barton said you’re having twins"