Mainely Romance

By Andrew Ian Dodge

Reginald was in Maine making sure his clients were happy with their hops. Little did he know that he would stumble on the love of his life in a bookstore in Portland, Maine. It was the romance he had always dreamed about, only his dreams were getting darker and darker. His world of brew pubs and vats was suddenly invaded by Cora Cabott: his life would never be the same. Ale was never as complicated as this!

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Jan 11, 2001
• ISBN: 9781469706283

Andrew Ian Dodge

Andrew Ian Dodge is a 32 year-old Harpswell based novelist-writer and sole proprietor of Lupus & Co, a web-based publishing house. He writes music reviews for SFK. Marty Dodge is the game expert for MacUnlimited.com. He has written four novels and the recently published Statism Sucks! Ver. 2.0 . A self described Deist and Radical Liberal (modern libertarian) of the late 1800s, his politics are for limited government, a flat tax, laissez faire economics and the ideals of the Constitution, together with the Age of Reason. His calling card reads simply, “Cynic, Cyberpunk and Raconteur.”

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Mainely Romance

All Rights Reserved © 2001 by Andrew Ian Dodge

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without the permission in writing from the publisher.

Authors Choice Press an imprint of iUniverse.com, Inc.

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cover © 2000 libadesign

ISBN: 0-595-15255-4

ISBN: 1-469-70628-8 (ebook)

Contents

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

PROLOGUE

BOOK 1:

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 6

CHAPTER 7

CHAPTER 8

LIFE’S GREAT CIRCLE

THE STRANGE CASE OF FLIGHT 9379

SUFFERING IN PARADISE

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Thanks to a great teacher/reader: Andrew Cuthbert Mallows, my muse and cover artist: Jessica Eckstein, and my mother, Elizabeth Locke Dodge.

My special thanks go to Vera, my canine inspiration.

Heartfelt thanks go to Stella, my dearest canine sister. I only hope I can show the same dignity as you did when it is my time to pass away.

PROLOGUE

The package lay open before Reginald on a large wooden desk. Its heavy hinges gleamed in the light of the overhead lamp. The parchment lay before him as if hovering over the wooden box and its contents. The sword lay below the letter resisting any attempt to reflect the light of the room. Reginald spent several minutes admiring the impressive craftsmanship of the broadsword. The exquisite designs on the sword demonstrated an almost otherworldly aura. Its black steel absorbed the light falling upon it. Reginald felt an odd repulsion, but then a fascination bordering on the fanatical.

Fergie, the Belgian Lakenois, repositioned herself nearer the fire and groaned. She flopped on her side and resumed her dreaming ignoring her surroundings. There was a soft thud as her 28 inch oversized frame hit the carpet. Fergie, in order to make a fool of her master, managed to grow at least five inches taller than she was meant to be. She was big for a male of the breed.

Reginald… the letter read in perfect calligraphic script, "it is with great joy that I send you this box. I have held it in my possession since the night after we first met. It was delivered with explicit instructions that I give it to the boy upon his coming down from University. I am sure you are as pleased as I am with his double first in Theology and PPE. While it was destined that he excel at Theology, it was with great pleasure that I discovered that he was reading a worldly subject as well.

You have raised the boy well, or should I say man. He is well prepared for what awaits him. Oxford has prepared him well for the battle that lies ahead. I digress. Beside the sword beneath this letter is a ring in a small box. Please give him these two things when next you chat. It is imperative that he wear the ring at all times. I am in no doubt he will, but you might want to be vigilant in the next few weeks when he is home."

His house… Reginald thought to himself. Ever since Lucius’ birth, a mysterious benefactor had made sure that he had an easy and carefree life. This became apparent after a multitude of old men seem to die right after Lucius was born. Relatives that neither he nor his wife knew of, bequeathed all their possessions to the boy. The house which they sat was given to Lucius upon his 10th birthday and coincident with the death of an older member of the House of Lords. Reginald never knew what his family’s future held for them when he met that odd looking man in Croydon.

Reginald returned to reading the letter before him, You may, if you wish examine both the sword and the ring, though I recommend you resist the temptation. One is never sure how they will react to anyone brave enough to hold them. This sort of warning was common for these missives. The approval of Reginald’s curiosity was followed by a cryptic and sometimes dire warning. When Lucius began receiving his inheritance a similar letter had followed the first phone call. It was by this method that his son had been named. He suggested the name and then everyone else followed suit. Even his mother had been possessed with some sort of fervent desire that the baby should be named as he was.This surprised the new father as his mother had spent 15 years advising him on what his son must be named.

