Julius and the Watchmaker (32 page)

The urchins obediently scrambled out of the carriage and sat cross-legged. Julius stood by the door of the carriage and looked round. They were
inside
St Paul's Cathedral. The chairs had been scattered and candlesticks arranged to form a circle of light, beyond them were shadows of columns and ornate walls and ceilings. The air was as still as the grave. Within the circle of candlelight stood a small table. On the table Julius saw the Springheel Shaker. It was humming quietly.

‘Who's the old gent?' said Springheel nodding towards the carriage. His voice echoed throughout the cathedral.

By now Clements was standing behind the seated urchins with his pistol at the ready. ‘He's in league with Flynn,' said Clements. Beads of perspiration gathered on his forehead. ‘They're all in it together. They sent the boy to spy on us, I tell you.'

‘Possibly, my corpulent companion, quite possibly,' said Springheel regarding Julius thoughtfully. ‘Where is my watch, Julius?'

‘Your watch?'

‘You heard me.'

‘I…I left it with Mr Flynn…for safekeeping,' said Julius, fighting the urge to glance at Emily.

Springheel held Julius in his gaze. Julius stared back, his face a study of innocence and fear. A high-pitched whirring sound from the Springheel Shaker broke the spell.

‘Clements, set the lens,' ordered Springheel.

‘What about the guttersnipes?' said Clements.

‘What are you talking about, man?'

‘I'm guarding them. I can't do both, can I?'

‘Do I have to do all your thinking for you, Clements? Bring them with you. Set them down over there for heaven's sake,' said Springheel, pointing to a spot near the Springheel Shaker.

‘Everyone up, come on, move. You heard Mr Springheel, sit over there,' said Clements, trying to sound like a general commanding his troops.

As they moved towards the device, Harry slipped into the darkness on the other side of the coach. Julius was the only one who noticed him go, because he was counting on having Harry at his side when he finally came up with a plan.

‘Clements, check his pockets, I want that watch,' said Springheel.

Clements was tinkering with the brass lens on the Springheel Shaker. He patted Julius's pockets, all the while keeping the pistol pointed at his chest. Julius could hear the pawnbroker's heavy breathing and smell the stale cigars.

‘Nothing, not a farthing,' said Clements.

‘Then we'll pay a call on Mr Flynn when we are finished here and redeem our property—kill two birds with one stone as it were,' said Springheel with a cold laugh. ‘Pull the switch, Clements. It's time for our young friends to earn their keep.'

‘What are you going to do?' said Julius, following Clements.

‘Get back,' said the pawnbroker, shaking the pistol at Julius. Julius retreated one step. Clements then turned a small brass switch on the Springheel Shaker and the whirring noise quickened. A moment later the contraption lifted off the table and hovered in the air. The urchins started to mutter among themselves.

‘The Springheel Shaker is working to perfection now; no more vibration problems. It is time to find out more about this new world, and now I have a whole gaggle of thieves to do my bidding,' said Springheel looking down at the urchins. ‘I was going to do it at the British Museum but bumping into you has changed my plan somewhat.'

‘No, wait,' said Julius. ‘You can't send them into the Grackack realm. It's too dangerous.'

‘Grackack realm? It has a name then, Julius? I knew you were a spy.'

‘Look, it's a very dangerous place, especially for a small child. I'd have been executed myself but for…'

‘Yes?'

‘But for Shelley's pocketwatch.'

‘What did you say,' said Springheel, as he tightened his grip on Emily's hair.

‘I know how to make it work. I travelled into the future, that's where I've been. I lived in London in the future. There were…will be Grackacks everywhere… just like the one you brought into my room. They have flying machines and…and weapons and they can build machines with clockwork mechanisms.'

Julius had Springheel's and Clements's attention. But the Springheel Shaker continued to vibrate and the vortex began to form. The machine's whirring and ticking echoed through the cathedral, and the power of the vortex stirred up a wind that rushed around the group making the candles flicker and fight for life.

‘And you, Mr Springheel, will become a rich man. Richer than Queen Victoria,' shouted Julius about the roar of the wind.

‘There, I knew we'd do it, Springheel. Richer than kings, just like you said,' said Clements.

