The Unicorn Pool
by Tiddy Ogg (2010)

The story is an amalgam of a Theodore Sturgeon short story, "The Silken Swift", with the characters in Thomas Hardy's "The Woodlanders" - well, someone had to give poor Marty a happy ending if only in a thing like this, and the novel "A Kid For Two Farthings" by Wolf Mankiewicz, about a boy who buys a young goat with a single deformed horn and believes it to be a unicorn.

action: %
response: It is late afternoon, and the previously busy market place now has only a few stragglers trying to find last-minute bargains.
Your stall is now devoid of all the home-grown delights that were piled on the table, and you are preparing to pack things away and return to your house.
It seems that Giles, next stall along, (for whom you have a secret fondness,) has also had a good day. He stands, with the last remaining apple tree sapling that he has left for sale.
You look shyly towards him, but all his attention is taken up gazing at Grace, the beautiful daughter of the local squire who approaches Giles' stall.

Hardly sparing a glance at the tree she throws some money at Giles' feet and instructs him to deliver it immediately to the Hall.
She sweeps away with a wiggle and a show of shapely leg below her
silk gown, and Giles trots along obediently behind her like a faithful dog.

A fable owing much to Theodore Sturgeon, Thomas Hardy, and the film A Kid For Two Farthings.

Type "examine me" to discover who you are.
Type "about" to find out more about the game.

The market place has stalls arranged around its perimeter.
The north side of the square is bordered by the entrance gate and boundary wall of the Hall, the squire's residence.
Your house is along the road to the east, and the dismal bogland trail leads to the west.
The southern road leads off to the big town many miles away which is far too distant to walk to.

It's the end of the day and there is little left to buy, and few people still browsing.
action: You examine yourself
response: You are a hard-working girl, with mousey hair, a weathered face and labour-toughened hands. As someone once said of you - Marty's beauty is well-concealed.
Like most of the villagers, your clothes are home made from coarse fabric. It may not be too comfortable, but it's what you are accustomed to. And there's no point in wishing to dress like those rich folks at the Hall - those silks and satins wouldn't last five minutes  on the farm.
action: You look at the stall
response: Wooden boards, resting on trestles, providing a trading area for the market.
action: You look at the gate
response: Two wrought iron entrance gates, locked with an iron bar, and surmounted by iron spikes are set in a six foot high brick wall topped with broken glass which makes an impregnable barrier to the casual visitor.
You can see the driveway curving off toward the house to the east.
action: You go to the east
response: The pretty grassy track is bordered by thick hedges with many wild flowers growing in the verges.
It is only a couple of hundred yards long, connecting your cottage, hidden behind high hedges at the east end, to the market square westwards.
action: You get the flowers
response: They look much better in their natural setting, and will last far longer than in a vase.
action: Smell flowers
response: Aah! Delightful. One of life's simple pleasures.
action: You go east
response: The end of the lane to your cottage, which is immediately to the east. Another cottage, Orchard Cot, owned by Giles, is up a short track to the south. The market square may be reached down the lane westwards.
action: You examine the cottage
response: The thatched roof is supported by thick walls made in the traditional manner from cob - straw and mud.
action: Go east
response: Your humble home. There is only this one room on the ground floor and a bedroom above to which stairs lead up.
The front door is to the west and the garden door to the east.
The only furnishings are extremely basic.

Entering through the unlocked door, you see the familiar old furniture. It's not much, but it's your home.
You're tired after your day at the market, but the animals need feeding. You can hear the chickens clucking impatiently out back.

You can see a table (on which is a book), a cooker and a chair here.
action: Examine book
response: It's about a young girl, a unicorn, and a magic pool. You've learned that unicorns will only appear to the pure.
There is a picture of a unicorn on the front cover - a magnificent beast with a gold mane and golden horn, silver hooves and a snow white body.

Where did the book come from? Probably given away by the people at the Hall when they'd finished with it.
action: Examine cooker
response: wood-burning stove, your only source of heat and means of cooking.
action: You take book
response: Taken.
action: You look at your surroundings
response: Your humble home. There is only this one room on the ground floor and a bedroom above to which stairs lead up.
The front door is to the west and the garden door to the east.
The only furnishings are extremely basic.

