Morning

<snip>
"Oh! They only had enough rooms for everyone to share. I didn't think it was a big deal." Cass shrugged and swung her legs over the side of the bed. Jade thought she would die of embarrassment as Cass yawned, stretched and proceeded to dress into the skin tight suit, pulling on the heavy skirts and tops of the era over the top.
</snip>
“Bloody stupid dresses” Cass grumbled, tugging the garment up and over her not quite ample enough bust as the nanosuit oozed slickly around her, reconfiguring itself to what she was wearing
She shot Jade a self-conscious, sideways glance and swished across the room to peer into the little mirror set on the wall beside the window, and smooth her short, spiky hair with her fingertips in quick, precise movements before stepping back to scrutinise herself as well as she was able
“You quite suit the fashion” Jade observed, more to break the silence than anything
“You’re joking?” Cass turned to her and held her arms wide before letting them drop to her sides “The high waistline makes me look like I’m wearing a nightie, and I’ve never really suited these low necklines”
“Don’t be so hard on yourself” Jade smiled, fidgeting and adjusting and readjusting the bed sheets covering her
She couldn’t believe she had just cuddled up to Cassandra!
“It’s not all bad” Cass shrugged, apparently oblivious to her embarrassment “The guys get to wear frock coats, breeches and stockings” she paused to give Jade a mischievous grin “I can’t wait to see the results”
In spite of herself, Jade grinned back and shook her head
“What time is it anyway?” she asked, changing the subject
“Not long after six a.m.” Cass replied as she walked around the bed and stooped to pull a heavy pistol out from beneath it “I’m off out to scout the farmhouse; there might be some equipment I can salvage, but I'm not hopeful”
“Farmhouse?” Jade’s brow knitted
“It’s where I’ve been based this last month or so; we were there in the cellars last night, before the hosts attacked and you had your... What was it that happened to you?”
“Scotophobia” Jade murmured guilty, feeling another rush of embarrassment
“That’s a phobia of the dark, right?”
Jade nodded, unable to meet her gaze “Sorry”
“Happens” Cass shrugged as she hitched her skirts up to click the pistol onto the nanosuit on her thigh “It’d explain what happened”
“Right, I’m set” she continued, smoothing her dress back down “It’s a few miles there and back, so I should only be an hour or so, so get a bit more sleep, and I’ll explain what’s going on to everyone over breakfast ”
“Are we safe here?” Jade asked, suddenly uncomfortable at being left alone in this unfamiliar environment “Those host things won’t be back, will they?”
“To my knowledge, they've not made a move in daylight yet” Cass shrugged “but I suppose it's possible; there's a gun bag under the bed with my pulse rifle and another pistol in it if you need them, but I’m sure you’ll be just fine”
She strode across the room and unlatched the door, but paused before leaving and turned to regard Jade
“I’ve got to say: It’s good to see you again" she said "We’ll get that girls night out yet, eh?”
“Yeah, that’d be great” Jade smiled, and with a quick “See ya”, Cass was gone, leaving her alone and finally able to cringe in embarrassment at what just happened, in private


Jade tried to get back to sleep after that, but the misty, early morning, summer sunlight streaming through the unshuttered window and the uncomfortable bed made it nigh on impossible, and she was just beginning to wonder about the practicalities of early morning ablutions in the eighteenth century, when there was a soft knock at the door
“Yes?” she called, suddenly wishing that she had retrieved the pistol from beneath the bed, but she quickly relaxed when a large, bustling, middle-aged woman in a pinafore dress entered the room with a bowl and a pitcher of water
“I hope you don’t mind me coming in so early” the woman bobbed a curtsy “My Lady Cassandra said you would most likely be awake, and I'm going to be rushed off my feet with all these extra guests for the summer fair today”
“Fair?” Jade asked, somewhat bemused
“Aye miss - It's why we're so short of rooms at the moment; we've had a good deal of people travel here from far and wide for the festivities; I expect that's why you were visiting Lady Cassandra as well?”
"Uh, yeah" Jade replied distantly "Something like that..."
"That was a bad business last night down at Carters farm, wasn't it?" the woman continued, arranging the bowl and a couple of linen towels on a table near the empty fire, and pouring the steaming water into the bowl
“I’m sorry?”
“Carters farm, burning down? – You were there weren't you?” the woman asked as she set the pitcher back down and turned to face Jade “Half the men of the village were out helping douse the fire last night; it's a wonder nobody was killed!”
“Oh, er... Yes” Jade blustered as comprehension dawned “It did seem to spread quickly”
The woman wrinkled her nose
“That'd be all this lovely weather we've had recently; everything’s tinder dry – Still...” she gestured expansively “The main thing is that nobody was hurt; and I don't suppose anyone will mourn the loss of old man Carters house”
She paused to glance around as though someone might be listening
"Some say it were haunted"
“Haunted?” Jade frowned, wondering what on earth this was all about
“There have been strange goings around there for almost as long as anyone can remember” the woman nodded conspiratorially “Odd sounds and lights at night; that sort of thing”
Folding her ham like arms, the woman pursed her lips and shook her head
“Anyway, listen to me” she said “I shouldn't be gossiping like this; I’ve plenty of things to do. We’ve had clothes sent up for you and your companions already, but if there's anything else you need, just be sure to ask downstairs”
A dull thump and a muffled cry sounded through the wall from the room next door
“What was that!?” Jade snapped, suddenly alert
“I don’t rightly know” the woman replied as she bustled across the room towards her “One of the other guests, I suppose; maybe someone just stubbed their toe. Here, let me fluff them pillows for you and then I’ll leave you be”
“It’s, ah, I don’t...” Jade began but petered out as a series of heavy thuds came from next door “That doesn’t sound good...”
For someone her size, the woman moved unbelievably fast, and snapped a meaty hand out and around Jade’s neck, pinning her up against the bed’s headboard
“I imagine it’s one of the other guests being impregnated” the she said mildly, as she grasped Jade’s face with her other hand and attempted to force her mouth open
With a sickening crunching noise, the woman distended her jaw to open her mouth impossibly widely, and as she leaned in, as if to try and kiss her, Jade was horrified to see a glistening black something, wriggling and twitching deep inside the woman’s mouth...

<tag>
You’re not getting off that easily ;-P
The infected hosts are attacking you and the other guests in your rooms – what do you do?
</tag>