Moved

While blogs certainly have their place, they are not good for continuing stories. Since this made it difficult to read I have started a whole website with the continuing story of Cassie and her friends and foes.

I am also the author of daily essays that tell about some event that occurred on the particular date. After the informative essay, I add several quotes that enhance the text. These, too, are included in my new website.

Edward Arrives

George and Cassie were in the withdrawing room sitting on brocade chairs placed at angles to a cheerily burning fire. There were gas lights on the walls that added a burnished shine to the mahogany furniture. George's family title was backed by solid investments and he was a wealthy man. His house reflected this wealth in an understated way.

George was pleased to be sharing this quiet time with Cassandra. This was one of his favorite ways to spend evenings after she came under his employ. She was intelligent, witty, charming, and extremely pleasant to look at. She had a touch of the pioneer spirit that was so American and George found it both fascinating and alluring.

They heard a commotion out in the hall and surmised that Edward had arrived.

****
Frau was summoned to the door by the sound of a walking stick smacking smartly on the carved oaken door. He assumed his most ponderous demeanor, approached the door, and opened the massive expanse of wood to reveal a very tall man. His hair was nearly black, his eyes were glacier blue, and he sported a highly distinctive handlebar mustache.

Luckily, Frau was an expert negotiator and poker player. He maintained his calm and took the man's coat, hat, and stick. He then somberly intoned, "Please follow me." Edward was gazing about the hall and not really looking at an insignificant butler. The help was really beneath his dignity. Frau led Edward into the withdrawing room.

He opened the double doors to the room and announced, "Edward Cornwallis," and bowed the man into the room. George stood to greet his guest who grandly swept into the room. Cassie first got a glimpse of him and turned her head sharply back, shocked and trying not to gasp aloud.

George met Edward near the door and brought him over to his guest to introduce. "Miss Gould, may I present Edward Cornwallis." He then turned to his guest, "Edward, this is Cassandra Gould."

Cassie sat demurely waiting to see what this despicable man would do. But he seemed to not recognize her. Certainly her bruises were covered, her dress was different, but she looked the same no matter if she was Cassie or Cassandra. But he showed no sign of recognition. Cassie, however, had a choice to make here. Taking the high road, and not wishing to offend George, she behaved in a decorous manner and cooed, "So pleased to make your acquaintance."

Edward was struck by the beauty of the creature before him and simply said, "Likewise." He then turned to George and said, "I didn't know there would be three for dinner."

"I'm sorry. I just found Cassandra here at The Station earlier today and hoped that you wouldn't mind company for dinner," George explained without really sounding the least bit sorry. If he had to choose who to have dinner with, Cassandra would win out over Edward.

****
After dropping Edward Cornwallis off in the withdrawing room, Frau gently closed the door. He almost ran to the kitchen. "Sten, you are not going to believe this. Dinner is going to be far more exciting than we imagined."

"What are you talking about?" demanded Sten who was working on last minute preparations for the event to come. There were several courses and even with technology as a friend, there was a lot of work to do. She pushed past Frau who stood there grinning like an idiot.

"Do you know who Edward Cornwallis is?"

"Probably Edward …" before Sten could even finish, Frau was gleefully interrupting.

"High Lord Thorton," and he burst into laughter.

Dinner Date

The three left the table and moved to Cassie's backyard. Sitting peacefully in the sunshine, Cassie asked tentatively, "What are you doing for dinner tonight?" She smiled pleasantly at George.

George leapt to his feet, "Dear heavens, I was so taken with seeing you again that I've simply lost my senses. I've impulsively invited a friend to my house for dinner. I met this man at my club. Edward Cornwallis. He's had me to dinner at his place twice. It was my turn to reciprocate. And so I invited him. But …" he looked around wildly, "I don't have Cook or any servants left at the manor. I was coming into town to try to find … help maybe or perhaps … I don't know."

Sten and Cassie began to laugh the more distraught George became. They had both planned dinner parties and knew how much work it took even if you knew what you were doing.

"Can I help somehow?" asked Cassie. "We could pick up one of these kitchen machines for you and I can enter a menu and then maybe serve the meal for you."

"Cassandra, I couldn't ask you to do that. If you were going to be at the dinner, it would be solely as my honored guest. Please don't think I would expect you to cook and serve a meal." George knew this wasn't her problem.

"Nonsense." Sten had other plans. "This sounds like too much fun. Cassie will be your guest. Cooking isn't an issue with the technology we have. I will be the maid and help serve. I'm pretty sure Frau will find this an enjoyable way to spend an evening. He will be your butler and help with the serving, if needed." Sten pulled out her communicator, called Frau and got his permission for the entire plan.

