"It'll be good to be rid of that brute, I didn't enjoy having him in the carriage" Catherine says of the bandit. She steps down from the carriage delicately with Grimsby's help. She adjusts her bonnet as she looks around curiously at the town. "Goodness, I'm seeing lots of new places."

"Thank you, mister Aubrey, very thoughtful" she says gratefully.

Brie looks at Aubrey "Thank you for getting our rooms. I am sure we will be comfortable here. Do we need to arrange for any dinner?"

In reply to Brie O'Malley (msg # 520):

Grimsby remarks "Dinner sounds like a capital notion. I presume the hotel is prepared to provide something to hungry travelers. If not, there must be some kind of eating place in this town."

"I'll go with Mateo to take care of the horses," Felicity says. "It's not that I don't trust these people, but... I don't trust these people... yet."

"I don't understand the level at which the Spanish operate. Back home, I usually have a good idea of what the stables in a town are going to be like based on the nature and condition of the town. Because a horse is such a significant part of life and survival in the west, that level is usually up here."

She holds her hand horizontally flat at eye level.

"I just haven't seen that from this culture. I can get a better idea by looking over the stable. Meet you back here in about a half hour."

She and Mateo have to wait until the luggage is all unloaded, and the police to take El Fuego away.

In reply to Felicity Van Horn (msg # 522):

Grimsby replies respectfully, "It is the sign of a true horseman --or horsewoman -- to see to his or her horse's welfare first. I rely on you and Mateo to see that the coach horses are also well cared for."
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 03:39, Sun 15 July 2018.

In reply to Grimsby H. Baskerville (msg # 523):

Since dismounting, Joseph had been standing close to Fantasma Negra, the black Arabian's head resting on his shoulder while he scratched behind it's ears and talked quietly to it.  Finally he handed the horse over to one of the caballerizos.

"Cuida bien de este caballo, eh, amigo!" Joseph says to the young man.

"Adios, Fantasma Negra!"

Joseph joins the others just as Felicity walks away with the horses and stable hands, but he caught Grimsby's comment.

"Can't say as I disagree with the sentiment, Grimsby." Joseph says, "That was always kinda a concern with her Daddy, though.  He feels she cares more about horses than carrying on his legacy and getting herself married."

Grimsby remarks sardonically, "Well, if Miss van Horn has yet to meet  man she likes better than a horse, perhaps it is just as well she has not chosen to marry."

"Dinner would be very agreeable" Catherine added. "Be well, miss Felicity!"

"Now, cousin, I'm sure Miss Felicity just hasn't met the right man. After all, the gentleman is supposed to do most of the courting." Catherine said with all the authority a naïve young woman who had yet to have a serious relationship could muster.

In reply to Catherine Harston (msg # 526):

Grimsby responds gently, "Well, my dear ward, it is the convention that a gentleman takes the initiative, but as you will learn, a lady has ways of making her wishes known. I gather Miss van Horn as yet has not given any man any encouragement."

In reply to Grimsby H. Baskerville (msg # 527):

"Well, yes and no." Joseph adds, "It's just that Felicity and her Daddy have different ideas about the men she should encourage.  And, uh, neither one of them particularly like the others idea of the who should and shouldn't be encouraged."

"But enough of this gossip!  Aubrey, old man, now that we are here in Sidonia, where is this frozen man who fell from the sky to be found?"

Brie smiles at Grimsby "So we should get inside and rest. it was a long day. And I have not met the right man yet but I have had a few propositions"

In reply to Joseph Rudyard Hunnisett (msg # 528): (and Brie)

Grimsby remarks "Perhaps my ward and Miss O'Malley, and any others who desire to rest at once should do so, while Mr. St. Clair, Mr. Hunnisett and I --and Miss van Horn if she wishes -- could seek out the frozen man, assuming that visitors may view him at this hour. I confess I am quite eager to see him if those who have charge of him would permit it."

Brie looks at Grimsby "Oh, I am fine. My skills might prove helpful with the frozen man. So I will go along"

In reply to Brie O'Malley (msg # 531):

Grimby replied, "Certainly, Miss O'Malley, your help will be very welcome if you feel up to coming. Even Catherine might come if she is curious."

"Of course I'll come with you! We've come this far to see it, I'm just awfully curious! I shalln't be left behind" Catherine said brightly.
She looked down, embarrassed. "Um, if that's all right with you, cousin" she added to Grimsby, reminded of the authority he had over her.

