The Grand Illusion




The Grand Illusion - One

.."If it weren't for Mr. Challenger's quick thinking, I'm sure the Historical Society would be in cinders now.."

"Not to mention ourselves, old chap."

"I say, he's stirring..George?"

George Challenger gasped and then immediately started coughing.

"Take it easy there! You're quite lucky to be alive!"

In between the spasms of coughing, he opened his eyes, which still stung. He sat up, trying to catch his breath. God, what had happened? Had the treehouse caught fire?
No. Wait. English voices. Male English voices and -

They were not John Roxton's nor Summerlee's...

He opened his watery eyes and saw -

He sat up quickly and began to cough again.

"Take it easy!" One of the men put a hand on his shoulder. Challenger recognized him as one of the Historical Society members.

"Where - Handlar? Chasen? How?" Challenger instantly recognized his surroundings. London! But how?

"No!" Challenger said, banging his fist against the sidewalk. It couldn't be! All that COULDN'T have been a dream!

"It's all right!" Handlar said. "Your quick thinking saved the Society!"

Challenger's eyes widened as he grabbed Chasen's lapels.
"The Society be damned! Where's Roxton? Marguerite? Veronica?"

"What?" Chasen jerked away. "You must be still dazed, Challenger. They took Lord Roxton to the hospital. Mr. Malone and Professor Summerlee went after. As for your lady-friends.." Chasen looked at Handler with a wry look.

"Tell me where they're at!" Challenger yelled. "I must know!"

"Challenger, you must - " Chasen looked at Challenger's intent face and knew he wasn't going to simply lie still.

"The Queen's Hospital on Chatham Street.." Chasen shook his head as he saw Challenger quickly get up and go without a word to them.

"He always WAS an abrupt fellow.." Handlar shook his head.

******

"Is th' lass all right?" Floss peered at the unconscious woman upon the cobblestoned alley.

"Eh. Think so. Hit 'er 'ead. Would ja look at the costly stuff on 'er tho'?"

"Yer naught thinkin' of pickin' 'er pockets, aer ya, Charlie? You KNOW I don't hold ta that." Floss crossed her arms.

"Me? Why oim an honest man ah am." the man grinned.

"An' I'm th' Queen of England wi' a fancy coach an' four." Floss crossed her arms and glared at her husband.

"Yer Majesty.." Charlie quipped. "Hey, found it.." He held up the small pistol that had been in the woman's hands.

"Oi can see that." Floss said. "Shot th' other one dead, I vow."

"Go see what 'e's got.." Charlie gestured over to where the man lay sprawled out dead.

"Charlie!" Floss said. "Ya know th' place jumpin' wi' th' bobs wi' th' fire an' all that."

"E's dead ain't 'e? No use wastin' it on th' dead. 'Sides, if ya 'ur hurry then we can scat.."

Floss was at heart a practical woman. She was picking the man's pockets before Charlie even finished the sentence.

"'At's my girl.."

"Uh..." the woman started to stir.

"Whoops 'ere.." Charlie looked down at the woman. "She's comin' to, Floss. Get th' lead out!"

Floss came hurrying over with her new-found riches. By her smile, it looked like it would be a good one. Charlie started to rise, but Floss protested.

"We're not leavin' 'er 'ere. All defenless an' that.."

"Defenseless?" Charlie's voice raised up a notch. "Shot that bloke dead an' ya shoulda seen th' look on 'er face as she done it too!" Charlie shuddered. "'Tis a face ya could see on th' 'angman before ya hung from th' yardarm!"

"Uhhhh..my head..Roxton?" Margeurite Crux was indeed coming to.

"Now ye've done it, Floss." Charlie grumbled, but still knelt by Margeurite's side. ""Ere, girlie. Ya had yerself a tumble, y'did."

"Wha - ?" Margeurite's eyes snapped open.

"We'll take ya to a doctor, dear.. Floss patted her hand as Margeurite sat up.

She looked at Charlie and Floss with wide eyes.

"Who are you?"

Floss and Charlie exchanged looks and Charlie said brightly.

"Why we saved your life, we did!"

Floss knew Charlie's angle - the sweet dear. Perhaps she would give them a reward!

"I - " Marguerite looked about at the dingy looking alley disbeliveing. With her hand she felt not the greatcoat she always wore but the elegant silk of a dress.

"Roxton?" Marguerite felt afraid, and for her that was unusual.

"Must be 'er fella or her 'usband." Floss ventured.

"Maybe 'e's lookin' for 'er." Charlie said.

"Oh." Marguerite suddenly looked like the child she had never really been. "Home? Then - it was -?"

No! It HAD been real!

Marguerite suddenly grabbed Floss' arm. "Take me to Lord John Roxton!"

"'Eh now. We could, but can't exactly walk 'ere." Charlie said.

"I - can - uh..you both probably picked my pockets clean by now.." Marguerite leaned against the brick wall feeling dizzy.

"No, no, dearie! We're poor but - Charlie, catch her!"

Charlie, who had gotten up, caught Marguerite before she could fall to the ground.

"She got a lump on 'er 'ead. I say we just 'eave 'er. Th' bobs will find 'er."