You're tired after your day at the market, but the animals need feeding. You can hear the chickens clucking impatiently out back.

You can see a table, a cooker and a chair here.
action: You go east
response: The typically untidy yard of a rural dwelling is full of  chickens scratching at the ground.
Your cottage is to the west and a small shed is to the south.
The goat's paddock has an entrance to the northwest.
You can see a billy goat, some chickens and a rooster here.
action: You examine the goat
response: Why you bought a billy no-one can explain, but you love the brute, and he seems to like you too, especially at feeding time. He has a pair of stubby horns which should not do you too much damage... unless he meant to.
action: You examine chickens
response: A motley collection of hens, mostly derbyshire redcaps, with one proud rooster  who thinks he is in charge.
action: You look at the rooster
response: Bad-tempered brute who'll peck at you any time he gets the chance, but he does his duty as far as the hens are concerned.
action: Go south
response: A small shed containing tubs of animal feed... ...which you immediately distribute to your waiting audience outside.

You can see some tubs of animal feed and a lead rein here.
action: You look at the tubs
response: You make sure your stock is well fed, storing the foodstuff in these metal bins. They are nearly full right now, so don't rick your back trying to shift them.
action: You examine rein
response: It's like a long dog lead with collar attached, just the right size for Billy's neck. Lucky it's turned up now, that's been missing for months.
action: Examine
response: (the tubs of animal feed)
You make sure your stock is well fed, storing the foodstuff in these metal bins. They are nearly full right now, so don't rick your back trying to shift them.
action: Look around
response: A small shed containing tubs of animal feed...
You can see some tubs of animal feed here.
action: You feed the chickens
response: Whom do you want to feed the chickens to?
action: You examine chickens
response: A motley collection of hens, mostly derbyshire redcaps, with one proud rooster  who thinks he is in charge.
action: You take the animal feed
response: You can't see any such thing.

A small shed containing tubs of animal feed... ...which you" immediately distribute to your waiting audience outside."
action: Inventory
response: You are carrying:
a lead rein
a book
action: You put the rein on the goat
response: The salient characteristic of goats is their stubbornness, and Billy wants nothing to do with this game. The only place you can go with him is the paddock, so it's hardly worth trying, is it?
action: You go northwest
response: A grassy area for the goat to forage, though he's always in the back yard at feeding time.
It stretches northwest to the boundary of the grounds of the Hall, the side wall of which abuts it.
The open gateway to your yard is at the east side.
action: You go to the northwest
response: The northwest corner of your paddock. The Hall is just the other side of the wall. A first floor balcony is visible above you, but nothing can be seen above the parapet except the top of a double paned window set back into the house.
action: You look at the window
response: Panes of glass to let in daylight. Not the product of the Microsoft corporation.
action: You look at the balcony
response: It's what's known as a belvedere - the balcony doesn't project but is flush with the wall. It only has brickwork eighteen inches high at the base, so it'd be easy enough to fall out.
action: You examine the wall
response: The six foot high wall with broken glass stuck to the top surface surrounds the entire property.
action: Go west
response: Your humble home. There is only this one room on the ground floor and a bedroom above to which stairs lead up.
The front door is to the west and the garden door to the east.
The only furnishings are extremely basic.

You really must get a bit of shut-eye!

You can see a table, a cooker and a chair here.
action: Go upwards
response: Nestling under the eaves, there's nothing much of interest here except the bed.

You can see a bed here.
action: You lie in the bed
response: You get onto the bed.
action: Sleep
response: After a well-deserved night's slumber, you awake refreshed at dawn to the cock's crow.
Another day, and as usual, the first thing to do is sort the animals out.
action: You look around
response: Bedroom (on the bed)
Nestling under the eaves, there's nothing much of interest here except the bed.
action: You stand
response: You get off the bed.

Nestling under the eaves, there's nothing much of interest here except the bed.

