I Am Jessamine

Jess and Nick walked out of the forest pushing two men in front of them. Both had been relieved of their shoes and coats. Jess had said they could go find them if and when they explained themselves, but both had declined to give any information in not very nice terms. Nick had wanted to tie them to the nearest tree and leave them for the wild boars, but Jess wanted to get out of them why they were following them, and if so, who they were spying for.

Willy was leaning against a tree as they walked up with their prisoners, and kicked the men behind the knees to make them kneel. Jessie and Nick together were pretty damned mean, thought Willy proudly. He smiled at them and asked, “So what have we here, children?”

“The boys next door don’t want to play by the rules, dad.” Was the response and Jess and Nick laughed loudly at Nick’s joke.

“I have some lovely long nails and a nasty hammer in my bag. Perhaps we can wrap their arms around the tree backward and nail their hands to the tree. It will give them the chance to survive if they have the balls to rip the nails the rest of the way through.” Said Willy and Nick and Jess loudly agreed with glee.

The frightened men looked at each other with barely concealed hysterical fear. Jess and Nick grabbed the first fellow, nearest the tree, to his shoeless feet and began dragging him over to the tree.

“No! Wait, please. Stop! Stop!” the man screeched so loud that Nick jiggled his pinkie finger in his ear.

“Something to say, dear fellow?” asked Willy kindly.

“We was workin’ for Colonel Daniels at his estate an’ we hears he is taken to Longmore so’s we wuz tol’ by his missus we has to go. She says a new Lord is coming an’ he wanted all us to go. We is hungry and we needs to feed us families an’ you’s be lookin’ like you has clink an’ things.”

“What is your name?” asked Nick.

“I be Jarred Smith and that coward over there be my brother Connor.” He said indicating the other man.

“Well, Jarred, I suggest you go back to the Murphy estate and speak to the Lord. It was originally his property before it got taken, but speak to him and he will give you your jobs back. Believe me, he will. He is a good, fair, decent, and honest man. You will not be sorry if you return and speak to him.” Nick cut the ropes of Jarred and his brother, Connor.

“What is your name, M’Lord?” he asked Nick as Jess moved to hide behind Spark.

“I am the grandson of the Duke of Broch de Clisson, Nicholas. Lord Murphy knows exactly who I am. As well as my mother, Lady Genevieve de Clisson Kellie O’Cleirigh and my grandfather, the Duke.” Nicholas stood taller and prouder when he said this.

The two men bowed and bobbed and yessir’ed and Nick told them to go find their clothes and shoes and return home. They would be honoring their families if they returned and doing honest days’ work for an honest wage.

As the two men scampered off in the direction of their belongings Jess walked to her brother and hugged him around his waist, “Proud of you, bro.” and he squeezed her. “Man, that felt good.” He grinned and they all smiled and got back on their horses and headed to their ultimate destination.

Later that night they found a glade and sheltered under the smaller trees by setting up their canvas sheets underneath and using the branches to tie the ends. Nick and Willy got the fire going and Jess collected the bed rolls. They kept their horses nearby and unpacked the pack horse.

“Holy hell, there’s enough food here to feed an army!” said Nick with a look of astonishment on his face.

Willy laughed, “Yeah, by the time we get there we can play ten-pin bowling and roll all over them guards.” And they all laughed at this, but there was a definite undercurrent of nerves and they all felt it and looked at each other.

Jessie was the one who was gutsy enough to say what needed to be said. “This feels like our farewell trip guys.” She said sadly and Willy and Nick ducked their heads down and began sorting their beds and hauling out cheeses, meats, dried fruits, and a couple of different loaves of bread.

Jess found a bag with neatly packaged pork pies and she doled out one each. Then looking at Willy she asked, “How long do you reckon it will take us to get there?”

