I finally had my explanations as we drove Gabe to Pimlico. Payne had only wounded Matt in the shoulder, but because of his desperate need for healing magic, he'd been in a "bad way," according to Chronos. Matt had hailed a hack and driven to Chronos's lodgings, and they both traveled to Mr. Gibbons's house in order to find me.
I crossed my arms. "And how did Matt know where to find you?" I asked Chronos.
"I left him a letter the day I departed," he said. "In it was my new address."
"Why didn't you give it to me?"
"It was best that way. I knew he'd only come if it was an emergency."
"Best for whom?"
"Let's not start this again, India. Can you not simply be happy that you have him back? You don't want me around too. I'm old and crotchety. Some would call me mad." He shot a smile at Gabe. "If I am mad it's because I've spent a lifetime looking for you."
Gabe leaned back a little and blinked wide eyes at Chronos.
"You are not to go near him ever again," I told Chronos. "Is that understood?"
"Do you know where my parents live?" Gabe asked Chronos.
"No," Chronos said.
Gabe blew out a breath. "Well then, I won't be helping you bring anyone back to life."
Chronos held up a finger. "You can't bring someone back to life if they're dead, only extend their life if they're dying. Matt stopped breathing in that room today, but there must have been enough breath left in him to keep him alive until the magic worked."
"A few seconds longer would have been too late," Gabe agreed.
My stomach rolled. Matt had come close. So very close.
"It was clever of you to remember about the accent, India," Matt said.
"My granddaughter is smart. I'm proud of her." Chronos's words brought tears to my eyes again. I looked away, not yet prepared to acknowledge that I'd wanted to hear him say those words ever since meeting him.
"So, tell me," Gabe said, "who is Mr. Gibbons and how did he help you find us? And why was it necessary to have Mr. Steele with you?"
"Gibbons is a mapmaker magician acquaintance of ours," Matt told him. "India discovered that a cartography magician can draw a map that reveals the location of a magical object if another magician joins his magic to the process. You had my magic watch," he said to me. "Not only did it have Chronos's original magic in it, but it also had yours. All I needed were the right magicians to find it."
"I chanted my spell while Gibbons chanted his and sketched," Chronos said. "He claims you don't need a spell but simply hold the map edge, India."
"Remarkable," Gabe murmured.
Matt watched me from beneath lowered eyelids. "Yes. She is."
"The problem was, it kept moving," Chronos said. "The watch, that is. We thought we had it in one location and were just about to go there when it moved slowly away."
"That must have been when Payne left," I said. "He went to find a sick person to see if the watch would heal them."
"He wouldn't believe India when she told him it only worked for you, Glass," Gabe said.
Matt took up the story again. "When the watch appeared to be returning along the same route, we decided to head to the original location where it had been located an hour before."
Chronos pointed his chin at Matt. "He wouldn't wait any longer."
"If he had, he might be dead," Gabe said.
"If I had, India might have died," Matt added darkly.
"And what about Willie and the others?" I asked. They were currently outside with the coachman and on the footman's seat at the back of the carriage since we couldn't all fit in the cabin. "How did they know where to find us?"
"Once we'd pinpointed the watch's location, Miss Gibbons, Mr. Gibbons's daughter, fetched them. She had them collect Brockwell from Scotland Yard first, upon my instruction."
Gabe dragged his hand through his hair and huffed out a disbelieving laugh. "I have learned more today about magic than I have in my entire life."
"You are a unique magician," Chronos told him. "If there is another like you, I am yet to find him or her, and believe me, I have searched."
The more earnest Chronos became, the more Gabe looked appalled and uncertain. "I won't combine my magic with time magic again, sir. Do not ask that of me."
"He won't," Matt assured him. "If he bothers you, contact me."
Chronos threw his hands in the air. "What's the point of all that magic if it's not used?"
"He can use it," I said. "He can cure minor ailments as he always has. It's combining that magic with yours or mine that is the problem."
"It's not a problem, it's a gift." Chronos slouched into the corner with a pout on his lips.
Thankfully he said nothing more and we were able to have a pleasant conversation with Gabe for the remainder of the journey. He inspected Matt's shoulder wound and instructed him to simply clean it when he got home. The magic had almost healed it completely. He really was a kind man—and dedicated to his work at the children's hospital. He was keen to get there and complete his afternoon shift, although it grew quite late.
"I also think I'd better visit my parents." He gave me a sheepish smile. "I'd like to thank them for their love and kindness over the years. I owe them."
"I doubt they'll see it as owing," I said. "Perhaps you could also send Sister Bernadette a letter telling her how you are. Saving you cost her, in a way, and she deserves to know that it was worth it."
We arrived at his lodging house and thanked him again. He was heading up the front steps when Willie called out, "Wait!" She jumped down from the coach and threw herself at him. The poor man staggered under her weight. She spoke some quiet words and kissed his cheek.
"Duke may have a rival," I said, smiling.
"Chronos, you could do with some fresh air," Matt said. "Why not ride outside with the others?"
"No." Chronos crossed his arms over his chest. "I'm not leaving you alone to take advantage of India. Not until I see something in writing that states you'll take care of her for the rest of her life. Mark my words, India, get an agreement first. You've got your future to think of."
Matt looked as if he would argue but thought better of it. He simply gave me a sad smile, reminding me of the situation his uncle had forced him into with Patience. I tried not to think about that. Matt was alive and that was all that mattered for now.
Bristow met us at the door with a beaming smile. "I am very glad to see you looking in such fine health, sir," he said to Matt. "Very glad indeed. On behalf of all the staff, may I say welcome home."
"Thank you, Bristow. I'll thank the staff personally after I clean up." Matt looked down at his bloodied clothing. "If this doesn't come out, salvage what fabric you can and donate it. Otherwise, burn all of it."
"It will come out, sir. Between Mrs. Bristow and me, we've not met a stain that could best us."
"Is my aunt all right?"
"In the sitting room, sir." Bristow leaned in. "She hasn't been herself ever since Miss Gibbons came with your message and the others left. Polly has been sitting with her."
Matt and I headed upstairs to the sitting room, Chronos, Willie, Duke and Cyclops following. They didn't seem interested in going their own way, perhaps because none wanted to let Matt out of sight yet.
"Aunt Letitia?" Matt said gently, sitting down beside his aunt on the sofa.