Part Four of 'The Dragon's Heart' series

Saturday June 25, 1881 – (The Day after 'The Adventures of the Masked Lady')

Saturday is a peculiar day for both Jenny and me. We are both so very… nervous with each other. She spends the morning cleaning 'The Cheapside Gin Palace' as usual. I stay close by in case she needs assistance, as she is still experiencing some lingering after effects of the soporific I deployed to render the house servants unconscious during the final raids on the Black Scorpion Tong. We speak very little though. For my part, I have no wish to remind her that she no longer needs my protection from the Black Scorpion Tong.

The Tong itself is broken, and the Ape who threatened Jenny dealt with. I'd never eaten Chinese before. I found it tasty, and slightly spicy. I added the coins demanded by the Senior Scorpion, and made sure to leave enough of the body that the message so clear that even any Ape who thought my young human an easy target could understand: Paws Off!.

When she is done with the cleaning, Jenny seems rather lost. There are no criminals to follow, no new notes to copy, no observations to discuss and my little flat is spotlessly clean. She eventually goes up to the roof to practice her knife drills.

That reminds me that I need to find her a more appropriate weapon. The oversize knife she'd taken as a prize from a dead member of the Black Scorpion Tong is fine for studying basic blade work, but it allows a foe to get far too close to her. Given that most enemies will likely be larger than Jenny, this is not a good idea. She'd improvised with a broom or broom handle as a weapon several times over the last few weeks, but she deserves something better if our classes are to continue.

That assumes, of course, that Jenny wishes to continue. It dawned on me on yesterday, while Jenny spoke of now being able to venture closer to her old neighbourhood, that she no longer has a reason to stay. A few days after we first met, I suggested that she remain at the Gin Palace so I could protect her until the danger posed by the Scorpions was solved. Now that is done, and perhaps she is tired of sharing a tiny bed in a tiny flat with a large and grumpy lizard woman who always insults Apes, and can barely tell them apart. If that's so, and she chooses to leave, then the chances that she will continue with our bargain of a class every day is remote. Oh, she might persist for a time, as Jenny seems to appreciate the lessons I teach her, but time and distance will eventually wear her down. For my own part, though I would never admit it to her, her presence here lets me feel just a little less lonely, and I feel very ambivalent about whether I wish to regain my privacy at the cost of her leaving me.

To add to my confusion, I sit staring at an old poster from the 'Monstre Gathering' with its overblown blurb about the main act: "The Amazing Lizard Lady." It's from my first day with Henry Jago's Troupe. It's worn, stained and a bit torn, but I've kept it. That was on my first day of joining the troupe, after returning to this place and time that I'd acted as a protector of Apes, not as a predator.

Jenny realized yesterday that years ago I'd rescued her from a madman. She was the young monkey that the Doctor and I saved when I'd first joined the troupe. On some level, she'd recognized me, and so had never been terrified of this fierce monster that could easily make a snack of her. And I, in my folly, had decided that I had a new pet. When did my pet start to turn into something more?

I've been so alone these last several years, and the months after I left the troupe were, if not the worst since I awoke, then still decidedly cheerless. Now, however, I have both a student to teach the arts of combat to, and a guide who teaches me about the city and Apes around me. I still don't like the Apes; they stink too much, and are too loud, but now and then through Jenny I am meeting and interacting with Apes that I can… appreciate. However the hard truth is that I will never think of any of them friends or even equals. They are animals.

Even Jenny, who I admit I see less and less as a pet every day.

There was a minute yesterday, when Jenny cupped my cheek and thanked me for saving her life, that I almost believed that someday I might be ready to have an Ape as a friend. Common sense came to my rescue though. Someday she will leave. Very likely that someday will be soon. Losing my clever student will hurt enough. I swear that I will never be that vulnerable to the pain of loss of friends and comrades again.

Besides no Ape could ever come close to my sword sisters; to my clan! There were ties there of blood and pain, and a willingness to defend each other to our last breath that no Ape could ever match. Not even Jenny.