As they all sat on their bed rolls and ate Willy said between mouthfuls, “If we leave on the morrow before sun up we will camp again so I would say about another full day and a half or more depending on the terrain.” Knowing what her next question would be he added, “Rancliff will be two days or more from Galway and then he will wait for us to try and attack his trade ship with the human cargo. He will probably wait about a day or two and then send his ship off to the colonies or wherever he intends to send those poor bastards. Which will give us at least four-plus days ahead of him. I have already sent word to Mr. Tora who will have arranged passage for me to Spain and then from Spain I go to Switzerland.”

Nicholas nodded and took a big bite of his pork pie and savored the taste. When he was done he said, “Jess and I will board a fishing ship at Bray and head on down to Ballyteige Bay where we will disembark and purchase ourselves some rope and then head to the tip of Hook Head either on foot or we will procure horses. Then I will take Jess to the cave and let her go home to finish up with the plan.” The two men looked at Jess who nodded her head but did not look at either of them. She couldn’t because it was too sore for her and they both knew what she was leaving behind. Neither of them would try to talk her out of her plans.

The home stretch would only happen if everything she had planned down to the last step worked out in their favor and Jess made everyone go over it all again. They had done this so many times before, but not in the eighteen hundreds. No alarms, no home security services, and no burglar bars to worry about, but there were soldiers and real flying lead balls being shot out of pistols and nasty sharp swords.

Jess got up when they were done and walked a little distance away from the men and she stared up at the sky. It was clear and cold, but the blanket of stars above them warmed her and she thought of Gray and Gem and then wondered if she would ever get over them. She missed them both so very much it hurt. Her thoughts were interrupted by Nick, “Jessie? You okay?” he asked and put his arm around her shoulders. Jess didn’t answer, not because she didn’t want to, but because she couldn’t. She had a lump the size of a tennis ball in her throat.

“I know what you are giving up, Jessie. Believe it or not, but I hurt when you hurt.” He held her tighter, “I am so sorry for the pain I have caused you and I will forever regret being the reason dad was killed. I have to live with that, Jess.” She let out a strangled little sob and Nick folded her in his arms and continued to speak. “But I’ll tell you one thing I totally believe in. The story of the babe given to the Faeries. I don’t care what you or anyone else says, Jess, but it is you. There is something very special and ethereal about you, little sister. Mom and I saw you in the garden yesterday when you read Grays’ letter and we saw the light on you and we saw how all the white blooms lifted up and then gently rained down on you. We felt the warmth and most of all, the love. There was so much love there, baby. It’s like when you give love, they fill you up to be able to give more. When you make a sacrifice they return what you lost tenfold. Even when we were younger and I was a total shit to you, I saw it. Every time, you forgave me. Every time, you gave me another chance. You saved me, Jessie. You came here and fought like the devil for me and our people. You and you alone showed courage and gave courage to others who were then able to stand up and speak out. Jess, that comes from someone who is filled to the brim with love for others.” He held her tightly against his chest as she cried softly at the sacrifices she had to make.

The following morning, after a restless night Jess sorted her bed roll out and helped repack their bags and boxes and they were off again while the mist was thick and wet. Jess was amazed Willy still remembered the land, but she should have known when someone loved their land as much as she had seen he did then it was not surprising at all.

They passed villages where children ran about playing and parents were out in the fields and there were sheep dotted everywhere. “How in the hell do they know whose sheep belongs to whom?” asked Nick.

“Oh lad, these are a canny lot, but there has been many a fight over sheep. These folk are tenants and they pay rent to their Lord and he ends up having to sort out their crap. It generally works that once a month they have a gathering in the great hall of the Lords castle or his mansion and they then bring their grievances forward to him and he has to solve it all. In such a way as to make everyone happy. It’s not an easy job, I can tell you.” Then turning in his saddle he asked Nick, “If it were you and two tenants were fighting over a sheep, what is it you would do to solve the problem?”

After thinking on it for a while Nick said, “Well if it were a ewe I would suggest that the next lamb born is given to the aggrieved tenant. Whereas if it is a ram then it would work the same way. The first lamb born that is a male, then that gets handed over to the tenant.”

