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Part 6

The two spent a wonderful day together. For Abigail, it was confirmation that inviting Stewart to her flat was the right thing to do. They need only pay for these few things she needed for the dinner she planned to make and they'd be on the way to her place. She was standing very close to Stewart when he got out his wallet to pay, as he had insisted on doing. When he opened the wallet, she saw a picture that made her gasp. Stewart turned to her at the sound. She looked so pale and she was staring. He followed her line of sight to his wallet and nearly froze himself. He almost wished he was prone to swearing as this situation seemed to call for something of that ilk. He quickly paid for the groceries and practically pulled her out to the car.
"Abigail, say something to me," pleaded Stewart.
She just looked up at him unable to speak. Stewart astonished himself by pounding on the roof of the car with his fist. He took a couple of deep breaths. He had never been prone to outbursts of emotion before. When he felt calmer, he asked Abigail for the keys to the car. She still didn't speak but handed him her keys. He put their purchases in and relocked the car. He wasn't going to try driving and knew that Abigail was in no condition to drive. They were in the village by the Hall. They needed to talk. He could take her to the teahouse but that didn't seem private enough. He could take her to the cottage he was staying in but that was, in a sense, too private. He opted to walk her down to the shore. He wanted to put his arm around her and comfort her but knew they needed that talk first. How could he have made such an error? He knew that picture of him and Sylvia was there. He should have removed it. He walked Abigail over to a bench looking out over the water. He sat down and gently pulled on the hand he still held so that she would sit too.
Abigail finally spoke, "Who is she? It almost looks like it could be a picture of us."
"But you know that it isn't," said Stewart.
"Yes," said Abigail.
"You aren't really as similar as I first thought," said Stewart.
"We aren't?" asked Abigail. "Do you love her? Am I some sort of substitute?"
Abigail paused a moment but spoke again before Stewart had organized his thoughts enough to speak.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked that. I'm just your guide here."
"You are not just my guide, Abigail," said Stewart. "You have become very precious to me."
"Have I?"
"Yes, you have. I don't know how I'm going to be able to leave you at the end of this trip, Abigail."
"You are very special to me, too, Stewart."
Stewart let go of Abigail's hand so that he could put his arm around her shoulder and draw her closer.
"Who is she?" asked Abigail.
"She was a very close and dear friend," said Stewart. "We'd been friends since our last year of high school."
"Was?" asked Abigail.
"I last saw her nearly three months ago and don't expect to see her again," he said.
"Why? Why won't you see her again?" asked Abigail.
"She," started Stewart, "left to follow her dream."
"You still haven't said who she is," said Abigail.
Stewart got his wallet back out and handed it to Abigail to look at the picture more closely.
"I think you know already in your heart but your head isn't ready to accept that answer," said Stewart.
Abigail looked closely at the picture of Stewart and her look-alike. Her eye was drawn to the locket. It looked so much like hers but hers was old and she didn't wear it. She had thought it might be a distant cousin except for that locket. She looked at the driver's license on the other side of the wallet and nearly dropped the wallet at what she read there. "You're Stewart Johnson!" she exclaimed jumping to her feet.

