Hidebound Hump Day — Cornelis Drebbel 14

Posted on by Teagan Riordain Geneviene

Wednesday, October 24, 2018 

Heartfelt thanks to everyone who got on the party bus for the launch of Atonement in Bloom!  I can’t tell you how much I appreciate everyone who hosted the launch post, reblogged, allowed me to use images, and otherwise helped me promote my new novel.  If you missed the launch, don’t worry.  The double-decker bus is still rolling!  Just click the back arrow at the bottom of this post.  Beep-beep yeah!

mauve Dolly Baird of Bunbarton 1906
Mrs Howard Johnston – Dolly Baird of Bunbarton, by Boldini 1906

Welcome back to the spontaneously written, serial, Copper, the Alchemist, and the Woman in Trousers.  Maybe you’ve heard me mention that I seem to have a physical need for color.  I used to wear black occasionally — it’s a color.  However, I’ve seen so very, very much of where I’ve lived this past decade, that I mostly avoid it now. If I wear all neutrals, light or dark… well, I just don’t feel very good. 

The Victorians had a particular fondness for a certain color.  It is one of the random things I was given to drive this chapter.

Previously with Copper, the Alchemist, and the Woman in Trousers

Chapter 13. The handsome innkeeper, Ignatius Belle unexpectedly showed up at the remote location where our heroes were hiding.  When he brought up the topic of Calvin Hixon’s inventions, Felicity tried to deflect the subject.  She suddenly felt cautious.  Not distrustful of Ignatius, mind you, just cautious.

However, Ignatius wasn’t ready to be diverted.  “I hear he was always designing amazing machines.  Word was that Alexander Graham Bell once contacted him about his design for a hydrofoil,” Ignatius said.

Cornelis made an impressed face.  The alchemist wasn’t a bad actor.  Felicity knew he was pretending to be impressed.  As soon as Cornelis had appeared at the estate, he had learned about Hixon’s hydrofoil and the letter from the famous Alexander Graham Bell.

All aboard!

Copper, the Alchemist, and the Woman in Trousers

14 — Bicycle, Mauveine, Shepherd’s Pie

Girl on bicycle, advertisement circa 1897

The silly straightlaced standards of our society baffled me.  Something that was perfectly ordinary for a man was quite out of the question for a woman.  Whether I wore a cumbersome skirt with a ridiculous bustle, or my preferred trousers shouldn’t make a bit of difference to anyone.  Neither should anything about how I led my life.

Everything was always so caught up in hidebound propriety, and really had nothing to do with me. 

Honestly, I thought.  People and their moralities. 

The fact that people judged me for traveling with Cornelis Drebbel astounded me.  They always assumed impropriety when there was none.  That’s why I had taken to keeping the Dutchman’s presence a secret for the most part.  That was fine with the alchemist.  He wasn’t exactly a people person.

The alchemist and I were not a pair, not romantically involved. 

My, I thought, a romance with Cornelis after the accident of alchemy that put him in that strange state.  That would be tricky to say the least. 

I blushed when I caught myself pondering the whats and hows of it.

Basil Gill
Basil Gill (1877-1955) as Ignatius Belle

“It’s unseemly for a woman to go traipsing across the countryside with a man!” Ignatius said heatedly.

The argument seemed to have escalated while I considered the implications of a physical relationship with someone in the uniquely nonphysical condition of the Dutchman.

That last remark offended Cornelis Drebbel, if his bulging eyes and the throbbing vein in his forehead were any indication.  I realized I had best step into the fray.

“Mina, if you’ll not allow me to take you and Copper back into town, then at least come downriver with me.  I have business to attend anyway, so I may as well take care of it straight away,” Ignatius said, addressing me by the alias I had provided.

I didn’t feel like a Mina.  Whatever had possessed me to come up with that name?

Ignatius took me by surprise and I blurted out what I was thinking.  Cornelis was right that sometimes I had no manners in that regard.  However, I’d never let the alchemist know I agreed. 

