Ta-dah! I’ve finally finished the technical aspects of book-izing the second of my blog serials.
About the Novel
Murder at the Bijou – Three Ingredients-I is the second of my “three things” style of blog serials. As with the first serial, The Three Things Serial, a Little 1920s Story, it was a spontaneously written (“pantser”) serial. Everything in it — characters, setting, plot, was driven by things left by readers of the blog, episode by episode. However, this time the things were “ingredients” since it is a culinary mystery!
Pip returns as narrator. She has new friends for this adventure, as she has been “sentenced” to live with her grandmother until she learns to become a passable cook. As you can imagine, that does not sit well with our flapper. (Yes, I still need to write a blurb…)
Book Launch?
My “real job” doesn’t allow me time for marketing or promotions. I limit that to this blog. So you don’t see much fanfare with my books. However, I want to ask…
Is anyone interested in hosting me for a book launch post?
If so, please leave a comment to let me know. I’ll write something to be posted at your blog. Any takers?
See you Friday, or whenever you can visit this weekend, for the next episode of the current serial, Thistledown – Midsummer Bedlam. Until then, hugs on the wing!
No part of this work may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights.
All images are either the property of the author or provided by free sources, unless stated otherwise.
The steam locomotive to the Victorian Era is almost at the platform to take you to Copper, the Alchemist, and the Woman in Trousers. Although, it’s chugging along rather slowly. One of the landslide of things that derailed the locomotive last weekend was the cold I had Saturday. Happily I managed to fight it off in a single day. Not so happily, the wretched thing sneaked up on me and grabbed me by the throat (not so figuratively either) Wednesday night as I prepared my “Thriving Thursday” post for LinkedIn. Dratted sneaky cold…
Like Uncle Joe the steam locomotive is moving kinda slow.
The three things for this chapter are from a talented writer you have seen featured here in the past. I can always count on Daniel (aka Randstein) at “Hyperion Sturm” to send marvelous things to drive the serial. Be sure to check out this talented writer’s amazing blog.
This chapter ties all the way back to Episode 3. Several elements of this new episode are rooted in the third installment of this serial. We’ll finally learn more about the dead man in the study! There was also the little matter of a signet ring that suggested the corpse was someone in Copper’s family. (You might want to skim Episode-3 for all the details.)
The locomotive has finally reached the platform. All aboard!
From Episode 3
First things first, I told myself as I turned my attention back to the dead body slumped over Calvin Hixon’s desk. I had expected to see a pool of blood, but the top of the desk was clean. The dead man’s left hand rested on the desktop. Something seemed wrong about the position of the hand. It had been moved.
Hadn’t Cornelis said he wore a signet ring? Without looking I could feel the cool metal of the ring the alchemist placed on my finger. “You’ll need this,” he’d said. My eyes went back to the naked hand of the dead man.
“You moved a ring from the finger of a cadaver and put it on my hand?” I exclaimed, but Cornelis was nowhere to be seen.
“Cornelis Drebble!”
*
From last time
We had a measuring device. It looked like a silver toothpick holder. It was shaped like a little gazebo with a domed roof supported by columns. Within was a crystal bird with wings outstretched. Tiny holes in the rounded roof held toothpicks. If the toothpicks started to turn lavender, it was a warning that we had been in the amethyst world too long. If all the toothpicks turned purple we were in serious danger of being unable to return home. Should the bird turn purple, it would be too late.
I quickly took the detector out of the Dutchman’s bag so I could examine it. The toothpicks were lavender.
29. Cornbread, Champagne Glasses, Astrolabe
The amethyst ape looked to the direction in which his violet complected chimpanzee housekeeper had ridden away on an aubergine coated horse. Viola went back to his grand house to make sure the doppelgängers of Copper and myself did not come any closer. Their proximity had made us quite ill, but Cornelis alchemically altered some green Chartreuse, which set us back to rights. I wondered if the ape versions had also felt ill.
Cal Hicks shook his head regretfully. “Poor Viola,” the ape murmured, causing me to ask what he meant.
“She showed you the locket containing a bit of her dead son’s hair,” he said as a reminder, so I nodded. “He was lost in the battle with the one-eyed-one-horned flying-purple-people-eater; the dragon. Though I cannot reconcile that in my mind with the tiny Purple Fairy, Aubrieta. Whatever changed her form to the dragon must have also held uncontrollable sway over her personality as well. We should feel pity for her, not resentment,” Cal added as if to himself, then cleared his throat.
“Forgive me, I digress. Viola’s son was not in the chapel with the apes that disappeared that day,” Cal said, going back to his point. “Nor was he among those returned by Aubrieta’s magic. Viola said she felt his death a short time after the chapel apes disappeared. I hoped she was wrong, but she must have been correct,” Cal told me.
“More’s the pity,” the amethyst ape commented, again shaking his head. “Viola’s son was a scoundrel, though I liked to believe he had a good heart. He never got the chance to correct the path on which he’d put himself. He never reached his potential,” Cal spoke sadly.
Cornelis Drebbel got that look on his face. Though his skull was safely ensconced my hatbox, I knew the expression on his face meant the gears in his mind were turning. Abruptly he held an ancient looking leather portfolio. That was where he kept his drawings. He opened the folio and handed two sketches to Cal Hicks. One drawing was of a chimpanzee and the other of a man.
First I recognized the man in the drawing as the person we found in the study at the Hixon estate. The man had been dead when we arrived. The rogue chimpanzees carried away his corpse. The second thing I noticed was a strong resemblance in the drawings of the dead man and the chimp.
“Is this, by any chance, Viola’s son?” the alchemist asked Cal Hicks of the sketch of the chimpanzee.
Cal gasped. “Why yes! As always, Lord of Alchemy, your talents astound me,” Cal replied. “Do you have news of him?”
“We found his doppelgänger dead, but that’s as much as I can say,” Cornelis told him.
