Previously: In the strange world of parallel time, Jonathan Green arrived at Tudor Manor to pay his respects to the Black family over the loss of Coral. When Vivienne Scarlet saw Green she rushed to him, but quickly realized that once again the people in this time were not as they are in her own. Later, lawyer Chadwick Moss met with Dr. Hugh Black and told him that there was an irregularity in Coral’s will. Black pressed Moss to give him more information, but Moss insisted that he could only discuss the issue with Coral’s husband, Franklyn Peach. Black noticed that Vivienne recognized Chad and that he could no longer risk Vivienne being in Tudor Manor. Black went to his nephew John Boddy and told him that he needed John to get rid of Vivienne immediately.

“The Talented Mr. Boddy” Part 3

In the Tudor Manor of real time, Madame Tiponi Chartreuse lies unconscious on the floor of Priscilla Black’s sitting room. Reginald Ash has just left Madame Chartreuse’s room and is met by John Boddy in the hallway.

“Still no sign of Madame Chartreuse?” John asks Ash.

“No, sir. I am afraid not.” Ash sighs. They begin to walk down the hall. “Her bags were packed and left in her suite.”

“I don’t know what could have happened to her.” Boddy says. “Why would she have left without saying anything and not leaving her clothes behind?” Coral Black assisted by Blanche White meet them in the hall.

“John, I am afraid that Madame Chartreuse isn’t the only person who has gone missing.” Mrs. White tells them.

“Oh Blanche, I told you, it isn’t as serious as all that.” Coral says.

“Aunt Coral, what’s happened?” John asks.

“Last evening I told Vivienne that she could go into your grandmother’s sitting room and do a bit of research.” Coral says.

“Research?” John asks. “Research into what?”

“Into the family, dear. That poor girl has so many questions when it comes to who her real parents are.” Coral nods.

“Oh Aunt Coral.” John says.

“I was just trying to help her figure things out.” Coral says. John turns to the door of the sitting room.

“Mrs. White will you please help Aunt Coral downstairs.” John says.

“She is just so lost.” Coral says as Mrs. White takes her arm.

“We will talk about it later.” John says. The women leave.

“Grandmother’s sitting room has been closed off for years. What was Aunt Coral thinking telling Vivienne to go in there?” John asks Mr. Ash. John takes a deep breath and turns the door knob. The door slowly opens. “Vivienne?” John calls out. “Are you in here?” John and Mr. Ash slowly make their way into the room. They are shocked to find Madame Chartreuse lying on the floor. “Madame Chartreuse!” John says as they hurry over to her. John kneels down next to the woman and checks her pulse. “Ash, call 9-1-1!” John says. Mr. Ash hurries out of the room and goes to a phone in the hall. “Madame Chartreuse, can you hear me?” John says. He picks her up and takes her over to a couch. “Don’t worry, we’re going to get you help.” He gently lays her on the couch. In the hall, Mr. Ash is on the phone.

“I don’t know what happened to her, we just found her unconscious on the floor.” He tells the operator.

John is sitting next to Madame Chartreuse, holding her hand. “Just hang on.” He says to her. Madame Chartreuse’s eyes slowly open. “Madame Chartreuse. Thank god. Can you hear me?” John asks. Chartreuse nods her head. “We have an ambulance coming.” He tells her. She tries to sit up on the couch. “Don’t try to move. Just lie still.” John says.

“The mirror.” Madame Chartreuse says. “We have to get out of here.” She tries to get up again.

“It’s alright. Everything is going to be alright.” John says, trying to keep her calm.

In the hall, Mr. Ash is still arguing with the 9-1-1 operator. “Please, I don’t have time to answer all of these questions.” He says.

Madame Chartreuse is still trying to get up from the couch. “We need to get out of this room and away from that mirror!”

“We will get you out of here soon. The ambulance is coming, I hope.” John says. Suddenly, Madame Chartreuse’s body becomes as stiff as a board and her eyes roll into the back of her head. “Ash! Help!” John shouts. He gets up from the couch and hurries across the room, but notices the reflection in the large mirror looks strange. He walks over to the mirror and looks into it. He sees a woman who looks just like his deceased cousin Emily Peach. “Emily?” John asks. He turns around, but all he sees is Madame Chartreuse lying on the old couch. He turns back to the mirror and watches as Miss Peach leaves the room. “Emily!” John shouts. Suddenly, John begins to get dizzy. “What’s happening?” He asks himself. Suddenly, everything goes dark and John falls to the floor.