“Business?  What sort of business?” I asked; all curiosity and no tact.

The tall innkeeper smiled disarmingly, as if I had been perfectly polite.  Maybe he saw my curiosity as acceptance.

“It’s just a small business transaction.  I sometimes buy items and resell them.  I’ve bought some aniline purple.  Are you familiar with it?  The synthetic organic chemical dye?” he asked.

“Oh, do you mean mauveine?  I simply adore the color,” I said with what I hoped was just enough enthusiasm to make up for anything he may have perceived as rudeness.

Mauve Queen Marie Henriette
Queen Marie Henriette of Austria

“Precisely.  The dye will fetch a good price.  The color is quite popular.  Perhaps a hundred years from now, people will think of mauve as the color of our era,” Ignatius said with just a touch of whimsy.

Cornelis rolled his eyes and sarcastically muttered something about “marvelous mauve.”

“Assuming you mean to hire a coach at the next town, I can take you there.  It won’t put me out of my way, as I had planned to go there to pick up the dye anyway.  Or I can take you back home.  Really, it’s the only reasonable course of action.  What will people think of you wandering the countryside with your… associate,” Ignatius said, echoing the words I used when I introduced Cornelis Drebbel.

“Why, the same sort of thing they’d say if she paraded down the river on a paddle boat with an innkeeper,” Cornelis said drolly.

A fire sparked in Ignatius’ eyes at that comment and I feared the two would argue again.  The next time they quarreled, I was sure it would come to blows.

“Mina, you can’t mean to tell me that you would rather walk to the next town!” Ignatius exclaimed, but then he shook his head and grinned.  “Surely you are not afraid of the steamboat.  You don’t seem like a woman who would be intimidated by technology,” he said.  His voice and facial expression became softer.  “Oh Mina, I promise you it is perfectly safe,” he said encouragingly.

I glanced at Cornelis Drebbel.  An aura started to shimmer greenly around him.  It wouldn’t do to let the dashing innkeeper see that.  Quickly I moved so that Ignatius would have his back to the alchemist.  I was astonished that Cornelis would use one of his tricks in front of anyone.  However, that aura meant that he was up to something.

Pigeons pulling a slipper coach. Victorian trade card, circa 1881

An instant later a pigeon fluttered down, alighting on a bush next to the Dutchman.  A closer look told me that it was not just a pigeon, but a messenger pigeon.  Cornelis hummed a happy sounding tune as he removed a note from the tiny container on the bird’s back.  The alchemist looked inordinately pleased with himself.

“Ah good,” Cornelis said jovially, so I knew he was fabricating something.  “They are on their way.”

“Who?” Ignatius quickly demanded.  “Who would be coming to this Godforsaken place?”

It was fortunate that the innkeeper spoke abruptly, because that prevented me asking the same question.  I would have spoiled whatever story Cornelis had in mind.

“If you must know,” Cornelis began acerbically.  “We were not, how did you put it?  Wandering the country side.  With that strange unrest at the Hixon estate, it was a good time for a holiday.  So, we were going to some old friends of my family.  Then, as Mina mentioned, our horses were stolen when we stopped here.”

“And how…” Ignatius started but hesitated, looking at the pigeon.  “Do you mean to say you used a pigeon post to communicate to these people?”

“Why of course.  I’d never go anywhere without some of my birds,” Cornelis said affably and stroked the pigeon’s head.

Cornelis even cooed to the pigeon.  I thought that was laying it on a bit thick.

Terrence Mann as Cornelis 2
Terrence Mann as Cornelis

The tall innkeeper’s eyes narrowed as he looked down at Cornelis and the bird.  I wondered what Ignatius was thinking.  Back at the Hixon estate when I first introduced the two men, Ignatius seemed to think the name Cornelis Drebbel was familiar.  Even though he didn’t pursue the issue, it gave me pause.  It was possible that he knew of the Dutchman’s acclaim as a long ago inventor, but it was unthinkable that Ignatius could deduce anything about his unique situation.