The Carson Mansion, Eureka, California
A few of the returned apes moved uneasily, but they were reluctant to leave. They stayed nearby, hiding their nakedness as best they could. Their coloring had fully reverted to various shades of purple, as was natural for them. Cal Hicks stepped into the laboratory and quickly returned with several pairs of coveralls for them.
Hicks invited them to go to his house for a hot meal. However they refused, saying they couldn’t take advantage of his hospitality. They watched Cornelis Drebbel closely, almost as if mesmerized.
“At least have some bread and wine then,” Cal Hicks told them.
The amethyst ape uncovered a basket containing all manner of loaves, muffins, and cornbread. Hicks insisted that the returned simians at least eat some bread. He told them that being translocated had surely depleted their reserves. Since Hicks wouldn’t take no for an answer, they drank and ate a little, but they looked much more interested in Cornelis and the two fairies.
Aubrieta and Absinthe cuddled near the laboratory building. The Purple Fairy and the Green Fairy were both tiny now. The alchemy that imploded the dome of fire also allowed Aubrieta to remain in her natural winged skunk-looking form.
Absinthe stretched and touched his green nose to the golden unicorn-like horn that was above Aubrieta’s single amber eye. They both made muttering noises that sounded remarkably like giggles. The erstwhile purple-people-eater she-dragon and Absinthe entwined their fluffy tails as they muttered and snorted softly to one another.
Cal Hicks looked at them wonderingly. “It’s a pity Viola isn’t here to witness that,” he murmured.
Cornelis gave a wicked grin. He reached into nothingness and produced a tray with etched champagne glasses. His arm disappeared up to his elbow as he reached into that magic space again and came back with a bottle of champagne.
“I wouldn’t pop the cork on that just yet,” I told him.
To remind them, I held out the measuring device Absinthe had insisted we take with us when we left the submarine. It looked like a silver toothpick holder fashioned to have a gazebo with a crystal bird inside. Tiny rods that resembled toothpicks protruded from the roof of the gazebo. It measured how much we were being influenced by the amethyst world. If we stayed too long, we might not be able to return home.
The words of the alchemist echoed in my mind.
“Many of the effects can be mitigated,” Cornelis had said, dismissing my concern. “For instance, a little lavender hue is of no real concern. But if all the toothpicks turn purple we are in serious danger of being unable to return home. Should the bird turn purple,” he added pointing to the crystal ornament in the center of the gazebo. “Well, then it is too late,” he’d finished with a wry twist of his mouth, which suggested that was a real possibility.
The metering toothpicks had turned to a saturated lavender, and not a pastel lavender like they were the last time I looked. Cal Hicks gasped, his face painted with concern. Absinthe and Aubrieta fluttered over to me and inspected the device closely, muttering the while. Cornelis puckered his lips in an expression that made me think he was about to sidestep something.
“As I’ve said, the lavender hue is of no real concern. It could be from your doppelgängers being too near, or even from what we consumed at tea,” the alchemist said in an unconcerned tone, but he cast a sidelong glance at the device.
Several feet away, the small group of coverall clad apes conversed quietly but animatedly among themselves. I got the feeling that the group had come to a decision. A very large dark purple chimpanzee came forward. I thought there was something reluctant in the way he moved.
“Begging your pardon, Mr. Hicks. We heard the Lord of Alchemy mention doppelgängers. When we—,” the chimpanzee began haltingly. “Well, it’s Von, sir — Viola’s son. When we were in that strange world Von met his double. They both ended up dead, although none of us saw exactly how it happened,” the chimp said and hung his head.
“You saw nothing at all?” Hicks questioned, pushing for information.
The chimpanzee looked contrite, as if there was something he did not want to disclose. “Von had that family ring he stole from your son. There was a man who seemed to recognize the ring. He tricked Von into giving it to him and then ran off. Von slipped off to track him. We found them at a fine home that looked a lot like yours. But when we got there they were both dead,” the chimp explained.
Chris Graham, The Story Reading Ape’s Naughty Chimps
“We took both bodies and hid them,” the chimpanzee added. “We were afraid of what might happen if the residents of that world noticed the two were doubles.”
Cal Hicks made a tut-tut sound and slowly shook his head. “Von was a scoundrel and a petty thief,” Hicks commented. “But he was Viola’s son. Even after he stole the signet ring from my son Nate, I wouldn’t have wished him dead.”
I still wore the signet ring Cornelis removed from the hand of the cadaver we found in Calvin Hixon’s study. Cornelis gave it to me so I could pass myself off as Copper’s aunt, and prevent the people from the orphanage taking her away.
Jaime Murray as the Woman in Trousers
The ring was much too big for my finger, but I had taken to wearing it on a ribbon hung around my neck. I pulled it out from inside my shirt. Removing the ribbon I handed the ring to Cal Hicks. “Is this the ring?” I asked.
“Lady Felicity! Why yes. That’s the ring I had made for Nate. How did you come to have it?” Hicks asked.
He tried to give the ring back to me. I took the amethyst ape’s large hand in both of mine and closed his thick fingers around the ring.
“It clearly belongs to you, or your son. I only borrowed it as a way of helping Copper. We don’t need it anymore,” I said.
Excited chirping and snorting came from the two fairies. Suddenly Aubrieta popped out of sight. I heard an agitated screech from inside the laboratory. Absinthe snorted and then disappeared. An instant later both tiny fairies reappeared. Between them they supported an intricately designed astrolabe. Aubrieta chirped excitedly. They flew over to Cornelis, and the alchemist gingerly took the apparatus from them.
“What is that thing?” Copper wanted to know.
“It’s an astrolabe,” Cornelis told her. “They’re used by astronomers, navigators, and astrologers. Its many uses include locating and predicting the positions of the Sun, Moon, planets, and stars, determining local time given local latitude and vice versa, surveying, and triangulation,” he explained.
Copper looked blankly at Cornelis and blinked. Absinthe gave an exasperated snort at the Dutchman, clearly dissatisfied with the appropriateness of his definition. Absinthe fluttered onto Copper’s shoulder and nuzzled into her hair.