You can see a bed here.
action: You examine the eaves
response: The thatched roof is supported by thick walls made in the traditional manner from cob - straw and mud.
action: Go downward
response: Your humble home. There is only this one room on the ground floor and a bedroom above to which stairs lead up.
The front door is to the west and the garden door to the east.
The only furnishings are extremely basic.

Those animals are hungry again - listen to the noise!

You can see a table, a cooker and a chair here.
action: You go to the east
response: The typically untidy yard of a rural dwelling is full of  chickens scratching at the ground.
Your cottage is to the west and a small shed is to the south.
The goat's paddock has an entrance to the northwest. ... but Billy's not here!
You'd better try to find the brute.
I'd guess if he's not in the paddock, he may have nipped across the lane to Giles' place.

You can see some chickens and a rooster here.
action: You go south
response: A small shed containing tubs of animal feed... ...which you immediately distribute to your waiting audience outside.

You can see some tubs of animal feed here.
action: You go to the north-west
response: A grassy area for the goat to forage, though he's always in the back yard at feeding time.
It stretches northwest to the boundary of the grounds of the Hall, the side wall of which abuts it.
The open gateway to your yard is at the east side.

You can see a gap in the hedge bordering Bluebell Lane where the goat made his getaway - unfortunately you'd cut yourself to ribbons on the hawthorn if you tried going that way.
action: Go west
response: Your humble home. There is only this one room on the ground floor and a bedroom above to which stairs lead up.
The front door is to the west and the garden door to the east.
The only furnishings are extremely basic.

You can see a table, a cooker and a chair here.
action: You go west
response: The end of the lane to your cottage, which is immediately to the east. Another cottage, Orchard Cot, owned by Giles, is up a short track to the south. The market square may be reached down the lane westwards.
action: Go south
response: The furnishings are as basic as your own cottage.
You search the place, calling for Giles, but there is no reply. Where on earth can he be?
action: You go west
response: The pretty grassy track is bordered by thick hedges with many wild flowers growing in the verges.
It is only a couple of hundred yards long, connecting your cottage, hidden behind high hedges at the east end, to the market square westwards.
There is damage to the northern hedge where something has forced its way through, and cloven hoof prints lead west.
action: You look at the hedge
response: Spiky hawthorn, interspersed with brambles.
action: You go to the north
response: You can go only east or west.
action: You look at the prints
response: The woodcraft you've learned from a very early age allows you to identify them  as fairly freshly made goat tracks.
action: Go west
response: The market place has stalls arranged around its perimeter.
The north side of the square is bordered by the entrance gate and boundary wall of the Hall, the squire's residence.
Your house is along the road to the east, and the dismal bogland trail leads to the west.
The southern road leads off to the big town many miles away which is far too distant to walk to.

The square's now almost deserted, the day after the market, and early in the morning as it is. Only old Ned and Jake are here now, leaning on the wall and discussing life, the universe and current livestock prices. You see Jake chuckling and nudging Ned as he gestures toward the Hall. Giles name is mentioned, and Jake gives you a quizzical look.
You can see Old Ned and Jake here.
action: You ask old Ned about billy goat
response: Oh aar! He went off into yonder bog. I reckon he's a goner - nothing comes back once they bin scrandled in them swamps.
action: You ask Jake about Giles
response: Reckon the lucky beggar's been at it all night with racy Gracie.
action: Go west
response: The flowery lane soon degenerates into  a dank track through  a series of foul-smelling bogs as you move westward. But it's always been this way, and the solitude can sometimes be a comfort.
You can continue westwards deeper into the swamp, or return to the village eastwards. There are cloven hoof prints leading west.
action: You go to the west
response: The bogs encroach on this spot from all directions except for the narrow track eastwards. Strange you've never noticed this delightful spot before now. Yes! You've found that beast. Now all you have to do is get him home.
You can see a billy goat and a clear pool here.
action: You look at the pool
response: Amid all the brackish muddy swamps this pool is perfectly clear.
action: Drink pool
response: You take a tentative sip, and when you find the taste is wonderfully sweet, drink your fill.
action: About yourself
response: You are a hard-working girl, with mousey hair, a weathered face and labour-toughened hands. As someone once said of you - Marty's beauty is well-concealed.
Like most of the villagers, your clothes are home made from coarse fabric. It may not be too comfortable, but it's what you are accustomed to. And there's no point in wishing to dress like those rich folks at the Hall - those silks and satins wouldn't last five minutes  on the farm.
action: You describe your surroundings
response: The bogs encroach on this spot from all directions except for the narrow track eastwards.
You can see a billy goat and a clear pool here.
action: You examine the bogs
response: Not somewhere you'd want to wander into. There are old tales of even horses being swallowed up in the local bogs.
action: Go east
response: The flowery lane soon degenerates into  a dank track through  a series of foul-smelling bogs as you move westward. But it's always been this way, and the solitude can sometimes be a comfort.
You can continue westwards deeper into the swamp, or return to the village eastwards.
action: Go east
response: The market place has stalls arranged around its perimeter.
The north side of the square is bordered by the entrance gate and boundary wall of the Hall, the squire's residence.
Your house is along the road to the east, and the dismal bogland trail leads to the west.
The southern road leads off to the big town many miles away which is far too distant to walk to.

