Prim, Proper and Curious: Part I

Tonight was the big night. My sister Abigail had just got married the day before and she was having an extravagant party complete with music, food and dance. To my utter delight, I was invited to perform a lovely violin solo for the quests.

The day flew fast and before I knew it, it was time to head out. I pulled my coat off of the wooden rack, gently placed my top hat on my head and readjusted the monocle in my vest pocket. (Just a silly little habit of mine, you see. Think nothing of it).

All it took was a ten minute carriage ride down the stone road in the moonlight and I had arrived at my sister’s luxurious house. I tipped the fine carriage driver, tilted my top hat in thanks and walked up the short series of steps to the front door. The greeter at the door welcomed me, and I stepped inside.

About a quarter of the party quests had arrived so far, evenly spread out and conversing in the four first-floor rooms. My sister, who was talking to her new husband and a couple of friends, turned and spotted me through the crowd. Her eyes twinkled through the dimly-lit house and she hurried up to me.

“What a joy it is to see you brother,” she said smiling. “Welcome. Won't you have a taste of Maria’s fine cooking?”

“Most definitely,” I said as I removed my top hat and placed it on one of the open arms of the family’s coat rack, “I’m sure it’s delicious”.

After all of the guests had arrived, we had a very fine dinner indeed. Then everyone gathered around me in the parlor. After a brief tuning of my violin, I began to play my solo. The soothing sound flowed through the large, beautiful room, and with the occasional glance of the audience I noticed that they were quite pleased with my song. My sister Abigail, deeply moved, held her hands together out in front of her. Judging from her expression one might guess that she had never heard me perform.

After I finished my song, there was a round of applause. I put my arm that held the violin diagonally across my waist and gave a bow. Just a moment after all of the clapping had stopped, the man who greeted me at the door earlier in the evening walked into the room.

“Excuse me, ma’am”, he said to my sister, “This came for you”.

Everyone turned to find him holding a folded sheet of paper. Abigail hesitated for a moment, then finally walked over and took the sheet from him. She unfolded it then stood transfixed. Puzzled. She faced the open sheet of paper in my direction, but unable to see it clearly from where I was standing, I moved through the seated audience to get a better look. I took the sheet of paper from her, fit my monocle over my right eye, and studied the sheet carefully. On it was a series of numbers:

20.8.5.23.5.4.4.9.14.7.23.1.19.1.19.8.1.13

I looked up from the sheet of paper to my curious sister.

“I’ll need a quill and some ink. I believe this is some sort of code”.