by Tony Verna

Created on: October 24, 2009

When we left our story Jancy Hall became aware that the added explanation of the Major Raithburn's death would involve her lover, Tonio.

* * * *

Professor Jordan set off for his meeting with Sir Richard. For most of the carriage trip, the Professor examined Tonio's sketches while Chester slept, and Jancy pretended to sleep but kept one eye on the notebook.

Their carriage came to a stop at a safe distance from the scorched ruins of Major Raithburn's mansion. In the shadows of the charred structure, the trio could see Commodore Whitehead's long, dark carriage.

Standing next to the coach was the slight frame of a five-foot, one-hundred-pound man whom the Professor identified as Sir Richard Bumgardner. Chester commented. "He's not big enough for that name."

The Professor prepared to leave the carriage. "He is, however, big enough to be the number one producer of Shakespearean plays in England and, now, here, in 'the Colonies', including next month's Hamlet in New York City."

Jancy and Chester remained out of sight as the Professor slipped closer to Sir Richard in hopes of listening to his conversation with the Commodore.

Before leaving, the Professor had secured the binds to Tonio's workbook, but no sooner had he departed than Jancy's fingers began untying the knots and she turned to the back of the book and the section that she had not seen. There she found herself portrayed there in thin washes of Italian red, white and green, clad only in Indian beads with feathers in her hair and a naked baby in her arms, depicted as "Mio Madonna con il bambino." In subsequent pages, the bambino was no longer present, and Jancy's Madonna image became more flesh-colored, more detailed and more provocative, until she decided not to risk looking further and slammed the book shut beside Chester's nose.

Of course, Chester had something to say about that. "Jancy, a guy that good-looking has probably squandered away his capacity to love. He'll probably cheat on you with all the girlfriends you're closest to."

Jancy smiled. "I don't have any girl friends."

Chester shot back, "That won't stop him!"

Meanwhile, the Professor had found a spot behind a heap of debris to hide and yet be within hearing range of what the Commodore was saying to Sir Richard. "I assume there is some point to this meeting?"

Sir Richard stood ready to answer, as he drew his body to its full five-foot height and spoke in his overly precise diction. "There are many unanswered questions about the

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