As Yeats drove them back to Alice and Emmeline's house, Jack and Aleister tried to salvage the situation;this hadn't turned out at all the way they'd hoped...Em was supposed to have been more trusting of them after seeing the specters in the field, not less. Aleister tried to reassure Emmeline of their instruments' veracity.'Miss Page, do forgive us our presuming upon your good will. In all honesty, we hoped that you would be more inclined to see things our way after, well, actually seeing what we saw, the way we saw it!'
Em said not a word and kept staring straight ahead.
Jack could see this was not going well. 'Miss Page, Emmeline...'
'--Miss Page.' Em countered.
'Ah, at last she's talking to us!' Jack was encouraged, poor lad, thought Aleister, who had given up and now sat back in the carriage, thinking only of the brandy decanter awaiting them at home now. What a night...
Jack pressed on:'I realize you do not know us well. But if Aleister was not a medical doctor, how could he possibly know of your Indian ancestor?' Aleister sat up, alert now that he believed Jack had put his big foot in his mouth in the worst possible way. 'Jack, maybe Miss Page isn't aware of...?'
'Oh, I am aware that I am in fact, part Cherokee!' Emmeline admitted. 'And, I feel that I benefit greatly by my native blood! Although my great grandmother
was never known to me, she is revered by all in my family. However, I need not tell you gentlemen that not all in Pankhurst are so open-minded. DAR I am not.'
'Miss Page!' Aleister and Jack fought for her attention. Jack won, for once,'I would, we would, never be so small-minded as to think that you were anything but proud of your heritage! Aleister and I can claim at least a drop of Indian blood as well. We're aware too, of the evil-mindedness of small town yahoos that can be racist. I assure you that Aleister and myself will keep this matter between us, only. Yeats you may trust as well.'
Emmeline still remained silent as they pulled up before Alice's gate. 'Emmeline...please,'Jack began, but just then the front door flew open and Alice rushed out to them. 'Emmeline, Jack! I don't know what just happened! But I am very glad you're back!'
'What is it? Alice, what's happened?'Emmeline asked as Jack helped her from the carriage and they, along with Aleister, approached the gate. Alice opened it and beckoned them inside. 'I was reading in bed, just about 10 minutes after you'd gone. Suddenly I noticed the sky grew dark and MacGregor began barking like mad! I looked out of the window and saw...well, I'm not sure what, exactly...'Alice looked inquiringly at the doctor.
Emmeline took Alice's hands in hers, 'Alice, this is Doctor Parsons, a friend of Jacks, and mine,'she added. 'Let's go inside and you can tell us all you know.'
Aleister instructed Yeats to spend awhile at the town tavern and come back to call for them later. Jack knew that Yeats would be otherwise occupied, as the three of them had an idea of what was now at Emmeline's doorstep.
Emmeline took Alice into the parlor and sat her on the sofa while Jack built up the fire. Aleister sat on the other side of the distraught Alice. 'Mrs. Stein, if I may? I'm a medical doctor and if I can be of any assistance please don't hesitate to ask.'
'Oh, I'm fine, myself, doctor,'Alice seemed more bewildered than anything else.
'I just had abit of a turn, is all. Em, could you fix some tea for me please? And
offer some to these gentlemen as well, dear.'
As Em headed to the kitchen, loud barks and scratchings came from the sitting room door. 'MacGregor is none too happy, shall I free him, then?' and opened the door to allow a rush of black fur on short legs to scurry into the room. MacGregor, a Scottie, rushed up to his mistress Alice and sniffed her skirts, to be sure that she was well and whole since his absence from her.
'Ah who's this then?'MacGregor allowed Aleister and Jack a pet or two,'I've always been fond of Scotty-dogs!'Aleister smiled.'Had one as a boy, old Toby...'
'Oh, this is my paladin and protector, so he is,'Alice scratched MacGregor's tufted head. 'You couldn't ask for a better burglar alarm.'
Emmeline returned with the tea and pouring a round for all, sat at Alice's side and handed her a cup. 'Now, dear. Just tell us your, impressions, I guess?'
Alice took a long sip of tea and sighed.'Well, it was the oddest thing, really!
It wasn't quite twilight yet, but everything went dark, almost as if the lamp went low just then, as well as a gathering dark outside. MacGregor here set up a row, and I looked out through the window...' she paused and set her cup down.
'Oh, Em...you know I'm the most practical of women and not at all prone to silly fancies...'
Emmeline looked at Jack. 'Alice, I assure you, you're not the only one who saw something odd tonight.'She noticed Jack breathe a sigh of relief as he took his cup of tea.'Go on, dear.'
