Time Travel With a Rude English Boy from the Nineteenth Century.
Chapter Eleven
PAYTON’S POV
There we were, outside the door of the rendezvous point. The Duke was on the other side of the door, and I didn’t know what I expected. He was the entire point of the night, and now that I was here, what was I to do? I had no blackmail and no angle at the compensation money. My teammates didn’t respect me (or rather, they never had), Basil was in a near stranger’s house, and I had the perfect alibi. I could run, start all over in this zany era and make a new life. This was never my mission, only my ticket out of this place. Honestly, was my old life that fantastic? Painting candid portraits that never sold in an apartment by myself? I had no family, friends, and my only pet was here with me. All I would have to do is run.
No. No, that was the coward’s way out. If I wanted to prove myself true and earn the respect of my peers, I would have to go though with this. My pride was on the line, and for the first time in my life I was on an adventure. A true, honest to God adventure. I was never one to give up, anyway, I thought to myself. I caught Azalea’s gaze and nodded. She smirked back and opened the door, pushing me into the room of the Duke.
“What the—,” I stuttered as I tumbled into the room. “Azalea, I…” The door slammed shut behind me, and Azalea smirked at me before locking it.
“Good show, Phoebe,” a man said behind me.
The Duke was a tall man with grayed blonde hair and beard and sparkling blue eyes. His outfit accented his stature, and his hands looked as though he had never worked a day in his life. He was seated in a golden chair with a red velvet seat. He calmly motioned for me to sit at the table opposite of him.
This man was shifty. Playing the single-minded servant girl, I said, “I’m certain that Miss Azalea would prefer to sit. I insist you sit, Madam.”
Azalea rolled her eyes and said, “Cut the crap and take the seat, Eliza.”
“Miss—,” I started to protest, sending Azalea a secretive ‘what-the-hell-do-you-think-you’re-doing’ look.
“There’s no reason for charades, Payton,” the Duke smiled at me. “Please, take a seat.”
“My name,” I blurted while narrowing my eyes at him. “How do you know my name?”
“Phoebe, can you make sure Dacre and Lionel arrive on time?” The Duke asked Azalea kindly. Azalea’s words echoed in my head: ‘Names are unimportant’.
“Yes, father,” Azalea smirked before slipping through the door.
I’d been stupid, I’d been so, so stupid. I had walked straight into a trap. Dread overwhelmed me. “Oh, shi—”
DACRE’S POV
“—it! I don’t believe it! Lionel, if I’ve told you once, I’ve told you a thousand times: Do not drop the device that could essentially save our bee-hinds off of a three-story building!” I scolded, pacing wildly on the rooftop.
“You’ve never told me that before in my life,” Lionel cried. We were wearing the same wild-eyed, panicked expression. More bullets ricocheted off of the roof’s ledge. “We have to find Azalea and tell her to abort the mission…” Lionel started muttering things to himself, working out details in his head.
I groaned and collapsed into a seated position on the ground, my face in my hands. “God,” I prayed urgently, “I’ve never really believed in you, but now’s as good a time as ever. If you exist, prove it to me by letting me and my fellow thieves get out of this ordeal alive.” I paused and decided to add, “Oh, what the hell. Make Payton madly and irrevocably in love with me, too. Thanks, amen, kudos and all those other religious quotes.”
As I wrapped up my terrible make-shift prayer, the fire escape door opened. Lionel and I shared an anxious glance before squinting into the light. “Hello, boys,” Azalea smiled.
DACRE’S POV
“Azalea,” Lionel called out to his sister. “Just in the nick of time! There are people shooting at us, and we would truly appreciate it if you would let us in through that door.”
Azalea smiled and beckoned for us to come closer. But there was something missing…
“Where is Payton?” I asked.
“She’s inside the door, keeping watch,” Azalea shrugged, but there was something off about it. Lionel was completely oblivious to our conversation. “Azalea,” he was saying as he approached her. “We truly need to arrive at the Duke’s office soon, or the plan will be foiled.”
“Yes, brother,” she smiled, “but let me see if you still have the time machine. Just to be sure…”
“Yes, alright. Just to be sure,” he brother echoed absently as he dug in his trouser pockets for the device. Azalea waited impatiently, something gleaming in her eyes. I caught up with them at the doorway and peered inside.
