Read Online History Keepers 1: The Storm Begins by Damian Dibben - Free Book Online Page A

‘There she is! There’s our girl!’ immediately jangling his wife’s nerves.
    ‘Truman, please don’t shout!’ she admonished him.
    Topaz approached them, smiling warmly.
    ‘They’re the Wylders: Truman and Betty,’ Rose informed Jake. ‘Nathan’s parents, and Topaz’s guardians. Truman is just as much a vain peacock as his son, but she’s charming. Of course, they’re both from completely different centuries.’
    Jake watched Topaz greet them with a hug.
    ‘How are you, darling?’ Betty gasped fondly as she clasped her arms around her. ‘Good journey?’
    Topaz nodded.
    ‘Let’s have a look at her,’ Truman bellowed as he held her by the shoulders. ‘You’ve grown. Hasn’t she grown, Betty? So tall for fourteen.’
    ‘Fifteen.’
    ‘Fifteen? You’re not !’
    ‘I am.’
    ‘How did that happen? You were just six a few years ago.’
    Topaz and Betty shared a fond look.
    ‘It’s just occurred to me how quiet it is here,’ Topaz said, looking around at the rest of the welcoming party. ‘Is His Loudmouth indisposed?’
    ‘Nathan has disappeared on some mission to rescue his latest amour fou ,’ sighed Betty, with a shake of the head. ‘No doubt she’s fallen head over heels, blissfully unaware that she will be tossed aside like all the others.’
    Jake followed his aunt down the gangplank. Galliana’s face lit up as they approached. ‘It has been an age,’ she said, embracing Rose.
    Jake could now see that Galliana’s cloak was embroidered with an array of motifs: suns, moons, clocks and phoenixes.
    ‘It might have been an age,’ Rose replied, ‘but you look as ravishing as always.’
    ‘Are you sure you don’t mean ravaged ?’ Galliana replied. ‘I’ve hardly slept in three days. There are bags under my eyes.’
    ‘But those cheekbones will never let you down.’
    Galliana laughed, her face creasing around her twinkling blue eyes.
    ‘Don’t tell me that’s still Juno …’ Rose looked down at the bright-eyed greyhound.
    ‘This is Juno’s granddaughter, Olive,’ Galliana replied, running her hand over the hound’s silken coat . ‘Every generation they get a little cleverer.’ She turned to Rose’s companion. ‘And this, of course, is Jake.’
    Although Jake felt unaccountably shy of this tall, stately woman, he smiled bravely, held out his hand and spoke in the most manly tones he could muster. ‘Pleased to meet you.’
    ‘ So well-mannered.’ Galliana enclosed Jake’s hand in her own. ‘I expect there has been an awful lot to take in. But don’t worry – we are going to find your parents.’ Suddenly her expression changed as she spied something approaching across the water. ‘What on earth …?’
    There was a murmur of consternation as everyone caught sight of the swimmer churning his way towards the quay. Topaz knew who it was immediately; she shook her head and rolled her eyes.
    ‘Ahoy there!’ Nathan announced as he pulled himself out of the water with a beaming smile. He had swum fully clothed along the coast for over an hour, but looked as if it were the easiest and most natural thing in the world. He shook out his long hair and briefly checked his appearance in a vanity mirror produced from his back pocket.
    Jake’s eyes widened as Nathan swaggered along the pier. He was intrigued. The boy could be no more than a year older than him, but he oozed confidence. Certainly there was an arrogance about him, but somehow he made the day seem brighter.
    ‘I’m sorry I missed the arrival,’ Nathan told them in a deep voice. ‘I simply had to save a young damsel from a fate worse than death.’
    Galliana was as unimpressed as Topaz. ‘May I remind you, Agent Wylder, that this organization has no time for personal heroics. Risk is only acceptable in the line of duty, however glittering the prize may seem. Do you understand me?’
    ‘Clear as crystal,’ Nathan drawled, ‘but I can assure you, this was for no personal gain. The lady was somewhat …