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Part 7

Now Abigail was pulling Stewart by the hand walking back to her car.
"Yes, I am, but you knew that," said Stewart. "Didn't you?"
"I didn't know your last name or how you spelt your first name," said Abigail. "I had wondered, though."
"About what?" asked Stewart. He stopped, forcing Abigail to stop." What is going on? And where are we going?"
Abigail took a deep breath. "We are getting my car and going up to the Hall. I have something for you."
"For me?" asked Stewart.
"Well, it says it's for Stewart Johnson," said Abigail.
"I don't understand," said Stewart.
"Neither do I," said Abigail. "Somehow it feels right though."
"You aren't going to tell me more?" he asked.
"I don't know anything more!" said Abigail. "The sooner we get to my office the sooner we might have the answers."
"Okay," said Stewart. "Okay. On to the Hall."
Once in the car, Abigail had to say what was on her mind. "The picture. That was Sylvia, wasn't it?"
Stewart hesitated to answer but finally said, "Yes, her name was Sylvia."
"You said it was a long story. Why you'd chosen to come here, that is," recalled Abigail.
"I did say that," agreed Stewart.
"You came here looking for her," said Abigail.
"Not really," said Stewart.
"Perhaps not actually hoping to see her but perhaps to find out more about her," deduced Abigail.
"Perhaps," Stewart agreed again.
"And you thought, at least for a moment, that you had found her, but it was me," said Abigail. "You must have been disappointed."
"Not at all," said Stewart. "It really didn't take me long to see the physical differences despite the close resemblance. With the time we've spent together, with getting to know you, I'd have to say you are very different people."
"I'm glad," said Abigail as she turned into the Hall parking lot.
Once they were in the Hall, they went to the administrative area. Abigail unlocked the door to her office, went to a cabinet and unlocked it. She withdrew two old, sealed envelopes. She handed one to Stewart saying, "I believe that is for you. This other is only to be opened on your instruction or, if you were not located, after ten years had passed from the date on yours."
Stewart recognized Sylvia's handwriting on the envelope.
"The date?" said Stewart. "Oh, I see it. That was about six weeks ago."
"Yes," said Abigail. "The Earl gave it to me shortly after that date, perhaps ten days before we met. He said it had been a special trust handed down from one Earl to the next but he was glad that it's time had come. I had sent a letter to the address on it."
"It's probably there waiting for me," said Stewart.
"Quite likely," said Abigail. "Would you like to be alone to read it?"
Abigail noticed Stewart's hands shaking."Please stay," he said. "Could you open it for me? I'm afraid I will rip it."

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Part 8

Abigail handed Stewart the letter to read. It began, "Dear Stew,
Today I became a grandmother. I've spent the day reflecting on many things. I decided I should attempt to let you know how things turned out for me. You were my dearest friend and I worry that you might think I'd made the wrong decision.
"First, let me assure you that it was the right decision. I have been incredibly happy. Nick was meant to be my mate. I love him more dearly all the time. And our love has produced five wonderful children. Now another generation is being started.
"I will admit that there have been difficulties. I know you thought of me as an old-fashioned girl with my heart in the past, even before travelling there, but that wasn't completely true. In some respects I was very much a woman of the twenty-first century. It has made some things difficult to accept and, others, impossible. I have gained something of a reputation for radical ideas.
"Nick has been with me every step of the way. We only discuss the future when the two of us are alone. Sometimes I wish I could confide in a close friend. Sometimes I wonder if I owe my children the truth.
"Speaking of friends, I have been most fortunate in that respect. Nick's closest friends and their spouses have become very precious to me. In many ways the wives are women ahead of their time. One of them, like myself, had to undergo much to be accepted. The other enjoys a reputation as the epitome of all that is proper which she has used to help us along. We have our greatest times though in the country, away from the gossips of London.
"I suppose at the time you read this it will be too soon to know, but I hope your research went well. I'm sure it is worthy of a grand award or prize. You deserve it.
"I've written another letter. It fills in all the mysteries about me although they are not mysteries to you. I will instruct that it not be opened until you give the word, or if they fail to find you, that enough time has passed for you to have analyzed all your findings and made them known. I have dated this one for a month after I left and the other for ten years later. I hope that is enough time that someone making inquiries of your whereabouts will not raise suspicions of my departure. I don't wish to make you wait too long though to hear of my happiness.
"Dear friend, I leave you with a wish -- a wish for a love like I have found and the happiness that comes with it."
It was signed, "With much love, Syl."
Stewart handed the letter to Abigail. "Do you wish to read it?"
"Only if you want me to, Stewart," said Abigail. "It's your letter."
"It's OK," said Stewart. "The other one too. I don't think it'll contain anything I don't know."
"In that case," said Abigail, "I'd rather hear it from you, in your words."
"If that's what you'd like," said Stewart. "You can still read the letters after, of course."
"I could," agreed Abigail. "Let's take the letters to my flat. We could use some dinner first, I think."