In reply to Catherine Harston (msg # 533):

Grimsby responded, "I do not suppose a frozen man can pose any danger you need to avoid, my dear ward, though I must say that he might not be a very pleasant sight."

"I did not say that this Iceman fell from the sky, Joseph," Aubrey replies.

"The telegram did not convey that information, in any case. And it did say that he'd thawed out and was still alive."

"While it is possible that he either refroze again or else subsequently died, I enquired of the constables that arrested el Fuego. The Iceman's real name is Javier Fidalgo. He's a goatherder from the valley just north of town."

"He was in town buying supplies. He was found in the street... in a block of ice. At first, of course, they thought it was just ice, until it started to thaw and they could see that there was a man inside."

"Since he was frozen solid, naturally they thought he was dead. They took him to the hospital. He's still there... under observation."

In reply to Aubrey St. Claire (msg # 535):

"That's...odd..." Joseph says, more to himself than anyone else, as he removes his leather slouch hat and scrubs his fingers through his dark hair.

"Now that you remind me, I do recall you telling us that the gentleman had thawed and was still among the living.  But...Aubrey, old man, I swear to you, I can clearly remember you telling us that said block of ice had fallen from the sky!  And yet...none of the rest of you remember that?"

"I recall you, sitting in the café, railing against your fellow scientists, stating that you could almost understand their lack of interest in the rarity of a man frozen solid who regained life after thawing out, but as the man had fallen from the sky encased in ice, you just couldn't believe their near-total lack of interest."

"And no one else remembers this?  I mean, it's not some vague recollections, fellows, this is a strong memory, as clear to me as if it had happened only an hour ago.  Huh."

Joseph frowns and scans the faces of his companions, looking for a sign that someone remembers what he does.  His gaze stops on Brie, and he gives a small shrug.

"I just don't get it.  Unless you've been casting magic spells on me, Miss Brie." he adds with a grin.

"Well, lets go see this man. Maybe I can connect to him some how.  You never know which of us might be able to connect to him, I wonder if he is conscious.

She looks at Joseph "Yes, I seen to recall some of that conversation and no I didn't work any magic on you ...yet" she says with a grin.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:42, Mon 30 July 2018.

Grimsby remarks, "I must confess I have no clear recollection of whether we were told the ice man fell from the sky, but it hardly seems the sort of thing Mr. Hunisett would imagine. Still, if we go to see the fellow where he is under observation, I presume those who are observing him will be able to tell us more the the circumstances in which he was found."

Catherine brightens when she's told she'll be allowed to come along. She does let out a slightly disappointed "Oh" when learning that the frozen man is just a local goatherd. Still, it is a strange and wonderous event, so it would still be interesting to investigate. "Let's meet this fellow at the hospital and inquire."

By the time everyone has checked into the hotel, the police have come and hauled El Fuego away. At Aubrey's insistence, the constable signs a paper (provided by the hotel) that says the St. Claire Expedition has apprehended the bandit known as El Fuego and are entitled to the reward, and can be claimed by any member of the Expedition. Everyone's name is listed after that.

The hospital is just 4 streets over, and you have no problem walking the distance.

When you inquire at the front desk about the Iceman, the attendant directs you to Room 12 on the second floor.

Reaching the designated room, you enter to find a man laying in bed reading a book.

In reply to GM SteamRoller (msg # 540):

OOC: I hope I do not offend, but ethnically Spaniards are classed as Europeans, not Hispanics, which brings me to...

I'm not profiling, but...
...does the man in the bed look "Spanish" (which could still be "Southern European": Portuguese, Sardinian, Corsican, Italian, Greek, or even from the south of France)?
...or does he look to be of Central or Northern European derivation (this would include an American)?
...does he have the look of a Peon, or more of a Middle-Class gentleman?

Again, I'm not trying to be biased, this is just the way perceptions were at the time; especially for an American "Southern Boy" who was born just before the War of Northern Aggression.

The man in the bed looks Spanish, and he looks like he could easily be a goat-herder.

He seems to be dressed in some sort of hospital garb.

Brie will walk up to the man "Hello, do you speak English? We heard about your story and wanted to find out what happened. Oh, I am Brie, nice to meet you"

If he doesn't understand English, she will repeat it in Spanish.