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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Silver Moon" data-source="post: 7010525" data-attributes="member: 8530">Chapter 120,  "Paris at Night",  September 12, 1882, 11:45 PM. Abby adds, "And it's not as if Mr. Eastman and Miss West aren't there to smooth things over.  I would hope they could all at least understand that you would have needed to sleep before making another long flight.  Of course, Ruby didn't seem to have much sense of any need to hide anything from Queen Neferka.  By the time we get back she will probably have us in a passionate but tragic love affair on the scale of Romeo and Juliet," she laughed.  "But I depend on Mr. Eastman to keep her from saying anything she shouldn't."   He replies, "Hmmm.....Romeo and Juliet you say. Can I request a different ending?" Abby answers, "I'm the wrong girl for a Romeo and Juliet ending. I never did learn to swoon or moon over a man.  I'm afraid I'm not a proper southern belle after all," she said, letting her own natural accent come out.  "I'm afraid if a tragic ending came after us, we'd just kick it in the teeth in make up our own."   He says, "I concur, truth be told, I'm not exactly the right type for Romeo either.  Although my father certainly has lived up to his role in that production." She says, "I wouldn't want a Romeo anyway.  One moment he's in love with one woman, the next he's in love with a teenage girl for no reason other than he looked at her.  That's not romance, that's insanity.  Cal, I don't know your father.  One incident, even one that was aimed at me and hurt me tremendously, doesn't make someone.  But it sounds like there's history I don't know.  Why was I so offensive to him?  Don't worry, I won't take it personally.  He doesn't know me, so it can't be personal." Callum says, "It's not who you are, it's who you aren't.  His primary concern is increasing the family's standing.  He has always resented that it is his older brother who heads the family rather than him.  For that matter, he resents that the House of Stuart no longer rules Great Britain.  He has always had high hopes that his son would gain favorable standing with the Queen and then have opportunities to marry upward."   "And you don't share that view," she said. "And you getting released from Her Majesty's service thwarts his hope of you finding favor with the Queen.   And I suppose he has always tried to control what you do through threats in disinheritance.  But if he follows through, who does he have to pin his ambitions on then?"   Callum says, "I do have two younger sisters, who might eventually give him Grandchildren, but they would not bear the Stuart name."   "And the name's the thing. It seems there is nothing to know of him that you cannot learn just by knowing the name.  And that is sad, Cal.  To have never grown beyond your name.  Have you ever at least felt that he loved your immediate family, just because you were his children?  Just because your mother is his wife?" He says, "Love of children is a interesting concept among British nobility.  They usually tend to express that love by hiring the best nannies and tutors, and then by sending their children to the finest boarding schools and then universities.  Based upon that criteria, he has fulfilled those obligations."  She says, "We have all that in the south, too, if you're rich enough. I adored my governess, but she never told the place of my parents.  Well, I can feel free to dislike your father as much as I want now, as he sounds thoroughly unlikeable.  How did you turn out so different?"   He smiles and says, "Well, first of all, I haven't had any children.  Seriously though, how I live my life really has nothing to do with my parents, other than the Stuart heritage of maintaining Mary Stuart's vision.  So as it see it, I now have five possible choices left open to me, I can stay at the Land of Queen Mary, I can request an office job with Torchwood, I can ask Queen Neferka for a job as an Egyptian archaeologist, I can ask Mrs. Parker for a job as an American archaeologist, or I can walk the entire length of the Great Wall of China."   "Go with China," she deadpanned. "It would keep you busy for quite a while."  Abby waited a beat, then said to Callum, "You don't lack for options.  But right now you don't even know what tomorrow will bring and you still have a dirigible to fly back to Egypt.  I understand the urge to plan ahead, but this may be one of those times where the decision will just have to come when the time is right.  Or you could try flipping a coin.  Nothing like leaving it to chance to help you figure out what you really want."  He says, "The coin flip only works when there are two options to pick from, so I would have to narrow my list.  