The bright sun crept up over the lake on this hot, cloudless October morning. Katya awoke feeling refreshed, with no sign of the previous day's headache. She looked around the room. What would have been considered modern elegance in 1871 was beautiful to her. The room was done in forest green with table oil lamps as well as a gas wall lamp. Katya knew the presence of gas lines would not help matters once the fire hit them. The tables all had white linen cloth on them. Even the vanity dresser was adorned with a silver comb and brush set, something that would be considered non-hygienic to share in future times.
She sat down and looked at herself in the mirror, not liking the image reflected back. Her hair was a tangled mess, and she had bags under her eyes. She knew that she would have to p
