The Coach Draws Near
SILENCE WAS EVERYWHERE...

Marianne took two more steps and stopped.  The house was more soundly asleep than the outdoors.  If the wild revels she'd heard gossiped about were taking place, they were extraordinarily quiet ones.  Drugs, perhaps - the kind that produced a contented stupor?

Her heart pounding now, she struck a match and prepared to go into the room.

The flash of illumination that greeted her was much greater than anything that could have been produced by a small paper match.

"Come in," said a voice.  "I was beginning to wonder if you would ever get here...."