Reginald was pleased by the friendly tone of the letter, most of the many letters the man had sent over the years, since their first meeting

-viii-were business like and at times almost threatening. I was pleased to see that the young man has come into the acquaintance of the Sage of Manorbier, as he was recently named. The Sage is a wise man whom I have known for many years. He will be a useful friend and confidant for Lucius. The Welsh could not have picked a better man to advise the new government on esoteric matters. I knew he would be very pleased with his elevation to the upper House of the Welsh Parliament. He was so pleased when they granted him citizenship and then he was given Manorbier Castle by the family Dunsany.

Reginald had read recently of the Sage’s new position. Although now an independent country, Welsh matters were still covered in English newspapers. A significant Welsh community chose to remain expats in England. Derek, the family’s manservant, was one such person. Derek was part of the house when Lucius received it. A man wise beyond his years and more important to the family than his position might imply.

Reginald continued reading, I know you are busy, so I will curtail this letter. I hope to see you soon. With the grace of God may it not be at my funeral…Humbly yours,.

Father. Derek said you were keen to see me. I understand I have a package.

Reginald turned to see his son stride into the room knocking on the door as he crossed the portal. Yes, this came for you today.

What is it Father?

Well, there is a ring and a sword.

A sword? How odd! Who is it from?

‘The normal source. Who else?"

Ah, yes my fairy Godfather. Reginald and his wife had found it rather amusing that despite their son’s age he still referred to his Fairy Godfather the name Reginald had hit upon to explain who was responsible for the significant, if infrequent gifts, that arrived for the young boy.

Well, let me see what the good fairy has sent me this time. Lucius, who was by this time sitting in one of the high backed chairs near the fireplace, rose to approach his father.

I have been instructed to give you this first, said Lucius’ father as he handed the young man a small plain, but well-crafted, hinged box.

Lucius carefully took the box from his father, and with his other hand opened its lip. Inside lay a signet ring carved with a four partition crest. Lucius could plainly see that a cross stood in the upper left hand corner, directly opposite was a crescent, below the panel appeared an odd sign which appeared at first glance to be the chaos sign with an eye in middle of it. Lucius made a mental note to examine the sign further when he had the time. He believed it to be the Sign of Kish but was unsure. The last panel contained the star of David.

Without any hesitation the boy put the ring on his right pinky finger. Reginald would not have admitted it to anyone but he would later think to himself that he had seen the ring glow for a few seconds after his son placed it on his finger. There was none of the reluctance that had accompanied the presentation of a Templars’ necklace that Lucius received on his ninth birthday. Lucius had vigorously protested that boys were not allowed to wear jewellery at Westminster School. He feared that one of fellow pupils might covet with it. Lucius none the less agreed in the end to wear the necklace and there was never any problem.

Lucius began to approach his father and the desk when he saw the other contents of the box.

My god, what a sword!

It is supposed to be made of..

"Yes of course it is made of the ore mined from an asteroid in the early days of metal making. The only question is who made it and when? Barely containing his excitement, the normally mild-mannered young man continued to relate his knowledge to his father. Andrew, I mean the Sage of Wales showed me a manuscript detailing the swords of which there are only said to be 13."

‘You mean you know the Sage. When were you last in Wales?"

‘No, no. I met him on my visit to Miskatonic University while preparing my final thesis. He was there using their library to do some research on something odd found in the Brecon Beacons last year. It was so vile that he had to smuggle out of Wales, for fear that some pious politician would have it destroyed."

Is he the eccentric the papers say he is?

‘Would you call a fondness for heavy metal, cigars and port, eccentric? His propensity to wear a cravat at all times raises a few eyebrows on the streets of Boston no doubt. He got some odd looks when I accompanied him on a short foray to Colby College in Waterville, Maine."

Maine! Did you tell your mother you were there?

No. Frankly, she might have let it slip and then the relatives would have been offended that I had not paid a visit.

Point taken. Well what was Colby like? Your mother considered going there, but decided against it.

Actually the place is the Sage’s alma mater. He loathed the place and from what I can gather the feeling was likewise. He had a radio show under one of his other names and seems to have managed to annoy every major minority group at the place. He told me his only sanctuary, besides the radio station was the crypt-like vaults of the college library. There he found all kinds of ancient books on the occult and wizardry.

At Colby!

Yes, I was surprised as well until the Sage reminded me that Colby was a seminary for its first hundred years. A case of know thy enemy", I believe is what he says.

Lucius was unable to resist the temptation much longer and carefully lifted the sword out of its silk filled cradle. The young man was

silenced by the sheer presence of the sword. He examined it carefully while holding the sword with both hands.

I am not meant to carry this on my person am I? There are no instructions that you need to. "I am afraid Sir John (the Head of Metropolitan Police) would be