Page 22 of The Uprising
‘It must be difficult for you both. How is George coping?’ asked Eddie.
‘He woke up in the middle of the night shouting about saving his friend in Tudorville, poor thing.’
‘That’s curious—it sounds as though his consciousness is communicating to him in his sleep. I wouldn’t be surprised if he remembers more soon.’
‘The thing is, Eddie, I told him what happens, and he wants to save his friend, Robert Aske, who by some fateful throw of the dice is the leader of the Tudor uprising, the Pilgrimage of Grace. The year after it ends, his friend will be executed for treason.’
‘What does George suggest?’
‘He doesn’t know, but he seems determined to intervene. He asked me to help him, and I would like to, but I worry about the repercussions.’
‘The chance of his friend’s death probably won’t affect your future.’
‘How do you know?’
Eddie said, ‘Um...I don’t for certain. There are no guarantees, but unless he’s closely entwined with George’s future, then it’s unlikely there’d be any impact. Unless...’
The train screeched through a tunnel and the connection dropped.
‘Unless?’ Cara prompted him when he called back a few minutes later.
‘Well, if George were to be accused of sympathising with the rebels, that may prove fatal.’
‘Yes, that’s what scares me. I can warn him again in Tudorville, but the most I can get away with without revealing I’m a time traveller, is to hint at a seer’s gift. He doesn’t take me all that seriously when I mention my special powers. It’s not unusual for women in Tudor times to be seen as having supernatural gifts, but it can be deadly if someone accuses you of witchcraft. I must be cautious, or I’ll land us back in the Tower. I’m counting on you figuring this out, Professor, so we’re not doomed to the whims of the vortex forever,’ she said before they ended the call.
She was only half-joking and didn’t know how long she could hold it all together.
Cara and George sat drinking a glass of wine; rays of sunshine warming their faces through the closed bi-fold doors.
‘That call sounded completely bonkers. Just as well no one else was listening in. What did Eddie say?’ asked George.
‘He has an unproven theory that we time travel when something important happens.’
‘What, so that we may fix it?’
Cara shook her head. ‘You know the rules. Although Eddie only seemed concerned if you directly intervened to help Robert, and the king were to accuse you of backing the rebels.’
George perked up. ‘That sounds promising. I don’t like to think I’m witness to a gross injustice and can’t attempt to help a friend.’
‘It does seem like a dreadful waste when we’re catapulted back to critical points in history but can’t tilt the odds in another direction,’ said Cara.
‘You said we’re together in Tudorville now, right?’
‘Yes, you’ve returned to Hampton Court,but I think you will go back to York soon. According to our research, the Duke of Norfolk delivered the offer from the king, but then double-crossed them as soon as the rebels had their army stand down.’
‘Norfolk is Thomas Howard, and a shrewd operator. I know we mustn’t try to change history, but I want to help Robert if I can,’ said George, gazing at Cara over the rim of his wine glass.
Cara watched his animated face and hand gestures as he made his case for rescuing his friend from the hangman. She was already resigned to helping him; she knew him too well to think he would let it go simply because it was inconvenient.
George said, ‘You’re going to have to tell me to warn Robert.’
‘How do you suggest I do that without revealing I come from the future?’
‘How about you say you had a premonition that the king is going to double cross the men, and you think it would be wise to warn Robert?’
‘You do know you risk being accused of treason for merely alluding to such a thing? What if Robert mentions it to someone and word gets out that the king’s trusted emissary doesn’t trust his word?’
‘You’re right. Hopefully, I won’t put my foot in it. We’ll have to come up with something more cunning.’
