22 July 1870, Thursday

~Late Evening~

I had ended my previous record with my intent to seek an audience with Mrs Middleton. However, I was still unsettled by the thought of another confrontation with Schmidt.

I am, even now, not certain what impulse motivated me. I acted without consultation, writing a letter to Herr Schmidt expressing some of my hopes and fears and giving him the opportunity to turn from his murderous path and make amends for past wrongs he had done.

I wasn't certain how to get the letter to him. However I was confident that were he truly obsessed with revenging himself upon the League he would find some way to watch our movements. I folded the letter into a paper glider after the manner I have seen Edward use (though not nearly as sophisticated), wrote Schmidt's name on the outside wing, and sent the gilder sailing through the air out beyond the range of the Seal that protected the consulate grounds.

As the letter crossed the boundary it vanished. I could only presume that it had been delivered.

I felt as if a great weight had been lifted. Confessing my fear of Schmidt to Schmidt made me less afraid. I do not know why that should be.

Once my anxieties were relieved, I realized that I was very nearly hysterical with fear upon learning that Schmidt had tried to break though the seal last night. Especially upon learning of the Particular Attention he focussed on my rooms.

I wish I were more like Salmalin or Miss Chigwidgeon, able to face the thought of combat clear-eyed and without fear. There are just so many people to protect– so many people who I would be distressed to lose. Even those members of our company who are not my particular friends are people I have come to value and I feel that they are in my care. I do not even know what I mean by that... maybe Aunt Hethalyn knows.

I have not seen much of her on this trip. It can't be that she is tied to England for she gave me good advice on our trip to St Damien island. Though with the ghost of both Inspector MacGregor's father and the ghost of Mr Frazer's father following us around the æther must be getting rather crowded.

I should reflect on some of the advice Auntie gave me when we went up against Lady Miranda and the other remands of Mr Jerrold Moriarty's ‘Hands of Kali.' Her words heartened me at the time and may with discipline allow me to reign in this distressing tendency toward hysterical fits.

I took myself off to find Sir Cosmo and Miss Chigwidgeon to apologize for my behaviour and ran instead into Mr Hassan. He research suggested that we could talk to the Bull of Damascus directly to learn more about Schmidt and how we might defeat him. I arranged to meet Mr Hassan in the library once I had talked with Sir Cosmo and the garden fairies.

At Sir Cosmo's study I found Miss Chigwidgeon. Edward slipped into the office while we were talking. Miss Chigwidgeon thought I was there to chastise her about her lack of chaperonage, instead I apologized for the scene I caused earlier. She confided in me that Sir Cosmo had left the consulate to meet with the watchers. I was distressed but resolved not to show it. Instead I concentrated my attentions on finishing the tasks I had set myself. Sir Cosmo at least had the good sense not to go alone– Inspector MacGregor, Mr Ramsay, Mr O'Flaherty and George accompanied him.

I was in a hurry at that point and so only briefly saw Miss Sinclair as she came in search of Edward. I spoke quickly with Sweet William and said that they need not put themselves in danger delivering the message as Sir Cosmo was handling it. Sweet William said something about Birdseye, "as if she would let someone Elinore had decided to protect go off on their own."

I returned to the library to meet with Mr Hassan. He spent some time going over the details of the ritual. There were several sections I was to do without his support once he had made contact with the Bull. They were a new variant on the Veil we had used before. It was to be hoped that we could have the conversation with the Bull without attracting the notice of Herr Bopp.

The more I learn about these artifacts the more I am convinced that we must wrest the Bull from Bopp's hands. They are not solely powerful artifacts, but beings in their own right, and as such should be treated with respect. Their power should be used in the way it was intended and their sacrifice honoured!

I could not understand much of what Mr Hassan said to the Bull. The conversation was held in Mr Hassan's native tonge, of which I can speak only a few words as yet.

Also I could only hear Mr Hassan's voice and not that of the Bull so understanding would have availed me little. Fortunately I am accustomed to that from working with Mrs Cuthbert and I was able to keep my attention focussed on the matter at hand.

I could feel an odd earthy presence– as if a musky perfume filled the air to there was no real scent (or Miss Sinclair would have noticed). The conversation lasted several hours.

