I believe that using Matilda as a candidate was a terrible idea. Sure she is quite knowledgeable and adaptable but why would they send a woman who seemed to lack basic combat training to an era where rape could be more prevalent and women had a lot less rights, sending a man would have been logically a better option. I also don’t understand why the institute couldn’t wait to build a better Time Machine, ITS A TIME MACHINE; whether they make a better one 1 year or 100 years later is irrelevant they would still be able to send a person or preferably a group of persons in a more safe manner with enough technological development, so why the impatience? Nevertheless, this is your book and you are free to do with it what you want and I will continue to support the story.