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Post by ladyfiaran22 on Jan 1, 2019 12:50:14 GMT -5
I guess the name "Tessa" is because Tatiana sounds too Russian?
Of course, she could always go by "Tanya".
Hey, they're in the year that Doctor Who started (on November 23rd, 1963). And they've time travelled themselves Yeah, Tessa is her new name. Olga is Olivia, Maria kept her name, Anastasia is Natalie and Alexei is Alexander, Alexandra is now Alice. Back then Russian names would have sounded suspicious cuz of the Cold War. Awesome about Dr Who, I might work that in there
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Post by Tim on Jan 1, 2019 13:52:13 GMT -5
The same name her mother had. And her birth name, Alix, is the German version of Alice.
Yeah, since that show has time travel. That will be cool.
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Post by ladyfiaran22 on Jan 6, 2019 16:22:23 GMT -5
Chapter 5
"I hope Jack isn't going to be like a grumpy bear and Mollie is going to be tired, imagine flying from Japan to Iran, Iran to Germany, and then England", said Pierre as they went downstairs for breakfast.
"What? I suppose the pilot needs a rest", said Maria pragmatically.
"And Asia is so vast, but it's much faster than a ship since it's only two days compared to a month", said Pierre.
"I understand, it still feels odd to think of an Englishman going to Japan", said Tatiana.
"People go to all sorts of odd places, I know plenty of British people who go on holiday to the continent. And not just posh people, ordinary middle-class people who go to Italy, Greece, Spain or some other place. Flights to the continent can be cheap if you go to the right travel agency", he said.
"There are so many things", Tatiana mused aloud.
The hotel dining room was filling up with guests for breakfast. "Just help yourself", he said.
Tatiana nodded in thanks as the waiter poured them each a cup of coffee, taking hers with just a little sugar and milk. She took a sip of coffee and looked around, seeing mostly families and other very normal folks. The idea of being around all new and different sorts of people both frightened and fascinated her, thinking that in just two days she'd met more interesting people than in the previous twenty-one years of her life.
Tatiana was brought out of her reverie when Maria sat down with a plate of fresh waffles drenched in syrup, strawberries and whipped cream. "The food looks amazing", she enthused.
"All right, but you ought to be watch your waistline", she chided.
"And you need to gain some weight, Tessa. You've always been too thin", said Maria as she dug into her waffles.
Tatiana finished her coffee and walked over to the breakfast buffet. The bacon and sausages in the chafing dishes turned her stomach, the meat glistening with fat and the sausages especially reminding her of ugly little snakes with their shiny fat skins. She was relieved to see boiled eggs, toast and fresh fruit with yogurt as she helped herself and went back to the table. "You don't have to eat as though you're still wearing a corset", said Maria.
"I just don't like greasy things", she replied.
"Jack is the same way, it comes in handy whilst in Japan since they eat so much rice, fish and veg. Skye says fried things aren't good for you, but the British invented fried stuff with chips", said Pierre with a laugh.
They finished breakfast and he hailed a cab outside the hotel. "Heathrow, the international terminal", he told the driver.
The drive to Heathrow took them west out of the city towards the suburbs. The area seemed to consist of dull little towns with prefab houses as the sisters quickly grew bored. Heathrow appeared like a mirage from the dullness of the west London suburbs, the area opening up to reveal a massive parking lot and a modern glass and steel structure which to them resembled a big bird's nest. An eerie continuous roar filled the air as the biggest planes they had ever seen flew above them and landed nearby as the sisters pressed their noses to the window in awe.
The driver let them at the terminal and Pierre paid the fare. "Just stay close and don't get lost", he said.
The interior of the terminal resembled that of the train station except bigger and with more light. Hawkers at booths sold the same kinds of junk food and newspapers and even the squawking over the PA was the same except with planes instead of trains. The international arrivals terminal was built like a sphere with plate glass windows looking out onto the runway and gates. Several big airplanes sat in front of the gates taking on passengers while being loaded with bags, these planes bigger than the Imperial train.
"How many passengers fit on these planes?", asked Maria.
"Depends, on international flights about 200, 250 passengers. Domestic flights within Britain would be about 50 or so", said Pierre.
"I want to go on a plane", Maria declared.
"BOAC Flight #611 from Frankfurt has just landed. Passengers will be disembarking shortly", said the PA.
Right outside the window was a large white plane with the BOAC insignia on the tail. A gate was pushed up against the plane door and within fifteen minutes passengers started to emerge from the gate doors. A handsome man with wavy black hair wearing a pair of grey trousers and a white shirt under a matching sport jacket emerged through the doors, holding the hand of a little girl with long straight black braids and a pink and white gingham dress. He glanced their way and his lips turned up in a smile as Tatiana felt her heart skip a beat. At first he had looked like a business traveler; with that smile, it lit up his face and made his dark blue eyes sparkle.
"Bonjour, mon frere", he said as he hugged Pierre.
"Bonjour et bienvenue at Angleterre, mon frere petit, et Mollinka", said Pierre as the little girl hugged him.
"Bonjour, Oncle Pierre", she replied, her French spoken without their Belgian accent.
"Tessa, Maria, this is my brother Jack and my niece Mollie. Jack and Mollie, this is my girlfriend Maria and her sister Tessa", he said.
"Very glad to meet you, ladies. We've been flying since Monday, we need to rest up or we'll be asleep for the next 48 hours", said Jack.
"Rest up, we're heading up to Blackpool this weekend", said Pierre.
"Ohh, Blackpool is fun. I want to see the fun fair, there's no fun fairs like that in Japan", said Mollie eagerly. Tatiana noticed how unusually pretty the little girl was, her straight black hair and almond-shaped eyes clearly from her Japanese mother. However, her eyes were a brilliant sapphire blue with hints of violet, just like her father and uncle. She then realized that the Lacroix must all have those eyes, as she had never seen that eye color anywhere else.
"Only us Lacroix have those color eyes, Miss Tessa", said Jack.
"How did you..?", she sputtered.
Jack gave her a crooked grin and Tatiana felt faint. "I'm a mind reader, Miss Tessa. And you are better looking than in your portraits", he teased.
Tatiana couldn't help the blush creeping up her neck that turned her normally creamy complexion the color of a blush rose. "Uh, thank you", she whispered.
"Daddy, stop teasing Miss Tessa. She is too pretty", chided Mollie.
"All right, Mollie-Chan. And we ought to rest up", said Jack.
After getting their bags, Pierre led them back outside where he hailed a cab. Almost immediately after getting inside, Mollie fell asleep and Jack nearly did. "We flew from Tokyo to Tehran, Tehran to Frankfurt and Frankfurt to here. We stayed overnight in Frankfurt since our flight from Tokyo was at five in the morning. So bloody tired", he muttered.
"You can rest in the hotel, Mr. Lacroix", said Tatiana.
"Of course. And call me Jack, I'm not that old. And may I call you Tessa, I'm sure you'll do better than that other Tess", he joked.
"Jack, sometimes I swear you're all French instead of just half Waffle-French", Pierre teased.
"Hah, waffle French. And the Froggies are still mad at us, since the Jerries invaded through Belgium. And I spent time in Jerryland", he retorted.
"What's a Jerry?", asked Maria.
"A German, they call us Brits Tommies. We fought them twice, no offense ladies", said Jack.
They arrived back at the hotel and Jack immediately put Mollie to bed, after having her change into a nightgown. "I'll see how long I can stay up, otherwise I'll feel like I have a hangover. You lot can go out", he said.
"All right", agreed Pierre.