The square's now almost deserted, the day after the market, and early in the morning as it is. Only old Ned and Jake are here now, leaning on the wall and discussing life, the universe and current livestock prices.
You can see Old Ned and Jake here.
action: You ask old Ned about Grace
response: Aar, but them aristocrats is a law unto 'emselves. I'd keep well clear if I were you, young 'un.
action: You ask Jake about Grace
response: They say she's into all this sad-ism with whips and chains and such. Fancy me tying you to a bed and giving you what for?
action: You ask Jake about Hall
response: I'll tell you this much. It's only that Gracie who's home at the moment.
action: You go to the north
response: The gate is firmly locked, and even were you that athletic, you'd cut yourself to ribbons on those sharp shards on top of the wall.
action: You ask Jake about the gate
response: I reckon, if you could hoopla one of those spikes on the top, you might be able to haul yourself over. I'll help you if you don't mind me looking up your skirt at the same time.
action: Go south
response: It's much too far to walk. You'd better wait in the village until you can get a lift... and vehicles are very few and far between.
action: You go to the east
response: The pretty grassy track is bordered by thick hedges with many wild flowers growing in the verges.
It is only a couple of hundred yards long, connecting your cottage, hidden behind high hedges at the east end, to the market square westwards.
There is damage to the northern hedge where something has forced its way through, and cloven hoof prints lead west.
action: You go east
response: The end of the lane to your cottage, which is immediately to the east. Another cottage, Orchard Cot, owned by Giles, is up a short track to the south. The market square may be reached down the lane westwards.
action: You go east
response: Your humble home. There is only this one room on the ground floor and a bedroom above to which stairs lead up.
The front door is to the west and the garden door to the east.
The only furnishings are extremely basic.

You can see a table, a cooker and a chair here.
action: You take the chair
response: Taken.
action: Go east
response: The typically untidy yard of a rural dwelling is full of  chickens scratching at the ground.
Your cottage is to the west and a small shed is to the south.
The goat's paddock has an entrance to the northwest.
You can see some chickens and a rooster here.
action: You drop the chair
response: Dropped.
action: You stand on the chair
response: You get onto the chair.
action: Go upward
response: You'll have to get off the chair first.
action: You look at your surroundings
response: By Hall Side-wall (on the chair)
The northwest corner of your paddock. The Hall is just the other side of the wall. A first floor balcony is visible above you, but nothing can be seen above the parapet except the top of a double paned window set back into the house.
action: You stand
response: You get off the chair.

The northwest corner of your paddock. The Hall is just the other side of the wall. A first floor balcony is visible above you, but nothing can be seen above the parapet except the top of a double paned window set back into the house.

You can see a chair here.
action: You go west
response: Your humble home. There is only this one room on the ground floor and a bedroom above to which stairs lead up.
The front door is to the west and the garden door to the east.
The only furnishings are extremely basic.

