Basilwether Estate - Friday Afternoon
Jan. 8th, 2021 10:17 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
notfinishedyetHer first week of class done, Enola packed up some of her clothes from home and headed out of the dorm. After the message from the young viscount, Enola had done a little research to learn of a certain agency known as "Portalocity" which would allow her to return home whenever she wanted without having to bother with weeks at sea. How wonderful!
So it was with a little glee that she made arrangements with a curious gnome-like being and was instantly on her way home without issue. Once again donning her guise as a widow, she stepped through the portal to find herself outside the gates of the Basilwether estate, her sudden appearance startling one of the gardeners. (Specifically the one she bribed to get his clothes. It was good the family didn't fire him per her request)
Showing herself to the door and providing the card to the staff there, she was granted entrance to the estate and then led down a long hallway. The very hallway she and Tewkesbury had faced off against Linthorn and the Dowager. The only evidence of the event ever took place was damaged finial where Linthorn had struck his head and the damaged suits of armor had been removed.
Still. It gave Enola a chill down her spine. Taking a deep breath she followed the footman past the foul memories and into the drawing room only to be surprised that the young viscount was not there.
Instead she saw the smiling face of Lady Caroline of Basilwether, Tewkesbury's mother, in the company of another man. He was a sturdy English gentleman, not well-to-do but definitely of the educated class, with a ruddy face, kind eyes, and a slight inclination towards stoutness.
"Lady Posey," she said as she rose from her seat to give Enola a small air-kiss of greeting on her cheek. "So good to see you again. And how is Dr. Ragostin doing? Has he recovered from his illness?"
Enola's nose crinkled a bit in confusion. Dr. Ragostin had been the front she had used as payment for her duties in returning her son safely... well somewhat safely home. Why was she using the front now? And who was the stranger sitting there?
"He is recovering well," Enola said trying to cover her confusion. "I expect him to be on his feet in no time."
"Wonderful! Now, your timing is absolutely perfect, my dear. Allow me to introduce my friend, Dr. John Watson."
Enola thought her brain exploded. Watson? Was she mad?
"Yes. That John Watson," Lady Caroline said smoothly. "The one associated with Mr. Holmes. Dr. Watson, allow me to introduce to you the Dowager May Beatrice Posey. She is an assistant, trusted confidante and authorised agent of Dr. Ragostin. Much as you are to Mr. Holmes. I asked her her here to gather details on the matter we discussed."
"A pleasure my dear," he said stepping forward and tipping his hat in formal greeting. "But again, Lady Caroline, I would prefer to talk privately with Dr. Ragostin as he would be the one doing the investigation."
"I am Dr. Ragostin's eyes and ears and I'm happy to relay the information on to Dr. Ragostin," Enola said, surprisingly calm and chipper in her response considering that she was doing her best not to bolt and run out the door. "How can Dr. Ragostin be of assistance?"
Lady Caroline bade them all to sit and Dr. Watson sighed. "Um, yes. Quite. But I am not sure. The matter is delicate. You see, Holmes does know about this situation."
Enola immediately began to feel at ease. "I assure, Dr. Watson, you can rely on my complete discretion," Enola replied. Now the curiosity of why Watson was here and why her brother could not know about it was getting the better of her. "Would someone be so kind as to tell me this matter of delicacy that would drive Dr. Watson to come to his competition?"
"It regards a mutual friend of Dr. Watson and a distant cousin of mine," Lady Caroline said motioning for the one of many servants to serve tea. "Sir Eustace and Lady Alistair have been turned away by Mr. Holmes who had begged him to inquire into the whereabouts of their daughter."
"And instead he turned them away with a flea in their ear," Watson grumbled.
Enola blinked and thought back to all the Pall Mall Gazette's and other newspapers she had read since being in Fandom. "Their daughter is missing? I have seen nothing in the gazette."
Watson put his fist to his mouth and coughed. Lady Caroline's smile dropped entirely. "It has been hushed up to prevent scandal," she said quietly.
Enola nodded slowly. Such a thing meant that her parents thought the girl had gone off on her own, possibly seduced by an undesirable man. "And is there a reason why Mr. Holmes refused the case?" Enola asked.
Really she should be looking into the matter of the missing girl but to find out what was going on was too much for her to ignore.
Watson frowned. "For the past fall, he has seemed uneasy in mind and almost distraught to the extent that he is not sleeping or eating properly. I've asked him many times about his vexation but his irritability and pride has kept him from revealing the truth to me. I sought his brother, Mycroft and learned that their mother had recently vanished along with a large amount of funds which was apparently put toward a plot to further the suffagettes."
Enola knew all of that too well.
