Lithic Liners & Beauty Marks Set is the new release for [Anthem]

 

• Event OPEN: 3rd, Midnight SLT. TP HERE!

Scanned lith print.

 

Hasselblad 500C/M w/ Zeiss Distagon 50 mm/f4.

June 2024.

 

Fomapan 100 in Adonal 1+100, semistand 1 h.

 

Cropped neg lith printed on the new and yet again lithable Fomatone 131 FB (emulsion batch # 079648-02).

Dec 6, 2024.

 

Developed in Moersch Easy Lith Special Fomatone Edition (30A+25B+H2Oqs700).

 

Untoned.

 

Revisiting negs from the past summer as a first try out of the new FT paper.

Lithable: yes!

Snowballs: no

A Rather Devious tale of comeuppance to a Snotty Brat

Cadence Abbot, Craig Abbot

 

Chronicles of Lifting Light

The Plucking of Rose

 

Chapter 1

The Set up

She had pleaded with me to lend her £80! Her beguiling eyes were opened wide as she begged; “It’s perfect” she had said, “so please, I will do anyt…,”

She cut it off, remembering whom she was bargaining with for a favour…

As her twin brother, we have done some pretty over the top bits of role-playing over the years, and she was suddenly wary of signing her life away …….( smart girl)

^^^^^^

A bit of background:

We had all had been invited to my sister’s boyfriend “ Brian’s” parents renewal of their wedding vows the following month and, I knew she wanted to make an impression at the fancy dress. Sis and my better half, “Ginny” had gone dress shopping, and apparently, my twin sister had found a gown that they both liked quite a bit, but it cost a bit more than she could afford the moment and Ginny, having just bought a new dress herself that day, was temporarily out of lending cash!

So Sis had had them hold it, then tracked me down to ask a favour ( nothing new there), and was now begging me to lend her £80, to help pay it off.

^^^^^^

She knew I was a sucker for a good plead, especially when I received the puppy eye look that my sister had down pat! The same look she had taught Ginny how to use, and not unlike our Golden Retriever “Sam” was wont to use when she felt a walk was in order!

As it happened, I owed her a small favour, so I gave her the needed notes without making her bargain her life away, and she skipped off happily. I figured that would be the last of it until her payday. But of course, being a mere man in my ladies' world, I was yet once more wrong on that account!

Later that week sis rang me up. She had a formal reunion she just received the invitation to. It was at a large, multipurpose hall about an hour away, and was going on the weekend before Brian’s parents do.

It was being put on for her old co-workers at the Barristers office she had interned at while at Oxford.

Brian was busy that weekend getting ready for his parent's party, and would not be able to be her escort. So she called to see if I would be his backup. As an incentive, she said she would wear the gown I had lent her the money for if I agreed to be her chaperone. Seeing how smashing my sister looks when she dresses up (like my Ginny also), It was impossible to say no to her pleads. Unfortunately, Ginny had switched weekends with a co-worker so she could make Brian’s do the next weekend, so she was out of the picture also. This was a shame, for escorting a pair of well-dressed young ladies is always something I always looked forward to doing.

But escorting one is also quite nice, even if it twas only one’s twin sister!

 

Chapter 2

The Pickup

 

I arrived at my twin’s apartment that appointed evening and waited while she put on the finishing touches. “Ready?” she had called out sweetly, yes I said, and out she came strolling, a wide big smile on her dolled up face. I figured my eyes did a bugger, for she started to giggle in the way she does when overly pleased with herself (which actually happens quite a bit frequently, all too frequently one may add!).

She was truly stunning, a living “Galatea”, and I told her as much.

Her long silvery gown was hanging from her figure like someone had poured it down over her, modeling it over along her figure. And that is just what it looked like someone had done!

I have heard the term liquid satin, but this was just incredible the way it delightfully flowed and swished as she moved about. Brian was going to go nuts when he saw her, and she definitely would be turning some heads as she strolled in with him. She twirled around in a circle for full effect, and I just stood there mesmerized by the women before me that was my kid sister( by all of 4 minutes), the same sister that had only days before been wearing stained shirt and jean jumper, tramping through the barn in the horses stalls, while hauling shovelfuls of …… well I’m sure you get the gist of it!

As I said it was a long thin gown, of a colour that seemed to change between silver and cream as it moved to slink along with her youthful figure, with wide straps that went over her shoulders ending in four thin spaghetti straps along her backside. The bodice was all decorated with swirls of rhinestones, going down and around her gown’s waistline. She was also wearing her sliver open-toed heels, the ones with the rhinestone straps (with pointed toes that rightfully hurt when kicked….. another day, another story).

She had also put on her rhinestone jewellery, a set consisting of earrings, necklaces, and wide dangling bracelets. The total package presented was quite a dazzling vision to behold, and I told her as much.

“That, my girl,” I said with enthusiasm,” is one rightful picture of eye-catching loveliness you have gone and managed to make of yourself! “

She gushed, “your sweet”, and gave me an all-enveloping hug. As she broke away, sis looked up at me smiling and curtsied, why thank you kind sir, and once you have picked your jaw off the floor, can we please be going?

“Certainly miss,” I said, and opened the door for her. As she rustled past, sis asked if I thought Brian would like it?

“Lass, I said with all due modesty, He would be a daft bugger if he didn’t!” I added,” It was certainly money well lent”, and she looked at me teasingly, “okay mood breaker, for that you won’t get the first dance!”

“ Likely I will be the only one wishing to dance with you anyway!” I retorted, “what will you be doing then? “

She just squished her eyes at me, winked, and then turned, closing and locked her apartment door.

Suddenly I stopped, “Oui! , wait a minute, I felt my suit coat pocket, okay luv, give it back!” I said as she grinned back at me, producing my thin, special occasion only, wallet.

“Getting better, aren’t I lad!” She chirps happily, it wasn’t a question.

“A bit I admitted, you’ve been practicing then?”

“Only on you and Ginny !” she stated, “but the pair of you are getting too easy!” she smirked. I playfully tapped her on the back.

“What’s all this about easy?”v I asked, producing her bracelet from me pocket, dangling it, watching it shimmer front of her now wide open mascara lined eyes!

“You may want to put this back on!” I said.

“Devilish Turd!”, she exclaimed taking it back.

“No more hugs for you mister!”, she stated, taking my arm and pulling me out to my car.

“All tricks out of the way now? Good, we can enjoy the evening with no more worries.” She lectured as we walked

I just nodded as I led her to my car, a bullet grey 1954 Circa Mercedes that Brien’s Uncle had helped me restore.

As I opened the door, my sister slipped herself in onto the grey leather seat, while under her breath she said playfully ( and not for the first time) “how I ever survived those first nine months I spent with you in such close proximity without going bonkers, I will never know!”

 

Chapter 3

The Devil’s Dance

It took us almost 90 minutes to find the joint, arriving with the do in full swing.

I was amazed at the number of vehicles in the overfilled lot. When we got inside the poshly decorated “palace” We discovered that there was a total of 3 formal functions going on, ours, a wedding reception we were sharing on the second floor, and a formal dance for some snotty private girls-only academy occupying the entire first floor.

We went upstairs and found the chamber where the Barrister’s office reunion was being held.

Now I will admit that I had harboured some thoughts that Sis may have been quite a bit overdressed for the event, but my fears were unfounded.

What greeted my eyes was quite a “snob fest” of overdressed and fairly pompous looking guests.

I had only ever met a couple of my sister’s former co-workers, and they had been interns her own age. But the majority here were the snooty, older husband and wives, of, course, a group of stuck up Barristers.

We were unable to spy any of Sis’s old friends, but while looking we were immediately scooped up by one of her old bosses biddy of a co-worker ( whom sis had found insufferable) and led around like some prize colts, being introduced to a bunch of older coots who forgot our names as fast as they were given( we being nobodies) I satisfactorily noticed more than a few leering and jealous eyes looking over my sister. But, alas, nothing from the female end found me even remotely interesting (ouch in the ego department there)!

We finally found an empty table, and I went off for drinks.

As I watched over my sister while waiting for the barkeep to mix the drinks, I saw a rather posh looking boy wearing a tux zero in on our table and swoop in for the kill.

He was a rather tall chap with devilish good looks, thin mustache, small ponytail, fitted monkey suit, the works!

Looking like he was a model Fortunes mag rag, he loomed over me sister, and I knew what the cheeky devil was asking.

Sure enough, sis cutely offered him her hand and he helped her up and led her to the dance floor.

The barkeep handed me our drinks, and as I turned, Sis shot a look back at me as they were passing, a rather chiding look that I took meant “ told you, no first dance, mate” my suspicions were confirmed, when adding insult to injury, she stuck her tongue out at me over his shoulder…

I raised my glass in cheers as she was swished away, and headed back to our table.

I watched the two swirling around, feeling a bit jealous, but then this was my sister, not Ginny!

I knew Brian would be seething, so I felt jealous for him I told myself.

Then my mind went on to fantasize “what if he was after something, like say her jewels, and my mind went into a jewel thief mode, with him as the main character.

” I almost wish he had been, then he would be just no realizing that this little charmer’s jewels were not real, had nothing of value to offer, and would soon be leaving her for greener pastures ( of which there were acres of at that place) and so then be dumping his pretty partner after the one dance.

I tried to lose my envious nature, but at one point he held her close, too close I reckoned.

I felt like shouting out to them “Aye mate, make room for Jesus”!

This bit came from a couple of elderly nuns who had been chaperoning one of my old seminarian academy dances… They would walk up to couples dancing a wee bit too close in their eyes, and place their hands between them, separating them a bit, while spouting off, “make room for Jesus children”-

Ginny and I had been amongst the chastised ourselves that evening!

When sis got back, I rose and greeted the pair, shaking his hand as sis introduced us.

She did not say I was her brother, so I knew that she wasn’t eager for any repeat performances.

The Git had hands that didn’t know where to stop, in my opinion anyhow.

But all that didn’t change the fact that my sister was still a bit smitten with the gigolo looking, bloke. All in all, though, he was quite the polite bugger, shooting me a self-confident look like, ‘no worries old chap’, as I shook a firm hand, I nodded, and off he went to those greener pastures as I was hoping.

I turned to my now still fawning sister.

“Remember a bloke named Brian?” I chided and she just gave me a simpering smile.

I held out my hand…

“Care to, Mademoiselle?”

“Sorry luv, She apologized, I need to freshen up a bit first.”

I Watched as she darted off like a swallow taking wing.

 

Chapter 4

A most annoying interaction

 

She started to head off to the exit stairs, “whoa lass” I called out after her, Pointing and mouthing that powder room is the opposite way, luv!

“No doing,” she said as she coyly looked back at me over her shoulder, whispering her words, “not sharing with any of those old crows, I will be using the one downstairs in the main lobby!”

And she scurried away on her mission, long gown fluttering quite merrily down about her shimmery high heels.

I waited, bored, not one pretty female came up to my side and asked me to have a go on the dance floor, like “fingers” Romeo had done with my sister.

I looked around carefully, but I just did not see any female of the same ilk sitting alone and bored as I was at her own table, waiting for someone to rescue her pretty self!

So I waited, and waited as the minutes went by, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 26,27,28,29.. and no sign of my twin returning!

I had just decided to take a meander down to make sure there was nothing serious going on the first floor that might have been keeping her, like say, a sudden breakout of kittens, when I finally saw her smirking face popping up from the stairwell.

As she sat down, I tried to playfully admonish her behavior, failing miserably. About time I said, since when does it take 30 minutes to have a P.. she cut me off by placing a finger to my lips.

“Sorry luv, You wouldn’t believe the twit I just ran into!” she said and leaned closer to me, for my ears only it seemed.

She started talking in a low voice, though no one else was in earshot.

That private girl's Academy dance that is going on downstairs,.. well I... I just ran into one of em, a snobbish princess, a real talker, and spinner of tales her about her pretty own self, a young girl named Rose.

Sounds like our Micke, I said, and sis suddenly exploded into giggles. She finally controlled herself, placing her hand on my shoulder, yes, exactly like our cousin Michele, they almost even look alike, though Micke’s hair is longer and blonder!

Our cousin Micke was one who could never tell the truth about anything, even when she was tattling on some poor soul.

Apparently, the lass was born with an overactive imagination ( Kinda runs in the family I suppose) her stories were always overly embellished with tall tales, stretched out wild examples, and added characterizations, all centered around herself being the Heroine.

Someone like that would have made a great children’s storybook writer or gossip columnist, but not our Micke, she turned around and became, of all things, involved in town politics….God save the Queen!

The upshot is that we all started to treat anything coming out of Micke’s mouth (a horrid pun that, I do apologize) as mostly fabrication, which would rile her to no end, especially if she was tellin the God’s truth!

So I knew exactly what this cheeky creature named Rose was all about, as I looked at my giggling sister.

Once she caught her breath and controlled her giggling, Sis started in on Rose.

Just as she was starting in, the band started a slow song.

Rising, I took her hand, lifted her up from her seat, her gown falling swishing down to her feet.

But through all that, she never stopped talking about the annoyance she had encountered downstairs!

One who had obviously stricken a nerve!

I led my twin onto the dance floor, taking the talkative imp into my arms as she continued to fill me in on the quite over-imaginative young lady named Rose.

“My Lord” my sister exclaimed, as we danced, “within the first ten minutes I learned more about this girl than even her own parents probably know. Talk about stuck upon herself. And did you know there is a rose garden by the entrance, just like her name!”

My sister imitated Rose, with a twittering nasally voice at the end of her statement, rolling her eyes in disbelief of it all. Of course, we had noticed the rose garden, bit difficult not too since it was lining both sides of the concourse into the main way into the building. It had short paths branching off along the way with benches and fountains. But This Rose apparently had acted like she was the only one who had noticed, the rest of us apparently being blind as a colony of bats, Sis spat out the words.

Sis went on, building up steam, her figure becoming rigid… “She first noticed me dress and come up to compliment me on it, but before I could thank her, she went off on a tirade about her own gown.”

“Bloody ‘ell! I hate people who ask you a question only because they want to tell cut in about their lives rather than give a listen to anything you may actually have to say… !“

“She thought I was one of the chaperones at her party, apparently because I looked too old to be one of the guests! That struck a nerve I tell you. I wasn’t able to get a word in too let the little tripe know I didn’t belong with her elitist crew atoll!”

She took a breath, and now it was my turn to shush her with a finger placed to her lips. She actually bit it( well more of a playful nip, actually)!

Better now I asked. She sighed, and I felt her figure go from tense to a bit lither.

She leaned against me, yes she said.

But then pulled away and went off again!

“One more thing, she asked if my jewels were real than before I could set the girl straight, Rose cut me off and spouted off about how she had won the pearls she was wearing at the Arthurian Carnival and had decided to wear them rather than her own better diamonds. I mean, come’ on, talk about rude, her pearls weren’t any more real than this!” and she flipped her necklace in my face…

Then sis caught the look in my eyes, and went quiet, concentrating on her dancing, with a wicked little grin creeping across her face.

 

Chapter 5

A bit of pickpocketing wets an inevitable appetite

 

Finally, we were able to enjoy the music as we danced to the rest of the song.

Now after the song ended, sis spied her old chief!

She dragged me over to introduce her.

She is a rather pretty lady named Sarah.

A lady who was not much older than ourselves!

She had her long hair down and was winningly wearing a sequined red gown with long red satin gloves.

Her green emeralds were real, a dainty set that set off her figure rather nicely!

She was a rather pleasant lady, with a mischievous gleam to her green eyes. It had been a pleasant conversation, which ended abruptly as her husband called her away. As Sarah moved off, Sis explained that Sarah had been a bit of the “class clown” always telling jokes and playing tricks. But being the boss, no one who fell victim to her pranks ever dared to try and repay her back in kind!

The rest of the evening (shortened because the band was stopped at 9:30 – Barristers are such Scrooges!) followed pretty much to same formula; light mingling with people who only seemed able to talk a few minutes before being called away, snacking on a rather fancy display of hors d'oeuvres, and drinking mixed drinks( the bar was the best attraction in my humble opinion).

I spotted Romeo a few times, but he never did a second approach on Sis, and I couldn’t really tell if she was relieved, or not.

As for myself, I was starting to feel fairly pleased that I had resisted the temptation to play any of my tricks on slyly lifting off any of my Twin’s jewellery, so I had been a man of my word, so far…

So, it was with mixed feelings from both of us, when the last dance was announced. The whole “congregation” seemed to flock swishing out on the floor, crowding it.

It was a slow dance ( Mr. Rod Stewart, as I recall) and quite a pleasant way to end the evening.

Well, it was after the last dance, as we had collected our things to leave, when Sarah caught sight of us and called us over to the bar ( located off the main Chambre, it was a small 3 sided room open to the dance floor with no seating), where she was now holding a solitary court, apparently all alone!

Sara also was, by now, also pretty well toshed…..

We ordered a round of drinks (the bar was open till eleven, but the music had ended, a total ballyhoo on someone’s part in the planning)

Taking mine, I left the chatting ladies and wondered over ( not for the first time) to a rather fine set of J.M Cameron prints on display.

I once taught a course on famous photographers and their various techniques….

Soon I was re-joined by the 2 ladies, and I started to explain to Sarah about the photographer’s history.

As we talked, my sister maneuverer herself around behind Sarah.

By the look on my sister’s face, I knew she was up to something!

She got close behind, and Sarah backed into her, Sarah turned, “there you are luv!” she said, and smiled, then looked back at me.

Mistake!

She appeared to be deeply interested in what I was telling her about the life and times of Julia Margaret, a shirttail cousin of ours as it so happened!

As I continued, I saw that sis had her fingers on the red silk clutch purse that Sarah was holding to her side in her left hand.

Sis said, “oh Sara, show my brother your ring”!

Sarah held it up and I looked at it, Sis reached to put her free hand on Sarah’s left arm, jostling it a bit, as she made like she wanted to look also!

But I could see the red clutch out of the corner of my eye, and as sis was doing her little performance, she was gently pulling the small purse form Sarah’s gloved fingers.

Slippery Satin gloves holding an even slipperier silk clutch purse made the maneuver much easier than it probably should have.

I started feeling a bit “uncomfortable shall I call it!” as I watched my amused sister manage to slip away with it!

Then, holding the purse behind her back, she comes to my side, her back to a wall as she threaded her loosed arm through my own. Shooting Sara a quite affectionate look as she did so!

We chatted for about another couple of long minutes before Sarah was called away, and she left us, never realizing her clutch purse was gone.

We walked steadfastly away, I imitated Bogart, and how much do you think the dame has in her purse.

“Oh, my twin answered, a few pence, and a soiled lace handkerchief !” she joked, without opening the purse.

“Fine, I said, you get the handkerchief!”

“Rather not!” she said, giggling, pulling at me.

She led me over to the now deserted table Sarah had been sitting at, and Sis unflappably placed the purse on Sarah’s’ chair, alongside her satin wrap.

“So have I created a monster no?” I asked her as I led her away…

She looked up at me with those big eyes of hers wide open with satisfaction!

“No worries luv, Sarah was always playing tricks on someone another, I just never dared to pay her back when we worked together!”

“Tell me now, just how much work did you, girls, actually accomplish? “ I chided

My twin just squeezed my arm, and hurried me our way, as we tried not to look too obviously like we were bolting for the exit stairway.

We gained the stairs without any further ado and made it through the lobby.

It was as we exited into the outside concourse, that I saw something up ahead, and taking my sister’s arm, I held her up from going any further.

 

Chapter 6

A Rose all but Forgotten

 

Ahead of us was a petite lady in a shimmering blue satin dress, chatting away to a bored-looking young man in an ill-fitting tux.

If the lass’s hair had been a bit more blonde, and her hair longer she would have passed as Micke’s double.

“Is that your Rose then I asked, nodding in the couple’s direction.

Sis looked over and then answered me by pulling me forcibly the rest of the way off the path and out of sight of the main concourse, into a small alcove surrounded by some hedges.

“What do we do?!” she said, “That is her! That’s that Rose creature twit I was tellin you about!”

“I don’t want Sara to see us. What do we do?”

The pair were some distance off in the rose garden.

But there was no way out other than walking past them!

I thought about it for a minute. Looking down at my sister.

As she was there, hunched down in her quite fetching gown, with its sparkling bodice, as well as the sparkling rhinestone she was wearing, it made me starkly recall the fantasizing I had been doing as she had danced with that posh bloke. Thinking of him being a Jewel thief, and watching the other female guests in their finery, had been putting beguiling visions in my head all this long evening.

I licked my lips before speaking…

Let’s play a game I said, one that will give yonder Rose a story no one will believe ever happened...

My sister looked at me wryly,( I could see it in her eyes,’ no time for games now lad, this is serious!) but despite herself, she had to know!

So she just stated inquisitively, “What sort of game sir?”

“One where we get yonder Rose girl to believe she has met a jewel thief!” I said…

Having said it out loud, I could feel myself warming up to the idea.

“ If we pull it off, that will be a story she will try telling that everyone!”

“But it will sound like such a load of tosh, that everyone she tells it to will believe she totally made up in her head!”

“Brilliant, no?”

My sister slightly balked!

“No, she said emphatically shaking her head, causing her rhinestone earrings to put on an amazing display of explosive glitter! As she tried to reason.

“One bit of fun this evening has been enough for this Lass!”

“Okay then,” I said as I placed my fingers under her chin.

“But how would this particular lass lfeel about having a bit of fun if she wasn’t owing her brother £80!?”

I happily saw her mascaraed eyes light up, and she again gave me that wicked grin.

 

Chapter 7

The family plot

“Let’s have it then you scoundrel, I will certainly give into your chicanery for the debt you hold over my head, sir!” she said giggling, stealing a line from a play she had been involved with.

Knowing I had her hooked, I could tell she was warming up to the idea rather nicely, and not just because she owed me a healthy bit of the Queen's currency!

“First off, I said, you don’t know me from Adam!”

“But your name’s not Adam!” she said in all seriousness.

“Attend please!” I told her smiling as I looked with dead seriousness into her impish eyes!.

“You go up and fall into Roses clutches, I follow once the lad leaves after being freed from his bondage!”

“Hey, how did bondage get into this she said, giggling, I don’t owe you that much mister!”

I just looked at her, “We have to do this seriously to pull it off!”

“Okay,” she said, placing a hand across her mouth, her smile disappearing like she was zipping it shut.

I went on with my instructions…

“I follow after the lad leaves ( and he soon will ). I come upon the two of you and make your acquaintances. Your act will be to find me charming…”

“That’s not going to be easy!” sis teased, then quickly went back to being a listener!

“Then ”, I said ignoring her, and continuing on with my instructions …..

“Then once Rose has me in her hooks, you Meander off, bend down to look at some flowers, remove your earrings, and place them into your purse. I will listen on for a bit, take my leave, let Rose come find you. Let her discover your earrings are gone.”

“I get it, Then let her think they were stolen by you? !” My sister chimed in.

“Right!” I answered, “and Rose should, as bobs your uncle, fall right into your story! Just play along like they were real diamonds and act astonished that I somehow had managed to get them. Let Rose come up with an idea of how I did it, which she will anyways I’m sure if she is anything like our Cousin Micke! Send Rose off back inside to go upstairs find your mother Sarah,( sis like that bit of it), and say in the meanwhile you are going off to see if you can get me license number. I will be waiting by the car to make our getaway…. !”

I finished mapping it out, and she told me she had the gist of it.

I had her hand pull her sunglasses from her purse and I put them on.

Then she added exuberantly before walking off to go up to our victim…

“ Not bad for on the fly luv, or had you already been putting thought into this play earlier?”

I just patted her on her sleek derriere, “Better get going lass, times a wastin!”

Turning away, she headed out…

From a hole in the hedgerow, I watched as she moved in for the kill!

Her gown definitely swished in the most pleasing fashion I admitted to myself again.

I’ll have to have Ginny buy one like it, I thought to meself, wincing over how pretty I imagined she would look wearing it, with her long red hair flowing free, and dangling diamonds flashing. I would willingly give Ginny the money also, I promised to meself, no lending, and hang the cost!

Sis rustled her way up to the couple, Rose spotted her immediately and pulled her over as she tried to pass!

The 3 of them started to chit chat together.

I now thought of myself as the smarmy bloke who had cheated me out of a dance earlier, making him a thief in my mind.

And like a thief, I looked over the situation before me.

I remembered an old show where this bloke in a white suit was pointing out his female guests’ jewels to a male who fancied himself a pickpocket and had just minutes earlier relieved the te same white-suited host of his gold watch.

As the camera (representing the blokes eyes) moved around the room, focusing on various well-dressed ladies and their jewels( hanging around necks, dangling from ears, attached to well-shaped bosoms, bracelets wrapped around gloved wrists and, rings glittering on fingers) the viewer was led to imagine the wheels turning in his head as to how he was to acquire them, ala Arsène Lupin.

I had to leave, so I never finished watching it, nor could I ever find it listed again.

But it was this type of character that I now fancied meself portraying.

(In-Character) I had ducked into the hedge, the pair near the bend had not seen me, so it gave me time to plan how best to approach them.

One was wearing a pretty dress of blue, long black hair up in a bun. She was the younger, definitely not a relation, I could tell by the way her companion was listening. The girl was wearing a cheap set of pearls, paste, not worth more in a few farthings.

It was her companion that had caught me eye, demanded my attention! Also, it was not just the pretty gown she had quite nicely wrapped herself in that I was savoring! But it was her diamonds, a pretty glittering set, that with a minimal bit of effort, would be coming home with me. I had actually danced with her earlier, so I had been able to appraise ‘em, and now providence had put her in my way. I remembered how that shimmery little necklace had been taunting me while we had danced, my fingers had ached for a go at them. Now, all I needed was for a brief diversion, to get both the girl’s attention focused elsewhere, by, say smelling a rose, and with a nimble flick of my fingers, the necklace would be off from around her sweet throat and in my pocket. Possibly those dangling earrings of hers instead, if it was a long time she was paying attention to her roses.

My brief fantasy ended abruptly; it was time to put the game into play….

 

Chapter 8

The Games Afoot

 

Sis had said something to the lad, who had been growing more and more uncomfortable, looking for a polite way out as evidenced by his body motions.

He answered and I could tell he was quite happy with the question that had been poised. Then, managing to interject into Roses story long enough to pay his leave, He walked off. He was now coming up the path towards me, but not seeing me as I had moved further into the hedgerow. He walked on past, staring straight ahead…

Mentally prepared, I waited till he was well past my hiding hole. I adjusted the sunglasses and left my shadowy corner. Between the electric lamps that ran along the gardens path and the waning moon, I was able to see quite clearly with them on.

I also saw happily that the sparkles from my sister’s dress and jewellery were not at all too muted and so also provided me with an additional avenue of light, much like the beacon of a lighthouse!

I silently approached, came up upon the two without notice. Causing them both to jump In a quite charming manner, as I tapped Rose on the shoulder and started to speak.

“Excuse me, this is that way out ?” I asked, sounding confused.

“Certainly is!” both girls chirped, as Rose pointed to the way out so I would not mistake the answer.

Sis asked me if I had been at the dance?

“What dance?” I answered, “ Is that why the two of you are so beautifully dressed!?”

Rose ate it up. And showing off her gown to me( and unknowingly,her pearls) happily took the lead, telling me of the academies dance.

As Rose started to tell me about all her academy, I bent over a bush of white roses just off one of the branching paths, at the end of this particular path was as a fountain from which merrily gurgling falling water could be faintly heard.

Plucking of a brace, I offered it up to my sister and Rose, who both took one, Rose breaking off her story for a second, squealed her gratitude!

My Smiling twin smelled hers, then bent over to sniff over the whole bus, as Rose continued to prattle on, and on…

I appeared to be looking at Rose, but my eyes, hidden behind d the sunglasses, were watching my sister’s necklace and earrings as they swayed to and fro in a quite nice exhibition of colourfully brite sparkles.

My sister straightened up, and I saw her give me a sly wink. I knew that look, and it usually meant she had decided to misbehave a bit!

Sis turned to Rose and suggested she take a smell also.

As Rose ( still chattering )bends to smell, my twin laid her hand on the girl's shoulder.

I watched in a mixture of hot pleasure and nervous excitement as I saw my sister’s fingers nip over to the simple eye and hook clasp of Roes’ pearl necklace, pulled it up and with a flick of her fingers undid the clasp, and let it fall to the path just as Rose was straightening up!

I think my twin was as astonished as I was that she had managed to pull it off, slipping off the obviously cheap pearl necklace that Rose had had dangling from her the front of her blue gown.

I asked Rose a question pertaining to her story, and as I held her full attention, Sis, who had been standing out of Rose’s sight behind her, wandered off down along the path, disappearing around behind the fountain with a whisk of her gown.

Rose never appeared to have noticed my sister waltzing off as she straightening her pretty gown after rising up from her smelling of the rose, never missing a word in her story, nor her missing pearl necklace either!

After about 3 minutes I saw my sister come around the opposite side of the fountain and begin to slowly walk back, watching the two of us.

I listened to Rose just prattle seemingly forever,(it is amazing how long 3 minutes can last!)

Finally, my leave-taking came in the form of a couple of girls in fluttering gowns walking up and past us, escapees from our little reunion upstairs I recognized.

I smiled at them, and they smiled back( why hadn’t they been doing that back at the dance, when I had been left alone to my own devices!) One of the girls was flaunting some rather nice pieces of gemmed gold jewelry, and I made my decision to follow them, like any jewel thief worth his salt would do!

“There goes some friends of mine, they apparently didn’t recognize me, but I need to ask one of them a question. I am sorry, but it has been a pleasure, but I must shove off.” I said politely as I interrupted the Chattering Rose.

I took her hand and kissed a ringed finger as she blushed rather prettily. Then if she didn’t try and start another story!

I headed it off by asking, “Where did your pretty friend go, “as I looked around. Rose looked around also, There she is over there Rose pointed out after spotting my sister still some distance down the path. She had quickly put her back to us, playing with another bush of roses.

“Right then, tell her I said cheerio!”, and left, giving Rose a nod as I started sauntering off after the disappearing pair of ladies.

I chanced a look back, and saw Rose was darting off to where my sister was standing!

 

Chapter 9

Exit Strategy and a Plucked Petal

 

I quickly exited stage right, keeping on the sunglasses, until I reached the entrance to the parking lot.

The pair of girls were turning a corner. I turned it behind them, gesturing like I was hailing out to them in case Rose was watching, although I had said nothing, and the pair in front of me was totally oblivious to their part in our little play!

I crossed into the lot and made for the other side, skirting around towards my vehicle while making sure the coast was clear.

I regained my Mercedes.

After tossing the glasses and my suit coat and tie into the back seat, I climbed in fired up the engine, and left the parking lot, circling a couple of blocks, before re-entering and pulling alongside the sidewalk, stopping just before the entrance to the concourse.

Five long minutes later my sister finally swished out through the exit, alone. She saw me, and scurried over, her gown doing its nice bit of fluttering along with her figure as she moved.

Not only had she taken off her necklace, but also the earrings and bracelet, I had gotten out, and was holding the door for her.

She slipped swishing into her seat. I closed the door regained my seat as she was settling in I said, “whew, you were right on about that one, did she buy it?”

“It was priceless sis said, she noticed my diamonds were missing, and I managed to innocently act astonished1”

Then Rose came to the conclusion herself, that they had been stolen, with her overactive imagination it was not a stretch for her.

Then she looked herself over and discovered her pearls were missing.

“Oh no I asked how valuable were they?”

Pretty valuable she said, I only spent 6 shillings at the carnival, but he said they were worth a lot more! What about yours, were they rhinestones ?”

“No!” I said indignantly. “The bloody things were real!”

“But, of course, she really didn’t hear me! “Instead she shad started repeating the same nonsense about how she had a diamond necklace at home that was worth quite a bit, and she was glad her Mater had not wanted her to wear the thing on this evening! A load of tosh if you ask my opinion!”

While sitting there listening, I casually put the sports car in gear and was pulling slowly away…

For couple had walked out and were heading to their car, paying us no never mind other than a nosy glance by the gentleman who eyeballed my car. But I figured it was time to make ourselves scarce.

I continued on with my questions: “But your earrings and bracelet as well, she must have thought I was in possession of outstandingly light fingers! “

My Twin smiled…”She didn’t question it, just gawked as I checked mesefl over. I must have dropped em I said, but she wasn’t buyin it, no she exclaimed, he must have nicked them also as he has done with my pearls!”

I turned out of the parking lot and made my way along by taking backroads as my Sister continued on…

“I then suggested that her pearls had simply fallen away, and we got back to where we had met you, and I spied the pearls on the ground and pointed them out, but Rose was determined not to be outdone!”

“The thief had a hole in his pocket apparently!” she figured.

“Brilliant mind that one!” I said, “She should be a detective. Did she bite on the Sarah angle?”

“Did not her that!” Sis muttered, looking quite smug, “I improvised with a story of my own!” she admitted all happy with her darling self.

And I teasingly told her as much!