Near the end, I heard a commotion down in the courtyard. Mr Hassan and I completed the spell and he was just about to translate the conversation for me when we heard a rap at the door. Miss Sinclair asked if it was safe to enter. I unbarred the door and let her in.

She had a letter in her hand. It was addressed to the ‘Witch of Darlson.' The sight of the overly dramatic script combined with the method of address caused me to believe that I held in my hand Schmidt's response to my earlier letter. Miss Sinclair informed me that Inspector MacGregor had found it in his pocket after Sir Cosmo's party had been attacked by Schmidt on their way home to the consulate from their meeting with the watchers. Mrs Cuthbert and Mr Ramsey had seen to Inspector MacGregor and Mr O'Flaherty who had both been badly injured in the fight.

My earlier fears fought to resurface. Here Schmidt had taken on five formidable fighters and injured three of them severely before being driven off. And that he had the audacity to use the fight as a method of responding to my letter. That in itself was answer enough for me as to his intentions!

I hope I concealed my emotions as I read the letter. It took me several minutes to realize that he thought I was making a much more personal and exclusive offer than I had intended. What impertinence! He suggested that if I was willing to discuss a parole or other arrangement I could meet him ‘within the Shattered Eye of Eternity' as if I had any idea where that might be!

I had his answer. By attacking my friends he had declared his intention not to make peace with me and mine. I offered the hand of friendship and was rebuffed and I would ensure that the conciquences of his choices fell four-square upon him.

Mr Hassan and I joined the rest of the League downstairs. Inspector MacGregor had imbibed a bit too much of Mrs Cuthbert's medicinal brandy and he, Mr O'Flaherty, and George, while healed of the worst of their wounds, were all three sore and stiff.

Mr O'Flaherty kept muttering under his breath. Grumbling really, about Schmidt fighting dirty.

Sir Cosmo read the letter from Schmidt to the League. I noticed he glossed over the bit about a permanent and exclusive arrangement with me and the part about Schmidt feeling obligated to eliminate any rival claimants, acknowledged or no.

Unfortunately, I caught Inspector MacGregor's eye at that point and was reminded rather forcefully of our conversation back in Antwerp. He has been so very distant since we arrived in Metz. Not without cause, I fear.

The Inspectors feelings in the matter of myself may run deeper than I realized. I would not like to lose his regard and respect but I cannot give him any hope in the matter. He has my regard and respect always, but another holds my heart and it would be cruel to let him believe otherwise.

Sir Cosmo told us of the meeting with Monsieur de Marigny and the local Watcher's council. They had sent a team to the house of Monsieur Ladeau de Neveres to retrieve the spell book that had driven Monsieur Ladeau insane.

They had returned to the chapterhouse and burned the book before it could be examined. This aroused the suspicion of everyone at the meeting. Mr Ramsey and Monsieur Marigny cast a history spell to determine what had actually happened. They saw Herr Schmidt and Herr Tot cast a spell over the watchers, give them an ordinary book and send them back to the chapterhouse thinking they had fulfilled their mission.

Sir Cosmo and his party were on their way back to the consulate to raise the rest of the League when they were attacked by Schmidt. George managed to get a hold of Schmidt while the latter was trying to twist his head off. George said that he applied the ‘Seed of Energy' mantra that has been effective in preventing Schmidt from striking while intangible. George then used Schmidt's own arms as a lever to kick Schmidt in the face– sending them both tumbling off the moving carriage.

George was rightfully pleased with his success against Schmidt and gave a blow by blow account to anyone who would listen. Sir Cosmo managed to stop the horses, Mr Ramsay cast an exorcism while Inspector MacGregor and Mr O'Flaherty battled hand-to-hand with Schmidt. Schmidt grew into a 40 foot tall bronze giant and smashed poor Mr O'Flaherty into the ground. Inspector MacGregor managed to plant his iron knife deep in the foot of the giant before being plucked from the ground and squeezed like a grape. Mr Ramsay completed his spell and Schmidt was driven away, dropping the Inspector in the process. Fortunately Birdseye was there and she managed to catch him and float him down the ground. Sir Cosmo and Mr Ramsey loaded the three wounded into the coach and return to the consulate for aid. Mrs Cuthbert was summoned and saved both men from death's door.