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Part 9

During the preparation and eating of dinner, both Stewart and Abigail talked of the places they'd visited together during Stewart's holiday. Neither mentioned Sylvia. When they had finished the dinner cleanup, they sat in Abigail's sitting room. She sat on the sofa while he chose a chair across from it. Abigail had poured them each a glass of wine. Stewart got out his wallet, opened it, and handed it to Abigail to see the picture.
"Her name was Sylvia Woods," he started. "We met in high school. We were two lonely souls that drifted toward each other. Her parents were constantly moving and taking her with them so she'd never really made many friends. I was considered a geek and didn't have any friends really, either. We seemed to hit it off and enjoyed spending time together. She was worried that she'd soon be on the move, again but her dad died and that ended the wandering. Her mom died a year later. Sylvia put herself through college with student loans and part-time jobs. She never really knew what she wanted to be. After college she got a job in an office. She thought of it as a means to pay the bills but nothing that really interested her. I became a sleep and dream researcher. Um ..."
"What?" asked Abigail.
"Well, this sounds rather conceited," said Stewart.
"Go for it," said Abigail. "I don't think you have a conceited bone in your body."
"Okay. I was considered something of a genius," said Stewart.
Abigail smiled at him,"I'm sure you are."
"Well," said Stewart, "I'm not so sure. Still, that, coupled with some findings I had made on my own that had created some profits for one of the lab's clients, led to me having a great deal of freedom to do my research. One area especially piqued my interest. I thought I could enhance dreams. So I built a special chamber in my lab for that purpose. My superiors knew only that I was following up a theory on dreams. I told them I didn't want to jinx things by saying too much. The only person to know anything about it was my friend and confidante, Sylvia. She agreed to test it for me. So one night she went into the chamber to sleep. The chamber had a glass wall so I could observe her. I was absolutely stunned when she disappeared."
"Oh my!" said Abigail. "I'm sure you were."
"I sat frozen staring at the chamber for a while and then went across the hall to my office to get some notes," said Stewart.
"Was it totally unexpected?" asked Abigail.
"Absolutely or I would never have done the experiment," said Stewart.
"I believe you," said Abigail.
"When I returned to the lab, I heard Sylvia call my name," continued Stewart. "She was back but dressed in an old style gown and there was a man, in similarly old clothes, clutching her tightly to him."
"Who?" asked Abigail.
"Nick, the Fifth Earl," said Stewart.

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Part 10

"The Fifth Earl was here?" asked Abigail. "You met him?"
"I did meet him but it was only briefly and he saw only my lab and office," said Stewart.
"What happened? How?" asked Abigail.
"I only have a theory," said Stewart. "No real facts."
"OK," said Abigail. "What is your theory?"
"Sylvia loved Regency England," explained Stewart. "I sometimes kidded her that she'd have been happier if she'd been born back then. My theory is that she was dreaming of that time and place and that the dream enhancement chamber somehow enhanced the dream to the point of transporting her there."
"Wow!" said Abigail.
"Wow, indeed," said Stewart. "To me she was gone about a half hour but it had been almost a month for her. A month she spent with Nick and the two had fallen in love."
"Why'd she come back?" asked Abigail. "Or why did she go back a second time?"
"She said she'd made a wish to be home and that brought her back although she didn't tell me why she had wished to be home," said Stewart. "In my theory, I think that would be like waking from the dream."
"But the Earl was with her? How?" asked Abigail. "I'm asking too many questions."
Stewart laughed. "It's OK. In fact, it's nice to be able to talk to someone about it. Nick had seen her fading and latched onto her so he came with her. They both wanted to go back. Although I didn't really know how it all happened, I felt I might know a way to send them back, and it worked."
"That must have been difficult for you," said Abigail. "I can tell you had strong feelings for her."
"She was my best friend and I have missed her terribly," admitted Stewart. "I think there might have been times I wished it to become something else. Or maybe not. I really was obsessed with my work. Sylvia did date."
"That couldn't have been easy for you, either," said Abigail.
"It wasn't that difficult really," said Stewart. "Those relationships didn't last. Our friendship did."
"What did your superiors have to say about the results of your experiment?" asked Abigail.
"They don't know about it," said Stewart. "In the days right after, I was very excited and full of myself over it all. I gathered all the information I could from the chamber. But I started to truly miss Sylvia. She was the one I always talked to. I started to wonder about a lot of things. What if someone used this and accidentally brought Sylvia back, away from Nick? I couldn't risk that happening. I did think at one point that if I removed all the data referring to her that I might still try the chamber without risk to her. I started thinking of some of the possibilities. Where might one end up? It seemed limitless. And then a dark reality entered my thoughts. Not all dreams are pleasant. Some are even very violent. Since I did not know how to direct or control the dreams, I realized there was a great risk to enhancing dreams and the outcome could be horrendous. I dismantled the chamber and destroyed all information on building it. I told my superiors my project had been a failure and asked for a vacation. Which brings me here."
"You came to find out about her," said Abigail.
"I did," said Stewart. "I had to know that she had been happy. I left that data from the experiment in a safety deposit box. I should have destroyed it, too, but I wasn't ready to give up that last bit of her. Now I am. Sylvia is wrong in her letter. She assumed I would make the experiment public. I never will. Please don't make her letter public, Abigail."
"I won't," said Abigail. "I will only talk to the present Earl about it. He should know."
"Okay," agreed Stewart.