Sis just smirked at me, and continued rambling on…

“I had to remind her that me jewels were still missing to get her to stop her storytelling!”

We looked a bit for mine, then I came up with a thought, tellin Rose that I had read about a jewel thief who had targeted a dance in oxford, stealing a few thousand pounds from the female guests there.

“I told her she should go back in and find out how many others lost jewels, Suggesting she would be a hero. You should have seen Rose’s smug face light up at the thought, and without another word, off like a pistol shot she went!”

“Brilliant!” I praised her. “A much better way to end it. But I still cannot believe you went for her pearls like that, rather a cocky move luv!”

“Twasthat!” she conceded. “B can you imagine her telling everyone about it…”

She broke into that nasely twang she had used earlier in imitation of Rose telling everyone her story...

Rose-“A thief took my pearl necklace!”

Party Guest – “you mean the one you are wearing?”

Rose- “Well yes, see he had this hole in his pocket, din’t he now! “

Party Guest- “ I see( in a disbelieving tone) “

Rose- “What about my friend, had her diamonds nicked, dint she!”

Party Guest-“ what Friend would that be now Rose?”

Rose- “ The chaperone, you know, the one with the silvery gown and long black hair!”

Party Guest –“ There wasn’t no chaperone wearing a silver dress you balmy twi…..”

My Sister could not finish her routine, starting to chortle so hard at the picture of it in her mind, she nearly busted a gut.

I also was smirking, the whole affair, in my opinion, had all played out brilliantly!

All in all, twas a merry drive back to town for us, with me twin sister talking miles a minute over her successes that evening, including the relieving fact that her debt to me had been paid off so easily. “With interest paid!” I thought to myself, as I stole a glance at my beautifully decked out passenger, “With interest paid luv!”

The end of our tale

 

A lithe, teenager-like person was calmly awaiting for something or someone at a castle balcony. Cold wind slightly moved their white hair and feathers on the person's clothes. When there on stairs someone's steps became heard, a ghostly looking scythe appeared behind the waiting one's back, a crown of bones became visible on the white head, and white wings folded around the scythe.

- I was waiting for a reaper... - the exhalation-like phrase from the stairs rustled in a large hall, and faded.

- And so I came, - the winged teenager shrugged pointing at a badge with a writing "My name is Reaper" on their own chest. - A trainee!

HP5 ID11 1+1 13min. This is a duotone but I think I'll be lithing this in the darkroom.

Slinking away, still smirking over how rewardingly gullible the bejeweled wealthy girls in silky dresses had proven, Angie unexpectedly came across fresh, opulently inviting, prey.

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Angelique D. at play

 

Angie D

 

Circa 1915

 

Case study 113 subset b

 

Early development: “Pickpocket” of worn Jewelry

 

Sub title:

 

What is it about rich girls that make them so lucratively gullible?

Quoted by Subject: log 1959

 

**********************************************************

 

What:

 

Along a path just outside where a departing congregation of a small church still gathered.

 

Where

 

The outskirts of Chestermere:

 

When:

 

An early fall day, in the year of our Lord 1915

 

Who:

 

An appealing lady wearing a secret smile, clad expensively in a silky top and flowing satiny ruffled skirt, a pair of gold earrings flashing merrily as she strolls.

 

Excerpted from Diary:

 

A lady in a cream silk blouse and long blue skirt was walking happily along a path on the outskirts of Chestermere. She was coming from the early Sabbath service of a local chapel, filled with the rousing words of the Parson’s homily. As Angie walked, she hummed a cheerful tune, her conscious, as always, free of any guilty feelings.

 

Angie was very pleased with herself, and the main source of the pleasure was now bouncing against her thigh as she briskly walked along. For deep in a small pocket hidden well below the waistline of her flowing sleek skirt, was a pretty jeweled pendent on a delicate gold chain.

 

Only just 15 minutes ago that jeweled pendent was still being worn by a member of a rather wealthy looking family whom had been in attendance at the same Sabbath service. Angie had scoped them out as the family had waltzed in just after the mass had started. The mother was dressed in a pretty white frock with ruffles of lace falling from her throat and wrists, along with a rather nice set of pearls. The rather formal and severe father was in a “monkey suit”, a gold pocket watch and fob stretched across his rather bulging waist. The pair had their hands full with two rambunctious , pre-adolescent twin boys, who had continually distracted them during and after the lengthy service. Which was good, from Angie’s point of view anyway, for it left the parents totally ignoring their seventeen year old daughter , at the end of the pew, standing with a sultry air about her.

 

The daughter was wearing a rather fancy party dress of thick red silk. Dangling down the front of the sheer red silk bodice, on a thin gold chain, was an attention grabbing deep green emerald starburst pendent that fell swaying from her dress’s high neckline. It had been the sleek dress that had whetted Angie’s interest, but it was the pendent that kept that interest focused during the entire service, delightedly eyeing the pendant’s shimmeriness in the low candle lit church. During the communion procession she had managed to slip in behind her in order to closer scrutinize the prospect, soaking in the expectations of acquiring it from the unsuspecting proper acting young lady..

 

As the service ended, the family joined in the stream of the departing congregation. Angie followed closely, looking for her chance. It came when the Parson stopped the father to ask a question, a group soon huddled around the mother and the twins. As everyone bent over to focus attention on the twins, including their sister, Angie circled her prey and slipped in close, hovering briefly over her back before darting in. In one fluid motion, Angie lifted with one practiced hand the chain and flicked open the thin clasp, nimbly catching the swaying pendent in her other hand as it fell, whisking the sparkling emeralds and chain away and palming it from sight. Absolutely no one noticed the flashy necklace as it vanished from the front of the sister’s silky dress. Angie had continued on her way, clutching the pendent, and headed straight out the door without looking back. Instead of heading back the short 3 miles to her hotel in the city, she decided to head out towards the woods, where she planned to lay low until dusk.

   

Angie now turned her head to have a look behind her at the distant chapel and the people milling about, her gold plated earrings flashing as she did so. Good, she thought, no one was following her, and she, in total security that she was out of danger, crossed off the path and went on the road.

  

Angie strolled along the country lane, trees lining it turning red and yellow in their autumn gowns, for quite some time, before she became aware of a band playing off in the distance.. Then turning a bend in the lane, through the thin wall of woods, she spied a wedding reception up on a hill by a white stone Church. From her vantage point she could see a multitude of colourful , richly shimmering gowns and the occasional sparkle of , she hoped , opulent jewelry.

  

As good luck would have it, she decides to crash the party. She was dressed for it, she was hungry, and who knows what pickings she may find inside to increase her earthly riches ,as the Parson had been saying! She walked around, skirting the woods and came across a hillside garden with rose covered arbors and bright flower lined paths. Two grubby boys of about ten and twelve were playing in the woods on the opposite side, by a small pond surrounded thickly with Rhododendron s. She entered the Garden and made her way up the winding path, coming out onto a small field with benches that lay on the opposite side of the church and the auditorium entrance to the reception.

 

Angie entered the crowded auditorium underneath the Church. She helped herself to the food buffet and sat outside enjoying her meal, as she watched the richly dressed crowd. A young man came up and asked her to dance, which she did happily, and just as happily lifted his gold watch and fob. And, too boot, after a few dances with him, she had become a part of his circle, happily mingling, and rubbing elbows with the obviously wealthy guests he presented her to. Including an introduction to his pretty faced teenage sister, who was sporting a pretty diamond ring on all too slender finger, that she kept waving in Angie’s face as she played with her long silky hair.

  

Angie soon left them and started to stalk about for a bit, noting that most of the guests were older, more mature specimens. There seemed to be a lack of young, well dressed children around, whose shiny offerings had been Angie’s main bread and butter for almost two years.. She had just come to the conclusion that she would have to settle for picking a few pockets or purses before leaving. She started to look around for the bloke with the fancy gold pocket watch who had first asked her to dance….

 

Then she saw her.

 

The lady was moving through the crowd, on the arms of a man half her age, giggling, not paying attention to anything else around her. She wore a long gown of a shimmery purple silk. But it was not the gown that had caught Angie’s eye, but the jeweled brooch that hung from the gowns cleavage, shadowed by its mistress’s ample bosom. Like the figurehead in a seagoing schooner it came, shimmering in the dazzling light of at least a hundred diamond chips, surrounded by an oval of blazing sapphires. Angie’s fingers tingled. It was time.

 

****************************************************

Now, it had been better than three years ago when Angie had run across an ancient, toothless Gypsy in a long black dress with a faded shawl around her shoulders, who had spoken Angie’s fortune. When she had read Angie’s palm, she looked Angie dead in the eyes, a most knowing kind of look. Then she had risen, motioning Angie to stay and came back with a rather battered old pamphlet she wanted Angie to look over. Entitled the Cutpurse: skilles, artes and Secretes of the Dip by “Gaston Monescu, 1826”, it covered the various tactics and moves used by master pickpockets. Including whole chapters on successful “Methodes” of relieving a wealthe lady of her” jeweles”.

 

The Gypsy Woman, who had hovering over Angie as she had read deeply into the pamphlet moved and sat back down across from her.

 

Angie ,who by this time in her quite young life, was already an accomplished cutpurse and picker of pockets, looked up at the gypsy, grinned, and asked if it was worth her while. The Gypsy just smiled, reached up and opened her dirty laced shawl, revealing the silvery necklace that Angie had been wearing when she had come in. Amazed she traded the necklace for the pamphlet on the spot and quickly began putting its teachings into play.

 

Angie soon mastered this new level of her chosen craft.

 

She had started on mannequins: clothing them in long silky dresses and jewelry. She had practiced for months, first in a rented studio apartment, then in a secret basement located in an isolated, deserted old barn and then its surrounding woods. Soon she felt confident enough to go out and try it in the crowded streets amongst shopping women. She met with great success, but her gains were only a pittance. Still she practiced, and had gotten so adept that she soon was moved onto more affluent hunting grounds.

 

She reasonably started out with weddings. For the phamplett had suggested starting out at formal parties where there would be an abundance of youngsters dressed in their best by parents wanting to show their off female issues to an adoring public( in the minds of the wealthy parents, anyway). So she went, seeking out young, easily distracted young girls who were not used to wearing the array of enticing jewels placed on them by overly enthusiastic parents.

 

Angie’s first time out was met with some rather sweet success. A large day time wedding reception in Nova Scotia, held in a public park by a majestic sweeping waterfall.

 

Late at the reception, as she was still prowling without making any formal attempts, she soon noticed that the adults at the gathering were becoming quite gay with drink, and noticeably paying less attention to their children. Said children began to wonder off in groups, exploring and starting to run about playing games, their gowns and dresses whispering a Pied Piperish tune to Angie’s ears, their shiny jewels luring her ever closer.

 

Angie soon started to follow a pair of young ladies who had scampered off to explore.

One was an impish girl with long black hair flowing down, drawing ones attention to the frilly white dress she was wearing. Gold chain earrings dancing merrily from her ears, as a longish gold herringbone chain shimmering brightly in the sun as it lay hanging from her silk dresses’’ high neckline.

Her partner in crime was a most fascinating subject. A charmingly bright green eyed proper young imp, a couple of years older than white dress, with a rather pronounced Welsh accent, much like Agie’s remembered her parents having. Her silken red hair lay down her back in a neat long French braid. A long thin satin gown of emerald green swished as she ran with the awkwardness of youth to keep up with her new friend. A matching satin bow was tied just below her throat, its ends trailing down to her svelte waistline. At the bows center was fastened a glittering rhinestone pin. She also was wearing a small rhinestone necklace that encircled her throat just above the bow. Her ears were home to a pretty pair of clasped rhinestone earrings that matched the pattern of her necklace. Around one short shiny green satin gloved wrist was a brite rhinestone bracelet.

 

The duo found the waterfall, by which a photographer had set up a camera. Angie approached the lovely pair, and easily started up a conversation, helped by the fact that as an adult, she was not scolding them for walking off. They seemed pleased that Angie was actually doing the exact opposite, like a favored auntie, she was encouraging them to explore.

 

Angie led them around a bend for a different view of the cascading waterfall, out of earshot of the reception. She helped the black haired lass, Basil, up to sit on a small stone wall for a better look, also helping to slip off the shiny gold herringbone necklace from her throat with an almost effortless ease in the process. As, with itching fingers, she contemplated what to do about Basil’s gold earrings, Angie started to watch Lydia.

 

Oblivious to what was going on around her, the red head, Lydia, was standing next to Angie, looking over the fence which just reached her shoulders. Here dear, Angie said, after pocketing the purloined gold necklace, you’re messing up your pretty dress. Angie turned the girl towards her, reached over and said, here, let my fix your bow, darling. Lydia allowed Angie to retie it, as Basil, her back to them, happily was watching, enraptured, the splashing water. Angie finished undoing and retying Lydia’s satin bow, neatly removing the pretty rhinestone pin in the process, then as she straightened the girl’s color, Angie had her turn around. As Lydia obediently did so, Angie flicked open the rhinestone necklaces clasp, and peeled off the flashy necklace from around Lydia’s throat as she turned round. Just like that, Lydia’s rhinestone necklace went the same way of er pin, both ending up with the gold chain in a secret pocket hidden in the folds of Angie’s skirt.

 

Angie stood behind Lydia, placing her hands on Lydia’s slick silken covered shoulders, all three watching the waterfall. Angie’s left hand caressingly, ever so lithely inched down along Lydia’s side, reaching the girls wrist. As Angie engaged them in conversation, she slowly worked off the bracelet, leaving only the pretty earrings as her last challenge.

 

Angie lifted her right hand and slowly moved it up to one of the girl’s dangling earrings, sparkling in the waterfalls’ reflection.. With her left hand she pointed upstream. As both girls turned their heads to look, off came a rhinestone earring. Angie than playfully lifted Lydia’s long French braid and laid it over Lydia’s shoulder, below her now bare ear. She turned to look down, giggling, and as she did so, Angie plucked away the remaining earring; it easily came off and joined its companion with the rest of the collection of jewelry in Angie’s secret pocket. Amazed that the process of removing young Lydia’s jewels had gone off so easily, Angie almost wished Lydia had been wearing bells like one of her sleekly gowned practice mannequins. Her reasoning being that she would know if it was because her skill level was that good, or just the fact that Lydia was just an unworldly youth easily distracted. Whatever the reason, Angie, feeling fresh inspiration, looked over at the chirpy basil, and her shiny gold earrings.

 

Angie moved behind Basil, placing her hands upon the slippery waistline of her silk dress, then leaned forward, whispering in the girls ear, tickling it with her breath. As Basil giggled Angie reached up gently lifted the gold chain earring up from the lobe of the girl’s opposite ear lobe. Then nimbly with her thumb and index finger, flicked open the hinge clasp and neatly removed the earring, watching for any reaction from her victim. Basil never felt a thing, Lydia was still watching the waterfall, equally as oblivious. Angie kept her chin close to Basil’s ear, and the remaining earring. Cautiously she moved her fingers up, and then darting in with them, successfully repeated the maneuver. As the earring joined the rest of her collection, Angie could not help thinking that if all her future endeavors were as successful, she could end up living quite a comfortable lifestyle.

 

Angie stayed a few more minutes, keeping the pair distracted the whole time before she cautiously moved off, leaving the two of them there by stream. Basil happily perched on the stone wall, and Lydia bent down, busily plucking at the moss growing on the old stones. Both girls still quite fetching in their pretty gowns, both a bit less weighted down by any added trimmings.

 

For the next year, fueled by her early success, she started focusing entirely on wedding receptions. Honing her skills until it became almost mundane for her nimble fingers to lift a jewel, no matter where is was being worn by a squirming young lady upon her fancy dressed person. And, actually, some of her acquisitions where worth a surprising bit of dough when pawned.

  

Favored Case in Point:

 

It was in New Hampshire, on her 24th outing late during the wedding season of the following year when she came upon a rather prim young miss of about 13, clad in a long sleeved thick yellow satin blouse, a black velvet vest and matching gold and black vertical striped satin skirt. A young raven haired bumble bee with no stinger, but with pearls, black pearls in a long string dangling down along the front of her shiny back buttoned blouse. She was also wearing matched black pearled earrings, and a small, daintily jeweled pin in the shape of a humming bird on her velvet vest. She was sitting alone at a table, playing with some crayons and a book. Angie, who had been watching her for some time from a bar stool, had come up and caught the pretty little things full attention, easily capturing her interest, then, finally, suggesting they go and watch the activity on the ballroom floor from a small alcove in a corner. Liking the adventurous way Angie had suggested it, the bumble bee had eagerly followed Angie away from the table.

 

Angie continued making small talk as the pretty thing was watching the exquisitely gown guests on the dance floor, including the girls’ parents. She was met with youthful exuberance by the youth, who was so enthralled with the activity on the dance floor that she was as unaware of what was going on around her , much like one of Angie’s practice Mannequins. After quite easily removing the dainty jeweled pin, Angie’s subtle fingers were able to lift up and flick open the rhinestone clasp of the child’s pearled necklace. Angie than coolly waited for a prime moment before whisking away the wholly distracted young miss’s gleaming black strand of pearls from around the high ruffled collar of her yellow satin blouse.

 

And also, like one of her gowned and jeweled practice Mannequins, the young girl never noticed anything amiss as Angie continued on with her conversation for quite some time afterwards. It was daring, but exciting as Angie kept stealing looks at the bare front of the glossy yellow blouse where the pearls had hung down so deliciously, knowing they were in her own pocket, so close, but for the young lady, so far.. Finally she decided she was pressing her luck, and she wished the child a goodnight, before beating a hasty exit,( but not before circling back to the now deserted table and heartlessly lifted the fat, expensively made purses, of both the young girl, and her mother!)

 

The jeweled hummingbird pin, and string of matched black pearls, dainty and long, fetched a pawned price that left whetted Angie’s appetite for more!

 

So, it was after this that Angie, looking for fresher, richer challenges, decided to seek out slightly older prey in their natural habitats, proms and social teenage dances. Where real gems, usually borrowed from their mothers or Grandmothers, would be replacing rhinestones.

 

Still very youthful looking despite her twenty something age, Angie’s first attempt was an upscale dance she had come across while out about in a neighboring city. It was held in an old ballroom for a local boy’s prep school and their dates. Figuring the girls attending would be ripe for the picking in tight gowns and loose fitting jewels, Angie stole inside for a closer look. The only obstacle was getting one of the begowned girls away from her group long enough to make a play for something of value that she was wearing.

  

But, Angie came away with nothing but valuable experience on that first attempt.

 

And it was actually her third try before she met with success in the form of a gold bracelet. It was at a formal dance being held in a large room of a rather posh hotel called the Red Lion Inn. She had gone in for a peek, and spying a pretty young thing heading for the ladies room, fell in step behind her. She was a long brown haired girl, wearing a short silk dress, blue, forming the perfect backdrop for her mouthwatering selection of shimmering gold jewellery. Waiting in a small alcove, Angie made her move as the young lady came back out the door. Bumping against her, Angie’s right hand held onto the youngster by the waist, drawing her close, as she steadied herself, apologizing. At the same time, Angie placed her left hand on the unsuspecting mark’s left wrist, easily flicking open the clasp of the thick gold etched bracelet and slipping it off and away. The young lady, accepting Angie’s apology, went on her way, and Angie, swiftly darted for the nearest exit, securing the rather overly brite bracelet in her bosum.

 

Over the spring and early summer dance seasons Angie practiced, acquiring bracelets and rings down pat using her skillfully developing fingers. She soon also was having some success with necklaces, including one with a long gold chain and a flower pendent set with a diamond carpel surrounded by ruby petals that had turned a quite tidy profit.

 

Then there had been the night of her first big haul, at a private girl’s school homecoming in Connecticut

 

She had started out by finally selecting and shadowing a young lady clad a slinky black dress, draped in her mother’s diamonds. Angie was drooling over a flashy wide glittering gemmed silver bracelet that hung loosely from the young vixen’s limp wrist. She was sure it was made up of real diamond chips. As the girl squirmed past Angie heading to the dance floor, her bracelet was easily plucked off the wrist of her black elbow length satin glove and secured deep in the bosom of Angie’s dress.

 

It was now becoming all too easy, smirked Angie as she unflappably headed out of the exit with her trophy. But, as she crossed the street, she was stopped by a hard looking Italian thug who emerged from the shadows. Angie at first thought wanted to mug her for her earrings, but it turned out he just wanted to see a girl who was inside attending the dance . He described her, and Angie, her interest growing, agreed to locate her and give her his message to meet him outside.

 

Angie went inside and soon found the girl. All her wishes had been answered. The unsuspecting lass was both richly gowned and even more richly jeweled, combined with zero common sense. This fidgeting girl had been seeing the young Italian on the sly, away from her disapproving family and friends. Angie led her out the back way, the opposite side of the Dance Parlor where the Italian was waiting in an alley.

 

Angie pointed across the street towards an entirely different Alleyway, offering to wait with her when the girl balked about going down it. As they waited, Angie fawned over the poor, beautifully adorned young innocent. Helping her straighten her luxurious gown, and helping her primp her long hair, so she would look just right for her east end Romeo. After waiting ten minutes, Angie instructed the girl to wait, while she went out and peeked down the street to see what was keeping her lover.

 

As she left, Angie stole a look back at the still primping young lass, eyeing her slinky gown, and remaining jewels, before heading off down the street, looking into her palm at the pair of long Garnet and diamond earrings that lay nestled, glittering fire there. She then placed them into a secret pocket, joining them with the girl’s small, expensive matching pendent, liberated as Angie had helped her negotiate a curb with her stiletto heels. Both pieces of the lass’s jewelry shared the same pocket with the wide silver bracelet encrusted with diamond chips that Angie had taken earlier..

 

More than once since then, Angie wondered if the ditzy, well jeweled girl ever had made it back out of that alleyway unscathed.

 

The experience had even more so whetted Angie’s appetite. So, even though she was still practicing on younger females, she was now dying to ply her trade upon mature women displaying the real McCoy.

 

***********************************************************

 

So it was with that in mind that Angie now watched, with itching fingers, the beckoning brooch. Though Angie was still unsure enough of trying her abilities on wealthy ladies who would not be as easily distracted as young girls, the timing felt right. As the lady recklessly displaying the brooch passed, her attention lost in the arms of her lover, Angie turned and followed, getting a close look first at the brooch and its pin, noting that it was not tightly clasped onto the gowns thin material.

 

As the couple headed to a table they passed two wealthy dames arguing vigorously with each other. Pricey rings flashing as they pointed fingers emphatically in each other’s face. On the side of table away from the pair, but near to Angie as she was passing by, lay a small, fat silvery clutch purse . Figuring that any dames loaded down with that many gems should be carrying a healthy wad of dosh in it, Angie, on the fly, took action.

 

As she passed she snatched it, and slipping it under her arm turned and headed towards the ladies powder room. Just before entering Angie looked back watching as the two still argued, gemmed rings flashing she had gotten away with it! Going into a stall she scrutinized the clutch for its valuables; disappointed to find only a fiver, some loose change, and a silky laced handkerchief. How cheap can you get she thought ruefully over the wasted effort? Hiding the clutch in the folds of her satin skirt, she left the stall, passing a lady applying makeup in a mirror. She was very pretty in a fluid teal gown, wearing dazzling white pearls upon her ears, neck and wrists. Something about this lady seemed familiar, and Angie’s senses started to sound an alarm. Catching each other’s eye, Angie nodded, but the lady appeared not to recognize Angie, nor Angie her, but the feeling still lingered. Angie left ,guardedly perplexed.

 

Angie went to the bar to have a drink while she thought about who the lady may have been. She was in a position to see the dance floor and she soon spotted the purple clad lady with the brooch Angie had her eye on, again in a deep embrace with her lover. The Brooch would be profitable, but risky as along as she stuck close with the Boyfriend. Angie needed a way to get him out of the picture for a while. It was as she considered several options to carry out the challenge that Angie again spotted the lady in teal , dancing with a tall red headed man. . Cold prickles like ice ran down her spine, It was the pearls! She suddenly remembered who the lady, and her dance partner were!

 

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Only 5 days ago she had been starting her third week operating in Calgary. She had been following a rather attractive, obviously wealthy woman, wearing an eye catching purple silk dress, carrying a dress bag and some smaller parcels. Close at her side was an unheeded calfskin purse. Alongside the lady was a smaller version, obviously her daughter, a girl of about 14. She was wearing a white shiny turtleneck with an equally shiny long tiered skirt. Both of her hands were occupied with department store bags also. When the ladies darted into a swanky hotel ,Angie had followed, she always had had luck in these types of establishments. They had entered a crowded lift and Angie had worked her way in behind the pair, riding up with them in the rickety contraption. Mother and Daughter got off on 12 and Angie stayed on until 15, exiting with not only the fat wallet from the calfskin purse, but also the shiny gold herringbone necklace that had been flashing from the daughter’s throat, securely in her pocket.

 

Angie decided to call it a day. She had already made about 30 dollars from wallets lifted at the department store she had been working over when she had spotted the mother and daughter at the checkout. The mother was paying from a thick wad of cash, and judging from the jewelry of both were an indication of how wealthy the family was. She had followed them out onto the street and it had paid off in spades. Now, all she had to do was find an exit. She saw a stairwell next to a slightly open door with a maids cart outside. She stopped and hovered over the cart to peer inside the room. It was at that moment a door opened on the opposite side of the hallway.

 

A red headed man in an open tux shirt came out of a room, looking at the cart, and Angie standing next to it. Seizing the opportunity, Angie quickly asked if he needed something. I was looking for a maid; I spilled some wine on the cashmere carpet. Seeing the name Bannister above the bell, she said sweetly, certainly Mr. Bannister, I can have someone take care of that for you.. I was just coming up to let you know there is an urgent message down at the desk for you. (Quick improvisation was a special talent of Angie’s.) Why didn’t you bring it, he started to snap, than , never mind, just get a maid, and he headed towards the elevator.

 

Angie picked up the towels and headed cautiously into the massive suite. From the bedroom off one side she heard running water. She looked around quickly, seeing many valuable articles, but nothing small enough to quickly conceal. She took the towels into the bedroom.

 

Angie went into the bedroom, expertly taking everything in. A long silver lamee gown lay out on the bed. On the vanity lay a silvery purse, a pair of long silver satin gloves , a silver watch, silver necklace, a pair of long dangling silver earrings, and a small blue velvet pouch. On a side dresser laid a man’s thick gold watch and a money clip with a wad of bills, a tenner showing on top. In less than a minute after entering the room she had scooped up the money clip, watches, silver jewelry and gloves stuffing them into the purse and lifting up her long skirt hid it in one of its secret pockets. She lifted up the pouch and found it was empty. A picture on the vanity showed an attractive lady in a black dress and pearls. She briefly wondered where the pearls were, did not see any likely spot, and so had turned to make a hasty exit, when a feminine voice called out from the bathroom where a shower could be heard running. Steam was coming out from the slightly ajar door.

 

Dear, a refined voice stated, I have soap in my eyes and cannot find the washcloth. Angie, smelling an opportunity, peaked her head around the corner into the steamy bathroom. There was a shower stall with glass doors at the end of the long room with a double sink running along the side. From the hook by the shower hung a peach negligee and matching long robe. The door was open slightly and a very soapy femine hand was reaching out trying to feel along a towel bar, just missing a hanging washcloth.

 

A soapy hand from which glittered a pretty gold pinky ring set with small diamonds. Angie went over and pulling off the washcloth, rapped on the glass door , receiving a thank you dear in return as the hand reached out for it. Angie wiped off the protruding hand, and a dry voice said, no, not my hand dear, as the washcloth was plucked playfully from Angie’s grasp , and the door closed. Angie bent down and picked up the diamond pinky ring that had been slipped from the showering woman’s finger by the wash cloth, from the carpeted floor underneath the shower door. she than turned ran a hand along the satin rode, looking around. Bingo, on the counter lay a pair of sparkly long diamond earrings. Dumbstruck at her luck she grabbed them off the sink. , she was jolted back to realty when the voice again called out, are you still there dear? She scurried out of the bathroom, closing the door behind her.

 

She was at the apartment door in a flash, opening it a crack to make sure the coast was clear, it was. In the hallway Angie headed for the stairs because she knew that Bannister was far too important a man to take a stairway. She had been in the apartment less than 4 minutes, and had probably looted it of enough valuables to more than double her take so far of the last three weeks since arriving in Calgary. Leaving by a back exit she came out of a small alley. Looking over she spotted the young lady whose necklace she had lifted in the elevator kneeling down and looking in some bushes. Her shiny skirt pleasantly splayed out upon the ground around her. Angie briskly walked past her and off down the street. She made it without incident to the dingy apartment she was renting by the day. Collecting her meager belongings Angie checked out immediately. Leaving by bus for Chestermere, where at a small bank she rented a safety deposit box to stash all her ill-gotten gains for safe keeping until the heat wore down a bit.

 

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Now Back to the Present

 

Angie now knew how lucky she had been. The red headed man, Bannister, may have recognized her. Calgary was too close to Chestermere , she should have been more cautious when scoping out the receptions guests. Angie turned and headed to the bar to think the situation over.

 

She saw the young man whose watch she had lifted, talking to an older, pretty lady laden with pearls. Behind them stood his sister, her diamond ring sparkling as she twirled her hair. Angie circled wide, coming up behind the lad, she grabbed his shoulder, why hello there. He smiled, introducing her to his Aunt, whose jeweled fingers she took into her hand in a gracious shake. He continued talking to his Aunt, it seems that they were discussing a family matter of some importance .Angie, finding the rings were tight on the Aunt’s chubby fingers, let go of her hand and moved over to the sister, and engaged her in conversation, moving a little off so that the sister turned her back to her brother and aunt.

 

The sister twittered, curling her hair impishly as Angie asked her why she wasn’t dancing. No ones asked, she giggled nervously. What about the boy who has been watching you all eyeing, Angie nodded her head outwards, the girl turned , her hair flying, as she lowered her hand, which Angie took up, petting it in a conspiratorial fashion, go over and ask him, Angie suggested. Go an ask him? I don’t see him she said, but I couldn’t, and she turned back to Angie, flashing her baby blues innocently. That’s okay deary, Angie patted the girl’s hand, keeping her eyes in contact, not allowing her to break the gaze, and perhaps looking down and noticing her loose ring was now gone from her slender finger. Angie took her leave of the sister, and of girl’s annoying nervously twittering giggle. Angie, slipping the diamond ring securely away, continued on until she reached a small alcove from where she could see most of the reception hall.

 

She lit a cigarette, purple silk and her desirably take able brooch was still safely out of reach on the dance floor, and Bannister’s attention was all on his wife. She thought it over, weighing her options, and the risks that were now in play. The song ended, and the dancers started to head off the floor. Angie’s eyes darted, Red headed Bannister and his wife were heading off to the far side of the room, Purple silk and her partner were heading to the bar. Angie’s heart stopped, no, Purple silk was heading to the bar, her lover was off to the men’s rest room. Angie snubbed out her cigarette, rising to the bait, it was now or never. Like a feral feline, Angie began to slowly stalk her prey.

 

But then Angie saw her chance slip through her fingers and evaporate into nothingness, like the smoke from her crushed cigarette. For at that moment an older man bumped into the lady Angie was tailing, spilling his drink down the front of her purple silk gown. Angie retreated and watched from a distance. As the man profusely apologized he produced a silk handkerchief and help wipe down the pretty lady. As he did so, the beautiful diamond broach vanished from her bosom. He had been slicker, slicker than Angie was ( for the time being) able to be. Angie felt her heart sink. Not only had she been deprived of the broach, but the existence of another member of her trade meant that she had better scram, not wishing to cross him. She could tell by the look in the man’s eyes that this was one not to be tangled with

 

Giving up on any plans she had been harboring, she got up, turned her back to the dance floor, headed as quickly as she could to the far exit, keeping her gains, and cutting her (presumed) losses.

 

Angie reached the door without challenge, opening it, she found stairs leading into the Church above. But first she stole a look back. She observed the man suavely talking to the now brooch less lady wearing purple silk. In that second a long haired (ginger) young lady passed by him, wearing a slinking green satin dress. Angie saw the man watching her walk on bye, and then immediately took his leave of purple silk, and began following the perky girl in green satin, with her savory collection of loosely dangling silver jewelry, heavily encrusted with flickering emeralds.

 

Angie turned away, and while wondering how she had failed to have spotted that prime prey in green earlier, went to the stairs.

 

She went up the stairs, coming out into a small chapel in back of the church. A door led to the outside, which Angie took, pouting inwardly, feeling all the world like a child who had been deprived of a desirable toy. She found herself on the side leading down to the Garden from which she had entered. The Church was now in between Angie and the reception, so she felt free to move unobserved. She crossed over to the gardens entrance and headed down the hill.

 

In front of her was a hedgerow, on the other side, Angie knew, was the small field with benches that lay at the entrance to the gardens proper. It was coming from there that she head the voices of children playing, on the other side, but she paid no heed, her mind was on leaving the area.