That paddle steamer proved the innkeeper’s interest in technology and tinkering.  However, something Ignatius said when he first arrived nagged at me.  Ignatius Belle had mentioned Calvin Hixon’s inventions. 

I told myself that shouldn’t bother me.  The entire town thought of Hixon as an eccentric.  The inventions were surely common knowledge.  Perhaps Ignatius simply admired the brilliance that Copper’s father evidently possessed.

The innkeeper looked charmingly perplexed as he studied Cornelis.  I couldn’t help smiling.  The Dutchman noticed my expression and rolled his eyes heavenward. 

“Do try and control yourself,” he murmured using one of his tricks, so that only I could hear.

Ignatius Belle inclined his shoulders to speak to Copper.  She drew back and based on the look on his face, he was genuinely hurt by her negative reactions to him.  I felt a little sorry for him.  He had been very kind.

“Have you ever been on a paddle steamer?” he asked Copper, meaning the boat that unexpectedly brought him to us.  “We could do some fishing from it.  Maybe catch something for our dinner?” he asked her, though Copper’s brows knitted in a skeptical expression.

“I have my bicycle onboard,” the innkeeper continued undaunted.  “There’s enough room to ride it a little on deck.  I could teach you,” he offered. 

I was taken aback by the way he suddenly seemed to want to entice the girl onto his boat.  However, Ignatius had been consistently generous.  He thought I was Copper’s aunt.  If he was interested in me, then it was only natural that he would want to win over my “niece.”

Copper looked intrigued about the prospect of learning to ride a bicycle.  Cornelis noticed the minute change in her expression and took half a step, inserting himself partly in front of the girl.

“Neither fish nor fishing will be necessary,” Cornelis said.  “Unfortunately we’ve little time for bicycle riding on boats.  We were just about to eat.  Won’t you join us?” the Dutchman boldly invited the innkeeper.  “I’m sure there’s more than enough.”

What was Cornelis thinking by inviting Ignatius for a meal?  Thanks to his alchemically affected sneezes we had not gone hungry, but did he really mean to offer leftover pancakes and short ribs?

Cornelis waved toward a shade tree.  Beneath the tree a blanket was spread and at its center was a large picnic basket.

“Umm!  What’s that smell?” Copper asked.

“That, my dear, would be shepherd’s pie,” the alchemist said with a genuine smile for the girl.  “Would you like to unpack the basket so that we can eat?  Perhaps our… our guest will help you.”

The suggestion was enough for Copper.  It seemed like the child was always hungry.  To my surprise, she grabbed Ignatius’ hand and half dragged him over to the tree.  Cornelis may have accidentally smoothed Copper’s unaccountable distrust of the innkeeper.  The same thought occurred to the Dutchman if the pursed twist of his lips was any indication.

“I didn’t think your tricks included the ability to make real food,” I whispered.  “I thought you only did things like that accidentally.  You know, like when you sneezed and pancakes appeared.”

“That’s quite true.  Conjuring edible food is not a skill I’ve mastered,” he said.  “Despite two centuries of attempts,” he added in a very droll tone.  “I have to—  Think of it as reaching in and take something.  I have to take something that already exists.”

“So you stole the pie?” I asked.  “Cornelis Drebbel, I’m shocked.  Did you steal some family’s dinner?”

“No, nothing of the kind,” Cornelis defended himself.  “It wasn’t a poor family.  They had a huge feast laid out.  And I didn’t simply take it,” he added with a pout.

“Oh?” I asked, eyebrows raised.

“No. I did not.  In return for the shepherd’s pie I left them a very fine laying goose, and the makings for all the frog’s legs they could possibly eat,” Cornelis said, lifting his chin.

***

To be continued…

***

Real World Notes

Mauveine.  William Henry Perkin discovered the first synthetic dye when he was only 18 years old. The color was known as aniline purple, Perkin’s mauve, or mauveine.  It is also among the first dyes to have been mass-produced.  Young Perkin was actually trying to synthesize quinine when he made the colorful discovery.  He patented it and opened a dyeworks mass-producing it.

