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"He obviously made an effort to find you, and keep in touch with you after all these years. So while I'm sure he's grateful, he must just flat out like you as well," she said. "Will you really go to St. Petersburgh at some point?"

"I think I've lost the capacity to be surprised when you drop that kind of thing. You aren't going to just leave it there, are you? Details, man!"

She waved her hand carelessly. "Oh, that would explain that, then. How did you happen to meet a member of the Russian royal family? And make him like you so much?"

"Well, aren't we cheeky today," she laughed. "I'm sure I'll be thrilled to see whatever it is you want to show me." After a few moments she asked, "So, why the photographers with your friend?"

"You know, to an innocent American like me, showing a girl something in the barn means something completely different," she smirked.

"So am I," she smiled. "It's going to be ridiculously late by the time we get back to the farm. Not that I have anything to be up for in the morning. Tomorrow evening it's back to reality."

As the lights came up for the second intermission, Abby leaned over to Cal. "I didn't expect to see a whole operetta tonight!" she said excitedly. "Truly, this has been far more than I expected. Thank you for bringing me. The music and dancing have been superb."

Abby gave them a slight smile and a nod as she took her seat. "I'm glad you haven't been lonely while I've been gone," she said quietly. "You will tell me all about how you met that man later, I hope. I've been having a look at the theater, it's quite lovely."

Abby waited a few minutes to return. She strolled through the theater, smiling a bit while she thought over the Russian's effusive greeting. The story would be forthcoming, but it was amusing to imagine how Cal had met that bear of a man and earned such affection. The few minutes alone gave her...

"Oh, I AM curious... but it's probably better if I don't show up in the papers. At least not until after we're airborne again. I'll just go stretch my legs and come back in a few minutes." She moved nonchalantly away, hoping to find a nearby spot to listen from, but still wary of the cameras.

Just as she had disappeared into books that afternoon, Abigail disappeared into the music. Anyone looking at her could see her rapt attention. Abby was moved not only by the beautiful music, but the obvious joy the musicians took in making it, even if it was not the boisterous happiness usually...

"When the house is full of other musicians; that's when you know you're in for a good show."

"I'm sure they do," she laughed. "Someday I'll retire back to America after some fantastic find and make the clothiers come to me, too. Do you know any of these people?" she asked, indicating the rows ahead of them. "You haven't spent much time here lately."

"If it weren't for my testimony against some of their people, I'd say they wouldn't have paid much attention to me, either. Mrs. Parker and Mr. Eastman are the well-known ones, and Miss West... well, let's just say she has a manner that draws eyes. It all allows me to keep to the shadows when it...

"I don't know that I would call it cheating. Although I do agree that a musician should strive for the very greatest excellence they can achieve without magic. After that, a bit of magic here and there and enhance an experience is no harm. But music has it's own magic; we have to be careful not...

"I do love an opera. I haven't seen one in years. And cello is such a gorgeous instrument. I've always preferred the lower-toned instruments; cello, french horn, bass. I'm curious to hear the cello pieces."

"Considering what your profession has been, that was probably a good thing. You know, I've studied the lives of Kings and Queens and noblemen, but I suppose I still can't really imagine what it's like. I'm sorry if I've been asking questions as if you were a case study," she chuckled. "My own...

Abby dropped her voice now, not feeling the need to be overheard by the current aristocracy of Paris. "Your Scottish pride does seem to have done the trick. Are you usually much noticed in Paris? Would the local gossip columns be happy to have an item about you in them?"

"Well, we won't have to worry about being crowded," Abby said as they settled in. She took a look around the crowd. One of the reasons Cal had wanted to come tonight was to be seen supporting the arts in Paris, and she was curious as to how noticed he actually was here in Paris.

"It was made for an event that would hold those numbers of people," she said, not bothering to suppress her accent anymore. "But it would have been wise of the architects and engineers to design the building so it could be modified after the fair to contain several smaller theaters that would...