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Part 11

"So you have accomplished what you came here for," said Abigail.
"I have," said Stewart. "Although reassuring myself about Sylvia was only one of my goals."
"It was?" asked Abigail. "What else then?"
"Taking a look at my life," said Stewart. "Reevaluating my priorities. Trying to figure out what really is important in life. I think that process started after Sylvia left."
"Oh," said Abigail.
"I think I've grown up in the last few months in many ways," said Stewart. "It took me long enough, but I guess better late than never."
"Why do you say that?" asked Abigail.
"I've realized that being obsessed with my work is not a good thing," said Stewart. "There are more things to life. Maybe more important, I've discovered that I need to look into the ramifications of my experiments, that knowledge and progress affect people. I need to be sure what I do will help people or, at least, not harm anyone."
"Ethics," said Abigail.
"Yes," said Stewart. "I had never really considered if a thing was ethical before. I think I had most of that worked out before I left on this holiday, though. I've learnt something else here."
"What is that?" asked Abigail.
Stewart smiled at her and went to kneel on the carpet in front of the sofa where she sat with her feet curled up under her. He took her wine glass and placed it on the end table next to the couch and took both her hands in his.
"As I said, I've finally grown up," said Stewart. "I've finally become a man and understand the very special kind of love a man can feel for a woman."
Abigail took her right hand from his and gently stroked Stewart's cheek. "Is it me, Stewart, or is it really Sylvia you love?"
"You, Abigail," said Stewart.
"You are sure?" she asked.
"Very," said Stewart. "Syl was a very, very special friend. But the feelings I have for you are so much more."
"You'll be leaving soon," said Abigail.
"I do have to return," Stewart admitted. "I have some responsibilities and also need to destroy the information in the safety deposit box. But I'm willing to do everything in my power to relocate here if you want me here. Do you want me? Do you love me?"
"Yes! Yes!" said Abigail throwing her arms around Stewart's neck and kissing him. "But it might not be so easy."
"We can do it," said Stewart. "Love is too precious. We have to have faith."
"You are right," said Abigail. "We will work it out."
Stewart stood up and pulled Abigail to stand. He placed his hands on either side of her face and lowered his lips to hers to kiss her gently. Abigail put her arms around Stewart's neck and returned the kiss more fervently, parting his lips with her tongue.
When the kiss ended, Stewart held her close. "Oh my," he said. "That was wonderful."
"I agree," said Abigail.
"I need to make a confession," said Stewart.
Abigail drew away to look up at his face. She smiled to see that he was blushing. "What is it, Stewart?"
"Well," he started, "when I said I was obsessed with my work I really meant it. Syl was my only friend."
He stopped. Abigail continued to watch his face.
"Um," he continued. "What I'm trying to say is, I never dated. I never really even kissed before now and, needless to say, I never ... well ... anything more."
Abigail smiled at him. "Don't you dare laugh at me!" he warned.
"I won't," she promised. "I guess I should confess too."
"You should?" he asked.
"Yes," she said. "I did date a few times but never beyond a second date. So I have kissed before but I never 'anything more'd, either." Then she started to laugh and so did Stewart.
"Aren't we a pair?" he said.
"Yes, we are," she agreed. "I'm sure we'll figure it out."
"Yes, we will," said Stewart "We'll just have to keep experimenting till we get it all worked out."
"Sounds good to me!" said Abigail just before Stewart starting kissing her again. When the kiss ended they stood holding each other and might have been surprised that both were thinking the very same thing, "Thank you, Sylvia!"

The End

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