Pigeon post is the use of homing pigeons to carry messages.  Pigeons were effective as messengers due to their natural homing abilities.

Even though Copper and the Alchemist distrust him, the Woman in Trousers certainly seems to like the dashing innkeeper.  Ignatius seems to know an awful lot about the Hixon situation.  That bothers me.  Stay tuned.

Copper, the Alchemist, and the Woman in Trousers will be back again next week for Hidebound Hump Day.  Right now, I think I’ll take a break on Saturday.  

I’ll be looking for you at the station.  

Hugs! 

***

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This is a work of fiction.  Characters, names, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, locales, or events is entirely coincidental.

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65 thoughts on “Hidebound Hump Day — Cornelis Drebbel 14”

  1. Pingback: Hidebound Hump Day — Cornelis Drebbel 15 | Smorgasbord Blog Magazine
  3. Pingback: Hidebound Hump Day — Cornelis Drebbel 15 | Teagan's Books

  4. Such a lot going on in this episode despite the lack of our heroes moving very much (other than to that shepherd’s pie). And now we know what happened to all those frogs and the geese, Teagan.
    I’m so hoping that there is no fist fighting over ‘Mina.’ I think Cornelis has an advantage, though, given that he can conduct magic spells.
    Hugs to you.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Hi Hugh. It’s lovely to see you. Thanks for leaving this feedback.
      I think fist fights are beneath Cornelis. Ignatius, might be a bit of a hot head if pressed… Anyhow, they are soon to be on the move, and Felicity will have other things on her mind. 😉 Have a sublime Sunday, my friend. Mega hugs right back!

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  5. Ohhh – don’t you wish you had the ability to ‘reach in’ and trade something you don’t want for something you do?!! The possibilities! Cornelis is quickly becoming my new favourite character 😉

    Sooo – what’s up with Ignatius anyway? First, he was simply searching for Felicity and Copper to make sure they were ok and now he was on an errand to pick up some dye? I will be disappointed if he turns out to be a bad guy.

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  7. Pingback: What If I Take a Break… | Teagan's Books

  9. “I blushed when I caught myself pondering the whats and hows of it.” <- I love that line.

    I enjoy the back and forth between Cornelius and Mr Belle. I think the Alchemist has enough up his sleeve to keep Ignatius at bay.

    I'm late catching up (again).

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Hi Dan. It’s always great to see you — and there’s no such thing as late here. So much of my writing time has gone to my real job lately that… well, as you can see, I’m late for my own self. 😉
      Thanks for the feedback on Cornelis/Ignatius. That helps.
      And about Felicity’s line too. I hoped it was “just enough.” This isn’t the blog or the genre for too much pondering about how one would have a “relationship” with someone who was not 100% attached to a physical body. o_O LOL.
      I’ve been trying to drop little reminders about how straightlaced the Victorians were. LOL, but it seems that the only thing I’ve accomplished is alienating Ignatius from everyone.
      Have a fabulous Friday. Hugs!

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  10. I can see these characters so vividly. I didn’t know the Victorians linked mauve to royalty and power. This is good to know should I ever need to buy a Victorian gown. 🙂 The gift of your approach to ‘pantser’ writing is that you you find a way to make the random element essential to the story.

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    1. Hahahaha! Too funny about the restroom, Mary. LOL. If something blossoms between Ignatius and the Woman in Trousers, he’s going to have his hidebound hands full, because Felicity is definitely a woman ahead of her time.
      Thanks for visiting. Hugs!

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    1. LOL. I’m delighted you enjoyed this chapter, Robbie. I had fun imagining that part too. I don’t dwell on the “technicalities” of alchemy, since this is a freewheeling romp of a fantasy. However, when I needed Cornelis to magically produce dinner, I got hung up on alchemy’s need for equivalent exchange. That little hillside didn’t offer up much that the alchemist could “trade” for the shepherd’s pie. Of course, I was overlooking the obvious — frogs and goose!