You can see a table and a cooker here.
action: You stand on the chair
response: Jake has better things to do.
action: You stand on the chair
response: You get onto the chair.
action: Go upward
response: You'll have to get off the chair first.
action: You stand
response: You get off the chair.

The market place has stalls arranged around its perimeter.
The north side of the square is bordered by the entrance gate and boundary wall of the Hall, the squire's residence.
Your house is along the road to the east, and the dismal bogland trail leads to the west.
The southern road leads off to the big town many miles away which is far too distant to walk to.

The square's now almost deserted, the day after the market, and early in the morning as it is. Only old Ned and Jake are here now, leaning on the wall and discussing life, the universe and current livestock prices.
You can see a chair, Old Ned and Jake here.
action: Yes
response: That was a rhetorical question.
action: You examine the spikes
response: Two wrought iron entrance gates, locked with an iron bar, and surmounted by iron spikes are set in a six foot high brick wall topped with broken glass which makes an impregnable barrier to the casual visitor.
You can see the driveway curving off toward the house to the east.
action: Examine bar
response: A thick iron strut  locked in place by a padlock at either end.
action: You look around
response: The market place has stalls arranged around its perimeter.
The north side of the square is bordered by the entrance gate and boundary wall of the Hall, the squire's residence.
Your house is along the road to the east, and the dismal bogland trail leads to the west.
The southern road leads off to the big town many miles away which is far too distant to walk to.

The square's now almost deserted, the day after the market, and early in the morning as it is. Only old Ned and Jake are here now, leaning on the wall and discussing life, the universe and current livestock prices.
You can see a chair, Old Ned and Jake here.
action: You put the chair on the spikes
response: You put the chair on the wall surrounding the Hall.
action: You stand on the chair
response: (getting onto the wall surrounding the Hall)

That's not something you can stand on.
action: You put rein on the spikes
response: You put the lead rein on the wall surrounding the Hall.
action: You climb rein
response: The rein is only the tool. Try CLIMB MOUNTAIN or whatever it's attached to.
action: You climb the gate
response: With some support from Jake you haul yourself up the lead rein, giving him the view he desired, and retrieving the rein as you go, drop down into the grounds of the Hall.

The beautifully manicured lawns stretch off to either side of the tarmac drive which runs northeast to the Hall. The gates to the south will be unclimbable without the help you obtained earlier.

On the wall surrounding the Hall is a chair.
action: You examine the lawns
response: Exquisitely tended gardens in the style of Calamity Jane... er... I mean Capability Brown, somewhat spoiled by the "Keep off the grass" signs bordering the driveway.
action: You look at your surroundings
response: The beautifully manicured lawns stretch off to either side of the tarmac drive which runs northeast to the Hall. The gates to the south will be unclimbable without the help you obtained earlier.
action: Go northeast
response: You remember from a visit once as a child, when your mother worked in the hall, that the ground floor is mainly the servants quarters and kitchen etc, and that the servants kept themselves strictly apart from their masters. And out of sight as much as possible, so wandering around this level should be fairly safe, but not likely to be very productive... but one never can tell...
And what's that door to the south? Ah, you obviously weren't allowed in there as a kid.

A corridor leading to the kitchen is to the east. An ornate staircase winds upwards, blocking off northward access from this point, and a fancy doorway is to the south. The whole place is very gloomy with oak-panelled walls and a few portraits of singularly unattractive ancestors of the present incumbents.
You may exit the building westwards.
You can see some portraits here.
action: You go east
response: The entrance hall is westwards, and the kitchen immediately to the east. There is a door to the north leading to the servants' quarters.
action: You examine the door
response: A plain wooden door with a paper sign attached to it.
action: You look at the sign
response: Scrawled capital letters make the meaning quite clear. It's glued to the door.
action: Go east
response: All the equipment you'd expect to find in a large kitchen. Everything is neatly put away, and the only utensils in plain view is a rack of kitchen knives. The eastern wall, containing the only window has much of its light blocked out by the  wall that surrounds the property, and which you have met before. The door is back to the west.

