Downtime - Marc Platt [107]
Who Fell Asleep On The
23rd day of November 1863
Aged 37 years
Kind, Gentle, Loving And Beloved
There was a space on the headstone for Victoria’s father.
The music from the string quartet in the garden swelled into a passionate rhapsody.
‘Leoš Janáček,’ declared the white-haired Doctor.
‘Extraordinary chap. Didn’t even get into his stride as a composer until he was in his eighties. I said to him, Leoš, old chap...’
‘I’m sorry,’ interrupted Victoria. ‘It’s no use running away, is it?’
‘I think you had a lot to run away from,’ sympathized the Doctor.
‘Yes. I gather I’m on Interpol’s Most Wanted list.’
He raised a surprised eyebrow and took her hand gently in his. ‘You can always come away with me, you know.’
She smiled and shook her head. ‘Thank you, Doctor, but I have things to face up to here. I must make amends. That’s why I’ve finally written to Brigadier Crichton at UNIT.’
‘Crichton?’ The Doctor looked at his watch. ‘Good Lord, has Lethbridge-Stewart retired or something?’
She couldn’t tell if he was teasing or not. ‘Your offer’s very kind, Doctor. Perhaps one day, when all this is sorted out.
Besides which, I can travel on my own now. Anywhere I like.’
He studied her again for a long time. ‘I’m sure UNIT will be entirely sympathetic over... erm..’ He coughed non-commitally.
She nodded sadly. ‘I hope so.’
‘And you’re sure you won’t come with me?’
It was what the other Doctor had said to her as well. The Doctor with the long, long scarf.
‘Thank you. Perhaps one day.’
He smiled an amazing smile for her. ‘One moment.’ He produced a notepad from his pocket and began to scribble. He tore out the sheet and folded it into an envelope.
‘A short letter of reference,’ he said and handed it to her.
‘Give it to Brigadier whateverhisnameis. It may help.’
She was amazed. ‘Thank you, Doctor.’
‘A pleasure, my dear. Well, goodbye.’
He turned and marched across the gallery.
‘Doctor?’ she called.
He stopped in the doorway.
‘If you see the Doctor, please tell him I’ve found what he was looking for. It’s safe now.’
‘I remember,’ he said without turning to look. ‘And give him my love.’
He nodded and walked out into the sunny garden.
Document Outline
Front cover
Rear cover
Title page
Copyright
Contents
Dedication
Foreword
Prologue
1 - Victoria�s Journey
2 - Bug Alert
3 - A Day at the Zoo
4 - Home to Roost
5 - Geneva. Deadline: The Intermediate Future
6 - Putting it Together
7 - The Watch
8 - Eye Spy
9 - Flight
10 - By the Sea
11 - Neighbourhood Watch
12 - Anthony
13 - Shapes
14 - Twickers� Big Day
15 - Gridlock
16 - The Summons
17 - Web on the Line
18 - By Appointment
19 - Blunder Days
20 - Arrivals
21 - A Reunion
22 - Light of Truth
23 - Crichton
24 - The Boat
25 - Taking the Knight�s Pawn
26 - Truth is Relative
27 - Special Powers
28 - Something in the System
29 - Call in the Cavalry
30 - Under Siege
31 - World Wide Web
32 - Access Denied
33 - Old Worlds For New
34 - Golden Afternoon Revisited
Table of Contents
ISBN 0 426 20462 X
Marc Platt
Contents
Foreword
Prologue
A Golden Afternoon
London. The Sixties and beyond
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34