‘But you won't share in the wealth, Clements.'

‘What?'

‘Springheel will betray you. I know, I spoke, I mean I
will
speak to you. You'll be alone and penniless while he becomes the richest and most powerful man in England.'

‘Springheel?' said Clements like a hurt child. ‘Is that true?'

‘Clements, you fool. Don't you see what the boy is trying to do?'

‘Emily, the watch,' called out Julius while Springheel was momentarily distracted.

Emily took the watch from her pocket and tossed it to Julius. He spun it in the air and tapped it twice. Clear blue light shone out from it, forming a sphere within the candlelight circle. Springheel pulled Emily closer to him and brought the sword to her throat.

‘Give it to me, or the girl dies right now.'

‘And I'll smash the watch into a million pieces.'

Springheel hesitated.

‘And I'll smash this infernal machine into a million pieces as well,' shouted Julius above the growing noise as he faced the table and got ready to kick it.

‘Wait,' said Springheel.

Julius tapped the watch again and the top and bottom opened out to reveal the spinning cogs and wheels. Springheel gasped.

‘I can show you how to travel in time, Clements,' said Julius. ‘You don't need Springheel, he'll only cheat you in the end.'

Clements stared at it—his pistol fell to his side.

Through the vortex they could see the interior of a Grackack cathedral. It too was lit with candles. Grackacks were staring into the vortex in amazement.

‘Let the girl go or I'll destroy the machine,' said Julius.

‘You wouldn't dare. Clements, take a hold of him,' said Springheel.

Clements took a step towards Julius.

‘Stop. Remember what I said, Clements? Springheel will betray you. He always intended to,' said Julius.

‘Don't listen to him, he's lying. Look through the vortex you fool. There are riches just waiting to be collected.'

Clements stopped and gazed longingly through the vortex. A cadaverous Grackack bishop stared back at him in wonder.

‘I can prove that he'll betray you, Clements,' said Julius.

‘How?'

‘Don't listen to him, Clements, you fool.'

‘Tell me, Higgins,' said Clements, perspiration running down his face.

‘You will tell me that Springheel told Mary Shelley a story while they were staying at Lake Geneva. She used the story to write her book,
Frankenstein
. Springheel was furious that she took the credit for his idea.'

‘That's right, he was,' said Clements, not quite putting all the pieces together.

‘You could have told him that at any time, Clements,' said Springheel. His body was tense with rage.

To his right the carriage creaked slightly and the far side door latch clicked open as Harry crept inside.

‘But I didn't, Springheel,' retorted Clements like a schoolboy defending his innocence.

‘How can you be sure? You could have told him and forgotten all about it.'

‘But I didn't, I tell you.'

‘He'll leave you high and dry, Clements,' said Julius. ‘I'll speak to you in the snug of the Queen Bess. You'll be alone and penniless. Mr Flynn will buy you a brandy. You'll be happy to get your revenge on Springheel, but it will be too late by then.'

‘I warn you, Julius. Shut up or I'll slit the girl's throat,' shouted Springheel.

‘Do it,' shouted Julius. ‘And I'll destroy the Springheel Shaker and Shelley's watch. Nothing will stop me from stopping you.'

‘Clements, stop him, man.'

Clements snapped to his senses. He lifted the pistol and with a trembling hand pointed it at Springheel. ‘We were supposed to be partners. After all I've done for you. I paid for every stitch you wear. I paid for those infernal watchmaking books. And all that time—'

‘You fool, Clements. Put that pistol down,' said Springheel.

Then the carriage door flew open. ‘On guard, sir,' cried the professor as he leapt out with his cane sword in hand.

Springheel turned towards the advancing Watchmaker and flicked his own cane sword to his defence. Emily used the moment of inattention to twist around and bite Springheel's hand. He let out a cry of pain. Emily ducked, and Clements fired a shot. Springheel reeled back clutching his shoulder, and Julius kicked hard at the Springheel Shaker. It fell to the tiled floor with a crash. The vortex closed in and disappeared in a matter of seconds.

Emily ran to Julius's arms. The professor became faint and Harry helped him to sit down on the carriage step.

