LONDON CALLING

Angus showered and dressed in a pair of charcoal colored trousers, with a crisp white shirt, open at the neck, and an Irish linen suitcoat done in a gray Prince of Wales plaid.

Michael and Brian showered next, and Michael dressed in a very stylish pair of white trousers, and a cornflower blue lino fabric tailored jacket with a lighter blue button down, and Brian chose a most unusual sage green linen jacket with a pair of khaki trousers.

"I don't think the ladies would believe we all could clean up for two days in a row," Brian laughed. He popped the top on one of the beers and passed around the other three to the others. "Oh, now this is really, really good. Sometimes, with a craft beer, you don't know if it's going to be a craft or a crap, but this one is very nice. I bet we can't get it at home, though."

"I bet I could find a way," Michael grinned.

"Legally?" Angus asked.

"Meh. Doesn't matter. Either way," Michael shrugged. "You want the beer, I'll get the beer. Full stop." That made Angus laugh. "Anyway, we've got 30 minutes til supper downstairs. I doubt any of us will need more than that to finish our beers."

It was Kate that took on the duty of making supper for them all. She made sweet and sour chicken and some fried rice. She took Abbey's idea from last night and made some of Simone's egg rolls but she stuffed them with chocolate, a bit of caramel, some toasted nuts and some marshmallow fluff. Then she brushed each egg roll, after she had deep fried them in peanut oil, and she glazed them with a sugar glaze for some extra texture and crunch.

She made a fruit tea and put it in a tall pitcher with a lot of ice, and made some fresh orangeaid for a change. Then she set it all up in the dining room. When it was all set, she whistled for everyone to come to dinner. By that time, Robert was home, and Khaat was up and was hungry.

"What do I smell?" Robert asked, coming into the dining room.

"Sweet and sour chicken," she said.

"Excellent. I can't wait," he said. "I'm starving."

Jessie dozzed as he heard the others each take their shower's once the last had returned he sat up and moved to the sitting area where Michael was. He took a beer and popped the top off. " mumm, this is good" he said after he had taken a drink " and yeah Ruby and Kaden both always got at me for not dressing up more." he said pushing some of his hair back off his face " still gonna need a hair cut when we get back , Oh Michael heres that book you let me borrow, its very informative." he said and passed it back to him." is ther eany books on the history of Romania?" he asked " I just want to know about its past." he took a second drink of the beer feeling its crisp sweet taste in his mouth as he drank.

Ruby looked up at Edward as she planted the last of the plants she had only the new box of chocolate mint plants remained. " so should we plant those or wait for Abby?" she asked placing each plany witch were four in total in a small square ready to plant. It was now she smelled cooking " ah, suppers ready" she said but looked back at the plants " I did promise Abby she could help."

"The Romanian language book has a really good abbreviated history of Romania in the front of the book. This language book is specifically for wizards, so it makes sense that they would include a relevant chapter on the history. Most wizards don't give a jot about history, but it can make a mammoth difference in what the culture of a country is, and that impacts everything else about daily life in that country. So, I particularly like this language book." He got it out of his bag and resized it and gave it to Jessie to read.

Angus was reading the notebook about the hotel on the desk.

"They've got a gym," Angus said. "I might go check it out after supper. It says it's open til midnight."

"I'd go with you but I'm knackered," Brian said. "I'm only interested in supper and bed."

"We should all turn in early if we're going to be off again by first light," Michael said. "So don't hang out long in the gym, Angus. You're responsible for getting us wherever the heck it is we're going tomorrow."

"I've got it covered," Angus smiled.

Jesie heard Michale and watched as he resized the book. Taking it he opened it and began reading " wow, this place realy does have a rich history and laungage" he said continuing to read the front of the book as he sat back on the comfortable sofa.

He listened to Angus talk about the gym and smiled " Hey, mind if I join you for that, I've not worked out in a while and I realy should." he said looking over the top of guide book. He turned the page and looked at the simple phrases. " unde este sala de sport, where is the gym." he said trying out some phrases and hoping he was not butchering it with his accent.

