Harriet ignited all the gas lamps along the basement wall with het lit taper. Gradually, the basement gave up its darkness to pockets of light, exposing parts of the laboratory until eventually the whole of the basement revealed worktops, glass cabinets - that displayed all manner of gadgetry - and of course the time machine itself.

“Here it is!” said Harriet sounding like a proud mother showing off her talented offspring.

“It’s a…” Agatha said lost for words.

“I know, It’s a box camera on a tripod.” said Harriet, detecting Agatha's disappointment. “However, a box camera with enough anti-matter inside it to not only absorb this room but our own planet plus the known universe if not contained!”

Agatha continued to circle the camera. “And it was this that pulled me here out of my own time?”

“Three days ago,” said Harriet. “In that very corner,” she pointed to the far side of the laboratory. “I was testing the core reaction of the black hole within the camera, when suddenly, it shot out a ray of purple light and began to open up a time vortex.

I had no idea that one was even in here, Galileo must have missed this one out in his predictions. Anyway, the vortex faulted for a while and I thought that was it. Then it came back...