 

As she hurried along the hedgerow she saw something sparkle expensively in the sunlight through one of the gaps in the hedges. She stopped and curiously looked through a small opening. That’s were all the young darlings have been hiding she remarked to herself, her interest peaking. Forgetting all about leaving and lost opportunity of the brooch, she now focused on the new “toy” now dangling its enticement to her. It belonged to a girl in a slithering silvery gown, with her long hair done up in a long plait. Angie eyed the girl’s sparklers, which Angie first took as all rhinestones.. But, as Angie took inventory, her eye focused on a ring that she was wearing on one of her petite fingers. It held a fiery display, diamonds and rubies. There was no way the ring was rhinestone. Looking around to access the situation, Angie decided that by hook or crook, she needed to get a better look.

 

Watching the colourfully gowned young ladies innocently at play, Angie mused over the golden opportunity just waiting for someone unscrupulous to acquire the jewelry they were wearing. Someone should make them aware Angie decided, surprised that no one older than 16 was watching over them. Knowing that the scene before her was too fertile an opportunity to pass up without at least a long glance, Angie looked around, making sure no adults were about unseen in the woods, or any other nook and cranny of the play area.

 

Angie had found she had a knack for capturing young, well dressed lady’s interest, much to her amusement, and profit! It was with this in mind that Angie decided to allow herself a few precious minutes to watch from her hidden opening to see what may transpire. There were six children, four young ladies who were obviously dressed for a wedding, and the two urchin boys of about 12 and 10 she had spotted earlier. They were dressed as the local poor farm boys they obviously were. Angie quickly overheard the names of the girls as they called out to one another. .

 

The group were playing, appropriately enough for Angie’s point of view, a children’s standard game of cops and robbers. All Angie could think about, as she watched the boys with exuberance chasing and holding the giggling, squirming girls, was that there would hopefully be no actual robbing of jewelry as the game was played out. As each girl, Angie quickly memorizing their names, was ”captured” and taken to “prison”, Angie was able to scope them out at leisure.

 

The youngest Cecilia, about six, was wearing a long smooth gown of deep cream, with a midnight black bolero style jacket of velvet. From her neck was happily swaying a long silver chain with a jeweled winged beetle pendent, her jacket was home to a matching pin.

 

Cecilia’s older sister, 10 year old Claire, was wearing a puffy blue satin blouse with a long bow dancing down the front. Her long skirt of glistening black flowed in ripples as she ran. Also moving in ripples were the long gold herringbone chains she wore dangling from her neck, as were also her matching earrings and bracelet. A thick, expensively shiny gold ring encircled her middle finger.

 

Claire’s friend, Abbey, of about the same age, was wearing a longish gown of sunset pink satin, with a white satin sash encircling her waist. At the center of the sash glistened a gold pin set with pearls. Around her throat, dangling from her ears, were glimmering white pearls.

 

The oldest girl, the one in charge, was a fourteen year old named Amanda. Young and flighty, she kept looking up into the voluminous white clouds in the sky as if trying to see what they were forming. She was dressed in a longish slithering silver princess style gown, the style one may see flowing along the shapely figure of an actress at the moving picture awards ceremony. A fancy necklace with large garnet stones and small diamonds was flapping against her chest as she ran. The necklace matched her long earrings, bracelet, along with her pretty ring. She was wearing a flashy red jeweled head band , with strings of gold and rhinestones interwoven into her long plait of naturally wavy chestnut hair. The head band was all rhinestone, as were the garnets in the rest of her jewels. But what from a distance appeared to be small diamonds in her matching set that separated the garnets, were actually ¼ caret diamonds. Angie, upon realizing this, felt her heart burning with desire at acquiring a piece of the set being so vulnerably dangling from Amanda’s slickly attired person. But a couple of ripping gold herringbone chains, or even a jeweled beetle pendent flicked from a velvet jacket would be nice to acquire also, if only for the practice benefits.

 

To Angie’s secret joy, Amanda was the last girl to be captured, only because a stone lodged itself in her shoe brining her up lame. She was held by one of the boys, and lead, limping, to the other two girls. As a new game was started, she sat out. She hobbled to a nearby stone bench, brushed herself off , watching the group play before removing her shoe to find the annoying stone.

 

Angie started to make her move even before Amanda had made it to the stone bench. She reached her as she was shaking her shoe, slipping up alongside her on the cool bench. The girl jumped, but Angie’s special (practiced!) smile soon won her over. Angie soon enticed the young thing into casual conversation, extracting useful information as Angie, feigning a cheerful interest on the outside, while studying the girls expensive gown and drooling over the glistening garnet and diamonds that adorned it on the inside.

 

Angie tried to direct Amanda’s attention to her young charges, commenting about their pretty baubles, then asking who the boys were, and how well they knew them, about who suggested the game they were playing, how robbers were attracted to pretty things you know, and, were the boys playing the robbers next? Surreptitiously trying to plant seeds of distrust in the immature girls mind, and Angie could see that those seeds had found rich soil. Her intention was to keep the girl distracted long enough for a go at acquiring her necklace.

 

Angie, not unlike a feral cat, waited patiently for her opportunity to take the necklace from the unassuming Amanda to arise. But the girl was not cooperating; her attention on the playing girls lasting for mere seconds before focusing it back on Angie. Angie decided to use a different tactic. Angie placed an arm around girl’s silken shoulder and pointed up into the fluffy white clouds, asking her if she could see what Angie saw.

 

In the clouds, Amanda asked? As she leaned back into Angie who drew her close, relishing in the silky , quite scintillating feel of the child’s slick gown. No, Angie thought unkindly, you silly rich twit, the clasp of your necklace is what I see ( her fingers snaked up the backside of the sleek silver gown towards the tantalizingly easy open able clasp). The one you are about to lose to me, she continued thinking before answering the girl.

 

But seconds later, when Angie did answer, it was with a sweet motherly tone that dripped honey. Yes dear, in the clouds, doesn’t that one look like a soldier, or perhaps a highway man on a horse she inquired to Amanda? No, I think it’s a prince answered Amanda, and Angie thought , not for the first time, about the power of suggestion, for the mass of clouds looking like absolutely nothing but a mass of clouds to her!

 

But, it was an opportunity opened, and as the guileless girl was happily lost in her thoughts, Angie began to lift the clasp into position. As the necklace move up the girls chest, Angie could see its jewels, all sparkly, as the sun came back, peeking through the clouds. But Angie was not the only one who noticed, for the oldest lad who had been stalking up on the youngest sister’s hiding spot, was attracted by the sparklers now flashing around the distracted girl’s throat.

  

The boy headed towards them, and Angie’s fingers retreated. As the girl noticed the boy approaching, she gave a nervous giggle, and placed a hand to her throat. Angie began to rise from the bench, feeling the opportunity was slipping away, for the second time that day. But she hesitated a minute, and she was glad she did.

  

The boy came up and asked Amanda if she was going to play again. He was openly gawking at the necklace Amanda was nervously fiddling as he spoke, and Angie drooled to herself, you dear sweet child. For She could feel Amanda pressing hard into Angie as if seeking protection from his eyes. Angie took action, pointing out the sister the boy had been stalking. Successful diverting the boy’s attention, she sent him after the girl.

  

Maybe it was the things Angie had been feeding the girl about strangers and playing robbers, or pointing out the highway man in the clouds, but the attention to her necklace by the lad had had an obvious effect on Amanda. Angie, seizing the opportunity, exploited it to the fullest. With an Epiphany like thought, she knew what to say, and do next. And if it worked, then Amanda’s necklace would not be the only bauble acquired by old Angie girl.

  

Angie shooed the lad away, and he left, reluctantly to rejoin the game in progress. Then, in an inspired bit of deceitful storytelling, Angie related to Amanda a sad tale about an incident in her childhood, one she made up on the spot. The girl listened, still cuddling for whatever reason, as Angie stroked her enticingly attired figure down, relishing in the softness of her gown, along with admiring jewels she was so intent on acquiring. It was not often in Angie’s line of work that she was able to really check out one of her victims in this manner, and she relished every minute of it.

  

As Angie went full bore into her tale of woe ,she lifted up the attractive necklace from pretty girl’s chest, as she chokingly told the youngster that when she was her age she had been playing dress up in one of her mother’s gowns and had put on some of her mother’s jewelry without her permission.

  

Angie than took up the girl’s slender hand into hers, fingering gently the pleasingly expensive ring , seeing tin the young ladies eyes that she had struck a chord, and Amanda was totally held captivated with her story. Angie continued on… She had gone outside and over to the playground where a group of older children had convinced her to play a game of cops and robbers. When they had been done playing and Angie had gone home, she discovered some of her mother’s pretty jewelry was missing.

  

Angie noticed with satisfaction that as she was reaching the end of her story Amanda had stiffened, her heart started beating faster, and she started to check over her own jewelry. Your mother’s than, Angie drooled to herself, she had nailed it on the head. Carpe Diem Angie said to herself, throwing all caution to the wind.

  

Cops and robbers? That’s the game the boys are having us play, Amanda questioned with visible concern. As she was making this statement, Angie saw with satisfaction Amanda’s open mouth gasping as her eyes went to the boys who were now high in a tree, innocently unaware of what they were underhandedly being accused of eventually attempting to do ( steal the young girls jewelry)!

  

The two Boys had spotted a bird’s nest and where trying to see if it had eggs as the sisters watched them, backs to the bench where Amanda and Angie sat. Seeing the coast was clear, Angie quickly acted, before her story lost its effect over Amanda. Angie produced the purloined silver purse and pulled out the silky handkerchief. She spread the handkerchief out on Amanda’s silken covered lap, setting the purloined purse down upon her own.

  

I really think you should put your jewelry somewhere for safekeeping. Why don’t you wrap it up in this handkerchief, you can keep it in my purse. I’ll lend it too you if you promise to bring it back to me when you get back to the reception. Amanda nodded wisely (those earrings were very pretty Angie told herself) , Angie’s heart went to her throat, the young innocent, abroad from the reception, had swallowed Angie’s deviously luring tactic. Here, Angie promised, I’ll start, and she took of her gilded earrings and laid them gently out upon the shiny white surface of the silk handkerchief. This way I won’t lose mine either, she confided in Amanda, who looked back at Angie with her innocently wide blue eyes.

  

Amanda now showed no inhibitions while reaching up and removing her glittery necklace, laying it gently out upon the handkerchief. It was soon followed by rings and bracelet. Removing the headband and rhinestones chains, undoing her plait in the process, her long hair flowed down her back in curls. It curled up as she laid it upon the ever growing, sweetly glimmering, pile. Then she flung back her long hair and undid the screw backs of her flashy earrings, placing them on top of the heap. Angie’s heart began beating faster as she realized she was going to get away with this! Aw, she thought, as the last of Amanda’s expensively glittering jewels was added to the already glistening pile, wealthy children are so adorably cute when they are being gullible.

  

When Amanda finished, Angie looked down upon the glittering mound, unbelieving her luck. But then the unimaginable happened. Amanda, laying the handkerchief with its precious cargo on the bench next to her, stood and called back the two sisters and their young friend to the bench.

  

Angie held her breath as the girls, turned and dutifully ran up to her, the boys still high in the tree, paid no attention to them. Angie watched, almost salivating as the pretty darlings in their fluttering frocks came bouncing back, necklaces flinging in and out, obediently to Amanda’s call.

  

As they reached Amanda, she told them that they had better remove their jewelry for safe keeping. Why, Challenged Cecilia, with childish accusation? Amanda looked back at the boys in the tree, because I think you may lose them while you play, she scolded. We’re careful Cecilia retorted obstinately, as she looked from Amanda to her sister Claire. Amada looked at Claire, and lifting the girls gold necklace pointed her chin at the tree containing the two boys, and said, they will be the robber’s next game. Claire went wide eyed, and told Cecilia and Abby that they had better do as they were told.

  

Claire was closest, and with a nod from Amanda, unfastened her necklace and laid it out on the silky handkerchief. They were soon followed by her gold drop earrings, bracelet and ring. She started to back away still wearing her rhinestone hairclips. Don’t forget them… Angie started to say, but was cut off as Amanda told Claire to remove them, which she did promptly. Angie was glad she had been able to hold her tongue.

  

Cecilia was next. She approached Angie and Amanda, her long dress swishing richly as she came. She politely asked Amanda for help. Turning her back to Amanda she lifted up her long hair, Amanda remover her necklace and pin, laying them upon the growing shimmery pile. Cecilia removed her earrings and ring, happily placing them with the rest. Very pretty Angie said, admiring the dress, she lifted up the sleeve, admiring it, no bracelets, she whispered to herself, as she pulled the silky sleeve back ever so slightly.

  

Abby than approached, and quietly, obediently, unfastened her pearled necklace, and then removed her glistening matching earrings, and placed them all delicately upon the pile. Momma said to be careful with them, their Grand mama’s, she bleated sweetly, and Angie felt her heart skip several beats, suppressing an evil grin upon hearing those delicious words. Claire then helped Abby remove the pearled brooch from her satin sash.

  

Angie stood back, her heart had been pounding with cutting swords of mixed delicious pleasure and anticipation as, there on that sunlit church playground, the girls in swishy gowns, removed their valuables for “safe” keeping. She knew she now had to work fast, for there was an ever growing chance that an adult would show up from the reception and ruin Angie’s fun.

  

Angie than folded up the silk handkerchief, and in a classic bit of misdirection that would have made Gaston Monescu proud, appeared to place it inside the purse she was going to leave in the children’s safe keeping. But she actually palmed it, and slipped the bundle deep into her skirts pocket as she handed the purse over with her free hand. All three sets of eyes watching the purse, not what Angie’s other hand was doing.

  

Now go and have fun, Angie encouraged the girls as she handed the purse to Amanda. The youngsters seemed thrilled that they had an adult’s permission to keep on playing, and knowing that they would not be in danger of now being yelled at for possibly losing some of their pretty jewelry, they scurried off happily, in waves of whispery satin. Amanda stopped and gave Angie a hug before following the two sisters and their friend. The kind of hug that would have sealed the fate of any jewelry she may have still been wearing, and for which Angie did a double check for. Angie then watched Amanda run off, long gown fluttering out from behind her.

  

As the four girls rejoined the two boys, Angie slowly slinked away, melting into the woods. She allowed herself to smirk over how rewardingly gullible rich young girl’s in silky dresses ,wearing ripe for the plucking jewelry ,always proved to be.

  

Folle est l’agneau de la prune qui dans le loup avoue! She whispered to herself as she disappeared from the frolicking children’s sight.

  

She stopped suddenly as she reached a small clearing with the path leading to the rose covered arbor crossed. Not believing her eyes, as she unexpectedly saw below her fresh, opulently attired, prey.

  

A young couple was busily snogging in the garden the garden just ahead of Angie. As she looked over the pair of richly dressed pretty young things, she could not help but wonder if this couple had been in charge of watching over the children and had snuck away to be by themselves. She quickly ducked behind some bushes as the girl broke away, and with a come hither look, led her boyfriend through a rose covered arbor. Not a moment too soon, for the couple looked behind them, before crossing over the path and disappearing into the woods.

  

Angie cautiously snuck forward, and reaching the spot where they had disappeared into the woods, hears the girl giggling along with the unmistakable sounds of kissing. As the couple is otherwise occupied, Angie carefully moves into the woods. She spies the lad’s suit lying over some branches, and sees the shrubs moving underneath as the couple obviously have progressed now beyond kissing.

  

Angie spies something bright and shiny laying on the ground just in front of the shrub. She inches forward. It is the girls gown, laying spread out like a slick wet fluid purple pond , and there, in a nice neat pile, is the diamond jewelry she was wearing. Angie wonders what would have happened if some miscreant, or unscrupulous hobo were to stumble upon this scene. In her mind she reasoned that they would probably steal the jewels. So, why shouldn’t ole Angie be the one to acquire this one’s jewels also? Since she would probably be losing them anyway!

  

Angie reaches down and quietly pulls away the fluidly glossy gown, the silky material whispering along the grass as it moves. Angie keeps one ear on the couple just out of sight, the other listens for any noise on the path behind her that may betray her as she melts away back into the woods. Then, when she is a safe distance away, happily scoops up the girls small fiery diamonds. Picking up the gown she carried it back, hanging it from a limb just before leaving the path, she ran a hand along its enticing length, before leaving, snickering to herself the whole way.

  

Coup-Fourré, Angie thinks too herself as she regains the path, after carefully making sure no one else was about. Off in the distance she can just barely hear the children still at play. The purse where they innocently believed held their jewelry safe, she imagines still sitting on the bench. She thinks for a second about going back and lifting that purse, but decides not to push her luck, now that she had finally found some.

  

She once again pictured the beaming faces of the three young girls as they were being complimented on their shiny dresses by the pretty lady with the nice smile and gentle fingers as she carefully looked them over for anything missed that those nasty boys may try to take. Naively unaware that they had, in reality, been robbed of the precious gems that they had been convinced to remove for “safe keeping.”

  

Angie, for the first time, but not the last, imagined in her mind, what the children’s wide eyed astonishment would be like, they opened that sleek little purse , only to find the handkerchief had vanished! . And what the couple snogging about in the woods would make of the missing gown and jewels.

  

Editors notes:

 

Even though Angie related this story as having occurred on the same afternoon ,the chronicler felt she was keeping something back. It was never discover what, if anything had been. The answer may lie in the events unfolded above. It may be worth re-reading the story to see if anyone can pick up on it.

 

Folle est l’agneau de la prune qui dans le loup avoue!

 

Silly is the plump lamb to whom in the wolf confesses

 

Our Thanks to Mr Gardner for pointing out the existence of Mr. Monescu’s 1826 guide

 

*************************************************************************************

 

Courtesy of Chatwick University Archives

 

No longer the case; Stephanie Shostak has gotten much larger, and I too probably won't recover this lithe figure from 2011.

 

I've spent the last four years looking for my ex-girlfriend's killer, but no one will do it.

 

Plus deux t-girls maigres; Stephanie Shostak est devenue beaucoup plus grande, et moi non plus je ne retrouverai probablement pas cette silhouette souple de 2011.

 

J'ai passé les quatre dernières années à chercher l'assassin de mon ex-petite amie, mais personne ne le fera.

 

Please, read my profile, or visit my website!

SVP, lire mon profil, ou visiter mon page sur Web!

Photo Copyright 2012, dynamo.photography.

All rights reserved, no use without license

 

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

(Redirected from Hong kong)

 

Hong Kong, officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, is an autonomous territory south to Mainland China and east to Macao in East Asia. With around 7.2 million Hong Kongers of various nationalities[note 2] in a territory of 1,104 km2, Hong Kong is the world's fourth most densely populated country or territory.

 

Hong Kong used to be a British colony with the perpetual cession of Hong Kong Island from the Qing Empire after the First Opium War (1839–42). The colony expanded to the Kowloon Peninsula in 1860 and acquired a 99-year lease of the New Territories from 1898. Hong Kong was later occupied by Japan during the Second World War until British control resumed in 1945. The Sino-British Joint Declaration signed between the United Kingdom and China in 1984 paved way for the transfer of sovereignty of Hong Kong in 1997, when it became a special administrative region (SAR) of the People's Republic of China with a high degree of autonomy.[15]

 

Under the principle of "one country, two systems",[16][17] Hong Kong maintains a separate political and economic system from China. Except in military defence and foreign affairs, Hong Kong maintains its independent executive, legislative and judiciary powers.[18] In addition, Hong Kong develops relations directly with foreign states and international organisations in a broad range of "appropriate fields".[19] Hong Kong involves in international organizations, such as the WTO[20] and the APEC [21], actively and independently.

 

Hong Kong is one of the world's most significant financial centres, with the highest Financial Development Index score and consistently ranks as the world's most competitive and freest economic entity.[22][23] As the world's 8th largest trading entity,[24] its legal tender, the Hong Kong dollar, is the world's 13th most traded currency.[25] As the world's most visited city,[26][27] Hong Kong's tertiary sector dominated economy is characterised by competitive simple taxation and supported by its independent judiciary system.[28] Even with one of the highest per capita incomes in the world, it suffers from severe income inequality.[29]

 

Nicknamed "Pearl of the Orient", Hong Kong is renowned for its deep natural harbour, which boasts the world's fifth busiest port with ready access by cargo ships, and its impressive skyline, with the most skyscrapers in the world.[30][31] It has a very high Human Development Index ranking and the world's longest life expectancy.[32][33] Over 90% of the population makes use of well-developed public transportation.[34][35] Seasonal air pollution with origins from neighbouring industrial areas of Mainland China, which adopts loose emissions standards, has resulted in a high level of atmospheric particulates in winter.[36][37][38]

Contents

 

1 Etymology

2 History

2.1 Prehistory

2.2 Imperial China

2.3 British Crown Colony: 1842–1941

2.4 Japanese occupation: 1941–45

2.5 Resumption of British rule and industrialisation: 1945–97

2.6 Handover and Special Administrative Region status

3 Governance

3.1 Structure of government

3.2 Electoral and political reforms

3.3 Legal system and judiciary

3.4 Foreign relations

3.5 Human rights

3.6 Regions and districts

3.7 Military

4 Geography and climate

5 Economy

5.1 Financial centre

5.2 International trading

5.3 Tourism and expatriation

5.4 Policy

5.5 Infrastructure

6 Demographics

6.1 Languages

6.2 Religion

6.3 Personal income

6.4 Education

6.5 Health

7 Culture

7.1 Sports

7.2 Architecture

7.3 Cityscape

7.4 Symbols

8 See also

9 Notes

10 References

10.1 Citations

10.2 Sources

11 Further reading

12 External links

 

Etymology

 

Hong Kong was officially recorded in the 1842 Treaty of Nanking to encompass the entirety of the island.[39]

 

The source of the romanised name "Hong Kong" is not known, but it is generally believed to be an early imprecise phonetic rendering of the pronunciation in spoken Cantonese 香港 (Cantonese Yale: Hēung Góng), which means "Fragrant Harbour" or "Incense Harbour".[13][14][40] Before 1842, the name referred to a small inlet—now Aberdeen Harbour (Chinese: 香港仔; Cantonese Yale: Hēunggóng jái), literally means "Little Hong Kong"—between Aberdeen Island and the southern coast of Hong Kong Island. Aberdeen was an initial point of contact between British sailors and local fishermen.[41]

 

Another theory is that the name would have been taken from Hong Kong's early inhabitants, the Tankas (水上人); it is equally probable that romanisation was done with a faithful execution of their speeches, i.e. hōng, not hēung in Cantonese.[42] Detailed and accurate romanisation systems for Cantonese were available and in use at the time.[43]

 

Fragrance may refer to the sweet taste of the harbour's fresh water estuarine influx of the Pearl River or to the incense from factories lining the coast of northern Kowloon. The incense was stored near Aberdeen Harbour for export before Hong Kong developed Victoria Harbour.[40]

 

The name had often been written as the single word Hongkong until the government adopted the current form in 1926.[44] Nevertheless, a number of century-old institutions still retain the single-word form, such as the Hongkong Post, Hongkong Electric and the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation.

 

As of 1997, its official name is the "Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China". This is the official title as mentioned in the Hong Kong Basic Law and the Hong Kong Government's website;[45] however, "Hong Kong Special Administrative Region" and "Hong Kong" are widely accepted.

 

Hong Kong has carried many nicknames. The most famous among those is the "Pearl of the Orient", which reflected the impressive nightscape of the city's light decorations on the skyscrapers along both sides of the Victoria Harbour. The territory is also known as "Asia's World City".

History

Main articles: History of Hong Kong and History of China

Prehistory

Main article: Prehistoric Hong Kong

 

Archaeological studies support human presence in the Chek Lap Kok area (now Hong Kong International Airport) from 35,000 to 39,000 years ago and on Sai Kung Peninsula from 6,000 years ago.[46][47][48]

 

Wong Tei Tung and Three Fathoms Cove are the earliest sites of human habitation in Hong Kong during the Paleolithic Period. It is believed that the Three Fathom Cove was a river-valley settlement and Wong Tei Tung was a lithic manufacturing site. Excavated Neolithic artefacts suggested cultural differences from the Longshan culture of northern China and settlement by the Che people, prior to the migration of the Baiyue to Hong Kong.[49][50] Eight petroglyphs, which dated to the Shang Dynasty (c. 1600 BC – 1066 BC) in China, were discovered on the surrounding islands.[51]

Imperial China

Main article: History of Hong Kong under Imperial China

 

In 214 BC, Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of a centralised China, conquered the Baiyue tribes in Jiaozhi (modern-day Liangguang region and Vietnam) and incorporated the area of Hong Kong into his imperial China for the first time. Hong Kong proper was assigned to the Nanhai commandery (modern-day Nanhai District), near the commandery's capital city Panyu.[52][53][54]

 

After a brief period of centralisation and collapse of the Qin dynasty, the area of Hong Kong was consolidated under the Kingdom of Nanyue, founded by general Zhao Tuo in 204 BC.[55] When Nanyue lost the Han-Nanyue War in 111 BC, Hong Kong came under the Jiaozhi commandery of the Han dynasty. Archaeological evidence indicates an increase of population and flourish of salt production. The Lei Cheng Uk Han Tomb on the Kowloon Peninsula is believed to have been built as a burial site during the Han dynasty.[56]

 

From the Han dynasty to the early Tang dynasty, Hong Kong was a part of Bao'an County. In the Tang dynasty, modern-day Guangzhou (Canton) flourished as an international trading centre. In 736, the Emperor Xuanzong of Tang established a military stronghold in Tuen Mun to strengthen defence of the coastal area.[57] The nearby Lantau Island was a salt production centre and salt smuggler riots occasionally broke out against the government. In c. 1075, The first village school, Li Ying College, was established around 1075 AD in modern-day New Territories by the Northern Song dynasty.[58] During their war against the Mongols, the imperial court of Southern Song was briefly stationed at modern-day Kowloon City (the Sung Wong Toi site) before their ultimate defeat by the Mongols at the Battle of Yamen in 1279.[59] The Mongols then established their dynastic court and governed Hong Kong for 97 years.

 

From the mid-Tang dynasty to the early Ming dynasty (1368–1644), Hong Kong was a part of Dongguan County. During the Ming dynasty, the area was transferred to Xin'an County. The indigenous inhabitants at that time consisted of several ethnicities such as Punti, Hakka, Tanka and Hoklo.

European discovery

 

The earliest European visitor on record was Jorge Álvares, a Portuguese explorer, who arrived in 1513.[60][61] Having established a trading post in a site they called "Tamão" in Hong Kong waters, Portuguese merchants commenced with regular trading in southern China. Subsequent military clashes between China and Portugal, however, led to the expulsion of all Portuguese merchants from southern China.

 

Since the 14th century, the Ming court had enforced the maritime prohibition laws that strictly forbade all private maritime activities in order to prevent contact with foreigners by sea.[62] When the Manchu Qing dynasty took over China, Hong Kong was directly affected by the Great Clearance decree of the Kangxi Emperor, who ordered the evacuation of coastal areas of Guangdong from 1661 to 1669. Over 16,000 inhabitants of Xin'an County including those in Hong Kong were forced to migrate inland; only 1,648 of those who had evacuated subsequently returned.[63][64]

British Crown Colony: 1842–1941

A painter at work. John Thomson. Hong Kong, 1871. The Wellcome Collection, London

Main articles: British Hong Kong and History of Hong Kong (1800s–1930s)

 

In 1839, threats by the imperial court of Qing to sanction opium imports caused diplomatic friction with the British Empire. Tensions escalated into the First Opium War. The Qing admitted defeat when British forces captured Hong Kong Island on 20 January 1841. The island was initially ceded under the Convention of Chuenpi as part of a ceasefire agreement between Captain Charles Elliot and Governor Qishan. A dispute between high-ranking officials of both countries, however, led to the failure of the treaty's ratification. On 29 August 1842, Hong Kong Island was formally ceded in perpetuity to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland under the Treaty of Nanking.[65] The British officially established a Crown colony and founded the City of Victoria in the following year.[66]

 

The population of Hong Kong Island was 7,450 when the Union Flag raised over Possession Point on 26 January 1841. It mostly consisted of Tanka fishermen and Hakka charcoal burners, whose settlements scattered along several coastal hamlets. In the 1850s, a large number of Chinese immigrants crossed the then-free border to escape from the Taiping Rebellion. Other natural disasters, such as flooding, typhoons and famine in mainland China would play a role in establishing Hong Kong as a place for safe shelter.[67][68]

 

Further conflicts over the opium trade between Britain and Qing quickly escalated into the Second Opium War. Following the Anglo-French victory, the Crown Colony was expanded to include Kowloon Peninsula (south of Boundary Street) and Stonecutter's Island, both of which were ceded to the British in perpetuity under the Convention of Beijing in 1860.

 

In 1898, Britain obtained a 99-year lease from Qing under the Convention for the Extension of Hong Kong Territory, in which Hong Kong obtained a 99-year lease of Lantau Island, the area north of Boundary Street in Kowloon up to Shenzhen River and over 200 other outlying islands.[69][70][71]

 

Hong Kong soon became a major entrepôt thanks to its free port status, attracting new immigrants to settle from both China and Europe. The society, however, remained racially segregated and polarised under early British colonial policies. Despite the rise of a British-educated Chinese upper-class by the late-19th century, race laws such as the Peak Reservation Ordinance prevented ethnic Chinese in Hong Kong from acquiring houses in reserved areas such as Victoria Peak. At this time, the majority of the Chinese population in Hong Kong had no political representation in the British colonial government. The British governors did rely, however, on a small number of Chinese elites, including Sir Kai Ho and Robert Hotung, who served as ambassadors and mediators between the government and local population.

File:1937 Hong Kong VP8.webmPlay media

Hong Kong filmed in 1937

 

In 1904, the United Kingdom established the world's first border and immigration control; all residents of Hong Kong were given citizenship as Citizens of United Kingdom and Colonies (CUKC).

 

Hong Kong continued to experience modest growth during the first half of the 20th century. The University of Hong Kong was established in 1911 as the territory's first higher education institute. While there had been an exodus of 60,000 residents for fear of a German attack on the British colony during the First World War, Hong Kong remained unscathed. Its population increased from 530,000 in 1916 to 725,000 in 1925 and reached 1.6 million by 1941.[72]

 

In 1925, Cecil Clementi became the 17th Governor of Hong Kong. Fluent in Cantonese and without a need for translator, Clementi introduced the first ethnic Chinese, Shouson Chow, into the Executive Council as an unofficial member. Under Clementi's tenure, Kai Tak Airport entered operation as RAF Kai Tak and several aviation clubs. In 1937, the Second Sino-Japanese War broke out when the Japanese Empire expanded its territories from northeastern China into the mainland proper. To safeguard Hong Kong as a freeport, Governor Geoffry Northcote declared the Crown Colony as a neutral zone.

Japanese occupation: 1941–45

Main article: Japanese occupation of Hong Kong

The Cenotaph in Hong Kong commemorates those who died in service in the First World War and the Second World War.[73]

 

As part of its military campaign in Southeast Asia during Second World War, the Japanese army moved south from Guangzhou of mainland China and attacked Hong Kong in on 8 December 1941.[74] Crossing the border at Shenzhen River on 8 December, the Battle of Hong Kong lasted for 18 days when British and Canadian forces held onto Hong Kong Island. Unable to defend against intensifying Japanese air and land bombardments, they eventually surrendered control of Hong Kong on 25 December 1941. The Governor of Hong Kong was captured and taken as a prisoner of war. This day is regarded by the locals as "Black Christmas".[75]

 

During the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong, the Japanese army committed atrocities against civilians and POWs, such as the St. Stephen's College massacre. Local residents also suffered widespread food shortages, limited rationing and hyper-inflation arising from the forced exchange of currency from Hong Kong dollars to Japanese military banknotes. The initial ratio of 2:1 was gradually devalued to 4:1 and ownership of Hong Kong dollars was declared illegal and punishable by harsh torture. Due to starvation and forced deportation for slave labour to mainland China, the population of Hong Kong had dwindled from 1.6 million in 1941 to 600,000 in 1945, when the United Kingdom resumed control of the colony on 2 September 1945.[76]

Resumption of British rule and industrialisation: 1945–97

Main articles: British Hong Kong, 1950s in Hong Kong, 1960s in Hong Kong, 1970s in Hong Kong, 1980s in Hong Kong, and 1990s in Hong Kong

Flag of British Hong Kong from 1959 to 1997

 

Hong Kong's population recovered quickly after the war, as a wave of skilled migrants from the Republic of China moved in to seek refuge from the Chinese Civil War. When the Communist Party eventually took full control of mainland China in 1949, even more skilled migrants fled across the open border for fear of persecution.[69] Many newcomers, especially those who had been based in the major port cities of Shanghai and Guangzhou, established corporations and small- to medium-sized businesses and shifted their base operations to British Hong Kong.[69] The establishment of a socialist state in China (People's Republic of China) on 1 October 1949 caused the British colonial government to reconsider Hong Kong's open border to mainland China. In 1951, a boundary zone was demarked as a buffer zone against potential military attacks from communist China. Border posts along the north of Hong Kong began operation in 1953 to regulate the movement of people and goods into and out of the territory.

