Sather: Thanks! he's certainly more nutty than a peanut farm!
Sethanon: Yes, the 17th century is a hard time for Britain, especially compared with the 16th!
Watercress: Agreed! I always include them in every AAR.
Arakhor: I switched nation so I could break vassalisation and such from their side.
Adam Clason: No, no psychic powers. She does know a lot though.
Avindian: Thanks!
morningSIDEr: Many thanks! Sadly, Henry V will not sit long on the throne of Great Britain. As for links to EE? We'll see....
c0d5579: Well, therein lies part of the problem. I wasn't sure what I could do that was dramatic, yet not make the game unplayable for me. So as it is, I did what I could with it.
Chapter 26 – The Railway
27/1/1820
Edinburgh Castle loomed over John as he walked through the streets of the Scottish city. The old St Andrew’s Cross flag could be seen flying in places, but much more common was the British flag. Indeed, after nearly 250 years in the British state the people of Scotland had long given up hope of an independent state, but instead tried to preserve their culture as well as they could. Here and there one could see the heroic shapes of Robert Bruce and William Wallace on stern statues. However, often enough the statues depicted men and women after the nation’s integration into the British state such as the famous general Ambrose Clive of the 18th century. He had been a Scotsman, but more than that, he had been British.
John followed Lady Mendenhall and Tempest through the crowded streets. It was a busy day and John had to avoid rumbling cards filled with products, or hurrying crowds of people. A steep walk up from the docks took them near to where John could hear the whistle of an engine.
“Still keeping up?” Lady Mendenhall asked jovially. She seemed tireless, and didn’t even need the stick she carried. He hadn’t found the time to ask her about that.
“Yes, Lady, but I thought we were going to London?”
“We are! But I need to see someone at Carlisle, and we couldn’t do that easily by ship. Therefore we’ll take the Great Hibernian Line to Glasgow, then down to London via Carlisle. Have you been on the railway before?”
“Yes, they’re rather popular in America. The Hartford and Edwardton could get speeds of up to 30 miles an hour. Father doesn’t like them though, thinks they are dirty and dangerous.”
Lady Mendenhall laughed. “He’s right, but so is everything else. Besides, you just need to know how to travel. Come, we should get to the station, the luggage and servants went on ahead.”
Soon they could see the station itself. The great belching monsters came in on the tracks to be unloaded of the people or goods they carried. The crowds were getting heavier, and John noticed several undesirables lurking near the gates. Some were shifty looking men, others women of ill-repute.
It was as he was looking around him that a young boy bumped into him. As he turned, he saw the boy hurrying away. When John felt his pockets he realised that the brooch was missing.
“Lady, pickpockets just stole something from me. They stole the Caroline brooch.”
Lady Mendenhall turned quickly. “Well we can’t have that, I am not losing it twice. Tempest, see to it.”
The black woman strode off meaningfully into the crowd.
“What will she do?” John asked.
“Not kill them, if that is what you fear. She will recover it though. Do try to be a little more careful though. You never know when…”
Suddenly her stick’s hooked end shot out and tripped a young boy trying to get behind her.
“How careless of me, son,” she said pleasantly. “You could come to harm in such a place as this,” she added.
The urchin looked up at her. “I didn’t do nothing!”
“Capital. Now run along, and make sure none of your friends do anything either,” she said with a smile.
The thief left, seeking easier pickings.
“Crime is a terrible thing, especially when done in such a crude fashion. Come, John.”
He followed her, having given up wondering how she did things.
An hour later they were sitting in a first class carriage being served lunch by uniformed servants. Steam formed clouds around the train, and while it was chilly, there was no snow.
It was as the train was about to take off that there was a commotion at the door. Tempest entered, followed by the conductor. “I’m sorry, Miss, this carriage is not appropriate for you,” he said.
“She is with me, Conductor. Admit her,” Lady Mendenhall said calmly. She stood and faced them, her back to John.
He seemed uncertain. “Lady, she is…coloured.”
John was not able to see her face, but the man backed away from the look she gave him.
“Leave,” Lady Mendenhall ordered him.
He did not hesitate, and left quickly. The rest of the carriage, upper class all, looked at them, but her Ladyship did not pay them any notice, but sat.
“Did you succeed, dear?” she asked Tempest.
The bodyguard produced the brooch and offered it to Lady Mendenhall. “On the way back a man made an offensive comment. He will recover.”
Lady Mendenhall took the keepsake, then passed it to John. “Nothing too serious, I hope?” she asked wryly.
“He will have trouble walking for some time,” Tempest said matter-of-factly.
“Good. Respect must be maintained. And the luggage?”
“All aboard, Lady.”
“Excellent. Now, eat.”
The train jerked and set off. Soon they had left Edinburgh behind and were steaming west on the first leg of their return journey to London.