• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

The doors swung open and Sir Henry beckoned the Doctor and Nyssa inside. The Queen was waiting for them, sitting behind her desk. Flanking her was General Doulton, a large rolled document visible in the crook of his arm. Victoria welcomed her guests and asked them to stand in front of the desk. 'We have asked our ladies-in-waiting and household staff to withdraw,' she explained. 'Some things are better discussed in private. But where is Master Lees? We expected him to be present here.'

`We have been unable to locate him, Your Majesty,' Sir Henry replied, his face betraying nothing further.

`This is most irregular. Have you had the grounds searched?' the Queen demanded.

Ì doubt such a search would discover him, Your Majesty,'

the Doctor said. 'I believe James has departed Windsor and is trying to make his way north.’

`Toward what purpose?'

Ì believe he is returning to Corra Linn, the place where he gained his unusual abilities, ma'am. James told me he has made many attempts to return there in the past. He hopes to find the answer there to what troubles him.'

`This is most vexing,' the Queen said sternly. 'We put Master Lees into your care, Doctor, we made him your responsibility.'

Ìndeed, ma'am. I can only apologise for this lapse. If it is any consolation, I had already ascertained from him all the particulars of how he first acquired his unique gift. I believe at least some of the claims he made to you were genuine.

James does speak with the voices of the deceased, of that there can be no doubt. Last night he manifested the spirit of my companion's dead father, a remarkable display of psychic phenomena the likes of which I have never witnessed before'

Victoria turned to Nyssa, her eyes glinting intently. 'You saw your father, Lady Nyssa? What did he say to you?'

`He told me not to cry at his passing, Your Majesty,' she replied. 'He said we would meet again on the Other Side -

and he embraced me'

The Queen took in a sharp breath. 'You felt his physical presence?'

Nyssa nodded. Ìt was as if he were there in the room with me, as though he had never died. For a few brief moments, we were reunited'

The Queen was visibly battling to contain her emotions. Ìf only we could be afforded the same opportunity with our beloved husband,' she said eventually. 'We might be better able to bear his loss' Her fingers bunched tightly around a white linen handkerchief, ragged nails scratching against the lace edging. A long, awkward silence followed while the Queen got her feelings under control again. 'Well, what must be done?' she asked.

The Doctor was first to respond. 'Your Majesty, I understand a contingent of men is already at Corra Linn...'

`That is correct. General Doulton has all the particulars, so he can brief us further.' She summoned the military man forward with a glance. He pulled the document from under his arm and, with Victoria's permission, unrolled it across her desk. The heavy parchment was a topographical map of the area surrounding the Falls of Clyde. At the Queen's behest Doulton offered a brief history of settlement around the falls.

`For most of its length the River Clyde is a waterway of gentle pace. However, in a valley south of Lanark it becomes a torrent of water while flowing through a narrow gorge. The river passes over a series of falls, the tallest being Corra Linn,' the general said, pointing to its location on the map. 'In 1785 a cotton-spinning community called New Lanark was established a mile downstream from the last of the falls, using water from the river to power its mills. Less than ten years ago plans were made to dam the river between New Lanark and Corra Linn, flooding part of the valley so the water could be used to generate something called hydropower. This map shows the valley before it was flooded. Once the dam was completed, the valley was flooded back up to Corra Linn. The project was beset by problems and further work was abandoned. There was some fanciful talk of a curse,