      I’m beginning to feel sorry for Ignatius. As for Felicity, there’s no accounting for taste. Only time will tell who is right about Ignatius. What do we trust? The innocent child’s reaction? The opinion of a brilliant alchemist, who just might be a little jealous? The “woman’s intuition” of Felicity, who might well be beguiled by his handsome face and fine tall figure?
      That question will be put on hold for a while. We’re about to go somewhere else soon. 😉 Hugs on the wing!

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  18. Pingback: Smorgasbord Blogger Daily – October 24th 2018 – Sue Vincent with Robbie Cheadle, Teagan Geneviene and Hannah Sandoval | Smorgasbord Blog Magazine

    1. Hi Adele. I’m so glad you could visit. We’re about to change locations. So we shall see whether absence makes Felicity’s heart grow fonder where the innkeeper is concerned… or if she forgets about him. Thanks for being on this train! Mega hugs.

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  20. I agree. I don’t think “Mina” fits her at all. 🙂 And the innkeeper surely has an ulterior motive. I want to punch her in the ribs and tell her to pay attention. Great episode and I’m impressed by Cornelis Drebil’s abilities more and more as we go. A fine laying good and frog legs cracked me up! Love the mauveine color! I can’t wait to see what’s next!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Ha! It’s great to see you, Jan. I must have done something right to get that strong reaction. 😀
      LOL, I’m beginning to feel sorry for Ignatius. Only time will tell who is right about him. What do we trust? The innocent child’s reaction? The opinion of a brilliant alchemist, who just might be a little jealous? The “woman’s intuition” of Felicity, who might well be beguiled by his handsome face and fine tall figure?
      That question will be put on hold for a while. We’re about to go somewhere else soon. 😉 Thanks so much for visiting. Great big hug!

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    1. Aah, but remember, Sue… The product of those sneezes are really the equivalent of magic boogers (maybe they’re called boogies there?). So plentiful, but not so appetizing if you think about it. Aw, heck… I’d still serve it up as dinner. They’d never know. o_O
      Thanks so much for visiting. Mega hugs!

      Liked by 1 person

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    1. It’s great to see you Christoph. I had no idea about the names! Now that’s interesting.
      There’s usually a method to my madness with names, and with some stories, I research them exhaustively. For this one, I gave myself a prohibition on that kind of name research. But I added the challenge of going alphabetically. I was using “B” names for secondary characters when Ignatius Belle came along. Although I don’t remember now why I chose Ignatius or Mina. Thanks for visiting. Huge hugs right back!

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  25. Thanks for this fabulous episode…and of course I love anything that has to do with colour….really appreciate the real world facts about William Henry Perkin’s colour purple…. Cornelius is such an interesting character. I hope this finds you and the beautiful Crystal well and creating every minute of the day. Sending hummingbird hugs. Janet x

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Hi Janet. I know you share my fondness for color. I enjoy imagining the story of how mauviene came about. It makes me smile that you think Cornelis is interesting. He’s one of my favorite characters (and I have many).
      Crystal was doing well when I left this morning. Thanks for asking. The blood-work from her check up came back yesterday. LOL, the doctor said she has “young blood.” 🐱 Great big hug right back!

      Liked by 1 person

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  26. Pingback: Hidebound Hump Day — Cornelis Drebbel 14 – by Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene… | Chris The Story Reading Ape's Blog

  27. A great episode and yes, indeed, what’s Cornelis up to? I am reading a book (an ARC for a book, as it won’t be published until December) and a large part of the plot is about attempts at creating a blue color to use in porcelaine, and the length some people would go to secure such inventions. It is fascinating! Thanks, Teagan.

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    Reply

    1. Hi Olga. Yes, that does sound interesting. I’m always fascinated with anything to do with colors. I know that long ago many (natural) dyes were quite valuable… then at first it was the same for synthetics.
      Thanks for taking time to visit. Mega hugs!

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