With a longsuffering sigh, the Dutchman revised his explanation. “They’re used for solving problems relating to time and the position of the Sun and stars in the sky,” the alchemist clarified and Absinthe seemed satisfied that that explanation was suitable for Copper.
The girl looked at the Green Fairy in hopeful astonishment. “We can use this to find my Daddy? Is that what you mean, Absinthe?” she asked the little fairy.
Aubrieta flew to them and hovered near her newly reconciled mate. Both of the fairies chirped happily to Copper in what seemed to be affirming noises.
“Hopefully the astrolabe can help us get home as well,” I said wryly.
Then I held out the measuring device. A third of the toothpicks had darkened from a saturated lavender to royal purple.
***
So… the dead man in the study had an ape doppelgänger — and both seem to be a tad dishonest. The fairies may have found a device to find Copper’s daddy, but in which world is Calvin Hickson? The amethyst world or our own — and how much time do they have to find him if he’s in the purple world? Meanwhile the metering “toothpicks” deepen in purple hues.
What about those awful people from the orphanage? What about the woman with a chimp — she lead one of the groups chasing our trio? And the ape who gestured “Daddy” in sign language?
There are many questions yet to be answered. So be at the train station next time.
***
When I saw a cornbread recipe was needed for this episode, I thought of one of the newer supporters of this blog and serial – Cheryl “Cheffie Cooks” Wiser. I was pleased to find more than one tasty cornbread recipe in her repertoire!
No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights.
All images are either the property of the author or from Pinterest unless stated otherwise.
In celebration, rather than taking you to the Victorian Era on our usual steam locomotive, this time we’ll bring all our picnic paraphernalia and get on board a red, white, and blue decorated dirigible and soar into our story.
Steering the airship is Kathryn, aka KR Bigfish from Another Foodie Blogger, who gave us the “three things” for this episode. As sometimes happens, a comment also made its way into the episode. Kathryn mentioned a particular purple critter, and I couldn’t resist. But I’ll leave that for a surprise.
Remember to check for fun and informative links in the text and images.
The dirigible is tugging at its ropes — ready to sail through the air, through time and realities. So… All aboard!
From last time…
“It’s an amethyst world!” Copper exclaimed when she saw the strange place where the magically whirling submarine went aground.
A purple ape wearing a three piece suit with a starched collar and a bowler hat came into view. It seems strange to say, but the hat and the suit made me think of Ignatius Belle. However, I was also reminded in an odd way of the portrait of Copper’s father, Calvin Hixon, who turned out to be Belle’s father as well.
The amethyst colored ape moved his hands in sign language.
Copper, the alchemist, and I spoke in chorus. “Daddy?”
***
23. Broken Knife, Sea Urchin, Potable Water
“Oh! You can speak. How wondrous!” was the delighted exclamation of the purple ape who wore a man’s suit, hat, and spectacles. “And what remarkable coloring you have!”
“Of course we can talk. But it’s amazing that you can!” Copper called out in reply as she clambered down from the submarine hatch, too quick for me to stop her.
The alchemist stood in gaping astonishment. I pushed past him and hurried after the girl, although I didn’t know how I could protect her from something as strong as the ape. I had no weapon on me, not so much as a little muff pistol.
Abruptly I remembered my pearl handled pen knife. It wasn’t much use as a weapon, but I reached quickly into my pocket. However, the pen knife seemed to have been damaged during the chaos of the spinning submarine. When I tried to open it, the broken knife fell apart in my hands.
The creature seemed genial enough, but who could say? I had no idea into what sort of place we had been cast by the accident of alchemy that sent Cornelis Drebbel’s submarine off course with rogue magic.
“Have a care, Felicity,” Cornelis hissed, as though he’d finally come back to himself.
“Of course I’ll be careful. Why didn’t you stop her?” I said through my teeth, trying to hide my anger with the Dutchman from the strange primate on the shore.
I turned back toward the quickly moving girl. “Copper stop right there and wait until I catch up with you,” I demanded and for once she complied.
“But Felicity! I like him. He’s funny,” the girl pleaded. “I’m sure it’s perfectly safe,” Copper added in a rather good imitation of an adult.
“How can you think a purple ape — in a suit no less, is perfectly safe?” I whispered as I caught up to the girl and took her hand.
Cornelis cleared his throat loudly. “That’s not what I meant. I wasn’t talking about the ape when I told you to be careful,” the alchemist said urgently. “Doppelgängers!” he exclaimed, using his trick of casting his voice directly to my ear.
“What’s a doppelgänger?” Copper wanted to know as she looked from Cornelis to me and then back over her shoulder at the very large purple chimpanzee.
“It’s a sort of lookalike,” I told her.
As I gazed into the shallows of the sparkling amethyst water I noticed a violet colored sea urchin. Here even fishes and such are one color of purple or another, I thought. The water itself took on the hue of lavender from the sky it reflected. That alone was enough to make it a stranger place than anything I had ever imagined.
Cornelis seemed to be permanently adhered to his surely uncomfortable position, halfway out of the submarine’s hatch. I could hear Absinthe inside chirping excitedly, but I couldn’t tell if the Green Fairy was anxious, angry, or simply feeling chatty. Then a bottle levitated up from within the submarine. Cornelis snatched it out of the air and thanked the Green Fairy in a droll tone.
“Absinthe thinks you should take this potable water with you, as it might not be safe to drink anything here,” the Dutchman commented. “I think it’s a bad idea for you to leave this vessel at all.”
Amethyst Walking Stick by Fabergé
At the shore, the chimpanzee shifted his bowler hat and placed his walking stick in front of himself with both hands propped on its crystal top. Naturally the crystal was an amethyst cabochon. He looked curious, but quite patient and relaxed.
“Whatever are you talking about, Dutchman?” I looked up at Cornelis and asked while Copper stood staring at the chimp in a suit.