You can see a knife Rack (on which is a carving knife) here.
action: You examine knife
response: Of the rack full of sharp bone-handled  blades, a long carving knife takes your fancy.
action: You look at the window
response: Panes of glass to let in daylight. Not the product of the Microsoft corporation.
action: You look around
response: All the equipment you'd expect to find in a large kitchen. Everything is neatly put away, and the only utensils in plain view is a rack of kitchen knives. The eastern wall, containing the only window has much of its light blocked out by the  wall that surrounds the property, and which you have met before. The door is back to the west.

You can see a knife Rack here.
action: You look at Rack
response: A wooden container attached to the south wall holding a selection of knives for use in food preparation.
action: Go west
response: The entrance hall is westwards, and the kitchen immediately to the east. There is a door to the north leading to the servants' quarters.
action: You go to the west
response: A corridor leading to the kitchen is to the east. An ornate staircase winds upwards, blocking off northward access from this point, and a fancy doorway is to the south. The whole place is very gloomy with oak-panelled walls and a few portraits of singularly unattractive ancestors of the present incumbents.
You may exit the building westwards.
You can see some portraits here.
action: You go south
response: A cavernous expanse of polished wood flooring, with a stage at the further end. Despite the many windows the place still gives the impression of gloom. Maybe going south to the stage would let you have a better look at the objects you can see there in that, the gloomiest part of the room.
action: You go to the south
response: Area for musicians to play. An enormous grand piano stands here, as do a couple of old music stands.

You can see a grand piano and a music stand here.
action: You look at the piano
response: I believe it's a Broadwood. Anyway, the castors have seized up and it's immovable. The keyboard lid is down and locked.
action: You examine the stand
response: A vertical metal pole about four feet high with a tripod base and  an open metal square at the top intended to support sheet music.
action: You take it
response: You're carrying too many things already.
action: Inventory
response: You are carrying:
a carving knife
a chair
a lead rein
a book
action: You put the book on the stand
response: You put the book on the music stand.
action: You check your inventory
response: You are carrying:
a music stand
a book
a carving knife
a chair
a lead rein
action: Describe the surroundings
response: Area for musicians to play. An enormous grand piano stands here, as do a couple of old music stands.

You can see a grand piano here.
action: You go north
response: A cavernous expanse of polished wood flooring, with a stage at the further end. Despite the many windows the place still gives the impression of gloom. Maybe going south to the stage would let you have a better look at the objects you can see there in that, the gloomiest part of the room.
action: You go north
response: A corridor leading to the kitchen is to the east. An ornate staircase winds upwards, blocking off northward access from this point, and a fancy doorway is to the south. The whole place is very gloomy with oak-panelled walls and a few portraits of singularly unattractive ancestors of the present incumbents.
You may exit the building westwards.
You can see some portraits here.
action: You examine the staircase
response: Solid wooden staircase in the grand style, wide enough to drive a coach and horses down. The newel posts are surmounted by the heads of lions, which would bring a painful conclusion to any attempt at sliding down the banisters.
action: Go upwards
response: A dim area, only lit by a skylight high above,  which even your trusty lead rein would not allow you to reach. There are doorways northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. A corridor leading south seems disused and is blocked by  a wooden partition.
action: You examine the partition
response: A collection of ancient heavy furniture, presumably unwanted but with nowhere else to store it. It is impassable and any disturbance of it would surely create quite a din.
action: You examine skylight
response: A dirty glass panel in the roof, providing a minimal amount of illumination to filter down to this  enclosed point.
action: You look at the heads
response: Hunting trophies. It was the mission of old aristocrats to go off to find endangered species and try to finish off the endangering with extinction.
action: You examine table
response: You've seen all those old movies about Henry VIII, the sheriff of Nottingham and so on - it's one of those.
action: You look at the chairs
response: Enormous old oak chairs. Even if you could haul your own little chair around, there's no way of moving these more than a foot or two.
action: You go north
response: You can go only southwest.
action: You go southwest
response: A dim area, only lit by a skylight high above,  which even your trusty lead rein would not allow you to reach. There are doorways northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. A corridor leading south seems disused and is blocked by  a wooden partition.
action: Go northwest
response: In front of a heavy wooden door  with brass handle - a curved lever rather than a knob. The door opens into a room to the northwest.
action: You look at the door
response: There's a lock, but no key, so securing it won't be easy, assuming you want to. But maybe you could do something with the handle.
action: You go northwest
response: You'll have to open the door first.
action: You open the door
response: You quietly open the door revealing Grace's bedroom.
Corny as it may seem, she really does have a big four-poster bed which dominates the room to the exclusion of everything else.
Grace is asleep on the silken coverlet now, a riding crop held in one hand, and a double barrelled shotgun lying alongside her.
Let sleeping bitches lie!
You softly close the door and retreat to the upstairs landing.
action: You check your inventory
response: You are carrying:
a music stand
a book
a carving knife
a chair
a lead rein
action: You put the chair on the handle
response: You put the chair on the closed door.
action: You look around
response: In front of a heavy wooden door  with brass handle - a curved lever rather than a knob. The door opens into a room to the northwest.