"Sounds like you'll have it in no time," Angus said. "Yeah, come along if you want. Michael's right. We shouldn't stay long anyway, but even a half hour would feel good. Speaking of that, we've spent our half hour. We're due to go to supper downstairs.

When they got downstairs to the restaurant, got seated and started to look at the menu, Michael looked at them.

"Pay attention to the menu," he told them. "The first page is just a list of their brands of caviar. The next few pages are called a Degustation menu--and that means it's a tasting menu. They're lots of little courses, but just a bite or two of each. You're not liable to find that very satisfying. Then there are two pages of appetizers. You're going to want to bypass all that and go to the last two pages--pages 8 and 9. That's where the entrees are. There is one dessert listed--the Dobos cake. And I have no doubt you'd all like it. Its a Hungarian vanilla sponge cake layered with chocolate and caramel. It's actually quite lovely. As for me, though, I think I'll have the Fillet Mignon."

"And I'm going to have the rib eye," Angus said.

"And I'm thinking about the salmon," Brian said. "Jessie? What strikes you?"

Jessie smiled at Michael as he said he'd get it eventualy "Thanks Angus" he said then head him mention they should go down to eat. marking the book he placed it on the table so he could continue after his work out and before he goes to sleep.

Walking down he could not help but marvel at the decor around him as they moved to the dinning hall and sat down at a table. He heard Michael and turned to the pages he had sugested and looked at them but smiled as he agreed with Angus " The Rib eye and the vanilla sponge for desert sounds good " he said placing down his menu as he looek around the room. The atmosphere was one of sifistication and gormet dinning decked in lush golds and reds all around them.

Edward was pleased with how well and how quickly the rather large kitchen garden he and Simone were going to share with Ruby and Angus, and, to see now that all they had left were the few chocolate mint plants that remained. It was a job well done. When Ruby asked about the mint plants, Edward smiled.

"They're her plants," Edward told Ruby, "so she needs to be part of it. I think we should wait til tomorrow. They'll keep if we bring them up near the house under the porch roof so the storms don't rip them up. If it gets too nasty, I'll apparate over here and take them into my side of the house so they're protected, but I think they should be alright. Kate, your sweet and sour chicken smells divine. I wasn't sure I was hungry--until I smelled the chicken. Now I'm starving, and its all your fault."

"Well, then fix yourself a plate and tuck into it," Kate laughed.

"More chicky, Gam!" Abbey called to Kate.

"Did you eat all of that already?" Kate was astonished. She looked over and saw Abbey's empty little plate. "What a good girl you are! Well, you may certainly have more, my dear. I'll get it straight away. Jack, you'd better hurry up. Abbey's on seconds already. She's going to beat you tonight." Abbey giggled, delighted when she got a chance to be a part of teasing Uncle Jack. Kate picked up Abbey's plate and gave her a bit more rice and chicken and set it back in front of her.

"Ruby got the plants for your garden, Abbey," Edward said. "How about we go out early in the morning, before breakfast, before the rain and plant them. It'll only take a few minutes. You can do it, and we'll help you." She nodded enthusiastically.

In Budapest, with their meals ordered, they could now sit and take in the surroundings. He noticed the men dressed in their suits and the beautiful women that many of them had on their arms. Clearly these women had spent quite awhile to present themselves in their cocktail dresses and their jewelry. There was nothing wrong with people taking time to turn themselves out well, but Angus also could find a certain appeal and elegance in a woman who knew how to wear something as simple as a pair of chinos and a plain cotton sweater.

He supposed he had Edward to thank that he could function in a five star environment without looking like a fish out of water. He presumed it was Robert that had schooled Brian about it. As for Michael, he was completely at home in a 5 star world. After all, that was where the money was, and it was where he often had to work to do his catburglary trade. He was able to go from extreme wealth to extreme outdoor conditions apparently seamlessly.

And this assignment demanded it of all of them. Tonight they were in luxury. Tomorrow night, they would likely have been on donkeys for part of the day, and would probably be eating peasant fare in a little local tavern with some rustic beds upstairs. The whole business was a little odd. But they all appeared to be as prepared as they were going to be.