“If you meet your doppelgänger it could be dangerous,” the alchemist said.
“Why on earth would I meet my double?” I asked feeling piqued, with Copper pulling me forward and the alchemist holding me back.
“I think it’s the nature of this world, this place,” Cornelis explained with exaggerated patience. “It probably has its own versions of all of us. Purple versions, but still…” he added with a shrug.
“Why is it purple?” Copper interrupted. “Is there a purple fairy, like Absinthe is the Green Fairy?” she asked, eyes widening in anticipation.
The Green Fairy stuck his tiny nose out of the hatch and bit onto the alchemist’s sleeve, pulling it as if he wanted Cornelis to get back inside.
Cornelis Drebbel
“Alright, alright,” he told Absinthe. “Copper, I suspect there is a good reason for the purple coloring, but the important thing you need to understand is that everything around us could become — well you could say the place may get unstable, just because of our presence. If any of us met our doubles it could be,” he paused, probably looking for words a young girl would understand. “Bad. It could be very bad,” he finished, but looked dissatisfied with his choice of words.
“Cornelis, aren’t you coming with us?” I asked with an uneasy eye on the large, strong chimpanzee, who had moved forward to the very edge of the water.
“No, Felicity. Were I to meet my doppelgänger it wouldn’t be dangerous,” he replied, and closing his eyes he took a deep breath. “It would be catastrophic.”
Seldom had I seen the Dutchman so serious. I don’t pretend that I fully understood his vague explanation, but I knew it had something to do with alchemy. So I didn’t press.
“Do I have a doppelgänger?” a giggling Copper wanted to know, and I realized she’d found a new favorite word. “The monkey might be Daddy’s doppelgänger,” she added, giggling even harder.
When I looked at Cornelis he curled his lips inward in a rueful grimace and raised his bushy blonde eyebrows. Then he pursed his lips and inclined his head pointedly toward the purple primate. The ape shifted his stance. Suddenly he reminded me very much of the portrait of Calvin Hixon.
The purple primate saw us looking at him and raised his voice to make sure it carried to us. “I’m sure it’s most unsettling, having your vessel run aground. And clearly you aren’t from here,” the ape began. “Or from any place of which I’ve ever heard…” his voice trailed off as he shook his head wonderingly. “But I assure you it really is perfectly safe, just as the young err… the young lady said.”
Had the ape hesitated to call Copper a young lady? Could it be that he perceived us as we saw him — as strange animals? Profound thoughts crowded my mind.
The ape looked remarkably like the portrait of Copper’s father. With of course the exception him of being an ape.
The suit-wearing creature bumped his palm to his forehead as if something obvious had just occurred to him. “Oh! If you are concerned that you don’t see people like yourselves, please don’t fear. We thought your species was extinct. I can’t tell you how delighted I am to know that is not the case! And that extraordinary coloring you have. This is so exciting! But pardon me. I digress,” he said in a gracious apologetic voice.
“As I was saying, there’s no need to fear. The one eyed one horned flying purple people eater is surely dead. None have been seen for a hundred years!” the ape said, adjusting his spectacles.
At the primate’s comment Absinthe fluttered up and out of the submarine. He chirped and grunted excitedly. The Green Fairy hovered around Copper’s head briefly. Then he darted toward the purple ape. Absinthe made several passes around the primate to inspect him, grunting the while.
“How delightful!” the very large chimpanzee exclaimed, taking off his spectacles since Absinthe was mere inches from his face. “What a colorful little chap. Why you’re like a very tiny, very green version of the purple people eater,” he said and Absinthe gave a disagreeable chirp. “Well no, I suppose that’s not true at all. But you seem to be the same sort of fae being.”
I couldn’t sense any animosity from the ape… and judging by the crash landing of the submarine we were going to need some kind of help. So I allowed Copper to lead me to the shore where he stood. The suited primate bowed politely to us, doffing his bowler hat.
Absinthe settled in his protective position atop Copper’s head. However, the ape’s attention wandered to the submarine. He was so intrigued that he waded out into the shallows for a better look. “You know,” he said in a self-deprecating tone. “I’m something of an inventor myself. What sort of vessel is that? It looks almost as though it’s meant to sail under the water,” the ape marveled.
Cornelis never could resist showing off one of his inventions and the ape was clearly a willing and eager audience. Abruptly the alchemist appeared at his elbow. The purple primate jumped with a start.
“Allow me to introduce myself,” the Dutchman said. “I’m Cornelis Drebbel and I’d be delighted to show you the submarine.”
The ape gasped. His eyes grew large and his mouth opened silently. The primate’s eyes narrowed and he looked intently at Cronelis. “With this outlandish coloring, how could I suspect,” he murmured. Then he bowed extravagantly to Cornelis.
“Cornelis Drebbel, Lord of Alchemy, I welcome you to these shores. Please accept my humble apology for not recognizing you. No one has seen you for over a hundred years. It was feared that the purple people eater had… well… But how foolish of us to think you would have been bested by any beast, no matter how fearsome.”
***
Will this newfound status go to the alchemist’s head? Will a doppelgänger of one of the characters show up and wreak havoc? How will they get back home so they can find Copper’s daddy? And what about that one eyed one horned flying purple people eater? Be at the train station next time to find out what happens to Copper, the Alchemist, and the Woman in Trousers!
Don’t forget this episode’s recipe! Since the food related thing, or ingredient, was “potable water” I chose one of Kathryn’s seafood recipes. I really appreciate that she often shares simple recipes made from things I might have on hand. I know you’ll enjoy this one.
No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights.
All images are either the property of the author or from Pinterest unless stated otherwise.
Or it does if the camera is in the hands of Timothy Price at T&L Photos. The photographs make for a chronicle of day-to-day life for Tim and his family in “the land of enchantment” — also known as New Mexico. That family includes a four-footed crew of felines that keep the humans in line.
