Deep Amber by C.J. Busby Page B

nervously bent down again in a lower bow, and stayed there for what she thought was safely four full minutes. When she straightened, Lord Ravenglass was looking altogether more friendly.
    â€œThat’s better. Now come and sit down and eat something, you must be hungry.” He waved his hand at a platter of bread and cheese on a small table nearby. Dora sat down nervously. She suddenly realised that she was indeed extremely hungry, but she was too nervous to do more than nibble at a small piece of bread.
    Lord Ravenglass, having made his point about etiquette, was now picking at a plate of rich sweets and pastries and seemed muchmore cheerful. Jem, Dora noted with surprise, seemed to be largely responsible for his good humour. He was managing to stay just the right side of impertinent while also shamelessly buttering up Lord Ravenglass – this, Dora suddenly realised, must have been how Jem had managed to get away with doing whatever he wanted at Roland Castle. He was very good at being charming to people in charge.
    She smiled and relaxed slightly as she listened to Jem’s tale of the time he had been chased up all four towers of the castle by Sir Mortimer. The lord of the castle had finally cornered Jem in the pigsty, but as he’d lunged at the kitchen boy, Sir Mortimer had tripped over a large bucket of pig swill and gone flying. He’d spent the next four days trying to get pig slime out of the grooves in his armour.
    â€œWell, young Jem,” said Lord Ravenglass indulgently, still giggling slightly at the image of Sir Mortimer covered in swill, “I’m glad to hear you’re keeping things lively in the far reaches of the kingdom. But now we’d better have a look at these… objects that have been appearing. I believe your friend has them?”
    Dora nodded, and dug out Jem’s miniature pack. With a wave of his hand, Lord Ravenglass restored it to the proper size. She took out the red fortune-telling book and then the other objects from her own pack, and carefully placed them onto the polished surface of the table. Lord Ravenglass took out a blue monocle, and peered through it at the items for a few moments.
    â€œThere’s no doubt,” he said, looking up, pleased. “All from the same world. And three at once. I think we may have found something I’ve been looking for rather a long time.”
    He smiled, and popped another pastry in his mouth.
    â€œCongratulations, my dears,” he said, smiling, and patting at the crumbs on his lips with his lace handkerchief. “You have made me very happy.”
    Dora was taken aback. From what the Druid and Caractacus had said, the objects were a cause for worry, not celebration. Why was Lord Ravenglass so pleased? And was he actually going to do anything to help? She didn’t want to say anything that might annoy him, but she felt she had to at least ask.
    â€œI’m sorry, your Lordship,” she said, hesitantly.“But the Druid said they had come from another world. All from the same one. Isn’t that… dangerous?”
    Lord Ravenglass laughed. “Oh, it’s dangerous, all right. Thoroughly dangerous.” He seemed to relish the idea. “But also very useful. There’s only one thing that could have caused a rift serious enough to send three objects through from the same place. This is my best chance to find it in years … With a bit of luck, my agents are already there.”
    Dora was not reassured. She looked across at Jem, but he just seemed to be excited about the other worlds.
    â€œSo people can go there?” he asked, looking eager.
    Lord Ravenglass eyed him speculatively.
    â€œIt’s not very usual. But it can be done, when the need arises. Why – would you like to go?”
    Dora felt her heart sink. She could tell from his expression that all Jem was concerned about was being sent to the world where the shiny red fortune-telling book belonged. And