Bitter Oath (New Atlantis)(13)

New Atlantis. Yes, it had the feel of a place with a name like that. And everyone here wore roman togas and classical gowns, just as they had in times gone by. It was a peaceful place with no jarring noise to agitate the mind.

As she lazed with her companions like a lizard in the sun, she noticed three people heading their way along the white path between the colourful beds of flowers. One was a giant Nordic man, who was holding the hand of the beautiful, blonde woman at his side. The third was a small, oriental gentleman who seemed to be as calm as his surroundings.

They all wore the classical costumes that she had seen everywhere since her arrival. Staring at the men’s legs and the woman’s calves seemed indecent, but no more than staring at a Grecian statue. And it was important that she remember what her grandfather had taught her about journeying to strange, unEnglish places: This was their world. Her customs didn’t apply here. She must adapt to her surroundings, while she observed their ways. Liv realised with a jolt that it would be refreshing to put aside her society’s strict mores for a time, and just go with what was acceptable to others.

The three strangers slowed down as they reached Liv and her companions. The woman separated herself from the other two, and moved forward first.

‘Well met Rene, I see you accidentally brought us a visitor. Would you introduce us, please?’ The woman with white-blonde hair said, as she came to stand in front of Liv.

‘Certainly, Miss Livianna Mulgrave, may I introduce Cara and her husband Jac. They are both leaders of our community. And this is Chen,’ Rene indicated the oriental man with a graceful sweep of his hand, ‘another of our leaders.’

‘Well met, Livianna. I hope you are feeling better after your shock,’ said the man called Jac. He was frightening in his size and austerity, but seemed genuine in his greeting and concern.

‘Good day to you, sir. Yes, I am feeling better, thank you.’

‘Do you have any idea what happened to you?’ The blonde woman called Cara asked.

‘Happened? Well, I was hiding in the wardrobe in Rene’s room, because I heard someone approaching. It would have been scandalous for me to be found there, you see. So I hid. I saw Rene come in, and suddenly there was a brightly lit doorway of sparkling lights. I saw that Rene was going to enter the doorway, and before I could think better of it, I had launched myself after him. Foolish and unladylike, I know.

‘Then I found myself in a large cave, and Rene was understandably confounded by my presence. His friend Jane came to assist me, as my legs did not seem to want to work.’

‘Do you know where you are?’ asked the little man called Chen.

‘Why yes, Jane told me. I am in New Atlantis, an island that has risen from the sea. It is exceptionally beautiful.’

She watched as everyone exchanged looks. There was something they had not told her – that was apparent. And they seemed afraid that whatever it was would disturb her greatly. Who was she to contradict them? But, at the moment, she felt oddly calm and accepting of her strange situation.

‘Have you ever wondered what it might be like to live in times gone by, Livianna? Or wondered what the world would be like in the future?’ Cara asked gently.

‘Why yes, I have often thought about that. Why?’ Liv felt Rene’s fingers tighten around her own, as if preparing her for what was to come next.

‘Would you think a place such as this belonged to the past or future?’ Cara went on.

‘What an odd question. I suppose I could see this being like the past. I imagine the future to be much noisier than this. I have seen some of the new discoveries, including James Watt’s ‘steam engine’. Very noisy contraptions. I imagine they will only get worse, as time goes along.’

Everyone seemed to find her comments amusing, but there was no sense that they were laughing at her. Then Cara nodded her agreement. ‘Yes, for a long time the future was extremely noisy indeed. Then people discovered ways to have their advances without the noise.’

‘I’m sorry, are you suggesting that this is the future? A time past the noise?’ Liv couldn’t keep the wobble out of her voice.

Cara exchanged looks with Jane, and when the girl beside her nodded briefly, Cara went on.

‘Yes, Livianna, that is exactly what I am suggesting. That light you walked through carried you across time. And that has created problems for us, firstly because of the shock such a shift may have on you, and secondly, what people might say when you go home.’