Last weekend, a couple of you sent “three things” to drive the story, and thank you very much. However, when I was ready to write this episode, there were no “things” to fuel the locomotive to the Victorian Era. Then Tim happened to make a comment at his blog that mentioned some of the myths and legends of the American Southwest. As soon as I read the comment, I thought “Hey! That’s three things!” So you have Tim to thank for the things that inspired this episode.
Even so, none of those three things were about food. So KR Big Fish, aka Kathryn at Another Foodie Blogger agreed to share one of her delicious southwestern inspired recipes. Be sure to read to the end of this episode for the link.
So now the locomotive has plenty of steam and it’s ready to take us back to the Victorian Era. All aboard!
From last time…
“Cornelis Drebbel, are you trying to tell me that this submarine is powered by a magical creature that farts a highly concentrated vaporous form of absinthe?” I asked and I couldn’t prevent my voice going up a full octave on the last word.
Cornelis twisted his lips over to one side and raised one bushy blonde eyebrow in a cringing expression.
“Well, yes. That’s pretty much exactly what I meant. But he only does that if you frighten him,” Cornelis said, nodding encouragingly.
***
19. La Llorona, Coyote, Chupacabra
“We have to help her!” Copper screamed and burst into tears.
“She can’t be helped, Copper! Her pain follows her in death. She is not human,” I tried to explain as the girl struggled in my grasp.
Copper couldn’t be allowed to go to that woman. If she did, she’d be killed.
I looked back to the water’s edge. A woman with long dark hair wailed in sorrow as she walked along the shore. Her dress of flowing white was a false suggestion of purity. But no one could hear her intense grief and not feel sympathy as she repeated the distraught cry, “¡Ay, mis hijos!”
“Quickly Cornelis! Pull Copper inside before the magic completely beguiles her,” I called to the alchemist.
His blonde head popped back up from the submarine’s hatch where he had gone ahead of us. He said the Green Fairy would need reassurance, so we wouldn’t startle it. Meanwhile Copper and I were poised, levitated on a cloud of green above the water beside the submarine.
Wide-eyed, Cornelis hissed a warning that the noise we were making would frighten Absinthe, the Green Fairy who powered the submarine. However, a glance at my face was enough for him to know something was wrong. I motioned with my head toward the shore — I daren’t move one of my hands from the struggling girl so I could point. She was already bespelled enough to try and reach the Weeping Woman.
“What is that…?” Cornelis asked, meaning the woman.
“It’s La Llorona! She beguiles children. Hurry and help me get Copper inside,” I urged.
However, Copper twisted free of my grasp. She jumped from our levitated spot and dove toward the water in attempt to reach the sorrowful woman.
“Cornelis!” I screamed.
A thin thread of luminous green shot after Copper. It was same trick the alchemist used to pull me from the river when the alchemically-amped road locomotive had taken a turn too fast and my hatbox (containing his skull) went overboard. I had jumped into the river to save it, but we both ended up with head colds. The alchemist’s sneezes had odd results.
Cornelis Drebbel
The magical thread wrapped securely around Copper before she even touched the surface of the water. With a couple of hand motions Cornelis reeled her back and quickly pulled her into the submarine. I jumped in behind and closed the hatch.
“Such a tortured soul! How did you know what would happen?” the Dutchman asked.
Cornelis seemed to sympathize with La Llorona. I looked at him closely, wondering if her spell had affected the Dutchman as well as Copper. Her magic was only supposed to be effective on children, but Cornelis was no ordinary human being, so I felt a moment of uncertainty. However, looking into his eyes, I decided he was not influenced, just uncharacteristically empathetic.
“It was La Llorona,” I explained. “I learned the legend from my maternal grandmother. She was from Mexico. Although it seems to be more than just a story,” I said shaking my head in disbelief at the scene I had just witnessed.
Drebbel Perpetual Motion Machine
“Some say La Llorona was insane with jealousy, but whatever her reasoning, she drowned her children. My grandmother told the story that she came to her senses enough to comprehend something was wrong, and she wandered, searching for them. When she realized what she had done, she drowned herself as well. But her spirit was forever trapped between life and death. So she wanders and beguiles children, leading them to a watery death,” I explained the legend as my grandmother imparted it during my childhood.
“With that kind of bedtime story, you must have been afraid to close your eyes,” Cornelis said and I nodded. “Why, your grandmother was a woman after my own heart,” he said with a lopsided grin.
I rolled my eyes at the incorrigible alchemist. “She would have said you were an old coyote,” I retorted. “And she would have liked you,” I added in a sardonic tone, knowing I spoke the truth.
The Dutchman looked over his shoulder and reminded me to be quiet. “And whatever you do, you must not startle the Green Fairy,” he whispered.
Carefully, I climbed down the ladder from the hatch. I was about to ask where Copper was when I heard muffled sobbing from a corner. She was huddled under a piece of furniture that seemed to be a sort of desk, and she was crying from the influence of La Llorona.
Drebbel Perpetual Motion Clock
Whether it was a desk or something else, it was an interesting piece. The hutch opened out, wing-like with numerous compartments of boxes and little apothecary type drawers. Those drawers had crystal faces with little brass knobs. The open boxes were filled with all manner of glittering apparatuses. On the desktop two broadly different variations of Cornelis Drebbel’s perpetual motion clock were mounted within shimmering glass domes. (I couldn’t help shuddering at the amount of trouble those might cause.)
The desk had an ordinary desktop supported by drawered cabinetry on each side. The middle, where a chair might go, had a roll-down covering which was part-way down. That’s where Copper crouched, sobbing.
I moved to go to Copper. The poor girl couldn’t possibly understand what had happened, or the spell La Llorona’s wail had cast upon her. However, Cornelis caught my arm. He held a finger to his lips and then pointed toward the space just above the desk.
“Is that…?” I began in fascination. “Is that the Green Fairy? And that tiny thing can power this vessel?” I asked.
Cornelis smiled like an indulgent parent and nodded. “Actually it is our energies combined, mine and his, but I do believe Absinthe could produce enough power to run this submarine and another as well — if he were of a mind.”
