It was a sunny day, temperature in the Northern California summer a little above 70 degrees. On this perfect day to go to a Berkeley used bookstore and afterwards to go to a bar in the Marina, sitting beside the water with a view across the Bay, Caydance was perusing a 1969 facsimile of the 15th century French manuscript, The Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry, purchased at a bookstore managed by an old friend, who had with some fanfare, handed it to her about an hour ago.

She was wearing a blue cotton shirt and faded jeans, and her abundant strawberry blond hair was tied back in a ponytail. It was too early in the afternoon to attract unwanted company; no one usually sat down beside her when she was deeply immersed in a book, and there were many empty tables, although as usual the tables beside the water were taken.