The Time Hunters and the Box of Eternity Read Online Free PDF

Sure, ’ she said, as Joe nodded his agreement.
    Uncle Percy smiled gratefully. ‘ Thank you. Now, why don ’ t we go downstairs and
begin our holiday? Tonight, if you ’ ll indulge me, I thought we ’ d have a Victorian evening… ’ And with a wide grin,
he picked up Deirdre and left the room.
    The moment he disappeared from sight, Becky glanced at Joe and
whispered, ‘ Victorian evening?   L-A-M-E … ’
    *
    To her surprise, Becky found she enjoyed the night enormously. Will
ensured the parlour ’ s stove blazed with kindling, while swapping stories with Jacob
about their former lives; Maria appeared in fine spirits, her round face
flushed from the swift consumption of two goblets of cowslip wine; and Uncle
Percy seemed in a particularly mischievous mood, dressing Milly and Sabian in
matching Deerstalker hats, and tying a lace bonnet to Deirdre ’ s head, as she toddled
around the parlour feeling thoroughly self-important. When it came time for
supper, Maria laid on Lemon cake, imperial gingerbread and soft crullers,
washed down with ginger ale punch.
    It was halfway through her second helping of gingerbread, when Becky
turned to Uncle Percy and said, ‘ Is it okay if I take Peggy for a walk round the grounds tomorrow? ’
    Maria giggled wildly. ‘ That is if her fancy fellow will allow it. ’ She tottered
precariously on her chair, before belching loudly. ‘ Verzeihung! You will
be pardoning me, please. ’ Amid all the laughter, Becky and Joe swapped confused glances.
    ‘ Fancy fellow? ’ Becky asked.
    ‘ Oh, I didn ’ t tell you, did I? ’ Uncle Percy replied. ‘ Apparently, love is in
the air at the Hall.   Peggy appears to
have found herself a boyfriend. ’
    Becky looked shocked. ‘ Who? ’
    ‘ I ’ ll give you a clue:
four legs, thick, armour-plated hide, three horns, and a somewhat clumsy
demeanor. ’
    ‘ Gump? ’ Becky said.
    ‘ Indeed, ’ Uncle Percy grinned. ‘ Our little Triceratops
turns out to be quite the lothario. He sleeps next to her stable each night,
they go out walking together during the day. He even leaves a mountain of grass
outside her stable door for when she wakes up. It ’ s quite sweet really. ’
    Becky broke into laughter. ‘ Really? ’
    ‘ Go the Gumpster! ’ Joe said, clapping
his hands.
    ‘ Well, ’ Becky said, feigning
concern. ‘ As
I am officially her keeper then I might have to have a little word with him. ’
    Uncle Percy grinned. ‘ I do believe his intentions are entirely honourable. ’
    ‘ Let ’ s hope they don ’ t have kids, ’ Joe quipped. ‘ Just imagine a white
Triceratops with wings... ’
    *
    It was midnight when Becky flopped into bed. The wind had dropped
leaving the Hall and grounds eerily quiet. For a moment, she just lay there
thinking about the strange events of the day and then the scene changed. She
was standing beside her mother on a twisting lane. Rain pelted down from a
muddy sky, slashing her face. She pulled her scarf tight around her neck and
looked up to see her mother smiling kindly back. Then, in the distance, two
silvery eyes appeared in the distance; horrifying, wicked eyes. A spine-chilling
roar shattered the night. The monster had found them .
    She seized her mother ’ s hand and ran, her heart hammering in her chest. But the monster
was gaining; its poisonous breath filled her lungs. And, with a triumphant
howl, the monster was upon them.
    Becky woke up with a start. The clock read 3 am. For the next twenty
minutes, she tried to get back to sleep, but with no luck. Fully awake now, she
decided to check her Facebook messages but had left her phone downstairs so,
with a disgruntled huff, she switched on her bedside lamp, threw on her
dressing gown and left the room.
    Becky ’ s footsteps clacked against the Entrance Hall ’ s marbled floor as she
entered the passageway that led to the kitchen. To her surprise, she saw an
orange glow coming from the parlour and heard the crackle of the stove still
burning