On the closed door is a chair.
action: You put the rein on the door
response: You attach the rein to the door handle. Good idea, but there's nowhere to tie the other end to hold it shut.
action: You tie the rein to the music stand
response: Try putting it on that thing, rather than tying it.
action: You put the rein on the stand
response: You lack the dexterity.
action: You put the stand on the door
response: You  thread the handle of the door through the frame of the stand. By extreme good fortune you can wedge the music stand across the door frame to prevent it opening. It's not a very strong "locking bar" but it ought to give you a bit of time.
action: You take the rein
response: You already have that.
action: You check what you're carrying
response: You are carrying:
a chair
a carving knife
a lead rein
action: You look around
response: In front of a heavy wooden door  with brass handle - a curved lever rather than a knob. The door opens into a room to the northwest.

On the closed door is a music stand.
action: You go to the southeast
response: There's surprisingly little here in the way of furniture. The east wall has french windows leading to a small balcony or belvedere. The naked form of Giles is strapped to the bed. He has red welts on his back, and signs of bruising. He is attached by leather thongs  at hand and foot to the bed.
As he hears the door open, Giles groans and you can see him flinch, but when he realises it's you he relaxes.
"Oh Marty, thank heaven. Please help me..."

You can see a narrow bed (on which is Giles) and some clothing belonging to Giles here.
action: You examine Giles
response: A local smallholder as hard-working as yourself. You have long harboured a secret love for the man, who is as weather-beaten and down-to-earth as yourself.
action: Kiss giles
response: Ooh that was wonderful.
action: You cut the thong
response: You make short work of releasing the bonds, and Giles staggers to his feet smiling through his pain. Then realising his situation, blushes and dons his clothing.
He declares he'll never let you out of his sight again.
action: Look around
response: There's surprisingly little here in the way of furniture. The east wall has french windows leading to a small balcony or belvedere.
You can see Giles and a narrow bed here.
action: You examine the bed
response: Old fashioned iron single bed with iron rings fitted around the periphery through which thongs of leather are threaded. Maybe the family once boasted its own idiot and had to keep him sedated in this primitive manner. The headboard supports rise a few inches above this board. These bedposts are  capped by moulded  monkey heads.
action: Go northwest
response: A dim area, only lit by a skylight high above,  which even your trusty lead rein would not allow you to reach. There are doorways northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. A corridor leading south seems disused and is blocked by  a wooden partition.

You can see Giles here.
action: Go southwest
response: This is obviously the sleeping area for the master and mistress of the Hall, now somewhere abroad. The double bed is flanked by two bedside cabinets, and on one wall is an enlarged photograph of the Melbury family. The exit is northeast.