Stamp with portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, 1953

 

In the 1950s, Hong Kong became the first of the Four Asian Tiger economies under rapid industrialisation driven by textile exports, manufacturing industries and re-exports of goods to China. As the population grew, with labour costs remaining low, living standards began to rise steadily.[77] The construction of the Shek Kip Mei Estate in 1953 marked the beginning of the public housing estate programme to provide shelter for the less privileged and to cope with the influx of immigrants.

 

Under Sir Murray MacLehose, 25th Governor of Hong Kong (1971–82), a series of reforms improved the public services, environment, housing, welfare, education and infrastructure of Hong Kong. MacLehose was British Hong Kong's longest-serving governor and, by the end of his tenure, had become one of the most popular and well-known figures in the Crown Colony. MacLehose laid the foundation for Hong Kong to establish itself as a key global city in the 1980s and early 1990s.

A sky view of Hong Kong Island

An aerial view of the northern shore of Hong Kong Island in 1986

 

To resolve traffic congestion and to provide a more reliable means of crossing the Victoria Harbour, a rapid transit railway system (metro), the MTR, was planned from the 1970s onwards. The Island Line (Hong Kong Island), Kwun Tong Line (Kowloon Peninsula and East Kowloon) and Tsuen Wan Line (Kowloon and urban New Territories) opened in the early 1980s.[78]

 

In 1983, the Hong Kong dollar left its 16:1 peg with the Pound sterling and switched to the current US-HK Dollar peg. Hong Kong's competitiveness in manufacturing gradually declined due to rising labour and property costs, as well as new development in southern China under the Open Door Policy introduced in 1978 which opened up China to foreign business. Nevertheless, towards the early 1990s, Hong Kong had established itself as a global financial centre along with London and New York City, a regional hub for logistics and freight, one of the fastest-growing economies in Asia and the world's exemplar of Laissez-faire market policy.[79]

The Hong Kong question

 

In 1971, the Republic of China (Taiwan)'s permanent seat on the United Nations was transferred to the People's Republic of China (PRC), Hong Kong's status as a recognised colony became terminated in 1972 under the request of PRC. Facing the uncertain future of Hong Kong and expiry of land lease of New Territories beyond 1997, Governor MacLehose raised the question in the late 1970s.

 

The British Nationality Act 1981 reclassified Hong Kong into a British Dependent Territory amid the reorganisation of global territories of the British Empire. All residents of Hong Kong became British Dependent Territory Citizens (BDTC). Diplomatic negotiations began with China and eventually concluded with the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration. Both countries agreed to transfer Hong Kong's sovereignty to China on 1 July 1997, when Hong Kong would remain autonomous as a special administrative region and be able to retain its free-market economy, British common law through the Hong Kong Basic Law, independent representation in international organisations (e.g. WTO and WHO), treaty arrangements and policy-making except foreign diplomacy and military defence.

 

It stipulated that Hong Kong would retain its laws and be guaranteed a high degree of autonomy for at least 50 years after the transfer. The Hong Kong Basic Law, based on English law, would serve as the constitutional document after the transfer. It was ratified in 1990.[69] The expiry of the 1898 lease on the New Territories in 1997 created problems for business contracts, property leases and confidence among foreign investors.

Handover and Special Administrative Region status

Main articles: Transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong and 2000s in Hong Kong

Transfer of sovereignty

Golden Bauhinia Square

 

On 1 July 1997, the transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong from the United Kingdom to the People's Republic of China took place, officially marking the end of Hong Kong's 156 years under British colonial governance. As the largest remaining colony of the United Kingdom, the loss of Hong Kong effectively represented the end of the British Empire. This transfer of sovereignty made Hong Kong the first special administrative region of China. Tung Chee-Hwa, a pro-Beijing business tycoon, was elected Hong Kong's first Chief Executive by a selected electorate of 800 in a televised programme.

 

Structure of government

 

Hong Kong's current structure of governance inherits from the British model of colonial administration set up in the 1850s. The 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration states that "Hong Kong should enjoy a high degree of autonomy in all areas except defence and foreign affairs" with reference to the underlying principle of one country, two systems.[note 3] This Declaration stipulates that Hong Kong maintains her capitalist economic system and guarantees the rights and freedoms of her people for at least 50 years after the 1997 handover. [note 4] Such guarantees are enshrined in the Hong Kong's Basic Law, the territory's constitutional document, which outlines the system of governance after 1997, albeit subject to interpretation by China's Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPCSC).[95][96]

 

Hong Kong's most senior leader, Chief Executive, is elected by a committee of 1,200 selected members (600 in 1997) and nominally appointed by the Government of China. The primary pillars of government are the Executive Council, Legislative Council, civil service and Judiciary.

 

Policy-making is initially discussed in the Executive Council, presided by the Chief Executive of Hong Kong, before passing to the Legislative Council for bill adoption. The Executive Council consists of 30 official/unofficial members appointed by the Chief Executive and one member among them acts as the convenor.[97][98]

 

The Legislative Council, set up in 1843, debates policies and motions before voting to adopt or rejecting bills. It has 70 members (originally 60) and 40 (originally 30) among them are directly elected by universal suffrage; the other 30 members are "functional constituencies" (indirectly) elected by a smaller electorate of corporate bodies or representatives of stipulated economic sectors as defined by the government. The Legislative Council is chaired by a president who acts as the speaker.[99][100]

 

In 1997, seating of the Legislative Council (also public services and election franchises) of Hong Kong modelled on the British system: Urban Council (Hong Kong and Kowloon) and District Council (New Territories and Outlying Islands). In 1999, this system has been reformed into 18 directly elected District Offices across 5 Legislative Council constituencies: Hong Kong Island (East/West), Kowloon and New Territories (East/West); the remaining outlying islands are divided across the aforementioned regions.

 

Hong Kong's Civil Service, created by the British colonial government, is a politically neutral body that implements government policies and provides public services. Senior civil servants are appointed based on meritocracy. The territory's police, firefighting and customs forces, as well as clerical officers across various government departments, make up the civil service.[101][102]

Finally did a good print from a 400 mm lens with 2x converter on a Canon A1 camera using Agfa Portriga-Rapid 5x7

1/3

youtu.be/oC-GflRB0y4

  

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This story is based from a rather intense experience I had had while staying at my uncles Cottage last year.

The photo of the cover is one of the gown and jewellery I wore. It was taken at a wedding I was in last summer at the same cottage…

The gown and jewellery are the same I again wore out that autumn evening of my long weekend staying there alone…

So with that said, here is my Narrative:

A Night Occurrence at the Lakefront Cottage

A narrative

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

Midnight Occurrence at the Lakefront Cottage

A narrative

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

Chapter 1

Like in a Dream…

With nightfall, the mid-summer time moon rose over the lake, bathing the woods in a rather surreal, sombre ghostly pale light.

From a small valley located just over a hill, the backside of which led down to a lake where a number of summer cottages had been built, a park was located.

The small community park was usually dark and forbidden at this time of year, this time of night.

But on this day, it was lit up with strings of lanterns lined up on the perimeter, and candles flickering from tables set up in the parks centre. At one end, next to a made-up dance floor on the lawn, a band playing romantic music was set up on the platform of a wooden Japanese style pagoda… A design a little out of place among the misty welsh moors of the area.

From the hill above, one’s eyes could see that a party was indeed taking place below. The guests elegantly dressed up as if for a wedding, which it was, a wedding reception to be exact.

And on this evening, from that hill, eyes, multiple sets of them, had indeed for some time been curiously watching.!

Eyes that belonged to all manner and types of creatures…

Some were the round eyes of small nervous creatures, furry and feathered, that were too timid to come out of the safety of the shadows. While others were the rather slanted, pointed eyes of predators, not all of them the furry and feathered kind, that lurked and watched with drooling interest, this uncanny commotion taking place below…

Now, from that party below, amongst the many colourful and shimmering guests, there was one figure swishing about that had soon caught the attention of the eyes watching from the hill.

It was that of a young girl of around 16 that was being watched, as she scurried about in and out of the shadows of hedges that lined the little park…

The hedges separating the party area from the darkened woods that began at the bottom of the hill and reached its’ top…

From this young female figure’s body language one could tell that she was a bit bored. And in actuality was, for she was used to being the centre of attention, and at this party, the wedding of her older sister, made her quite a bit moody, that she was anything but…

So, she was now daydreaming that she was a princess and was seeking an escape back to her castle, pretending the other guests wished to hold her captive. Along with her ‘evil’ parents and bride sister who kept telling her to behave herself!

This meant that she had to be careful not to be seen, and so was playing a game of hiding and seek by herself!

Now, this particular young faux princess almost looked like the real thing!

With long silky curls of red hair that flowed down as she moved about, held by a thin band of rhinestones that could be seen as a crown!

Also, adding to the overall effect, the sulky girl was royally, quite fetchingly clad, in a shiny green taffeta gown, pouring down along her figure! She was, unhappily, wearing it for a second time, the gown originally was worn for a dance she had attended that spring.

She also was strikingly for the first time, wearing some of her Mother’s sets of expensively set Emeralds!

A demanded to pay off for not having a new dress bought for the occasion!

Her mother had made the mistake of showing her father, first her emeralds, then her diamonds to decide which she should wear with the mother of the bride ‘s gown she had bought for her eldest daughter's upcoming wedding at their lake cottage. They had decided on the diamonds presenting a better look with her gown.

The younger 16-year-old red-headed daughter, already steaming over the fact she was not allowed a new dress for the wedding, raised a minor tantrum to wear the emeralds when her mother had given them to her father to place back in the banks’ vault!

They had finally, unhappily, relented!

So, feeling like a princess would in her jewels and fancy dress, she meandered daringly out of the safety of the park, and made her way around the outside of the hedge, skirting the darkly sinister woods!

Then looking up at the moon rising over the hill, she saw a flicker of light, like a candle, up at the hilltop!

And curious, she looked around to make sure no one was watching, she slipped on the winding path that led up to the top of the hill...

She then carefully walked up that hill, higher and higher into the depths of the shadows on either side of that moonlighted path.

She was aware of where she was, the other side of the hill led back to her family cottage.

Thus, she felt safe to be there alone.

Plus, in her daydream, she was a princess escaping to her castle for safety, wasn’t she now!

A Princess that sparkled green flickers of flashing light from her headband, earrings necklace, finger rings and bracelets snugly held around her wrists!

The watchers in the woods drew back into the shadows as the young faux princess approached.

Those creatures with round eyes slipped down and squinted, whilst those of the slanted eyed type, crouched, and their eyes merely grew larger!

None of the rounded eyed creatures understood what that sparkling meant…

The slant-eyed creatures had a better understanding that it singled some type of prey…

And so, though it was like being in a dream for the imaginative girl who played at being a princess…

She was, in fact, playing alone in a nightmare!

^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

Chapter 2

Autumn weekend at the cottage

 

Our aunt and uncle own a summer cottage located at the point of land that extends onto a small natural lake.

Compared to some of the other houses built by some quite wealthy families, theirs is one of the smallest. It has 6 full bedrooms on the top floor and a small 7th in the basement with its’ own loo and shower. The middle section holding the kitchen, small study and a rather large living room with floor to ceiling windows that look over the lake.

It was at this same cottage where we held my Cousin's wedding earlier that summer, with the reception in a small community park a short distance through the woods behind the cottage.

It was at that park where, as children, my Cousin, my twin brother, and I had snuck off to play our games. One role play game, in particular, was one having us two girls playing dressed up damsels to my brother’s highwayman!

This role game of his does deserve mentioning since it will play a part with what happens later in my story.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

As it so happened, I was required to attend a formal dinner/dance/ fundraiser held in the Autumn of that same year as my Cousin’s Wedding.

Since the function was about a 40-minute drive(by my standard of fast driving) from the location of the lake and its cottages.

So, to save on having to rent a room during my extended visit to the area, I coaxed my uncle into letting me stay alone at the cottage over my 4-day weekend.

I was attending the function with a friend, who had declined my offer of staying at the cottage, to stay in town.

She was planning to have her fiancé down the night after the event, and wanted the privacy staying with me would not have given her!

My friend, with whom I had roomed at university, had dared us each other to wear the glittery sequined bridesmaids’ gowns that had been collecting dust in our closets since a mutual friend’s wedding the previous fortnight!

I didn’t want to look like her twin, so I told her I was wearing the sleek blue sating number I had worn as a maid of honour at my cousin’s summer wedding!

We both brought these gowns with us.

My Friend brought her good pearls to wear with her ensemble, and I brought to wear my matching set of sapphire rhinestones I had come across at an antique shoppe, along with my favourite rings.

The same jewels I ended up wearing at my Cousin’s wedding after she had elected to wear pearls, making the pearls I had been planning to wear a social faux pas!

The evening of my work sponsored formal event I dressed at the cottage in the basement bedroom I was sleeping in before headed into town to help set up at the event.

I had showered and was drying my hair when I self-scared myself a bit silly by catching a view of my moving shadow on the wall behind me, reflected in the mirror!

The shadow of my hand holding my mini- hairdryer looked like someone was standing behind me waving a gun.

Giggling at my silliness I put on my gown, jewellery, and after a quick look-see in the mirror behind the door, I left.

By my watch, I was running about 15 minutes late, so I grabbed my wrap and flew up the stairs, out the door, and down the steps to my coupe.

I managed to get there 5 minutes early and began to pitch right in…

My Friend soon joined me and we were imminently so caught up in the festivities that we found no time to really chat amongst ourselves.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^

The affair was a success and we had over a score of guests in attendance.

The two of us must have made a pretty pair, for we were continuously being approached for conversation and then asked to dance by several blokes.

As things were wrapping up and we were finally given the boot, we stopped in a pub for a drink intending to finally get caught up between ourselves!

It was at the much later at the same pub, that my, now fairly intoxicated, friend admitted to me she had been crept upon after leaving her hotel earlier!

I was none too sober myself, and admit I burst into laughter, before seeing that she was trying to be serious!

Here is what happened…

^^^^^^^^^^^^

A young man in a houndstooth sports jacket had been standing in her hotel lobby talking to a pretty young gypsy lady wearing a black satin blouse, her buxomly figure loaded up with shiny gold chains.

As my friend walked through the lobby, dressed as she was for the dance, the girl had eyed her over

She, of course, smiled at her expecting a nod, or compliment…

But surprisingly the girl had just rudely looked back to the guy wearing the houndstooth sport coat. without acknowledging my friend atoll!

Then as my friend walked outside down the block to hail a taxi, she chillingly realized the guy in the houndstooth sports jacket was following along some distance behind her!

He caught her looking at him and turning, darted down an alley!

Uncomfortable about it, she had spied an approaching hansom and had hailed it to be driven to her destination.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

“Do you think he may have wanted to ask me something?”

She wondered as she played with her string of white pearls, the rings in her fingers all glittery.

I soothed her by telling her she was…

“Being a silly sod, and not to fret over it!”

Which at the time was my honest opinion of the affair!

Certainly, did not think the bloke was “creeping” after her for any reason, and I told her so with conviction!

I did, however, see her home safely to her hotel room, before my drive back down to the lake.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

There was no moon out that night, and it was a very misty, lonely drive back alone.

My mind wandered over my friend’s experience in her hotel lobby and the creeping man wearing a houndstooth jacket.

Suddenly, sleeping alone in the isolated cottage did not seem like the grand idea it had when planning it!

I played music, loud, to take my mind of that feeling as I drove back, taking almost a full hour to do so!

Arriving at the cottage, I was aware I had not left any lights on inside.

Twit!

Cursing myself, for creeping strangers were now a vivid thought implanted in my mind, I got out and headed up the steps long uphill cottage path!

Quite aware I was alone, I walked up the hill in that early morning hour, moving in and out of creeping shadows.

As I did, I heard the rich swishing of my long gown as the hem brushed along the stone steps.

Slightly drunk, I stopped and picked up the bottom of my gown to make it stop!

I must have presented an interesting picture, alone, dressed such as I was wobbling up the stairs as I tried negotiating them still wearing my heels!

I also clearly remembered my friend’s story!

If someone was following her and had been listening in to our conversation, they would know I was here, alone!

It also was no help that I remembered how startling it had been when as children, my twin had snuck up and scared the bejeebers out of us while masked in his highwayman disguise

This made my hairs prickle, as of course, my runaway imagination formed some rather chilling, foreboding conjectures

I shook my head to get rid of the thoughts, feeling my earrings swinging up against my cheeks.

I again cursed, whispering to myself…

“Buggers, bloody jewels would give me away if nothing else!”

^^^^^^^^^^^^

I scurried the rest of the distance up to the cottage without managing to trip, feeling foolish with myself as I reached and unlatched the door!

But entering the dark, sinisterly empty house, did me no good either, and I held my breath as, still holding up my blue satin gown, I cautiously tiptoed inside to turn on the lights!

My mind was reeling at that point keeping me wide awake and fearful of being alone, as I checked all the windows and doors to make sure they were fastened!

Without bothering to change, I went to the front room (overlooking the lake) and plopping onto the couch, tried watching some telly before going to bed in my basement room.

But I ended up watching the only channel that was coming in.. and all it had was an old BW crime thriller that night, which also added fuel to the building fire of my now overly fearful imagination!

Though I will admit that I harbour alike for those types of situations depicted in such movies, experiencing a titillating thrill when a shadow emerged from a dark alleyway, similar to those that compels one to watch horror flicks!

Flicks like the ‘Cat and the Canary’ which to this day still will make me shudder when I watch it alone in my darkened flat(the dark adds to the mood).

And so as I watched this particularly sinister movie playing, my mind also was filled with thoughts of the ‘Cat and the Canary’ flick…

^^^^^^^^^^^

Filmed in 1927 Called “Cat and the Canary” and is a dark moody film taking place in a secret passage laced mansion, with sinisterly dark figures, and a sleeping lady whose diamonds are robbed off from around her throat.

There is an even creepier 1930 sound remake called “The Cat Creeps” with Helen Twelvetrees that I really had wanted to write about at the time, but found out it is, unfortunately, an Americans’ “lost” film!

^^^^^^^^

Finally, my spine had its’ feel of tingles, and I turned the telly off with a sigh, and nestling into the thicke couch, I yawned, stretched…

As I did so, my eyes were caught by my sparkling rhinestone bracelet…

I curiously asked myself…

“Would some bugger want to steal them?”

Of course, my imaginative mind said, yes!

The answer put me off from going down into that isolated basement bedroom to sleep alone….

So, I reached over, and pulled off from the top of the couch my gowns wrap, and using it as a soft blanket, stretching out on the couch,

I laid down, tried to think happy thoughts, like how much fun we had had at the fundraiser earlier…

My mind drifted from there, to us children playing games in the community park….

Which led my thoughts traveled being here for the Saturday wedding of my cousin...

^^^^^^^^^^^^

The reception had taken place in the same small community park where we had played.

It laid in a small valley, surrounded by woods that cover the hills. On the opposite side was a path leading up and down a hill, to the point of land jutting out onto the lake, the top of which had been built my cousin’s family cottage.

It had been a busy week, hustle and bustle in getting ready for the weekend wedding. We had all been exhausted by Friday and spent the rest of the day in idle repose, laying in hammocks…

The wedding and reception had both been brilliant affairs.

Soiled only by the pair of wedding crasher strangers we had discovered amongst our midst’s later that evening at the reception……

A lot of strangers creeping into my life lately, I thought, yawning sleepily….

€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€

Chapter 3

A Summer Day’s Wedding at the Cottage

 

As I laid half asleep upon the couch that Autumn evening, I was startled by the clock in the study chiming the hour of midnight.

As I counted down the hour I tried to focus on the events of my cousin's wedding, aware that there had been a darkness about it, something in the background that I may have put out of my mind at the time, but was there, and I was trying to remember just what it was….

Odd really, I remember thinking as I lay there, the room spinning a little as I tried to remember what it was that had scared me?

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

My cousin (with whom I also had shared classes with at University) was getting married at the end of that summer week, on Saturday at a small church located in the village at the opposite end of the lake.

I was to be her maid of honour, and with the Groom’s best man, we were the sole other members of her wedding party aside from the bride and groom.

I had taken a week from work to be there, coming down on a Wednesday and staying till the following Tuesday.

My thoughts were, jokingly, that I should be sober enough to drive back on Monday and work on Tuesday!

The week went fast, planning, getting ready for the guests.

What little time I had to myself, I spent on a small deserted island in the middle of the lake, just off of the bottom hill landing above which sat my Cousin’s family’s lakefront cottage.

The island is a rather secluded, private spot, a great place to just think.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Then came the day for the wedding to be held at the lake village church with reception at the community park on the opposite side of the hill located behind my Cousin’s family lakefront cottage.

The Groom and his Best Man had arrived early Saturday morning.

We kept them busy outside, while we girls were getting ready inside.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

My Cousin had selected a dreamy gown of dazzling virgin white satin.

Sleeveless with a Lacey bodice and a daringly plunging neckline. The skirt fell to her silver heels in a glistening flow of sleekness. An emerald green rippled satin sash encircled her jealousy petite waist with a glittering crescent-shaped emerald rhinestone broach pinned to the centre. Long green satin gloves all added a splash of colour for her naturally red hair and freckled face.

As the Maid of Honour, I was wearing the rather elegant, ocean blue coloured, slick satiny gown she had helped me pick out.

A sleeveless halter top, the neckline is squared, the skirt was long, tickling down to just past my ankles.

It also had a darling matching flat satin waist-hugging sash that was detachable and tied snugly in the back, and a matching caped wrap to wear over it!

Actually, the whole outfit was a rather tightly snug fit, but my Cuz liked the look and I will be able to have it let out before wearing it out again (which unexpected happened to be later that year).

But it was fun that I appeared to have a pair of noticeably rounded breasts for a change!

Compliments of the gowns fairly tight moulded cleavage!

Now, since my Cousin had decided on wearing her a rather handsome collection of pearls, I decided per protocol, not to wear my good pearls, but instead opted to wear my set of sparkling sapphire rhinestones.

Also, amongst the fine jewels I was wearing, was Included at the last minute, a rather daring diamond brooch which I had just that week picked up in an antique store that is located in the village at the northernmost end of the lake.

It was quite a dazzling pretty overall effect we both were putting on, as noted when we poised giggling like a brace of school girls before the bedroom mirror hanging on the backside of our basement bedrooms’ door.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

My cousin’s younger ‘sweet’ 16-year-old sister, who has just finished her A levels, overhead us giggling and sauntered down in from the upstairs kitchen.

Now, I will have to come clean here. The reason there was only one female attendant in the bridal party was that my older cousin did not wish to have to deal with the “little drama queen” that was the soul being of my younger cousin!

She is fair-skinned redhead also, and on that day was wearing a thin band of rhinestones holding back her hair, so that it fell flowing behind her like a sheet of silk!

She was also fetchingly wearing a green taffeta gown, pouring lithely down along her figure. She was vocally unhappy with re-wearing It from a dance she had attended that spring.

She also was conceitedly displaying along with her figure, the new set of my Aunt’s expensively matched emeralds, consisting of a pendant, bracelet, and earrings!

Which I was told had to be allowed to prevent an atomic level hissy fit the evening before my arrival!

I felt her gown was rather to slinky in my silent opinion, and the “always gets my way “careless party girl a bit too immature to be wearing good jewels, but the ensemble certainly grabbed one’s attention I will with a bit of envious jealousy, admit to that!

But then I guess that is what weddings are all in about, and the bride and I were certainly in no position, glammed up as we were, to caste the first (Gem)stones!

After a bit more girl talk before being summoned, the three, no, make it two, of us put on our serious faces as all us girls swished upstairs from the basement to begin the day-long festivities!

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

I could write a whole book about the wedding and the reception. But just imagine any fancy wedding or prom/dance you may have been lucky enough to attend, then place it all in an outdoor setting by a lake, and I believe you will have a pretty good idea of what I had the pleasure of experiencing that day!

The wedding and reception proper went off with very few minor hitches and we killed much time pleasantly, dancing and drinking till midnight!

It was a very pretty affair in many aspects as one can well imagine!

And my twin brother was held in check by his fiancé, so there were none of his well-known mischievous thieving games played upon me!

The only blemish on the event came from a pair of strangers whom I did not know from Adam, and wished it had remained that way!

A creepy male in a houndstooth sports jacket, and a lady wearing a long black satin dress with vertical gold stripes, who admired everyone’s jewellery, though she wore none herself!

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

Chapter 4

A Midnight Escape

 

The reception proper had been over for a few hours, and just a few close relatives, guests sleeping the night over, and various friends remained. We closed up shop at the park and headed back to the cottage and an outside fire to end the evening.

It was well after midnight as most of the remaining group was hanging around a fire in the back terrace of the cottage,

I had been sitting with my brother and his fiancé when the two deserted me to sneak off for a walk (more likely to find a private area to snog) around the lake!

Now sitting alone by myself, I felt a wanderlust whimsical feeling to go and sit on one of the antique benches set around a small landing that was located down the front hillside, on the top of which was where the cottage had been built.

Grabbing a goblet of wine, I headed off away around the isolated cottage, then down the long narrow hillside stairs leading down to the landing, looking forward to finally being away from the lime lite as it were!

I was quite alone in this secluded spot.

I strained my gown and slid down upon the cool wooden slats of the bench, which afforded a misty view of my small island, off some 50 meters from the landing.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^

I was sitting there for some time lost in my thoughts, feeling sleepy, when I realized with a shiver that it was getting chilly!

But a warm breeze was coming in and my mind started to play tricks on me.

That I had not shivered because of the cold, but instead I was getting goose pimples from feeling someone’s eyes upon me!

So, then I started to imagine that I was indeed being watched by someone from the island!

I opened my eyes wide, as I convinced myself that indeed someone was watching me!

A dark figure in a houndstooth sports jacket with hard cold eyes and a mind to be up the to no good popped into my mind!

I nervously turned around with the idea of heading back up, and as I did, I jumped, not a little either, at what I saw!

There was actually a long shadowy figure at the top of the stairs, framed in moonlight, staring me down!!!

As I watched the figure slipped down the stairs, by the flapping dress I knew it was female.

Finally, I could make out who it was as she came into the light cast off from the dock’s lanterns.

It was the lady in the slinky black satin number with vertical stripes. She was wearing a bouncing emerald/ diamond pendant and matching swinging earring that glittered noticeably a green flickering fire from her as she moved.

She smiled, raising a hand that held a tall glass of ice and some clear liquid, her expensive-looking emerald bracelet twinkling in a mesmerizing display of its rich coloured emerald/diamond gemstones.

I recognized her as one of the guests I had briefly met, whom, much like a hummingbird, had been flittering about amongst us without never really staying long in any one place!

When I earlier first met the now slowly approaching lady, She had been a total stranger to me, coming up to me at the reception to compliment me on my pretty attire.

Said she was there alone and was usually quite shy around strangers, though she had not appeared to me in any way a timid dear!

(Especially, when later, I spotted her being chums with another unknown guest, a slanty-eyed bloke wearing a houndstooth jacket, with a gold tooth that flashed wickedly as he smiled!)

She was actually quite handsome, wearing a long black satin dress with vertical gold stripes. I complimented her on it and she smiled, ever so prettily blushing, her eyes magnified by the horned rim glasses she was wearing...

Since she was wearing no jewellery, I was not able to use that as a topic of conversation or admirations!

Feeling sorry for the poor thing, we had chatted a bit, light talk, and she had taken her leave, apologizing if she was appearing rude, but she must compliment my cousin, the bride, who I saw had just come in, new husband and her green taffeta clad pouty younger sister in tow!

^^^^^^^^^^^^

But that was then, this was now!

I sat watching her, as she reached the bottom step, then swished over to me as I was sitting on the landings bench, inwardly shuddering a bit!

She was decidedly an odd bird, especially the way she was eagerly looking down upon me like an old friend!

But there was something different about her now, something had changed, but in my befuddled state of mind at her appearance, it was something I just could not place a finger on at the time?

Though much later, the mystery would be solved much to my chagrin, for not solving it sooner and perhaps things would have had a different ending for me that evening!

But trying to work out a solution to that mystery slipped from my mind as I again felt a chill and wished I had brought my gowns matching wrap!

But alas, couldn’t be rude enough to hurriedly make that as an excuse and leave her just as she arrived?

So, playing the kind hostess, I settled down to hold ground and meet my fate!

So much for quiet solitude, I thought wryly, and assuming my role as part of the bridal party, politely motioned the unwished-for guest to come over and have a sit-in with me.

She swished down over, laid a hand on my shoulder, her bracelet sparkling, as I looked up. I could see my necklace shimmering in her horned rim glassed, rather surprised over how lavish the reflection appeared!

They almost looked real!

“‘Ello, we meet again!”

she said adjusting her gown as she sat next to me.

“Cheers then “

she continued, clinking her wine glass to mine

I nodded in salute, and we both took a drink.

She was looking out over the misty waters as she sipped...

“Must say, you are brave, to be down here all alone Luv.”

She lectured, glancing around.

I replied, trying my damnedest to sound cheery…

“Not really… I come down here a lot to sit and think, it’s one of my favourite spots.”

“Here, and the island over there also!”

I added, pointing across the water to the small island.

She shivered.

“Creepy island, who knows what or who may be over there lurking in the shadows watching us!”

Despite myself, I did jump a little at her words…

She was beginning to creep me out saying things I had already been thinking.

Maybe she had sensed my unease…

For she quickly started to babble on about odd things she had heard happening to others. Footsteps in the dark with no one appearing and other sorts of unwarranted, alone in a dark alleyway, titbits that I could really quite do without!

She was on about an old silent movie where a deranged mental patient had broken into an isolated mansion where a young heiress was spending a lonely evening when I decided enough was quite bloody enough!!!

I knew that movie! And I was not in the mood to be further creeped out by thinking about it now!

I was quite done with this uninvited guest and decided it had been time enough, and I could, with etiquette be damned, take my leave!

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

Chapter 5

Surrender

 

So patiently I waited until she had a lull in her chattering, to seize the moment and bolt!

Ready now, to surrender my dock landing hideaway to her and head up to re-join the remaining guests around the warm friendly fire!

I turned to her, startled by the way for a second she had been smiling at me like she knew an untold secret, but her expression changed immediately as I had looked!

Smiling, she leaned over to pat my wrist, her fingers touching my sapphire bracelet.

Despite my attempts to be in control, I stammered as I spoke…

“Really must get back to the bride and our guests!”

 

Then, she said something that was really quite odd...

“And your lovely wee cousin dear should see where she has gotten off too!”

I looked at her blankly, then realized I had not seen my snooty younger cousin for some time!

And there was still that something else about this stranger that I for the life of me could not lay a finger upon!

It seemed to me that the two, missing younger cousin, and this stranger’s mysterious change in appearance, were both related!

But I was in too much a hurry to make my retreat from her to worry about what that was!

“Hope I’m not making you uncomfortable Luv?”

She said consolingly, but without any real depth to her apology, as she absentmindedly stroked her hands, pawing along my dress as she spoke with a syrupy voice!

“You were looking very pretty this evening, Luv! A very pretty dress you have on also…”

Then, while still pawing me, her drink sloshed, spilling some of the ice cubes, which pooled down upon the lap of my gown, making me shiver, the cool air and the dampness on my gown increasingly adding on an overwhelming need to use the loo, which also added to my already existing urge to excuse myself!!

“Oh, dear I’ve solid your dress! Here let me get something...”

I rose from the bench wiping myself down…

The weird lady followed suit, as she fumbled inside a small, rather bulging, black clutch purse,

I declined her assistance, just glad of a reason to be rid of this odd lady, and told her I would clean up inside the cottage!

She, in turn, gave me an oddly triumphant smile as I urgently took my leave.

Trying not to notably shiver or shake, I went over and made my way back up the deck stairs, resisting the urge to run!

At the top I looked back to the island for a few seconds, nothing moved, except the rising shapes of mist that was forming over the long lakes wave less dark waters.

Of course, no one was watching from there!

I looked down upon the interloper back to being seated on my bench...

She was just sitting there, staring out over the water with a secretive grin, dress fluttering, not bothering to look up at me.

I turned, the wet spot on my gown chilling me, causing shivers!

I fled to the kitchen side door of the cottage, hearing the commotion outback from my fellow guests, and the flickering shadows of unseen people and flames dancing off the trees.

I then headed, still shivering, inside through the kitchen to make my way to our downstairs basement bedroom loo.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

The house was eerily quiet and empty, unfortunately lending to the chilly atmosphere!

I was trembling on pins and needles as I was making myself scared silly to be in there, looking down darkened corridors that appeared to be passing themselves off as sinister alleyways!

I went in and downstairs to the basement bedroom I was sharing with my cousin.

I opened the door and entered.

The door started to creepily creak close behind me, so I turned, opened it wide where it stayed!

I scurried over to the small cupboard sized loo.

I quickly did my business, dabbed at the wet spot on my party dress, deciding I should not take time to bother a change, the warm fire would dry it soon enough!

