Thomas' Adventures in Hiddlesgard

Tom woke with a start. He was lying on a soft mattress, covered by delicate, crisp linen bed sheets. The room was dark as the curtains had been closed but he was aware that it was day as wispy rays of light shone through the gap where they had been pulled together.

He let out a groan and rubbed his forehead lightly. It ached. He tried to piece together where he was and what had happened to him. He had a vague memory of getting off a train and walking from the station up into town. He had left his father back in London, but he also remembered London being full of strange lights and loud horseless carriages and places where pictures moved on their own and people spoke in those pictures and mechanical vehicles which flew in the sky. How was this possible. The railway had only recently arrived and was still unknown to many.

Tom felt confused, the ache in his head grew stronger.He  held his head in his hands, trying to drown out the roaring noise inside it. It grew steadily louder and louder.

"No" he hissed through gritted teeth. 
"Go away!"

Suddenly the door of the bedroom flew open and in clattered Miss Martha with a breakfast tray.

The jolt of her arrival silenced the roaring and Tom's head grew quiet.

"Oh Master William. I hoped you were awake."

She laid the tray noisily down on the bedside table and bustled over to the curtains.

An alarmed Tom sat up in the bed, it was a shocinane a surprise to be visited so suddenly.

Miss Martha drew back the curtains enthusiastically, flooding the room with light, temporarily blinding Tom.

She turned to the bed and let out a gasp of shock.

"Why Master William, I believe you are in a state of undress! Oh my!"

She quickly turned and faced the curtains.

Tom suddenly realised he was not wearing a shirt and fumbled with the bed sheets to cover his chest, which Miss Martha had caught full sight of.

"Um..um..sorry.. Please beg my pardon. Miss Martha" he stammered, embarrassed she should see him in such a ungentlemanly manner.

"I am sorry I had forgotten that Doctor Smythe had to examine you after you took ill yesterday. He instructed that you should be bathed as you were covered in mud. He instructed his assistants to bathe you whilst we prepared your bed."

"I hope you slept soundly and are feeling better?" she said talking to the curtains

"I did, thank you Miss Martha. Do I have a set of clothes so that I may get dressed?" Tom asked.

"Oh yes, of course. They are folded on the chair by the window. May I ask if you had been abroad recently, your clothes yesterday were very... exotic. Please forgive my forwardness but we had never seen items like that before."

"Um...no. I have not been abroad. I thought them to be of normal attire for a gentleman. Are they not the fashion?" Tom was getting confused again.

"Ah it matters not Master William. I shall take my leave of you and we shall see you presently downstairs. My sister and I are keen to hear of your adventures."

With that she turned away from the curtains, averting her gaze and left, closing the door behind her.

Tom sat upright in bed wondering what had just happened, and why was he being called Master William. He was Tom... Wasn't he? Yes he was sure his name was Tom, but he was not 100% certain. Was he William? He started to feel queasy again. He reached for a glass of water on the breakfast tray. A took a couple of sips, then tried to rest it back on the tray. His hand shook and the glass missed the tray and dropped to the floor. He lay back on the bed and curled up into a ball, willing the uneasy feeling to wash away. He was Tom... He was Tom.

........................................................

Wendy found herself in a small cage which was swinging from side to side in Steve's hand. He was walking with a bounce to his step and was whistling a tune.

Wendy hated the tune.

She sat grumpily at the bottom of the cage, occasionally glaring up with contempt at Steve. This was the second time he had caught her. She was not happy. Any opportunity...ANY...opportunity of escape, she would take it. She plotted and planned. It had to happen soon. They had been walking for a least most of the morning. It would take her hours to fly back to Williamsburg and then she had to try and find Tom.

They came to a stop in a small clearing where Steve rested her cage on top of a tree stump. He crouched down  next to her and spoke quietly. She could hardly hear him.

"He's watching... He watches everything."

He pretended to fiddle with his shoes.