I tilted my head and watched in amazement. Absinthe would have fit in my outstretched palm. He looked like a fluffy baby skunk, but where a skunk would’ve had black fur the Green Fairy’s was, well — green. And it was bright green, just like the liquor. On butterfly wings, he fluttered down toward Copper.
Absinthe chirped once as he investigated the girl, who had yet to see him. Copper, sobbing, didn’t pay any attention to the next chirp either. The tiny creature began snuffling at her hair, snuffle-chirp-chirp, snuffle-chirp-chirp.
I edged closer very cautiously, not wanting to interrupt the wondrous display. I detected a faintly sweet aroma like licorice. Apparently all the snuffling and chirping must have tickled, because Copper started to giggle through her tears. I didn’t know if skunks, or rather Green Fairies could smile, but tiny Absinthe looked like he was smiling when Copper looked up at him in delighted fascination.
Cornelis pointed to the roll-down covering where Copper had tucked herself. “He must really like her,” the Dutchman said. “That’s his favorite pouting post. Whenever Absinthe gets annoyed or frightened, he darts under there and slams down the cover,” Cornelis said with a mystified chuckle.
A sharp ping distracted me and I turned toward the sound. Beside what I thought must be a periscope was a multi-limbed brass contrivance. Each arm ended with a walnut sized faceted gemstone. The device gyrated and whirred so much that it was difficult to count its arms, but I thought there were seven, each capped with a different colored gem. The base of the device lit up causing the gemstones to cast a rainbow effect.
Absinthe fluttered toward the colorful machine. Apparently the tiny fairy had failed to notice me until I spoke. “How pretty, Cornelis. What does it do?” I asked pointing at the device.
When I moved my hand to point, the Green Fairy fluttered backward a beat. Luminous emerald eyes widened. Absinthe hissed at me. Then I heard a farting sound. From his bantam backside blew a billow of bright green vapor.
“I told you not to startle him!” Cornelis admonished. “Copper, stay where you are and don’t stand up until that cloud clears!” the alchemist instructed hastily. “Felicity, hurry and open that hatch!”
“Hurry and hopen the hatch how?” I giggled as I wobbled up the ladder.
Albert Maignan’s “Green Muse” 1895
“Dear heavens it’s too late,” Cornelis groaned as he climbed up beside me.
“I can’t budge the beastly bugger open,” I complained. “Who needs fresh air, Cornelis. It’s fine in here. You’ll just let in that dank, damp… Oh! Watch your hands!” I cautioned as he reached around me trying to get to the hatch handle.
A whoosh of air hit me in the face. When I looked toward the shore I could have sworn I saw a hippopotamus singing to a group of infatuated mermaids who played music upon lyres. La Llorona danced with a chupacabra — a goat-killing blood sucker from another of my grandmother’s stories. Then I wondered how I had ever managed to sleep as a child.
When I turned my head, the world lurched. The green vapors of concentrated absinthe streamed up through the opening around us. When I looked at the alchemist he seemed to be standing at a peculiar angle. He looked back at me and snorted laughter. He took my arm and pulled me upright. Apparently I was leaning far to one side.
For a moment he looked just like a coyote in a silk jacket. I snorted out a laugh, then covered my mouth in embarrassment, then I collapsed in giggles.
I noticed that Cornelis held his harmonic tuner. He looked quite bleary-eyed. “Cornelis you should take better care of yourself. Are you coming down with another head cold?” I asked feeling more than a little woozy.
He held the tuner above our heads and gave it one sharp ring. The sound reverberated inside my skull in an unpleasant way. I groaned as the world around me started to spin madly. Cornelis rang the harmonic tuner again.
“Stop that!” I cried trying to reach high enough to take the damnable bell away from the alchemist.
As the ringing died away the coyote faded with it, leaving only Cornelis. The chupacabra and La Llorona danced a final turn before they blurred and disappeared, leaving the shoreline deserted.
I took a long deep breath.
“I told you not to startle the Green Fairy,” Cornelis said drolly.
***
Will the Absinthe the Green Fairy calm down enough to let Felicity into the submarine? If our characters reach the spot on the map where the word “Daddy” was magically written, what will they really find — Copper’s father or a fierce foe? Come back next time for another adventure on the locomotive to the Victorian Era.
***
Now for this episode’s recipe. With all the whimsical inspiration from the American Southwest, I selected a fun and delicious southwestern offering from Kathryn at AnotherFoodieBlogger.com.
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Three Things: A culinary mystery with “things and ingredients” sent from readers everywhere.
Welcome one and all!
It is my pleasure to tell you that we have a first-time contributor of ingredients/things to begin this “interactive” serial. John W. Howell did me the honor of sending things for the kickoff of the new story. I hope you’ll visit his wonderful blog and take a look at his book too. You’re sure to enjoy your stay there.
Last weekend I did a poll, asking everyone to vote, choosing from several options for the next serial. (And I was downright pleased with myself for getting the handy-dandy poll thingamajig to work too!) Quite a few of you were kind enough to click on your preferred option. So now I will announce the results. Drumroll…
A solid 44% of you voted to …
Begin an all new serial from scratch, with an all new setting and characters!
You were ready to get behind the wheel! I was happy to get three sets of “things” right away for the kickoff of the new interactive serial. So let me show you how my mind works.
Copper
Since I couldn’t avoid looking at all three sets of three, the whole shebang influenced the setting and characters. I’ve already admitted to being a research geek — Stilton cheese, through a twist of fate gave us a character’s name and personality. How? A sort of happy accident — when I saw the name of the first Englishman to market Blue Stilton cheese was Cooper Thornhill, for a moment I thought I’d read — Copper. I liked the name too much to let it go.
I also had to know when Wurlitzer organs (that will be in Episode-3) were first made — and suddenly I knew that era had to be the general time-frame for the story. I opted for the late 1800’s, near the end of the Victorian era.
