Secret of Light (18 page)

“My feet are always freezing,” she complained, tucking in her blanket.

Darrell grinned and stuck out her own feet. Her prosthetic foot was unadorned, but she wore a thick sock on her left foot. “If you dressed for the temperature, you'd have less to complain about.” She nestled her foot under Delaney's warm fur.

Kate shrugged and craned her neck to look around her chair. “I wonder what's taking Brodie so long?”

“He's got further to come, remember?” Darrell set her flashlight upright on the table. She pulled a notebook out from the pocket of the hooded jacket she wore over her pyjamas and jotted a few words.

Kate leaned over to look. “What're you writing?”

Darrell set down her pen. “I've brought my notes to show you from Leonardo's notebook. And I brought something else, too.”

She slid the old notebook, hand bound in dirty leather, across the table. Kate picked it up gingerly. She traced the raised figure on the front with her finger and carefully opened the cover. A few grains of sand spilled out onto the table, and the book opened naturally to a page in the centre, marked with a grimy bit of string.

Kate directed her flashlight at the notebook. “What kind of writing is that?”

Darrell ran her finger along the words, neatly penned on the unruled pages. “It's mirror writing,” she whispered. “I watched him do it.” She rubbed the pages gently between her fingers.

“It looks handmade,” said Kate. “And the paper is strange, kind of oily.”

Darrell lifted her eyes from the book. “I think those pages are actually vellum,” she said, checking her own notebook. “It was made from very thin calf skin.” She reached over and grabbed the flashlight, and held it under her chin as she gently flipped the pages of the book. “They used to make vellum before paper was mass produced.”

“Ugh!”

Darrell shrugged and pointed at Kate's watch strap. “What do you think that's made of? Leather is thicker, that's all.”

Kate closed the book gently. “It's amazing you were able to bring it back,” she said in a low voice.

Darrell nodded. She felt an overwhelming sense of relief to be able to share her thoughts at last. “That's one of the things I want to talk to you about. When I found a fragment of the walking stick Giovanni's grandfather gave me, I got the idea I might be able to bring something back.”

“Do you still have it?”

“No, I left it the second time I went back. I couldn't bring it and the book and still hold onto Delaney.”

Delaney thumped his tail on the ground and the wind whistled around the school. Kate tilted her head. “Listen to the wind howling. I can't believe Brodie was out in that this afternoon. That guy is crazy.”

“Who's crazy?” Brodie popped his head into the circle of light and both girls jumped. Delaney thumped his tail harder and Brodie reached down to scratch his ears.

Kate frowned. “You are — and you scared me! How did you get in here without us hearing you?”

“Practice. I had a little trouble in the upstairs hallway, so I really had to sneak down here quietly.”

“Trouble?” Darrell set down her pen. “Did one of the teachers see you?”

Brodie shook his head. “As a matter of fact, it was Conrad.”

“What?” Kate craned her neck to look behind Brodie's chair.

Brodie laughed quietly. “It's okay. He didn't actually see me, but when I saw him sneaking around outside my room, I hid behind the portable blackboard they keep in the small alcove at the end of the hall. He poked around a bit, so I stood there until he went back in his room. I waited for five minutes to make sure he was in for good, then I came down.”

Darrell felt worried. “What do you think he was doing out there?”

“Who knows?” Brodie shrugged. “But never mind that now. Let me show you something I found today.”

Kate smiled triumphantly. “I
knew
you were up to something!”

“Was it in the cave?” Darrell demanded. She still felt like the cave belonged, somehow, only to her, and that anything happening there was her own personal business. “I saw you head over there this afternoon when I was in the art room.”

Brodie nodded. “Since my pictures didn't turn out very well, I decided to go back into the cave for another look. I found this.” He pulled a small, dirty object out of his pocket and lay it on the table.

Darrell pounced on it. “A stick of chalk! So someone did draw the lighthouse.”

Brodie nodded. “And tonight, before I came up to the study room, I picked up this.” He lay a second identical, albeit cleaner, piece of red chalk on the table beside the first.