'Alright then. Well, I could swear I saw what seemed to be a dark cloud, moving
by itself! Sortof floating along, independently! It stopped over the back yard and, and well, a kind of beam of light shot out of it to the ground!' Alice looked up defiantly. 'I'm not making things up!' she asserted with a firm set to her jaw. 'Well, MacGregor went wild! I don't know what that thing could do to him, so I rushed outside to get him from harm's way. When I got out back, the cloud or whatever it was, had gone. But it left, something.' Alice looked at them. 'Come see. Then maybe you'll believe me!'
Em looked at Jack and the doctor. 'Dear, we don't doubt you now! But yes, let us all look at once! I'll fetch the lantern!'
As Em took the lamp from the wall, Alice led them all out the back door, MacGregor at their heels. 'It was about...here! There, in the grass. Do you see it?' Emmeline held the light over the area indicated by Alice. 'It's like a mark of some sort, etched into the lawn.'
Alice snatched up MacGregor as Jack and Aleister bent down to study the markings more closely. 'Another circle, it looks like, Jack,'Parsons traced it around with his finger.'And, there in the middle...'
'A triangle.' Jack and Aleister stood and looked at each other. '...Aleister--'
'Ladies,'the doctor interrupted,'Indeed this is a strange sign and no mistake. But, my young partner and I have seen such things before. If I may suggest we
return to the fire, perhaps we can shed abit of light on Mrs. Stein's unfortunate
upset here tonight.Madame?'Parsons escorted Alice back into the house with Jack and Emmeline following close behind.
The friends arranged themselves about the parlor, Alice still seeming abit at sea, absently stroking MacGregor's head on her lap. 'My dear lady, are you certain you feel well enough? Would you prefer that Jack and I take ourselves off home,perhaps?' Parsons enquired, with a hand on her arm.
'No! No, Doctor, I'll be fine. I'm relieved you all are here, actually! It's been rather an odd night and no mistake. However. I believe I could use something a bit stronger than tea, Em, do you mind?' Alice waved Emmeline over to the crystal decanters on the sideboard sparkling with amber libations. 'Gentlemen, please do join us in a brandy, would you? I have a feeling it will help wash down
whatever explanation may be offered for such a, ah, singular phenomenon as what is now in my back yard!'
As Emmeline offered the brandys all round, Doctor Parsons spoke up,'I'm afraid your phenomenon is not all that singular, Mrs. Stein...'
Alice took a sip of her heartening potion.'It's 'Alice' please, doctor!'
'Alice!' Parsons smiled her way,'And I must insist that you call me Aleister! This brandy is a welcome respite, I must say. It has been rather an unusual past few weeks.'
Jack cleared his throat and gazed hard upon Parsons. 'Do we really wish to further discommode these lovely ladies with your tales just now, Doctor?'
'Jack,'Emmeline began,'I think that we, all of us now, are rather involved already! I also think that if you know more about what is happening here in our own back yard!--that you should come straight out with it forthwith! '
Jack sighed and handing the floor over to the doctor with a flourish of his arm, took a seat, brandy in hand, and glowered into his glass.
'You're quite right, Miss Page!'Aleister took a small sip and continued,'These ladies would seem to have attributes other than feminine beauty...'
'...thank you, Aleister!' Alice interjected, warming to the doctor as well as the brandy.
'You're welcome, Alice.'he continued,'And they seem not lacking in wit or daring, if I may say! Dear lady,'Aleister turned to Alice,'It was admirable of you to rush to the aid of your faithful companion! But, it could have been something not so benign as a simple mark left in your lawn! Do promise me that you will take more care in the future, should anything seem amiss and we are not nearby!'
'Ah,well, now. I'm quite used to being on my own,these years since Mr. Stein's passing.'Alice sat up straight.'But, outside you actually mentioned, 'another' circle, did you not?'
. . . . . . .
Ho, ho! What now Dear Reader? Not only has the troublesome tornado struck the Crowley estate but our Emmeline's back yard as well! What could this portend?
And not only has the enigmatic Jack Van Horn been seemingly bent upon captivating
Em, but now the dubious doctor appears to be hard at engratiating himself into Alice's good graces! - to what end, we wonder?
Be sure to pick up the next penny-dreadful installment of the Adventures of Emmeline Page - Revolutionary Librarian!
this chapter could use abit of brandy to wash it all down. (in the inimitable style of Elizabeth Peters I can't help but imitate her fondness for washing down
strange sphinx-like mysteries with a whiskey, in all but choice of beverage.)
I'd suggest some Pink Martini to go with - perhaps the 'Hey Eugene' cd.
(or as Caesar said when he walked into a bar: 'I'll have a martinus!'
the bartender answered, 'You mean, a martini?'
Caesar saith, 'Hey, if I wanted a double, I'd ask for it!'
Til next time, luv. Cheers!
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