"What we need now is to go back into town and get a kitchen appliance, take it to your Manor House, and get Cassie all dressed up for a nineteenth century dinner party." Sten loved giving orders to men. Turning to Cassie she asked, "Do you have the proper clothing at the Manor House or do we need to shop for a dress of some sort?"

Cassie looked to George to see if her gowns were still there. "Yes, the house is just as it was left to me at the end of the aborted story." George hadn't changed a thing, hoping that Cassandra would find him there if everything looked the same.

Everyone got back into Cassie's car and went back to town. They acquired what they needed, including some extra frills for Cassie's somewhat plain dresses. Then they headed for Bindlewaithe Manor and waited for Frau to meet them there.

The kitchen was updated with one very out-of-place kitchen appliance. The three sat down and worked out a menu. Including several courses but centered on a leg of mutton as the entrée. Sten used Mrs. Beeton's Book of Household Management, a copy of which was helpfully in the kitchen, to get recipes that were authentic and entered them into the appliance while George sat by mystified. She assured him that all would be well.

Frau arrived with several bottles of wine that were produced outside the time frame and highly unlikely to be in George's wine cellar. Everyone was in a festive mood.

George found appropriate clothing for Frau, the butler, and Sten, the maid. Sten and Cassie went upstairs to Cassie's apartment and selected her best dress. A few embellishments were added and then Sten helped her to get dressed. "I'm not wearing that corset. They are the most uncomfortable items of clothing ever produced," she avowed.

After getting her into the attractive gown, now adorned with extra ribbons and a touch of lace, the two women went to work on make-up to cover the bruising and some way to play with Cassie's long, red hair.

Cassie then returned the favor and helped Sten into the complicated clothing, again without a corset. Sten went down the sweeping staircase and rounded up her husband and George and called up to Cassie to make a grand entrance.

As she slowly descended the staircase, George gasped. She was a vision, delightful to gaze upon. The velvet emerald green gown with the wide hooped skirt perfectly set of Cassie's creamy skin. The red hair was in an upsweep with a few curling tendrils framing her face. She was breathtakingly beautiful. George was speechless.

They awaited the arrival of Edward.

Bindlewaithe Manor

Cassie hadn't yet learned all the nuances of her kitchen machine and so it took her several minutes to get luncheon ready. She sat her two guests in the library with drinks of their choice while she prepared the meal.

She went to a linen cupboard and found a delicately patterned ecru linen tablecloth and napkins. She looked for some candle holders and placed those on the table as well. She lit the lightly scented candles. She brought in a bouquet of fresh flowers and put the vase on the table as well.

She called her guests into luncheon and served the meal. As they dined, Sten asked, "So what is the long and boring story?"

"Sten, really, it's long and boring," said Cassie.

"It never was boring to me," said George.

"Cassandra's father was from the North. New Jersey, wasn't it?" Cassie nodded. "He opened a cotton mill in the South in the 1850s and all was going well. Then, as America geared up for war, things became more tense. He sent his only daughter to England so as to be out of reach of anyone thinking of using her as a pawn.

"My younger brother and his wife, Nigel and Priscilla, were his business partners here in England. They said they would help Cassandra here. She came over early in 1861. That turned out to be fortuitous, her father and his plant were both overrun shortly after the start of the war. Her father was killed." With this last comment, he looked tenderly at Cassandra.

Cassie was amazed at the depth of pain that hit her as he noted her father's death at the hands of the Rebels. It was all fiction. Surely it shouldn't hurt this much. But tears were stinging her eyes. "This is silly," she told herself. But the grief was real.

"She no longer had funding from America. She needed to be able to support herself and I needed a governess for my two daughters. I brought her to Bindlewaithe Manor. My daughters were enchanted by her. She seemed to be just as taken with my daughters. Things were going well, I thought. And then everything stopped."

"Are Hester and Gloria here?" asked Cassie.

"I've learned that children are rarely here. It seems there are some separate stops for various types of characters. There is one solely for children. And there is another one for successful characters, I'm told. Perhaps that is simply supposed to make us feel worse about our own situations." George was near to grumbling.

Cassie looked to Sten, "That's true? There are no children here? I've not seen any, but I thought it was just that … I don't know. There are no kids?"

Sten had to agree with the Earl. "No kids in this Station. There have been a few that came with adults, but they were quickly led to the portal for their own place. It wouldn't be good to have them here. It's not a good place for children." Sten was staring pointedly at Cassie's bruised face.

"Oh, I see. Sten, George's daughters were so delightful. I'm not sure that our Boss really knew much about children. The girls never misbehaved, did well with their studies, and seemed to melt into the background when George and I wanted some time for grown-ups." Cassie peeked at George to see him again begin to blush.

"Anyway, that is where our story stopped. At least as written by the Boss." Cassie looked at George with a half-smile and twinkling eyes lighting her face. George, now bright red, smiled back.