"Your friend, he has to stay in Williamsburg... It's HIS orders. My hands are tied. I know you think I'm the bad guy in all of this, but you've met this Loki. He's dangerous. He hurts people. I can't say much more. Please my sweet, don't try to escape.  He'll find you and he'll hurt your friend. He hates to loose."

Wendy sat in silence glowering at him. She was angry and  was annoyed he had managed to catch her again. She was not prepared to listen to him. Tom would not have given in and neither would she. She had to do something and fast.

The tree stump was narrower than the base of the cage. She smiled. Whilst Steve was occupied with looking through his bag Wendy took her chance. The clasp at the top of the cage was loose, if the cage was somehow dropped or fell it was very likely it would fly open and she could escape. She moved quickly, the cage wobbled slightly and then unbalanced, tumbling to the ground. As she had hoped the clasp flew open and she was free, before Steve had time to react. As she flew back towards Williamsburg Steve shouted after her.

"You have sealed your fate little one! Your friend...you can't get there in time to save him!"

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Tom fidgeted. This outfit he was wearing was not very comfortable. It was a bit itchy and warm, especially for summer. He sat in the drawing room on a chair facing the two sisters. His hands, one on top of the other, rested in his lap. It felt like he was under interrogation. They were asking him all sorts of questions, some of them he did not have the answers to. He shifted uncomfortably in the chair and swallowed hard.

The questions were non-stop! 
Why did he have a different haircut and why was 
he no longer clean shaven? Was he not sure he had not been travelling abroad. Or was this the new fashion fresh from London? What had brought him back to Williamsburg? 

The ladies were very thorough with their questioning. He longed to escape their cottage and their constant chatter and head home to his father's house further beyond the town. He missed home. He had been away too long. He wanted to become an engineer though. He hated the thought of working for his father, running the salt mine. He was fascinated by progress and what the future might hold. Williamsburg was living too much in the past and not thinking about its future.

"William dear" enquirer Miss Martha, drawing Tom away from his daydreaming. "Are you sure you have fully recovered, you still look quite pale."

Tom saw his chance of escape and took it.

"Actually Miss Martha I think a brisk walk in the morning air would help to clear my head"

"Of course my dear boy, we have held you here long enough. Doctor Smythe did suggest perambulation is good for the circulation of the blood, didn't he sister." Her sister nodded.

"Then if I may take my leave of you dear ladies, you have been most kind." replied Tom rising to his feet and  he gave a gentle bow towards the two sisters. He then turned and left the dining room, heading outside into the daylight and fresh air.

As he closed the front door behind him he heaved a huge sigh of relief, then took in a large breath of air. He felt better already. The fresh air was doing him some good. He smiled quietly to himself, then set off at a brisk pace away from the cottage and made his way along the high street towards the family home.

Several townsfolk greeted him as he passed. He returned their greetings and smiled back at them. Tom breathed deeply taking in the sweet scented air. He felt happy to be home. As much as he wanted to leave the unchanging Williamsburg it felt good to be back somewhere familiar. Perhaps he should stay a while longer. 

He had turned off the high street a mile or so back and made his way across the fields. In the distance he could see the hall. He smiled. It was good to see it again. His childhood was spent there. Happy memories. 

Suddenly he heard a horse whinny and the sound of galloping hooves. He turned to see a white horse galloping towards him. Riding him was a gentleman who looked similar in age to Tom, except his hair was blonde and wavy. As he approached he pulled on the reins to slow his horse to a trot. When he drew level with Tom, he quietly asked his horse to stop.

"Good day!" He exclaimed holding the reins tight. His mount eager to move on. It tossed its head and chewed noisily on the bit between its teeth.

"Good day!" returned Tom, shielding his eyes from the glare of the sun.

"You have business up at the Hall" the rider asked, shifting his body in the saddle. His mount tossed its head wildly.

"Yes" replied Tom. "You too?"

"Ah you must be new to Williamsburg?" asked the rider intrigued.

"Actually I am returning home" replied Tom

"Really? Now that is interesting... May I join you?" enquired the rider.

"Of course, who do I have the honour of sharing my arrival with?" Said Tom

"William... William Buxton" replied the rider...