Looking over his shoulder at Willy he saw him nodding his head and he said, “Fair enough.”

Nick would have more than enough advice to glean from either their grandfather, mother, Willy, or even Gray should the need arise. Nick would be just fine, Jess thought with a relieved sigh.

Just as they were talking about resting for a short while later that afternoon Jess caught sight of a platoon of redcoats on the far side of the ridge and they quickly got off the horses and moved behind an outcropping of rock. Jess removed her hat, but kept her bandanna on and crept up the hill slightly and lay flat on her belly to keep eyes on where they were going and as they got closer she slid down backward and showed Nick and Willy with a finger to her lips and then pointing above them above the outcropping of rock they were hiding beneath.

Whispering quietly to the horses they stood head to tail in a line and their horses remained calm and silent. They literally heard the troop above them and then the talking of the men. “It is bloody ridiculous being out here in this godforsaken cold. The next village we come to I want to warm my feet, fill my belly, and dip my prick in some maiden.” And there were guffaws and more rude comments about young girls and a couple of mentions about young lads and even more raucous laughter and mention of the people around these parts being filthy savages.

Jessie bristled and her fury grew and she wanted to rip the throats out of these filthy swine talking as though these human beings were naught but play things and dirt beneath their boots. Willy started walking his horse forward and Nick followed, but Jess remained where she was. She wanted to wait and then follow them quietly because the next village was only an hour away. Looking back over her shoulder the idea that any one of those poor people could be a victim made Jess roil inside.

“Jessie! What are you doing?” whispered Nick loudly.

Willy spun around and saw her face and turned back and gave his horse to Nick. Taking her by the shoulders he shook her slightly “No Jessie! You have to continue. We cannot afford to go back now and besides there’s only three of us and about twenty of them.”

Jessie knew he made sense, but that didn’t stop her anger and wish to slit throats and shove her sword into bellies. She shook her head sadly, “I know, but I hate this. There are children in that village and they won’t be able to defend themselves against those bastards!”

“You will be surprised, my girl. I will not be surprised if they do defend themselves and murder the lot of them. It won’t take the villagers very long to dig a big hole in their field and rid themselves of all evidence that they were ever in that village. I personally, have seen it happen.” Willy pulled her along and she allowed him to push her into the saddle.

Jumping up and into his saddle, Willy said, “Let’s move!” and they started off a bit faster and did not stop again until nightfall. Jessie thought about the villagers and prayed that they would be spared any hurt and pain or if so they defended themselves righteously.

Jess recalled some history Willy had taught them about the uprisings in Ireland to sever the ties with Great Britain. The seventeen ninety-one uprisings failed, but they continued and tried again for their independence. The rebellion of seventeen ninety-eight on Vinegar Hill where a thousand lives were lost and then again in her history, but the future for the people of Ireland, in eighteen forty-eight and then again in eighteen sixty-seven. The six-day rebellion in nineteen sixteen started on Easter Monday twenty-fourth of April. The Irish fought hard for their independence from the British crown and finally received it on December twenty-ninth nineteen thirty-seven when they could finally fly their green white and orange flag. I may sound American, thought Jess, but Ireland is my blood home so ridding the world of Rancliff and his aim to rule Ireland as king was her way of playing her part in their right to independence.

They were getting closer to their prize and Jess started to feel that old familiar rush and it felt as though every molecule in her body was bouncing about. It was a high like no other and, if she was honest with herself, she had missed it. She knew there would always be a part of her who yearned for the thrill, like an addiction, but the other part of her knew that it was not exactly the right kind of addiction.