Darrell stared at the chalk. “From the board in Professor Tooth's office, right?”

“How did you know?”

“I guess I've seen it there, but until you brought this other piece in, it didn't register.” She looked at Kate. “Someone wanted us to go to the lighthouse.”

Kate nodded. “Professor Tooth?”

Brodie shrugged. “Not necessarily. But it did have to be someone who had access to red chalk like the stuff in the office.”

Kate rubbed her eyes wearily. “There is so much about this I don't understand. Who put the lighthouse drawing there? Is it a clue someone left for us to find? How does all this time travel happen, anyway?” She slammed her hand on the table.

“Shhh! Kate, keep quiet,” warned Darrell. She put her hand on Kate's arm. “Let's hear Brodie out.”

“Listen,” Brodie interjected, “all I know is what happened last summer should never have happened according to the laws of physics, chemistry, and any other science I can think of, including logic. But happen it did, we can all vouch for that. And from what Kate told me, you did it again on your own.” He looked serious. “Kate gave me the quick version, Darrell, but can you tell me what happened when you went back again?”

Darrell felt shame wash over her. “I'm sorry I've been so awful, Brodie. I was just so sure if I worked hard enough, I could change the past.” She slid the ancient notebook across the table and told Brodie the story of her long search for Leonardo's secret.

Brodie listened quietly, nodding, and then surprised Darrell with a question. “Aren't you happy at Eagle Glen?”

“What do you mean? Of course I'm happy here. I love this school.”

“Well,” he stretched his long legs out from his chair, “if you want so badly to prevent the accident from happening, you may never end up here at Eagle Glen. You will have changed the past — that's got to affect the present.”

“Oh. I guess you're right.” Darrell sat quiet for a moment, and then put her head in her arms on the table. “It doesn't matter anyway,” she said, her voice muffled. “It didn't work.”

Brodie nudged her elbow. “Just because it didn't work this time doesn't mean it can't ever work,” he said.

Darrell lifted her head. “What do you mean?”

“Well, I'm not sure myself. But if Leonardo did invent a time machine, I think he might be very interested in the true nature of your visit to him.” The quiet tone of his voice couldn't cover the enthusiasm. “What if you only went about things the wrong way?”

Kate looked shocked. “You mean she should have told him about where she was really from?”

“Maybe. Or maybe she could do it still.” He leaned forward. “Look. We still have a couple of days before
the Renaissance fair. What if we get all our work done and then plan to take a trip before the fair? We can take Leonardo's notebook back, tell him the whole story, and find out what he really knew about time travel.”

Kate groaned and gestured toward the door of the library, through which the howling wind could still be heard. “Please tell me you don't mean right now!”

“It's all right, Miss Couch Potato, you're safe for the present,” Brodie said, chuckling. “We couldn't see anything on a night like this anyway.”

“But what about the lighthouse?” Kate's voice was concerned. “The light tower is almost finished. Aren't they supposed to demolish the lighthouse soon?”

Darrell nodded. “Uncle Frank said they would take down the lighthouse as soon as the tower was up and running.” She paused. “We'll lose our portal to the past.”

“We'll just have to go before that happens,” said Brodie. “They don't work on weekends, do they? We'll go on Saturday. That way no one will be around.”

“But Saturday is the day of the fair,” said Kate. “We can't go then. Everyone will know we're gone.”

“We could go Saturday,” said Darrell quietly. “All our set-up work is scheduled for Friday, and I'm only on duty Saturday morning.”

“I'm off Saturday afternoon as well,” said Brodie.

“Well, I'm on Saturday afternoon,” said Kate, “but I bet I can switch with Lily.”

“Do you think this can really happen?” asked Darrell.

“We'll make it happen,” said Brodie firmly. “Or do the best we can to try. Hopefully this storm will blow itself out before our little trip.”

Delaney growled low in his throat.

“A little trip to where?” said a harsh voice from the library entrance.

Startled, Darrell shone her flashlight at the figure silhouetted in the doorway.