"I'll stay with you, Jack", said Tatiana.
Jack gave her that crooked grin and her heart skipped a beat. "I would be honored to have such a lovely companion, Tessa", he drawled.
Pierre and Maria tried not to smile. "All right, mon frère", he said.
Jack carefully set aside his sport jacket and draped it over the back of a chair. Tatiana noticed a flash of red near his elbow and he smiled, rolling up his sleeve to reveal a brilliant tattoo of a fiery red phoenix. "It's beautiful!", she exclaimed.
"Merci, Tessa. It's a phoenix, in Japanese mythology they're symbols of transformation, loyalty and rebirth. I got it done in Singapore during my army service, took ten hours. Don't worry, Hugo removes it before I go on a mission", he replied.
"I see, but doesn't it hurt?", she asked.
"At first when the needle goes in, but you get used to it. Since I'm not a university professor I can get one, and in Japan since I'm a gaijin people don't think I'm a gangster", he chuckled.
"Why would that be?", she asked.
"In Japan, only yakuza have tattoos. Those are gangsters, they also have four fingers on each hand", he replied as she looked horrified.
"I know, as long as you don't get in trouble in Japan you won't see them", he said.
"But they defeated us", she protested.
"And we defeated them in the last war, Tessa. Thankfully the Yanks were good occupation rulers and the Japanese like us Westerners now", he teased.
"People keep on mentioning this war, was there another great war?", she asked.
"Yes, unfortunately. Germany was at it again, a crazy and evil bloke named Hitler became ruler and invaded other countries. He also allied with Japan and Italy and Japan were just as bad in Asia. Plus Hitler and his minions carried out plans to kill all the Jews, Gypsies, homosexuals and handicapped people in their empire, they ended up killing millions of these people. Plus Russia lost 20 million defending against Germany", he said.
Tatiana was speechless. The numbers were so big and made no sense but his tone was serious, so he meant every word. "But how is that possible? With bombs?", she asked.
"Not really, people were sent to camps either to be killed or used as slave labor. British and Soviet troops liberated these camps and camera footage showed everything. It was shown in the cinemas when we were children", said Jack.
Tatiana suddenly felt faint and nauseous. "But, but Britain defeated Germany?", she pleaded.
"We did, with help from the Yanks and Soviets. Hitler committed suicide and we made the Jerries civilized people, the Yanks have bases there now. And Japan was occupied by the US, the Yanks made the emperor say he wasn't divine and made the government modern. The Japanese used to believe that the emperor was descended from the sun goddess Ameterasu. The Yanks made him admit he was human", said Jack.
"But why do you write about Japan and like it so much then?", she asked in confusion.
"Japan isn't all yakuza and barmy German allies, Tessa. There's a brilliant history, the code of bushido, and it's a gorgeous country. Plus the Japanese are temperamentally like Englishmen, I understand that", he chuckled.
"But you're really Polish and Belgian", she teased.
"Half-Belgian, half-Polish and British by the grace of God, Tessa. Isn't your Mum English?", he chuckled.
"Half-English, the German part she'd rather not mention. And I don't want to know I'm part-German myself, I'll just think of myself as an Englishwoman, I imagine being Russian would attract suspicion", she said.
"You guessed right, Tessa. After the war, the Soviets became our enemies again and we've had Brits spying for them. So I wouldn't mention that you speak Russian", said Jack.
"Are we going to Manchester tomorrow?", she asked.
"Yeah, Mollie is eager to see Nicole and Mum and Dad. She spent time with her Mum's family but she misses her British family", he replied.
"When we were in that horrid house, I vowed I would never travel anymore and would stay in place. But now I want to travel", she mused aloud.
Jack chuckled, his blue eyes amused. "It's because you're not shunted along hither and yon, Tessa. You have the choice to stay in one place or to travel, and since you've never seen much, you want to travel. You will travel, you've already been forward in time went to London and met some interesting people. Where do you want to visit?", he asked.
"I've been to Germany, Denmark, Cowes in England, and different parts of Russia. Russia has too many bad memories and we haven't seen much of Britain. Perhaps Japan, or somewhere Oriental. Maybe America", she said.
"We can't go to Russia since the Soviets don't allow people to enter or leave. Britain is lovely, since I'm British after all. Perhaps next year, each year my publisher sends me on a tour of the Orient since my books are popular there. I've been to Japan numerous times, Burma, Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Korea and the Antipodes. Too bad mainland China is off-limits, it's a Communist country. It would be amazing to see the Great Wall and the Forbidden City, China has a fascinating history", he said.
"I hope the Bolsheviks are defeated once and for all", she said.
"They will be, once people wake up and realize they're ruled y a lot of wankers", he said before he phoned room service for tea. "Think of it as closing an old book and writing a new one. Your family is safe and you'll have the chance to live as normal people. Sort of", he added with a chuckle.
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Post by Tim on Jan 6, 2019 17:13:43 GMT -5
Well, OTMA will most likely still be around when 1991 rolls around, and they'll see the fall of the Soviet Union.
I knew that World War II was going to come up sooner or later.
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Post by ladyfiaran22 on Jan 19, 2019 9:51:57 GMT -5
Chapter 6
"You are so pretty, Miss Tessa. Our English princesses and the Emperor's wife aren't as pretty", said Mollie as Jack tried to rebraid her hair.
"Thank you, but good looks aren't everything. Many beautiful girls rely on their looks and don't develop intelligence", said Tatiana.
"Are you smart, then? Mummy-san is very smart and Daddy is very smart, Oncle Pierre is very smart. That makes me smart too, right?", asked Mollie.
"I suppose, smart people often have smart children", she replied.
Jack sighed and let go of her hair. "I'm sorry, Mollie-Chan", he said.
"That's cuz you're a guy, Daddy. Daddy's don't do hair", Mollie chided.
Tatiana bit her lip to keep from laughing. "Uh, that's not nice to say, Mollie. Let me try", she said. She untied the messy braid and combed Mollie's glossy black hair before braiding it. Her long slender fingers deftly braided her hair until it was in two long black braids to her waist, shining blue-black in the lamplight.
"You have long pianist fingers, Tessa", he teased. Jack took out his cigarette case, the silver lid containing an enameled red rose crossed with a samurai sword. He offered her a cigarette and lit hers and then his with a silver Zippo lighter. "Regals, just like mon frère. Northern people smoke Regals, Southerners smoke Embassys. In France, we smoke Gauloises. Maybe I'll pick up some at the tobacco shop", he said.
Tatiana took a drag. "These are far better than Russian cigs", she said.
"I suppose they're rubbish, Soviet things are except for their weapons", he replied cynically.
"I don't want to think about it, I bet the Bolsheviks buy lots of weapons but not food", she said bitterly.
"That's what MI6 is saying, we got spies there. People are starving and they have missiles", said Jack in disgust.
"What's a Bolshevik?", asked Mollie.
"They are very bad people, they overthrew our father as king of Russia", said Tatiana.
"They sound mean, Miss Tessa. I hope they don't come to England", said Mollie in fear.
"They won't, Mollie-Chan", said Jack reassuringly, taking one final drag of his cigarette.
"We went to an art exhibition at a gallery last night and I heard the most amazing music, free jazz", said Tatiana as she finished her own cigarette.
"Really? Did Pierre call it squawking and honking?", he teased.
"Yes, but it was lovely and so free-sounding. It was like the musicians were totally improvising, playing by instinct", she said.
"Not quite, but it's about experimenting rather than sticking to the chords, like in big band jazz. It's not bad, my parents liked it, but I prefer spontaneity", he said.