That night she lay under her blankets and went over all the details in her mind again and then turned slightly so that she could look up into the night sky and dotted here and there she could see the shining diamonds that were on her ball gown and the little hair clips that were in her hair and now hiding safely in her trunk. She would never see them again and she prayed her memory would never fade either so she could remember or hang on to the love and warmth she felt then. Jessie knew that it would take a lifetime to forget so she would not even try to. The O’Cleirigh estate with her parents and her siblings, Gem and Gray, and then Broch de Clisson and her grandfather would live forever in her heart and she wished them all nothing but love and happiness.

She fell asleep dreaming of Gray and their last night together and then the life she wished she could have had with him and her precious Gem. The little boy she would probably never have, but got to love for a short time. Finally, her mind cleared and she slept listening to soft and gentle singing and she felt warm all over and in her sleep, she smiled, as Nick watched her, and she danced in the glade with the Faerie Queen who grew to love her, someone else’s child. But sacrificed her love for the child by giving her back, but would always love.

Nick lay under his blanket and watched Jess and listened as she slept. If he had only a third of her braveness and capacity to love he would be happy. He got angry too quickly and he would hold a grudge for a long time. He had a spiteful streak that he himself did not like at all. He had promised himself the morning Jess walked in to speak to him and then took him out of that horrible room he had been in, that he wanted to change and he would. He had a lot to be accountable for and if he wanted to be anything near what his mother and grandfather deserved, he would have to up his game and make some serious changes and he had begun that day. It was thanks to his little sister, Jess. He owed her a lot and did not have enough time to repay her, but he would make her proud of him by making a success of himself and what he would inherit from his grandfather.

Nick began singing softly a song he had learned many years ago that had his sister’s name in it. He knew the song by heart and he thought it suit Jessamine perfectly.

“What am I supposed to do, With a girl like Jesamine?

Though my eyes are open wide, She’s made my life a dream.

When Jesamine goes, A part of me knows I’m not really living.

A butterfly child so free and so wild, And so full of living.

When Jesamine stays, Though time goes so fast, This is my world at last.

Beautiful days lost in her eyes, But then the whole world dies …”

“You still sing that old song, kid?” asked Willy softly.

“Yeah, it is perfect for her, Willy. If only I had realized sooner what a wonderful woman she was, but then I wouldn’t have anyone to look up to, now would I?” He smiled and shook his head. “She is giving up the man she loves, Willy. She is one of the most selfless people I have ever met. I don’t know if I could do it, but she sticks to her guns and she forsakes it all for those she loved first.” Nick couldn’t help it, but tears sprang to his eyes and he looked over at Willy.

“I’ve been a total selfish bastard, but she still cares. She still loves me and wants what I want for me. I have a lot of work to do to make her proud of me, Will. She may not stay, but I can still make her proud.” Nick wiped his eyes.

“Aye lad, every day is a new day for a new beginning. I am proud of you, Nick. Your father would be proud too.” And Willy gave a little sniff.

“Willy?” Nick called softly.

“Aye?”

“Do you know the story about the Faerie child of the Creideamh Si?” he asked quietly almost afraid of the answer he would hear.

“Aye lad. I know the story. What are you asking me?” asked Willy still lying with his eyes closed.

“Do you believe it could be Jess?” he asked barely above a whisper.

Opening his eyes and then sitting up, Willy looked at Nick and said, “I will ask only one question of you, Nick, and your answer will have to suffice. You okay with that?”

“Yes sir, I am.” Said Nick seriously and respectfully.

“What does the birthmark on the back of her neck look like to you?” and Willy lay back down and closed his eyes.

Nick looked towards Jessie and recalled tying her hair numerous times and seeing the butterfly wings on the back of her neck that went into her hairline. Why didn’t I think of that before, he asked himself angrily. Sweet Jesus, could his sister really be the reincarnation of the child who lived for a thousand years with the Daoine Sidhe? Nick closed his eyes and a fresh wave of shame swept over him and he vowed to keep her safe and protected until he could get her to the cave and back to the ranch in the twenty-first century where she would be safer. If this story, whether myth or not, got out there’s no telling how much danger Jessie would be in. The thought frightened the hell out of Nick and he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened his eyes again he stared into her violet ones.

