‘Grace!’ Hannah and Louisa responded at once.
Andrew corrected their mistake, introducing Mary-Anne. ‘Miss Hunt is John Ashby’s assistant.’
‘John Ashby!’ both woman echoed, again stunned.
Andrew nodded. ‘You’ll find him in the lower drawing room with the Baron and Mr Prescott.’
Louisa and Hannah stared at each other in astonishment, before hurrying up into the manor to see for themselves.
When the women entered the drawing room, the conversation the men were having was interrupted with kisses of hello and congratulations all round. Wade then introduced Lady Sinclair and his wife-to-be to John Ashby.
‘No pistol this time?’ Hannah queried cautiously as she shook the inventor’s hand.
‘I do apologise about that,’ John said sincerely, ‘I assure you, it wasn’t loaded.’
‘John was just about to tell us what happened to the missing keys.’ Wade got back to the subject that was of more concern at present, and they moved to take a seat. ‘Did you retrieve them?’
‘Aye. They were destroyed during my experimentation on the particles,’ John fibbed. ‘You need not concern yourself on that count.’
‘So what’s to stop you from making another set?’ Hugh posed.
‘Why, acquiring a supply of the base metal, of course,’ replied John.
‘But there’s still one thing I don’t understand,’ Wade frowned. ‘The dreams about the temple? How did you do that?’
John cocked one eyebrow, considering this a good question. Still, he wasn’t sure the young Baron would fathom the answer. ‘As I have already said, the substance within the crystal keys not only granted me immortality but it expanded my consciousness as well. For sometime after taking the substance, I was forced to live in isolation, until I learned how to channel the information I sought to perceive or send, and block out all other thought waves. I still find big cities very taxing,’ John told his captivated audience. ‘Therefore, in answer to your question, Wade, you perceived the dreams by means of a telepathic transfer.’
‘You can not only read minds, but implant thoughts into the minds of others. Is that what you’re saying?’ Wade was fascinated by the notion.
Hugh, of course, was sceptical and when John nodded, Hugh had to challenge the inventor to prove the claim. ‘Then, what am I thinking?’
John Ashby smiled, the answer was all too easy. ‘You desire to know the secret of ‘Ghost’s Gold’, the key that unlocks the door to Alchemy, that has been lost for centuries.’
‘And the base metal was?’ Hugh ventured, with a look of great anticipation on his face.
‘Ah,’ John raised his brow to hold Hugh in suspense. ‘Perhaps when I know you better, I’ll share the secret. But until then, my friend, you shall just have to continue to speculate.’
Acknowledgments
On the work front, I would like to thank my listeners — Karen and Lisa; my editors — Sue and Stephanie; my agent — Selwa Anthony; my living encyclopedia of ancient knowledge and good friend — Caiseal Mor; and all the team at HarperCollins for another very successful year.
Infinite gratitude and praise to my husband, David, for the energy and time he spent in successfully bringing to life images from my imagination to grace the inner and outer pages of this book.
Blessings to the many readers who wrote to voice their appreciation of The Ancient Future Trilogy — all requests to continue the journey of the Chosen Ones have been heard and granted by the ‘powers that be’ at HarperCollinsPublishers Australia and it shall be my great pleasure to continue this journey.
On a personal note, David and I would like to thank all our family and friends for seeing us through what has been the greatest year of change and challenge in all our fourteen years of married life. In particular, we would like to acknowledge my father, Terry Ludgate, and his chosen other, Gill Moran, for their miraculous efforts in helping us to rebuild a house in seven months. Also, my brother, Steven, and his wonderful team of plasterboarders, for constructing an interior in two days! Many thanks to my mother, Toni Ludgate, and my best friend, Sue Moran, for their assistance in bringing our baby daughter, Sarah Jane, into this world.
Lastly, my thanks to Sarah Jane for being such an angel whilst I completed this manuscript. I have truly been blessed.
About the Author
Since 1996, Traci Harding has had four trilogies and three stand-alone novels published by HarperVoyager Australia. Her books are published in several different languages, and are also available in e-book format from the Apple iBookstore, Amazon, Kobo, Google, ReadCloud, and Booki.sh. Selected titles are also available as a digital audio download through iTunes and Amazon — and as an audio book through Bolinda Audio.
To find quick links to all of the above, Traci’s other websites, and keep abreast of news, competitions and releases by Traci Harding, visit her new website:
traciharding.com
Or visit: voyagerblog.com.au
the home on the web for lovers of science fiction and fantasy.
Copyright
Voyager
First published in 1999
This edition published in 2012
by HarperCollinsPublishers Pty Limited
ACN 009 913 517
A member of the HarperCollinsPublishers (Australia) Pty Limited Group
http://www.harpercollins.com.au
Text copyright © Traci Harding 1999
Illustration copyright © David Harding 1999
This book is copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of private study, research, criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced by any process without written permission. Inquiries should be addressed to the publishers.
HarperCollinsPublishers
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National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication data:
Harding, Traci.
The alchemist’s key.
ISBN 978 0 7322 6672 1 (pbk)
ISBN 978 1 74309 617 8 (epub)
I. Title
A823.3
The Alchemist's Key Page 24