"No, we'll take 'er to that fellow, Lord Roxton. We've got th' quid an' all.." Floss jerked her thumb at the dead man behind them.

"Hm, Floss, ya always were th' thinker." Charlie grinned. "We'll take 'er an' 'is Lordship can pay us for our time."

"Tha's it, Charlie. Ya stay with 'er while I get a hack."

******

The first thing Lord John Roxton saw was a beautiful woman all in white.

~I must have died..~ he thought.

He took a breath and then he started to cough violently. The woman turned.

"Oh! You're awake! She helped to sit him up in his bed.

His coughing subsided after a couple of minutes, enough to register his surroundings.

He was in a hospital!

"Where - am I?"

The nurse gave him some water to drink and said, "Why you are Queensboro Hospital, Your Lordship. You and several others were brought here after the fire."

"Fire?" Roxton looked at the nurse closely.

"Yes. A fire broke out at the Historical Society during a presentation. Fortunately there were no deaths and the building was saved, thanks to your heroic efforts." The nurse smiled, obviously enjoying his company, such as it was.

Roxton looked dazed. He was home, and if he were home, then the others -

"Marguerite.." Roxton said in a half-whisper.

The nurse frowned slightly. She did not know that Lord Roxton was married.

The door to his room opened and he saw to his relief, Ned Malone and Arthur Summerlee. Their faces too held that same bewildered look.

"John.." Summerlee smiled slightly. "So you are all right."

"Please.." the nurse said. "We simply cannot have any visitors - "

Ned spoke up. "Oh, but I am here to do a story on Lord Roxton and the fire of course. I am Ned Malone and this is Professor Summerlee."

"I don't know.." the nurse said.

Roxton flashed her a charming smile. "I am all right, aren't I?"

The nurse looked flustered. "Well yes, you inhaled a lot of smoke, but otherwise - "

"Good." Roxton said, "Now please, if you don't mind. I do wish to talk to Mr. Malone here."

"All right.but if you need anything.."

"I'll be certain to call upon you - Miss Post.."

She smiled shyly and left, closing the door.

It was then that the smiles faded from the three men.

"What is going on here?" Ned shook his head. "How can we be home?"

"I don't know.." Roxton closed his eyes briefly.

Summerlee looked tired. "I cannot believe that what we went through was just a dream brought on by smoke inhalation."

"Oh god." Ned's eyes widened. "Veronica.."

********

Veronica had her eyes closed, smiling at the morning sounds of the jungle, so near and yet far away up in the treehouse. She knew she needed to get up soon, but she would simply enjoy the small luxury of staying in bed for just a little -

"Ah, there is my little slug-a-bed.." a cheery voice said. "I'm glad you're feeling better, Veronica."

Veronica gasped and her eyes came open with shock. The last time she had heard that voice was eleven years ago!

It was her mother!

"M - mother?" Veronica looked around. The treehouse looked the same, but -

Her mother looked the same, except perhaps for a little bit of gray at her temples. She bent down and gave Veronica a kiss on her cheek.

"Yes dear. I'm so glad you're all right! We were so afraid that you would not come back to us. You were so sick." Her mother's face paled a little.

She sat up and looked down. She was wearing a modest nightgown.

"I - I don't understand.." Veronica shook her head. "You - daddy - you were gone and I was all alone.."

Her mother sat by her bed. "Oh, baby. No. It must have been a terrible dream you had while you were ill. You weren't coherent at all. You kept calling out names."

Her eyes widened. "Ned! Marguerite..Roxton! Oh, I must - "

Veronica leaped out of bed but her mother gently pushed her back in.

"Exactly.You must have been dreaming of your stories again." Her mother gently said, stroking her hair back, trying to calm Veronica down. "You mustnt become agitated."

"But I - where are they?" Veronica was glad to see her mother again, but something bothered her.

"Right here.." Her mother smiled down at her and tapped her head. "Your father will be glad to hear you're awake, darling. He's getting our supplies together for the trip."

"Trip?" Veronica's head was spinning. She felt like Alice in Wonderland!

"Why yes." her mother said. "We were going before you fell ill. We're going home."

"Home?" Veronica whispered. "But this is my - our home."

"I know, sweetheart.." Her mother kept stroking her hair back as when she had when she was a girl. "As long as we've stayed here, I suppose it would feel like it. For all it's dangers, your father and I have considered this home as well. It was where we raised you after all. But we must go home - if only to see you settled."

"S-settled?" Veronica had not even thought of that implication.

"Young men, of course." Her mother smiled.

But there was only one young man - Ned Malone - and he was in her imagination.

Or was he?

"Where are we going?" Veronica asked.

"Why, to London of course." Her mother got up. "Now, you just stay put and I will get you something to eat."

Her mother disappeared and Veronica felt tears streak down her face. She was so incredibly happy and so sad at the same time. The past eleven years had been nothing but a dream!

And yet why didn't she remember? It had been so real! Surely the five explorers she had befriended hadn't been in her imagination.

~London..~ Veronica thought as she wiped the tears from her face. Perhaps she would get her answers there.

To Be Continued!


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