Hassan reported on the conversation he had with the Bull. He had learned the name of Schmidt's parents. The fact that the father had actually borne the child (Hassan kept calling the parents mother-father and father-mother which was very confusing) allowed Schmidt to be free of the sorcerer who held his mother in thrall. After Schmidt had grown, he rescued his mother and killed the sorcerer.

Hassan said we now that now that we knew the name of Schmidt's parents we had two new options open to us.

The father had borne the child and that the father was of a clan of elves that is still aligned with the King and Queen of the fae and thus still bound by the compact not to make war on humans. We discussed the option of appealing directly to their royal highnesses, however, my Great-Aunt had strongly cautioned me against interacting directly with The Lords and Ladies as they make people want what they cannot have and give nothing worth having.

We decided to take the safer course and attempt to consult directly with Herr Schmidt's father and ask him to intervene with his son or act as our ambassador to the King on this matter.

We had a little time before the Watchers were due to arrive so we began to prepare the room for our guest. Mr Hassan showed Birdseye the name of the person we planned to invite and she suggested that he would much prefer a fine bottle of wine to tea. Mr Cuthbert donated a very nice bottle from the case that travels with him (and that Sweet William had not been able to find his way into).

I realized I had completely forgotten to speak to Mrs Middleton as I had promised. I took advantage of the need to ask her for a wine service to brief her on the very real dangers presented by the world of magik. I'm afraid I rather botched matters. I am not used to explaining such things to civilians and not having a child of my own did not lend me much credibility. I watched her features harden and heard the stock phrases of polite agreement that actually meant ‘get out of my sight' and I was certain I had made life difficult for Elinore.

When I told Mrs Cuthbert and Miss Sinclair of my difficulty later in the day, Miss Sinclair offered to try to mend the damage and put a more reasonable face on the facts I had presented.

Once all was in place in the library, we summoned Ælkidrim of the Dreamdancer Clan.

A stream of light flowed from a gold-framed mirror that hung on the east wall of the room. We heard the sound of hoof-beats and just as I was wondering what we would do with a horse if Schmidt's father appeared riding one, the light faded and a tall man with pointed ears stood casually in the circle. He looked a bit too underfed to be handsome but one could see a distinct resemblance to Admiral LeCoq, Miss Mitzi, and Herr Schmidt.

The lord asked why we had called him– noting what a strange group we were. Sir Cosmo, Miss Chigwidgeon, Mr Ramsey, Mrs Cuthbert, Mr Hassan, Mr Salmalin, and I were in the room and most of the rest of the League were listening at the door, ready to rush to our aid if needed.

Herr Schmidt's father exchanged pleasantries with us and we and invited him to partake of the wine. He took a seat in the chair and sampled the food and drink we had provided. We asked him for help with his son. He said didn't think there was anything he could do since Schmidt was not technically violating the compact. He also indicated that he was not in favour at the court at the moment. I told him that Schmidt had been involved in a plot to assassinate the Emperor of France.

That got his attention.

He asked what proof we had and I showed him the message we had intercepted and that I had decoded. There was short list of agents who had been assigned to the assassination of the Emperor of France and Schmidt's name was on it. Schmidt's father was greatly disturbed. We lost his attention for a time and he seemed to be thinking. When his attention returned to us he said that Schmidt was somehow existing in many places at one time contrary to the usual abilities of either djinn or fae.

He asked if he could take the note as evidence and said he would present a case to the King. He didn't make any promises, however, he did also mention that he had some local relatives and said that he would try to contact them to see if they could help us.

Sir Cosmo agreed that he could take the original note with him and we offered him the rest of the bottle of wine. He took both and disappeared into the mirror. I didn't have much hope in him as he seemed a rather weak and ineffectual being. I did think to ask him about Schmidt's reference to "The Shattered Eye of Eternity." However, he provided no useful information.

We reported back to our colleagues and discovered that the Watchers had arrived and were waiting (rather impatiently) for us. They had to wait a bit more as Mrs Cuthbert and I cast a general blessing on the entire group and a warriors blessing on Miss Bertilde, Mr Frazer, and Mr O'Flaherty. If we were going into battle with Schmidt we wanted every advantage.

