The Book of Lost Hours
by Hayley Gelfuso
Contents
Chapter 11
Overview
Jack Dillinger forces Amelia into a trap meant to capture Anton Stepanov, using her as bait in the time space while Fred waits to ambush him. Anton instead time-walks with Amelia into an 1843 Philadelphia memory and reveals evidence that Ernest Duquesne led the memory-saving movement and taught Anton time walking, contradicting the official story of Ernest’s loyalties.
When Amelia returns, Jack threatens her as a potential security risk, and Moira openly defies Jack at gunpoint to protect her. Amelia voices Anton’s accusations and directly implicates Moira in Ernest’s death, escalating Jack’s suspicion—then Amelia disappears from the house, leaving Moira and Jack in a dangerous standoff.
Summary
In 1965 Boston, Amelia comes downstairs to find Jack Dillinger and Fred Vance with Moira Donnelly. Jack announces a plan to catch Anton Stepanov by sending Amelia into the time space with Fred waiting near the door, using Amelia as bait to lure Anton close enough to be dragged out. Amelia protests, but Moira insists it is the safest option “in case something goes wrong.”
Upstairs, Moira tries to steady Amelia, briefly bonding over Aurora Leigh and then braiding Amelia’s hair. Moira privately warns Amelia to trust her own judgment and leave the time space immediately if things go wrong. Back downstairs, Jack has blocked off other doorways in the house, keeps Moira armed, and sends Amelia and Fred through the office door into the time space.
Inside the time space, Amelia waits for hours, then finally spots Anton. She leads him toward a conjured door, but Anton catches her before she can escape. During the struggle, Amelia notices Anton wears the painted blue forget-me-not that she was taught marks trustworthy timekeepers. Anton grabs a book and “time walks,” pulling Amelia into a memory before Fred can reach them.
They land in an attic in Philadelphia, 1843. Anton insists he did not murder Ernest Duquesne and claims he only learned Ernest is dead from Amelia. He says Ernest taught him time walking and reveals a deeper truth: Ernest was not the rebellion’s enemy but its leader, recruiting timekeepers to save memories instead of burning them. As proof, Anton gives Amelia Ernest’s monogrammed handkerchief marked with a forget-me-not. The memory ends, returning Amelia alone to the time space holding the handkerchief.
Back in the house, Jack and Moira react as Amelia emerges; Jack aims a gun at Amelia, and Moira points her own gun at Jack to stop him. Jack disarms Amelia by taking her watch and slaps her when she lunges at him. Under questioning, Amelia reveals Anton’s blue flower and repeats Anton’s accusation that someone in America may have killed Ernest; Amelia then directly suggests Moira killed him the night Ernest visited her. Jack turns suspicious of Moira and orders Fred to bring Amelia back down, but Fred returns saying Amelia has vanished from upstairs.
Who Appears
- Amelia DuquesneForced to bait Anton; time-walked to 1843; returns with handkerchief proof; then vanishes.
- Moira DonnellyCIA agent overseeing the plan; comforts Amelia; threatens Jack at gunpoint to protect her.
- Jack DillingerMoira’s boss; orchestrates the trap; treats Amelia as compromised; suspects Moira and escalates.
- Anton StepanovRussian timekeeper with a blue flower; time-walks Amelia; claims innocence and exposes Ernest’s role.
- Fred VanceJack’s colleague positioned to ambush Anton; fails to intercept; reports Amelia missing.
- Ernest DuquesneDeceased timekeeper; revealed as leader of the memory-saving movement; linked to forget-me-not symbol.
- Lisavet LevyReferenced through her stolen book and the forget-me-not sign used by trusted timekeepers.