In the hall, Mr. Ash hangs up the phone and hurries back to the sitting room. “The ambulance has been dispatched.” He says as he enters the room. He sees Madame Chartreuse lying unconscious on the couch. “Master Boddy?” Ash says as he walks to the middle of the room, but John is no where to be found. John, in the meantime, wakes up on the floor, but the room has mysteriously changed. He sits up, grabbing his head. “What the….” John looks around and sees that the room has changed from the abandoned sitting room to a luxurious bed chamber. He struggles to his feet and turns to where the couch should be. “Madame Chartreuse? Ash?” John calls out.

Downstairs, Mrs. White is in the kitchen preparing tea. Vivienne Scarlet enters. “Ah, Miss Sable, there you are.” Mrs. White says. “Everyone is gathering in the gazebo for tea.”

“I don’t think I will be joining them.” Vivienne says.

“Oh, that’s a shame.” Mrs. White says. “Well, if you change your mind, I know they would love to have you.” She leaves the kitchen pushing a tea cart. John Boddy (pt) enters through the back door.

“There you are.” Boddy says. “I’ve been looking all over for you.”

“You have?” Vivienne asks.

“Yes, I haven’t really had the chance to talk to you since you arrived. And I was wondering if you would like to go for a walk with me.” He asks.

“A walk?” Vivienne asks.

“Sure, it’s such a nice day outside. I could show you around the estate.” John says.

“Why not.” Vivienne shrugs. “I could use some air.”

“It’ll be quicker if we use the secret passage to the study.” John tells her. He walks over to a cupboard and opens it. “Come on!” Vivienne goes over and looks down the dark secret passage way. She lets out a nervous giggle. “After you.” John says. Vivienne carefully steps into the secret passage.

Meanwhile, John Boddy (rt) watches from the top of the stairs as Mrs. White pushes the tea cart across the hall and enters the conservatory. John quickly descends the stairs and crosses the hall to the study. Vivienne and John (pt) have just come out of the secret passage way. “You are going to love the rose garden. It was Aunt Coral’s favorite place.” He says. They cross the study to a set of glass doors. John opens them and lets Vivienne exit first. He then follows her out, just as John Boddy (rt) enters the study, catching a glimpse of them. “Vivienne?” John says. He hurries across the room and watches as they walk across the lawn. He waits for them to go to the rose garden before he goes out of the glass doors.

“Isn’t it spectacular?” John (pt) asks Vivienne, referring to the rose garden.

“It is lovely. I can see why Coral loved it here.” She smiles. She smells a rose.

“Uncle Hugh speaks so highly of you.” Boddy says.

“He does?” Vivienne asks, surprised.

“Of course he does.” John smiles. “And why shouldn’t he. Look at you, you are beautiful.”

“That is very kind of you to say.” Vivienne blushes. “But your fiancée is gorgeous.”

“Kassie. She is such a great girl.” John says. “I am lucky to have her.” They walk out of the rose garden. John (rt) hides behind the tool shed as they pass by. He is stunned to see the face of the man with Vivienne.

“My god! That’s me!” John says. He watches as they cross the driveway to the fountain. “What the hell is going on?” John asks himself.

“Uncle Hugh has given us his blessing and is letting Kasandra remodel the gate house so we can live there.” John (pt) tells Vivienne. “I could show you what she’s done so far, if you’d like.”

“Alright.” Vivienne smiles. They cross the driveway to the gatehouse. John (rt) watches from afar as they enter.

Inside the gate house it is obvious some redecorating has been going on. “Kassie has some fabric samples over there. You can take a look.” Boddy tells her. Vivienne goes over to a table and sees a book of fabric swatches. She begins to thumb through them when suddenly John comes up behind her and places a white cloth over her nose and mouth. Vivienne begins to struggle, but quickly succumbs to the chloroform on the cloth. John picks her up and places her on a couch. “You are beautiful.” He says to her.