You can see Giles and a bedside cabinet (on which is Melbury's tome) here.
action: You read tome
response: The Collected Works of the Marquis de Sade.
action: You ask Giles about Grace
response: Yeah, I'm a fool. Should have known when she came on so strong... gave me a drink... must have had laudanum or something in it. Next thing I know I'm flat on that bed and she's beatin' the daylights out of me with that riding crop of hers.
action: You ask Giles about Melbury
response: Grace comes storming out of her room and blasts you with the shotgun. In a later interview she claimed that she was only defending herself against a couple of burglars, one of whom had been carrying a lethal knife.
action: You go to the east
response: A sort of recessed balcony accessed through french windows from the blue room. It overlooks  the northwest end of Bluebell Cottage's paddock; and indeed is practically on the boundary line, the notorious glass-topped wall being visible directly below if you look over the eighteen inch high parapet.

You can see Giles here.
action: Go downward
response: Jump from here? You'd break your neck, or cut yourself to ribbons.
action: You check your inventory
response: You are carrying:
a book
a chair
a carving knife
a lead rein
action: You examine the parapet
response: the balcony.
action: Go southeast
response: Grace comes storming out of her room and blasts you with the shotgun. In a later interview she claimed that she was only defending herself against a couple of burglars, one of whom had been carrying a lethal knife.
action: Wait
response: Time passes.
action: You go south
response: You can go only west.
action: Tie lead to bed
response: Please give one of the answers above.
action: You put the lead on the bed
response: You put the lead rein on the narrow bed.
It's tricky, but you sling the rein over the parapet and scramble down on the far side of the wall. Giles follows. It's a good job you both wore those heavy work boots to protect your feet from that glass on the top of the wall.

The northwest corner of your paddock. The Hall is just the other side of the wall. A first floor balcony is visible above you, but nothing can be seen above the parapet except the top of a double paned window set back into the house.
As you make a run for it across the field, Grace appears on the balcony and lets off both barrels of her shotgun. Luckily she is not a good shot. In frustration she hurls the lead rein after you, which you retrieve before she can reload.
action: You go southeast
response: A grassy area for the goat to forage, though he's always in the back yard at feeding time.
It stretches northwest to the boundary of the grounds of the Hall, the side wall of which abuts it.
The open gateway to your yard is at the east side.

You can see Giles here.
action: Go east
response: The typically untidy yard of a rural dwelling is full of  chickens scratching at the ground.
Your cottage is to the west and a small shed is to the south.
The goat's paddock has an entrance to the northwest.
You can see Giles, some chickens and a rooster here.
action: You go to the west
response: Your humble home. There is only this one room on the ground floor and a bedroom above to which stairs lead up.
The front door is to the west and the garden door to the east.
The only furnishings are extremely basic.

You can see Giles, a table and a cooker here.
action: Go west
response: The end of the lane to your cottage, which is immediately to the east. Another cottage, Orchard Cot, owned by Giles, is up a short track to the south. The market square may be reached down the lane westwards.

You can see Giles here.
action: Go west
response: The pretty grassy track is bordered by thick hedges with many wild flowers growing in the verges.
It is only a couple of hundred yards long, connecting your cottage, hidden behind high hedges at the east end, to the market square westwards.
There is damage to the northern hedge where something has forced its way through, and cloven hoof prints lead west.

You can see Giles here.
action: You go west
response: The market place has stalls arranged around its perimeter.
The north side of the square is bordered by the entrance gate and boundary wall of the Hall, the squire's residence.
Your house is along the road to the east, and the dismal bogland trail leads to the west.
The southern road leads off to the big town many miles away which is far too distant to walk to.
There's no-one here at all now. Ned and Jake have gone about their business and most of the town has yet to venture abroad.

You can see Giles here.
action: You go west
response: The flowery lane soon degenerates into  a dank track through  a series of foul-smelling bogs as you move westward. But it's always been this way, and the solitude can sometimes be a comfort.
You can continue westwards deeper into the swamp, or return to the village eastwards.
You can see Giles here.
action: Go west
response: The bogs encroach on this spot from all directions except for the narrow track eastwards.
You can see Giles, a billy goat and a clear pool here.
action: Kiss giles
response: Ooh that was wonderful.