“Azalea,” I said slowly, “I hate to disappoint you, but Payton is not in there.”
Something in Azalea’s eyes flashed, and she suddenly shoved her brother and snatched the time machine away from him. I acted immediately, grabbing her wrists and trying to restrain them. We grappled, stumbling into the doorway. Lionel called something out to me, and I looked away for a second. It was all Azalea needed. She gripped my hair and slammed my head into the wall. I collapsed into a heap on the floor as Azalea went and slammed the door in Lionel’s face. When it clicked, I realized in horror that it locked from the inside. Lionel was trapped outside.
With that, Azalea dashed away. I followed in pursuit while gripping my throbbing head.
PAYTON’S POV
“Who are you?” I asked while narrowing my eyes. “What are you really pulling?”
The Duke smiled kindly and motioned for me to sit in the chair across from him once again. I planted my feet where I was standing. “Suit yourself,” the Duke shrugged.
“Who are you?” I repeated in a crisper tone.
The Duke sighed and rubbed his eyes tiredly. “If I told you, it wouldn’t make sense. No, not until the time machine has arrived will things make sense to you.”
“If you don’t tell me, I’ll leave and foil whatever you’re planning.” I threatened venomously.
“The door is locked,” the Duke reminded me lightly.
“Not for long,” I huffed before setting my shoulder and ramming into the door. It shook on its hinges. “Payton,” the Duke shouted, but I ignored him. I backed up and charged it again, and the door groaned in response. I charged twice more, and just when the top hinge was about to give way the Duke called, “Stop! Payton, stop! This is your destiny!”
I stopped and slowly turned to him. “My what?”
“Your destiny,” the Duke repeated in an attempt to calm me down. “You’re insane,” I muttered and started to charge the door again.
“You are ruining your destiny, you stupid girl! You are supposed to be here, in this room, right now! Do you know how hard this was to plan, how meticulous this was to set up? Your father said—,”
I froze and clenched my fists. I could tell there was going to be a nasty bruise on my shoulder where I had rammed the door. “What about my father?” I asked as calmly as I could.
“Please,” the Duke begged. “Sit.”
There we were, outside the door of the rendezvous point. The Duke was on the other side of the door, and I didn’t know what I expected. He was the entire point of the night, and now that I was here, what was I to do? I had no blackmail and no angle at the compensation money. My teammates didn’t respect me (or rather, they never had), Basil was in a near stranger’s house, and I had the perfect alibi. I could run, start all over in this zany era and make a new life. This was never my mission, only my ticket out of this place. Honestly, was my old life that fantastic? Painting candid portraits that never sold in an apartment by myself? I had no family, friends, and my only pet was here with me. All I would have to do is run.
No. No, that was the coward’s way out. If I wanted to prove myself true and earn the respect of my peers, I would have to go though with this. My pride was on the line, and for the first time in my life I was on an adventure. A true, honest to God adventure. I was never one to give up, anyway, I thought to myself. I caught Azalea’s gaze and nodded. She smirked back and opened the door, pushing me into the room of the Duke.
“What the—,” I stuttered as I tumbled into the room. “Azalea, I…” The door slammed shut behind me, and Azalea smirked at me before locking it.
“Good show, Phoebe,” a man said behind me.
The Duke was a tall man with grayed blonde hair and beard and sparkling blue eyes. His outfit accented his stature, and his hands looked as though he had never worked a day in his life. He was seated in a golden chair with a red velvet seat. He calmly motioned for me to sit at the table opposite of him.
This man was shifty. Playing the single-minded servant girl, I said, “I’m certain that Miss Azalea would prefer to sit. I insist you sit, Madam.”
Azalea rolled her eyes and said, “Cut the crap and take the seat, Eliza.”
“Miss—,” I started to protest, sending Azalea a secretive ‘what-the-hell-do-you-think-you’re-doing’ look.
“There’s no reason for charades, Payton,” the Duke smiled at me. “Please, take a seat.”
“My name,” I blurted while narrowing my eyes at him. “How do you know my name?”
“Phoebe, can you make sure Dacre and Lionel arrive on time?” The Duke asked Azalea kindly. Azalea’s words echoed in my head: ‘Names are unimportant’.