“Hey brat!” he whispered and smiled at her. He had not called Jessie that in many years.

“I was dreaming I heard you singing my song to me.” She mumbled sleepily. Stretching she sat up and asked, “My turn yet?” she asked referring to guard duty.

“Nah, still a ways to go yet.” He lied and watched her snuggle back under her blankets and he prayed she would have a dreamless, restful sleep.

Jess woke up to the smell of coffee, bread, bacon, and eggs and she rolled over and sat up with a jerk. Nick was over the fire cooking and Willy was packing up the pack horse. “I missed my shift! Shit! Why didn’t you wake me?” Jess scrambled out of her blankets and pulled on her boots and while she buttoned and buckled, Willy popped his head back under their lean-to and smiled, “You were sleeping like a wee baby, so we took charge of the shifts. Relax, Jessie, you needed the sleep and we let you sleep.” Nick smiled at her and handed her a plate with aromas so delicious Jess forgot about feeling angry and embarrassed, she was so ravenous she just wanted to eat. “Bon appetite.” Nick laughed as he watched her then turned to Willy and the two frowned slightly when they looked at each other and then shrugged.

They moved off again during thick mist and before noon they had reached the ridge where they could look down onto the Dun Laoghaire estate. Exactly where it was drawn on the map was the thin forest along the cliffside ridge. Obviously to act as a windbreaker for the offshore gales and winds. They would head in that direction and remain under the cover of the trees and shrubs and way out of the way of any lookout.

They finally reached where Jess thought their best getaway advantage would be about two hours later and they unloaded what was left on the pack horse, but kept their own horses in saddle, but also let them drink the last barrel of water, graze and relax. Jessie checked Sparks’ hooves and shoes as did Nick for Wanderer and Willy checked Autumn. All three horses were in peak condition, just as they needed them to be for a very fast getaway. They needed the horses refreshed and relaxed and ready for a mad dash across the land to Dublin.

As the sky grew darker and duller the trio moved to the tree line and with a spyglass they checked out their routes and points of entry. “Shit!” Jess swore under her breath.

“What is it?” asked Willy.

“The West facing entry point has too many redcoats around it.” And Willy took the spyglass and checked while Jess closed her eyes and mentally went over the plans again.

“That’s not always a bad thing. It just means the other options may have less.” Nick said quietly.

“Or, they’ve doubled their guards.” Said Jess feeling irritated.

They all took turns having a look again and got lost in their own thoughts. Then Jess looked up and punched the ground “How stupid! Grandpa said that there would be a south-facing door that was always unlocked. This door was from the kitchen area and the passage runs past dungeons or cells, or something, but just outside would be a type of trench where offal was thrown. All the carcasses and rotten food or the leftovers. He said it would stink to high heaven, especially if it had been raining, but no guards would be there because of the smell, and if there were it would only be one guard. That would mean we enter from the south and work our way up and then east to where his quarters would be located.”

“Good girl.” Willy grinned at her and patted her shoulder.

Nick had the spyglass to his eye and he mumbled, “Yeah, look south of where the three redcoats are clustered together. There are some seriously large, but mangy-looking dogs lurking about. They are not on leashes, so they are obviously not dogs from the mansion.” He handed the spyglass over to Jess and she watched them for a while and then gave it over to Willy.

Sliding back down the little hill from the tree line Jess said as she picked up a stick to draw in the mud, “Right, so we are agreed we enter at the south?” and she looked up to see her brother and Willy nod. “Alright. From there it will work a little differently from what was originally planned if we entered from the east. Instead of the left turn, we continue straight and, if memory serves, the stairs will then be on our left, shit no, right. The stairs will be on the right. Okay, in from the south, straight, stairs on the right, and then from there it is basically as I said from the get-go.”

