Restoration Read Online Free Page A
Author: Guy Adams
Carruthers, his anger surprising everyone, "Does everything have to be about emancipation? I thought you were the ideal choice because I trusted you, and if you think staying here, with all the House's dangers is the gentle option then may I remind you of what we've been through for the last few days?"
  "I justâ¦" Penelope was utterly taken aback, she had never seen Carruthers lose his temper. "I thoughtâ¦"
  "With all due respect you thought wrong . We need someone to stay here and safeguard the most important member of our group. I wanted that person to be someone who had proved time and again that they were extremely capable of facing almost anything life chose to throw at them."
  "I'll do it!" said Penelope, still flustered. "I'm sorry."
  Carruthers took a deep breath and winked at Miles. "Thank you my dear, do forgive my outburst."
  Cunning old sod, Miles thought, but said nothing.
  "I'm still staying," said Alan, "whether I'm trustworthy enough for you or not."
  Carruthers kept the charm flowing: "Please don't think I have any lack of faith in you," he insisted. "In truth it needs two people to do the job, it would hardly be fair to leave one person to safeguard Sophie on their own, not when we know what this horrid building can throw at one."
  "That's sorted then," said Miles, "leaving you, me and Tom to go chasing after the prisoner."
  "Yes," Carruthers smiled, "exciting isn't it?"
  "You are one mixed-up old dude," muttered Tom.
  "No doubt," Carruthers agreed, not having the first idea what Tom was saying. "One final point: might I suggest we all take advantage of the temporary reprieve from danger we seem to have found in order to gather our strength? As we intend to travel to the precise time and location we need using those infernal trains out there, a twenty-four hour reprieve to get our breath back can do no harm."
  "I don't see the point in hanging around," said Ashe, impatient to be getting on with things.
  "You, perhaps most of all, would benefit from the time," insisted Carruthers. "You need to plan your trip, gather what supplies you may needâ¦"
  "There's a hell of a shopping centre," said Miles, "they've even got a bookshop."
  "I was thinking more of food and clothing," Carruthers replied. "But, more than anything else, we need rest. We don't stand a chance of succeeding unless we allow ourselves the opportunity to build up our reserves."
  "Okay," Ashe agreed, "I'll go along with that."
  "I'm in no rush," said Miles. "As much as certain death appeals I can wait a day or so."
  Tom shrugged. "Fine by me too. You reckon this place has a bar?"
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The group naturally broke apart. As is the way after something big has been discussed they all craved minutiae, the reassuring nonsense of finding lunch or a change of clothes.
  Ashe moved over to Alan once the place had cleared. "We need to talk," he said.
  Alan had an idea that he wasn't going to like whatever Ashe had to say. "I don't want to leave Sophie on her own."
  "Then bring her," Ashe replied, "we need privacy."
  They walked out of the cafe, Sophie in Alan's arms. Ashe walked quickly, not wanting the others to see the three of them and start asking questions. "This'll do," he said, nodding towards a clothes shop whose window display hid the inside from view.
  Once inside, Alan rested Sophie down on a table display of sweaters, figuring it would be as comfortable as anywhere else. Ashe was twitchy, keeping his eyes on the front door and pacing around the rotating racks of clothing.
  "You know who I am?" he asked.
  Alan felt his stomach churn. Of course he knew⦠but he still hadn't the first idea how to feel about it, let alone discuss it.
  "It's okay," said Ashe, "you only have to worry about the past â about who we used to
  "I justâ¦" Penelope was utterly taken aback, she had never seen Carruthers lose his temper. "I thoughtâ¦"
  "With all due respect you thought wrong . We need someone to stay here and safeguard the most important member of our group. I wanted that person to be someone who had proved time and again that they were extremely capable of facing almost anything life chose to throw at them."
  "I'll do it!" said Penelope, still flustered. "I'm sorry."
  Carruthers took a deep breath and winked at Miles. "Thank you my dear, do forgive my outburst."
  Cunning old sod, Miles thought, but said nothing.
  "I'm still staying," said Alan, "whether I'm trustworthy enough for you or not."
  Carruthers kept the charm flowing: "Please don't think I have any lack of faith in you," he insisted. "In truth it needs two people to do the job, it would hardly be fair to leave one person to safeguard Sophie on their own, not when we know what this horrid building can throw at one."
  "That's sorted then," said Miles, "leaving you, me and Tom to go chasing after the prisoner."
  "Yes," Carruthers smiled, "exciting isn't it?"
  "You are one mixed-up old dude," muttered Tom.
  "No doubt," Carruthers agreed, not having the first idea what Tom was saying. "One final point: might I suggest we all take advantage of the temporary reprieve from danger we seem to have found in order to gather our strength? As we intend to travel to the precise time and location we need using those infernal trains out there, a twenty-four hour reprieve to get our breath back can do no harm."
  "I don't see the point in hanging around," said Ashe, impatient to be getting on with things.
  "You, perhaps most of all, would benefit from the time," insisted Carruthers. "You need to plan your trip, gather what supplies you may needâ¦"
  "There's a hell of a shopping centre," said Miles, "they've even got a bookshop."
  "I was thinking more of food and clothing," Carruthers replied. "But, more than anything else, we need rest. We don't stand a chance of succeeding unless we allow ourselves the opportunity to build up our reserves."
  "Okay," Ashe agreed, "I'll go along with that."
  "I'm in no rush," said Miles. "As much as certain death appeals I can wait a day or so."
  Tom shrugged. "Fine by me too. You reckon this place has a bar?"
Â
2.
Â
The group naturally broke apart. As is the way after something big has been discussed they all craved minutiae, the reassuring nonsense of finding lunch or a change of clothes.
  Ashe moved over to Alan once the place had cleared. "We need to talk," he said.
  Alan had an idea that he wasn't going to like whatever Ashe had to say. "I don't want to leave Sophie on her own."
  "Then bring her," Ashe replied, "we need privacy."
  They walked out of the cafe, Sophie in Alan's arms. Ashe walked quickly, not wanting the others to see the three of them and start asking questions. "This'll do," he said, nodding towards a clothes shop whose window display hid the inside from view.
  Once inside, Alan rested Sophie down on a table display of sweaters, figuring it would be as comfortable as anywhere else. Ashe was twitchy, keeping his eyes on the front door and pacing around the rotating racks of clothing.
  "You know who I am?" he asked.
  Alan felt his stomach churn. Of course he knew⦠but he still hadn't the first idea how to feel about it, let alone discuss it.
  "It's okay," said Ashe, "you only have to worry about the past â about who we used to
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