Armed and ready, the League of the Golden Clematis and the Order of Saint Jerome loaded into the waiting carriages. The drive to Monsieur Ladeau's mansion was uneventful. Mr Salmalin, Miss Magda, George, and Edward searched the outside of the building and reported that it seemed deserted. We entered cautiously and found the morning tea spilled in the entry hall. Mr Frazer deduced that the maid had been grabbed from behind, knocked unconscious, and dragged away. We followed the drag marks and found the door to the ‘hidden' workspace of Monsieur Ladeau– a man altogether too fond of black laquer– floor, ceiling, and walls were covered over in black. There was half-day old blood on the altar in front of a Sphinx idol. To our great relief, Mr Frazer reported the blood to be that of a sheep. (Though it does occur to me to wonder how our Mr Frazer came by the ability to tell the difference between human blood and sheep blood– especially as he gave in to his mildly disgusting habit of tasting the evidence.)

Mr Hassan and Mrs Cuthbert had speculated earlier that the goddess Nephthys, who took the form of a sphinx, was associated with an ‘Eye of Eternity' though they were uncertain about the ‘shattered' part.

I did not notice at the time, but Edward had secured a rope to his person before entering the sorcerer's workshop. We were very grateful for this a few moments later when he and Miss Namaste found the hidden panel that opened to reveal a cracked moonstone as large as a loaf of bread. It projected a mystic glow into the room– made even more dramatic by the black walls, etc... as mentioned earlier.

Miss Chigwidgeon tried to describe what she saw while Edward moved closer to get a better look. Edward could see all the servants in a strange room. The servants were tied to chairs and Tot and Schmidt were with them. Tot appeared to be preparing to torture the servants. In another facet of the stone, Miss Chigwidgeon could see Mr and Miss Jeffers working in a workshop with Schmidt again standing in the background.

Edward obeyed my instruction not to touch the moonstone but that did not prevent him from disappearing into it, leaving the rope hanging in the air between the gem and the heavy desk he had tied it to. After that, it was all hands to the rope. We first tried to pull him out but soon gave that up made to follow the rope into the shattered stone.
I was engulfed in blackness, with an odd sense of motion, as if I were on a boat on a pitch black sea. It was a very strange sensation and seemed to last a very long time. When I arrived, all was chaos. The servants had been freed and were huddling in the far corner of the room. Miss Sinclair was holding very still as Mr Frazer tried to pull a knife from her back, Mr O'Flaherty was down and I could not tell if he was still breathing. Miss Chigwidgeon was lying unconscious in Sir Cosmo's arms while Miss Magda, Mr Salmalin, Inspector MacGregor, Mr Cuthbert, Lieutenant Wooster, Mr Caine, Edward, and our Marquis battled a room full of Schmidts.

As much as I wanted to rush to the aid of Miss Sinclair and Mr O'Flaherty I knew that I needed to start gathering power right away if I was to have any chance of aiding them. We were inside the moonstone and Schmidt had somehow figured out how to use its properties to allow him to be many at once. I took hold of the handkerchief soaked in his blood from the first time we drove him off, and used the Seed of Energy mantra as the basis for a binding spell. I hoped that it would bind all of Schmidt to this time and this place.

It was one of the most difficult things I have ever done, to stand still and focus my attention while fighting raged around me. I could see Miss Sinclair turn pale as Mr Frazer drew the knife out and stanched the bleeding, I could hear Sir Cosmo whispering words of encouragement to Miss Chigwidgeon, I could smell blood, ours and his, as Schmidt after Schmidt attacked. I looked up as I was chanting and saw one of Edward's rockets lodged in the ceiling fizzling merrily away. The sound of gunshots was constant as Mr Cuthbert, Lieutenant Wooster, Dr Wilson, Edward, and our Marquis fired at one Schmidt after another.

Mr Ramsay, Mr Hassan, and Mrs Cuthbert arrived sometime during all of this and Mrs Cuthbert went immediately to see to the fallen Mr O'Flaherty.

