Chapter 19

Allora stepped down from the carriage, and walked up the steps, the house was a blaze of lights, carriages coming and going. She smiled at the elderly gentlemen standing just inside the door "may I have your coat My Lady" he asked, Allora chuckled "you can hang it up for me but you can't have it" Ruckle chuckled helping her off with the sable jacket, his eyes subtly looked her up and down, nodding to himself with approval, Allora jumped slightly hearing a thudding noise, she looked over to see a fancy dressed butler announce a couple, a long stick with a gold knob on the top in his hand, she looked at Ruckle "is that something first mate butlers usually have?" Ruckle glanced over at Miller grinning to himself, so this was Al, Lady Montcliff, "why yes I do believe most butler's have one, would you like me to send one around to Riley?" Allora looked at him in surprise "you know Riley?" Ruckle smiled "indeed I do, most house staff know each other in one way or another." Ruckle held out his arm and lead Allora over to Miller, giving her hand a pat without even realizing it. Allora dressed in the Mauve gown that Nedra had given her, the pearl choker with the amethyst tear drop around the dresses high neck, her father's signet ring on her right index finger, Betty had done her hair up in a soft chignon and helped Allora put in the pearl earrings, saying she looked absolutely grand. Miller smiled as Ruckle told him her name, then thumping the gold knobbed stick on the marble floor intoned "Lady Montcliff" Allora heard the titters and snickers and sighed about to turn around and leave when Alex stepped forward and bowed over her hand "it gives me great pleasure that you could attend, Allora, come meet my family and friends, ignore the other's they are of no consequence" he said loud enough for the snickering ladies close by to hear, she was soon being introduced to Joe and his wife Millie, Laurel, their daughter Zara and her husband DeClan, their daughter Miranda and her husband Christopher. Connor chuckled "give me one damnit Breeton, so I know it's really you Al" Allora put her hands on her hips "I was told by Nedra that elegance and swearing didn't mix, so you won't get one friggin damnit out of me tonight Breeton and what ever you do, don't go getting excited in those tight breeches or you'll be busting out of them and embarrassing your mama." Brand grinning widely whispered to Bitsy "I like her all ready, I wonder if she bites" Bitsy grinned "ask her, here she comes" Alex brought Allora over to Brand and Bitsy making the introductions leaving Connor standing laughing, Brand grinned at Allora "it's a pleasure to meet you Al, one question though, do you bite?" Allora grinned back "depends on what's tickling my tonsils" Collin standing next to Brand started to laugh "I think Fullingham just swallowed his tongue" Kat giggled "I told you she is going to fit right in" Collin grinned down at Kat then bowed before Allora "would you honor me with this dance Lady Al" Allora with a slight grin nodded "just hold your screams of pain until after the dance, I've found it's rather embarrassing to have one's partner actually sobbing in pain on the dance floor." Allora was having a wonderful time, Laurel and her family and friends didn't seem to mind if she made verbal blunders or missed a step or two out on the dance floor, sitting down and fanning herself trying to catch her breath from a very lively dance Allora looked at the little man dressed in green with a long gray beard with a green bow in it who was now standing in front of her. "Me boyo Mal want's to be wishin yea nightie night" Allora smiled "ohh is the kid here? sure I'll say good night to him" getting up and following the little man "I be Trink just incase yea might not be known" he told her as they went up the stairs "you're the Trink of the magical green bow's huh" Trink grinned widely "that I be" opening a door. Allora walked in and instantly had Mal hanging on her chest with a little shriek then he gave an ohhhh looking at the stone hanging from her choker, Allora gave him a hug "so kiddo I hear you wanted to say night night" Mal nodded enthusiastically, Allora glanced over at Tabby who was laying on the bed looking very sad "what's the matter baby?" she asked sitting down on the bed, Tabby just gave a little purr "she be wantin to join the party but her papa said no." Allora chuckled "why don't you have your own little party in here?" Tabby looked up at Allora with a spark of interest, Mal was bouncing gleefully on her chest nodding, Trink grinned "wellll now I don't see why we couldn't, let me go check with their mama or papa" after Trink left Allora grinned "do you have dress up clothes for a party?" with a shriek Mal was suddenly dressed in his sailors outfit, black eye patch and all, Allora giggled, then looked at Tabby who was now in her dress, her cameo choker and beret. A moment later a table appeared in the middle of the room with a candelabra, lace table cloth, fancy dishes, a large fluted pitcher of apple juice and a platter filled with all sorts of pastries, two little chairs and a large center piece of flowers everything matching what was downstairs in the dining room. An hour later DeClan and Zara peeked in to see Mal, Tabby, Trink and Allora all laughing and giggling as Allora held Mal dancing around the room, Trink dancing with tiny Tabby as he hummed an off tune waltz. "and Captain Dan rode out the gale laughing and shouting at the skies having beaten Poseidon once again" Allora finished softly, standing up she tucked the covers around the sleeping hatchlings, then with a smile pulled a blanket up over Trink sound asleep on the other bed, she turned with a start to see Connor leaning against the door jam, putting her finger over her lips, blowing out all the candles she slipped past him and out of the room, Connor stood looking after her for a long moment, Trink closed his eyes again with a wide grin on his face.