As I took a quick look in the mirror, I scolded my panicked stricken, looming reflection that I was a “silly old duck”, and then hurriedly left to head back to join the rest of the dwindling reception guests by the warm fire.

As I left the toilet, I froze in my tracks, the bedroom door that I had left open was now forbiddingly, firmly shut.

I had not heard a sound, which added to the mystery!

“So, what smart ass bugger shut the door!”

I said to myself, aloud apparently.

For a stranger, gruff voice snarled behind me

“I did Missy!”

My heart leaped into my throat, stifling any sound I was too frozen to make anyways!

In horror placed a hand to my breast and another o my open mouth as I looked up at the dark form menacingly looming up behind me, reflected in back of the door hanging mirror

I was also all too aware of the betraying show that my sparkling my jewels were also reflecting!

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Chapter 6

What the F….

 

Suddenly I was grasped from behind by a pair of strong, roughly unforgiving hands.

My whole figure jumped with the enveloping shivering shock as an ice cold hand clamped over my mouth, silencing my startled shriek as blatantly it started. ...

I struggled to turn as his other hand was able to keep ahold of my slickly covered figure.

My mind went to the only scenario that made any sense…

So I struggle, and tried muffling to yell at my turd headed twin brother for scaring the life out of me by playing his silly games….

But then in my ear a most menacing soprano pitched voice muttered with evilly spoken conviction.

“What have we here said the spyder to the pretty butterfly?”

A chilling, sinking feeling swept down over me as I, in utter shock, suddenly stopped squirming; the voice speaking was not my twin’s brother’s bass voice!

The unknown voice continued on, answering my muffled question as I now began to really struggle, but found I was held tightly haplessly within his strong grasp!

The voice chuckled at my attempts to escape, continuing on talking with wicked confidence…

“I was coming down to leave, Missy and imagine my surprise when I watched your fine glossy figure heading downstairs into this hidden bedroom!”

I began to quiver in shivery fright...

He hissed in my ear…

“Now Don’t move about my pretty blue bird!”

Something deadly hard was stroked along up against my side, and then poked into my waist, as my heart was now pounding in up my throat!

“No cries for help either Missy “he again ordered, speaking close in my ear

“Or I may have to use this!”

And the round barrelled thing he was poking against me was pressed in even harder into my back to make his hideous point known!

I nodded helplessly in submissive agreement, my figure wilting to his threat!

I remember quite well, cringing and feeling waves of shivers sparking up and down my spine as he held me captive in his hard-unforgiving grasp!

Not really knowing with any sickening realty what all was going to happen next, though I was fairly certain my pretty jewels would be on this buggers wish list!

He turned me around and I was face to face with an evilly black attired man wearing an even blacker, snarly appearing ski mask!

Holding me close, pressing the unseen object into my waist, he stared at me with his hard-grey eyes, whilst he muttered, half to himself in a most happily evil tone of voice!...

“Well, well, look at the pretty package we have caught!”

He paused as my eyes began to dart back and forth in horror!

“I only was interested in riffling through the contents of your bedrooms rooms wasn’t I Luv, while your fine lot were distracted outside!”

“But the bonus of watching you and your sparklers appear for your ill-timed call to nature is appreciated, I will say that!”

“And the discovery of a new bedroom to have a look around is always appreciated, always nice things to be found in ‘em, aint there now, Missy!”

He smacked his lips this as he was eyeing me over…

I noticed my long shimmering diamond earrings were richly sparkling, reflected in his lusting evil eyes!

I gulped as a dryly scratchy frog came lumping up in my throat!

In answer his rough left hand began excitedly snaking up my front, up over my breasts and lifting up the end of my twinkling sapphire encrusted necklace, as he evilly smirked!

As he had groped along my breasts, he drooled his words, talking to himself.

“A rather fine plump one we have!”

Then while he tugged greedily at my necklace.

“With some rather nice ice to be chipped away!”

I tried pulling back, but he grasped me harder by the waist and held me to him as I squirmed, I could quite feel that this Wankers figure was undeniably hot and quite stiff with desire!

He now spoke with even more conviction!...

“Dem flashy jewels your wearin luv, I believe I’ll have them then now won’t” I !

“So, lets have those hands raised, high!”

he purred nastily, with a craving conviction.

I countered. “Not my jewels sir I whined; they are worthless!”

He smiled, his mask taking on a grotesquely ugly look…

Obviously, her was ignoring my please, so with a sigh, I raised my hands, feeling helpless and vulnerable as he quickly began working me over quite thoroughly chuckling with delight. With annoyingly adept precision, his rough, gloved fingers felt searchingly along my cringing my figure for my jewels!

The mirror that was hanging down on the closed door that we had primped in front of earlier, was still in view, and I could see my reflection in it, and ... also his, as he was quickly working me over!

I tried not to look but failed miserably and I began to feel my whole being wilt in utter despair as one by one he I watched him meticulously plucking my trembling figure clean!

Starting first by forcing off my flashing rings, then unclamping my favourite diamond cuff bracelet, followed by my sapphire one!

Then he reached up into my hair, and mercilessly yanked off both my hinged clasped earrings, greedily pocketing the lot!

Once finished with that he concentrated on working off the main prize, my shiny necklace!

Reaching up behind my neck, unfastening it ,he bought it around and let it dangle in front of my eyes.

He had taken my Sapphire Necklace!

And I again squirmed uncomfortably as he stashed it away!!

The wanker was all too fondly enjoying this game he was playing at my expense!!!

Finished with that job, he lastly reached down over to my waist to begin prying off my shimmery new broach, which my Cousin had had me pin to my sash as a last-minute addition so as to match hers!

I loved that broach!

I managed out a sobbing, crackling dry plea for him not to take it

Surprisingly, He listened and removed his hand from it promising he would not lay a finger on it, “Scouts honours” Missy!

Then had me turn around.

“All right now Missy, lets see how high you can keep those hands raised up, and keep ‘em there if you know what’s good fer you!”

Wondering “what now ?!” I obeyed.

He placed his hands upon the sides of my gown, reaching just up under my armpits, and started carefully to pat me down from behind.

I knew he knew he had taken me for everything and was just playing me, adding insult to injury while he was satisfying a dreadful lust to cope a feel of my tight fitting ultra-smooth gown!

Typical male!

I realized that, like a seasoned male actor, he obviously was a professional and had played this role enough times that he was self-confident, assuredly in control, and was cravingly, relishing every second of this wicked game!

Everything he did had a purpose, rhyme and reason behind it!

I was just beginning to realize that, but I still was not fast enough to figure those reasons ahead of time, and it would cost me!!!

I sighed deeply in my misery and despair, unable to move in my utterly vulnerably paralyzing distress!

The monster quickly finished, and with a pat along my waistline, stood back behind me.

I breathed a sigh, I believed the wanker had finished and should be making good his getaway.

But then, like that creepy lady who had driven me from my refuge into this terror, he eerily read my mind!

“Almost done Missy, just one more thing!”

His words echoed with dread in my ears!

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Chapter 7

What’s Next!?

 

I was still too frozen in fear to move, and saw in the reflection that he had reached into his pocket and pulled out some solid coloured gold silk handkerchiefs.

The unscrupulous Git must have snatched them from a silky pocket that must have been inside one of the dresses hanging in another bedroom closet!!

He hissed menacingly!

“To make sure the creeping cat keeps your tongue while I complete my job!”

He then he gagged me silent with one of the handkerchiefs!

Then he reached up, and yanking down my arms so they were behind my back, he tightly bound my hands with another!

Cheeky Bastard!

But the wanker wasn’t through with me yet!

He pulled my back up against his lustful body and I felt the cold damply sweaty fingers of his right hand reach up and gruffly laid his right hand on my the front of my dress!

He then happily felt along the top of my gown, his right hands’ fingers coldly moving slickly along, while his left hand held me securely by the waist as I squirmed in his hold, my hands firmly tied, while he cruelly he fondled about.

It was a bittersweet prickling process I was feeling as I helplessly underwent his obviously practiced ritual!

“Pity You’re not hiding anything more in there!”

he hissed in my ear as he withdrew his hand.

Then added…

“Times a eating!”

And pushed me over to my cousins bed and had me turn and awkwardly sit down upon it!

The bastard was having me watch him as he worked over our room for the rest of our valuables!

As if what he had done so far wasn’t bloody enough!

Watching, I squirmed with acute anxiety in my bindings, as he went about it!

^^^^^^^^^^^^

He was thorough I will admit, quickly, unerringly, ransacking our room with expert precision, wasting no time, as he checked through drawers, riffling through our shared closet, quickly fingering over the expensive clothes he was finding within, overturned purses.

Then he searched the bed-stands, discovering both our jewel cases, which he spotlessly cleaned out, not caring if it was costume or real!

He even pocketed my small gold (plated) antique brush with the engraved handle!

That thief was cannily pocketing anything found that was small, shiny, easily carried, and of any possible value, which a lot of it was!!

He even managed to find the thin silver headband, the one set with pricey diamond chips, that my cousin had placed hidden at the bottom drawer of her lingerie cabinet after wearing it out the evening before!

I had convinced her this morning not to wear it today, she had looked better in her bridal gown with her long red hair down and flowing free, plus her sister was wearing a thinner version already I had explained! …

And now she would never be wearing it again… and she had that sequined gown that went amazingly with it, both band and dress she had been wearing at the rehearsal dinner!

Actually, that shimmery gown was now lying in a glittery heap in the floor outside the closet. He had greedily yanked it out to make sure none of the sparkling his hungry eyes had drooled over were actual gems!

He had even shot me a look as he held up it in his touchy paws to see if I was flinching to indicate that it may be valuable enough to steal.

At my lifeless blank stare, he just grunted and tossed it down in a heap!

When he had finished, he went and stood over me

He suddenly, demandingly snarled…

“Anything I missed luv?!”

Startled, I jumped, not being able to control myself as I glanced over to my satin pillow that lay at the header of my bed!

The unethical stinker!

“Thought so!” he said. preening with satisfaction at his tomfoolery!

Deflated, I cringed as directly he went over to my bed.

He bent over, lifting my plum satin coverlet and picking up the matching pillow.

He grasped up the long thin silk purple slip I was wearing for a night gown and looked underneath!

He cackled as he plucked up greedily, the small black velvet satchel that had been hidden underneath my night gown.

He walked it over and emptied it onto his palm before my puppy sad eyes!

I tearfully watched as my pearls, my beautiful set of gleaming white pearls, spilled out onto his eager hand as he whistled his triumphant find!

Now my heart really plummeted!

The greedy, unscrupulous bastard, he had now taken everything with any value that I owned from my figure and our bedroom!

Then he added his insult to the already deep injury

Leaning over me, looking at me dead in the eye while laying one of his pawing hands alongside my cheek…

“Been ever so nice doing business with you, luv… And Don’t feel bad about them pearls Missy, most of em fall for that trick!”

He smirked while as he stuffed my pearls roughly inside his pocket, then he slid his fingers along my shoulder and down my tied-up arm as I twitched, wallowing in misery...!!

“Where did you come from?”

Irrationally tried to asked, again my words muffled by the gag!

He was watching me struggle to speak...

And once again he read my thoughts and answered my unspoken question...

“Followed you from the hotel now didn’t we!”

he said mysteriously as he put on a houndstooth sport jacket…

My head was spinning as I tried to make some sense of what he was saying!

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

Chapter 8

The Absconding Escape

  

As I tried to make sense of it all he had wasted no time escaping with all our finery. He hurried out of the bedroom door, closing it,

I could hear feet rapidly going up the stairs, then the kitchen door finally slamming shut.

That seemed to do the trick, breaking me out of my trance!

Squirming, I managed to quickly undo my tied wrists: silk does not make for solid knots, but then he probably knew that!

It was as I untied my gag, that I coldly realized I had not actually seen a pistol.

I looked down on the ground, and quivered in anger,

There at my feet lay, my small curling iron. The bastard had picked that up from the dressing stand, had by sticking that against me as a ploy, had me believing he had had a weapon…

“Twit!” I said admonishing myself

Rising, I found my feet had ‘fallen asleep’, and so I hobbled upstairs to the front room with its’ view over the dock stairs and landing!

Skirting the couch, I went to the window and looked down.

Thinking I should open a window and warn her if she was still sitting there on the bench waiting for my return!

She was, still looking over towards the small island!

But, too late, I saw him heading down the stairs to the landing.

Then I placed a hand to my mouth, gulping as he reached the landing!

The lady on the bench rose, diamonds and emeralds rippling a sparkling riot of fire along with around her wrist, as she walked up to join him, hugging!

She was in on it, had planned this, had set me up in their fiendishly evil trap!

She must have been coming down to wait and meet up with her partner once he was done burgling the cottage bedrooms!

Then she had spied me surprisingly alone, all dressed up just there by myself!

What a sweetly plump jewelled lamb I must have looked under her wolffish gaze.

All she had to do was simply figure out a way to get this shimmering bird to go alone into the house where her partner was busy looting the bedrooms of guests staying there, taking their jewels and other valuables!

And she had decided the ones I had been wearing were to be added into that loot!

She must have been laughing at how easy it had been to coerce me into walking alone into that trap!

Shuddering I watched with falling heart, as arm in arm, the scoundrels turned a corner!

Soon a punt appeared, with him earnestly rowing away from them both away!

I had my hand to my waist as I watched, then with icy cold revelation, suddenly I realized that my sash was gone!

I looked down, with it the also was gone the brilliantly shimmering broach he had promised not to touch, but he had not promised to not touch my sash!

The cold jellied eel-like turd had done it as he had been patting me down, distracting me by the way he had been pawing and groping along with my satiny clad figure!

Then, while behind me, fondling me to distraction, his eyes were on another prize!

He flagrantly had white lied to me and untied the sash, unnoticed by me, had slipped it off from around my waist.

No wonder he had appeared to be so thoroughly loving his work!

He was loving the broach he was stealing!

Damn fool I am

I placed a hand to my neck, ears, looked down wrist and fingers. Confirming that all of my pretty jewels were gone, going away with the thief as he escaped with his bulging pockets!!

I again felt my waistline, hoping I was wrong!

I wasn’t!!!

“Never trust a bloody pisser of a thief!”

I thought sarcastically as I watched the pair of ‘em disappearing into the mist that was rising on the evil appearing black water of the lake, rowing past the lake small island!

From the fleeing punt, I caught one last sparkle from the sinister lady’s emerald earrings…

My hand again went to my mouth, gasping in horror.

For it suddenly, clearly, it occurred to me...

The emeralds/diamond jewellery she was wearing?

The lady not been wearing any jewellery, when she first approached me at the party!

A cold, tardy realization, finally pierced through the fog of my memory!

They were from the collection of my Aunt’s emerald jewellery that my younger cousin had thrown a tantrum to be allowed to wear!

The cretins must have surreptitiously trapped her as they had trapped me!

In my mind’s eye, I briefly had a picture of how easy it would have been to stoke the vain ego of my overly dressed, flashy jewelled young cousin, with her upper levels typically arrogant manner, in order to get her to willingly, literally be played into their hands!!!

No wonder she had disappeared towards the end of the reception.

No one had really been paying her any heed that evening!

Was she tied and gagged up somewhere, in the woods maybe!

It was then I finally found my tongue and screamed the alarm as I turned to go and rescue my younger cousin.

And in doing so, I backed up, tripping and then free-falling onto the couch!

My screams again were muffled as I struggled to rise back up!

Something was again holding me down on the couch!

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

Chapter 9

The Awakening

 

I woke myself up as I was screaming, soon realizing that I was face down on the couch, tangled in the bloody satin warp that I had used as a blanket.

The house was now again eerily silent…..

I looked around as the fog lifted and my mind was able to think clearly.

I had fallen asleep on the couch.

What a twit, the whole thing had been a dream, no not quite a dream, but a bloody nightmare!

^^^^^^^^^^^^^

It wasn’t the summer wedding, it was fall, and I was alone at the cottage

I was damp with sweat, my cheeks streaked with the tears as I had struggled in my sleep.

My chest still was heaving as I sought to catch my breath.

There had been no robbery,

Only in my mind, using a hodgepodge of memories: from the wedding, along with occurrences from this very evening mixed in with the role-playing games of thievery my twin and I have played!

There had been the two-party crashers of course, but they scurried off when confronted… Just a couple keen trying, on a lark, something they had seen in a movie on the telly.

Also, on top of all that, still being dressed up, appeared to have been added to the subconscious mix, in helping to create the realness of what I had dreamed up in my nightmare!

So a fair collection of my dark thoughts, desires and scary movies I have watched, all took root in my sleep, taking a dark flight with my dreams of fancy that night!

^^^^^^^^^^^

Finally, fully awake and free of the sating wrap, I rose...

I felt along my throat, wait a minute my necklace was gone.

Chilled I looked around at my feet.

There it was on the floor; it had fallen off in my sweaty struggles with my gowns matching blue wrap!

I stretched, went downstairs to the basement bedroom I was meaning to sleep in, the very same one where the majority of my night terror had taken place!

Dressing for bed, loop-lolly half asleep, I put on my purple slip I was using for pj’s

As I had lifted my pillow to get it, I smiled for the first time, knowing that I had indeed hidden my pearls underneath while I had slept there for the wedding.

Those pearls were now safe back at my flat, not in a thief’s pocket!

Said flat had better not be burgled by a bloke wearing houndstooth before I returned on Tuesday!

I sat on the bed, watched my reflection in the long mirror on the back of the door, as I went deep into thought.

Suddenly a question popped in my head and I went over to the dresser and pulled open the bottom drawer.

Lifting some lingerie, I saw with relief, that the rhinestone band my cousin had worn at her rehearsal dinner was still where she had left it after we had come back from the rehearsal dinner.

I turned and look over at the bed…

 

Realizing I could not sleep, for the thoughts of my dream so fresh, so real, and so demanding to be written down!

“Buggers I swore”

Placing a thin black robe over my purple slip nightgown, I went back upstairs from the basement.

It was 3 am!

In the study, I made a mixed drink. Taking it I went back into the living room, sitting down again upon the couch to collect my wits as I marvelled that it indeed had only been a rather intriguingly wicked dream!

A very real one!

And, so then I, of course, me being me, was compelled to take notes of my night terror before the last vestiges drifted off, as I was then unable to sleep in the empty cottage anyways!

So the long and short is that from those notes taken from that night terror, along with some artistic license, was risen this dream inspired tale!

Fini

 

A Curious Vigilance

Part One of Two

 

A Watchman Cometh

  

“If you can’t take the heat, don’t be tickling dragons !”

 

Acte 1

 

Ginny and I had, several weeks ago, received invitations to a fellow student's upscale, formal evening wedding.

 

Since we both love to get dressed up, it was a no-brainer to accept. Even though we really weren’t players in her circle.

 

Probably just wanted the gifts. The git.

 

So I borrowed my twin brothers antique roadster, drove up the road a short way, and picked up Ginny.

 

We both were dressed for the kill.

 

I had on my smart purple silk dress with the long pleated slinky knee-length skirt and spaghetti straps. The dress came with a cuffed long-sleeved, waist-length, black satin jacket with rhinestone buttons.

 

I had put in a diamond pin on one side of the jacket. It was in the shape of a bursting star, giving off a pleasing shimmer.

 

My other jewels consisted of my silver necklace set with hanging diamonds and sapphires, along with the matching semi-long earrings. Also worn was my diamond tennis bracelet, on my left wrist and a wide rhinestone bracelet on my left. Two rings, one set with sapphires, the other with diamonds surrounding a gold rose(my best ring) gracing two fingers on my left hand, completed the look.

 

Ginny?

Well, our Ginny girl was smashing.

 

She had poured her lithe figure into the sleek satin high shoulder sleeve sheath dress she had bought to wear in a play she acted in last spring. It was midnight black with a brite lime green inner lining and tight lime green Lycra pants. The only decoration on the elegant dress was a glittery silver rhinestone Dragon, with green slanted eyes and a red fiery tongue. It was embroidered crawling up one side of the dress, grasping claws reaching around up towards her bosom.

 

“Naughty Dragon.”

 

Ginny had green mascara above her eyes, around which she drew lines of black mascara to give them a slanted look. The whole effect looked a lot like Shirley Jackson did in the Michael Caine movie Gambit. Right up to the solid gold headpiece in Gunny’s reddish hair.

 

Ginny also had in her emerald drop earrings, along with her twin emerald bracelets gracing each bare wrist, and a fancy emerald cocktail ring flashing from a finger on her left hand.

 

But it was her necklace that stole the show.

 

The opulently handsome necklace was the estate auction won, a long pendant that had neatly set her back a month's wages. We both had opened bids on it at the same time, with me immediately backing off so she would win it.

 

It was a very shimmery piece of jewellery, with its long rhinestone encrusted chain hanging past her breasts, ending with a dangling pendant which held a birds egg size synthetic oval-shaped emerald, surrounded by long rhinestone fringes that resembled the silver beard of the dragon on her dress.

 

It was a very striking effect, especially when it stopped swaying and hung straight down, appearing just out of reach from the grasping front rhinestone claw of the gem greedy dragon.

 

^^^^^^^^

 

The church and reception hall was only about a 60-minute drive away.

 

We arrived in the city early and stopped at a pub for a glass of wine, which we drank outside at a garden table.

 

We then left, arriving at the church with plenty of time to walk around and soak in the surroundings.

 

Acte 2

 

The wedding Proper was pretty normal, with the usual pomp, circumstance, and rigid schedule only the upper class seem to achieve with nothing atoll coming close to being original and new.

 

The reception was more of the same. Ginny, per normal, snagged more time on the dance floor than me. Though I was

by no means being ignored. The bar was free, so we made good use of that.

 

By around 7:30 we were a pair of happily well-fed, well-partied, and well-liquored-up young ladies.

 

The reception for the most part was the usual fun and the usual routine flow that goes on at such affairs.

 

There was only one incident of note, well actually I guess, two, that have a bearing on my story.

 

The first was this:

 

A young girl was wearing what must have been a previously worn, hideously yellow, satin bridesmaid gown. She also was wearing a nice set of real diamonds. Ginny was really impressed with the jewelry she was wearing. As the party went, and the more we drank, the more Ginny prattled on over different ways someone could try lifting some of those diamonds from the lady.

 

Sensing there may be trouble soon brewing, I was getting tired of holding Ginny back from her obsession, that I suggested we should be heading out.

 

Then I was asked to dance, and lost track of her. When I found her, she was chatting up the lady in yellow satin and diamonds. The lady was holding up Ginny’s shimmery pendant, and I saw that Ginny had a hand placed lightly on the lady’s wrist, next to her diamond bracelet

 

Telling myself:

“Enough of that missy!”

I went up and pried Ginny away.

 

“Don’t be tickling that Dragon, even if you were thinking of doing it as a prank.”

I scolded.

 

My twin brother is always saying “If you are not prepared to take the heat, don’t tickle a dragon!” In other words, don’t invite trouble if you are not sure you would welcome the outcome.

 

I started telling her we might be heading home.

 

“Stop at our pub(The Poet & Peasant),” I suggested.

 

Ginny said we should do one better…

 

We could stop at the old cemetery where we liked to role-play various games of both pickpockets, and jewel thievery. Sometimes combining the two. There she could nick my jewels to her heart’s content.

 

I admitted that sounded promising.

 

Then came the second incident on the heels of her suggestion.

 

Ginny said pleasantly, if we’re not doing the pub, then we should take something to drink with us. That way we don’t need a pub.

 

Suspiciously, I asked my grinning childhood friend.

“What’s you on about? “

 

“I mean Cade, nick a bottle while I distract the bartender. He’s working over there alone for a few minutes.”

 

I sighed, but it may be fun, so game on….

 

We pulled it off. It was far easier than it should have been.

 

As Ginny flirted with the young man tending the open bar, so I kept moving till his back was to me, and I ended up sitting on the far end.

 

I took a deep breath, scurried around and grabbed a bottle from the supply bin on the floor, and walked straight out the nearest exit.

 

I circled around the building to the lot and found Ginny at the roadster waiting.

 

She had placed her black beaded purse, opened, on the bonnet of the car and was bending over to put lipstick on using the car's outside mirror.

 

“What did you snag luv?”

 

Breathless, I looked at the bottle for the first time. It was a bottle of Penderyn.

 

Slightly disappointed, I would have preferred wine over a single malt. But it would do.

 

Meanwhile, I was standing between Ginny and the roadsters’ bonnet.

 

I handed the bottle to her, and as she looked I reached out behind me and dipping my fingers into her purse pulled out her wallet.

 

Holding it behind, suppressing a desire to laugh, I circled around to the right side and got into the driver's seat.

 

Ginny put her lipstick inside her purse and snapped it close with one hand still holding the bottle. Then picking up the purse and got inside the passenger’s seat.

 

She never noticed her wallet was gone, and by then I had it inside my own purse.

 

Still totally clueless, Ginny asked as we drove away :

 

“Do you think we should include your brother in with us?”

 

I said he was practicing darts with Brian(my boyfriend) and their friend, teammate, and one of our players, Derrick.

 

Ginny giggled, hoisting up the bottle. More for us then.

 

Acte 3

 

We arrived at the cemetery with plenty of light left in the evening. Parking in the main lot, we made our way past the open wrought iron gates.

 

The almost 40 Hectares square-shaped cemetery is no longer in use, its main gates are permanently opened to the public, but besides us, only very few ever visit it. Judging by the dates on the gravestones, the last burial was not too long after the Victorian age officially ended. No way of truly establishing when its first burial was.

 

It lays along a lane called Abbots Chase.

 

Where a highwayman by the name of Craig Abbot used to roam several hundred years ago. It is said he is buried here in this very cemetery. Though most of the old stones are so blackened the names are not legible.

 

My dad is a direct descendant of Craig Abbot, and much to the chagrin of my mum’s Irish catholic family, my twin brother was named after him. Destiny?

 

The other end off Abbots Chase lane, west of the cemetery goes past the large old manor house some 5 kilometers away from the cemetery. The manor is now a private men’s seminary college.

 

^^^^^^^^^^^

 

We hung out at the cemetery and its interior, and surrounding woods, as kids, walking the 2 Kilometers along from the east end of the lane, where the local village was.

 

Both Ginny and I grew up in houses located on the opposite side of the village.

 

We use this private cemetery for our role-playing game adventures. We had the run of the area. Not only because of its solitude, and lack of visitors, but also because there were no roads in it. Only narrow overgrown horse-drawn cart paths. And a few cobblestone footpaths. Both of which are blocked by fallen gravestones.

 

The games have evolved. But they mostly are based on pickpocketing and other forms of thievery. Mainly related to lifting or the nicking of jewels that the one portraying the victim is wearing. We take turns being one or the other.

 

Originally there were just the 3 of us, Ginny, my twin brother, and myself. We would bring various costumes, play jewelry, and other various items. Backpacking them in from our homes.

 

We have since added four more “players” to our group, though only a few times have we all met here in force.

 

There are also times as we grew older that we have stopped to play after being somewhere dressed up. The motivation can be anything from too much to drink, or something that evening triggered the idea.

 

Like tonight, with Ginny taking a fancy to a young lady’s diamonds.

  

Acte 4

 

Ginny and I entered through the main gate and walked the 75 meters up to the marble pagoda sitting on a small hill.

 

In years long past, this pagoda would have served as the last service area for the deceased being buried here.

 

There is a set of steps leading up to the platform which is eye level. On the ground, flanking the steps are a pair of long marble benches. With old wrought iron ones scattered about surrounding the octagonal platform.

 

As per normal, no sign that anyone had been here in a while. Though we did have a bit of a jump when a fox ran out from underneath the pagoda, giving us the evil eye before slipping off into some tall grass.

 

I had brought a blanket which we laid on the stairs. We put down our purses on one of the marble benches.

 

Sitting on the stairs, Ginny opened the bottle and took a small sip. Followed by a bigger one.

 

“Whew, that burns going down.”

She exclaimed passing it to me.

 

It smelled strong.

“Should have brought some water to cut it.”

I said taking a hit, feeling it burn warmly.

 

We each took several more sips before getting down to business.

 

I place a hand on Ginny’s arm, looking her in the eyes.

 

She starts to giggle. As do I, both of us falling into each other’s arms, hugging as our figures are being racked by our uncontrollable laughter.

 

Meanwhile, I was busy. My hand running down her arm, I reached one of her emerald bracelets and nimbly opened the clasp, easily pulling it off and cuffing it in my fist, moving that hand to her backside, using it to hold her quivering figure close.

 

Finally, we broke away, settling down. I slipped her bracelet inside my jacket’s side pocket, as I stroked her sleek backside with my free hand, speaking:

 

“Ok lass, are you ready to lift some diamonds?”

 

Taking a belt from the bottle ( it was not a sip, nor a gulp, somewhere in between)

Ginny nodded her head, earrings sparkling, like the look in her eyes just before she said:

 

“Let’s dance.”

  

Acte 5

 

I went over and pulled the cell from my purse, seeing a text from my brother asking if “Us girls were having fun?”

I sent one back:

“Smashing fun, wish you could be here, now I have to go and see a lady about doing a lift on some jewels she is wearing…”

 

That should make him stop in his tracks and ponder. I would imagine his game now being off all of a sudden.

 

Giggling mischievously, I laid the cell in front of my purse on the marble seat, I selected “And we danced” by the Hooters.

 

Ginny was already on the platform, strutting her stuff. I went to the stairs, grabbed the bottle, took a swig, and ran up to join her.

 

She bumped into me with her hip, then went behind me, her hands running along my figure, then pulling me against her she ran her hands down along the satin sleeve of my jacket. I only felt it because I knew it was coming. After all, as her hand slipped along my wrist, she expertly whisked off my diamond bracelet.

 

I pushed her away using my hinney, then turned and began dancing close to her, wriggling up against and away from her figure. Her eyes had been opened quite wide, from the thrill of the bracelet lift, but she closed them as I rubbed my figure up along hers.

 

I had been eyeing her dazzling dripping jeweled pendant. My arms went up behind her back. Pulling down the clasp I unhooked it and reaching my hands up, pulled it away from her gown’s rhinestone dragon’s clutches

 

I had it pocketed before she reopened her eyes.

 

The music ended, and arm in arm we went back to the stairs, passing the bottle to each other.

 

We were becoming quite happily intoxicated by now, giggling at everything.

  

Acte 6

 

Ginny sets down the bottle, then stares at her bare wrist.

“I don’t suppose this bracelet fell off on its own?”

 

I chuckled, looking at where her necklace should have been dangling, picking up the bottle.

“No, it had a bit of help…Another round?”

 

We both took several swigs before I decided it was time to have a bit more role play.

 

I place a hand on Ginny’s chest...

“Give me a lead luv…”

 

Ginny thinks a minute, long enough for us to take another swig each from the fast becoming half full bottle.

 

Looking me over, she tells me.

“Take a walk..”

I stand (maybe a little wobbly), and manage to do so, taking the path around the pagoda.

 

She comes up behind me, putting her hands over my eyes.

 

“Guess who Abigail?”

 

I answered...

I’m not Abigail?”

 

The voice behind me, as the hands are lifted from my eyes and reach down to my chest..”

 

“I’m so sorry, of course, your not, my bad.”

 

I turn around to face Ginny…

 

Placing a hand on my chest( lifting off my broach from the lapel of the jacket) Ginny says:

 

“I’m so sorry, I can’t believe I made a mistake like that. “

 

I feel her placing the broach in my pocket, as I say:

“That’s ok luv, we all make mistakes.’

 

Quite pleased with herself Ginny went back to the steps.

 

She thought I was following as she talked to me.

 

I did not, rather I hid in the bushes and watched her.

 

Ginny picked up the now 3/4 empty bottle and took a swig, handing it to me…

 

It was then she realized I wasn’t there.

 

“Where are you, you silly ninny?”

She called out, then began to walk back the way she had come.

 

I jump out of the bushes behind her my hand in the satin jacket's pocket( I can feel the cold necklace inside. I point my fingers In the pocket like I am ‘ packing heat

 

Prodding my finger in her back I say

“Stick 'em up, pretty lady!”

 

Ginny giggles,

 

“Speaking of sticks. Is that one or are you just happy to see me?

 

“Funny lady, now turn around. “

 

She did and gave a fake gasp, hand to her mouth, ring sparkly.

 

“There you go, now be a good Lass and hand over those jewels around your wrist. ”

 

She lifted her wrist and undid the bracelet, here thief take this also, and she takes out her gold hairpiece.

“ The thing was starting to pull on my hair and bothering me anyways.”

I stuffed them inside my now weighty jacket pocket

 

“Thanks, lady !”

 

Ginny looked at me, then over my shoulder, her, heavily mascara’d eyes suddenly bugging out…

 

It was then that Ginny, placing a hand to her mouth, really Gasped.

 

To be Continued…

 

A lith print ode to my Oregon friend Travis Doane.