Everyone nodded and was lost in their own thoughts as they headed back to their horses. Jess rechecked Spark and the buckles on the stirrups, and made sure his girth straps weren’t too tight, but just right. Then she checked and made sure the saddle was sitting securely on his saddle blanket and the headpiece, cheekpiece, and throatlash were all in place. Moving to his muzzle she loved him and allowed him to nibble her palm as she fed him an oat biscuit and checked the reins and the loose-ring snaffle and noseband. Jess wanted him comfortable, but she also didn’t want any nasty surprises.

She walked along and did the same to all of the horses and Willy and Nick left her to it. She chatted to the horses, including the little packhorse Archie, fed them oat biscuits, and finally took their tether ropes and tied them to the stay ropes with a slipped buntline knot. She did it in such a way that if Spark pulled his head the stay rope would come loose from the tree and their tether ropes would slip off. Patting the horses and showing them love and affection, Jess whispered to each one, ’Je Suis Pret’.

Nick had just finished pulling out their leftovers and some cheese and bread. The bacon was cold and greasy and Jessie thought it didn’t look appetizing at all, but she shoved some cheese and cold bacon into the middle of a wad of bread and chewed. Surprisingly she found it quite delicious. They washed everything down with water from their water bottles. No booze tonight, thought Jessie as she began to feel that old familiar rush flooding her veins as she applied the concealer to her scar and used eyeliner, which her mom had given her, to create a messy mustache and sideburns.

Before long the light had faded and they were ready to move. Their eyes had adjusted perfectly to the dusk and shadows and the bonfires around the outside doors were blazing where the redcoats stood around warming themselves and guzzling whiskey or rum.

Nick was on point with Jess in the middle and then Willy bringing up the rear. They were at least thirty feet, or ten meters, apart and moved silently until they got to the drain cum trench on the south end. Jess pulled her neck scarf around the bottom end of her face and the urge to gag out loud was strong. Jessie saw Nick double over and hold his hand over his face. Jessie looked back at Willy and he was grinning like a deranged chimpanzee and Jess wanted to slap him. Dear god, it stinks so bad, thought Jess. What the hell could possibly be so malodorous and foul?

Stepping slowly forward Jess heard a low growl and stopped in her tracks and turned her head to the left slightly. Just above her was an animal who appeared to be a dog, but was the size of a Shetland pony and rangy with matted fur and blazing gold yellow eyes. Jess immediately thought of a wolf, but then remembered that there were no wolves in Ireland. Jess stayed where she was but the bloody dog was creeping slowly down the trench towards her. Jess tried to move back slightly, but he growled louder. Jess didn’t want that, but she also did not want to die. Drool was dripping off its teeth and the whites of its eyes were so red that he looked like a demon dog from hell. If there ever was such a thing, thought Jess.

As the massive brute leaned back on his haunches as though to spring upon her, and she had her hand on the handle of her dagger, Jess heard a thud, a soft yelp, and then the dog fell over. Looking at it, Jess saw a rather long dagger protruding from behind its front leg. A clear strike through the heart and Jess turned to see Willy walking up to her slowly so as not to slip in whatever stink it was they were walking in. Jess showed him a thumbs up and Willy nodded and put his foot on the dog and yanked out his dagger and cleaned it on its fur. Jessie felt heart sore for the dog so she sent up a prayer that wherever it was, over the rainbow bridge, she wished it happiness and health.

They finally met up with Nick who had tested the door and true as her grandfather had said, it was not locked. He had said they may have a trapdoor instead of a door, but he thought that it would be a door. Silently as they crept forward they saw, every now and then, a lit torch wedged into its bracket on the wall and, sure enough, there appeared to be jails or cells that they passed. If anyone was in them they were not making a sound.

Footfalls began and started moving closer and the three of them each found a cell doorway to fit into and suck in whatever was sticking out. Jess was grateful they had all decided to leave their tricorns behind. Jess was wearing her bandanna, Nick had on a beret, and Willy his grey tam o’shanter. The footfalls came closer and it sounded like two men. They had gone over all of the expected and unexpected scenarios and here came one of them. Jessie didn’t want this, but hey, it is what it is, she told herself.