Saturday evening find us with a new challenge.

It starts, not surprisingly, with Jenny and our Ape acquaintances: James Thackeray of the Bank of England, Inspector Abernathy of Scotland Yard, and Constable Palmer of the City of London Police. Or rather, it starts with the male Apes; Jenny as usual is just in the right place and time to help them with their problem. Or rather to get into as much mischief as any bored young warrior cadet ever did.

The males are drinking in the Area behind "The Cheapside Gin Palace" with a new associate; a tall thin Ape with almost no meat on its bones, which smells of ink and paper and sawdust. The Ape is seeking Inspector Abernathy's assistance with what it describes as a 'delicate' problem. It wants help, but keeps insisting that it doesn't want any 'official' intervention.

I find this a rather foolish approach. If the Ape does not want official intervention, why is it speaking with Abernathy, who despite being a police inspector is, as Jenny says, 'not the sharpest knife in the drawer?'

Jenny, sitting on the stairs (she wisely refuses to go into the Gin Palace in the evenings) overhears the Ape discussing its problem. Personally, I was not paying much attention, having lost the thread of the very convoluted conversation. At one point, Jenny pipes up: "You know, you should ask Madame Vastra for help with that. She could help you solve it; she's pretty clever."

I want to give her a sharp warning hiss, but didn't dare with several Apes sitting around us.

"While I admire your enthusiasm," replies the new Ape, "We need someone who can put together bits and pieces of information, and not be obvious about it. Someone who can either blend in, or whom no one would suspect is investigating."

"That's why Madame Vastra could help, sir. She picked up right quick on what was bothering me when we first met," replies Jenny. "And she helped me when I had to…fetch my copybook and clothes from where I'd left 'em. She outsmarted some… toughs that were looking for me. Walked us right by them, she did."

"Now that's a good idea!" Abernathy says happily. "Respectable widow and her maid visiting the tournament, no one will look twice at that." Although Thackeray shakes his head at Abernathy, Constable Palmer… is suddenly looking straight at Jenny with narrowed eyes. This Ape I know well enough to guess that he is taking a great deal of interest in what Jenny is saying.

"This 'salty arms' thing," continues Jenny, "Never heard of one of those. You said the Army is involved. Is it like a Navy cutlass drill display? Seen one of those, once."

The Ape puffs itself up and declaims, "The Grand Military Tournament and Assault at Arms consists of competitions designed to encourage skill at arms for regular and volunteer members of the Army."

"So it's bigger with lots more displays?" Jenny is trying not to bounce on the stairs. The other Apes shake their heads and chuckle as the Ape deflates.

I've discovered that Jenny is fascinated by weapons. While she has kept her word and never touched my blade, she takes every opportunity to study it when we are training. She's made a very good sheathe for her knife, and she has somehow managed to capture several knives, which she works on from time to time. She likes to work on modifying them (tinkering with them, she calls it.) I suspect that's where the sudden enthusiasm for this case comes from. I'm not even certain what the Ape actually wants.

"Yes, it's much bigger. The scale of this event dwarfs all previous efforts at such displays. The Agricultural Hall in Islington can seat up to 10,000 spectators. Last year in 1880 was our first year and the Tournament ran for six days. The Duke of Cambridge himself gave his permission for the event, on condition that a sum of five hundred pounds should be paid to charity."

"Charity, Mr Maxwell?" asks Jenny. Trust the girl to actually pay attention to Ape names.

The Ape Maxwell nods. I think that may be Ape for 'yes.' "The Duke sponsors 'The Royal Cambridge Asylum for Soldiers' Widows.' The Tournament Board now owes it a thousand pounds, five hundred from last year's tournament, and five hundred from this year's event."

"Don't recall seeing anything in the papers 'bout any tournament," says Jenny. "Mind, we weren't looking for it either."

I almost smile. Jenny is correct; in the last several weeks we were far more interested in seeing what the newspapers were saying about the so-called "Masked Lady Robberies" than in any advertising for so-called sporting events.

