Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Silver Moon" data-source="post: 3540929" data-attributes="member: 8530">Chapter One-sixty-four, “James Parker’s Mystery”, Thursday, June 15th, 3:00 P.M.As the carriage drives through Tarrytown, New York the passengers look at the various mansions along the Hudson River. "It's very beautiful here," Ruby comments. "I had forgotten how much I enjoy the colors of the trees and flowers. Mostly everything out west is just green. Or dirt color. Anyway, it's not like here. Did I tell you I have a house?" Nana says, "No, just the saloon. What is your house like?"Ruby replies, "The saloon is a dance hall and also now a hotel. Or should be open as a hotel as far as I know. My house... well, it's white. And two stories. I really only bought it to keep the saloon safer by me not staying there." And not get attacked by vampires, she thinks, But that's a story for another time.She describes the house, the rooms and the outside. "I've been decorating it, that's been fun. It's sort of exotic, bright, sexy colors, kind of how I imagine Arabia to be. It's coming out nice. Although I don't really want to do the upkeep part. I might have to hire someone to do that. I'm not good at stuff like that. Hey Jane, earlier you mentioned something about living at the Three Gods Meeting House... what was that about?"Jane smiles and replies, "I had a long telephone conversation with my beloved two days ago. One of the junior partners of the Meeting House had a family emergency. He needed to return to Atlanta and also had need for a large quantity of money so we bought out his share. We've agreed to pass that on to you, so you are now a junior partner in the establishment, which includes your own room on the partner's floor.""Really?" Ruby's mouth drops open. "I mean, really?" she says more excitedly. "REALLY?" She jumps out of her seat, over Richard and dives towards Jane but being in a carriage she is off balance and half falls into her lap. "Really Janie?" she says hugging the petite woman, "That is so generous and just... just... so...," Ruby can't finish her statement, her emotions overwhelming her. She just hugs her friend tighter. "Thank You Jane," she whispers into her ear. "Thank you."Jane returns the embrace and says, "Oh Ruby, no need get that excited. I want you in Tucson with me, and as you pointed out a few weeks back, Jake's partnership to the Meeting House isn't yours. So now you have your own." "It just means so much to me Janie, you have no idea." Ruby hugs her friend tightly again then squeezes in between Jane and Richard. "I'd like to be with you in Tucson too. Although Promise City is my home...,"Ruby decides this is not the time to continue with that conversation so she changes the subject slightly. "Jane, I want to take you up on your offer. You know, teach me how to hear the goddesses guidance. What would I have to do?" Jane says, "Yes, I have wanted to do that for quite some time. Aphrodite has already chosen you to follow her in some capacity and it is high time that you let her show guidance towards what is truly in your heart." Ruby nods and smiles widely. "When do we start?" Jane says, "We can start tonight after we get back to the house."They arrive at Bella's Restaurant, a medium-sized Italian place on one of the main Streets in town. James makes arrangements for the carriage to pick them up at the theater after the show. The group head inside where a table has been reserved for them. Ruby doesn't look this way or that, she doesn't try to take in every detail or mind what every person is doing. Part of her was used to Jake doing it. But a large part of her just didn't care to be constantly looking over her shoulder anymore.She glances around the restaurant quickly and practically gets giddy. "Gods! I haven't had Italian food in ages! It's one of the things missing from Promise City. There is one chef who makes Italian but he only works one night a week at one of the Hotels. This should be great." They are seated at a table set for five people. The waiter brings a wine list over to James who selects an appropriate bottle. The menus are brought over and are all in Italian. Nana does translation for the table.Ruby exclaims, "Nana, you never cease to amaze me! How many languages can you speak?" Nana replies, "That's hard to quantify, it would depend whether you count regional dialects as their own language or subclasses of another. I'm not the only multi-linguistic one here, your Richard probably knows a good half-dozen and James has had to learn several languages for his work as a researcher and historian." Ruby laughs, "Well, you'll be glad to know that you won't have any competition from me in the 'who is the smartest at this table' contest. I'll just have to settle for most charismatic. Although I am working on learning Spanish and French. Mostly