"I like the Beatles", said Mollie.
Jack smiled at his daughter. "They're all right, at least they write and perform their own songs. A lot of pop stars just perform other people's songs, but the lads do write their own songs. And that's a good way to make money in show business, write popular songs and get royalties. That's money you get every time the radio plays your songs, or someone buys sheet music or an album", he explained.
"I'm hungry, Daddy", said Mollie.
"Sorry about that, Mollinka. We'll tell Uncle Pierre and Miss Maria to see if they're hungry", said Jack.
"Is Miss Maria a princess too? She's very pretty", said Mollie.
"Yes, a former princess anyways. We are getting used to not being princesses anymore", said Tatiana.
"I can't wait until Nicole's gran comes back to England, she's in Cyprus. Her gran owns an olive grove in Cyprus and she spends the summers there, she's coming back at the end of August. She makes excellent Greek food", said Mollie.
"We have Greek cousins, our great-aunt married the Greek king. I would love to see Greece", said Tatiana.
"Greece is all right, but that's more Pierre's thing", said Jack.
"Daddy, when are we going to have dinner?", asked Mollie.
Jack smiled apologetically. "Sorry about that, Mollie-Chan. I'll go ask your uncle and Miss Maria", he said.
Mollie looked at Tatiana. "Miss Tessa, are you one of the people Daddy's group saved?", she whispered.
"Yes," she replied.
"I know, Miss Tessa. Daddy's group rescues all sorts of people", said Mollie matter-of-factly.
"What sorts of people?", she asked.
"All sorts, English, Americans. Uncle Ian and Uncle Pierre go back in time too", said Mollie.
"Don't worry, no one can hear us. I cast the spell, the room is sound-proof, I should have told you that earlier", said Jack as he entered the room.
"Really? So people don't hear us at all?", she asked incredulously.
"No, and if we are speaking in public, we change the language. The Lacroix use Walloon, the Torres' Latin, the Sutherlands Anglo-Saxon and the Jarvinens Livonian. And if by some miracle someone understands these languages, the words are completely off-topic", said Jack triumphantly.
"I will get used to it, I will learn what I need", said Tatiana.
"You will, Hugo will tell you what you need to know", said Jack.
The sisters' eyes were wide in delight as they walked down Gerrard Street in Chinatown, the color and bustle so different from any street they had ever seen. The storefronts and restaurants were styled as brilliantly-colored pagodas in bright red and orange light, some of them with stone statues of lions out front. All sorts of Chinese people, young and old, dressed in both modern styles and traditional clothes, were out and about speaking in different Chinese dialects and English while from inside many of the shops came both British and Chinese pop music. The shop windows had displays of clothes, furniture and souvenirs while the restaurants were illuminated with red paper lanterns with hanging carcasses of crispy duck silhouetted in the shadows, the meat brown and glistening with fat.
"That's duck, a traditional dish from Beijing which was a favorite of the emperor's. It's quite lovely", said Jack.
"Our papa's family in Belgium hunt duck and roast them, they also hunt geese for Christmas dinner. I much prefer it to turkey, turkey is too dry", said Pierre.
"What should we order? Is Chinese food very odd?", asked Maria.
"Not at all, unless you specifically ask for something odd", said Pierre.
"This is our favorite in London, the owner's son runs the other one in Manchester", said Jack as he led them inside. The contrast between the coolness of dusk outside and the vibrantly red and gold interior was momentarily jarring but in a pleasant way, giving off a sense of warmth and just a bit of the exotic. The crimson walls were adorned with elegant, graceful golden dragons and in intervals were handsome black and gold paintings of Chinese landscapes which looked light as gossamer. Soft Chinese music came from a radio in the kitchen along with the scent of food as a waiter led them to a booth in the corner.
Pierre ordered for the table and soon the waiter brought over a pot of oolong tea, pouring them each a cup. "You don't have cream or sugar with oolong, you're supposed to drink it plain", Jack explained.
Tatiana carefully lifted the tiny cup without handles and took a sip. "Not bad, but it is smoky", she replied.
"It is, the tea leaves are dried to give them that taste", said Pierre.
"Are you sure you're going to be all right taking Mollie, Pierre?", asked Tatiana after dinner.
"Of course, at my age going to jazz clubs is silly. Besides, that club has the odd new stuff I don't like", said Pierre as him and Jack split the bill.
"The Blue Cat is down the street, it's the best club in London. They have a lot of free jazz and avant garde stuff", said Jack.
"All right, Jack", she replied.
"Don't worry, me and Pierre will take care of Mollie", said Maria reassuringly.
"Yes Daddy, I'm going to listen to the pop show on the radio. I want you to date Miss Tessa so I can have two Mummys", said Mollie.
Tatiana blushed and Maria giggled. "Uh, let's see", said Jack as he tried not to laugh.
"Kids say the darnedest things, Tessa. Mollie wants a Mum in England since her Mum is in Japan, but when I'm working on a book I'm a recluse. And writers aren't as glamorous as film stars or musicians", he said dryly.
"But being a writer requires a lot of imagination. And I'm sure writing an historical novel requires a lot of research", she said.
"It does, but unless someone makes a hit film of my books or I get a knighthood I won't become that famous. And that's the way I like it", he said.
Tatiana nodded in understanding. "I suppose you want to have a cover. How many books have you sold?", she asked.
"Um, each book averages about ten thousand hardcover, fifty thousand paperback in Britain. My British publisher has inked a deal with the American publisher Simon and Schuster to release my books in the US, so we'll see how that goes", he replied.
Jack led them down a set of steps into a basement club as Tatiana looked around. The room was smaller than half of the Mauve Room at the Alexander Palace and dimly lit by tiny lamps topped with red fringed shades and the lights from cigarettes. A tiny stage on one side held an upright piano, two microphones, a stand-up bass and two black cases while the bar on the opposite side was manned by a skinny young man sporting a beret and a goatee.
They found an empty table for two and a waitress immediately came over, her dark hair in a severe pageboy bob with straight bangs topped by a beret. "Two Singapore Slings with Beefeater", he told the waitress.
Several minutes later the waitress arrived with two glasses holding a red drink garnished with cucumber slices. "It's a Singapore Sling, gin with Cherry Heering. Had it for the first time in Singapore during my service", he said.
Tatiana was pleasantly surprised as the drink wasn't as sweet as she feared. Instead, the dryness of the gin tempered the sweetness of the cherry Heering. "Last time I was here, Chet Baker was performing and that was a big disappointment. He was shaking really bad and his playing was so off, sounded like a duck. Ian likes his stuff, but that was when he was sober. Baker is a drug addict", he explained.
"How awful", she replied.
"It is, the bloke could play trumpet lovely, had a fine singing voice and was handsome as a movie star. He got hooked on drugs and ruined his career in the states, he actually went to prison in Italy after he got his wife to smuggle drugs for hm. She was found innocent since she didn't know it was drugs, but he went to prison", said Jack.
"Horrid man", she said in disgust.
"And it gets worse. He had his mistress with him and was flaunting her in front of the cameras, plus his wife just had a baby and the lad is simple. Him and his mistress live out in Surrey with her folks, I heard", he said.
"He is a horrible person", she said in disgust.
"Some of the best artists are complete wankers, pardon my language. I suppose having an artistic temperament means having the personality of the worst sort of wide boy", said Jack with a dry chuckle.