 

Dear Travis,

 

It's now been 4 years since you sent me this treasure of old lithable papers from big USA to small Sweden. This kind act of yours sends a message to all the world - we belong together and should not fight. And for me it's a treasure of old lithable papers I would never get hold of otherwise. This day I have gone through the remaining papers and - as to my ability - have made prints that are supposed to be as streamlined as possible from a given negative. But of course there's always the influence of "human variability" when it comes to snatch point and so forth...

Anyways, I hope you understand my gratitude for this possibility. Have a great rest of the year 2023, Travis and may we have lith contact for many years to come.

Best/Johan

 

Scanned lith print.

 

Mamiya 645 ProTL w/ M-S 45 mm/f2,8.Early morning of April 22, 2023.

 

Fomapan 200 @ iso 100, dev in Rodinal 1+100, semistand 1 h.

 

Lith printed and developed in Moersch SE5 (25A+25B+some OB+700H2O).

Untoned.

  

"The cool, lithe, cynical, and unconquered lord of the housetops." ― H.P. Lovecraft, "Cats and Dogs"

Does somebody know what kind of spider this is?

Thanks to Jason Elmor, it's Misumena vatia. And you should have a look here, where you can see on his photo how this lithe spider catches a honey bee.

  

Submerged rocks (and a leaf) at the Stairs Gulch creek, Big Cottonwood Canyon, Utah, USA.

 

I took a dozen or so images of this scene, trying for the best combination of blur, glint and ripples. Note the "electric crackle" on the edges (lower right of image) of the large stone: obviously, I could not see these in the fleeting moments between viewing and triggering the shutter: this image was the one that caught them.

 

RAW file edited in View NX-i and converted to JPEG, no additional edits.

We appreciate the courtesy of Chatwick University Archives for letting us use the journals in our research, and for permission to use parts for the genesis of “Dare’s Game”.

Dare’s Game

Beth, eagerly looking for Dare, walked straight into Seth’s cunning snare…..

 

Suffix, circa 1910?. It was during this time a fanciful young lady, whom we will call Beth, started a journal which she would faithfully keep over the course of almost 50 years. She led quite an adventuresome life for a lady of that time, and her journals were filled with many tales and observations of her exploits. The following story is derived from events that she penned down in the early years in her journal.

******************************************************************************

Beth had known Dare since their childhood. Dare was a handsome free spirited youth only two years her senior, who lived for the games his life had to offer. As his cherished nickname inferred, Dare was always trying to find the thrill out of anything he could think up, relishing to go beyond the pale in anything he attempted. Dare always a little different, harboring feelings and ideas way beyond his years, almost as if he had lived a previous life and retained something from it in his being.

Beth would remember times playing dress up with Dare’s sister Diana in some old gowns of their mothers. It was always then that Dare and his friends seemed to appear and talk them into playing hide n seek, tag or cops n robbers. Dare seemed to take pleasure in cajoling the girls into playing with them in this manner. Eyeing them as they played with a far off look that suggested the game they were playing had more meaning to him than he could ever venture to say. It was hard for Beth to explain it, but she did find it pleasurable (almost erotic using a word whose term she would learn much later) to be observed by him in this way.

One warm fall day Diana and Beth headed down to an old shack located near some railroad tracks at the back of a cornfield. Diana was dressed in a long satin play gown with her mother’s jewelry, which Dare had called rhinestones. Beth, herself dressed in a long flowing dress, loved the way Diana’s jewels twinkled and sparkled as she walked. They were going to pretend the shack was a ballroom and they were one their way to a fancy dance, like Beth’s and Diana’s parents had recently attended. Diana wasn’t supposed to be wearing her mother’s jewelry outside the house, but as a result of Dare’s teasing, had done so anyway.

They had reached the shack, an old white brick building with a wooden roof half fallen in, when a man’s voice suddenly said behind them, what are you two ladies up to? Turning they were confronted by a happily sneering drifter. The grubby man looked around, alone is we, and advanced towards them. The two girls stood petrified, he reached out and probed Diana along her side, pretty dress missy, he said, sparsely toothed mouth grinning like a pumpkin. He suddenly reached up and tore the necklace away from Diana’s throat, sending her falling backwards. Beth screamed bloody murder, as the vagrant turned heel, running off towards the tracks. Suddenly Dare appeared, and Beth, meaning to yell for help, exclaimed instead “help honey” to Dare. Dares eyes took on a very different look, almost of a burning yearning. Beth told him what had happened and he took off down towards the tracks in hot pursuit. For Beth, the look he had given her and the way he had dashed off excited her beyond measure. Even for someone that young, Beth now knew what Dare meant to her. From then on, playing games with Dare took on a heightened meaning for Beth.

But, nothing really changed in their relationship until Beth’s sophomore year of high school. Beth was sixteen at the time, a whimsical being, passionate, innocent, not particularly attractive, but radiating with a love of life. A living free spirit, developing into a very sexual being by the time her and Diana decided to attend their schools prom in their sophomore year. Beth dressed in a fuchsia coloured satin dress with dangling rhinestone earrings that had been” borrowed” from Diana’s Mother, the same ones Diana had been wearing when they had run into the drifter at the shack. Diana slipped into the slinky blue spaghetti strap gown and matching cover-all that she had worn as her cousin’s bridesmaid. She was wearing sapphire costume jewels patterned after the hope diamond. Their parents had given them a hard time when they saw their made up girls in their gowns and finery , admonishing them for looking way too mature. They smiled, consoling their parents fears, and went off on their adventure.

Their eyes were dazzled by the display of lights, the cheerfully student filled room, the band. They had stopped and were letting it all sink in, when Beth felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned and came face to face with Dare, who once again had the same yearning fire in his eyes as on that fateful day at the old shack. A veil was lifted from between the two, and Beth spent the whole evening encompassed in Dare’s arms. Soon after that the two had begun seeing much more of one another. Their relationship was still going strong eight years later.

*****************************

8 Years Later

*****************************

Come on Dare, let’s go to the Riverside, it will be fun she urged. She had been trying to get her fiancé’ to take her to the exclusive five star resorts for some time. And now she had a free overnight room card she had won at work! Dare looked into Beth’s wide, hope filled eyes, knowing her passion for attending these types of affairs. Ever hopeful she would see someone rich. Dare knew how to use this to his advantage. Finally he buckled, all right, only if we play the game afterwards he bargained. She squirmed inwardly with passion, nodding her agreement. Beth found the game exciting, though she would never let on to Dare. And, you must wear the gold bridesmaid gown and jewels you wore to your friend’s wedding last week , he added, a wistful smile lighting up his thin face.. Okay she agreed, trying to sound reluctant, but truthfully feeling multiple tingles of delight.

Dare was handsome, in a scrawny, thin bearded, sort of way ( From an old photo that survives he resembled a young Johnny Depp… the eds), with a witty writers imagination and a playful disposition. He could always make Beth laugh, feeling his excitement as he drew her into his stories and games. She would never admit to it, but found the game delightfully erogenous. She smiled to herself, so Dare had liked the satin gown after all, he had not shown any interest in her wearing it since the wedding. And the jewelry, the small rhinestone pendent and earrings had been pretty, but Beth soon came up with another idea. She would knock his socks off by wearing the glittering diamonds and emeralds that had been inherited from her grandmother. The set had laid collecting dust in a safety deposit box all these years, unworn. She had never told Dare about them, waiting for the perfect occasion. She could just imagine the look in his eyes when he saw her wearing them. Okay then, game on, Beth thought, wickedly sending shivers up and down her spine.

Dare’s Game was based on role playing:

Dare would give Beth money to purchase a new outfit, something rich and shiny, like silk or satin. With the new outfit, Beth would wear the good gold jewelry she had received from Dare on her birthdays. The idea was to acting like a bored rich girl out for a good time, alone and vulnerable.

Dare would be at the hotel bar, waiting for Beth to make her entrance, then make her acquaintance , playing a debonair, suited gentleman with a mysterious past and a hidden agenda. They would make a date later, usually to dance and have drinks.

Then that evening, she would go down to the bar. Dressed in one of the long gowns Dare favored, fitting in with the usual spillover from a wedding reception that had been held in one of the Ballrooms. Sometimes she would wear the rhinestone jewelry they had purchased together at various antique stores. Then Beth would wait for Dare to make his entrance, signaling the time for Dare’s game. He would assume one of several roles, or possibly a new one that Beth had never seen. In the past Dare had played:

A spy who would dance with Beth, then disappear. Sending a note to Beth via a third person that would have her meet him clandestinely in a remote location…

A highwayman who would come across Beth on the castle grounds , usually the resorts empty gardens at night….

A rich millionaire looking for romance…

A kidnapper hired by an evil uncle, who after tying up Beth and removing her valuables would have a change of heart….

A Jewel thief who would be cunningly after her valuables…

A handsome prince rescuing Beth’s damsel in distress ….

Or Dare’s favorite, centered on their old childhood game of cops and robbers. Dare would play the thief, and steal something from Beth, usually while dancing. He would then leave preset clues around the grounds that she would have to follow to catch him.

All of the games usually led to some playful groping and then escalating into the upper echelons of erotic pleasure. Sometimes they never made out of the woods, or barely out of the ballroom. Beth shivered at these thoughts, wishing she didn’t have to wait….

 

**********************************************************************

Three weeks later at the Riverside Resort.

**********************************************************************

In the Bar:

At the bar, Dare smiled to himself, pleased. He had dropped Beth off to check in by herself. She would change into her new outfit and wear it down to the bar for lunch. She would come in acting like a complete stranger to the area. Dare would make her acquaintance, invite her to lunch, and make plans to see her that evening at the resorts dance room. There were two wedding receptions going on, and that dance room should be filled with well-dressed patrons. Beth would fit right in; clad that pretty gown she had promised to wear.

Dare had been sitting at the bar, thinking about ways to play out the game that evening, when the answer came to him, in the form of a stranger who had come with his drink and sat next to him. The stranger introduced himself as Seth, and shaking Dare’s hand sat on the stool next to him. After they had had couple of drinks, they had become quite chummy. Seth explaining he had come up for one of the weddings, and assumed Dare was doing the same. Seth did not fail to observe Dare’s secretive smile, but did not question it. Their conversation was distracted only when a newcomer appeared at the entrance. Beth walked in, a long flowing silky skirt swishing down to her leather sandals. A shiny, long sleeved satin top fitting tightly along her perky figure, with bright gold jewelry complementing the ensemble. Real gold, Seth observed silently to himself.

Beth went to a table, both men going silent as they watched her move through the room. Good-looking one, that, Seth commented, looking at Dare who was deep in thought as his eyes were fixed on the sexy newcomer. Seth teasingly offered Dare a penny for his thoughts. Dare smiled mischievously, letting lose his plans. Seth listened to the young man, smiling as a light went on in his steal grey eyes. When Dare finished he offered up a suggestion as to how Dare could make it really interesting for Beth. The two co-conspirators worked it out: Seth told Dare about a stone hut and wall that was located on the back nine of the resorts golf course. He suggested that he, Seth, would meet Beth that evening and pass a note onto her from Dare saying that he was in trouble and needed her help, with directions to the spot. Dare liked the idea, and wrote the note on a cocktail napkin, cementing the plan by handing it to Seth.

Off you go old chap, let Uncle Seth take care of his end, he said grinning, giving Dare a sporting clap on the back. With a wink, Dare left his fellow collaborator, and went over to Beth, who had since been seated by a male waiter, now standing drooling over her shoulder as she looked at the menu.

 

Later that same evening, inside the crowded club:

 

Seth had stopped by the bar for a last drink. His business venture had been concluded earlier than he had expected. With the change in his plans, he had checked out early, his kit packed, boot loaded and the car ready. He now sat at the bar Causley watching young lass of about seventeen who had literally ran into him at one of the receptions. He watched her flirting about the club, weaving in and out of the guests. With a long swishing gown flowing provocatively along her lithe figure, abundant, solid white gold chains swinging out in an alluringly eye catching manner as she scurried about. A diminutive gold ring its half caret diamond flickered playfully from the petite pinky it loosely surrounded once again welcomed his contemplation. The lass presented quite an intriguing gold feathered fledgling, just begging to be plucked. He looked around, spying her parents on the dance floor. The father/husband, despite being an excellent dancer, gave him no interest. It was his partner, the wife/ mother, decked out in a iridescent suit and long swishing satin skirt upon which he now was reexamining. He again studied under the bright dance floor lights her fine pearls dangling from her ears, throat, and wrists. But it was the Ladies’ two rings that stole the show for him; an engagement ring with a rock of at least 2 carets surrounded by numerous shimmering half caret stones and a pinky ring similar to her daughters, that proudly displayed a single white solitaire diamond of at least one caret that had garnered his consideration. He also reconsidered the facts that he had been able to garnish about the lady who wore them, and her husband. The wife/mother was a heavy drinker who would not be expected to make any kind of appearance before noon. Hubby was a golfer, who would be out for breakfast at five am before being on the links at 6 am the next morning . At 5 :15 Seth was planning to pay a visit to his suite, and relieve his two ladies of their expensive trinkets. It should be an easy straight forward caper, that had Seth bristling with anticipation at the prospect.

As he was tossing down the last of his drink he remembered about Dare and the note he still had in his pocket. Setting down the empty glass, he pulled the note out and looked at it, kids he smirked, and was preparing to crinkle toss it on the bar and leave, when his eyes caught sight of Beth. He had felt his breath taken away when he saw her. Not at all what he had expected, he would say to Beth much later in the evening. He looked over the note, stirrings of a plan began formulating. All thoughts of the dancing couple and his plans fled his mind, as He rose, throwing a fiver on the bar and went off to intercept Beth.

Seth held Beth in his arms, she was a vivacious little thing he thought, while smiling charmingly into her eyes. She seemed a little apprehensive at first, but had settled right in when he had told her this had been set up by Dare, remember me at the bar with him this afternoon he had consoled her, she had smile brightly into his eyes in answer. He relished in the feel of her warm satin gown, and allowed himself to be mesmerized by the shimmer of her diamonds.

 

It reminded him of the diamonds that had been worn by one of his dance partners earlier that evening at a reception. He had forgotten her name, but not her diamonds, one of which now resided in a hidden compartment of his roadsters boot, along with the diamond pin he had slipped off the satin cape he had cordially help a well-dressed lady put on. He had also shelved his plans for his 5:15 am “meeting” at the golf playing husbands hotel room, Beth’s jewels were a much more lucrative prospect.

 

When the dance had ended he took her to the bar and sat her down, ordering her a drink. She seemed a little perplexed, Seth kissed her gloved hand; wait for it he told her mysteriously, winking into her eyes. Beth had winked back, the fire in her heart reflecting deep in her eyes. Seth left, smiling cleverly to himself as he took in his surroundings. He looked around as he walked away, now where had the little imp gotten off too?

He had decided that the seventeen year old in the long flirting gown would play a very different role in his plans. He approached her, with Dares note and a twenty. Thought for a moment about the pair of thick platinum gold chains dangling from her throat down the open neckline of the girl’s glossy gown, then banished the though, he had bigger fish to filet. The twenty caught her attention and she eagerly listened as he explained to her what to do, pointing out Beth sitting, waiting in earnest at the bar. Wait until she finishes her drink, Seth told her as she listened eagerly. She took the twenty into her hand, the half caret diamond on her pinky ring flashing, and her gold chain bracelets jangled as she grasped it. Seth left, figuring he had about twenty minutes to stop at his car, get a few items from the boot, and put his plan in motion.

Beth had curiously received the note from the attractively shy young lady, clad a slinky gown that made her appear years older. Reading it she folded it and was just getting up when a man wearing a suit came up to her and offered to let her dance with him. It took her some time, before she was finally able to ward him off and leave the brilliantly lit clubroom for the dark, forbidding grounds outside.

Now, a thoroughly excited Beth walked up the hill. Her senses becoming more prickling alert with each step. Innocently unaware that she was no longer playing a role in Dare’s game!

 

************************************************************************************

Epilogue:

 

As Seth walked away admiring the shimmery necklace, his thoughts travelled back to the gold burdened impish youngster in the swirling gown, and her pearl and diamond laden mother. Revisiting his original plans he decided that he liked the odds, especially since they would be against him. With the father leaving early to meet his cronies for breakfast the Mother should be still sleeping off her drink induced stupor, the hyperactive girl should still be out cold, but presented no risk if she awoke, he had more rope. The ladies jewels should be lying about in the apartment, or handedly on their persons( the pairs of diamond pinky rings, as well as the multi-diamond engagement ring flashed once again across his memory with all their brilliant glory),as he caught fire with the vision. There could be a safe he reasoned, but with a tied up daughter and a knife in his hand, the mother should have no issue opening it for him, or disclosing anywhere else her jewels may have been hidden . But if there was no safe, and the rings, pearls and solid white gold chains were somewhere in the room, he knew he would be able to noiselessly break in, find and slip the jewels from wherever they were perched, and be safely on his way without even causing the slightest stir from the sleeping woman and her daughter. It was a road Seth had travelled down many times. He prickled at the thought, as he foresightedly tallied up the potential haul while making his way to the car. The Mother/wife’s diamond rings, would easily fetch him at least three grand, probably close five with her pearls and the whelp’s jewelry added in. About a quarter of what he probably would get for the jewels now in his procession, so he mused inquisitively to himself, so ,was it worth the risk of his 20,000 bird in hand? Yes he answered himself, as all too familiar and welcome tingling sensation overwhelmed Seths muscular body. Like Dare, Seth like to play risky games, especially those which promised to be somewhat profitable. It would be a tantalizingly chancy gamble of his own; to wait a safe distance away while things cooled down and then return to break into the un protected sleeping ladies chamber.. He knew just the place to hide , and it would be a perfect spot to watch events unfold around Beth and Dare, while making his plans! It also afforded a nicely secret hiding nook for the ill-gotten gains collected so far that evening in case something went wrong, which it wouldn’t..

 

Courtesy of Chatwick University Archives

 

German postcard by Krüger, nr. 902/139. Photo: Sam Lévin/Camera Press/Ufa.

 

Gorgeous French actress Dany Saval (1942) was the lithe and lovely leading lady in both fluffy comedies and thrillers of the late 1950’s and early 1960’s.

 

Dany Saval was born as Danielle Nadine Suzanne Savalle in 1942 in in a slum area of Paris, France. The Germans had just before released her father, a factory worker, from a prisoner-of-war camp. Dany started her career at 8, as a child-dancer. Later she became a Can-Can girl at the Moulin Rouge. Her first film appearance was a small part in L'eau vive/The Girl and the River (1958, François Villiers) starring Pascale Audret. The film, based on a screenplay by pacifist writer Jean Giono, won a Golden Globe as Best Foreign-Language Film in 1959. She then appeared in the French answer to Rebel Without A Cause, Les Tricheurs/The Cheaters (1958, Marcel Carné), as the fiancée of Pierre Brice. Les Tricheurs tells the story of disaffected Parisian youth who have lost their way in an atmosphere of existentialism, sexual liberation and disrespect for traditional and religious values. On the huge success of Les Tricheurs followed bigger roles in such films as Asphalte/Asphalt (1959, Hervé Bromberger) with Francoise Arnoul, La verte moisson/Green Harvest (1959, François Villiers) and the supernatural thriller Pleins feux sur l'assassin/Spotlight on a Murderer (1961, Georges Franju) starring Pierre Brasseur.

 

Suddenly one of Disney’s talent scouts saw Dany Saval on a magazine cover and after a screentest Walt Disney signed her to a six-film contract. In her first film, Moon Pilot (1962, James Neilson), she played a mysterious extraterrestrial opposite astronaut Tom Tryon. Hal Erickson of All Movie Guide likes the film: “Moon Pilot is an engaging Disney sci-fi comedy that manages to shoot off a few neat and surprisingly satirical barbs at the hypertense US/Russia ‘space race’ of the era.” On IMDB, reviewer San Diego comments: “Watch it for Dany Saval... (she) makes the film worth watching.” Despite these positive reviews, the film bombed and Dany Saval would make only one more American film. Today she is probably best known as one of the lovely airline stewardesses being shuffled around by Tony Curtis and Jerry Lewis in the slapstick comedy Boeing Boeing (1965, John Rich). IMDB reviewer Moonspinner55 writes: “Perky Dany Saval (as ‘Air France’) is the stand-out amongst the lovely ladies, none of whom gets an actual character to play.” In between she appeared in several fluffy French comedies opposite such comedians as Louis de Funès and Darry Cowl. She also appeared opposite Michele Morgan in the crime thriller Constance Aux Enfers/Web of Fear (1964, François Villiers). In 1965 she married distinguished composer Maurice Jarre, with whom she had a daughter, Stéfanie Jarre. She then retired temporarily from the screen to raise her child.

 

In 1970, Dany Saval made a come-back on TV in the popular comedy series Les saintes chéries/The Sweet Saints starring Micheline Presle. More TV work and films followed. She was the leading lady in the spaghetti western Si può fare... amigo/Saddle Tramps (1972, Maurizio Lucidi) starring Bud Spencer and Jack Palance. In the popular action comedy L’Animal/The Animal (1977, Claude Zidi), she appeared opposite Jean-Paul Belmondo and Raquel Welch. And she played a supporting part in the detective comedy Inspecteur la Bavure/Inspector Blunder (1980, Claude Zidi) starring Coluche and Gérard Dépardieu. Her last (TV) film was La baleine blanche/Children and the White Whale (1987, Jean Kerchbron). Then, Dany Saval retired from the film and entertainment business. She married three times. Her first marriage was with pr-man Roger Chaland in 1958. Her second marriage with Maurice Jarre ended in a divorce in 1967. Since 1973, she is married to host and journalist Michel Drucker, with whom she resides in Paris.

 

Sources: Lloyd Shearer (The Modesto Bee), Hal Erickson (All Movie Guide), Wikipedia, and IMDb.

AK-ADVX Pride Head Female; Maitreya Petite Body

L - Skin 7DS Lithe Apricot; Eyes Gloom Laudna; Lashes Augenweide; Lips/Eye Shadow Opulein; Hair Wasabi Amani Pride; Outfit Native Urban

R - Skin 7DS Faery Carmel; Eyes Gloom Laudna; Lashes Augenweide; Hair BarberYumYum S16(04); Outfit Native Urban

 

Background - FoxCity Cute Thing

3.5L supercharged V6 power. 0-100 in 3.5s

For more Mayra, click on her album below. (To access her album on your iPhone, click on the information icon at the bottom of this screen; then, when your next screen appears, scroll down just a bit, and you'll see her "album.")

 

Siya Makuzeni is a lithe young lady short and sweet and chilled out who would deceive you into a sense of not too much to expect if you saw her on a line up of musicians who would be performing before you.

 

www.myspace.com/siyamakuzeni

 

What happens with the great artists is that all your pre conceived judgements go out the window when the performer takes on the microphone. On stage, Siya Makuzeni has her eyes closed most times as she sings straight from her heart and her lungs accompanied with a deft ceaseless movement all through her session, a rhythm so native to Africa.

 

Her rendition is powerful and you sit in rapt attention as she belts out numbers in her unique voice which is rich, soulful, strong and moving in her range of emotions that her words evoke so easily.

 

Siya Makuzeni was in India in January 2010 along with Marcus Wyatt, a brilliant composer and trumpet player and band leader from South Africa who has some very innovative and strong albums over the last few years. Also performing were Melissa Van der Spuy on keyboard, Prince Bulo’s on bass guitar, Justin Badenhorst on the drums.

  

_DSC8309 from nef color sharp br reduced pin light added ver 3 final replaced with a brighter take with less red i it.. _DSC8309 from nef color sharp br reduced pin light added ver 3 final ver 3

demonstration of litheness with female on the left, male on the right, my leg in the background

 

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hengistbury_Head

  

Hengistbury Head /ˈhɛŋɡəstbri/ is a headland jutting into the English Channel between Bournemouth and Mudeford in the English county of Dorset. It is a site of international importance in terms of its archaeology and is scheduled as an Ancient Monument.[1] Declared a Local Nature Reserve in 1990, the head and its surroundings form part of the Christchurch Harbour Site of Special Scientific Interest.[2] It is also a Special Area of Conservation, Special Protection Area, an Environmentally Sensitive Area and a Site of Nature Conservation Interest.[3] The name "Hengistbury Head" refers to the immediate area; the elevated portion is called Warren Hill.

 

There has been human activity on the site since the Upper Palaeolithic; during the Victorian era, it was heavily quarried, and in recent years tourism has become significant – it receives over a million visitors annually. The various habitats on the Head provide a home for many plants, birds and insects, some of them rare and critically endangered. Erosion remains a threat to the site, although long-term projects are intended to secure it for the future.

  

Location

  

After the counties were redesignated in 1974, the site has been considered part of Dorset. The isolated building near the centre of the image (labelled "Summer House") is the thatched barn still at the Head. The barn forms part of the new visitor centre.

Hengistbury Head is a sandstone headland forming part of Southbourne, which is a suburb of the town of Bournemouth to the west; the nearest major settlement is Christchurch to the north. It is the most easterly part of the Borough of Bournemouth, and marks the most easterly point of Poole Bay. Historically part of Hampshire, the Local Government Act 1972 designated the area a part of Dorset. The northern slope of the hill tailing off towards the sea forms Mudeford spit, the sand bar closing Christchurch Harbour from the south.

  

Buildings

  

The spit is home to more 300 privately owned beach-huts, one of which in 2012 became one of the UK's most expensive, selling for £170,000 just two days after being put on the market.[4] The hut measures a little over five by three metres, has no running water, and the occupants may only stay overnight from March to October. Despite the relative lack of amenities, the area has become one of the UK's most desirable; huts are rented out for up to £600 a week.[5]

 

The Black House, a local landmark, stands at the end of the spit, opposite Mudeford Quay, site of the Battle of Mudeford in 1784. Built in 1848, it was once a boat-builders' house, but is now rented out to holidaymakers.[6] It has served a variety of functions over the years, and is commonly associated with the area's smuggling past.[7]

  

Toponymy

  

Mentioned as Hednesburia in a church deed of the early 12th century, and referred to as Hynesbury Head in the 17th, Hengistbury only took on its current spelling in the 19th century, during a period of what archaeologist Barry Cunliffe calls "antiquarian romanticism".[8] Many prehistoric sites around this time were renamed to link them with historical figures.[8] It was thought at the time that the legendary Anglo-Saxon leader Hengist could be buried here, as he was said to have been laid to rest in an unlocated mound. Twentieth-century excavations have established that the tumuli at Hengistbury Head date to the Bronze Age however.[9]

  

History

  

Hengistbury Head is home to a plethora of nationally and internationally significant archaeological sites, with features dating from the Late Upper Palaeolithic to the Roman settlement of Britain, earning the site Scheduled Ancient Monument status.[10] Interest in the site declined throughout the Dark Ages, until extensive development took place in Christchurch around 890 AD, when the Head may have been used as a lookout post. The area was heavily quarried during the Victorian period and nowadays receives over a million visitors annually.[11]

  

Stone Age

  

Several archaeological digs have revealed that the site was occupied during the Upper Palaeolithic.[12] There is evidence of an open settlement of the Creswellian culture on the hill in the middle of the headland dating to around 14,100 years ago. With over 13,000 lithic artefacts it is probably the largest site of the period.[13][14] Most interesting were several blades typically found at Upper Paleolithic sites across Europe, but rarely seen outside of caves in the UK, where open air sites of this age are extremely rare.[15] People at the Head were heavily involved with the production of blades, further excavations identified 649 tools, dominated by backed blades, endscrapers and burins.[16]

 

At the time the Warren Hill would have overlooked a large river valley that was to become the English Channel. Once the sea had inundated the surrounding valley, Mesolithic hunter gatherers exploited the site. Pollen analysis of peat from the Solent bed suggest a lightly wooded headland free of close-knit undergrowth during this period, an ideal habitat for game.[17]

  

Bronze Age

  

In Bronze Age Britain this was an important seaport.[18] Eleven Bronze Age Britain round barrows sit on the promontory with two more a little further inland. Eleven of the round barrows were excavated; three by Bushe Fox in 1911–12 and eight by Harold St George Gray in 1919 and 1922.[9][19] Two appear to be undisturbed. Numerous finds including Early Bronze Age axes and cremation urns were recovered from these tumuli, which have been consistently found to be between 3500 and 4000 years old.[9]

 

One of the barrows (south of where the thatched barn now stands)[20] contained a high status cremation of a woman of about twenty years in age, accompanied by an incense cup, a halberd-style pendant made from amber and copper alloy, and two gold cones that would have covered buttons of an organic material.[21] The burial-goods recovered are similar to those of the Wessex culture, the Wilsford and Dorset Ridgeway series in particular.[20] An urn from one of the barrows likely to have been made between 1700 and 1500 B.C., has been identified as Trevisker ware, a type widely found throughout Devon and Cornwall which was transported east in lesser amounts, this find being one of the easternmost discovered.[22]

  

Iron Age

  

In Iron Age Britain around 700 BC, a settlement on the Head was established;[23] also around this time, the headland was cut off from the mainland by the construction of two banks and ditches called the Double Dykes, similar to those found at Maiden Castle.[24] The earthworks consisted of an inner bank three metres high, with a ditch three and a half metres deep. An outer ditch six metres wide and two metres in depth is now obscured due to wind-blown deposits of sand and a gradual silting process.[25] These defences turned Hengistbury Head into a fortified settlement area which seems to have grown over succeeding centuries until it became an important port.[26] The Iron Age port at Hengistbury Head forms a final site in a small chain of fortified earthworks, starting from Hambledon Hill, and also including Hod Hill, Spetisbury Rings, Buzbury Rings, Badbury Rings and Dudsbury Camp.[27]

 

John Lavender of the local Red House Museum noted evidence of small iron-ore smelting hearths on Warren Hill, while green vitreous slag has been also found on the Head.[28] In his 1911 to 1912 excavations, Bushe-Fox found evidence for working of lead, copper and silver; two ingots discovered at this time revealed that raw materials would have been imported to the area.[28] One ingot was of nearly pure copper, while the other, which weighed 8.6 kg, was roughly 50/50 copper-silver alloy with around one percent gold.[29] Argentiferous (i.e. silver-bearing) copper was refined to produce silver at the Head.[29] There are also indications that gold was worked at Hengistbury.[30] One excavation produced part of a torc, twisted together with a small gold bracelet and another fragment in a manner suggesting it was scrap; a different site produced a streaked touchstone indicating use in gold testing.[30]

 

Thousands of bronze coins have been found from the pre-Roman period, the vast majority having been struck by the Durotriges.[31] The abundance of coins, together with various hearths and smelting artefacts found within a close proximity suggest that the Durotrigan finds were minted here.[32]

  

International trade centre

  

The advanced level of metallurgy in the area, coupled with its ease of access from the Continent, meant that Hengistbury Head became a significant Late-Iron Age port; trading worked metal of iron, silver, and bronze in return for figs, glass, tools and other goods. Armorican coins and pottery uncovered here show links to the Brittany peninsula.[33] Amphorae used for the transportation of North Italian wine have been found in such quantities (more than all other sites in the south of England put together), that it is clear that the Head was a main port of entry into the country.[34] However, no similar amphorae have been unearthed in Armorica, hinting at a more direct trade route between Hengistbury Head and Italy.[34] Most of these vessels date from before 50 B.C., while later styles are absent despite being common in other parts of Britain, indicating the wine trade seems to have declined at about the time Caesar began his Gaulish campaigns.[35]

  

Roman occupation to Medieval period

  

After the Roman conquest, the south-east of England started to develop into a more urban economy, while the socio-economic system of the south-west remained little changed.[36] Hengistbury would still have served as an important hub for the Dumnonii of Cornwall and Devon, and the Durotriges of Wiltshire and Dorset; since transport by water was more efficient at the time, and the Head offered both a coastal route, and freshwater options via the Stour and Avon rivers.[36]

 

No evidence of Saxon use has been found at the Head.[37] The area was not substantially reoccupied until Alfred the Great decided to rebuild the harbour as a defence against raiders. He built the town that later became Christchurch, on the north side of the harbour. Access to Salisbury up the River Avon made this a more strategic place. The Head may have been used for harbour defence at this time. In the 11th century, some of the iron-ore rich stones found at the Head were used in the construction of Christchurch Castle. These reddish-coloured stones can still be seen in the base of the now ruined castle.[38]

  

17th, 18th and 19th centuries

  

In the late 1600s, Andrew Yarranton (with backing from the Earl of Clarendon) commenced a scheme to improve the harbour. In 1693 a channel was cut out to sea, whilst ironstone boulders from the head were used to create a pier.[39] The plans proved ineffective; the pier was poorly positioned and subsequent storms (including the Great Storm of 1703) soon undid most of the work although parts of the pier known as "Clarendon's Jetty" or the "Long Rocks" are still visible today.[40] Many tons may have been removed from the beach and the head itself to make the jetty.[41]

  

In 1733 a new Excise and Customs Bill was introduced, restricting imports and raising taxes on many luxury items. Christchurch rapidly became a hot-bed for smugglers, where they were known as "freetraders", and much of the town was involved in the trade. The "Double Dykes" are said to have been used to hide contraband,[42] while Mudeford spit is rumoured to have been used in the construction of "Guinea boats" (cheaply built galleys sometimes capable of outrunning the day's steamships).[43][44] One apocryphal story is that the black house acquired its distinctive black colour when customs officers tried to smoke out some holed-up smugglers by lighting fires around the base.[43] The house was constructed in 1848 and used by shipwrights as a dwelling and workshop, smuggling was in decline with the introduction of a free trade policy and more effective measures being implemented by the Coast Guard by this time, so the house may not in fact have had much involvement in smuggling. The spit has a long association with shipbuilding with two large ships being built in the mid 19th century, the "Viscountess Canning" of 193 tons and the "Enterprise" 253 tons.[6]

 

From 1848 to 1872, the Hengistbury Mining Company – formed by a Christchurch-based merchant, John E. Holloway – extracted many more ironstone boulders through quarrying. Holloway brought coal from Southampton, and took the ironstone as ballast for the return journey.[45] These boulders, known as Iron Doggers, were prized for their high quantity of iron ore (up to 30%).[46] They form the base of Hengistbury Head, and the removal of a substantial amount of doggers over the years has weakened the headland. These and earlier excavations resulted in a loss of up to a third of the Head, caused mainly by erosion after the quarry's closure. The silt being washed down also threatened the ecology of the saltmarsh below. This has been reduced by the building of a dam, in 1976, to create a pool. Many "doggers" can still be seen lining the route of the land-train and at the quarry.[46]

  

UK's first airshow

  

In 1910 the first international aviation meeting ever held in Britain took place on a specially laid out aerodrome consisting of a mile of grassland between the "Double Dykes" and the nearby village of Tuckton. About twenty pioneer aviators from around the world participated in various competitions including spot landing, altitude tests and speed trials (both for the fastest and slowest circuit).[47]

 

On the second day of the meeting, co-founder of Rolls-Royce and pioneer aviator Charles Rolls was thrown from his plane, which disintegrated beneath him. Despite the fact that the first-ever powered flight had occurred only seven years previously, Rolls had been attempting a precision landing. He died from his injuries shortly after his fall.[48] The event was Britain's earliest fatal flying accident involving a powered aircraft.[47]

  

20th century

  

There were a number of development schemes for the head including a major railway and docks scheme proposed in 1885, proposals for housing and a golf course were also put forward before World War I, though none of these schemes came to fruition.[49] In 1919 the head was sold by Sir George Meyrick to Harry Gordon Selfridge with plans to construct a grand house. These plans also came to nothing, apart from the establishment of a nursery garden.[50] Bournemouth Borough Council purchased the head in 1930 for £25,200;[51] although plans for housing existed west of double dykes, the head itself was to be kept as public open space. During World War II the head was closed to the public and was occupied by the army, becoming home to a number of installations including a radar station. The area was also extensively mined. The Head was finally cleared of the military defences by the 1950s.[52]

  

Present day

  

Hengistbury Head Local Nature Reserve is currently owned and managed by Bournemouth Borough Council. In 1990, the land was declared a Local Nature Reserve, as a commitment by the town of Bournemouth to conserve and enhance the environment.[53] The heathland forms part of the Dorset Heaths and is internationally protected as a Special Area of Conservation and Special Protection Area. Nearby, the upper reaches of Christchurch Harbour (including the meadows at Wick) are recognised as an Environmentally Sensitive Area.[53]

 

The head today is used for a variety of reasons. Firstly it is a tourist spot where country walks can be taken all over the head due to the well defined gravel paths, some of which form part of the Bournemouth Coast Path.[54] In 2008, many paths were resurfaced, making more (though not all) parts of the Head wheelchair accessible. For example, it is now possible to gain wheelchair access to Quarry Pool. Regular field trips to the site are made by students of all ages and there are occasional guided tours or meetings around the Head covering a wide variety of subjects.[3]

 

There is a cafe at the bottom of the Head on the Bournemouth side. Hengistbury Head Outdoor Education centre is located near here on the south shore of the harbour. Run by Brockenhurst College, the centre offers a variety of water and outdoor activities.[55] A scenic land train (known as "the Noddy train") makes regular journeys from the cafe to the end of the spit, a journey of ten or so minutes.[56] On the head itself is a H. M. Coastguard radio relay station, a nature reserve and a triangulation pillar, shown on Ordnance Survey maps as 36 metres above sea level. Ample parking (subject to charges) can be found near the cafe, but the Head is also within walking distance of Southbourne and parts of Christchurch.