"In addition their younger sister has apparently vanished as well and is apparently running around London dressed as a man."
"How scandalous," Enola said rather dryly. "I had no idea they had a younger sibling."
It took all of Enola's strength not to laugh when Lady Caroline nearly spat out her tea. "I'm sorry, Lady Caroline," Enola said trying to cover for her. "I did not mean to involve myself in idle gossip. Can you provide any details of the young lady's disappearance?"
"Theodora, my cousin, has given me slight details on the matter," Lady Caroline replied.
Watson then sighed. "Her husband, Eustance was an old schoolmate of mine at the university and provided me with scant details. Their daughter, Cecily, has been gone for a week and the authorities seem utterly ineffectual. All I know is that her bed was found empty but slept in, the window open and a ladder outside the window. They know of know persons of interest and no ransom demand has been given."
Enola took down all the details available as well as the address of the Alistair's home before Dr. Watson bade them farewell as he had another engagement back in London.
As soon as Watson left the room and the door shut behind him, Enola let out a long gasp and flopped backward in the chair in relief, losing all sense of decorum.
"I apologize for the farce, Enola," Lady Caroline said sympathetically but frowning at Enola's slouching. "Dr. Watson showed up unannounced as he had business nearby and was hoping to learn more details as I saw Theodora earlier this week."
"It's fine," Enola croaked. "I only hope that Dr. Watson's discretion at hiring a competitor means he will not bring up the meeting with either of my brothers."
"I assure you he will not. Men have to much pride to give up secrets that could damage their reputation. I doubt Mr. Holmes would be to keen to learn of Dr. Watson. As soon as I heard the situation I asked Tewkesbury to reach out to you as I knew you could be of help."
Enola felt her chest tighten a tad at the mention of his name. "Is he here?"
"I'm afraid the repercussions of the reform bill have taken up most of his time in London," Lady Caroline said with a small smile. "Should I convey something to him?"
Enola returned the small smile. "Only that a nincompoop would request my aid but not be here to greet me," she said with a comic eye roll before shoving a biscuit into her mouth and then talking with her mouth full. "Horrible manners."
"Indeed," Lady Caroline said, her smile fading slightly. "I will be sure to relay that."
After a few moments of small talk and chit chat, Enola was sent on her way to the train station via the Basilwether carriage.
And then on to London. Where there was a mystery to be solved.
To borrow a phrase from her brother: The game was afoot!
[OOC: NFB, NFI unless somehow you are in England 136 years ago. Modified from The Case of the Left Handed Lady by Nancy Springer]
So it was with a little glee that she made arrangements with a curious gnome-like being and was instantly on her way home without issue. Once again donning her guise as a widow, she stepped through the portal to find herself outside the gates of the Basilwether estate, her sudden appearance startling one of the gardeners. (Specifically the one she bribed to get his clothes. It was good the family didn't fire him per her request)
Showing herself to the door and providing the card to the staff there, she was granted entrance to the estate and then led down a long hallway. The very hallway she and Tewkesbury had faced off against Linthorn and the Dowager. The only evidence of the event ever took place was damaged finial where Linthorn had struck his head and the damaged suits of armor had been removed.
Still. It gave Enola a chill down her spine. Taking a deep breath she followed the footman past the foul memories and into the drawing room only to be surprised that the young viscount was not there.
Instead she saw the smiling face of Lady Caroline of Basilwether, Tewkesbury's mother, in the company of another man. He was a sturdy English gentleman, not well-to-do but definitely of the educated class, with a ruddy face, kind eyes, and a slight inclination towards stoutness.
"Lady Posey," she said as she rose from her seat to give Enola a small air-kiss of greeting on her cheek. "So good to see you again. And how is Dr. Ragostin doing? Has he recovered from his illness?"
Enola's nose crinkled a bit in confusion. Dr. Ragostin had been the front she had used as payment for her duties in returning her son safely... well somewhat safely home. Why was she using the front now? And who was the stranger sitting there?
"He is recovering well," Enola said trying to cover her confusion. "I expect him to be on his feet in no time."
"Wonderful! Now, your timing is absolutely perfect, my dear. Allow me to introduce my friend, Dr. John Watson."
Enola thought her brain exploded. Watson? Was she mad?
"Yes. That John Watson," Lady Caroline said smoothly. "The one associated with Mr. Holmes. Dr. Watson, allow me to introduce to you the Dowager May Beatrice Posey. She is an assistant, trusted confidante and authorised agent of Dr. Ragostin. Much as you are to Mr. Holmes. I asked her her here to gather details on the matter we discussed."