Four young men in baggy gray suits got onstage and the audience became quiet. After a minute of warmup, the group started to play. Tatiana nodded in thanks as Jack lit her cigarette and then his, taking a drag and listening to the group. Her fingertips tapped a beat on the tabletop and she nodded, occasionally closing her eyes to concentrate on the music. After each number there was a round of scattered applause until the next song started, the audience quiet with their drinks and cigarettes. Jack signaled the waitress for another round of drinks and tipped her as she set them down at their table.
Tatiana was pleasantly buzzed when the set ended forty-five minutes later as Jack settled their bill and helped her up from the table. "I always come here when I'm in London, it's just like a jazz club in Paris", he said.
"What is Paris like?", she asked.
"Big, crowded. And French people in Paris are wankers, pardon the language. I suppose it's from living in the capital, posh Paris folks are twats. I much prefer the north of France, it's similar to Belgium. Our French is similar and the people are very friendly, plus the weather is similar to England", he replied.
Jack led her out of the club and took her hand. Tatiana tried to control the blush creeping up her neck at the contact as Jack gave her a knowing smile. "I suppose you've never held hands before", he said.
"No, Mama didn't want us getting too friendly with men. We could flirt a little, but no touching. Is this common now?", she asked.
"Yes, young people go on dates unsupervised. Only chaperones are for dances or teenagers, or they date in a big group of kids. That's in Europe and the US, I'm sure in other countries it's different", he replied.
"I see. Skye sys people live together before they marry", she said.
"Yeah, but that's mostly university students and such. Some bohemian types live together but never get married, most wouldn't do that. It's a bohemian, artist thing", he said.
"There's so much to learn, everything has changed", she murmured.
"For better or worse?", he teased.
"Both. But we'll adjust, we already been through so much", she replied.
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Post by Tim on Jan 20, 2019 18:33:46 GMT -5
Still enjoying those cigarettes, I see.
Of course, in 1963, it still wasn't generally known how bad they were.
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Post by ladyfiaran22 on Jan 20, 2019 18:51:27 GMT -5
Still enjoying those cigarettes, I see. Of course, in 1963, it still wasn't generally known how bad they were. Back then a lot more people smoked and the sisters were already smokers, plus Nicholas and Alexandra smoked. I don't smoke but I like to watch people smoke, especially if they use accessories or smoke unusual brands. Regals are a premium cigarette popular in northern England
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Post by Tim on Jan 21, 2019 0:23:05 GMT -5
No doubt, if they had been brought to 2019, that might be different. Everyone will be telling them how bad it was.
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Post by ladyfiaran22 on Feb 9, 2019 15:51:47 GMT -5
Sorry for the delay, here's the next part.
Chapter 7
"I like the trains in Japan better, they're faster and very sleek", said Mollie as they boarded the train to Manchester.
"They are, but they speed by too fast to see anything. The Japanese are the sort of folks who take others' ideas and improve on them", said Jack.
"Daddy, I can't wait to see Blackpool", said Mollie.
"Of course, Mollinka. But we need to rest first", he replied.
"How do we get to Blackpool?", asked Maria.
"We can drive and we all have cars, although it will look like a caravan. But it's more reliable than the train", said Pierre.
"Skye has her own car?", asked Tatiana in disbelief.
"Yes, it's a tiny Isetta, a bubble car. Cars are cheap as long as you don't get something flash like a Jaguar or Aston Martin. We all have Morris Minors, and Juan has a flashy red Cadillac, an American car but the steering wheel is on the right since the Yanks drive on the other side of the road", Pierre explained.
"I would like to learn to drive, since it seems so common", Tatiana mused aloud.
The train whistle blew several times and the last few passengers scrambled aboard before it pulled out of the station. Soon they had left the suburbs of North London behind and were now headed north, the neat little towns of the Home Counties whizzing by the window. Tatiana took out her book while Jack took out another book, a hardcover one with colorful wood-block prints from Japan. She glanced over and was intrigued by the colorful prints of attractive women in kimonos, samurai with swords and their distinctive topknots and lyrical Japanese landscapes. "These are wood-block prints, it's a popular style of art in Japan. These are reproductions of Tokyo life in the Tokugawa era, my novels are set during that time", Jack explained.
Tatiana saw that Maria and Pierre were occupied in playing a card game while Mollie read a book. "I see. What time period was that?", she asked.
"In the late 1500s to the 1600s. The Tokugawa shogun united Japan under one ruler since the country was divided into these little fiefdoms and they were always fighting each other. Each daimyo, or lord, had a private army of samurai and they would fight each other. After Tokugawa, many of the samurai were disbanded since they were no longer needed and they became Ronin, master less samurai. Since they weren't supposed to own land or have a business, many had no way to support themselves", said Jack.
"Like knights", she replied.
"Sort of, except that knights often had land. A lot of Ronin became beggars or had to open a business discreetly, they are still a few titled samurai families but they can actually earn a proper living, they just can't own a real sword. My ex-wife's family were one of them, the Asakawa", said Jack.
"So a samurai family is like a sort of nobility", she said.
"Kind of, the families of daimyo would be higher on the social scale, or perhaps people whose families own a corporation. The old aristocratic titles were abolished but many of these families still have the lands wealth", said Jack.
"Mummy's family is rich, they have a big posh flat in Tokyo and a big summer house up North. It's very pretty, they have a lot of sakura but they're not blooming now. I'm named Sakura cuz Daddy says I was born when the sakura blossom", said Mollie.
"Sakura are cherry blossoms, they bloom in the spring", said Jack.
"I love cherry trees, the blooms are like pink snow", said Maria.
"But they fall so quickly, Maria", said Tatiana.
"They do, that's why the samurai liked them. They're beautiful and delicate, they have a brief flowering but are stunning whilst they last", said Jack.
They arrived at Manchester Piccadilly around one that afternoon and Pierre hailed a large cab outside, giving the driver the address. Mollie was excited and kept staring out the window as the familiar landscape around Didsbury came into view. Soon they were on their street and passing Jack's apartment building and then stopped at Pierre's house. He paid the driver and then Olga, Anastasia, Alexei, Nicholas and Alexandra came over to embrace the sisters. "We're fine, Mama. London is amazing and we met some fascinating people", said Maria excitedly.
"Let's go inside first", said Tatiana.
Skye and Ian were in the parlor, the modest four-place dining room table joined by a large folding table and metal folding chairs. "Daddy!", yelled Nicole as Pierre picked up his daughter.
"I'm safe and sound, poppet. And perhaps when we pick up Giagia from the airport, you can come along with me", he said.
Nicole hugged Jack and Mollie and then began introducing her to the others. "Mollie, this is the king and queen of Russia, and they have four princesses and a prince", she babbled.
"Really? But Russia doesn't have a king and queen", said Mollie.
Nicholas grinned. "I am the former czar of Russia and this is my wife, Alexandra but she goes by Alice now. Your uncle rescued us and we all have new names. I am Nicholas Parker now, and our daughters are Olivia, Tessa, Maria, Natalie and our son is Alexander", he said.
Mollie immediately dropped into a curtsy. "Mollinka, they're not royalty anymore", Skye chided gently.
"Sorry, Aunt Skye. But the princesses are so pretty, like from a Disney film", said Mollie.
"Disney is a film studio that produces a lot of animated films based on fairy tales", Jack explained.
Ian rummaged through a drawer in the kitchen and found a menu for a takeout Indian place. "Is anyone hungry? We can order a big afternoon meal and have what is leftover for supper, or lunch tomorrow. We'll put the leftovers in the refrigerator", he explained.
"All right, we have to do the grocery shopping anyway", said Skye.
"Where do you buy groceries? There's no shops", said Alexandra.