 

The Quarry Pool is now a significant part of the nature reserve features of the Head. While it was very acidic in the early years, since 1990 it has allowed the growth of a significant number of plant and insect species, as well as mallard and little grebe. The insects provide valuable food for migrating sand martins and swallows.[57]

  

Visitor centre

  

A new visitor centre for Hengistbury Head is scheduled to open by the end of 2013. Developments are currently underway on the thatched barn, which is being made in an eco-friendly way.[58] the new addition will cost over a million pounds with funding provided by developer contributions, the Heritage Lottery Fund and £300,000 from landfill tax.[58]

 

The centre will house a new display area concerning the site's archaeology, ecology and geology,[59] while work space will be created for volunteers and other community groups such as the Hengistbury Head Supporters Group, Residents' Association and Christchurch Harbour Ornithological Group.[3] The public will have the chance to scrutinise a selection of the finds discovered at Hengistbury Head in the last century, and to interact with experienced staff, as well as providing them with the opportunity to become actively involved in the administration of the nature reserve.[59]

 

The surrounding area will be extensively landscaped to create outdoor learning areas and a wildlife garden.[60] Energy-saving features will include photovoltaic panels for electricity and ground source heat pump for heating. A green roof (a living roof that is partially or completely covered with vegetation and a growing medium), will be used to absorb rainfall and provide insulation.[58] The centre will be constructed using timber-frame walls insulated with straw bales.[58]

  

Geography

  

According to Ian West of Southampton University, "Hengistbury Head is the best part of the Bournemouth coast for geology and geomorphology .... [and] is geologically important for the unusual nodules of sideritic ironstone [found] in Middle Eocene strata."[61] The exposed and relatively untouched cliff face at the Head perfectly lends itself to students of stratigraphy. Warren Hill itself is composed of Tertiary Bracklesham Beds,[62] a mixture of clays and marls with overlying sandy and lignitic beds.

  

Erosion

  

One serious threat to the future of the Head is erosion of the exposed southern cliff face from wind and rain, as well as erosion caused by the sea primarily through the process of Longshore drift. A comparison of Ordnance Survey maps reveals that 25 metres of cliff was washed away from 1915 to 1962,[62] a process accelerated by the Bournemouth cliff's concreted promenade and groynes, construction of which started in the early 20th century. It is thought that in the last 200 years around 150 metres of land has been lost from the Head.[62] The first attempt to counteract erosion came in the 1930s when Bournemouth Council constructed a breakwater now known as "the Long Groyne".[63] Since then, a gabion revetment has been constructed to secure the weakest point at the eastern end of the Head.[38] In a long-term project to secure the Head's future, from 2005 to 2008 Poole Bay was replenished with 1.8 million cubic metres of beach material,[64] drawing ire from some surfers and beach lovers owing to the increase in sharp stones on Southbourne beach in particular.[65] The project's organizers, the Poole Bay Partnership, state that: "The resulting wide beaches have been a success in terms of their function as a coast protection structure and for the enjoyment they provide to the area's residents and visitors."[64]

  

Flora and fauna

  

Hengistbury Head forms part of the Christchurch Harbour Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), and in May 1990 was declared a Local Nature Reserve.[66] The Head supports 500 plant species (a quarter of the national flora), including eight red data book species, 14 nationally scarce, and 39 locally rare species. The main nature reserve area faces Christchurch Harbour, and is contiguous with the reed beds of Wick Fields. The Head contains a large variety of habitats from the heathland on Warren Hill to freshwater ponds, sand dunes, and salt marshes. The woodland (known as Withybed Wood) is home to English oak and silver birch amongst many other trees, and is of particular interest, as it is the only such area to be shown on an 1811 O.S. map of the Bournemouth/Christchurch area.[66] In 2002, cattle-grazing commenced in a field near the new visitor centre known as "Barn Field". This, combined with gorse eradication, has assisted in the restoration of this habitat to its ancient character.[67]

 

Present on the site is Sea knotgrass (Polygonum maritimum), the rarest of the knotgrasses in Britain,[68] and currently listed as a "schedule 8 species" under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Such plants are afforded greater than usual protection against damaging activities – such as "cutting, picking, destroying or selling."[69] The heathland is both a Special Area of Conservation and a Special Protection Area, part of a network of the best wildlife sites in Europe.[66]

  

The various habitats provide homes to numerous species of insects. There are 700 moth species recorded in the nature reserve, again a quarter of the national total. At different spots across the site butterflies (including the green hairstreak),[70] damselflies (like the large red), and dragonflies (such as the hairy dragonfly) can be observed.[3][66][71] The exceedingly rare thirteen-spotted ladybird (Hippodamia 13-punctata), was recently observed at the Head, the first recorded UK sighting since 1952.[66]

 

Over 300 bird species have been recorded in the area,[72] making Hengistbury Head an important migratory point. The Balearic shearwater, considered critically endangered with extinction by the IUCN and seldom sighted in the UK, has been seen in the area.[72] Other rare birds spotted here include the purple heron, the pink-footed goose, the European honey buzzard and the melodious warbler.[73] The fields and reserved areas near the car park provide an ideal spot to watch and listen to a significant population of skylarks during the summer months.

 

In 1989 a project commenced to re-introduce the country's rarest amphibian, the natterjack toad, to Hengistbury Head. The natterjack was last recorded on the headland in the 1950s before its extinction, probably as the result of a lack of suitable ponds.[74] The project has been a great success and today there are thriving populations at various locations.[74] The ideal time to witness their mating rituals is in May as dusk approaches, when the distinctive call of the natterjack can be heard for miles around.

I am very happy to introduce you my new line BiDoll Lithe. The dolls in this line possess a different type of sexuality, they look tall and skinny. The name BiDoll consists of two parts. Bi translated from Latin means “two” or “double”. When I worked on Lithe characters the double meaning inspired me. I wanted to create two dolls that are different and the same at once. The unicorn, the legendary and magical creature, also inspired me. MonokeRos is one of the names for unicorn that people used from ancient times. It sounded to me that the name consists of two - Monoke and Ros, and I decided to give these names to my new dolls. At the very beginning my goal was to create a complex costumed doll using different techniques such as jewelry making, embroidery, etc. I believe that my goal is accomplished. The costume is very complicated and the embroidery was done over the tiny mesh fabric. Over 100 hours of work was spent on embroidery only. The corset, shoes and the crown are made from metal and gold plated with 18K gold. BiDoll Lithe MonokeRos is a piece of art that made in porcelain, painted with China paints, it comprises the jewelry making and fashion design techniques. MonokeRos is a synthesis of many arts and designs in one object. I am very happy that I could use all my skills in one work and show many sides in the art of making a doll. Please enjoy, one of the dolls of your choice can be yours.

Lithe lines and classic curves

 

23 June - A Doll A Day 2024

Harmony is a 9 month old young lady who is lithe, graceful and friendly with humans. She seems O.K. with other cats if they are not being too assertive at her. She found a new home 2 March 2019.

Unevenly exposed

2/.2

- Spirit: Alana skin applier/shape ( Tone Sand-Nude-Nut-DeepBronse-Coffee ) on Lelutka Simone Bento head

@SkinFair 2018

@ maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Octavia/89/53/23

@ maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/La%20Grange/91/224/22

- Stealthic: Lithe Hair

@ maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Rapture/81/138/106%20rel=

- Dead Dollz: Monica Dress

- SU!: Umbra Eyes

A lith print ode to my Oregon friend Travis Doane.

 

Dear Travis,

 

It's now been 4 years since you sent me this treasure of old lithable papers from big USA to small Sweden. This kind act of yours sends a message to all the world - we belong together and should not fight. And for me it's a treasure of old lithable papers I would never get hold of otherwise. This day I have gone through the remaining papers and - as to my ability - have made prints that are supposed to be as streamlined as possible from a given negative. But of course there's always the influence of "human variability" when it comes to snatch point and so forth...

Anyways, I hope you understand my gratitude for this possibility. Have a great rest of the year 2023, Travis and may we have lith contact for many years to come.

Best/Johan

 

Scanned lith print.

 

Mamiya 645 ProTL w/ M-S 45 mm/f2,8. Early morning of April 22, 2023.

 

Fomapan 200 @ iso 100, dev in Rodinal 1+100, semistand 1 h.

 

Lith printed and developed in Moersch SE5 (25A+25B+some OB+700H2O).

Untoned.

  

So a year and a half or so ago, I started a lion MOC for Brickfair 2011. I envisioned a more cartoony lion, something tall and lithe, more along the lines of Scar from Lion King.

 

I have had a lion MOC I've taken with me to all the cons since that one, but I've never considered it finished. So I took the basic body, and re-did just about everything else, opting to forgo the cartoonishness for something a little more realistically proportioned. It's still a little too pitbull-ish in the chest and front legs, but overall I'm satisfied with it. Even though it's now almost a weird mishmash between my current skillset and style and that from nearly two years ago.

diyarbakir

 

Moving a Sheena headsculpt to a Phicen muscular body and getting her dressed up for a few shots. I like a Sheena with some muscle tone and with feet that work, but I also think she's way too buxom to make a good Sheena. In my mind, Sheena (and, for that matter, Tarzan) are much more lithe than big and muscular. More like pole vaulters than body-builders. Maybe the new slim build bodies (or, if I can dream, the body Phicen or anyone else makes when they realize Jessie Graff is awesome).

Scanned lith print.

 

Hasselblad 501CM w/ Zeiss Sonnar 250 mm/f5.6.

March 29, 2025.

 

Fomapan 400 shot @ iso 800 and developed in HC-110 (15 ml + 485 ml H2O), semistand 1 h.

 

Lith printed on Cachet/Maco Expo RF 2 FB, a very special lithable paper bought from Tim Rudman, the UK lith gury. Here are his words:

 

"Neutral/cool tone paper containing gold chloride (!) in addition to silver. Excellent for Lith printing. Similar colour and effect to the original Sterling Lith paper, but until recently without the problem of pepper fogging. Recent batches exhibit very minor fine pepper fogging. Also a good general purpose paper."

 

Developed in Moersch Easy Lith (25A+25B+20D+H2Oqs700).

 

Untoned.

 

A scene from Lillängshamnen Harbour, Hammarö, Sweden.

For more Shawna, click on her album below. (To access Shawna's album on your iPhone, click on the information icon at the bottom of this screen; then, when your next screen appears, scroll down just a bit, and you'll see her "album.")

 

In the sweet world of the Little People, one can still succumb to the evils of excess. Even the lithe and beautiful Diver Dave, whose friends are attempting to save from drowning in yet another glass of wine.

This scanned lith print will be the Christmas Greeting to all of my Flickr friends this year :-)

 

Combining Summer and Winter in one shot. How, may you ask? Well, this is a lith print with the previously common Fomatone Snowballs in soon to be exhausted lith developer. As Fomatone isn't lithable anymore (how sad is that?), this print is made on Foma Retrobrom Sp 151, for now the only contemporarily made lithable analog photo paper in the world!

I hope Foma gets their shit together and bring back Fomatone as a lithable paper again, but I don't know the odds for that.

Anyways, wish you all a nice weekend :-).

 

Mamiya 645 ProTL w/ M-S 120mm /f4 macro.

 

Fomapan 100 in Rodinal 1+100, semistand 1 h.

 

Lith printed on Foma Retrobrom 151 Sp and developed in Moersch Easy Lith (15A+15B+570mlH2O).

 

Untoned.

 

PS borders.

Crying out, scared, this little cub was found and rescued by some caring people...She would not have survived as her Mama had been killed, long before she could nurture and teach her newborn how to survive...With tender care, the cub turned into a beautiful, lithe Cougar and soon it was time to release her into the wilderness where she was meant to be...The day came, her pen door was opened, but the cougar did not understand-who would feed her? Protect her? After several attempts it was unfortunately agreed that she had become human imprinted...She could not survive alone...

Today, she is in a spacious area, well tended and fed...She does not pace or show signs of restlessness...In fact, you can see how contented she is, taking her daily catnap...

When her keeper comes, she goes over to greet him, rubbing her head against the fence-wanting her head scratched! He obliges,

and she purrs...

40 x 50", 102 x 127cm

mixed media on canvas, 2014

Slinking away, still smirking over how rewardingly gullible the bejeweled wealthy girls in silky dresses had proven, Angie unexpectedly came across fresh, opulently inviting, prey.

 

************************

 

Angelique D. at play

 

Angie D

 

Circa 1915

 

Case study 113 subset b

 

Early development: “Pickpocket” of worn Jewelry

 

Sub title:

 

What is it about rich girls that make them so lucratively gullible?

Quoted by Subject: log 1959

 

**********************************************************

 

What:

 

Along a path just outside where a departing congregation of a small church still gathered.

 

Where

 

The outskirts of Chestermere:

 

When:

 

An early fall day, in the year of our Lord 1915

 

Who:

 

An appealing lady wearing a secret smile, clad expensively in a silky top and flowing satiny ruffled skirt, a pair of gold earrings flashing merrily as she strolls.

 

Excerpted from Diary:

 

A lady in a cream silk blouse and long blue skirt was walking happily along a path on the outskirts of Chestermere. She was coming from the early Sabbath service of a local chapel, filled with the rousing words of the Parson’s homily. As Angie walked, she hummed a cheerful tune, her conscious, as always, free of any guilty feelings.

 

Angie was very pleased with herself, and the main source of the pleasure was now bouncing against her thigh as she briskly walked along. For deep in a small pocket hidden well below the waistline of her flowing sleek skirt, was a pretty jeweled pendent on a delicate gold chain.

 

Only just 15 minutes ago that jeweled pendent was still being worn by a member of a rather wealthy looking family whom had been in attendance at the same Sabbath service. Angie had scoped them out as the family had waltzed in just after the mass had started. The mother was dressed in a pretty white frock with ruffles of lace falling from her throat and wrists, along with a rather nice set of pearls. The rather formal and severe father was in a “monkey suit”, a gold pocket watch and fob stretched across his rather bulging waist. The pair had their hands full with two rambunctious , pre-adolescent twin boys, who had continually distracted them during and after the lengthy service. Which was good, from Angie’s point of view anyway, for it left the parents totally ignoring their seventeen year old daughter , at the end of the pew, standing with a sultry air about her.

 

The daughter was wearing a rather fancy party dress of thick red silk. Dangling down the front of the sheer red silk bodice, on a thin gold chain, was an attention grabbing deep green emerald starburst pendent that fell swaying from her dress’s high neckline. It had been the sleek dress that had whetted Angie’s interest, but it was the pendent that kept that interest focused during the entire service, delightedly eyeing the pendant’s shimmeriness in the low candle lit church. During the communion procession she had managed to slip in behind her in order to closer scrutinize the prospect, soaking in the expectations of acquiring it from the unsuspecting proper acting young lady..

 

As the service ended, the family joined in the stream of the departing congregation. Angie followed closely, looking for her chance. It came when the Parson stopped the father to ask a question, a group soon huddled around the mother and the twins. As everyone bent over to focus attention on the twins, including their sister, Angie circled her prey and slipped in close, hovering briefly over her back before darting in. In one fluid motion, Angie lifted with one practiced hand the chain and flicked open the thin clasp, nimbly catching the swaying pendent in her other hand as it fell, whisking the sparkling emeralds and chain away and palming it from sight. Absolutely no one noticed the flashy necklace as it vanished from the front of the sister’s silky dress. Angie had continued on her way, clutching the pendent, and headed straight out the door without looking back. Instead of heading back the short 3 miles to her hotel in the city, she decided to head out towards the woods, where she planned to lay low until dusk.

   

Angie now turned her head to have a look behind her at the distant chapel and the people milling about, her gold plated earrings flashing as she did so. Good, she thought, no one was following her, and she, in total security that she was out of danger, crossed off the path and went on the road.

  

Angie strolled along the country lane, trees lining it turning red and yellow in their autumn gowns, for quite some time, before she became aware of a band playing off in the distance.. Then turning a bend in the lane, through the thin wall of woods, she spied a wedding reception up on a hill by a white stone Church. From her vantage point she could see a multitude of colourful , richly shimmering gowns and the occasional sparkle of , she hoped , opulent jewelry.

  

As good luck would have it, she decides to crash the party. She was dressed for it, she was hungry, and who knows what pickings she may find inside to increase her earthly riches ,as the Parson had been saying! She walked around, skirting the woods and came across a hillside garden with rose covered arbors and bright flower lined paths. Two grubby boys of about ten and twelve were playing in the woods on the opposite side, by a small pond surrounded thickly with Rhododendron s. She entered the Garden and made her way up the winding path, coming out onto a small field with benches that lay on the opposite side of the church and the auditorium entrance to the reception.

 

Angie entered the crowded auditorium underneath the Church. She helped herself to the food buffet and sat outside enjoying her meal, as she watched the richly dressed crowd. A young man came up and asked her to dance, which she did happily, and just as happily lifted his gold watch and fob. And, too boot, after a few dances with him, she had become a part of his circle, happily mingling, and rubbing elbows with the obviously wealthy guests he presented her to. Including an introduction to his pretty faced teenage sister, who was sporting a pretty diamond ring on all too slender finger, that she kept waving in Angie’s face as she played with her long silky hair.

  

Angie soon left them and started to stalk about for a bit, noting that most of the guests were older, more mature specimens. There seemed to be a lack of young, well dressed children around, whose shiny offerings had been Angie’s main bread and butter for almost two years.. She had just come to the conclusion that she would have to settle for picking a few pockets or purses before leaving. She started to look around for the bloke with the fancy gold pocket watch who had first asked her to dance….

 

Then she saw her.

 

The lady was moving through the crowd, on the arms of a man half her age, giggling, not paying attention to anything else around her. She wore a long gown of a shimmery purple silk. But it was not the gown that had caught Angie’s eye, but the jeweled brooch that hung from the gowns cleavage, shadowed by its mistress’s ample bosom. Like the figurehead in a seagoing schooner it came, shimmering in the dazzling light of at least a hundred diamond chips, surrounded by an oval of blazing sapphires. Angie’s fingers tingled. It was time.

 

****************************************************

Now, it had been better than three years ago when Angie had run across an ancient, toothless Gypsy in a long black dress with a faded shawl around her shoulders, who had spoken Angie’s fortune. When she had read Angie’s palm, she looked Angie dead in the eyes, a most knowing kind of look. Then she had risen, motioning Angie to stay and came back with a rather battered old pamphlet she wanted Angie to look over. Entitled the Cutpurse: skilles, artes and Secretes of the Dip by “Gaston Monescu, 1826”, it covered the various tactics and moves used by master pickpockets. Including whole chapters on successful “Methodes” of relieving a wealthe lady of her” jeweles”.

 

The Gypsy Woman, who had hovering over Angie as she had read deeply into the pamphlet moved and sat back down across from her.

 

Angie ,who by this time in her quite young life, was already an accomplished cutpurse and picker of pockets, looked up at the gypsy, grinned, and asked if it was worth her while. The Gypsy just smiled, reached up and opened her dirty laced shawl, revealing the silvery necklace that Angie had been wearing when she had come in. Amazed she traded the necklace for the pamphlet on the spot and quickly began putting its teachings into play.

 

Angie soon mastered this new level of her chosen craft.

 

She had started on mannequins: clothing them in long silky dresses and jewelry. She had practiced for months, first in a rented studio apartment, then in a secret basement located in an isolated, deserted old barn and then its surrounding woods. Soon she felt confident enough to go out and try it in the crowded streets amongst shopping women. She met with great success, but her gains were only a pittance. Still she practiced, and had gotten so adept that she soon was moved onto more affluent hunting grounds.

 

She reasonably started out with weddings. For the phamplett had suggested starting out at formal parties where there would be an abundance of youngsters dressed in their best by parents wanting to show their off female issues to an adoring public( in the minds of the wealthy parents, anyway). So she went, seeking out young, easily distracted young girls who were not used to wearing the array of enticing jewels placed on them by overly enthusiastic parents.

 

Angie’s first time out was met with some rather sweet success. A large day time wedding reception in Nova Scotia, held in a public park by a majestic sweeping waterfall.

 

Late at the reception, as she was still prowling without making any formal attempts, she soon noticed that the adults at the gathering were becoming quite gay with drink, and noticeably paying less attention to their children. Said children began to wonder off in groups, exploring and starting to run about playing games, their gowns and dresses whispering a Pied Piperish tune to Angie’s ears, their shiny jewels luring her ever closer.

 

Angie soon started to follow a pair of young ladies who had scampered off to explore.

One was an impish girl with long black hair flowing down, drawing ones attention to the frilly white dress she was wearing. Gold chain earrings dancing merrily from her ears, as a longish gold herringbone chain shimmering brightly in the sun as it lay hanging from her silk dresses’’ high neckline.

Her partner in crime was a most fascinating subject. A charmingly bright green eyed proper young imp, a couple of years older than white dress, with a rather pronounced Welsh accent, much like Agie’s remembered her parents having. Her silken red hair lay down her back in a neat long French braid. A long thin satin gown of emerald green swished as she ran with the awkwardness of youth to keep up with her new friend. A matching satin bow was tied just below her throat, its ends trailing down to her svelte waistline. At the bows center was fastened a glittering rhinestone pin. She also was wearing a small rhinestone necklace that encircled her throat just above the bow. Her ears were home to a pretty pair of clasped rhinestone earrings that matched the pattern of her necklace. Around one short shiny green satin gloved wrist was a brite rhinestone bracelet.

 

The duo found the waterfall, by which a photographer had set up a camera. Angie approached the lovely pair, and easily started up a conversation, helped by the fact that as an adult, she was not scolding them for walking off. They seemed pleased that Angie was actually doing the exact opposite, like a favored auntie, she was encouraging them to explore.

 

Angie led them around a bend for a different view of the cascading waterfall, out of earshot of the reception. She helped the black haired lass, Basil, up to sit on a small stone wall for a better look, also helping to slip off the shiny gold herringbone necklace from her throat with an almost effortless ease in the process. As, with itching fingers, she contemplated what to do about Basil’s gold earrings, Angie started to watch Lydia.

 

Oblivious to what was going on around her, the red head, Lydia, was standing next to Angie, looking over the fence which just reached her shoulders. Here dear, Angie said, after pocketing the purloined gold necklace, you’re messing up your pretty dress. Angie turned the girl towards her, reached over and said, here, let my fix your bow, darling. Lydia allowed Angie to retie it, as Basil, her back to them, happily was watching, enraptured, the splashing water. Angie finished undoing and retying Lydia’s satin bow, neatly removing the pretty rhinestone pin in the process, then as she straightened the girl’s color, Angie had her turn around. As Lydia obediently did so, Angie flicked open the rhinestone necklaces clasp, and peeled off the flashy necklace from around Lydia’s throat as she turned round. Just like that, Lydia’s rhinestone necklace went the same way of er pin, both ending up with the gold chain in a secret pocket hidden in the folds of Angie’s skirt.

 

Angie stood behind Lydia, placing her hands on Lydia’s slick silken covered shoulders, all three watching the waterfall. Angie’s left hand caressingly, ever so lithely inched down along Lydia’s side, reaching the girls wrist. As Angie engaged them in conversation, she slowly worked off the bracelet, leaving only the pretty earrings as her last challenge.

 

Angie lifted her right hand and slowly moved it up to one of the girl’s dangling earrings, sparkling in the waterfalls’ reflection.. With her left hand she pointed upstream. As both girls turned their heads to look, off came a rhinestone earring. Angie than playfully lifted Lydia’s long French braid and laid it over Lydia’s shoulder, below her now bare ear. She turned to look down, giggling, and as she did so, Angie plucked away the remaining earring; it easily came off and joined its companion with the rest of the collection of jewelry in Angie’s secret pocket. Amazed that the process of removing young Lydia’s jewels had gone off so easily, Angie almost wished Lydia had been wearing bells like one of her sleekly gowned practice mannequins. Her reasoning being that she would know if it was because her skill level was that good, or just the fact that Lydia was just an unworldly youth easily distracted. Whatever the reason, Angie, feeling fresh inspiration, looked over at the chirpy basil, and her shiny gold earrings.

 

Angie moved behind Basil, placing her hands upon the slippery waistline of her silk dress, then leaned forward, whispering in the girls ear, tickling it with her breath. As Basil giggled Angie reached up gently lifted the gold chain earring up from the lobe of the girl’s opposite ear lobe. Then nimbly with her thumb and index finger, flicked open the hinge clasp and neatly removed the earring, watching for any reaction from her victim. Basil never felt a thing, Lydia was still watching the waterfall, equally as oblivious. Angie kept her chin close to Basil’s ear, and the remaining earring. Cautiously she moved her fingers up, and then darting in with them, successfully repeated the maneuver. As the earring joined the rest of her collection, Angie could not help thinking that if all her future endeavors were as successful, she could end up living quite a comfortable lifestyle.

 

Angie stayed a few more minutes, keeping the pair distracted the whole time before she cautiously moved off, leaving the two of them there by stream. Basil happily perched on the stone wall, and Lydia bent down, busily plucking at the moss growing on the old stones. Both girls still quite fetching in their pretty gowns, both a bit less weighted down by any added trimmings.

 

For the next year, fueled by her early success, she started focusing entirely on wedding receptions. Honing her skills until it became almost mundane for her nimble fingers to lift a jewel, no matter where is was being worn by a squirming young lady upon her fancy dressed person. And, actually, some of her acquisitions where worth a surprising bit of dough when pawned.

  

Favored Case in Point:

 

It was in New Hampshire, on her 24th outing late during the wedding season of the following year when she came upon a rather prim young miss of about 13, clad in a long sleeved thick yellow satin blouse, a black velvet vest and matching gold and black vertical striped satin skirt. A young raven haired bumble bee with no stinger, but with pearls, black pearls in a long string dangling down along the front of her shiny back buttoned blouse. She was also wearing matched black pearled earrings, and a small, daintily jeweled pin in the shape of a humming bird on her velvet vest. She was sitting alone at a table, playing with some crayons and a book. Angie, who had been watching her for some time from a bar stool, had come up and caught the pretty little things full attention, easily capturing her interest, then, finally, suggesting they go and watch the activity on the ballroom floor from a small alcove in a corner. Liking the adventurous way Angie had suggested it, the bumble bee had eagerly followed Angie away from the table.

 

Angie continued making small talk as the pretty thing was watching the exquisitely gown guests on the dance floor, including the girls’ parents. She was met with youthful exuberance by the youth, who was so enthralled with the activity on the dance floor that she was as unaware of what was going on around her , much like one of Angie’s practice Mannequins. After quite easily removing the dainty jeweled pin, Angie’s subtle fingers were able to lift up and flick open the rhinestone clasp of the child’s pearled necklace. Angie than coolly waited for a prime moment before whisking away the wholly distracted young miss’s gleaming black strand of pearls from around the high ruffled collar of her yellow satin blouse.

 

And also, like one of her gowned and jeweled practice Mannequins, the young girl never noticed anything amiss as Angie continued on with her conversation for quite some time afterwards. It was daring, but exciting as Angie kept stealing looks at the bare front of the glossy yellow blouse where the pearls had hung down so deliciously, knowing they were in her own pocket, so close, but for the young lady, so far.. Finally she decided she was pressing her luck, and she wished the child a goodnight, before beating a hasty exit,( but not before circling back to the now deserted table and heartlessly lifted the fat, expensively made purses, of both the young girl, and her mother!)

 

The jeweled hummingbird pin, and string of matched black pearls, dainty and long, fetched a pawned price that left whetted Angie’s appetite for more!

 

So, it was after this that Angie, looking for fresher, richer challenges, decided to seek out slightly older prey in their natural habitats, proms and social teenage dances. Where real gems, usually borrowed from their mothers or Grandmothers, would be replacing rhinestones.

 

Still very youthful looking despite her twenty something age, Angie’s first attempt was an upscale dance she had come across while out about in a neighboring city. It was held in an old ballroom for a local boy’s prep school and their dates. Figuring the girls attending would be ripe for the picking in tight gowns and loose fitting jewels, Angie stole inside for a closer look. The only obstacle was getting one of the begowned girls away from her group long enough to make a play for something of value that she was wearing.

  

But, Angie came away with nothing but valuable experience on that first attempt.

 

And it was actually her third try before she met with success in the form of a gold bracelet. It was at a formal dance being held in a large room of a rather posh hotel called the Red Lion Inn. She had gone in for a peek, and spying a pretty young thing heading for the ladies room, fell in step behind her. She was a long brown haired girl, wearing a short silk dress, blue, forming the perfect backdrop for her mouthwatering selection of shimmering gold jewellery. Waiting in a small alcove, Angie made her move as the young lady came back out the door. Bumping against her, Angie’s right hand held onto the youngster by the waist, drawing her close, as she steadied herself, apologizing. At the same time, Angie placed her left hand on the unsuspecting mark’s left wrist, easily flicking open the clasp of the thick gold etched bracelet and slipping it off and away. The young lady, accepting Angie’s apology, went on her way, and Angie, swiftly darted for the nearest exit, securing the rather overly brite bracelet in her bosum.