because I know people who speak those languages."After they order their dinner Ruby says, "Why don't you entertain us with some of your adventures? We'd love to hear them." James and Nana recount the story of how they met, on an archeological expedition in Egypt when they were investigating the burial place of one of the pharaohs. Jane says that she doesn't have many tales to tell, having lived for almost all of her life in Kansas City, Missouri.Richard tells a tale of his serving with the Union Cavalry during the Civil War and how at Fredericksburg his company captured over 200 Confederate troops and six of their cannon. James says, "A noble soldier. But Richard, that wasn't your first military engagement was it? Didn't you also serve as an officer with the Norwegian Army during the capture of Bohuslan during the Glydenlove War?" Richard laughs and says, "James, for a historian you seem to have no grasp of dates. That obviously occurred long before I was ever born, why would you think I was involved with that engagement?"James replies, "Due to the painting by Claus Msinichen of the city's capture. If not you Richard than your double." Richard says, "Probably an ancestor. My grandfather chose Norway to flee to from Russia as we had relatives there." Richard then changes the conversation, asking Nana about her travels through Europe. "We all have our secrets, don't we?" Ruby puts her hand over Richard's and pats it in a reassuring way before helping to change the subject. "Why don't you tell us about the show we're going to see tonight?" James replies, "We're going to see Forgery’s Fairy, Gilbert and Sullivan's three-act comedy that premiered last year." Ruby exclaims "Oh? I was a fairy for the costume ball not too long ago! I admit I have a bit of an obsession with them. And we could all use a good laugh. The show sounds wonderful."The meal begins to wind down, with a dessert consisting of Italian-style ice cream being brought to the table. During dessert James tells the table about his current project, a history of the Whig political party that was active from 1832 to 1856 and elected two presidents, Zachary Taylor and William Henry Harrison, both of whom died in office. Harrison's Vice President John Tyler was also a Whig but split with the party after assuming the Office of the Presidency."That was SO delicious, I’m stuffed!" Ruby exclaims, leaning back in her chair. "James, it sounds like you do very important work. I don't have the mind for it at all. Where does this stuff go when you're finished?" James says, "Just to one of my publishers and then to whoever wishes to read about it. With that party gone a quarter-century now interest in them will be declining, so the sooner this comes to print the better. There have been books referenced on the British Whig Party but not much has been written about the American branch. So while there is still interest in several prominent Whigs, such as Daniel Webster, and Abraham Lincoln had been the head of the Illinois Whig Party until the Republican Party was founded."Ruby furrows her brows slightly but tries to hide her confusion. "So... you write books? I wasn't really sure what you did." James lets out a buoyant laugh at that "I write books! Priceless, Ruby my dear, you have an interesting way of looking at things. Actually I am a hunter, a hunter of antiquities. But the life style of a world explorer can get expensive so I often have to resort to such pedestrian ventures of authoring books.The subject of this book came about quite accidentally. I was attending an auction at the New York City Offices of Sotheby’s Auction House and took a slight interest in a crate full of correspondence from the estate sale of Percival Smoot, executive assistant to John Canfield Spencer. Spencer was a New York politician back in the 1830's and 40's, born upriver in Hudson. He served as an assemblyman and state senator up in Albany but didn't hit the national front until John Tyler fired his entire Whig Cabinet and sought replacements.Spencer served two years as Secretary of War followed by two years as Secretary of the Treasury. He was the only northerner on Tyler's cabinet and resigned near the end of Tyler's term in protest to the annexation of Texas. In my travels to China I had done some research on the First Opium War between Great Britain and China, which ended in 1843. So I thought that with Spencer being the United State's Secretary of War during those years there might be something of value about it in Smoot's Collection, possibly some correspondence to Spencer from Queen Victoria, so was willing to bid up to $ 100 for the crate, but thought it would go for much less.Much to my surprise there was another bidder, a man from Virginia who was very interested. We got into a bidding war and my emotions came into play, with my final bid being $ 650. He