"Did you have a good time? Miss Allora" Riley asked as he opened the door, Allora smiled "yes I had a grand time Riley, thank you" handing him her jacket and trying to cover a yawn. Riley shook off the rain drops from the jacket then hung it up "it's a good thing we sent off the wagon and carriage to Montcliff several days ago, all though the rain seems to be just a fine mist" Allora nodded wishing Riley a good night as she went up the stairs. Beth helped Allora undress, then went off to bed, still yawning Allora glanced at the pearl choker, pulling on her bathrobe she went downstairs to the book room to put it back in the safe. Something hit her a glancing blow on the shoulder as she quickly jumped to one side, staggering she grabbed a chair, she saw a shadowed figure climbing out of the window, saw the safe open and went vaulting through the window after the thief, Allora put up her arm to ward off the blow but wasn't quick enough as the shadowy figure burst out of the bushes striking her arm and forehead with something hard, Allora sank to the ground with a groan of pain. Riley carried Allora through the side garden doors, giving orders for a footman to fetch Dr. O'Malley, hurrying up the stairs, Beth right on his heels "she must of been out there for hours, she's soaked through, ohhh Riley do you think she's going to die? look at the terrible cut on her head" Beth cried as she opened Allora's bedroom door for Riley, "she needs to be warmed up as soon as possible, can you undress her? cook is on her way up to help" Beth nodded as cook came rushing in the bedroom a fierce frown on her face "burglars what is this town coming to when a body isn't safe in their own home" she muttered shooing Riley out of the room. Several hours later Dr. O'Malley came down the stairs "I gave her a small dose of laudanum for the pain, don't give her more then one drop in a glass of water every four hours, she has a broken arm and a nasty cut which I stitched closed on her forehead, keep her as warm as possible and let me know right away if she becomes feverish" Riley nodded a worried frown on his face as he showed the Doctor out.