"Several members of the Royal Family came to witness some of the events, and that received some attention from the newspapers," explains Ape Maxwell. "But we are losing money hand over fist! Someone must be stealing it, but we have no idea who! Worse, as the assistant treasurer, I am responsible for the day-to-day funds. Thackeray here thinks we might have an embezzler. I've been over the books, but I can't find anything wrong! It's my reputation that will be in tatters at the end of this. Yet the Tournament certainly doesn't want the attention that the police will bring if they are all over the place, harassing anything that moves. We need some sort of… private investigator."

"See, that's where Madame's perfect," says Jenny. "In the middle of all those soldiers, everyone'll think she's just there for the show!"

"I'm not sure…"

"Let 'em try sir," says a surprising voice. Jenny and I both turn towards Constable Palmer. "Madame Vastra's got fresh eyes at least, and she might see something your men have missed." He eyes Jenny for a long minute, then he lopsidedly bears of his teeth at her, "And Jenny can handle herself pretty well. If the pair of them get into mischief, she can probably talk her way back out again. Or hit them with a stick if they prove difficult. She won't let Madame Vastra get hurt."

Although I want to protest that it is I who protects my young human, not the other way around, it suddenly occurs to me that Constable Palmer may be close to figuring out just who the Masked Lady robbers really were. That would be a shame, since despite their occasional run-ins, I suspect that Jenny likes him, and the police whistle he gave her as a birthday present helped save her life last week. I would dislike it if anything deadly happened to him. Worse, Jenny would be very unhappy if the deadly thing that happened to him was me.

I lean over and murmur to Jenny, "Given the week you've had, I'm surprised that you have the energy for anything new." The girl simply bares her teeth at me, which I've learned means that she's happy.

"Better to be busy than bored, ma'am!" She whispers back. "And we'll just be in the one building for this, not walking all over half of London."

Eventually Ape… I mean 'Mr' Maxwell decides to let us try. I back up Jenny while she negotiates with him, all the while making it seem like she is doing my bidding, rather like I helped with negotiating her cleaning wages with Mrs Brown. The girl has some interesting skills. In the end, he will reimburse any reasonable expenses and will add an honorarium if we succeed. Jenny calls it a very good start.

The next day, after Jenny cleans the Gin Palace in the morning, it takes about twenty minutes of the human clock to travel to the Agricultural Hall in Islington where 'The Grand Tournament' is being held. Jenny hails a horse-drawn device that she calls a 'Hansom Cab' and the ride is certainly different from walking. I've seen them in the streets of course, but never knew you could simply hire them. Of course, before our raids on the Black Scorpions and their banks, I could not afford to do so. Now, Ape currency will not be an issue. I could get use to this, I think.

Once we arrive, Jenny buys our admissions, carefully noting both cab and admission costs in a little notebook, and then we enter the rather impressive space. The large floor is filled with Apes in various colours of clothing. Although red seems to be the most popular; white, black and even green coats mix together. Shouts and cheers echo through the hall. There are horses as well, some standing quietly, others walking or trotting around with an Ape on their back. The clash of weapons, both steel and wooden, provides a constant background noise. This will take time to sort through, and with the tournament ending in 6 days, time is not something we have much of.

However, we quickly run into a problem: Jenny cannot concentrate. Her head keeps swivelling back and forth trying to take everything in. For a young human enamoured with weapons, this must be a dream come true, but I'm worried that she's going to injury herself, trying to see everything at once.

Here an Ape on horseback is cutting at series of yellow fruit, often missing. There two Apes, their heads encased in cages, are trying to kill each other with swords. Strangely, another Ape in hat and coat is watching them, and when he speaks, they suddenly break off, seem to salute each other and then walk off, talking quietly together. Apes can be very strange.

I, on the other hand, have only the slimmest idea of what the problem is here, and what we need to do. It suddenly occurs to me that letting my young human drag us into this was not a wise choice, and the thought makes me cross.

"Jenny! Pay attention!"

