Timewatch by Linda Grant

harm,” said Molly hastily. “And she can wear a bodice and skirt of mine—they’re clean—just so she’s not bothered on her way to London. And you, Master Jeremy, could wear something of Alf’s.”
    I almost laughed aloud at the thought of my slender sister wearing Molly’s overlarge clothing and saw a fleeting smile touch Susanna’s lips as she, no doubt, had the selfsame picture occur to her. Then I felt a throb of gratitude for the help offered by these two who had labored so long and faithfully for our family. “Alf, you have hit upon a favorable plan to spirit us away. But now as I think on it, it seems the best plan is for me to find passage on a ship to Amsterdam, where I may bide for a while with Jacob de Ruyter. When he left here, he said that anytime I wished to visit him, he would welcome me as a guest.”
    â€œBut that’s dangerous! Pirates roam those waters!” protested Susanna.
    â€œFear not, sister. Now go with these two and leave as soon as you can. Here is the address, which Father gave me, of Aunt Arabella. She will keep you safe.”
    â€œBut why will you not come with me?”
    â€œI would not impose upon our aunt. It will be safer for her, also a Catholic, to take only a female into her household, than if she gave me shelter, too. Questions would be asked. No, I will go to the coast, which is not overly far. Many ships carrying cargoes of grain and fish sail from ports round about there.”
    Susanna stared searchingly at me and then thrust our mother’s rosary at me.
    â€œSusanna, why do you not wish to keep this?”
    Her voice was fierce as she looked at me with perfect calmness and said in measured tones, “Have her prayers changed ought of our circumstances? Take it. Perhaps you may find some use for it!”
    I was horrified. Susanna had never been overly religious, but she had always dutifully followed the tenets of our religion. Had she now lost her faith? From the bottom of my heart I pitied her, but I found nothing of comfort to give her.
    Taking her hand for the last time, we walked around the house where we had been born. Benches and chairs were overturned, my laboratory turned into rubble, and Susanna’s Bible box—left to her by our mother—missing. The day being far spent, we retired to bed. The next morning after packing the few possessions that remained to us, we bid each other a mournful farewell. My last glimpse of my sister was of her sitting proudly beside Alf in the wagon in front of a great heap of turnips.
    After an uneventful journey by ship, I came to the place where Jacob lived in Amsterdam. His house fronted on a canal, one of many, which are to the Dutch as roads are to the English. The high gabled house, very tall and somewhat narrow, was built (as is common here because of the spongy soil) on pilings made of long stout beams and of brick, with five casement windows opening onto the narrow street. De Ruyter was inscribed, together with the family coat of arms, on the pediment above the front door.
    I was received with much goodwill by Jacob, who expressed to me that I had arrived at a most convenient moment, for he was that afternoon about to pay a visit to an alchemist who had just come lately into the country. “A countryman of yours, Gordon McCorrister, who appears to have made some marvelous discoveries.”
    That he was no countryman of mine but a Scot I did not deem worthwhile to point out to Jacob since it would have been of no avail to explain the niceties of the situation to one who was not an Englishman.
    We hurried on foot through very narrow cobblestone streets, which wound around canals on which floated boats carrying, I was told, foodstuffs and painted in an array of colors: green, black, red, and blue. If it had not been for my guide, I should have been lost very quickly. I felt certain to be deafened by the clanging of so many bells from church towers and by the