"There's a Lion supermarket out on the motorway and a Tesco's on the opposite end of Manchester, they're building a new Tesco's in central Manchester. It's a really big shop that sells food and home goods of all sorts, you can buy meat, fruit and veg, bread, cheese, sweets and cleaning things all at one place. After we come from Blackpool, we'll show you. And nearly everyone shops there, so there's all sorts of folks buying things", said Ian.
"Amazing", Nicholas murmured.
"Mashka, Tanya, you ought to see our new dresses", said Anastasia eagerly.
Maria and Tatiana noticed their younger sister wore a bright yellow dress with a knee-length skirt, which flattered her golden brown hair which now flipped up at the ends. "All right, Nastya. Looks like our imp is growing up", teased Maria.
"Oh hush, Mashka. I don't need to wear a corset and the new style dresses are lovely, not so long and heavy", said Anastasia as she led them upstairs to her and Maria's room. The walk-in closet was filled with cute, trendy dresses in bright colors, mostly yellow and pink and shades of red. On the floor neatly arranged in rows were different kinds of shoes, a few high heels along with flats and a pair of plain white sneakers. "Skye says all the ladies wear these", she said excitedly, holding up a pair of black patent leather pumps with three inch heels.
"Be careful, you might fall down", warned Tatiana.
"I'll practice, I want to look tall and graceful", she retorted. Anastasia bent down slightly and put on the heels as she immediately became taller, her back straight and her legs looking long and lean under the hem of her dress. After a few awkward steps and clomping about, Anastasia began to walk gracefully.
"Hmm, I suppose it takes practice. But you're not wearing those at school, those might be for parties", said Maria.
"I only have one year of secondary school, maybe I can go to uni", she replied as she continued walking around the room in a circle.
Tatiana and Maria tried not to laugh at the sight of their sister in her new heels. "Soon you'll be able to find a boyfriend", teased Maria.
"Humph, maybe. But I'm not getting married until I'm old, I want to do a lot of things. Starting with Blackpool this weekend", said Anastasia.
Skye entered the room and chuckled. "You'll get used to them, Natalie. I got my first pair of heels at sixteen", she said. Skye herself wore three-inch heels which gave her already tall frame of 5'8 an extra boost, her long shapely legs under her skirt like those of a movie star.
"Wow, you're taller than Tanya", said Anastasia in awe.
"Mum and Dad are both tall. And I like wearing pretty dresses and shoes since I wear my nurse uniform at work. Would you like to go shopping tomorrow?", she asked.
"Perhaps, maybe Pierre can come with us", said Maria.
"But won't that cost money?", asked Tatiana.
"We have plenty of money, every time one of us goes back in time, we put some money in a bank and it builds up interest. The more interest it builds up, the more money you have. The Sutherland family has over $100 million pounds in the bank, but we are frugal", she said.
"What? That's amazing, I think that's how much Papa had", said Anastasia in awe.
"But that was in rubles. We live modestly so we can have money for our future needs, and it attracts less attention. Plus the money is in a trust registered in the Caribbean so the taxman doesn't find out", said Skye.
"Brilliant. But what about Papa's money?", asked Tatiana.
"I'm afraid without Hugo's help, you wouldn't be able to touch it. It's going to look suspicious if someone tried to claim Romanov money, since you're supposed to be dead", she said.
"But we can pawn our jewels if necessary, but I would rather work", said Tatiana.
"When we come back from Blackpool, I'll get you an application from my nursing school", said Skye.
The women went downstairs and saw that the family's television was showing a tennis match. Nicholas and Alexandra were fascinated and watched in rapt attention as an English doubles team competed against a Spanish team, the announcers speaking softly in the Queen's English and polite applause from the spectators. "This television is amazing! You can watch sport in London and in your home", said Nicholas in delight.
"Of course, sir. And last year when they had the World Cup in Chile, it was shown here on telly, with time delays of course. That's the big international football tournament held every for years", Ian explained.
"Wow. Did England win?", asked Alexei.
"No, Brazil did. Our team was rubbish", said Ian dismissively.
"I want to play football, Ian. Sometimes we'd see the soldiers play football at Mogilev", said Alexei.
"You can, since you no longer have hemophilia. And when Juan comes back to Manchester in September, maybe he can take you to a game at Old Trafford. He's a Manchester United supporter", said Ian.
"Is that safe?", asked Alexandra.
"Yes, madam. The supporters sometimes boo the other team or sing rude songs but they don't become violent. I'm a Leeds United supporter, I'll not support a Lancaster team", Ian declared.
"Wait until you hear those two gits talk football, it's enough to drive a person mad", teased Skye.
"I only support England and Belgium teams during tournaments, I'm not into club football", said Pierre.
"I don't like sport, period. It's a waste of time to watch other people do things you can do yourself", said Jack.
"That's because you're rubbish at it", teased Ian.
"I know, I'd rather read", Jack retorted as everyone laughed.
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Post by Tim on Feb 10, 2019 0:25:09 GMT -5
Loved the comments on Disney films.
I wonder if Anastasia has seen the Ingrid Bergman film about "her". And what would she think of it?
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Post by ladyfiaran22 on Mar 2, 2019 9:55:27 GMT -5
Chapter 8
After lunch, the group split up to go back to their respective homes. Tatiana tried not to feel upset when Jack and Mollie left, knowing they lived just down the street. She couldn't help but feel jealous when she saw Olga and Ian holding hands as they bid goodbye to their parents, Maria and Anastasia as she followed them and Alexei across the street. "Tessa, why? Girls are icky", said Alexei.
Tatiana smiled wistfully at her brother. "You're going to like girls one day, Alex", she replied.
"I'm going to be fourteen in three weeks", he retorted.
"Perhaps in a few yeas, but you have a long way until you'll want to court girls", said Tatiana as Alexei made gagging noises.
Skye laughed. "I know, I was the same way your age. I was busy with uni and working in a primary school there aren't many blokes except the janitors", she said.
"But don't you want to marry or have children?", she asked.
"Eventually, but I want to be careful. I knew girls at uni who fell pregnant, had to marry the father and drop out. I want to make sure it's the right bloke first", Skye replied.
Tatiana nodded in understanding. Once inside the Sutherlands' house, Ian placed a record on the on turntable as Let's Get Lost by Chet Baker came over the speakers. Olga nodded in approval and Alexei made a face before picking up his book from the coffee table and heading to his room. "It's not bad, but jazz isn't my thing", said Skye.
Tatiana watched as Ian poured him and Olga each a glass of wine, showing her a large flat book of maps of India as she looked closely. Tatiana's first instinct was stay and watch out for her sister, but then she realized that Olga was older and no longer a Grand Duchess who's virtue needed constant guarding. Skye seemed to understand as she gently led her upstairs. "Ian is a gentleman, Tessa. He's dated a few girls but none have worked out, they thought the idea of going to India or Persia was horrifying. Somehow I think Olivia is not that sort of girl", she laughed.
Tatiana felt better as Skye led her into the blond girl's room. It was at the top of the house in a converted attic whose steep roof was directly over her little bed topped by a black fuzzy quilt adorned with white roses. The walls were painted a pretty shade of apple green with pink and white trim and the extra furniture consisted of wooden bookshelves, a writing desk, a wardrobe, full-length mirror and nightstand topped by a pink lamp. From the windows on the left they could see the street and the one on the right they saw the backyard with its white rosebushes.
"Don't you want to grow other sorts of roses?", asked Tatiana.
"No, red roses are Lancastrian and pink is a sort of red. White roses for York, even if we live in Lancaster territory", said Skye proudly.