By the time I cast the spell my comrades had killed fourteen Schmidts. There was only one left standing. It seemed nearly futile to cast the spell at that point, however, I was not about to take chances with such formidable enemy. I completed the last knot in my string and finished the spell. All of the dead Schmidt's were dragged into the living Schmidt's body, a process that looked quite painful. I saw one seem to come tumbling out of Miss Chigwidgeon's head and then there were hundreds of Schmidts coming from every direction and being absorbed into the one body. It was a most bizarre and unsettling sight.

Schmidt staggered and tried to get his bearings. Edward's long-delayed rocket chose that moment to explode, covering the entire room, including Schmidt, in iron filings. Most of us managed to cover our faces during the explosion but the air was full of the fine dust for quite some time. It can't be good for us.

Unfortunately, even with all the pain he was in, Schmidt managed to roll to one side and cut the rope binding Edward to the outside world.

I threw my bottle of silver nitrate solution at him just as he was saying something about us needing him in order to return to the outside world. I didn't believe him for a moment though I was completely at a loss for words.

I drew my sword and began chanting to calm myself and focus. I did not know what Schmidt would do next but I was prepared to strike if necessary. It was then that I heard Hassan chanting behind me. He must have been working for some time without my realizing it as, only moments later, Schmidt was drawn into a small brass bottle in Hassan's hand. Hassan completed the ritual by corking the bottle and sealing it with twine and wax.

Ritual completed, he looked up at the rest of us and said that he thought we could escape the moonstone using the power of the Lion. He summoned the Lion's chariot and took Mrs Cuthbert and the wounded out first. Eventually we were all returned to the outside world only to find Miss Metzger, Miss Mitzi, and the French Agents led by Erick Regnier. Miss Mitzi introduced us to her niec-I mean nephew- Manfred Berri. Apparently M Regnier and M Berri had managed to stop a two part assassination attempt by Schmidt and fae outcast in his employ.

As we were getting ourselves organised and catching up with what the French had been up to– not to mention thanking Miss Metzger for watching our backs and Miss Mitzi for coming all this way– there was a shimmer in the air and the entire royal court of the Fae appeared before us.

Auberon was the King's name and Mitzi later commented that he was going though yet another ‘barbarian chic' phase. Schmidt's father was with them. We bowed or curtsied as appropriate and Auberon requested that we hand Schmidt over to him. We indicated that we wanted him kept locked away securely and Auberon said that it was nearly time to send the tithe to hell– implying that Schmidt had earned that place through his behaviour of late. That seemed like a much more secure place than we could provide so we handed the flask containing Schmidt over to the King. He gave it a vigorous shake and I thought I could hear a tiny voice yelling ‘nooooooooo' from inside the bottle.

The court left and we were reminded that we still had work to do. Miss Chigwidgeon had seen the Wizard of Ballistics and his daughter in the moonstone so Hassan and I worked on a ritual to locate them and fetch them out again with the chariot. Meanwhile the Watchers with Mr Ramsay's aid, searched the building for the missing dark magic spell book. Mrs Cuthbert took full charge of our wounded and got them all settled. Mr Frazer watched over Miss Sinclair– it was very sweet to see– perhaps he will take some direct action regarding their situation soon. One can but hope!

Miss Chigwidgeon told me later that she had actually been fighting with the Schmidt inside her own head. She had expelled him from her body just before my spell hit. Once she figured out that the rules inside her head were not the same as the rules out in the world she was able to take charge and show no fear. I'm certain that having Sir Cosmo whispering encouragement in her ear didn't hurt either.

I hardly saw anything of Mr Salmalin. We were both working on different parts of the puzzle today. He fought very bravely during the battle with Schmidt and I noticed, much earlier in the day, that he found a way to get Miss Chigwidgeon to listen to his critiques on her fighting style. I heard a bit of it as I was going upstairs in search of Sir Cosmo. He called her ‘My Lady' at every opportunity, something she cannot stand, especially coming from him. He is a very clever man.

It is not all bad, not getting to see him. I had less opportunity to test my new-found resolve in regards to waiting until February 1871 to further our... I don't know quite what to call it... potential negotiations on a possible understanding?