‘I will be going home? I can go… back?’ Liv’s voice was even more wobbly now, and she felt Rene squeeze her fingers again. The look of sadness on his face worried her.

‘Yes, you will go home. You have your life back there. But until we feel sure you are fully recovered from the shock, we will make you welcome here as our guest.’

‘But my family will wonder where I am…’

‘I can promise you that you will be back before they know you are missing. Time is different here.’

‘Like in fairy tales when someone visits the land of the fey, and are gone over night, but come back aged beyond recognition?’

‘Like that. But you will not have aged much. We will house you out of the city. Jane, do you know the villa next door to Maggie’s?’

‘Up the hill?’

‘Yes. The couple who lived there have recently moved to another community to be with their new child. If you will stay with Livianna until she settles in…’

‘I would like to…’ interrupted Rene, impatiently.

‘I was about to suggest you take up residence there as well. There is plenty of room.’

‘What about Julio?’ Jane asked, frowning.

‘He’ll remain at home, for the time being. You are, of course, free to go home whenever you want to. But we’ll be repeating the process we used during your transition, Jane. Little steps, so as not to overwhelm.’

Jane nodded thoughtfully.

‘Your transition?’ Liv had to ask.

‘Yes. When I came here, it was unexpected. Most people are prepared for what is to come. You and I weren’t. It makes it seriously scary at times. But everyone was kind to me, and I took little steps until I became familiar with everything. Julio helped a lot.’

‘I do not want you to have to leave your husband to stay with me, Jane. That is too much to ask.’

‘No, it’ll be fine. I’ll sort Julio. I’d enjoy helping you learn about this place. No one, other than Luke and I, know what you’re going through. Well, some of the women from the Death Train… but their situation is quite different.’

Liv nodded. ‘It sounds like I am staying awhile. Are you sure my family will not worry?’

‘Livy, do you know how you thought I’d drunk from the Fountain of Youth because your grandfather wrote about me sixty years before you met me?’

She nodded, and looked around at all the faces of these strange people. They all seemed so worried.

‘After I met you that day in June 1810, I walked through that light back to 1749, and I met your grandfather in St Lawrence as he came off the boat. Then I walked through it again to the following Spring, and travelled with your grandfather for several months. Then, when I found what I had gone to find, I walked back through the light to here. Six months later, I Jumped, that’s what we call it. I Jumped to you on 1 July 1810. If I had wanted to, I could have Jumped to that very day I first met you. So, even though I had traversed many years, and journeyed with your grandfather several months, it would have appeared to you as if no time had passed at all. Does that make sense?’

Liv was astonished to realize it did, and she nodded confidently. Now she understood why Rene had looked to have aged when she saw him again after only a few weeks, and how he could be ignorant of the earthworm in her time, when he’d supposedly dug it up himself sixty years earlier. She imagined her understanding would evaporate shortly, but, for the moment, her clarity gave her confidence.

‘Good. So now you can see what we mean when we say you can stay here for as long as you need to, and then return to just when you left. Well, ten minutes later than you left, to be precise.’ Cara gave a little laugh. ‘That is how it will work.’

‘Yes, I do see. Thank you. I am grateful for this opportunity, and for the hospitality you have extended to this unexpected guest.’ She smiled at the beautiful blonde lady again. There was something very reassuring about her calm presence. Even though she wasn’t very old, Liv felt as if she was talking to someone as wise as her grandfather.

After the three leaders had gone, she, Rene and Jane remained sitting on the garden bench for a little while longer. They were all lost in their separate thoughts. Jane seemed intent, Rene sad, and she… well she was befuddled and euphoric. There was something incredibly freeing about stepping out of your life for as long as she wanted to, and then slipping back into it again, with no guilty worries for those she had left behind. They need never know she had been gone. And the rules she had been forced to live by all her life could be put aside, for a time. Although she did not know what rules they lived by here in the future, if the clothing was anything to go by, they were much less rigid than what she’d left behind. Women seemed to be treated as equals. A woman who looked younger than she did held a position of authority here. How strange was that!