All is well, better than he could have dreamed.

Great news Sir Williard!

I am writing for the last time from my room in the Edwardian Royal. The trepidation that I felt this morning was so overblown that I would have redacted the last entry had the packet not already been mailed. I can't help but wonder in hindsight, if my reaction to the note was my own consciousness assuming that I would surely be punished for my shameful treatment of Miss Peach. I still expect that somehow my good fortune will turn out to be a cruel illusion. In any event I am starting a new series of notes that I will send to you when it is convenient.

I arrived promptly at the appointed hour and specified address on King's Crossing, a lovely three story brick building with great glass windows overlooking the public green. A gray-haired Hindu butler took my card and showed me to a drawing room crowded with what I believe to be genuine antique furniture of the Hepplewhite era imported all the way from Earth. Ironically, a pair of dueling rapiers hung above the mantle. Now, I can laugh at myself Sir Williard, but at the time I felt a growing sense of dread. I am not unfamiliar with the manly arts, I boxed for my school team and have had some training in the Chinese style boxing during my years at Tei Pai but I have never held a rapier and the weapons that hung from the wall were neither toys nor ornaments but true killing swords. The blades were almost four feet in length, heavier than the foils used in clubs for sport and the tips of these weapons were honed to razor sharp points not capped with rounded ends.

Luckily for my peace of mind, the manservant returned almost immediately and informed me that the Lady of the house would be pleased if I would join her on the patio. We walked through the parlor with its mirrored walls and through a set of French doors onto the patio where I saw Miss Peach and her family breaking their fast together in the morning sun. Lady Peach - I really must either find a better way to refer to each of the members of this family or abandon the ruse altogether and trust your discretion in this matter. I will think about what to do about this conundrum later. - I was saying, Lady Peach rose to greet me and as soon as I saw her brilliant smile and open hands I realized that I was not there because of my indiscretion with her daughter. I see where Miss Peach inherited her beauty, the Lady Peach also had curls of blonde hair, sparkling blue eyes, smooth pale skin, and a lovely figure that was curvier than that of her daughter, but no less pleasing to the eye. She wore a dress of soft white embroidered all over with tiny flowers, it was cut with a wide and low neckline that showcased her fine bosom and I'm afraid my eyes may have lingered too long on the expanse of powdered skin because she laughed gaily and took my hand in hers in a most familiar way.

Lady Peach led me back to the table and introduced me to her two daughters Miss 'Amber' who shared her family's fine looks but with darker hair and a slimmer figure and Miss Peach (who of course I already had met). She also introduced me to Miss Peach's older brother, a young gentleman roughly my age who wore a immaculately tailored walking jacket that put mine to shame over white trousers and a vest of hunter green. For now, Sir Williard I will refer to him as Hunter. Her Ladyship prompted me to join them and for the next half hour or so we engaged in pleasant conversation of little if any real content. The girls were dismayed to hear that I knew little of the fashion trends in Milan, Paris or London having boarded the cosmoliner directly from Hong Kong. It mattered very little, because they had laying on the table a stack of the latest fashion magazines that must have just arrived from the newly opened Kanda. Mr. Hunter, the only other male at the table, was clearly as bored by the flow of conversation as I for he abruptly changed the topic of conversation asking me if I was a sportsman.

"I have hunted occasionally." I was able to answer truthfully because of the two trips to your estates in the Keelung valley "Although I have little skill with hitting birds on the wing." I added remembering how poorly I had done with the shotgun. Mr. Hunter laughed and assured me that many of the birds on Rajah were so large that hitting them was not the problem, rather hitting them with something heavy enough to bring them down was the issue. I listened to him rattle on about some of his greater trophies with only partial attention because I became aware of Miss Peach's shoe-less foot tracing the line of my leg.

Perhaps sensing the difficulty I was having following the rambling storytelling of her son, Lady Peach silenced everyone with a gentle clearing of her throat. She placed her gloved hand on mine and finally came to the reason for her unexpected note. I remember the words perfectly Sir Williard, this is what she said.

"I hope you can forgive the forward nature of my note." She said and I nodded politely afraid to speak and ruin the moment. "My family and I are returning to ---------- , our family estate this afternoon and after hearing Peach speak so favorably of you after your encounter with her and her friends in the Edwardian's pretty little gardens..." I cast a panicked glance at Miss Peach and somehow she calmed my fears with a tiny gesture of her hand "... I so wanted to meet you in person, Peach says you have a great interest and knowledge in the natural sciences and delight in picking the local blossoms here in New Delhi." I could only take a big swallow of iced fruit juice to keep my face from flushing wildly at Miss Peach's double entendre. "I hope, before the Company finds a posting for you and puts you to work in some dreary clinic, that you can take a month or two off to further your interests." Lady Peach suddenly had my undivided attention, not even Miss Peach's foot moving towards my groin and the swollen lump trapped against my thigh could distract me. "Would you be willing to visit us at our humble homestead?" She asked "It gets so dull when we have only ourselves to entertain."

And so, Sir Williard, not only am I not going to find myself dueling an irate father (or brother), I now have a real choice to make. Stay here in New Thames and place my future in the hands of the despicable but clearly successful Dr. Miller or try my luck on this new planet in the company of Miss Peach and her well connected family. I confess I am a little concerned about the overly familiar nature of the entire Peach family, all of whom had the most disturbing habit of resting their hands on mine whenever they hoped to gain my attention, and even more troubled by Miss Peach's brazen footwork. However, an invitation to visit them in their home will surely give me a chance to meet many gentlemen of consequence in the Company and if I can win their favor I will not need to be Dr. Miller's breeding stud. Of course, my fortunes could easily be completely dashed if any member of Miss Peach's family discover just how familiar I have become with the lovely young lady. It might be prudent to swallow my pride and align my goals with those of your colleague Dr. Miller.