The girl startles, and snaps to a sort of attention, hands at her sides, back straight and eyes looking up at me.

"What exactly are we doing here?" I hiss.

"Finding out what's going on, and watching out for thieves," replies Jenny. "You heard Mr Maxwell, the Tournament's losing money."

"Losing money? How? Isn't it locked up?"

"Well, yes, suppose so."

"It's very careless of them just to lose money like that! Mind you, Ape money is very confusing. Have they misplaced it?"

Jenny sighs, and gives me a look that she often follows up with the words 'You're daft.' Instead she simply says, "Mr Maxwell said that the men running it took a big loss last year, and they changed things to make it better and make more money, but there are some very powerful men who aren't very happy. Like a Duke or Two, and I think I heard the Prince of Wales mentioned. The men on what he called the Board of Governors has done some work themselves, and can't find anything wrong with the numbers. All the ticket sales seem to be recorded, and the amounts spent for pro..pro… food for the horses and supplies and such. What he's wants us to do is take a good look around. You see things that lots of people don't."

"But I know nothing about running an event such as this, or about money."

"That's what you have me for. To help you."

She has such boundless confidence, even after everything that's happened to her. And, I suddenly realize, so much confidence in me. This time though I fear Jenny's bitten off far more than either of us can chew.

We do look around a bit, but Jenny is still very distracted, and I admit that even I am interested in what is going on in the arena itself. It eventually occurs to me that the wisest course for now is to watch the Ape displays. This will let Jenny see what is going on, and calm her down, and let me get an idea of what is distracting, but not actually useful information. From there, I can plan our best strategy. With that decision made, I tell Jenny to find us seats, and we will watch the events for a while.

We sit and watch for a few hours. Jenny soon settles down, and after a short time is asking my opinion on some of the sword work and weaponry. Shortly after that, Jenny starts observing; both the events and the people. I make a note for myself: if possible, it is wiser to let Jenny 'drink her fill' of distracting information then to try to keep her under a tight leash. She is still very young, for either an Ape or a warrior cadet.

After a while, I remark to Jenny, "At first I thought this Assault at Arms was a kind of ritualized Ape slaughter, but I'm beginning to recognize that these are drills and competitions. My people's warriors held similar competitions, although obviously at a much more substantial level."

"Sub…?"

"Important, or perhaps momentous is the correct word. Warriors from all over would compete."

"More warriors?"

"Oh, yes. A much bigger arena and our warriors could perform feats of endurance, speed and strength that would amaze you."

"Hmmm, so we're talking bigger, faster, longer and stronger, right?"

There's something in Jenny's tone that tells me she's amused. I look closely at her, but just the corner of her mouth is upturned on one side. I suspect that she may believe that I am overstating the memories of my past.

Or to put it in the vernacular of my former troupe, 'Jenny isn't buying what I'm selling.'

I huff, rather put out that my human is teasing me. Again.

Beside me, Jenny bares her teeth in what she calls a 'grin,' and settles back to watch the show.

Eventually I notice that although the hall is very large the audience fills less than one quarter of it.

"Jenny, remind me, how many A… people, can fit in here?"

She cocks her head for a moment, and then looks at me. "Last night Mr Maxwell said the hall could hold 10,000 people."

"Very good. Please make a note of that." Jenny bobs her head and writes in her little book. "And please make a note for me to ask what the daily attendance is."

"Does seem awfully empty don't it?" Jenny says, looking around. "Strange, things are usually busy on Sunday afternoon at shows like this."

I agree. When I was still with the 'Monstre Gathering', the days the Apes refer to as Saturdays and especially Sunday afternoons were our busy times.

However, the spread out audience makes it easier for me to look around and observe the Apes. I can see groups of them scattered around, some with hatchlings, many without. Here and there an Ape sits alone, but mostly they are in pairs or more.

