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anymore.’
    Emily shook her head and blew her nose rapidly on a handkerchief she’d yanked out from under her sleeve.
    â€˜If it wasn’t for what I can see in front of my own eyes…’ She inhaled sharply.
    â€˜What is it?’ said Arnie.
    â€˜Are you a
devil
?’ she looked at him accusingly.
    â€˜Are
you
a ghost?’ Arnie countered.
    Emily tensed.
    â€˜Look; I was just as much a stranger down there, as you are up here.’
    She stifled a cry and clenched her fists. ‘No – what you say is not true at all. Everything is fine. I’m going back into the servants’ hall to finish my supper and that’s all there is to it,’ she said defiantly, strutting off back down the steps.
    Arnie folded his arms and waited. A minute or so later Emily re-emerged, her face paler than before.
    â€˜It’s either a simple trick or…it’s a
very very
clever trick,’ she struggled to say. ‘Is it down to you?’
    Arnie half shook his head. ‘Not that I know of…’
    â€˜I don’t understand.’
    â€˜Neither do I – how I’ve travelled back over a hundred years? And now you’ve done the same.
    â€˜What?’
    â€˜But forward. To my time in the twenty-first century. I think that’s where we are.’
    Emily frowned. ‘I can’t believe it. It’s impossible!’
    â€˜I don’t think it is.’
    â€˜But my friends…’ she looked achingly at Arnie for a hint of reassurance.
    â€˜They probably think you have just nipped out for something. You’ll be back before they notice!’ he said, attempting to be cheerful.
    Emily suddenly cupped her ear. ‘Shhhhhh!’
    â€˜What?’ said Arnie.
    â€˜I heard something!’
    Arnie leaned towards a window.
    â€˜Can’t see anything moving out there.’
    â€˜No, it came from inside! Don’t you hear it?’
    Arnie shook his head. ‘It’s probably the house snoring a bit – they do that during the night don’t they?’
    She waved him to be quiet. ‘Listen…’
    â€˜Particularly when you’re trying to get to sleep,’ Arnie rambled on, ‘it must be really annoying – are you up in the attic? How many to a room? Bit of a squeeze is it?’
    Emily slunk to the wall, turning her body inwards.
    â€˜What are you doing?’ he asked, unaware a tapping sound was softly creeping up behind him.
    â€˜Master Jenks!’ exclaimed Mr Silverthorne, brandishing his cane, ‘We’ve been searching everywhere for you. Lord Martlesham was convinced that you must have got away but I found this,’ he said, lifting Arnie’s schoolbag. ‘I was quite concerned.’
    â€˜Oh, were you? Sorry, I should’ve come to find you,’ Arnie bluffed. ‘I’ve been…looking around while waiting for my lift…so completely lost track of time!’
    â€˜But you’ve seen outside. The snow?’
    â€˜Yes!’ he said quickly, leaning in front of Emily trying to block Mr Silverthorne’s view. ‘I…was going to ask you about that.’
    Mr Silverthorne edged forward and his eyes swept towards Emily who bunched up even tighter.
    Arnie shrank back as he sensed Emily do the same.
    â€˜Ah! You’ve found him then Silverthorne,’ said a penetrating voice. Two more old men moved into view.
    The first, short and round with a thick neck, puffed and wheezed, his chest straining the shirt under a black coat and tails. He held a silver tray bearing an array of pill bottles. A second man in a lounge suit and bright military tie pushed past him into the light and approached Arnie. He was tall and grand-looking with a neatly trimmed moustache and thin goatee beard that sandwiched a droopy lip revealing gaps in his bottom teeth.
    â€˜So, this is the boy,’ he continued.
    â€˜Yes indeed,’ said Mr Silverthorne, turning back to Arnie.