Meanwhile, in the gazebo, Mrs. White begins serving tea. “Thank you, Mrs. White.” Kendal Forrest Black says. Just then, a limousine pulls up to the front of the house. A driver gets out and hurries around to open the door for his passenger. The driver opens the door and helps a woman out. From the side of the gate house, John Boddy (rt) watches as the woman walks up the steps to the front door. The woman rings the bell and Wadsworth answers.

“Hello, ma’am.” Wadsworth says, showing the woman inside. “Everyone is down at the gazebo for tea.” He tells her.

“I am in the mood for something a little stronger than tea.” The woman says.

“Right this way then.” Wadsworth says, showing her to the lounge.

In the gate house, John (pt) is pacing back and forth. He goes to a phone and presses a button. In the gazebo, a phone begins to buzz. Mrs. White puts down the tea kettle and answers the phone. She then goes over to Dr. Black. “Excuse me, sir. It’s for you.” She tells him. Hugh excuses himself and goes to the phone.

“Yes.” Hugh says.

“Uncle Hugh, it’s done.” John (pt) says. “She’s out like a light.”

“That is good to hear.” Hugh says.

“What should I do now?” John asks.

“Make sure she is as comfortable as possible.” Hugh says. He doesn’t realize that Georgia Peach is nearby eavesdropping. “And then make sure no one sees you when you come back to the house.” Black hangs up the phone. Georgia goes back to drinking her tea. John hangs up the phone in the gate house and goes back to Vivienne. He takes some pillows and put them behind her head. His eyes begin to wander and he sees that her silk blouse is clinging to her breasts. Leaning in to her, he caresses her cheek, which pushes the hair out of her face. He is surprised to see the scar on her cheek. He gently touches the scar with his fingertips, becoming aroused as he does so. Lowering his nose next to her face he smells the gentle aroma of her perfume. Unable to resist the urge, he lowers himself on top of the unconscious woman and begins to kiss her neck.

Back in the gazebo, Dr. Black has returned to the group. “Is everything alright, dear?” Kendal asks her husband.

“Yes, all is well.” He smiles.

“Dr. Black,” Mrs. White says, “I wanted to let you know that I invited Miss Sable to join you for tea, but she refused.”

“What a pity.” Georgia Peach says sarcastically.

“I got the impression that she would rather be left alone.” Mrs. White says.

“That’s the only impression I have ever gotten from her.” Kasandra Scarlet says. Wadsworth joins them in the gazebo. He goes over to Dr. Black and whispers into his ear.

“Thank you, Wadsworth.” Black says. He then motions for Mrs. White to come over to him. Mrs. White walks over to Dr. Black and he whispers something to her.

“Why on earth would she come here?” Mrs. White says very loudly. Everyone turns to face them.

“Please go and prepare a suite for our guest.” Dr. Black says.

“Yes doctor.” Mrs. White says. She quickly leaves the gazebo. Dr. Black goes over to Kasandra Scarlet.

“It would seem that your mother has just arrived and is relaxing in the lounge.” Dr. Black tells the surprised Scarlet.

“What is she doing here?” Kasandra asks.

“Your guess is as good as mine.” Black says.

“Well, don’t worry, I will go and get rid of her.” Kasandra says.

“Nonsense.” Black says, shocking her. “I’ve instructed Mrs. White to prepare a suite for her.”

“You mean you want her to stay?” Kasandra asks.

“She’s come all the way from Boston.” Hugh says. “I would hate to send her away without finding out the reason for her visit. Wouldn’t you agree?”

“But what about Kendal?” Kasandra asks. “Won’t she have a problem with her being here?”

“Don’t worry about that.” Hugh smiles. “Wadsworth, please escort Miss Scarlet back to the house.”

“Yes, sir.” Wadsworth says. “Miss?” Scarlet nods and leaves the gazebo with Wadsworth.

“What was that all about?” Kendal asks Hugh.

“It seems that we have a surprise guest.” Hugh tells her.

In the guest house, John Boddy (pt) has unbuttoned Vivenne’s blouse and is laying on top her. He begins to unzip his trousers. He is about to force himself inside of her when John Boddy (rt) comes up behind him and hits him in the back of the head with a crowbar. John watches as his parallel time counterpart collapses on top of Vivienne.

TO BE CONTINUED…