Yes, I can wait to finally decide.  We'll spend tomorrow here and head back on Friday.  I should make a decision by the time we get there if I am going to be asking either of those ladies for a job.  And then again, there's still the China option." Abby replies, "That sounds like a good idea to me.  If you don't mind my saying, I'd think twice before deciding to ask Queen Neferka for work.  I didn't spend much time with her, but there was something about her.  She will be a shrewd, intelligent ruler. Egypt is in excellent hands, I think.  But she seems remote.  And you know too, in every great ruler's story there are almost always some dark, ugly decisions.  Just seriously consider if you can match wits with her, or you may end up helping things happen that you don't like.I'll need to get my hands on some clothes, and I am having a bath tomorrow.  A long, soaking, hot bath. Cantrips can keep you clean, but there is nothing like a hot soak.  I'm sure I could borrow some more clothes.  But I'm in Paris.  Why would I not shop?"  Callum says, "Indeed, some of the best shops will be closed now but there should be more than enough open for us to find you something.  Let's made that quick detour over to the telegraph office and then we can go shopping."   Abby says, "Oh, I had thought of coming back into the city tomorrow to do that.  I had the impression you'd be busy for at least part of the day.  Your anticipated meeting," she said.  "But I certainly won't object to going now.  I'll really just need some night clothes and a day dress." He says, "Paris is an around-the-clock city from spring to autumn, we will find somewhere."  They head outside where their carriage is waiting in the adjacent lot.  He quickly transports them to the telegraph office, with them arriving just after midnight.  The place is surprisingly busy, with dozens of well dressed men sending and receiving telegrams from the clerks.  Callum listens for a few seconds and says, "Ah, that makes sense, these men work for French finance.  The San Francisco Stock Exchange just closed a few minutes ago."   She says, "Dealing in gold, I take it."  They soon find an available clerk and the telegram is sent to Glasgow. Callum turns to her and tells the driver to take them to the main shopping district.   She asks, "So what do you have planned after I pick up what I need? Or is it a very great secret?"   He says, "My secret is that I have no plans.  What would you like to do?"   She replies, "I really have no idea. Something with dancing and a show?  The place where Pepe and Maracita were going sounded wonderful, but I'm sure we'd want to let them have their own night.  They did mention the Moulin Rouge."   He says, "Okay, so we can either go there directly and you could do your shopping tomorrow when the carriage comes in to pick up Pepe and Maracita, or we can do your shopping now and then go to the Mouin Rouge."  She says, "I can do the shopping tomorrow, that was what I'd imagined anyway.  Especially if you have to send the carriage back in any case.  Let's go have fun."  Callum tells the driver "82 Boulevard de Clichy." He soon brings them to the foot of Montmarche Hill, the district of the city's young-at-heart. Abby spots the distinctive red windmill on its roof of the Moulin Rouge Cabaret as they near the building.  She asks, "Have you been here before?"  He says, "Oh yes, Pepe and Maracita brought me here the week that I became the Landholder.  I have been here a few times since then when my Father was in the city entertaining business associates.  It is a lively night spot." Abby answers, "That sounds like just what I need. This week has been... long.  And exhausting.  And terrifying.  To be here now seems almost unreal, and I'm going to enjoy every moment of it even if it turns out to be just a dream."  He says, "Tonight will be great, let loose and have fun.  Tomorrow will be even better, as we basically have no plans, other than both of us taking a day off before returning to Egypt." "I'm not sure which sounds better.  Now, be a gentleman and help a Lady down," Abby said with a smile. When the carriage came to a full stop Cal stepped down and offered her a hand.  Her ears were already filled with the music coming from inside.  The faint smell of tobacco smoke and liquor wafted from the door. This place, half a world away from New Orleans, suddenly felt like home.  She lifted her chin, took the offered hand and stepped out of the carriage. "Buy me a drink?" she grinned.  They make their way over to the bar and Callum order the drinks.  A long row of dancing girls are on stage dancing the can-can. Abby and Cal spent the next several hours inside the Moulin Rouge.  After the famous can-can, a singer took the stage and favored them with several gorgeous ballads and a few bawdy tunes.  