Mr Hassan and I found Mr and Miss Jeffers and rescued them from the moonstone before the Watchers packed up the stone for further study. There were several more entities in the stone but nothing we felt equipped to deal with. Mr Hassan later said that he wished we asked the Fairy Court to take them as well. We warned the Watchers. They took custody of both the stone and the book. M Regnier and M Berri took custody of Mr and Miss Jeffers.

Miss Sinclair and I invited Miss Mitzi to return with us to the consulate. She said she was staying with friends but that she would be pleased to come for tea and visit with Miss Metzger. I hope Miss Mitzi takes to Miss Metzger. The time of the latter's confinement draws near and I'm certain that there are special challenges to raising a half-human/half-other child. Not to mention the possibility that Miss Metzger will not want a hand in raising a child that was forced upon her. Schmidt has much to atone for and I hope he uses his time in hell wisely.

We have returned to the consulate to rest and write reports. I offered to help Sir Cosmo. He set me to making copies. It was nice to sit quietly doing a simple task. Miss Chigwidgeon has since joined us to keep Sir Cosmo company so I am able to chaperone and be useful (and update my personal record).

23 July 1870, Friday

For once we got to bed before midnight and I slept though the night. Mrs Cuthbert mentioned dreams of the war starting and her fears were confirmed at breakfast when Mr Middleton briefed Sir Cosmo on the action at the front. The war is being prosecuted about ten miles from Metz.

The plan to evacuate the civilians from the consulate has hit a snag. The planned route via rail has been blocked. There was some discussion of sending them on Wooster's boat but it would sail right next to the front and be a target for both sides to take a shots. We decided to use the Lion's chariot to send them back to London. This served three purposes: 1) evacuate Mrs Middleton and children safely, 2) make Mrs Middleton take the powers that her mother and daughter share a bit more seriously and 3) serve as a bit of a mystical distraction for anyone who is watching while a group of us sneak over the line into the Prussian camp and try to sabotage their giant gun before they can fire it on the city.

At dusk tonight Hassan, Miss Bertilde, and Inspector MacGregor will escort Mrs Middleton and the children home to London while Sir Cosmo and the rest of us follow Sweet William down a rabbit hole under the French and Prussian lines, to a ring of standing stones less than a mile from the gun.

Mr Salmalin suggested that we resume our usual classes while we wait for the light to fade. Also, we must acquire disguises if we are to pass for French farmers trying to get back to check on their farms. Miss Chigwidgeon has decided to dress as a boy so I have offered to braid her hair up so it won't fall out from under a hat at an inopportune moment as always seems to happen to women who disguise themselves as men in operas and plays.

24 July 1870, Saturday

~Early Morning~

We just returned from our mission all safe and accounted for. Inspector MacGregor had left a note asking that we wake him upon our return. Mr Ramsay had spent the evening with the Watchers examining the new artifact and writing reports for the London chapterhouse. Inspector MacGregor, Emily, and Mr Hassan deposited the Middletons with Graves at Sir Cosmo's house (as their own house would not have been ready for them on such short notice). Miss Bertilde took some time to check in with Lady Ottoline and leave a message for the street girls that she teaches self-defence to in London. She is concerned that one of the girls may have gone missing and spent a few hours looking for her before having to return to Metz.

I stayed as far away from Inspector MacGregor as possible. Yesterday, I noticed particularly that he was withdrawn and not his usual self. However, when I inquired after his health he answered me in such chilly tones that I quickly retreated. I am heart-sore at the possibility that our comradeship has been spoiled by his feelings for me. I want so much to explain to him how I feel and that I do care for him, just not in the way that he requires, but I am certain, for once in my life, that it would be like rubbing salt in both our wounds. I must keep quiet and leave him alone.

How dreadful that the two men that I most care for I must make special effort to either stay away from. Maybe by February Simon's sense and pride will have restored themselves.

So, in addition to practising the Mantras Salmalin has taught me. I now have my own to put into practise– Victoria's patented ‘Keep it to yourself' mantra.