The food service was very swift tonight, and it seemed like it had only been a few minutes before their meals arrived. Angus thought the presentations were superb. And when he bit into his steak, he was not disappointed. It was excellently prepared.

He was enjoying the evening, the food, and the conversation when he noticed a couple that for some odd reason, commanded his attention. The man and the woman both looked familiar, but he couldn't place how he might have known them. Nor could he understand why he would see them here, of all places? No matter how he wracked his brain, he couldn't place them. It was maddening to not be able to remember how he had known them before.

"Angus," Brian nudged him.

"Huh?" Angus realized he had not been paying one ounce of attention to what was going on at the table.

"The server wants to know if we want dessert," Brian said. Angus looked up and saw the server was indeed at their table.

"Oh! I'm sorry. I was distracted. I apologize," Angus told the server. "No, thank you. No dessert for me. Maybe just an espresso?"

"Certainly," the waiter said, taking the order. He left to go put in the dessert course order.

"Where were you just now?" Brian laughed. "Girlwatching?"

"No, actually. I saw someone that looked familiar but for the life of me I can't place where I know them from," Angus said.

"Here?" Michael frowned. "Well, I would suppose that it was someone you met from one of your past trips here."

"No, I don't think so. The people I met would not come here. They either don't fit in muggle society or don't have the income to afford it," Angus replied.

"Where are they?" Brian asked.

"They're gone now. Probably just mistaken identity," he shrugged.

"If you see them again, point them out," Michael said.

"I will," Angus agreed.

Ruby nodded to Edward and smiled " allright and yeah it smells wonderful" she said picking up the box and moving it to the porch ready for Abby to plant. Walking into the kitchen she took a deep breath in to enjoy the aroma that lingered " wow that smells good." she said then saw Jack walk in behind her and take some food.

"oh no no one beats Jack" he said tesingly as he looked at Abby with a playful grin as he ate. " very good Kate, love it." he said taking some rice and chicken . Ruby chuckled and followed siting next to Kate as she took some food and ate.

Jessie watched Angus and noted his mind seemed else ware. He heard Brian and watched as Angus came back from where ever he was. He said nothing when Brian mentioned Girl watching but he had sen his gaze and saw that it was a couple he'd been looking at now even he was curious as to where Angus might have sen them before. " ether way if you recognise them you must have known them and besides my sis looks hotter in a ball gown." he said smirking.

"Your sister has nothing to worry about," Angus said. "I'm honestly not that fickle."

"Fickle is not one word I would ever associate with you," Michael said. "It really is probably that you're not in any hurry to get married that makes some folks wonder if you're not serious."

"Then maybe they need to get to know me better," Angus sighed, frustrated. "I really can notice attractive people and things without wanting them--women included."

"You'll feel better if you get into the gym, even for awhile," Brian said. "You need to burn some of that off."

"Yeah, maybe you're right," he said, sipping on his espresso while they ate dessert.

At Brian's estate, they ate all the sweet and sour chicken, and Kate served up some ice cream with the freshly made shortbread biscuits. When Abbey had finished eating, Kate took Abbey for her bath, and Simone and Mira stepped up to clean up the dining room and the kitchen.

"I'm going for a bit of a run tonight," Robert said. "My schedule tomorrow isn't going to allow me much time to do a morning run, so I thought I'd do an extra run tonight. Anyone want to come with?"

Jessie listened and frowned at Angus's words " hey, wow, nobodies saying that you can't." he said as he finished his desert he listened to Brian and nodded when Angus spoke of the Gym. He held his tounge at saying he would do the same, feeling Angus needed to burn it off more then he did. Finishing his coffee he excused himself and headed up to the room . Changing he sat down and opened the guide book Michael had given him to read up on the history of romania.

Ruby, Jess and Jack finished their meal and Ice cream. Ruby heard Robert and nodded Jack loked up and spoke up.

"I'll join you if thats okay" he said watching as Abby left with Kate for for her bath " night Abby" he said then looked back at Robert. " okay ready in five?" he said smiling " besides I need to run off this great food." he chuckled while he patted his tummy.