Afterward, the music started up and the patrons started dancing.  It was the first night in a long time that Abby didn't feel the weight of any responsibility weighing her down.  She and Cal danced and laughed, and she even danced with a few other amiable gents who wanted nothing more than to spend a few minutes with a pretty lady.There was a difference between the Moulin Rouge and the clubs in New Orleans.  Back home, the clubs and the music in them were a celebration of life, a chance to be together and be alive.  Here, they felt like a celebration of the art, a place to see and be seen. It was both more and less.  Perhaps it was that the Moulin Rouge was a place one came for fantasy and escape, and the clubs back home where a place to come to knit the community together.  Both were delightful in their own ways. Things at the club begin to wind down and the happy couple exit at the hour of 3:00AM.  The carriage picks them up for the return ride to the Land of Queen Mary.   Once they were settled inside the carriage, Abby leaned back and released a sigh. "I think I may have had a bit too much champagne," she laughed lightly.  "Thank you. I needed that. What an amazing place, the show was wonderful."  "We both needed a night off," he replies. He says, "When we get back to the house a guest room will have been drawn up for you. Feel free to sleep in tomorrow as late as you would like."  She replies, "I was already going to do that.  I know I slept on the way up, but just like you it was days without sleep and with very little food.  I definitely need more rest."  She pulled her feet up under her and leaned against Cal. "I may start now."  She was quiet for a minute. "I'm glad we stumbled into each other, Cal."  "And I as well" he replies.  She quickly falls asleep. When they arrive back at the house he awakens her and helps her into the manor and up the staircase.  He wishes her goodnight and gives her a short but passionate kiss on the lips.  A maid who introduces herself as Evette then shows Abigail to her room.  The room is large, approximately fifteen-by-twenty-five feet in size.  The outer wall is stone with stained glass windows.  The inner walls are a thick dark oak.  The furnishings and wall decor are made of the finest materials and date from the time that Mary Stuart would have been the Queen of France. Evette turns down the bed, with has an elaborate quilt depicting the Stuart tartan.  Evette and draws Abby's attention to a pitcher of ice water that has been left on a bedside table along with crystal glasses.  She then shows Abby an almost hidden doorway in the wall that leads to a private bathroom with both hot and cold running water.  The tub and sink are porcelain with gold plating on the metal bases.  She asks if Abigail needs anything further."No. No, thank you, you're very kind."  The young lady curtsied and left the room, and Abby hoped that she had not been obliged to wait up for them to come home.  Any other day Abby would have poked around the room, looking at this and that.  But tonight she just picked up the nightdress that had been thoughtfully left for her and went into the bathroom.  The basics had been provided for her, and she took care of her bedtime routine quickly.  She slipped into the luxurious bed and pulled up the covers.  Any bed was luxurious, she had learned this over the years of sleeping wherever she could find a spot, but this one was especially so.  She barely had time to release a deep sigh before she was asleep again.When Abigail awakens the sun is shining through the fold where the draperies meet.  Looking across the room to a clock on the mantle above the fireplace she sees that it is now 10:30AM.  Abby stretched, the pulled the covers up a bit tighter.  For a moment, she hoped she might sleep a bit more, but the colored sunlight behind the draperies was enticing, and eventually she pushed back the covers and swung her feet to the floor.First order of business was a bath. Her own dress had been cleaned, and another had been left in the room that looked as if it would fit, and very well. She went into the pristine white bathroom.  Tiles lined the walls up to the height of her shoulder, where the same rich, dark wood as decorated the bedroom reached up to the high ceiling.  The accents were all deep green.  The towels, the mat on the floor, the delicate knotwork hand-painted on the tiles as a border around the room.  It was by far the richest room she'd ever had to herself.The water ran hot almost immediately, and Abby filled the tub, leaving just enough room to fit herself in without water spilling out.  As she sank in, she noticed for the first time several ugly bruises from the last few days, and a yellowish tinge to her arms at the shoulders where her arms had gotten pulled.  