outbid me at $ 700 at which point my common sense got the better of me and I dropped out. As the auctioneer pounded the gavel letting the other the other man know he won a wave of emotion crossed the man's face that appeared to be great relief. He then sat back down in his seat and appeared to fall asleep, although in actually, he died, probably of heart failure.He had come alone to the auction and was not known by the Sotheby’s so since he hadn't paid yet the crate went to me as the second highest bidder. What followed was a two-year-long legal battle with the man's estate who wanted to take possession of it, the court holding it in the interim. I eventually won, getting the crate delivered to me just last week. During the intervening two years I conducted further research on my auction rival, finding that he was a high official in the Whig Party, which prompted me to dig further. As I've collected all of this information I figure I might as well put my efforts to work and publish it."Ruby says, "Now that sounds much more exciting than writing books! A hunter of antiquities... that sounds like a fabulous way to spend some time. "So... did you find something juicy in the crate? It must have been something good for the party to want to retrieve it and the man's estate to fight for it." James replies, "That's what I've been thinking too but I haven't found anything obvious yet. I haven't had the time to really read through all of the material though and Percy Smoot was very thorough, having kept records of everything during the thirty-two years that he was working for Spencer."You'll find something, I just know it. Perhaps it will be something that will make you famous! Or at least have a book so popular you can get back to what you love doing. Like adventuring in an Egyptian tomb. Sounds so exciting...," Ruby's eyes glaze over momentarily while she daydreams about exploring an ancient tomb with her handsome lover by her side, all the things they might find and fun they could have...James replies, "I'm sure I will, my rivals wouldn't be so persistent otherwise. Since I won the court case they've been even more so, their latest offer was $ 2,000 for the entire collection of documents. Of course, the more they push the more I want to hang on to them. It's now turned into a mystery." Ruby snaps out of her daydream and shakes her head. "Sorry! I tend to do that sometimes."She leans across the table, checks all directions to make sure no one is close enough to listen in then whispers, "Have you checked it for...," she says this word even quitter, "Magics... yet? Perhaps there is more to it than you even imagine." Nana shakes her head 'No' and mutters "Shh, we're in public. Even keeping your voice low is not safe." Ruby nods her head in understanding. "Sorry," she whispers back. In a louder voice she says, "Are we ready to go to the show?""Certainly" says James as he and Richard stand and help the ladies up. They exit the restaurant on South Broadway and head seventy-five feet north to the intersection where Broadway becomes North Broadway with Main Street to the left and Neperan Street to the right. Ruby can see the Theater Marquee just a short distance down Main Street at number 13.They reach the theater which is a large two-story building. Their tickets are on the ground floor, which is comprised of three sections each of which has fourteen rows. The sections to the left and right have up to nine seats per row which the center section running thirteen seats across each row each chair situated behind the space between the two seats in front of it so allow better viewing. James has tickets for seats 101 to 105, meaning the very front row in the center section beginning towards the left aisle and into the center. Ruby is given seat 105, one of the best seats in the house, with Jane in seat 104 beside her.Ruby leans across Jane to get closer to the end seats and squeezes Nana's hand. "These seats are AMAZING! You all are absolutely spoiling us, we may never want to leave! I'm so excited to see the show, I love the theater." She smiles widely at her grandmother and James before leaning back in her seat, taking in the environment and atmosphere and checking out the crowd. The curtain rises and the show begins. Ruby and her companions enjoy many laughs at the comedy, about a man who has a personal fairy who can go back in time and change events. Much hilarity and hijinks ensue.The intermission arrives and Ruby excuses herself to get some air. She makes her way outside to the street, along with a mob of other patrons. As she squeezes outside suddenly a man catches her eye. A feeling of dread comes over her and her heart starts pounding as the man stares back, his light blue eyes piercing her like they always did. It can’t be him, it just can’t, she thinks. In a blink of an eye Colin Turner was