736 Barovian Calendar, Mordentshire, Mordent "Goodness me, Dr. Van Richten, another one of those dark books? How do you manage to sleep at night?" Dr. Rudolph van Richten smiled gently at Mrs. Heywood and made a self-deprecating shrug by way of a reply. "I'm sure it can't be healthy for you," she continued, but smiled as she wrote out their respective receipts for his purchase, one for him, one for her records. She had a careful round hand and took pride that every letter and number should be easy to discern. It also took a bit of time, but on slow days such as this it gave her ample opportunity to gossip with her customers. Dr. Van Richten was a particular favorite with her, and she always made a point of bestowing a little extra effort upon him. Sometimes he would share the most amazing stories of his many journeys in the world, which were very welcome, since she had not seen much of it after setting up her modest book business in Mordentshire some twenty-five years ago. Just as she was about to ask if he had any future plans for travel, a man pushed through her shop door setting the little bell above to ringing. "Welcome, sir," she said. "If you need help, you've only to ask." He merely grunted in response. Both Van Richten and Mrs. Heywood made a study