As to our actual mission we had only a few moments of raw terror. Sweet William led us down the rabbit hole and since he had mentioned the possibility of cave nymphs I took pains to be near Lieutenant Wooster when we all joined hands and followed Sweet William underground. Mr O'Flaherty took Wooster's other hand so I was fairly certain that we would not lose him. We came out near the standing stones and hiked until we could see the gun. I was glad of my stout boots.

Mr Frazer, Mr Caine, Henri, and Edward were to sneak down the gun and renumber the shells for the big gun. The barrel expands every time it fires so the shells get progressively larger but put the wrong one in first and the gun will jam and possibly even explode. George was sent to follow them from a ways behind so he could report back if anything went wrong.

We had one scare on the way to our overlook. Lieutenant Wooster felt something run over his foot and he shrieked like a little girl. Frazier and Salmalin pushed Miss Sinclair and I to the ground (we were already ducking, but who am I to complain?). We all held our breath and tried not to move. Unfortunately Mr Cuthbert was spotted and brought forward (without giving any of the rest of us away). He stuck to the story that he was a farmer trying to get back to his fields– it did not look like the Prussian soldiers were going to believe him but then Edward popped up out the bushes crying "Grandpa, grandpa" in fluent French. He did an excellent impression of a little kid scared out of good sense– the clinging to Mr Cuthbert's knees was an especially good touch. That cinched it for the Prussians and Mr Cuthbert and Edward were let go. The walked off the way the soldiers told them to and then circled back around to join us once the way was clear again.

Sir Cosmo, Miss Chigwidgeon, Mr Cuthbert, Mrs Cuthbert, Mr O'Flaherty, Lieutenant Wooster, Miss Sinclair, Salmalin, and I waited, watching at the top of the hill ready to rescue our team should they run into difficulty. I had set up a basic circle without drawing any power. I did not want to attract attention unless necessary. I was there to counter any sorcerers that might notice our team or break the big gun using magik if the more conventional sabotage failed.

None of our efforts were needed. We took turns watching the camp until Mr Frazer, Mr Caine, Henri, George, and Edward returned. It took longer than planned because they had had to hide in the back of the ammunition tent while Prussian soldiers used the difference engine to make some calculations. Edward took advantage of the opportunity to sabotage the analisys engine as well once the soldiers had left.

We moved our base to the other side of the hill so we would not be hit by shrapnel if the gun exploded according to plan.

Which it did to our great satisfaction. We were preparing to return home when Miss Sinclair spotted a very strange cloud formation to the east. It was not magik, that was all I could tell. Those with better vison or with binoculars reported seeing a very familiar aerofrigate flying French colours, Admiral LeCoq's personal flag, the personal flag of Ludwig II of Bavaria, that of Charles of Württemberg, and Francis II of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. The mass behind the aerofrigate were more than a dozen dirigibles. Larger and slower than an aerofrigate they could also carry more as we soon discovered.

As they moved over the Prussian position, hundreds of strange wing-flapping machines dropped from the dirigibles flew down over the soldiers and gun emplacements and started firing. We took the opportunity to retreat though the rabbit hole and return home (though it took a bit of Mr O'Flaherty's brand of persuasion to get Lieutenant down the rabbit hole after his scare with the rabbit earlier).

There were, of course, reports to write, but those could wait while we got some breakfast and some much needed sleep.

25 July 1870, Sunday

I attended services in the chapel here at the consulate this morning. It was very restful. Then Miss Sinclair, Mrs Cuthbert, Miss Chigwidgeon and I met with Miss Bertilde and Salmalin for our usual exercise and language practise. I spent some time later in the day with Mr Hassan. I am trying to learn a little of his language while I have the opportunity.

Sir Cosmo told us at lunch that negotiations are now underway between France, her new allies and Prussia. The Prussians were not able to hold any of the ground they captured, so perhaps we will have succeeded in the entirety of our mission after all.

There are still loose ends in need of tying off by the League. Miss Haverson is still missing and Herr Bopp still has the Bull of Damascus. Sir Cosmo asked us today if we wished to return to London. There seems to be general agreement that we should stay on the continent, look for Miss Haverson and find a way to get the Bull away from Herr Bopp.