Many of you particularly liked Maestro Martino, the ghost chef from Three Ingredients, Cookbook 2, so I wanted to add a mystical magical element to the new serial. Don’t ask me to explain my twisting thought process but…
Cornelis Drebbel
I had a vague idea about a skull, and somehow that made me research alchemists… and that gave us the supernatural character for this serial, Cornelis Drebbel. I borrowed him from history.
As for the mysterious woman who wears trousers — you’re about to meet her, but I have no idea from where she came other than it was inspired by the late 19th century setting. She was just there.
Be kind and remember that this story is propelled by the things or ingredients that you send. So it might take a few episodes for it to really begin to flow.
Enough of my stalling. I present to you, our all new interactive serial — Three Things: Copper, the Alchemist, and the Woman in Trousers
1. Stilton Cheese, Mare’s Milk, Calamari
I was having second thoughts. The fishing town was too small for my unconventional presence to go unremarked, plain and simple. That was apparent as I watched a single carriage pass by on the dirt road and the driver turned to stare. It was downright obvious from the shopkeeper’s scandalized expression when I stepped inside Best’s General Store.
Yes, I knew I should limit my wanderings to large cities. However, I was weary of the crowds and odors. And the noise! I was desperately tired of the clamor and clang of cities.
Jaime Murray as the woman in trousers
It was a pleasing little town with a salt tang in the breeze and cozy houses. I liked it the moment I set foot there. I took a tidy suite in the Belle Inn.
There was even a store where I unexpectedly found the most marvelous Stilton cheese. Cornelis would be delighted with that find. For once, he might not be so grumpy when I wake him, I thought.
However, as I stood in the general store and watched Mrs. Billie Best and her customer from the corner of my eye, I foresaw that my stay in the charming township would be brief. I blocked any distractions from my mind so I could hear their conversation. I already knew they were talking about me. How could they fail to comment on my mannish waistcoat and trousers?
It always raised eyebrows when I dressed that way, but I wanted freedom of movement that I’d never have whilst restricted by the yards and yards of fabric that made a proper skirt and bustle. Besides, my first thought that morning was “I’ll be damned if I’m going to squeeze myself into a corset today.”
I pushed back my top hat, pretending to read a label while I listened to the two women speculate about me and my strange apparel. They had the most outlandish conjectures about my foreign accent and from whence I’d come. A smile quirked my lips and I tried not to laugh out loud.
The proprietor of the Belle Inn stood across the room shaking his head at the foolish conversation. Ignatius Belle made a good first impression when I checked in at his inn. He stepped over to me. I hoped his housekeeping staff had as much respect for guest privacy as he seemed to have. I’d hate for a curious maid to wake Cronelis. That would be most unfortunate. Actually it could get quite ugly.
“Ma’am, you were right about the mare’s milk,” he said loud enough for the women to hear. “Doc said there was a fungus in the grass she was eating before she foaled,” the innkeeper said in a respectful voice. “He said that’s likely what caused the problem. The Johnsons have a pregnant mare, and they’re going to foster the foal.”
My relief that the little horse would be well was genuine. I was glad my off-handed comment had been helpful. Cornelis always complained that I spoke before I thought, and that I drew unnecessary attention to myself. Yet it ended well that time, and there was the added benefit that now at least the innkeeper accepted me. Although I still doubted I would remain there for long.
“Your dinner is on the house tonight. Whatever you want, and as much of it as you care to eat. Your comment likely saved the foal’s life,” he said then looked suddenly shy. “Just a humble way of saying thank you.”
The burst of bashfulness was rather endearing on a man of his stature. Ignatius Belle did not fit my image of a proper innkeeper. They should be rotund, pink-cheeked men with aprons. My host however, was tall and well-made and he wore a suit and a Bowler hat. He barely gave my trousers a glance. Interesting.
The bell affixed to the shop door chimed and a wide eyed moppet came cautiously inside. She might have been seven years old or she may have been nine. Disgraceful as it may sound, I knew nothing about children.
An unfortunately familiar odor reached my noise when she walked past me. The bouquet was dreadful, but it gave the girl my full attention. She hesitated in her walk, just one step, and then she moved toward the counter. The shopkeeper frowned and her patron became even more disdainful — if that was possible. However, their scorn was not due to the odor I detected. They hadn’t noticed it, but I was sensitive to such things.
She had hair the color of a new penny. There was a smudge of dirt on her little nose. Her stylish cape was made of peacock blue wool, embroidered in cream silk thread, with a cream colored tassel on the hood. Her eyes twinkled with intelligence.
And she reeked of death.
I smiled.
At that very moment I knew that little russet haired child was the reason why I’d come to the out of the way little town. I didn’t know how it would come about, but I was certain — she would be the heart and soul of the next adventure!
What would Cornelis make of the girl? He despised anyone who was weak, and children by definition were weak. So the Dutchman detested children.
I smiled again — broadly.
“Your daddy spoils you too much Copper Hixon, letting you wear your Sunday best when you go out to play,” said the storekeeper from behind her counter. “Flaunting his wealth on clothes for a child, when there’s others as have to put their noses to the grindstone to get along.”
A barely audible remark came from her customer. “Spare the rod and spoil the child,” the other woman mumbled. “She’d best be glad her pa recovered from that influenza last spring, else she’d be in the orphanage, and no fine clothes there,” the customer added in a resentful whine.
“Old Hixon should’ve taken another wife,” Billie Best declared. “There are plenty of women here abouts who’d make him a good wife,” Billie Best replied with a mystified shake of her head. “But he’d have none of them after that dance hall floozy died birthing this one,” the storekeeper said with an unconcerned wave toward Copper.
“I’d not have that evil child in my house,” said the other woman. “Any child that kills the mother birthing it is the devil’s own, you mark my words.”
The girl’s eyes widened at the mention of the orphanage and she was clearly afraid. Copper swallowed hard. “I need… I mean Daddy sent me to buy food to make dinner,” she stammered.