Clements, breathing hard, walked cautiously towards Jack Springheel as he writhed on the floor with blood spilling from his left shoulder. The pawnbroker looked down at his business partner as if he were trying to think of something to say.

‘What you tell 'im to do me in for?' said Emily. ‘I fort we was friends.'

‘We are,' said Julius. ‘We definitely are.'

‘Why then?'

‘I wouldn't have let him do it, but I had to make him think I was mad enough to let him kill you. He believed me, for a few seconds at least, but it was long enough. There was no other way.'

‘Good gracious,' said the professor, rubbing his temples. He slumped back against the carriage and looked around for the first time. ‘Where the deuce am I?'

‘We're inside St Paul's Cathedral, Professor,' said Julius. Shelley's pocketwatch bobbed above his outstretched hand. ‘You saved the day, leaping out of the carriage with your sword like that.'

‘It was me wot woke the old gent up,' said Harry, a little hurt.

‘Yes, of course, well done, my boy,' said the professor patting Harry on the shoulder. ‘Now, Julius, I can only assume that the man with the bullet in his shoulder is Mr Jack Springheel? But the gentleman with the pistol in his hand?'

‘That's Clements, Professor.'

‘Of course, of course. You have done very well. Danny was right to have such confidence in you,' said the professor standing up and sheathing his sword. ‘But now, I think we might need some assistance. The timepiece, if you please?'

Julius extended his hand with the watch bobbing above it. The blue light lit up the professor's grey eyes as he tapped the side of the watch in a series of beats.

‘The Guild of Watchmakers will sort things out from here,' he said, before giving one final tap.

The watch's glow changed to a pale green and grew in intensity as tendrils of light shot out in ten directions. Julius and the urchins had to shield their eyes. The whole cathedral lit up and the air crackled with electricity. A blast of light flashed near the smashed Springheel Shaker, then another close by and another—ten in all, in quick succession. When the green light faded to a faint luminescence Julius lowered his hand to see ten gentlemen in top hats and frockcoats standing in a semicircle before him. The men tipped their hats and looked around to take in the scene.

‘Welcome, my brothers,' said the professor. ‘Julius, my boy, come. Let me introduce you to the Guild of Watchmakers.'

CHAPTER 28

Sunday 9th July, 1837
3:22 PM

At mid-afternoon the next day, Julius, Mr Flynn, the professor and the ten Watchmakers sat in the nave of St Paul's listening to Evensong. The choristers sang in their choir stalls while the organist played the Grand Organ. Heavenly music rebounded from the cathedral's stone pillars and walls.

Julius was extraordinarily tired and exhilarated at the same time. He had not slept at all the previous night. The Watchmakers' appearance in St Paul's had only been the beginning. There was the carriage to extricate and the injured cabbie to find. The door of the cathedral to fix. Springheel to be bandaged and handcuffed, and the Springheel Shaker to be well and truly destroyed.

Clements was the easiest piece of the puzzle to be put back in the box. The Watchmakers allowed him to walk out of the cathedral and into the night. Just as he was leaving he had turned to Julius and said, ‘He
was
going to betray me, wasn't he?'

Julius had nodded his head.

‘I suppose I always knew he would, in my guts,' said Clements.

Mr Flynn had volunteered to place Emily and her gang of orphans in schools and the Guild of Watchmakers agreed to donate the money required for their education and upbringing. Mrs Mottel and Kitty had filled the urchins up with crumpets and beef tea until they fell asleep around Mr Flynn's fireplace.

Now, in the cathedral, the last note of Evensong rose up and faded away into the dome of St Paul's. Julius and his friends sat in the silence. Then the professor took the gold key from his waistcoat pocket and leaned closer to Julius. ‘Well done, my boy. The vortex has been closed and London is safe from the Grackacks. The other timeline is fading away to become a
potential
timeline. The good people of London will never know what you did for them, but we, the Watchmakers, will never forget it.'

‘Hear, hear,' said the Watchmakers, tapping their canes on the floor in applause.

Julius blushed with pride.

‘And now, Julius,' said the professor. ‘It is time to hide Shelley's timepiece where Byron intended—in full view of any beggar or baronet who wished to see—and yet as safe as if it were buried under a mountain.'