Alex sat his long legs stretched out in front of him "I think the ball went over quite well" Laurel smiled "it was a smashing success and you know it, when the last guest had finally left, they were still talking about if we accepted Allora as she was then they could do no less" Alex grinned widely "what's wrong Ruckle? you look rather down, I know it takes a day or so to recover from a ball but all you did was stand around and make rude rejoinders to Miller most of the night." Bitsy sitting on Brand's shoulder chuckled "probably because he didn't sleep until almost dinner time like the rest of us" Ruckle poured himself a glass of brandy which surprised everyone "I heard rather disturbing news a few moments ago, the Sperry housemaid told the cook who informed me that a burglar broke into the Montcliff home last night and Miss Al was injured" Alex frowned sitting up "how badly was she hurt?" Ruckle took a drink "it is my understanding that she has a broken arm, a rather nasty gash on the head and is feverish having laid out in the rain unconscious for some time." Riley frowned at the door as Dr. O'Malley left again, then went back to wiping a cool cloth over Allora's face, he blinked then moved back looking over his shoulder "are there anymore non human type persons going to appear?" he asked the fairy Bitsy, with a Chuckle as she ran her hand over Allora's forehead Bitsy nodded "I do believe there are several dragon now human type person's in the front parlor at this moment" Riley could only gape at Allora who's head injury was now totally gone, the feverish sheen on her face now replaced with a slight pale complexion. "You might want to go downstairs and check on Trink, I believe he was investigating the liqueur chest when I came upstairs" Riley nodded still staring at Allora "oh Trink is an elf" Bitsy said with a grin, Riley blinked "I do not doubt for one moment that there is an elf now consuming Miss Allora's liqueur in the parlor, I shall of course go make sure he leave's me some" turning Riley left the room shutting the door with a quiet click. Allora blinked trying to wake up, through bleary eyes she looked at Bitsy "you always seem to be putting me back together" she mumbled, annoyed that her tongue didn't seem to want to work, "close your eyes and go back to sleep hon, the doctor loaded you full of pain medication and that's what is making you so groggy, some day it will dawn on the medical profession that medicating someone with a head injury is not a good idea." Connor quietly slipped into the room "how is she?" Bitsy glanced up "she will be fine once she sleeps off the laudanum, who ever it was really hit her with amazing force, she must of put her arm up to protect herself, the bone in her arm was broken so badly it went right through the skin" Connor flinched "house thieves usually don't attack someone unless they can't get away and then only enough to break free and run, it sounds like this person was trying to hurt her" Allora opened her eyes for a second "where's the kiddo's?" she mumbled, Bitsy gave a little shrug with a questioning look at Connor, "on their way back home, they had a wonderful time last night thanks to you" he told her, Allora smiled slightly "I like the kiddo's" she mumbled as she fell asleep again, Connor explained to Bitsy about Mal and Tabby's dinner party. Bitsy smiled gently brushing Allora's hair back from her forehead "Connor, could you do something about the lump under the cover's next to her that has been growling since I got here, I'd look and see what it is but I prize my skin" Connor laughed "ohh so you want me to lose my skin" Bitsy grinned "better you then me" Kat chuckled from the doorway "it's Billy" going over to the bed Kat picked up the cover "come on sweetie" she said, Billy came slinking out hissing and snarling "where's your baby?" Kat asked checking under the covers "have you seen a little pelt of ermine?" she asking picking up Billy and snuggling her with a soothing purr. Connor reached in his pocket "this? I found it in the library next to the open window" Billy's little paw came swiping out grabbing the pelt, with a purr she licked and nuzzled it snuggling closer to Kat, "Poor little thing must of been with Al when the thief attacked her" Kat said, Bitsy chuckled "that little thing growls louder then Fuzz, if it was with her it probably hasn't had anything to eat today" Kat nodded "I'll go get something for her right now, come on Billy" she left the room telling Billy she deserved a nice piece of roast at the very least. Brand and Collin were looking over the murals in the entry way when Kat came down the stairs, Collin smiled "what have you got there?" Kat frowned "this is Billy, she has been hiding under the covers next to Al all day, I figure she must be hungry" Collin took a hold of a corner of the ermine "looks like she's all ready had dinner" Billy growled fiercely at him, her little eyes slits of black "that's her baby, don't mess with it" Kat said with a grin. Connor sat in a chair next to the bed, his elbows on his knee's, his chin resting in his hands watching Al as she tossed and turned in her sleep. Al woke up mumbling "I should remember something, but I can't" Connor said soothingly "you'll remember it in the morning, what you need now is to sleep off the medicine" Allora frowned "there wasn't anything left in there to steal, how did he know where the safe was and get it open" she said her words sounding all slurred and confused in her ears. Connor chuckled "you had no problem finding it" Allora closed her eyes "you bitch where is it" is what he said just as he hit me, she mumbled Connor frowned listening to her muttering to herself "where is what?" he asked, Allora blinked several times "damned if I know, Breeton" Connor sat frowning as she fell asleep again. Connor tucked the blanket up over Allora's shoulder, she looks so delicate, so fragile that a puff of wind would blow her over, yet she is so tough inside, who would have thought there was such a woman under that scruffy Al exterior he thought, he wondered what she had that someone would try and kill for.