Earlier in the day it poured, a gray, steady, Hudson valley rain, and that may have been why Blue was one of only two to take the day’s last tour of the Chase mansion. The guide, a very knowledgeable and somewhat elderly woman named Carolyn, told Blue and the gentleman who had at the last second also appeared for the tour, that the paintings, furniture, and possessions were all original and belonged to the Chase family back when they lived here in the 19^th century. “So we ask you please to refrain from touching anything. You can look in the mirrors, but no fingerprints,” she joked.

The art was admirable. The rooms interesting. The view of the Hudson, now with sunshine streaming through breaks in the clouds, beguiling and portentous. And there were plenty of mirrors upon which not to leave fingerprints.

It was in one of these upstairs bedroom mirrors that something strange happened. The gentleman noticed that in the mirror Blue’s clothes disappeared. He looked at Blue, his eyes wide, for the lovely woman standing next to him in real life still wore her jeans and blouse. But in the mirror she was stark naked. The guide, following the gentleman’s gaze, took one look at Blue’s abundant bush and fainted straight to the floor.

Blue stepped over the body. “Evidently I have vampire clothes,” she told the gentleman, taking him firmly by the arm and leading him to the 19^th century bed whereupon she took possession of him in a most original way.