They watched the shadows come closer and the men were obviously preoccupied with their conversation as to whether there would be enough dinner left for them after they did their rounds. Thomas was a bloody tubby and ate more than his fair share. They were definitely unprepared as they came around the bend and Nick stepped out and landed a blow with his fist straight into the closest chap’s face. Jess heard the facial bones crunch loudly. Jessie rushed out at the same time and used the back of her dagger to smack the other gent on the temple and he dropped like a rock. They quickly bound them and tried one of the cell doors and, finding it unlocked, they dragged the men in there and used their own kerchiefs to gag them, and then slid the bolt on the door.

Moving back up they went past what had to be the kitchen area. They could feel the heat and hear the chatter and clinking of platters and mugs. Staying in the shadows they watched as a lone trooper came walking down the passage and, quite literally walked right past them, and Jess, Willy, and Nick all let their breath out and stared at each other. Jess shook her head and sent up a prayer of thanks because that could have been disastrous. Right by the kitchen? They would have had to run like hell and give up their plan and try something else.

Continuing on their way they finally came upon the massive entrance area. Jess thought it looked like the ballroom at her grandfather’s estate. His was way bigger than the one at her father’s estate. This one was incredible as it had so many paintings, tables, chairs, and mirrors dotted throughout the room, but it was cold looking and uninviting. There were no feminine touches like flowers and candelabras, vases, and crystal decanters. It was bland and bare with no personality.

They looked up at the stairs to their right and saw no movement at all as it appeared most of the force were at dinner. Running across the passage entrance and towards the stairs, a voice was heard from above and they all stood dead still and heard a door slam. Sighing they looked at each other and grinned with wild fever red eyes, they continued up the stairs sticking to the middle as there was no carpet on the edges and they wanted quiet as much as possible.

Finally making it to the first landing Willy headed off and took the next set of stairs and the three of them made their ‘safe’ sign. It had always been a part of their way and Jess would never change it. Ben had learned sign language when he was a kid so that he could talk to their next-door neighbor’s son. When Ben found out the boy was deaf he made it his mission to be able to be one of the people who the young boy could tell his everyday stories to. It had stuck and they all learned sign language.

As Willy went out of view Jess and Nick moved as one on either side of the hall. There was definite noise coming from further down, but it sure didn’t sound like conversation or fighting. It sounded like a cacophony of grunts and groans and Jess and Nick frowned at each other, but headed down in that direction anyway.

They came to a door that was partially open on Nick’s side, but Jess saw in first and had to do a double take. Nick saw her face and did a quick look and leaned against the wall and stared at Jessie. They did not know what to make of the orgy going on inside that room. There were bodies everywhere. There were men on the bed that kind of looked like a human chain, all tangled up and whatnot. On the sofa were two women, or it could have been three, and then on the chairs were couples. Jess shrugged her shoulders because this had definitely caught her off guard and put her on the back foot.

Nick looked around and up and down the hall until he saw what he was looking for and indicated with his head for Jess to get the massive candelabra standing on a side table. Jess ran softly to get it and took it back to him and he leaned over and very gently and quietly pulled the door closed. He turned the door handle so slowly and then it finally withdrew the lock and he let it go again slowly. Not a peep came from the characters in the room. Using the candelabra he placed it upside down and wedged it over the handle and against the door jamb. He pushed it so hard that the brass became embedded in the wood.

They finally reached where the architectural diagrams had said the main suite would be and it was not one single room. The suite was on both sides of the hall and Nick tried his door and, as expected, it was locked. So when Jess tried her door and found it locked she was sure that they were in the right place. Removing keys from their pockets they began slowly, methodically, and quietly trying each key until they heard that delightful click and opened doors and slipped inside