I noticed that she didn’t specify what food nor did she have a shopping list. But why would she? The odor that clung to her was faint. However, I had no doubt about its origin. No one told the child what to buy for dinner, but she was hungry enough to think of shopping for it.
The woman behind the counter looked at the girl and her mouth turned down in contempt. “Did your daddy send you with money to pay his bill?” Mrs. Best asked, emphasizing the payment. “He’s months behind. No?” she said when Copper shook her head and looked confused. “Well, you go back and tell him that hard working folk have to be paid. Not everybody was born with a silver spoon in their mouth. He’ll have to pay off the bill he’s run up before he gets another crumb from Best’s General Store!”
“Now was there really any need to speak so harshly to the child?” the innkeeper asked.
The child turned and fled the store. The tassel on her cape caught on the door and was left behind as she ran. I excused myself to my new landlord. Quickly picking up the cream colored tassel, I followed to see which direction little Copper went. Then I turned and ran back to the Belle Inn.
When I opened the inn’s door, the aroma of fried calamari slowed my stride. It wafted to me from the kitchen. It made my mouth water. I reigned in my haste. There was no need to run. The child wasn’t going anywhere. Not yet.
I popped into the kitchen, profusely complimented the cook, and asked if dinner could be sent up to my room. Cornelis hated it when I ate in my room, but he didn’t have much choice in the matter. I couldn’t resist the calamari!
My hatbox was on a high shelf. I carefully took it down and opened it. An object that appeared to be a ball covered by a satin scarf was inside. My top hat would fit around it, as a form to keep the hat’s shape. But in truth it was no such thing. I removed the scarf and held up a human skull.
“Cornelis,” I exclaimed. “Adventure is afoot! This is no time to be lazy, Cornelis Drebble. Wake up!” I said and placed the skull back in the hatbox.
My eyes closed against the bitter chill that blew through the room. A moment later I looked into the eyes of the Dutchman. Though he stood no taller than me, his presence was forceful. He was a handsome man. He had light hair with a mustache and pointed beard, much like a Musketeer. However, the disgruntled expression on his face belied his gentle manners. He gave a polite bow, yet managed to make the movement seem sarcastic.
“Why such haste?” he asked drolly, and smoothed back hair that perpetually looked mussed from a nap.
“Don’t be such a grump,” I said, and holding up the parcel of Stilton cheese I watched his nose twitch in anticipation.
To the Dutchman’s consternation, I held back the cheese. I wouldn’t share that until I got what I wanted. When I handed him the cream colored tassel from the girl’s cape he was hardly mollified.
“This bauble does not seem so portentous,” he complained.
As one eyebrow climbed toward his hairline, I knew he’d been won over, despite his sullen look and tone.
“Stop sulking and tell me about the girl,” I said, trying to be firm. One had to be firm with Cornelis. If he saw the slightest weakness…
“Ah, so that’s it is it? You think it’s her? Bringing on a child would complicate things enormously,” he asked, finally showing interest. “It seems awfully — how to describe it? So unassuming,” he said with a little twist to one side of his mouth as he looked at the tassel. “Do you really think she is the one?” he asked, his tone softening.
“You tell me,” I prodded.
Cornelis shimmered and blurred before my eyes, as his mind traveled. Then with a sharp pop he disappeared.
***
To be continued…
Most of you voted for a completely new serial, so there you have the beginning. See you next weekend for Episode-2 where we’ll have things / ingredients from Kathryn, aka KR Big Fish at https://anotherfoodieblogger.wordpress.com/
Wait — don’t leave yet. Each episode of this culinary mystery will feature a recipe.
I scoured the WordPress virtual countryside for recipes. That led me to One Happy Table, Vegan Food for the Whole Family, and I chose the following recipe to round out Episode-1. Click the link for this beautifully photographed step by step recipe. Bon appétit!
No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights.
All images are either the property of the author or from Pinterest unless stated otherwise.
As of Monday evening, most people want to start an all new serial from scratch. If that’s not the option you’d choose, then be sure to cast your vote!
The poll will stay open until Friday, January 16th.
No need to re-comment on this update unless…
Whatever form the new serial takes, I’m going to bring back the culinary aspect of the story. However, the “random things” do more to drive the plot. So, this time I will ask you for a combination of Random Things and Food-related Things. You are also welcome to send Recipes to share as part of an episode.
So if you want to see the first episode of the new serial (whatever it may be) next weekend, then leave a comment with three things/ingredients.
Sincerely,
Teagan
This is your chance. You can put the next serial story on a completely new road. Or you can keep it as it is. Or it can be a little of both!
Last weekend I gave you the conclusion of the re-wind of Three Things. So now it’s time for a new, original, reader-propelled serial. Once again I’ll put you in the driver’s seat.
My main purpose in giving you a serial episode each week is to engage you, the reader. I do that by making the serial “interactive” — getting readers to send three random things or ingredients (food related things). As I write each episode I let those things inspire and guide what happens in the story.
Doing that in the first serial is what resulted in the 1920’s setting. It’s even what brought you the cast of characters.
Now that we are ready to begin a new story-line, I want to bring you into the process right away — before a single word is written. That’s what I’ve always done.
In the second and third stories, most people wanted to keep the same characters. But it is time that I asked for your feedback again. So I’m giving the WordPress handy-dandy poll thingamajig a try. (I’m crossing my fingers that I did it right!)
This poll should let you leave comments as well, or elaborate on the option you chose. I look forward to your feedback.
You’re behind the wheel! So — Please vote.
This poll will only be open through Friday, January 16, 2015.
If you have other thoughts that the poll doesn’t cover, then just leave a comment.
“Oh! You can speak. How wondrous!” was the delighted exclamation of the purple ape who wore a man’s suit, hat, and spectacles. “And what remarkable coloring you have!”
This is your chance. You can put the next serial story on a completely new road. Or you can keep it as it is. Or it can be a little of both!
