eileen phyall

Imogen is a university student in the mid1980’s. During a power-cut in her flat she stumbles across a door which takes her through to a room in the C19th, where she is questioned about the importance of electricity. She demands to be returned to her own time. This turns out to be more complicated than she could imagine

Imogen wakes up in the future, her body old and wrinkled. She has arrived in the C21st and has to contend with modern technology and a daughter, who is convinced she is senile. Imogen is confused, angry and very frightened. The man who had summoned her appears. He can travel through time and tells her he will try again to return her to her own time.

Arriving in the 1920’s Imogen finds herself in the body of ISOBEL a wealthy young woman engaged to be married to LIONEL. The time traveller appears in the guise of JAMES a chauffeur, who is trying to remedy the situation.

Delving into family history Imogen disturbs time and finds herself one of the maids. LOTTIE. She finds hidden diaries of Isabel’s mother, RACHEL. Her passionate love affaire results in an illegitimate baby. Rachel is sent to a lunatic asylum and the baby PAUL adopted.

After several unsuccessful attempts, Imogen is in her own time and hands in her final work to complete her degree.

Time is not finished with Imogen, she is transported to a farm in Wales. It is 1938. Paul is now a man and has to serve in the Army. Imogen becomes SALLY the land-girl who takes on his work with his cows. She falls in love with the local doctor, ROBERT, but time trips her again. She finds herself in a hospital as a very junior nurse. When Robert appears he doesn’t know her and she is heartbroken.

When Paul is injured, he is a patient in the hospital, where a more experienced nurse, MARGARET falls in love with him. They marry and have a baby son

Once Imogen is firmly back in her own world, she stays for a while with her mother and seeks out her estranged father. She gradually realises Margaret’s baby was her father. After visiting him, she takes a position in the university hospital where she meets DAN. They are instantly attracted to each other, but when she tries to tell him of her time travelling, he is horrified and persuades her to see a psychiatrist.

Seeing DR EDWARDS trips Imogen into a dangerous place. She is rescued by James who has previously time travelled along side her.

James whose real name is Professor DUNCAN GRICE invites Isobel to carry on her adventures, as his tutee.

Her skill is rare, he says and she realises how much he has protected and cared for her during her journey. She is still recovering from the callous way Dan treated her, but she can no longer deny the strong attraction between her and Duncan.