Earl of Bindlewaithe

Cassie looked down at her outfit – a white oxford, button-down collar shirt tucked into snugly fitting jeans. Her feet were encased in cloth tennis shoes – Keds. The bruises on her face were not very pleasant to look at, but she didn't think they were "scandalous" by any means. But Cassie knew what the Earl of Bindlewaithe meant. She was not dressed as Cassandra, but as Cassie.

"Milord, I would like you to meet a friend of mine, Stenilaw Mystol." Cassie noticed that Sten was properly dressed in a linen skirt and matching jacket in a restful plum color. Her silk blouse was silvery in color. She was wearing dark pumps. While her skirt was far too short for Victorian English tastes, at least it was a skirt. Sten was always dressed nicely as opposed to Cassie's normal outfit of jeans.

"Sten, this is the Earl of Bindlewaithe, George Prescott, IV. I became the governess to his two daughters after a long and boring story. We were poised to become lovers when the Delete key was again used." Cassie noticed that even mentioning the possibility of the latter role produced a crimson sheen to George's face.

Sten held out her hand to shake, a custom still used on New Earth. Gentlemen of Victorian England didn't shake hands with women and the Earl was somewhat slow in responding to the gesture. He did finally shake Sten's hand, again ill at ease. Cassie, as Cassandra, had only ever seen him totally in control. His discomfort slightly amused her. "Pleased to make your acquaintance, Lord Prescott. Please call me Sten," said Sten.

"Likewise," said the Earl of Bindlewaithe.

"George, the Boss used me in repeated stories, such as the one we were in together. But mostly I'm Cassie from the early 21st century. I'm dressed normally for that time period."

George was looking even more confused. "You have more than one name? You lived in more than one time? Your voice is the same. You look the same, except for the clothing."

"Pretty much, yes. Once she got the pattern down, it was easier to use me over and over as her 'heroine' but she never did do much with anything that I was involved with. She's not much of a saver."

"But you do remember me?" asked George.

Cassie beamed. "Of course, I remember you. How could I forget you? You are the nicest man she ever had me fall in love with. She really wasn't much of a romance writer, was she?"

George was now sporting more than a mere blush. He was from an era where piano legs were covered to avoid offense and ruffled sensibilities. This frank conversation was leaving him feeling out of his element. "Cassandra, could we please change the topic?"

Sten asked, "So what time period are you from? My husband and I come from New Earth in the early 24th century."

"The last I knew it was the spring of 1864 in England. I've only been here a short time and came into the town today mostly out of boredom. The manor house is empty of other souls. I was tired of being alone. I've come to town twice before. I like it here," said George. "I've met a few people since I got here, mostly in town."

"Most of the people I've met have been wonderful," said Cassie. "Except for Ralph. He was awful. He attacked me. I've noticed you staring at me and being too polite to ask. The bruises are from that attack. Some of my friends are trying to find Ralph and put him in jail."

"Someone attacked you? Cassandra, that is horrible. How can I help?"

"Right now we just need to locate him. Then perhaps we will figure out the rest. Would you care to come to my house for some lunch? Sten, can you eat with us?" Both agreed to go back to Cassie's house.

She walked them over to the Mercedes. Lord Prescott, never having seen an automobile, was hesitant to get in. Cassie drove carefully back to her house.

Escape From the Guards

Cassie found the men something to drink, as their tastes dictated. She also produced a variety of snacks. They sat outdoors and passed the time with small talk. Finally, Doston returned.

"I saw many houses that were large, many that were ornate. I did not seen many people outside and none were the man, Ralph. I'm sorry."

"If he wasn't outside, then you couldn't see him. It's not your fault. Can I get you something to eat or drink?" Cassie didn't want her friend to be disappointed. Or hungry. But she had no idea what she would feed Doston, should it ask for food.

"No, thanks. But I will head home and rest. I will search again tomorrow. Can you gentlemen tell me where you live, please?" said Doston.

Sam replied that he stayed at the hotel and the other two described their houses as they were seen from air. Doston took off, heading for its own home.

The humans sat in silence for a while. "We didn't ask Doston where to find it again. We don't have any idea where Doston lives. I don't even know if it’s a house or something else. Do you guys?" asked Cassie.

"Doston can find us easier than we can fit it. You always call Doston 'it' so I assume he's not a he or she's not a she, right?" said Sam.

"There are no hes or shes on Music, according to Doston. So I guess 'it' is all we have left," explained Cassie.

Everyone was getting a little restless when Kisho finally suggested that the men leave. He told Cassie to make sure that she was securely locked inside her house. Cassie, relieved, finally bid her guests (guardians?) goodbye. She safely locked all the doors and windows, made something delicious for dinner, and sat in the cozy corner she created and read a book until she nearly fell asleep in the chair. She climbed to the loft and slept peacefully. No nightmares during the night.