Tatiana noticed the white roses sitting in a glass vase on her desk, the petals still soft and dewy. "But the Wars of the Roses were nearly 500 years ago", she said.
"That's a little matter of time here in England, Stonehenge was built many thousands of years ago. And Ian and I are both members of the Richard III Society, we don't believe Richard was the evil hunchback of Shakespeare", said Skye.
"How odd, but I suppose Shakespeare did exaggerate somewhat", she replied.
"Let me show you something?", said Skye with a little grin.
Tatiana watched as the blond girl walked over to a spot above the parlor and carefully lifted up a square part of the attic floor. To her shock, she saw and Olga and Ian on the couch kissing. "I have to stop this", she hissed.
Skye closed the panel. "Tessa, Olivia is an adult woman and older than you. She has every right to kiss Ian, I doubt she's ever been kissed", she chided.
"But they aren't married, and Mama and Papa haven't given their approval", she said worriedly.
"None of you need your parents' approval except for Natalie, to date or to snog boys, Tessa. You are all adult women and it's about time you had boyfriends, I'm sure you'll want to snog with Jack", she teased as Tatiana blushed guiltily. "See, you want to snog Jack too. And it's about time my brother round a nice girl", said Skye.
"I suppose. It's just that we were never allowed to be alone with men, it feels strange", she said.
"You'll adjust, Tessa. And tomorrow we'll go shopping and we head up to Blackpool for the weekend", said Skye.
"All right. Do you have anything to read?", she asked.
"Okay, Ian has loads of books in his study. I'll show you", said Skye.
Tatiana followed her downstairs to a room on the second floor as Skye turned on a light. It was a handsome office with sturdy oak furniture and dark green walls and a matching carpet, bookshelves on three sides of the room. On top of the desk were pens and pencils in a cup, a typewriter inside a briefcase, several notepads and a telephone along with several odd figurines as she took a closer view. One of them was a man wearing a heavy crown and he sat cross-legged on a cushion, but his notable feature was his blue skin and his handsome, androgynous face. "That's Lord Krishna, Ian's favorite Hindu god. Ian is a Hindu, he converted since he feels more attuned to Hinduism than he ever did as a Catholic. He's been to India many times and has gone on pilgrimages to South India where there's a lot of temples, he also goes to a temple in Ashton-on-Lyme for services", said Skye.
"But why would a Christian convert to being a Hindu? That's very odd", said Tatiana.
"Not if you really want to join, some people don't like what they were born into and prefer other faiths. I'm Catholic and I'm content to be Catholic, but some people prefer other religions. Ian has always been fascinated with India, along with Alexander the Great and Richard III and he's been to India many times. He fell in love with the culture and the religion and converted whilst at uni, he's serious into it. He speaks Hindi and Gujarati and participates in the festivals here in Manchester, he's been to India to various pilgrimages around the country, especially Gujarat and South India. I've accepted it, not everyone was meant to be Christian", said Skye.
"But what about your parents?", she asked.
"They were shocked at first, but they accepted it since he's so sincere and devout. Besides, Hinduism is older than Christianity and is a fascinating religion. Plus, to convert you don't have to don't have to undergo any weird ritual, you just go to temple and follow the religion", said Skye.
Tatiana nodded slowly. "It just sounds so odd, everyone we knew was Christian and converting would have been seen as a sin. So in England, people can have any religion they want?", she asked.
"Yes, or no religion. I suppose in London it's even more diverse, but even here in Manchester and in Leeds and Bradford there's a lot of Hindus, Muslims, and other faiths from the subcontinent. I knew plenty of people of other religions at uni, in Scarborough it's not really very diverse. So that's one thing you will have to get used to", said Skye with a smile.
Tatiana looked at the other figurines. Another showed a man with four arms sitting cross-legged who had a third eye in his forehead and another was a beautiful woman wearing a red robe trimmed and gold who had four arms, holding red flowers in two of her arms. "The male is Shiva and the lady is Lakshmi", said Skye.
"I see", said Tatiana.
"Ian has loads of books, even a Bhagavad Gita in Sanskrit which he can read. If you want, you can look at them. He also has loads of books on Alexander and Richard", said Skye, gesturing to the bookshelves.
"All right, I just hope he's not going to convert Olivia", said Tatiana.
"He won't, it wouldn't be fair. And if she is interested, your parents will have to get used to it. Our parents were shocked at first, but they accepted it since he's very sincere and devout about being a Hindu", said Skye.
Tatiana started at one of the library and saw that the books were all about ancient Greece and Macedonia, some of them leather bound and very old and smelling vaguely of dust and age. She shook her head and saw that the books on Medieval England were similar and to her relief the books on India appeared to be newer. One of them was a large glossy book with bright color pictures of different places around India and another was a translation of the Ramayana in modern English as she carefully took out the books from the shelves. Another book caught her eye as it was bound in a newish red leather cover and had golden letters on its spine as she opened it, all the color leaving her cheeks in shock. "Uh, that's not for us", Skye whispered.
"This is obscene!", she hissed. Tatiana wanted to shut the book but her eyes couldn't look away at the drawings which depicted men and women engaged in various sexual acts. Her face grew hot and an unfamiliar feeling grew in the pit of her stomach as she tried to control her heart racing and her shallow breath.
Skye took the book from her and put it back on the shelf. "That's a Kama Sutra, it's supposed to be for married couples so they can make love in different positions. Sorry about that", said Skye.
"That's disgusting, relations are for making babies", she sniffed.
"Really? I know there's five of you, but surely your parents had relations more than five times", teased Skye as Tatiana turned bright red.
"Stop that! I'm not married and why would Ian have such a book if he's not married?", she demanded.
"Maybe because he wants to get married and have some fun with his bride, Tessa. Or perhaps he just found it interesting, not only married people shag", said Skye.
"If he does those obscene things with Olga, I will kill him", she vowed.
"Or perhaps she might like them, Tessa. One doesn't need to be married to shag these days, but it is recommended. But seriously, you ought to go out with Jack and let Olivia and Ian be a couple. If they decide to shag, it ought to be none of your business", said Skye.
"I see. I'll go and read these books", said Tatiana as she left the office.
She saw that Ian and Olga were still seated on the couch, his arm around her shoulders as they looked at a book. Olga's cheeks were flushed and her lips turned up in a genuinely happy smile as they looked through the book, her sister happier than she'd been in years. Tatiana realized that maybe Skye was right and that she ought to not interfere in her sister's happiness, but still that book made her nervous and wondered if she could get rid of it before Olga saw it as she went to her room to read.
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Post by Tim on Mar 2, 2019 12:51:02 GMT -5
Loved Tatiana's reaction to the Kama Sutra,
Nice mention of the Richard III Society. Perhaps OTMA will want to join.