The Apes are so very different from my people. We are far less social creatures, preferring our own space. Even the idea of a family such as Jenny had, with parents, is almost alien to me. Our nest mates were our family, my sisters and brother. The records would show who laid our eggs, but for the most part, we raised ourselves for the first two years. Those that survived where then taken into the appropriate schools. Didn't that make more sense than the way helpless young Apes depend on adults for their survival?

Nearby, three Apes, all dressed in green coats, are also watching the competitions. Their clothing is the same colour as some of the warriors, but the style is different. Because of a bend in the seating they are almost at a right angle to us. Two sit together, leaning back stiffly in their chairs, but the drooping head of one betrays their boredom. The fur on their heads and faces is dusted with grey. Behind them and to their right, the third Ape sits more at ease, his legs propped up on the back of the empty seat in front of him. It is keenly watching the competitions, and between the bouts, watching the audience. From time to time, it glances over at us, watching Jenny watch the competitions. It glances at me a time or two, but quickly moves on. Time after time though, I see its eyes returning to watch Jenny.

I suspect that I might not like this Ape. I have taken care of the Black Scorpions who threatened her; a lone Ape will be no challenge at all.

Idly, I wonder what he will taste like.

We spend the afternoon watching competition after competition. After a while, it becomes rather repetitive and numbing. Towards evening, there are some displays of the so called 'prowess' of the Military Apes, including a race between two cannons pulled by horses, which are then set up and fired by their crews. That is a bit more interesting, but when the evening ends and we return to my flat, even Jenny is yawning. A cup of tea revives us both, while Jenny starts a new page her notebook and we spend a pleasant hour discussing what we have learned so far as she writes down our notes.

On Monday, we return to the Agricultural Hall, and visit Mr Maxwell in his office. Yesterday I looked at the public face of the Tournament, today Jenny and I will look behind the façade. And if the problem is monetary, then the best course of action is to look at the Tournaments financial records.

Jenny and I discussed this over breakfast, so I'm ready when I see Mr Maxwell. I ask for the books for both 1880 and this year, as they stand so far.

And then we run into a difficulty. Mr Maxwell wants to explain them to me in detail, and suggests that Jenny would enjoy the tournament more than listening to the adults. The truth, of course, is that Jenny understands Ape finances at least a little bit better than I do. Jenny, however is equal to the threat, and huffs something about 'not leaving Madame and Mr Maxwell alone, as their reputations would both suffer.' She's staring down Mr Maxwell as she says this; I suspect he may have suggested something slightly improper in Ape society.

Once Mr Maxwell finishes his explanations, I ask for quiet to review the books and he leaves. Jenny then looks over them carefully, but cannot find any problems. The amount recorded for ticket sales is correct, so long as the number of tickets is right. Mr Maxwell explained how they track the tickets, and Jenny can find no discrepancy.

"Not that I expected to find much wrong, Ma'am," Jenny explains, "seeing as Mr Maxwell said his men had been over the books with a fine tooth comb."

I make a note to myself to ask Jenny later why the Apes would use a grooming implement to review a book of financial records.

"Even with that book Mr Thackeray gave me as a birthday present, I'm just a beginner at this. Now mind," Jenny continues, "There's other ways to steal than just taking money. Those horses need to eat, and men are paid to clean up at night, and do other work, and there are supplies to be bought. Add a bit to any of those, and the money will walk out o' here , and no one would be the wiser."

"If someone is stealing goods, they'll be both harder and easier to catch. Harder because we need to discover what is being stolen, and easier because the goods will most likely be larger and heavier than cash, so they should be more visible," I continue for her. "Very well. I believe we will spend the afternoon examining in the hall in more detail, and chatting with the performers."

"The soldiers, ma'am. They're all soldiers, 'member?"

I nod, and lead Jenny back to the arena. These Apes only barely deserve the name soldier. And they most certainly are not the equal of my warriors!

There are even fewer people in the arena today; I notice that the Apes in green jackets are missing. We take seats in the front row, close to an exit so we can watch the Apes walk in and out, and listen to their conversations.

There are a variety of eliminating rounds in events such as "sword vs. bayonet", "lance vs. bayonet" and "tilting the ring" being fought. I studied the groups for a few minutes, but soon found myself losing interest. It was time to determine our next steps.