26 July 1870, Monday

A quiet day turned suddenly busy when Mr Middleton announced that Admiral LeCoq was here to see Sir Cosmo and his associates. Miss Sinclair and I had been relaxing after our morning exercise session and were not dressed for company. A frantic fifteen minutes followed with Tattvik helping Miss Sinclair and I get dressed and get our hair up quickly. Tattvik has such a deft hand in these matters. I am so glad that Schmidt did not have the opportunity to use my affection for her against us.

We made it downstairs in a timely manner. The Admiral was here to give us unofficial thanks from His Majesty the Emperor of France, as well as to thank us personally for preventing his half-brother from making further trouble. M Regnier and Monsieur de Marigny had reported to LeCoq on our activities. Admiral LeCoq had consulted with his allies and was prepared to offer us a tour of the aerofrigate and one of the dirigibles. Edward wanted to leave that instant (and our Marquis was only a shade less impatient) we had a nice conversation while Mr Middleton's staff prepared the carriages and we were off on a very pleasant adventure. With no explosions what-so-ever!

The tension between Miss Sinclair and Mr Frazer has been like a humming telegraph wire all week. He cares for her, she cares for him. His ghost of a father approves of her, his dog approves of her– what more could that man be waiting for!

I took an opportunity, while we were back near the noisy engines, to draw him aside and put things plainly to him. I told him that there mutual feelings for each other were clear and that she was not a conventional woman and did not expect to lead a conventional life. She is happiest when she has villain to pursue. She faced down Herr Tot by herself during fight in the moonstone and he did not survive the encounter. I told Mr Frazer that he should not wait for one of them to get killed to declare himself. I said several other things, rather passionately, now that I pause to recollect them.

We had a wonderful time flying round the city in the dirigible and Edward and our Marquis and all the rest of us got to see the flapping-wing-flying-machines. The Marquis had a name for them but I have forgotten it. Edward noted, and reported to Sir Cosmo that the flying things appear to run on terbenite batteries.

The evening air is lovely. I'm going to go sit in the garden and watch the sky for a bit before retiring. Mrs Cuthbert is taking a turn watching Sir Cosmo and Miss Chigwidgeon.

27 July 1870, Tuesday

Mrs Cuthbert and I are hiding out in her room on the third floor. After spending another twenty-four hours watching Mr Frazer try to work up the nerve to Speak to Miss Sinclair only to have him catch sight of her impatient eyebrow or clear-eyed gaze and retreat to safer topics like the weather, and watching Miss Sinclair waiting for Mr Frazer to speak and then cutting him off before he can get two words out and then changing the subject to the buttons of his coat, Mrs Cuthbert and I had had enough!

We contrived to get both of them to the parlour at the same time. Then we locked them in and told them they were not coming out until matters were settled. Ruth suspected something was up when I asked her to join me in the parlour. I am a terrible liar as she knows but rather than press the issue she gave me an out by asking if I needed a chaperone. I answered yes (for it is broadly true– I do not turn until 30 next month).

Once they were safely locked in the parlour (with the tea, wine, and snacks we had arranged beforehand) Mrs Cuthbert and I stood guard at the door. I saw Miss Chigwidgeon poke her head around the end of the hall and then scamper off. I later confirmed that she had snuck off to spend time with Sir Cosmo. He was writing reports and she was keeping him company. But that was later, much later. It took quite a while for Mr Frazer and Miss Sinclair to discuss the issue at hand. But they seemed to reach some accord and there was a very quiet, very satisfying moment just after she offered her hand on their agreement.

After the silence we heard a slight gasp and then Miss Sinclair said that they should inform Turgenov of their Understanding. Fortunately Turgenov had joined us outside the door. We unlocked it, opened the door very quietly and let him in. Then I legged it over to Sir Cosmo's office, where I did indeed find Miss Chigwidgeon and Sir Cosmo together and unchaperoned as mentioned above. I informed Miss Chigwidgeon of Miss Sinclair and Mr Frazer's Understanding and asked if she would be willing to sit chaperone for them as Mrs Cuthbert and I were going to go hide upstairs for a time.

Miss Sinclair is not a woman you want to be on the wrong side of, but this was for her own good, and if Mr Frazer makes hash of it I will give him a right ding around the ear and a good talking to!

Proceed to Blood pooled around my skirts

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