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Post by ladyfiaran22 on Mar 9, 2019 19:11:03 GMT -5
This is Skye's car
Chapter 9
"Don't worry about cost, Tessa", said Skye as both women got into the blond girl's red Isetta. "I can't believe you have your own car, cars were very expensive", said Tatiana as she got in the passenger's side of the tiny bubble car. "Cars are cheap, especially if you buy something little or British. Ian has a Morris Minor and this is an Isetta, since I'm usually the only one in here. I hope Maria actually likes gardening, since that is Pierre's hobby", said Skye as she turned on the engine. "Whilst in captivity at Tsarkoe Selo, we planted vegetables in the palace gardens and Mashka worked the hardest of all. She's a big strong girl and I suppose working in a flower garden is easier than the palace gardens", said Tatiana. "That's his hobby, since he works with his mind so much. I've noticed people who work with their minds like to have hobbies involving their hands, to balance things out I suppose. I just grow my roses, maybe Olivia wants to plant different flowers", said Skye as she backed out of the driveway. Tatiana was impressed how Skye easily maneuvered the car, having never seen a woman drive before. "Perhaps you ought to have driving lessons, most women know how to drive and since we live in the suburbs a car comes in handy", said Skye. "There is so much to learn, going to nursing school, learning to drive and how to be around different people", she mused aloud. Skye nodded in understanding and turned on the radio as it played some old-fashioned dance band music. "Corny rubbish, but the pop music shows don't come on until later", she said. "It's not bad, I prefer free jazz", said Tatiana. "Hah, Jack has gotten his claws into you then? He loves that stuff, drives me nuts since it has no end or reason. But few girls like jazz, just pop music. I prefer folk music myself, I love Bob Dylan. He's an American singer who does old folk songs and his own songs, a lot of people don't like him since he's got a raspy voice but he's brilliant", said Skye. Tatiana nodded. "As long as it's not the Beatles, their music is noisy", she said. "I've heard worse, at least they write and produce their own songs. Maybe they'll grow more sophisticated", said Skye with a shrug. Skye drove out past the Didsbury town limits and followed the signs for the motorway. Soon they were on the motorway and Tatiana had a shock when she saw how fast the cars were going. "I wait for an opening and traffic and go", she said. Tatiana felt her heart rise into her throat as Skye merged into traffic and they went fast as the other cars. "Papa's car never went this fast!", she exclaimed. "This is a motorway, cars go very fast since it goes through open country. I drive slower in town, but on the motorway you go fast", she explained. Tatiana could barely nod as the cars around them went very fast, the Isetta around the same speed. The trees whizzed by in a blur and the speed was starting to make her dizzy as she leaned back against the seat. "You'll get used to it, Tessa", said Skye. It was a relief when they arrived in central Manchester and Skye parked in a garage near the train station. "Oh dear, I think that was faster than the train", she muttered. "It is, but trains are bigger. Cars give more freedom since I don't have to rely on timetables. But you'll get used to it", she said. Tatiana smiled wanly at the blond girl and took out her cigarette case and lighter, having bought them at a tobacco shop in London. The handsome aluminum box was adorned with an enamel Red Rose of Lancaster as well as the lighter as she opened the box and selected a Regal, lighting the tip and taking a drag as the first hit of nicotine entered her system. Skye waited patiently for her to finish. "I don't smoke ciggies but a lot of people I know do, it's supposed to relieve stress", she said. Tatiana nodded in agreement as she felt her nerves relax and her heartbeat go back to normal, taking another drag. "I know, I started smoking at the hospital since the other nurses said it helped relieve stress. I'm afraid I wasn't at my most calm in captivity, I hadn't had a cig in months", she said apologetically. "There's no need to apologize, Tessa. You did the best you could under the circumstances, and you came through it. Now we are going shopping", said Skye. The tall blond led them towards a large, handsome white building which took up a whole block. Plate glass windows displayed mannequins wearing the latest styles in men's, women's and children's clothes as the entrance had a guard in a black suit and cap who opened the doors for them. Tatiana was overwhelmed by the women's department which had all sorts of dresses and outfits she had never seen before. "I took Olivia and Natalie here, they loved it", she said. Tatiana nodded as Skye led her to a display of the latest styles in dresses. Even though the other girl regularly wore such dresses, the short hems and less fabric of the dresses never ceased to amaze her, a far contrast to the heavy and voluminous Edwardian dresses they had worn, or the even more elaborate Russian court dresses. "No more corsets or crinolines or petticoats, Tessa", said Skye with a laugh. "What would look good on me?", she asked. Skye studied the tall, thin brunette with a critical eye. "Hmm, we're about the same height and weight, but you have a darker coloring than me. I would recommend dark blues, purple, darker shades of red, darker shades of green. Also the blue brings out the highlights in your eyes", she said. "I see. Is that why you wear a lot of blue and green?", she asked "Yes, because I have blond hair and green brings out the highlights in my eyes. It's an art, really, finding clothes that flatter", said Skye. "I never thought about that, Mama had the seamstresses make clothes for us", said Tatiana. "Bespoke clothes are expensive when the shops have plenty of nice things", said Skye. Skye was patient as Tatiana tried on different outfits. The blond girl would either nod in approval or shake her head in disapproval as Tatiana modeled different outfits, finally selecting a decent amount of dresses. "Maybe you can start wearing trousers, they're quite practical during the winter", she said. Tatiana looked at her as though Skye had suggested running away to join a circus troupe. "Absolutely not! Women ought to not wear men's clothes", she hissed. "Women wear trousers since the 30's. Of course, we wear mostly skirts but trousers are comfortable in cold weather. And there's no real taboo, some women actually look smashing in trousers. Why don't you try a pair?", she suggested. Tatiana took a deep breath and found a pair of simple black trousers made of the same material as her skirt and went into the dressing room, She tried them on and took a deep breath before facing herself in the mirror. To her surprise and delight, the pants were more comfortable than a skirt and emphasized her legs and slim backside. "You do look smashing, Tessa. You have the perfect figure to wear trousers", said Skye. "Thank you, I'm just concerned about Mama and Papa", she admitted. "I bought Natalie and Olivia trousers and jeans, your parents were horrified at first but I explained that it's very common and fashionable and it would help them fit in better. Only old or very religious ladies wear skirts exclusively", said Skye. "All right, then", said Tatiana. Skye paid for the clothes and Tatiana tried not to wince at the amount. "They're being delivered to the house", she explained. "I will pay you back, Skye", she vowed. "I told you, no worries. Now let's get lunch", she said. The store had a little café where ladies sat and had tea and sandwiches, soft jazz coming over the PA. They found a table and Skye ordered a pot of tea and sandwiches. "Skye, is Ian an apostate?", she asked. "No, he is a Hindu and formally renounced Christianity. There's quite a few Hindus in England", said Skye. "I see. But isn't that odd for an Englishman to follow a foreign religion?", she asked. "No, in Britain people can have any religion or no religion. I know people who practice all sorts of religion, or converted. Manchester has all sorts of people, and London even more so. I'm Catholic, in case you're wondering", she said with a laugh. "Good. It just feels odd to think of English people not wanting to be Christian. Non-Christians aren't treated well", she said. "There is prejudice, but that's on a personal level since it's illegal to discriminate against folks for being different. Schools must accept all children who live in the area, or pay the entrance fee if it's a fee-paying school", she explained. "I see, there's so much to learn", said Tatiana. "You will learn, and you will meet all sorts of people and do and see all sorts of things, Tessa Parker", said Skye as the waitress arrived with their tea and sandwiches.
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Post by Tim on Mar 10, 2019 0:23:46 GMT -5
The comments about cars make sense. In 1918, cars were still just coming into common usage.
I wonder how close they are to the Kennedy assassination?
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Post by ladyfiaran22 on Mar 17, 2019 12:16:55 GMT -5
BTW Tim, this is set in mid July so they came forward precisely the same time around their actual execution.
Chapter 10
"The caravan is ready to depart", joked Alexei as he placed the last bag in the trunk of Ian's car.
"I know", said Anastasia.
Ian, Olga, Alexei, Nicholas and Alexandra got in Ian's car while Maria, Anastasia, and Nicole got in Pierre's car, Tatiana, Skye and Mollie going in Jack's car. Ian led the way as the little caravan left the street behind. Tatiana felt a frisson of excitement as she sat in the front seat next to Jack and watched his strong hands on the steering wheel. "Daddy has a nice car, it's big and Japanese cars are little", said Mollie.
