Inquiries at the closest bookstore found only vague obtuse aerial drawings, but nothing too precise. Evidently cartography was not an art in this time and place. The four of them poured over volume after volume of books looking for just the right map of olde London.
Piper tried to be her usual diligent self, but found all the attention she was getting to be very annoying.
"Back!" she kept telling them. "I am ..be with husband. Oh just GO AWAY! Guys aren't supposed to be in to these California beach bunnies for another three hundred years. Meet me at a Beach Boys concert, my good sir! What is it with these guys?"
"Ah, the curse of beautiful women!" exclaimed Paige looking up from her latest book.
"Only giving you the best I have to offer."
Her baby blue eyes popped out at Paige though it wasn't quite as expressive given her eternal perfect pout. "I asked for two scoops and you dumped the whole carton on me."
"Easy there!" whispered Leo. "We're running out of time. Wherever it is could be consumed by the fire."
"Or Sir Francis Bacon could end up on our doorstep with all of time out of whack!
Since they honestly believe in witchcraft it's not safe to leave it here in paranoia–ville!" added Piper who slammed down another old volume.
Leo added, "It would even be worse if some demon or warlock might find it!"
"Please. I feel bad enough! If I hadn't lost my temper!" whispered Piper.
Leo stopped and looked at poor Piper. "You gave him an incredible offer!"
"Who would think I'd find a shopkeeper with the ethics of the Better Business Bureau back in ye olden times!" complained Piper as she opened another volume and found a foldout outline of the city. "Whoa!" she exclaimed. "I think this beauty has found the beast!"
Though not as detailed as they would have liked it appeared to be a map made using more of the techniques used by mapmakers in the future.
"Good work, Piper. This should do it. Even if it's not from the auto club it should get us within range to call it," exclaimed Paige. Paige pulled out the required coins of the realm and purchased it.
As darkness fell on the streets of London and the local lighting company turned on the oil street lamps Leo looked around somewhat concerned. "We need a place to stay. We can't walk up to someone's office or house at this hour or wander the streets as strangers without calling attention to ourselves.
Henry looked around. "There's an inn up the street. And a pub next to it."
"We could use a nice bed and a good meal," admitted the tired Piper.
"Piper, this is a different world. I don't think you can eat there as an unmarried woman. And the inns are for male travelers. Who knows where a safe house for women is in this time and place?" lamented Leo.
"Well, I don't know where the damned YWCA is! And I don't want to sleep in the street
Try that stable over there!" pointed Piper.
Leo looked around and looked in the deserted building. "That should do it. We'll take shifts watching for trouble!" suggested the ex-whitelighter.
"I'll take the first watch," volunteered Paige. Henry immediately added that he'd join her.
Leo and Piper bedded down in a vacant horse stall.
"Almost as bad as my last bed," moaned Pier as Leo cuddled up beside her very closely.
"Leo not here! Leo!" Piper whispered as he started getting more and more frisky. "Leo we can't in this place. AND I could get arrested. Again."
"I was just so worried about you and I missed you.." he said quietly.
Piper beamed. "Me too, sweetie. But this is a horse barn!"
"And now you're .."
Piper lost her smile. "I'm what? What's that, Leo?" she said sitting up with her hands on her hips. "Your fantasy dream girl? Is this what you want?" she asked motioning to her current form. "Then go sleep in THAT stall!"
"Piper. Just cause you…" stammered Leo.
"More than I was. I know. I know. We went through that back the last time we died and were in hiding. Keep your hormones in your 'whatever that thing is' you're wearing and go to sleep. Quietly! SLEEP, angel boy! MEN! GOOD Night!" exclaimed Piper as she turned over on the damp straw and tried to sleep.
Leo wished her a good night, gave her a tiny kiss and lay down next to her drifting off to sleep.
Early in the morning Henry awoke to find Paige missing. On an old wooden crate set up in the middle of the stable Paige had opened up the sketchy map and was scrying to her heart's content. She looked quite pleased with herself as her crystal circled round and round over the map.
"Find anything?" he asked giving her a kiss on her neck.
"Good morn to you, good sir!" she kidded. "Scrying for people is easy. I just hope I have the right wordage in my head to find that lost amulet."
"You can do it! I have great faith in your magical talents," he said holding her tight. Though he usually steered clear when she was performing her magical duties, he did marvel at what she could do.
"No doubt about that. And.. Wait a minute!" she said surprised as the crystal stuck to the map like glue. "Zounds! I mean, bingo! Let's see. Waterside and Tremont. Or thereabouts! Go wake up Piper and Leo! Please," she added.
Henry found the two Wyatts wrapped up in each other.
"Hey guys. Time to get moving!" he called out shaking Leo on the shoulder.
Leo stuck his head up. "What's up, bro-in-law?"
"Paige has found something about a mile form here!" he reported as Leo stood up and brush off his previous night's bedding form his clothes.
Piper stitched out looking quite rested. "Great. Let's hit the …blonde!" exclaimed Piper pulling at the hair draped across her face. "Oh right. I'm Miss Junior Barmaid of June 1667. Great! Paige, lets get moving or how about some grub?"
Paige reached into the pocket of her cloak "Here, Henry. Take the last shillings I have. Go down to the baker and get some of whatever they have in this day and age. I don't they have any bagels!"
Leo took the money instead. "I'll go. I'm more use to the vernacular. No offense, Henry"
"None taken. I'm just an observer here," he said as Leo took off down through the early morning traffic.
By 8 in the morning the rescue crew had reached the corner that Paige has sought.
Piper looked both ways with her hands on her hips. "We're on Waterside. They say that that's Tremont. Do your stuff, Whitelighter, sis," she said anxiously.
"Amulet!" called out Paige.
"Amulet!" she repeated.
"Time traveling amulet! Damn, we've been here before," she mumbled to herself.
Leo shook his head. "Something must be protecting it. Let me make a few inquires," said Leo. "Just hang around these shops."
"I don't think I'm going to be doing my Christmas shopping here," replied Pier as she went into one shop and could only pace up and down.
Paige whispered to her to which she replied "I know. I know. Don't attract any attention. Well, sis you aren't helping with this," she said presenting herself to Paige.
Later Leo returned. "It seems to be on the possession of a Lord Fairmount. He is a personal friend of the constable who arrested Piper. And according to his chamber maid, Celeste, and couple other of his servants he came into possession of our little bauble."
"And what did he do with it? Collecting Charmed memorabilia?" asked an exasperated Piper.
"No, he presented to his wife," Leo said looking at Piper in similar way. "Not a bad thing."
"All right. Let's go get," exclaimed Piper walking off.
"It's in a private home, Piper," said Leo.
Paige suggested, "Yea, you can entertain Celeste while I can get inside. Introduce her to yourself and then take her on a shopping spree."
"I don't think," replied Leo who couldn't hold back a snicker.
"Maybe buy her a drink?" asked Henry.
Leo disagreed. "Not really in this day and age. She has to keep a clean reputation so she can keep her job in the house of a Lord. Without proper introductions she won't go with any of us. And she does seem to be a lady."
"Thank heavens for that," exclaimed Piper throwing up her hands. "So if we can't lure her into a trap, then we'll kidnap her and drug her."
"Or I'll perform a surgical strike and orb her out," Paige said with a confident twinkle in her eye.