The Dragon Lady of Stockbridge

A Tale of Magic in the Gilded Age

By Brian Bixby

Copyright © 2012, 2013 by Brian Bixby.

What do you do when one of your servants asks you to save her brother from a supernatural creature?

Rebecca Farnsworth Maxwell was named for a witch, and once practiced magic. For the last nine years, she has tried to leave her past behind, and just be a normal wife and mother.

But there is something magical and malevolent lurking among the Berkshire hills of Massachusetts in the summer of 1886. Rebecca takes up magic again to save the life of her laundry woman’s brother, only to find herself caught up in a struggle with a murderous magician. Armed with her fearsome dragon-headed walking stick, and with the help of the United States Government, can Rebecca find and defeat her unknown opponent?

Part 1: Stockbridge

Chapter 1: A need and a necronym (Posted Friday, August 31, 2012)

Chapter 2: How to make an unfavorable impression every time (Posted Friday, September 7, 2012)

Chapter 3: Well-matched partners (Posted Friday, September 14, 2012)

Chapter 4: Realizations, responsibilities, and regrets (Posted Friday, September 21, 2012)

Chapter 5: Unintended consequences (Posted Friday, September 28, 2012)

Chapter 6: Worthy of trust (Posted Friday, October 5, 2012)

Chapter 7: Visitors (Posted Friday, October 12, 2012)

Chapter 8: Allies and enemies (Posted Friday, October 19, 2012)

Chapter 9: Defender of the nation (Posted Friday, October 26, 2012)

Chapter 10: The men in their lives (Posted Friday, November 2, 2012.)

Part 2: The hunt

Chapter 11: Civic leaders welcome Rebecca home (Posted Friday, November 9, 2012.)

Chapter 12: Abigail’s frustrations (Posted Friday, November 16, 2012.)

Chapter 13: Different truths (Posted Friday, November 23, 2012.)

Chapter 14: At the Burning Dog (Posted Friday, November 30, 2012.)

Chapter 15: Abigail in flight (Posted Friday, December 7, 2012.)

Chapter 16: Family and friends (Posted Friday, December 14, 2012.)

Chapter 17: Teamwork (Posted Friday, December 21, 2012.)

Chapter 18: A day in the life of Patty Leigh (Posted Friday, December 28, 2012.)

Chapter 19: Stockbridge interlude (Posted Friday, January 4, 2013.)

Chapter 20: Everyone is a star in their own life (Posted Friday, January 11, 2013.)

Chapter 21: “It is not what we have lost . . .” (Posted Friday, January 18, 2013.)

Part 3: The price that was paid

Chapter 22: Solomon Davis takes charge (Posted Friday, January 25, 2013.)

Chapter 23: ” . . . but what we are becoming.” (Posted Friday, February 1, 2013.)

Author’s note: The Dragon Lady of Stockbridge was preceded by two items,  a short story entitled “The Troubles of the Farnsworths” and an even shorter piece, a fictional letter from George S. Boutwell to his daughter that mentions Israel Farnsworth and the walking stick. These may be read for background to Dragon Lady, but it is not necessary that you do so. You may start with them, or go straight to chapter 1 of Dragon Lady, and have confidence that anything that carries over from the earlier stories will be explained.

And a word about the artist: The three different versions of the dragon-headed walking stick were executed by E. J. Barnes for this story, and E. J. retains all rights to the images. You can check out more of E. J.’s work at www.ejbarnes.com.