 

Over the spring and early summer dance seasons Angie practiced, acquiring bracelets and rings down pat using her skillfully developing fingers. She soon also was having some success with necklaces, including one with a long gold chain and a flower pendent set with a diamond carpel surrounded by ruby petals that had turned a quite tidy profit.

 

Then there had been the night of her first big haul, at a private girl’s school homecoming in Connecticut

 

She had started out by finally selecting and shadowing a young lady clad a slinky black dress, draped in her mother’s diamonds. Angie was drooling over a flashy wide glittering gemmed silver bracelet that hung loosely from the young vixen’s limp wrist. She was sure it was made up of real diamond chips. As the girl squirmed past Angie heading to the dance floor, her bracelet was easily plucked off the wrist of her black elbow length satin glove and secured deep in the bosom of Angie’s dress.

 

It was now becoming all too easy, smirked Angie as she unflappably headed out of the exit with her trophy. But, as she crossed the street, she was stopped by a hard looking Italian thug who emerged from the shadows. Angie at first thought wanted to mug her for her earrings, but it turned out he just wanted to see a girl who was inside attending the dance . He described her, and Angie, her interest growing, agreed to locate her and give her his message to meet him outside.

 

Angie went inside and soon found the girl. All her wishes had been answered. The unsuspecting lass was both richly gowned and even more richly jeweled, combined with zero common sense. This fidgeting girl had been seeing the young Italian on the sly, away from her disapproving family and friends. Angie led her out the back way, the opposite side of the Dance Parlor where the Italian was waiting in an alley.

 

Angie pointed across the street towards an entirely different Alleyway, offering to wait with her when the girl balked about going down it. As they waited, Angie fawned over the poor, beautifully adorned young innocent. Helping her straighten her luxurious gown, and helping her primp her long hair, so she would look just right for her east end Romeo. After waiting ten minutes, Angie instructed the girl to wait, while she went out and peeked down the street to see what was keeping her lover.

 

As she left, Angie stole a look back at the still primping young lass, eyeing her slinky gown, and remaining jewels, before heading off down the street, looking into her palm at the pair of long Garnet and diamond earrings that lay nestled, glittering fire there. She then placed them into a secret pocket, joining them with the girl’s small, expensive matching pendent, liberated as Angie had helped her negotiate a curb with her stiletto heels. Both pieces of the lass’s jewelry shared the same pocket with the wide silver bracelet encrusted with diamond chips that Angie had taken earlier..

 

More than once since then, Angie wondered if the ditzy, well jeweled girl ever had made it back out of that alleyway unscathed.

 

The experience had even more so whetted Angie’s appetite. So, even though she was still practicing on younger females, she was now dying to ply her trade upon mature women displaying the real McCoy.

 

***********************************************************

 

So it was with that in mind that Angie now watched, with itching fingers, the beckoning brooch. Though Angie was still unsure enough of trying her abilities on wealthy ladies who would not be as easily distracted as young girls, the timing felt right. As the lady recklessly displaying the brooch passed, her attention lost in the arms of her lover, Angie turned and followed, getting a close look first at the brooch and its pin, noting that it was not tightly clasped onto the gowns thin material.

 

As the couple headed to a table they passed two wealthy dames arguing vigorously with each other. Pricey rings flashing as they pointed fingers emphatically in each other’s face. On the side of table away from the pair, but near to Angie as she was passing by, lay a small, fat silvery clutch purse . Figuring that any dames loaded down with that many gems should be carrying a healthy wad of dosh in it, Angie, on the fly, took action.

 

As she passed she snatched it, and slipping it under her arm turned and headed towards the ladies powder room. Just before entering Angie looked back watching as the two still argued, gemmed rings flashing she had gotten away with it! Going into a stall she scrutinized the clutch for its valuables; disappointed to find only a fiver, some loose change, and a silky laced handkerchief. How cheap can you get she thought ruefully over the wasted effort? Hiding the clutch in the folds of her satin skirt, she left the stall, passing a lady applying makeup in a mirror. She was very pretty in a fluid teal gown, wearing dazzling white pearls upon her ears, neck and wrists. Something about this lady seemed familiar, and Angie’s senses started to sound an alarm. Catching each other’s eye, Angie nodded, but the lady appeared not to recognize Angie, nor Angie her, but the feeling still lingered. Angie left ,guardedly perplexed.

 

Angie went to the bar to have a drink while she thought about who the lady may have been. She was in a position to see the dance floor and she soon spotted the purple clad lady with the brooch Angie had her eye on, again in a deep embrace with her lover. The Brooch would be profitable, but risky as along as she stuck close with the Boyfriend. Angie needed a way to get him out of the picture for a while. It was as she considered several options to carry out the challenge that Angie again spotted the lady in teal , dancing with a tall red headed man. . Cold prickles like ice ran down her spine, It was the pearls! She suddenly remembered who the lady, and her dance partner were!

 

************************

 

Only 5 days ago she had been starting her third week operating in Calgary. She had been following a rather attractive, obviously wealthy woman, wearing an eye catching purple silk dress, carrying a dress bag and some smaller parcels. Close at her side was an unheeded calfskin purse. Alongside the lady was a smaller version, obviously her daughter, a girl of about 14. She was wearing a white shiny turtleneck with an equally shiny long tiered skirt. Both of her hands were occupied with department store bags also. When the ladies darted into a swanky hotel ,Angie had followed, she always had had luck in these types of establishments. They had entered a crowded lift and Angie had worked her way in behind the pair, riding up with them in the rickety contraption. Mother and Daughter got off on 12 and Angie stayed on until 15, exiting with not only the fat wallet from the calfskin purse, but also the shiny gold herringbone necklace that had been flashing from the daughter’s throat, securely in her pocket.

 

Angie decided to call it a day. She had already made about 30 dollars from wallets lifted at the department store she had been working over when she had spotted the mother and daughter at the checkout. The mother was paying from a thick wad of cash, and judging from the jewelry of both were an indication of how wealthy the family was. She had followed them out onto the street and it had paid off in spades. Now, all she had to do was find an exit. She saw a stairwell next to a slightly open door with a maids cart outside. She stopped and hovered over the cart to peer inside the room. It was at that moment a door opened on the opposite side of the hallway.

 

A red headed man in an open tux shirt came out of a room, looking at the cart, and Angie standing next to it. Seizing the opportunity, Angie quickly asked if he needed something. I was looking for a maid; I spilled some wine on the cashmere carpet. Seeing the name Bannister above the bell, she said sweetly, certainly Mr. Bannister, I can have someone take care of that for you.. I was just coming up to let you know there is an urgent message down at the desk for you. (Quick improvisation was a special talent of Angie’s.) Why didn’t you bring it, he started to snap, than , never mind, just get a maid, and he headed towards the elevator.

 

Angie picked up the towels and headed cautiously into the massive suite. From the bedroom off one side she heard running water. She looked around quickly, seeing many valuable articles, but nothing small enough to quickly conceal. She took the towels into the bedroom.

 

Angie went into the bedroom, expertly taking everything in. A long silver lamee gown lay out on the bed. On the vanity lay a silvery purse, a pair of long silver satin gloves , a silver watch, silver necklace, a pair of long dangling silver earrings, and a small blue velvet pouch. On a side dresser laid a man’s thick gold watch and a money clip with a wad of bills, a tenner showing on top. In less than a minute after entering the room she had scooped up the money clip, watches, silver jewelry and gloves stuffing them into the purse and lifting up her long skirt hid it in one of its secret pockets. She lifted up the pouch and found it was empty. A picture on the vanity showed an attractive lady in a black dress and pearls. She briefly wondered where the pearls were, did not see any likely spot, and so had turned to make a hasty exit, when a feminine voice called out from the bathroom where a shower could be heard running. Steam was coming out from the slightly ajar door.

 

Dear, a refined voice stated, I have soap in my eyes and cannot find the washcloth. Angie, smelling an opportunity, peaked her head around the corner into the steamy bathroom. There was a shower stall with glass doors at the end of the long room with a double sink running along the side. From the hook by the shower hung a peach negligee and matching long robe. The door was open slightly and a very soapy femine hand was reaching out trying to feel along a towel bar, just missing a hanging washcloth.

 

A soapy hand from which glittered a pretty gold pinky ring set with small diamonds. Angie went over and pulling off the washcloth, rapped on the glass door , receiving a thank you dear in return as the hand reached out for it. Angie wiped off the protruding hand, and a dry voice said, no, not my hand dear, as the washcloth was plucked playfully from Angie’s grasp , and the door closed. Angie bent down and picked up the diamond pinky ring that had been slipped from the showering woman’s finger by the wash cloth, from the carpeted floor underneath the shower door. she than turned ran a hand along the satin rode, looking around. Bingo, on the counter lay a pair of sparkly long diamond earrings. Dumbstruck at her luck she grabbed them off the sink. , she was jolted back to realty when the voice again called out, are you still there dear? She scurried out of the bathroom, closing the door behind her.

 

She was at the apartment door in a flash, opening it a crack to make sure the coast was clear, it was. In the hallway Angie headed for the stairs because she knew that Bannister was far too important a man to take a stairway. She had been in the apartment less than 4 minutes, and had probably looted it of enough valuables to more than double her take so far of the last three weeks since arriving in Calgary. Leaving by a back exit she came out of a small alley. Looking over she spotted the young lady whose necklace she had lifted in the elevator kneeling down and looking in some bushes. Her shiny skirt pleasantly splayed out upon the ground around her. Angie briskly walked past her and off down the street. She made it without incident to the dingy apartment she was renting by the day. Collecting her meager belongings Angie checked out immediately. Leaving by bus for Chestermere, where at a small bank she rented a safety deposit box to stash all her ill-gotten gains for safe keeping until the heat wore down a bit.

 

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Now Back to the Present

 

Angie now knew how lucky she had been. The red headed man, Bannister, may have recognized her. Calgary was too close to Chestermere , she should have been more cautious when scoping out the receptions guests. Angie turned and headed to the bar to think the situation over.

 

She saw the young man whose watch she had lifted, talking to an older, pretty lady laden with pearls. Behind them stood his sister, her diamond ring sparkling as she twirled her hair. Angie circled wide, coming up behind the lad, she grabbed his shoulder, why hello there. He smiled, introducing her to his Aunt, whose jeweled fingers she took into her hand in a gracious shake. He continued talking to his Aunt, it seems that they were discussing a family matter of some importance .Angie, finding the rings were tight on the Aunt’s chubby fingers, let go of her hand and moved over to the sister, and engaged her in conversation, moving a little off so that the sister turned her back to her brother and aunt.

 

The sister twittered, curling her hair impishly as Angie asked her why she wasn’t dancing. No ones asked, she giggled nervously. What about the boy who has been watching you all eyeing, Angie nodded her head outwards, the girl turned , her hair flying, as she lowered her hand, which Angie took up, petting it in a conspiratorial fashion, go over and ask him, Angie suggested. Go an ask him? I don’t see him she said, but I couldn’t, and she turned back to Angie, flashing her baby blues innocently. That’s okay deary, Angie patted the girl’s hand, keeping her eyes in contact, not allowing her to break the gaze, and perhaps looking down and noticing her loose ring was now gone from her slender finger. Angie took her leave of the sister, and of girl’s annoying nervously twittering giggle. Angie, slipping the diamond ring securely away, continued on until she reached a small alcove from where she could see most of the reception hall.

 

She lit a cigarette, purple silk and her desirably take able brooch was still safely out of reach on the dance floor, and Bannister’s attention was all on his wife. She thought it over, weighing her options, and the risks that were now in play. The song ended, and the dancers started to head off the floor. Angie’s eyes darted, Red headed Bannister and his wife were heading off to the far side of the room, Purple silk and her partner were heading to the bar. Angie’s heart stopped, no, Purple silk was heading to the bar, her lover was off to the men’s rest room. Angie snubbed out her cigarette, rising to the bait, it was now or never. Like a feral feline, Angie began to slowly stalk her prey.

 

But then Angie saw her chance slip through her fingers and evaporate into nothingness, like the smoke from her crushed cigarette. For at that moment an older man bumped into the lady Angie was tailing, spilling his drink down the front of her purple silk gown. Angie retreated and watched from a distance. As the man profusely apologized he produced a silk handkerchief and help wipe down the pretty lady. As he did so, the beautiful diamond broach vanished from her bosom. He had been slicker, slicker than Angie was ( for the time being) able to be. Angie felt her heart sink. Not only had she been deprived of the broach, but the existence of another member of her trade meant that she had better scram, not wishing to cross him. She could tell by the look in the man’s eyes that this was one not to be tangled with

 

Giving up on any plans she had been harboring, she got up, turned her back to the dance floor, headed as quickly as she could to the far exit, keeping her gains, and cutting her (presumed) losses.

 

Angie reached the door without challenge, opening it, she found stairs leading into the Church above. But first she stole a look back. She observed the man suavely talking to the now brooch less lady wearing purple silk. In that second a long haired (ginger) young lady passed by him, wearing a slinking green satin dress. Angie saw the man watching her walk on bye, and then immediately took his leave of purple silk, and began following the perky girl in green satin, with her savory collection of loosely dangling silver jewelry, heavily encrusted with flickering emeralds.

 

Angie turned away, and while wondering how she had failed to have spotted that prime prey in green earlier, went to the stairs.

 

She went up the stairs, coming out into a small chapel in back of the church. A door led to the outside, which Angie took, pouting inwardly, feeling all the world like a child who had been deprived of a desirable toy. She found herself on the side leading down to the Garden from which she had entered. The Church was now in between Angie and the reception, so she felt free to move unobserved. She crossed over to the gardens entrance and headed down the hill.

 

In front of her was a hedgerow, on the other side, Angie knew, was the small field with benches that lay at the entrance to the gardens proper. It was coming from there that she head the voices of children playing, on the other side, but she paid no heed, her mind was on leaving the area.

 

As she hurried along the hedgerow she saw something sparkle expensively in the sunlight through one of the gaps in the hedges. She stopped and curiously looked through a small opening. That’s were all the young darlings have been hiding she remarked to herself, her interest peaking. Forgetting all about leaving and lost opportunity of the brooch, she now focused on the new “toy” now dangling its enticement to her. It belonged to a girl in a slithering silvery gown, with her long hair done up in a long plait. Angie eyed the girl’s sparklers, which Angie first took as all rhinestones.. But, as Angie took inventory, her eye focused on a ring that she was wearing on one of her petite fingers. It held a fiery display, diamonds and rubies. There was no way the ring was rhinestone. Looking around to access the situation, Angie decided that by hook or crook, she needed to get a better look.

 

Watching the colourfully gowned young ladies innocently at play, Angie mused over the golden opportunity just waiting for someone unscrupulous to acquire the jewelry they were wearing. Someone should make them aware Angie decided, surprised that no one older than 16 was watching over them. Knowing that the scene before her was too fertile an opportunity to pass up without at least a long glance, Angie looked around, making sure no adults were about unseen in the woods, or any other nook and cranny of the play area.

 

Angie had found she had a knack for capturing young, well dressed lady’s interest, much to her amusement, and profit! It was with this in mind that Angie decided to allow herself a few precious minutes to watch from her hidden opening to see what may transpire. There were six children, four young ladies who were obviously dressed for a wedding, and the two urchin boys of about 12 and 10 she had spotted earlier. They were dressed as the local poor farm boys they obviously were. Angie quickly overheard the names of the girls as they called out to one another. .

 

The group were playing, appropriately enough for Angie’s point of view, a children’s standard game of cops and robbers. All Angie could think about, as she watched the boys with exuberance chasing and holding the giggling, squirming girls, was that there would hopefully be no actual robbing of jewelry as the game was played out. As each girl, Angie quickly memorizing their names, was ”captured” and taken to “prison”, Angie was able to scope them out at leisure.

 

The youngest Cecilia, about six, was wearing a long smooth gown of deep cream, with a midnight black bolero style jacket of velvet. From her neck was happily swaying a long silver chain with a jeweled winged beetle pendent, her jacket was home to a matching pin.

 

Cecilia’s older sister, 10 year old Claire, was wearing a puffy blue satin blouse with a long bow dancing down the front. Her long skirt of glistening black flowed in ripples as she ran. Also moving in ripples were the long gold herringbone chains she wore dangling from her neck, as were also her matching earrings and bracelet. A thick, expensively shiny gold ring encircled her middle finger.

 

Claire’s friend, Abbey, of about the same age, was wearing a longish gown of sunset pink satin, with a white satin sash encircling her waist. At the center of the sash glistened a gold pin set with pearls. Around her throat, dangling from her ears, were glimmering white pearls.

 

The oldest girl, the one in charge, was a fourteen year old named Amanda. Young and flighty, she kept looking up into the voluminous white clouds in the sky as if trying to see what they were forming. She was dressed in a longish slithering silver princess style gown, the style one may see flowing along the shapely figure of an actress at the moving picture awards ceremony. A fancy necklace with large garnet stones and small diamonds was flapping against her chest as she ran. The necklace matched her long earrings, bracelet, along with her pretty ring. She was wearing a flashy red jeweled head band , with strings of gold and rhinestones interwoven into her long plait of naturally wavy chestnut hair. The head band was all rhinestone, as were the garnets in the rest of her jewels. But what from a distance appeared to be small diamonds in her matching set that separated the garnets, were actually ¼ caret diamonds. Angie, upon realizing this, felt her heart burning with desire at acquiring a piece of the set being so vulnerably dangling from Amanda’s slickly attired person. But a couple of ripping gold herringbone chains, or even a jeweled beetle pendent flicked from a velvet jacket would be nice to acquire also, if only for the practice benefits.

 

To Angie’s secret joy, Amanda was the last girl to be captured, only because a stone lodged itself in her shoe brining her up lame. She was held by one of the boys, and lead, limping, to the other two girls. As a new game was started, she sat out. She hobbled to a nearby stone bench, brushed herself off , watching the group play before removing her shoe to find the annoying stone.

 

Angie started to make her move even before Amanda had made it to the stone bench. She reached her as she was shaking her shoe, slipping up alongside her on the cool bench. The girl jumped, but Angie’s special (practiced!) smile soon won her over. Angie soon enticed the young thing into casual conversation, extracting useful information as Angie, feigning a cheerful interest on the outside, while studying the girls expensive gown and drooling over the glistening garnet and diamonds that adorned it on the inside.

 

Angie tried to direct Amanda’s attention to her young charges, commenting about their pretty baubles, then asking who the boys were, and how well they knew them, about who suggested the game they were playing, how robbers were attracted to pretty things you know, and, were the boys playing the robbers next? Surreptitiously trying to plant seeds of distrust in the immature girls mind, and Angie could see that those seeds had found rich soil. Her intention was to keep the girl distracted long enough for a go at acquiring her necklace.

 

Angie, not unlike a feral cat, waited patiently for her opportunity to take the necklace from the unassuming Amanda to arise. But the girl was not cooperating; her attention on the playing girls lasting for mere seconds before focusing it back on Angie. Angie decided to use a different tactic. Angie placed an arm around girl’s silken shoulder and pointed up into the fluffy white clouds, asking her if she could see what Angie saw.

 

In the clouds, Amanda asked? As she leaned back into Angie who drew her close, relishing in the silky , quite scintillating feel of the child’s slick gown. No, Angie thought unkindly, you silly rich twit, the clasp of your necklace is what I see ( her fingers snaked up the backside of the sleek silver gown towards the tantalizingly easy open able clasp). The one you are about to lose to me, she continued thinking before answering the girl.

 

But seconds later, when Angie did answer, it was with a sweet motherly tone that dripped honey. Yes dear, in the clouds, doesn’t that one look like a soldier, or perhaps a highway man on a horse she inquired to Amanda? No, I think it’s a prince answered Amanda, and Angie thought , not for the first time, about the power of suggestion, for the mass of clouds looking like absolutely nothing but a mass of clouds to her!

 

But, it was an opportunity opened, and as the guileless girl was happily lost in her thoughts, Angie began to lift the clasp into position. As the necklace move up the girls chest, Angie could see its jewels, all sparkly, as the sun came back, peeking through the clouds. But Angie was not the only one who noticed, for the oldest lad who had been stalking up on the youngest sister’s hiding spot, was attracted by the sparklers now flashing around the distracted girl’s throat.

  

The boy headed towards them, and Angie’s fingers retreated. As the girl noticed the boy approaching, she gave a nervous giggle, and placed a hand to her throat. Angie began to rise from the bench, feeling the opportunity was slipping away, for the second time that day. But she hesitated a minute, and she was glad she did.

  

The boy came up and asked Amanda if she was going to play again. He was openly gawking at the necklace Amanda was nervously fiddling as he spoke, and Angie drooled to herself, you dear sweet child. For She could feel Amanda pressing hard into Angie as if seeking protection from his eyes. Angie took action, pointing out the sister the boy had been stalking. Successful diverting the boy’s attention, she sent him after the girl.

  

Maybe it was the things Angie had been feeding the girl about strangers and playing robbers, or pointing out the highway man in the clouds, but the attention to her necklace by the lad had had an obvious effect on Amanda. Angie, seizing the opportunity, exploited it to the fullest. With an Epiphany like thought, she knew what to say, and do next. And if it worked, then Amanda’s necklace would not be the only bauble acquired by old Angie girl.

  

Angie shooed the lad away, and he left, reluctantly to rejoin the game in progress. Then, in an inspired bit of deceitful storytelling, Angie related to Amanda a sad tale about an incident in her childhood, one she made up on the spot. The girl listened, still cuddling for whatever reason, as Angie stroked her enticingly attired figure down, relishing in the softness of her gown, along with admiring jewels she was so intent on acquiring. It was not often in Angie’s line of work that she was able to really check out one of her victims in this manner, and she relished every minute of it.

  

As Angie went full bore into her tale of woe ,she lifted up the attractive necklace from pretty girl’s chest, as she chokingly told the youngster that when she was her age she had been playing dress up in one of her mother’s gowns and had put on some of her mother’s jewelry without her permission.

  

Angie than took up the girl’s slender hand into hers, fingering gently the pleasingly expensive ring , seeing tin the young ladies eyes that she had struck a chord, and Amanda was totally held captivated with her story. Angie continued on… She had gone outside and over to the playground where a group of older children had convinced her to play a game of cops and robbers. When they had been done playing and Angie had gone home, she discovered some of her mother’s pretty jewelry was missing.

  

Angie noticed with satisfaction that as she was reaching the end of her story Amanda had stiffened, her heart started beating faster, and she started to check over her own jewelry. Your mother’s than, Angie drooled to herself, she had nailed it on the head. Carpe Diem Angie said to herself, throwing all caution to the wind.

  

Cops and robbers? That’s the game the boys are having us play, Amanda questioned with visible concern. As she was making this statement, Angie saw with satisfaction Amanda’s open mouth gasping as her eyes went to the boys who were now high in a tree, innocently unaware of what they were underhandedly being accused of eventually attempting to do ( steal the young girls jewelry)!

  

The two Boys had spotted a bird’s nest and where trying to see if it had eggs as the sisters watched them, backs to the bench where Amanda and Angie sat. Seeing the coast was clear, Angie quickly acted, before her story lost its effect over Amanda. Angie produced the purloined silver purse and pulled out the silky handkerchief. She spread the handkerchief out on Amanda’s silken covered lap, setting the purloined purse down upon her own.

  

I really think you should put your jewelry somewhere for safekeeping. Why don’t you wrap it up in this handkerchief, you can keep it in my purse. I’ll lend it too you if you promise to bring it back to me when you get back to the reception. Amanda nodded wisely (those earrings were very pretty Angie told herself) , Angie’s heart went to her throat, the young innocent, abroad from the reception, had swallowed Angie’s deviously luring tactic. Here, Angie promised, I’ll start, and she took of her gilded earrings and laid them gently out upon the shiny white surface of the silk handkerchief. This way I won’t lose mine either, she confided in Amanda, who looked back at Angie with her innocently wide blue eyes.

  

Amanda now showed no inhibitions while reaching up and removing her glittery necklace, laying it gently out upon the handkerchief. It was soon followed by rings and bracelet. Removing the headband and rhinestones chains, undoing her plait in the process, her long hair flowed down her back in curls. It curled up as she laid it upon the ever growing, sweetly glimmering, pile. Then she flung back her long hair and undid the screw backs of her flashy earrings, placing them on top of the heap. Angie’s heart began beating faster as she realized she was going to get away with this! Aw, she thought, as the last of Amanda’s expensively glittering jewels was added to the already glistening pile, wealthy children are so adorably cute when they are being gullible.

  

When Amanda finished, Angie looked down upon the glittering mound, unbelieving her luck. But then the unimaginable happened. Amanda, laying the handkerchief with its precious cargo on the bench next to her, stood and called back the two sisters and their young friend to the bench.

  

Angie held her breath as the girls, turned and dutifully ran up to her, the boys still high in the tree, paid no attention to them. Angie watched, almost salivating as the pretty darlings in their fluttering frocks came bouncing back, necklaces flinging in and out, obediently to Amanda’s call.

  

As they reached Amanda, she told them that they had better remove their jewelry for safe keeping. Why, Challenged Cecilia, with childish accusation? Amanda looked back at the boys in the tree, because I think you may lose them while you play, she scolded. We’re careful Cecilia retorted obstinately, as she looked from Amanda to her sister Claire. Amada looked at Claire, and lifting the girls gold necklace pointed her chin at the tree containing the two boys, and said, they will be the robber’s next game. Claire went wide eyed, and told Cecilia and Abby that they had better do as they were told.

  

Claire was closest, and with a nod from Amanda, unfastened her necklace and laid it out on the silky handkerchief. They were soon followed by her gold drop earrings, bracelet and ring. She started to back away still wearing her rhinestone hairclips. Don’t forget them… Angie started to say, but was cut off as Amanda told Claire to remove them, which she did promptly. Angie was glad she had been able to hold her tongue.

  

Cecilia was next. She approached Angie and Amanda, her long dress swishing richly as she came. She politely asked Amanda for help. Turning her back to Amanda she lifted up her long hair, Amanda remover her necklace and pin, laying them upon the growing shimmery pile. Cecilia removed her earrings and ring, happily placing them with the rest. Very pretty Angie said, admiring the dress, she lifted up the sleeve, admiring it, no bracelets, she whispered to herself, as she pulled the silky sleeve back ever so slightly.

  

Abby than approached, and quietly, obediently, unfastened her pearled necklace, and then removed her glistening matching earrings, and placed them all delicately upon the pile. Momma said to be careful with them, their Grand mama’s, she bleated sweetly, and Angie felt her heart skip several beats, suppressing an evil grin upon hearing those delicious words. Claire then helped Abby remove the pearled brooch from her satin sash.

  

Angie stood back, her heart had been pounding with cutting swords of mixed delicious pleasure and anticipation as, there on that sunlit church playground, the girls in swishy gowns, removed their valuables for “safe” keeping. She knew she now had to work fast, for there was an ever growing chance that an adult would show up from the reception and ruin Angie’s fun.

  

Angie than folded up the silk handkerchief, and in a classic bit of misdirection that would have made Gaston Monescu proud, appeared to place it inside the purse she was going to leave in the children’s safe keeping. But she actually palmed it, and slipped the bundle deep into her skirts pocket as she handed the purse over with her free hand. All three sets of eyes watching the purse, not what Angie’s other hand was doing.

  

Now go and have fun, Angie encouraged the girls as she handed the purse to Amanda. The youngsters seemed thrilled that they had an adult’s permission to keep on playing, and knowing that they would not be in danger of now being yelled at for possibly losing some of their pretty jewelry, they scurried off happily, in waves of whispery satin. Amanda stopped and gave Angie a hug before following the two sisters and their friend. The kind of hug that would have sealed the fate of any jewelry she may have still been wearing, and for which Angie did a double check for. Angie then watched Amanda run off, long gown fluttering out from behind her.

  

As the four girls rejoined the two boys, Angie slowly slinked away, melting into the woods. She allowed herself to smirk over how rewardingly gullible rich young girl’s in silky dresses ,wearing ripe for the plucking jewelry ,always proved to be.

  

Folle est l’agneau de la prune qui dans le loup avoue! She whispered to herself as she disappeared from the frolicking children’s sight.

  

She stopped suddenly as she reached a small clearing with the path leading to the rose covered arbor crossed. Not believing her eyes, as she unexpectedly saw below her fresh, opulently attired, prey.

  

A young couple was busily snogging in the garden the garden just ahead of Angie. As she looked over the pair of richly dressed pretty young things, she could not help but wonder if this couple had been in charge of watching over the children and had snuck away to be by themselves. She quickly ducked behind some bushes as the girl broke away, and with a come hither look, led her boyfriend through a rose covered arbor. Not a moment too soon, for the couple looked behind them, before crossing over the path and disappearing into the woods.

  

Angie cautiously snuck forward, and reaching the spot where they had disappeared into the woods, hears the girl giggling along with the unmistakable sounds of kissing. As the couple is otherwise occupied, Angie carefully moves into the woods. She spies the lad’s suit lying over some branches, and sees the shrubs moving underneath as the couple obviously have progressed now beyond kissing.

  

Angie spies something bright and shiny laying on the ground just in front of the shrub. She inches forward. It is the girls gown, laying spread out like a slick wet fluid purple pond , and there, in a nice neat pile, is the diamond jewelry she was wearing. Angie wonders what would have happened if some miscreant, or unscrupulous hobo were to stumble upon this scene. In her mind she reasoned that they would probably steal the jewels. So, why shouldn’t ole Angie be the one to acquire this one’s jewels also? Since she would probably be losing them anyway!

  

Angie reaches down and quietly pulls away the fluidly glossy gown, the silky material whispering along the grass as it moves. Angie keeps one ear on the couple just out of sight, the other listens for any noise on the path behind her that may betray her as she melts away back into the woods. Then, when she is a safe distance away, happily scoops up the girls small fiery diamonds. Picking up the gown she carried it back, hanging it from a limb just before leaving the path, she ran a hand along its enticing length, before leaving, snickering to herself the whole way.

  

Coup-Fourré, Angie thinks too herself as she regains the path, after carefully making sure no one else was about. Off in the distance she can just barely hear the children still at play. The purse where they innocently believed held their jewelry safe, she imagines still sitting on the bench. She thinks for a second about going back and lifting that purse, but decides not to push her luck, now that she had finally found some.

  

She once again pictured the beaming faces of the three young girls as they were being complimented on their shiny dresses by the pretty lady with the nice smile and gentle fingers as she carefully looked them over for anything missed that those nasty boys may try to take. Naively unaware that they had, in reality, been robbed of the precious gems that they had been convinced to remove for “safe keeping.”

  

Angie, for the first time, but not the last, imagined in her mind, what the children’s wide eyed astonishment would be like, they opened that sleek little purse , only to find the handkerchief had vanished! . And what the couple snogging about in the woods would make of the missing gown and jewels.

  

Editors notes:

 

Even though Angie related this story as having occurred on the same afternoon ,the chronicler felt she was keeping something back. It was never discover what, if anything had been. The answer may lie in the events unfolded above. It may be worth re-reading the story to see if anyone can pick up on it.

 

Folle est l’agneau de la prune qui dans le loup avoue!

 

Silly is the plump lamb to whom in the wolf confesses

 

Our Thanks to Mr Gardner for pointing out the existence of Mr. Monescu’s 1826 guide

 

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Courtesy of Chatwick University Archives

 

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A lithic companion, keeping watch. Stone wall in Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina.

Moving a Sheena headsculpt to a Phicen muscular body and getting her dressed up for a few shots. I like a Sheena with some muscle tone and with feet that work, but I also think she's way too buxom to make a good Sheena. In my mind, Sheena (and, for that matter, Tarzan) are much more lithe than big and muscular. More like pole vaulters than body-builders. Maybe the new slim build bodies (or, if I can dream, the body Phicen or anyone else makes when they realize Jessie Graff is awesome).

I strongly believe that earth is not just a lithic planet, a blessed - no doubt - rock but still ... a rock !!! I believe it is a living organism, a "mother" that gives life and energy to every single living organism that derives its shape, its color, its kind, its very existence from "her" ... Look at the picture above, a plain ordinary picture that has in abundance earth derived colors, plants, life ... Yellows, ochres, Greens, Reds, Light greens, cyans, blues ... colors that define nevertheless the end of a cycle, the Fall season, the beginning of winter ... Colors that you are going to meet most of them again in about six months time, during Spring season ...

 

EXIF: Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZX1, ISO 125, f 3,5, focal length 5,2 mm, auto white balance, HDR made by three original shots with shutter speeds 1/30 s, 1/60 s, 1/125 s accurately conveying the scene's exact lighting conditions to the viewer, flash did not fire, captures were auto bracketed by DMC-ZX1 with only one click ...