The hot water helped soak the aches and pains away, and when the water finally began to cool she pulled herself out and dressed in the lovely red dress that had been left for her.Back out in the main bedroom, she looked at the bell pull that would summon a servant to the room.  She didn't really need anything, but she also didn't really know where she was going in the house.  Finally she decided just to go out and see what she would find, which would hopefully be breakfast of some kind. Abby finds herself in the middle of a central corridor of the second floor interior.  The corridor is illuminated by magical light, is ten feet wide and that runs over twenty feet both left and right.  There is another door directly opposite the one she exited and two more pairs of doors opposite each other on the same falls fifteen feet both left and right.  The wall at both ends of the corridor to the right has a pair of doors on them while the wall at the corridor's end on the left has three doors on it.  She also sees to the right where the first floor staircase reaches the second floor. As certain as she was that she must be the last one sleeping, it still didn't seem very polite to stick her nose into what were certain to be private, family rooms.  Instead, she turned to the right and followed the staircase back down to the first floor.   As she arrives in the main foyer, a servant woman who is busy polishing the statue of Mary Stuart stops working and approaches. "Would Miss Marsters care for her morning meal?" the woman asks. "I would, if you would be so kind to direct me," Abby smiled, taming the New Orleans accent in her French.  She had been in many places before that had staff and servants, and she had never felt odd about it.  But here... Perhaps it was because she was the only guest, and probably an object of curiosity.  The best thing to do was behave as they expected her to, with an extra helping of kindness on top. Abigail is escorted over to the front door on the east wall which is opened to her.  Inside is an elaborate formal dining room that is indeed fit for a Queen.  The room is thirty-foot square with a pair of rectangular tables set out to form "T". White linen tablecloths cover both tables, but only three place settings are laid out, at the bottom section of the T along the north wall nearest a set of swinging double doors that presumably go to the kitchen.  The tables settings are at the far end and then also to the chairs immediately right and left of the end.  The servant holds one of the side chairs for Abby and then excuses herself, heading out the door they entered rather than the one to the kitchen area. It was uncomfortably quiet alone in the room.  It was stunning, with the bright sunlight streaming in through the windows and setting the dark wood paneling glowing.  Long, cream-colored draperies kept the dark panels from making the room feel somber, instead providing a balancing contrast for the light.  She could imagine the room in the evening, with the elaborate crystal chandelier hanging above the table brightly lit with candles, their flickering flames reflecting of the gleaming wood.What she couldn't imagine was a warm family meal.  The table in her parents home, whether it was just the three of them or Aunts, Uncles, and cousins helping to fill the room, there was always laughter, and usually a hand getting slapped somewhere.  Neti, the family cook, was often at the table with them; more often than she wasn't.  But perhaps the problem was what she knew of Cal's family, and not the room.  She sighed, then looked around to see if there happened to be a newspaper nearby, or perhaps a bell she was supposed to ring. Abigail does not have to wait long until somebody enters.  She recognizes the older man as Charles Beauclerk VI, but he is attired quite differently than when she first met him the previous day.  At that time he had on denim overalls and a plaid flannel shirt.  Today he is wearing full Scottish attire, with a pressed linen cream-colored shirt, a kilt of the Royal Stuart tartan with a matching tam-style hat, a wide belt with sporron and on the belt is an ancient single-shot solid metal pistol used in Charles Stuart's day, full knee socks with garters, high boots, and a bouquet of fresh flowers in his hand.  He moves forward and bows to Abigail and presents her with the flowers saying, "Welcome to our household."  "Oh, they're lovely, thank you!" she said, taking the bouquet, a mixture of stunning roses and wildflowers.  "But what's this all about? You do cut quite a dashing figure this morning, I must say."  He says, "Last night I did not know that we would be having guests, or I would have dressed accordingly.  Today I am well aware of that fact."  He seats himself on the side opposite her.  "I had only a light snack earlier, planning to join your and Callum for your morning meal.  He has been notified that you are down here and should be joining us momentarily." "Neither of you needed to wait on me, I know I must have slept quite late.  Although I am glad to have the company, and the flowers," she added, taking a deep breath of their sweet fragrance."  He replies, "Mr. Stuart was not waiting, I only now awakened him, per his request."  Abby asked Cal's cousin Charles, "What are your plans for the day, if I may be so bold?  I assume Cal will be busy with business, he's been away so long and leaving again so soon."   Charles replies, "Mr. Stuart gives me wide discretion in the daily operation of this estate, so I will probably only require an hour of his time to address open matters.  Following the meal either he or I can give you the full tour of this property.  You will be alone for a short time this afternoon, as Miss. Chester has called for a meeting of the senior managers, although between the music room and the library I am certain you will be able to find something to keep yourself occupied during that time." "I never had any trouble keeping myself busy in a library.  I had thought to go back into Paris and do a bit of shopping, but seeing that my need has been provided for," she indicated the red gown she was wearing, "that doesn't seem to be necessary.  And if there's a meeting, I suspect it may have already left to pick up Pepe and Maracita.  Charles says, "Oh, it won't be leaving for another forty-five minutes.  The carriage can go rather fast, about twice the speed that you are probably familiar with in the United States."Abby says, "I apologize, about the meeting I mean.  I think that's my fault. I think there are some concerns about how forthcoming Cal has been with me."   Charles smiles and says, "Don't blame yourself, it was inevitable.  You may have been the catalyst for this conversation, but some of what will be said is long overdue, and would have occurred eventually."  Abby was quiet for a moment. "When family is involved, a lot of things so unsaid too long.  Hopefully any hurt feelings won't linger too long after the air gets cleared.  It sounds like you have a few things you'll be glad to get off your chest, too." He says, "Oh yes, indeed.  Miss Chester feels a sense of entitlement.  Her grandfather and mother were both the landholders, and she was actually born here.  But she lacks the necessary skills and mindset to actually do any of the jobs she feels should be hers."   Abby replies, "It must be hard though, to see your Mother pass something on to a cousin instead of her daughter, even if it was the right decision for the land and the mission.  As I said, family." He replies, "Actually, her mother left when Miss Meagan was just a toddler, so wouldn't have passed it on to her.  Mr. Chester's work in Sterling required him to bring his family there.  A number of related Stuarts served short-term until Miss Baronese decided to take the job.  She was here for many decades.  Callum was right to invite Meagan back here, she never fit in well back in Scotland and was somewhat of an embarrassment to her Father after her Mother's passing.  He loved her but could not adjust to the impulsive magic use of a sorcerer, always fearing the wrath of the church would come down on the family.  And Meagan is a wonderful sorcerer and is generally well-liked.  Things would be a lot harder here without her.  It's really only myself, Callum, Pepe and Maracita who she constantly clashes with." Abby replies, "So she has a wonderful gift, and a strong one, but it cuts two ways. Her father feared it. It brought her here, but still holds her back because it isn't the wizard's gift.  Something she rightly esteems about herself also drags her down."  Abby shook her head. "It must be maddening. And it would undermine your sense of who you are and your strengths.  No wonder she fights so hard for what, to her, would be recognition of her talents."  He smiles and says, "Ah, so you understand. That's the hardest part, in so many ways she is correct, she should have either Callum's job, my job or Pepe's job.  But with her temper and closed-mindedness, that would not necessary be the best thing for the family.  Well, today we will at least have a spirited discussion on the subject."   Abby replies, "I don't envy you or Cal this morning. I'd guess I'm the most content person here this morning, with such delightful company and a beautiful bouquet. And absolutely no obligations."  "And a true ray of sunshine," states Callum as he enters the room. [We return to Zakazik with the next chapter then alternate chapters between Paris and Egypt after that.]</blockquote>

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