“Yes, father,” Azalea smirked before slipping through the door.
I’d been stupid, I’d been so, so stupid. I had walked straight into a trap. Dread overwhelmed me. “Oh, shi—”
DACRE’S POV
“—it! I don’t believe it! Lionel, if I’ve told you once, I’ve told you a thousand times: Do not drop the device that could essentially save our bee-hinds off of a three-story building!” I scolded, pacing wildly on the rooftop.
“You’ve never told me that before in my life,” Lionel cried. We were wearing the same wild-eyed, panicked expression. More bullets ricocheted off of the roof’s ledge. “We have to find Azalea and tell her to abort the mission…” Lionel started muttering things to himself, working out details in his head.
I groaned and collapsed into a seated position on the ground, my face in my hands. “God,” I prayed urgently, “I’ve never really believed in you, but now’s as good a time as ever. If you exist, prove it to me by letting me and my fellow thieves get out of this ordeal alive.” I paused and decided to add, “Oh, what the hell. Make Payton madly and irrevocably in love with me, too. Thanks, amen, kudos and all those other religious quotes.”
As I wrapped up my terrible make-shift prayer, the fire escape door opened. Lionel and I shared an anxious glance before squinting into the light. “Hello, boys,” Azalea smiled.
DACRE’S POV
“Azalea,” Lionel called out to his sister. “Just in the nick of time! There are people shooting at us, and we would truly appreciate it if you would let us in through that door.”
Azalea smiled and beckoned for us to come closer. But there was something missing…
“Where is Payton?” I asked.
“She’s inside the door, keeping watch,” Azalea shrugged, but there was something off about it. Lionel was completely oblivious to our conversation. “Azalea,” he was saying as he approached her. “We truly need to arrive at the Duke’s office soon, or the plan will be foiled.”
“Yes, brother,” she smiled, “but let me see if you still have the time machine. Just to be sure…”
“Yes, alright. Just to be sure,” he brother echoed absently as he dug in his trouser pockets for the device. Azalea waited impatiently, something gleaming in her eyes. I caught up with them at the doorway and peered inside.
“Azalea,” I said slowly, “I hate to disappoint you, but Payton is not in there.”
Something in Azalea’s eyes flashed, and she suddenly shoved her brother and snatched the time machine away from him. I acted immediately, grabbing her wrists and trying to restrain them. We grappled, stumbling into the doorway. Lionel called something out to me, and I looked away for a second. It was all Azalea needed. She gripped my hair and slammed my head into the wall. I collapsed into a heap on the floor as Azalea went and slammed the door in Lionel’s face. When it clicked, I realized in horror that it locked from the inside. Lionel was trapped outside.
With that, Azalea dashed away. I followed in pursuit while gripping my throbbing head.
PAYTON’S POV
“Who are you?” I asked while narrowing my eyes. “What are you really pulling?”
The Duke smiled kindly and motioned for me to sit in the chair across from him once again. I planted my feet where I was standing. “Suit yourself,” the Duke shrugged.
“Who are you?” I repeated in a crisper tone.
The Duke sighed and rubbed his eyes tiredly. “If I told you, it wouldn’t make sense. No, not until the time machine has arrived will things make sense to you.”
“If you don’t tell me, I’ll leave and foil whatever you’re planning.” I threatened venomously.
“The door is locked,” the Duke reminded me lightly.
“Not for long,” I huffed before setting my shoulder and ramming into the door. It shook on its hinges. “Payton,” the Duke shouted, but I ignored him. I backed up and charged it again, and the door groaned in response. I charged twice more, and just when the top hinge was about to give way the Duke called, “Stop! Payton, stop! This is your destiny!”
I stopped and slowly turned to him. “My what?”
“Your destiny,” the Duke repeated in an attempt to calm me down. “You’re insane,” I muttered and started to charge the door again.
“You are ruining your destiny, you stupid girl! You are supposed to be here, in this room, right now! Do you know how hard this was to plan, how meticulous this was to set up? Your father said—,”
I froze and clenched my fists. I could tell there was going to be a nasty bruise on my shoulder where I had rammed the door. “What about my father?” I asked as calmly as I could.
“Please,” the Duke begged. “Sit.”