"Because Japan is a small country so they can't have big cars", Jack explained.
"Miss Tessa, you should go to Japan. It's lovely when the Sakura are blooming and all the flowers bloom", said Mollie.
"Perhaps one day, Mollie", she replied.
Soon they were on the motorway and Tatiana braced herself for the speed. This time she was ready and the speed didn't make her dizzy as Jack maneuvered onto the incoming traffic. "We ought to be in Blackpool in an hour, we're staying at the Blackpool Arms", said Jack.
"Ooh, I like the Arms! They're near the fun fair and they have a games arcade with pinball, a swimming pool and a big restaurant", said Mollie happily.
"I suppose it sounds nice", said Tatiana.
"Plus Juan lives there during the summer, lazy git", Jack chuckled.
"So he lives in a hotel during the summer? I suppose it's practical", said Tatiana.
"It is, no use renting a flat for three months. Maybe later we can go to his club, the Wagon Wheel North. But that's more for the younger set, dancing to pop music", said Jack with a shrug.
When the caravan arrived in Blackpool, the first thing they noticed was the long stretch of flat yellow sand and the bracing sea air. "This is like Cowes", said Alexandra happily.
"Sort of, it's colder here. We'll check in and then look around, Blackpool is very safe", said Pierre reassuringly.
Their hotel was a large, handsome brick building overlooking the sea as smartly dressed young men in maroon jackets and white caps handled their bags. Nicole and Mollie were eager to see the rest of the hotel as Maria and Anastasia volunteered to take them around. "Relax, the hotel has good security", Jack told the family.
"I see, but old habits die hard", said Nicholas.
"Ooh look, there's the swimming pool, and there's the games arcade", said Nicole eagerly.
"I like swimming, but I want to see the arcade", said Mollie.
"Hola, senoritas. Y que estamos hacienda con mis primas (Hello, ladies. And what are you doing with my nieces)?", asked a droll Spanish voice.
"Uncle Juan!", the girls shouted as they hugged a dark-haired man.
Anastasia understood some of the Spanish since it was similar to French and then her heart skipped a beat. Juan was the most handsome man she had ever seen, of medium height that still towered over her 5'2. His curly dark brown hair was a bit long and his swarthy complexion showed his Mexican heritage, but his eyes were his most striking feature. They were an unusual amber color which looked almost golden and tilted slightly at the corners, fringed by dark lashes and which twinkled with amusement. Juan had a rakish air about him with his tight black trousers, red silk shirt open at the collar and black Beatle boots, a crooked grin on his face which made her heart beat fast.
"Perdon, I forgot to introduce myself. I am Juan Torres Hill", he said, his English spoken with a slight Mexican accent.
"That is an odd name, Mr. Torres Hill", said Maria.
"Si, my father is from Mexico and my mother is English but I was born and raised in Mexico, in Jalisco where my father's family owns an agave farm, we make tequila. In Spanish countries, people use both surnames but the father's comes first", he explained.
"Ah, interesting. I am Natalie Parker, and this is my sister Maria", said Anastasia as she finally found her voice.
"Ah, glad to meet such lovely senoritas mas bellas, verdad? And I'm glad to hear Pierre has a girlfriend, Nicole needs a mother. Do you want me to show you around?", asked Juan.
Anastasia could only nod as Maria gave her a knowing smile. Maria held the girls' hands while Anastasia tried to concentrate on the tour, her cheeks pink and her heart throbbing in her chest. "This is the casino, it's not bad but there's a lot of old ladies playing slot machines and bingo", said Juan.
The sisters peered inside and saw rows of gaudily-colored slot machines clanging and whirring as old ladies compulsively pulled the levers. There were low tables surrounded by men and a few women where they played cards, rolled dice or watched a spinning roulette wheel, the air heavy with cigarette smoke and whiskey. "Ugh", said Maria in distaste.
"Gambling for dosh isn't my thing, too risky. I'd rather have money for records", said Juan.
Anastasia nodded as she tried not to cough and the cigarette fumes burned her eyes. "Sorry about that, senoritas. Over there is the swimming pool, the changing rooms are over there. Just mind the children", said Juan. The swimming pool was just like the one at Tsarkoe Selo, filled with mothers and children swimming and splashing about while supervised by a lifeguard. "The gift shop sells bathing suits and the rooms have towels, if you want to go swimming. And over here is the restaurant, they're about to serve lunch. If you're staying here, the meals are free", said Juan.
The rest of the group was already seated at several tables adjacent to each other and they found extra chairs. "Just go up to the serving line and help yourselves, meals here are for guests", said Jack.
Tatiana noticed how Anastasia kept sneaking looks at Juan and made a note to talk with her youngest sister as they went to get food. She did have to admit Juan was handsome, but he appeared to be in his mid-twenties and had a rakish air about him that was too mature for her 17-year old sister. She made a mental note to have a talk with their parents as she went with Jack and Mollie to get lunch. "I know, Juan is a bit of a bounder but he's a good lad. I would speak to Natalie, but she seems like a headstrong girl", said Jack.
"You really are a mind reader, Jack", she retorted cheerfully.
"I am, Tessa. But Juan is a good lad, his clubs are successful and his big vice is buying records, he plays them at his clubs", said Jack.
"She's always been headstrong with a stubborn streak, I don't want her to do something foolish", sighed Tatiana.
Anastasia was vaguely disappointed when Juan said he was going to take a nap. "It's so that I can stay up late dancing, the club doesn't close until five in the morning", he'd explained.
"That sounds awesome, Mr. Torres. So you stay up all night dancing?", asked Alexei, his eyes wide.
"Si, taking a nap is healthier than pills", said Juan.
"Nat, Juan is too old for you", chided Olga.
Anastasia glared at her eldest sister. "He's only eight years older, Papa is older than Mama. And Ian is older than you", she retorted.
"Natalie, Olivia is an adult you're still a teenager", said Alexandra.
Nicholas looked bemused at the situation, never thinking he would ever see this. "Natalie, your mother is right and so is Olivia. You ought to concentrate on school and not boys. Plus Mr. Torres is too old for you, plus he owns a club and goes dancing until dawn", he said.
"But my sisters have boyfriends", she protested.
"They are older and their boyfriends are appropriate, Natalie", said Alexandra.
"Juan is cool", said Alexei as Anastasia gave him a grateful smile.
"Do you want to visit the fun fair?", asked Jack, trying to change the topic.
"Ooh, yes Daddy!", squealed Mollie.
"What's a fun fair?", asked Maria.
"It's a sort of amusement park, there's rides, games and music", said Pierre.
"That sounds fun", said Alexei, nudging Anastasia.
"Yeah, it sounds fun", she agreed.
"No thank you, Pierre. At our ages, that sounds silly", said Nicholas.
"I'm tired", said Alexandra.
"I'll follow Juan's lead and take a nap, I want to take Olivia dancing at the Tower Ballroom", said Ian.
"I love dancing", sighed Olga happily.
Ian smiled and squeezed her hand under the table. "It's a ballroom at Blackpool Tower with a live band, they have dancing until midnight. It's very respectable, mostly couples", he said to reassure Nicholas and Alexandra.
"All right, I suppose it won't hurt", said Nicholas.
"Thank you, Papa", she replied.
Nicholas smiled at his oldest daughter, seeing how happy and lovely she looked with Ian. "I am just glad to see you happy, my dear. It's been too long", he said.
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