It did not take me long to come to the conclusion that we would not learn much of use while sitting around just watching the show. That was fine yesterday as a foundation on which to build our investigation, but today we would need more direct measures.

While I considered our next course of action, the Apes in green jackets came in and sat down. Both of the older Apes were back, as well as the one who immediately propped his legs up on a nearby seat, taking his ease.

"Jenny, those… humans wearing green nearby. What can you tell me about them?"

Jenny glances over at the men, and then looks away after a minute.

"They were here yesterday. Look like they might be officers or senior rates, least the ones in front do. Older men and all stiff. Seen men like them strutting around the Tower, near the family flat. The other one, he's too relaxed. He's not in the army anymore, and he's happy not to be. Surprised they have anything to do with each other. They aren't wearing uniforms though…might be old soldiers that have left the army."

I nod. That tells me a little but not as much as I hoped.

An interesting competition starts in the area; an Ape on a horse jumps over hurdles, and then finally tries to cut a head from a post after the last hurdle. I watch for a while, there is a degree of skill involved that makes the display rather interesting. Some men hit, others miss. It's not an easy game.

After a while, I look back at the three Apes in green jackets, and discover a problem. There is no sign of the one who had been lounging in his seat. Instead, the two older ones are now sitting up straight, staring at Jenny and me. No, not at us. At something behind us.

I glance back cautiously, and see the third Ape sliding into a seat two rows behind us. Up close I can see that the fur on its head fur is dark , without the grey of its companions, and it has no fur on its face. It smells of soap and sulphur, of pipe smoke and beer.

I really do not like it right now.

I turn and face it directly. "What do you want?"

"Just curious Ma'am," it replies.

"Curious?"

"Well, there's not a lot of widow's and their children here, you see," said the Ape.

I risk a glance around. It is correct; while I can see many Apes, there are few dressed in the same way as Jenny and me. I curse in my head. I really must sit down with Jenny and review how to tell Apes apart!

"So I'm guessing that you're most likely a soldier's widow," the Ape continues, "with a soldier's orphan. So I thought I'd be polite and say hello."

Beside me, Jenny shakes her head. "I'm not a soldier's child, sir. I'm Madame's maid." 'Sir,' ah, then it's a male!

"I see." The Ape replies. "My mistake and I'm sorry. At home, there are lots of widows and orphans, even now. The war was hard on everyone."

It raised its head looking past us to the arena. "My apologies. I thought you must have had family in the army, seeing as you're here at an event that's pretty much one big yawn. Too bad, that. Your British army men are all-fired up for it, but the audience's been like this all week, not many folks are coming out to see the show."

Jenny looked back at him sharply. "You're not British then sir?"

The Ape bared his teeth widely and shook his head. "No, miss. I'm an American. John Taylor, late of the 2nd United States Sharpshooters." He held out his hand, and Jenny, after a moment of surprise, shook it. I was surprised as well; most male Apes bow to females instead of shaking hands, and Jenny is often simply ignored. It looks the same as the others, I wonder what makes the American a different species of Ape?

"You said the army was 'fired-up' for the tournament?" I asked, trying out the unfamiliar expression.

"Yes, Ma'am! More than two hundred officers and men are taking part I'm told, and most of 'em are competing in six, seven or even eight events. And that's not including the team trials. That's why this Tournament's running for two weeks straight. Last year it was only six days long."

A gruff voice interrupts the 'American.'

"Madame, forgive me, but is this man bothering you?" The speaker is the stiffer of the Green Apes. He and his companion have arrived, perhaps to 'rescue' us, and he seems angry. His bearing is as straight as Constable Palmer's, and he smells of polish and starch, but there is something else. Jenny is watching him carefully, in the same way she watched Mr Dawes when they first met. Polite but wary. I really must ask her what she is reacting to when she does that.