In the morning, feeling entirely refreshed and with bruises still in various colors on her face, she called Sten to see if she would like to go into the town and look around. Cassie picked Sten up and the two women went first to the courtyard. The fountain splashed playfully in the middle of a gorgeous park. There were several paths leading from the fountain into gardens or grassy areas. There were beautiful shade tress, some totally alien to Cassie.

The two women walked along the paths. "Hiro brought a Ninja friend of his over. His name is Kisho. And the detective who was chasing Ralph – that's the rapist – well, the cop is named Sam. Doston was over at my house pretending to just want company but I think it was guarding me. Anyway, Doston flew off searching for Ralph while Hiro, Kisho, and Sam guarded me. Doston never did see Ralph, but will search again for him." Cassie explained yesterday to Sten.

"I'm glad they are protecting me. I don't want Ralph near me. But I hate the feeling of being helpless and needing guards. Do you know what I mean?"

"I do. Men like to feel protective. It's very nice of them to help you."

"Doston isn't a man," retorted Cassie.

"So what do they intend to do now?" asked Sten, sidestepping the whole gender issue. "Are they still looking for Ralph?"

"Yes, but I wanted to get out of the house before they all sat there for an entire day again. I should call Hiro and tell him that I'm safe with you so he doesn't worry. Or come over to my house looking for me." She did give Hiro a call. Hiro made sure that she wouldn't be outside alone and then they hung up.

Walking along the path towards the two women was a tall, elegantly dressed man. He was dressed in an old-fashioned suit, elaborately tied neckwear, and with a top hat. He looked almost regal with his walking stick clicking on the pavement. As he neared them, his pleasant face turned into a scowl and then with a look of horrified surprise he said, "Cassandra, is that you? Why are you out in public dressed so scandalously?"

A Plan

"Doston," began Kisho, "could you spot a person from overhead? A specific person?"

"I believe so. My eyesight is very good. On Music, food is quite scarce in certain seasons. Without good vision, one could starve. I can see well. But I must admit that you humans look pretty much the same to me."

"Can you describe Ralph for us, Sam?" asked Kisho.

Sam turned to Doston. "He's six-feet-two-inches tall with light brown hair. The color isn't too much darker than your hair. Fur? Your coat. He has blue eyes and that scar across his forehead. But you've seen him, right?" said Sam, not sure if he was offending the creature or not. He sure didn't mean to offend anyone with talons like those.

"I remember what he looks like. I'm not sure I can tell the color of his eyes from the air, unless he is looking up." Doston was often overwhelmed by the simplicity of these humans.

"Right. But could you pick him out from the air?" asked Kisho. "We don't know where he lives and aren't even sure how to go about finding him. But if you could spot him from the air, it would be very helpful. Hiro and I should have no trouble containing him." This last was said with a touch of disapproval in his voice, but it was as Cassie wanted.

"Where will you take him once he is 'contained?' How will he be contained?" asked Doston.

Everyone turned to look at Hiro who said, "Sam, do you have access to a jail here? I've never seen a prison, but if there are cops here, they must work out of some place."

"Work? Who works? They all sit around drinking in the bar all day. The only people I've seen working here are the hookers." Sam didn't like the thought of working as a guard in a jail all day.

"I've met a negotiator who has worked and Hiro does his Samurai thing." Cassie wasn't sure that her writing in a journal counted as work, but she knew that people were doing something here. Weren't they? But there was no need for money, so maybe no one worked. "That man can't just be allowed to run around and attack people." This was said with conviction.

All agreed that Ralph needed to be stopped. There was a consensus among the men that murder was a capital offense. Doston wasn't commenting. Cassie was no longer sure what to do with Ralph. She wanted to feel safe when out walking around.

"Do you know if the Governor's daughter is here?" Doston asked.

Cassie gasped. She hadn't even thought of the poor girl. "What's her name?"

"Matilda. Ralph called her Tillie sometimes, but she prefers Matilda," Sam said. "I don't know if she is here or not."

"We really need to make sure that Ralph is not free to harm her. Or me. Or anyone else. He has to be stopped." Cassie looked around and started to hyperventilate. Her pulse was racing, her eyes were wide and fearful. She looked straight at Hiro, "He has to be stopped," she gasped out again.

"Doston, can you try to find him from the air and then let us know where he is? It would be best if we knew where he lived. He probably lives in a rather fancy house. Will you see if you can spot him?" asked Hiro.

Doston looked at Cassie, "I will do all I can to help you. You shouldn't have to be so afraid. You are not prey." Then, turning to Hiro, "Where will you be? I can go and search for him but I think someone should stay with Cassie. I can come back here and let you know what I find."

The three men said they would stay at Cassie's for a while. Doston took off in search of Ralph. "You got something besides iced tea to drink?" asked Sam.