gone, slipping away. Instead of running away, she heads towards the man. She catches a glimpse here and there, and she follows him. She thinks she sees him slip around the corner and she follows quickly, pushing her way through the crowd to get there. Once around the corner she finds herself alone.She leans up against the wall and tries to calm herself down, her breathing heavy and erratic. She keeps a steady eye on the alleyway but no one else appears. Ruby gets herself together, smoothing her hair and dress and finally manages to calm down. She puts a smile back on her face and returns inside to the show. She had already decided she was going to let Colin Turner scare her any longer. She returns to her seat still smiling. “I can’t wait to find out what happens,” Ruby comments to Jane, “And how the story ends.”While this is going on the theater owner's are busy giving personal attention to the group of four people seated to Ruby's right, paying the most attention to the woman seated in seat 107, which is probably the best seat in the house. Ruby gives the woman a quick but through look over. She also tries to overhear their conversation to see if she can catch who the woman is. The woman is an older lady wearing conservative clothing. The theatre owner's wife congratulates the woman for her strong position on women's suffrage and says, "With strong voices on our side like yours Miss. Alcott it is only a matter of time until women get the right to vote."Ruby waits until the woman is left alone. She leans forward in her chair and speaks in the woman's direction. "Hello, Miss Alcott is it? I overheard you talking about the woman's right to vote. My name is Ruby West." She stretches out her hand to greet the woman. The woman nods and says, "A pleasure to meet you Miss. West. I am Louisa May Alcott and yes, I hope that women will one day be allowed the vote although I fear that I personally won't live to see that day."Ruby replies, "It might be sooner than you think. In the little town I live in out west women were given the right to vote. My best friend had a large part to do with that." Ah, you are from the Utah Territory" she states. Ruby answers, "Promise City, Arizona to be exact. I'm not into the whole politics thing really. But they are also fighting for the right of non humans too. It makes sense really. It won't be long before the rest of the country follows."Alcott replies, "You have a very optimistic outlook Miss West, I would hope it to be true. So, have you been enjoying the production thus far?" "Very much so, it's entertaining and funny. Although it could use a couple of songs," she laughs. "I guess I would say that, I'm a singer myself." Alcott says, "They have approached me about putting on a production of some of my works. I am thinking that 'A Modern Mephistopheles' might be adaptable to the stage, and perhaps 'Silver Pitchers, and Independence'. Neither are as well known as my March Family books so this could bring them to a wider audience."Ruby says, "I am embarrassed to say that I have not read them. I've been really busy as of late and not much time to read. But when I get back from my vacation the new me vows to start reading! What are they about? If you can give me the quick-before-the-show-comes-back-on version." She replies, "A Modern Mephistopheles is an Americanized version of Goethe's Faust legend. I focused upon the heroine, Gladys, as the embodiment of all feminine virtues. Silver Pitchers and Independence is a collection of short romances which could be combined into three separate acts of a production."On the subject of a production, the house lights are flashed indicating for people to return to their seats for the second act to begin. Ruby replies, "Well, they both sound very interesting. I think I'll pick them up and take a look. It was very nice meeting you Ms. Alcott." Ruby extends her hand to the woman. "I hope I haven't taken up too much of your time." "Not at all," she replies. People return to their seats and the curtains open for Act Two.Ruby leans back into her seat. She looks at Jane and whispers, "That woman is some famous author. She seemed nice. Louisa May Alcott is her name." Jane replies “Alcott! The one who wrote 'Little Women'? Oh Ruby, we've got to expand your literary knowledge, she's a giant in American literature." Ruby shrugs, "I didn't know. I'm really not that great of a reader to be honest. She seems nice enough though, maybe we can talk to her after the show if you want to meet her." Jane says, "There will be another intermission between the second and third acts, we can chat with her then."Ruby says, "Boy, I am really enjoying this show." Her previous encounter on the street already almost forgotten Ruby relaxes and enjoys the rest of the show. The house lights then lower and the curtain opens for the second act.</blockquote>

Verification