“I
thought
I saw a light in here. What are you three doing here so late at night? Planning how to get me in more trouble with the principal?”

Darrell slipped the book into her pocket as Brodie spoke. “I don't know what you're talking about, Conrad. We're here giving Kate a little help with some of her — er — homework, and we're done now, anyway. So you can quit worrying about us and go to bed.”

Conrad turned his pale gaze onto Darrell. “I know you're up to something,” he said, unknowingly echoing Kate's words. “And I plan to find out what it is. I'm sick of being the one who always gets into trouble. I told the professor about your little lighthouse jaunt, Gimpy, and I think she'll be pretty interested to hear how you're spending time when you're supposed to be in bed. Then maybe she'll forget I didn't get my work in today, not that I care about stupid history class, anyway.” His eyes gleamed in the light from the flash. “And don't think I didn't see the book you stuffed into your pocket, Gimpy,” he sneered over his shoulder. “You should remember to keep track of your valuables. You wouldn't want anything to get lost.” He elbowed aside the door and stalked out, leaving it banging on its hinges.

“What did
that
mean?” spluttered Darrell in disgust. “Every time I begin to think he might be turning out
okay...” She thought about telling Kate and Brodie about Conrad catching her near the lighthouse, but they'd already started for the door. Besides, she'd already told them how stupid she'd been. Being seen near the lighthouse was just one more mistake.

Kate grinned at Brodie as they stepped out in the hall. “Make sure you lock your room tonight, Brodie. I can't be there to protect you when I'm catching up on my sleep.”

“I think I can look after myself.” Brodie grinned back and gave Kate a gentle push. “But thanks anyway.” He waved goodnight and disappeared into the darkness in the direction of the stairs, as Kate and Darrell walked quietly down the hall to their room.

Exams out of the way, final preparations for the Renaissance fair began in earnest. Eagle Glen was awash in noisy activity as stages and equipment were constructed, music practised, and costumes sewed. Professor Myrtle Tooth oversaw all preparations and remained a centre of calm in the middle of the storm. A devastating rain on the Thursday before the fair set things back and alternate venues inside the school were contemplated, but by Friday afternoon, the sun set into a red horizon and forecasts promised clear skies for the rest of the weekend.

Saturday morning dawned to a thin skiff of high cloud floating through a translucent sky. Preparations began early, and in the office Mr. Gill gave Darrell a sheaf of paper.

“Professor Tooth has asked that these information pamphlets be distributed. Since everyone is putting the finishing touches on their areas of responsibility, could you make sure these sheets get handed out?”

“Sure, Mr. Gill.”

Darrell hitched up one side of her gown with one hand and carried the handouts in the other. She smiled to herself at the light weight of the emerald green fabric.
This thing is sure a lot easier to move in than the heavy brocade I had to wear in Florence
.

As she emerged out of the front doors, the fair came alive before her eyes. Tents of every conceivable colour and fabric had been erected on the flat area in front of the school. To one side, a jousting pitch had been delineated with flags and streamers. Boris Meirtz, dressed as an English squire, was putting a final coat of silver paint on a pair of wooden swords he had built.

“Nice tights.” Darrell handed him his copy of the notice.

Boris blushed bright red. “I tried to come up with something else, but Professor Tooth is giving marks for authenticity, and this is the only thing I could find that squires wore.”

Darrell grinned. “That's okay. At least you're not stuck in a long dress.”

Boris blinked, and nodded rapidly. Behind him, several students shook sawdust onto the jousting field. Darrell reached over the barrier and handed them each a notice.

“Fair lady?”

Darrell turned to see Brodie standing behind her wearing a big grin and a set of chain mail made from rings pulled off the top of soft drink cans.

“Wow! That must have taken a long time to put together.”

He shrugged. “It wasn't so bad. My mom did most of the work. She collected these things in two days at the university and then wired them together. I just had to connect the sleeves to the main body.”

Checking over her shoulder for eavesdroppers, Darrell whispered, “Does it feel like the real thing?”