"Not as much as I first thought he would," I answer. All the Apes look at me quickly. Jenny has that little lip curl to one side she gets that means I've amused her. "Mr Taylor is answering some questions I have about the... tournament."

"And no doubt telling you a lot of nonsense. Private Taylor, you should not be disturbing the ladies. Your wild American ways have no place among respectable people."

"Right, 'cause you Canadians are so much more civilized. Don't mind him, Ma'am, he's always testy with me 'cause he once traded pot shots with some Irish Americans veterans, and lost. "

"Taylor, enough! You too please, Captain Simundson, sir. I doubt the ladies are interested in the two of you refighting minor border skirmishes from the colonies." The third Ape ignored the other two while they sputtered away behind him. Jenny was trying not to bounce again, and I thought she was trying not to laugh.

I have so much trouble with Ape faces and bodies, but I understand Jenny a little bit better than most Apes. She is amused, and doesn't seem overly worried by these Apes, although she is wary of the one.

I take a deep breath, trying to decide what to say, and smell something different.

Gunpowder, I realise. They all smell of gunpowder. And oil! These three men all fire weapons, possibly every day.

"Who are you?" I ask, my glance taking in all three. "You're not dressed like the soldiers," I nod at the Arena, "but you use ranks and seem to have military experience."

"We're members of a shooting club, ma'am. We're all former sharpshooters, you see. Best of the best! That's why the green jackets!" That was the Ape called Taylor again.

"For Heaven's sake, man, show some respect for the lady!" That is the Ape called Captain Simundson again.

"Enough! Sirs, either be so kind as to introduce yourselves properly to me mistress, or go away!" That of course, was Jenny. They quiet down, strange almost pained looks on their ugly faces, and then the third Ape nods his head.

"That was poorly done of us. Ahhh…" he looks lost for a moment. Jenny comes to his rescue. She gestures at the stiffer Ape.

"Madame Vastra, allow me to introduce you to Captain Simundson." After he bows, she continues, "Captain Simundson is from Canada… " Jenny waits for him to continue.

"Captain Erik Simundson, Madame, late of the Queen's Own Rifles of Canada. Please forgive the strange introductions." He gestures at his companions. "May I introduce Sergeant William Parker, late of the Prince Consort's Own Rifle Brigade," and the second older Ape bows, "and your rude intruder is Private John Taylor from America." Even I can tell that casual introduction was an insult to Private Taylor. He on the other hand bows formally, followed by baring his teeth in a 'grin'.

"Very pleased to meet you, ma'am."

I nod slowly to the Apes, then turn and simply say "Well done, Jenny." I catch her curtsey out of the corner of my eye as I turn back to the males. "Miss Flint and I are pleased to meet you."

While Simundson and Parker look surprised, Taylor winks at me, and 'grins' at Jenny. "Pleased to meet you too, Miss Flint." He says, bobbing his head.

Hmmm. This one may recognize that I hold Jenny as equal to the other Apes despite her youth. Perhaps I won't eat him after all.

Author's Notes:

In 1880 the Grand Tournament and Assault at Arms debuted in London and ran again in 1881. In order not to spoil the story, more information will be in the Author's Notes for the next chapter.

The Prince Consort's Own Rifle Brigade served in the Crimean War in 1853.

The 2nd United States Sharpshooters (one of two regiments collectively known as "The Berdans") were some of the most famous sharpshooters of the American Civil War (1861-1865, also known as the War of the Rebellion.) They fought on the side of the Union (The North) and came from several different states. Company B was predominantly from Michigan. There is a John Taylor listed as a member of the regiment in the U.S. National Parks Service Civil War Soldier and Sailor Database, but there is almost no information on him. Even his company is unknown.

I'll spare you long notes on The Queens Own Rifles of Canada, the Fenian Invasion of Canada in 1866 and the Battle of Ridgeway that Captain Simundson was involved in. Short version: the Canadians finally repulsed the invaders, the Government of the United States was annoyed and embarrassed by the Irish-American troublemakers, and the raids had a huge influence on the eventual confederation of Canada in 1867.