Viv found Hedda in the kitchen, with water boiling in the kettle for tea. She fixed a cup and sat down to chat with her landlady.

"How did your night go, dearie?"

"Fine, fine. I met with several of the students, and found some projects I'd like to work on."

"Who dropped you off? I saw a fancy car. Some handsome bloke chat you up?" Hedda smiled at her mischievously.

"Not at all, I'm afraid. Arthur Mull, a student there, gave me a ride. Nice fellow. His family must be very well off. I also met some customers of yours. Ernst Saxe-Alte and Otto Von Nasse. They said you're designing costumes for their film."

"Yes, thirties' fashion."

"We talked for a bit. Have you heard of the George and Dragon Gate?"

"St. George's Gate. That is, or was, in St. George's churchyard, near the fountain in the Park. Both of them were destroyed in the bombing. Only the fountain was rebuilt." Hedda finished her tea and poured another cup.

"Me Da used to tell me stories about the gate. After the Romans left England, the English formed their own kingdoms. In Saxon Aplebury, the king had a rival, named Oswald. Oswald called the Dragon to open a path for his soldiers to travel through time to fight and defeat the forces of the English King before they could prepare. St. George stopped the dragon and sealed the gate, protecting England. Da said it could be opened again, if Ascalon were removed from the dragon. To go through, you'd pay the fare with silver, then ask St. George or the Dragon for the day you wanted, and off you'd go, to the past.

"The gate's gone, so England is safe."

"No, not at all. Ascalon was lost in the bombing, Da said, when the stones of the gate were scattered, but someone who finds the stones could pay the fare—a piece of silver, turn the key, and go. If you believe the legend."

"What's the key?"

"Da said you had to draw a cross, St. George's cross, pay and go."

Viv yawned. "Interesting. Good idea for a story. I'm so tired. I'll wash up and go to bed. I don't think I'll be here Monday when Ernst and Otto come. We don't have much in common, really."

"Good. Don't repeat this, for they're good customers, but they're arrogant. They'd have been Hitler's men, body and soul, if they'd lived then."

Viv's eyes widened. "Neo-Nazi's?"

"Not officially."

"They offered me a walk-on in their film, as a thank you for the pictures. My great grandpa had pictures of the gate in his diary. They wanted copies so they could build a replica for their film." She shrugged. "I print them copies. I hope that's all they need."

"Working on the film should be fine, dearie. Just don't get too close to them. They'd only chew you up and spit you out. Not Aryan enough for them."

"Got it." Viv cleaned up and went to her room.

Viv got into bed, but was too restless to sleep, so she read Pop's diary. She found the section about the gate and read it again. Pop's information confirmed what Hedda told her, as far as that went. He added that the days you spent in the past were added to your return. That is, if you stayed a week in the past, your return would be a week after you went to the past.

Pop had paid the fare and gone nowhere. He mentioned he sat on a gray stone across from the gate to take some pictures. The gate was across the street from Apply Park and directly in line between the stone and the back doors of St. George's church in Appley. She had forgotten this page and hadn't included it with the copies she'd made for Otto and Ernst. She wondered if this page would make a difference, and if she wanted to bother. She printed a copy. She'd leave it for Ernst or Otto. She snuggled to the pillow and fell asleep.

*

The next three weeks passed quickly. Viv loved her classes, the workshops, and going into the City of London. She went to the West End with classmates to see a play, went to museums, stores, the zoo, and other places. Her classmates invited her to eat out with them, go to the movies, and to a few get-togethers.

Arthur invited her to dinner, movies, and to join his friends. She found she liked him more the more she knew him. He drove the Jag, but lived in a modest apartment near the Uni, often brought his lunch or dinner to school, and lived on a budget.

One evening eating hamburgers at The Dragon, he told her why he'd come to Chesterton. He told her his mother was from Italy and his father from Scotland. After he was born, they moved to Australia, but he'd come to England for school at Eton and Oxford. "I returned to Australia and worked as a writer. My girlfriend and I got engaged, and we moved to London so I could study directing at Chesterton. One day she told me she loved me..." He paused, remembering, then continued, "but she was polyamorous and wanted an open relationship.

"I love her, but I didn't want that kind of relationship, so we decided to take a break. She went back to Sydney. I'm going home in August and we'll...I don't know. Probably break up. We both want to be together and to be a family, but our ideas of family don't fit. She's a grand girl, from a wealthy family. Bought me the Jag as an engagement present." Arthur was funny, good company, and she was comfortable with him. His family was obviously well-to-do, but he didn't volunteer much, except to say his Italian relatives were in the film industry, his Australian family sold grocery products and his father worked for the Government.

Their friends soon accepted them as a couple, if just for the summer. They hung out at school between classes, spent evenings together, and attended school events. I can be the shoulder to cry on while he moves on from his ex. Oh, well.

One Friday morning after class Viv and Arthur were leaving to lunch at the Dragon, when she remembered she hadn't left the copy of the other pages about the George and Dragon Gate for Ernst and Otto.

"I've got to leave this letter for Ernst," she told Arthur. "Notes about the Gate. I've been so busy I've forgotten it for the past couple of weeks. I need to go to the office and leave it for him."

"OK," Arthur said. "They're in Germany till Tuesday. They'll get it then." They headed to the Theater and Film Department and Viv slipped the notes into Ernst's mail slot. He watched her closely as she stepped back. The light through a small window shone on highlights in her blonde ponytail, making a halo around her head.

"You're looking at me so intently. What's up?" He probably wants to break up with me. "Tell me, hon."

"The light is hitting your hair just right. Lovely." He looked her over. "Will you take a part in my film next week?"

"I'd like that." She knew most of the casting was done, but figured he'd stick her in a scene as an extra.

He put her in a scene with the lead actor. The character had had a fight with his girlfriend, and they weren't talking. He rode the Eye of London. Viv was another passenger in his car, and he fantasized about them falling in love. He kept picturing his girl instead of Viv and realized he missed his girlfriend. When they got off the Eye Viv's character met her husband and child, and he called his girlfriend. End of Viv's scene.

Art invited her to dinner at his flat the next week. The furniture was plush and expensive, possible selected by the other woman. The windows opened to a balcony with a  and a great view over Appley Park. She wore the best dress she'd brought for this evening, for it was unspoken she'd spend the night. The dress was pale blue with lacy trim, bought off Amazon. She'd accessorized it with her pearl pendant and pearl studs, bought at a department store. She wondered how she compared to the girl who'd bought him a Jaguar.

He noticed her nervousness and invited her to the window overlooking the Park. He slipped his arm around her waist, and they watched the sun set. "That's a pretty frock you've got on." He nuzzled her neck.

She giggled. "Frock? Arthur, you're so funny at times. Sometimes you're Australian. Sometimes you're English."

"Frock? Frock is funny? I hope you're as happy with my cooking." She laughed again, relaxing as tension left her body. He took her hand and led her into the kitchen.