"A pleasure my dear," he said stepping forward and tipping his hat in formal greeting. "But again, Lady Caroline, I would prefer to talk privately with Dr. Ragostin as he would be the one doing the investigation."
"I am Dr. Ragostin's eyes and ears and I'm happy to relay the information on to Dr. Ragostin," Enola said, surprisingly calm and chipper in her response considering that she was doing her best not to bolt and run out the door. "How can Dr. Ragostin be of assistance?"
Lady Caroline bade them all to sit and Dr. Watson sighed. "Um, yes. Quite. But I am not sure. The matter is delicate. You see, Holmes does know about this situation."
Enola immediately began to feel at ease. "I assure, Dr. Watson, you can rely on my complete discretion," Enola replied. Now the curiosity of why Watson was here and why her brother could not know about it was getting the better of her. "Would someone be so kind as to tell me this matter of delicacy that would drive Dr. Watson to come to his competition?"
"It regards a mutual friend of Dr. Watson and a distant cousin of mine," Lady Caroline said motioning for the one of many servants to serve tea. "Sir Eustace and Lady Alistair have been turned away by Mr. Holmes who had begged him to inquire into the whereabouts of their daughter."
"And instead he turned them away with a flea in their ear," Watson grumbled.
Enola blinked and thought back to all the Pall Mall Gazette's and other newspapers she had read since being in Fandom. "Their daughter is missing? I have seen nothing in the gazette."
Watson put his fist to his mouth and coughed. Lady Caroline's smile dropped entirely. "It has been hushed up to prevent scandal," she said quietly.
Enola nodded slowly. Such a thing meant that her parents thought the girl had gone off on her own, possibly seduced by an undesirable man. "And is there a reason why Mr. Holmes refused the case?" Enola asked.
Really she should be looking into the matter of the missing girl but to find out what was going on was too much for her to ignore.
Watson frowned. "For the past fall, he has seemed uneasy in mind and almost distraught to the extent that he is not sleeping or eating properly. I've asked him many times about his vexation but his irritability and pride has kept him from revealing the truth to me. I sought his brother, Mycroft and learned that their mother had recently vanished along with a large amount of funds which was apparently put toward a plot to further the suffagettes."
Enola knew all of that too well.
"In addition their younger sister has apparently vanished as well and is apparently running around London dressed as a man."
"How scandalous," Enola said rather dryly. "I had no idea they had a younger sibling."
It took all of Enola's strength not to laugh when Lady Caroline nearly spat out her tea. "I'm sorry, Lady Caroline," Enola said trying to cover for her. "I did not mean to involve myself in idle gossip. Can you provide any details of the young lady's disappearance?"
"Theodora, my cousin, has given me slight details on the matter," Lady Caroline replied.
Watson then sighed. "Her husband, Eustance was an old schoolmate of mine at the university and provided me with scant details. Their daughter, Cecily, has been gone for a week and the authorities seem utterly ineffectual. All I know is that her bed was found empty but slept in, the window open and a ladder outside the window. They know of know persons of interest and no ransom demand has been given."
Enola took down all the details available as well as the address of the Alistair's home before Dr. Watson bade them farewell as he had another engagement back in London.
As soon as Watson left the room and the door shut behind him, Enola let out a long gasp and flopped backward in the chair in relief, losing all sense of decorum.
"I apologize for the farce, Enola," Lady Caroline said sympathetically but frowning at Enola's slouching. "Dr. Watson showed up unannounced as he had business nearby and was hoping to learn more details as I saw Theodora earlier this week."
"It's fine," Enola croaked. "I only hope that Dr. Watson's discretion at hiring a competitor means he will not bring up the meeting with either of my brothers."
"I assure you he will not. Men have to much pride to give up secrets that could damage their reputation. I doubt Mr. Holmes would be to keen to learn of Dr. Watson. As soon as I heard the situation I asked Tewkesbury to reach out to you as I knew you could be of help."
Enola felt her chest tighten a tad at the mention of his name. "Is he here?"
"I'm afraid the repercussions of the reform bill have taken up most of his time in London," Lady Caroline said with a small smile. "Should I convey something to him?"
Enola returned the small smile. "Only that a nincompoop would request my aid but not be here to greet me," she said with a comic eye roll before shoving a biscuit into her mouth and then talking with her mouth full. "Horrible manners."
"Indeed," Lady Caroline said, her smile fading slightly. "I will be sure to relay that."
After a few moments of small talk and chit chat, Enola was sent on her way to the train station via the Basilwether carriage.
And then on to London. Where there was a mystery to be solved.
To borrow a phrase from her brother: The game was afoot!
[OOC: NFB, NFI unless somehow you are in England 136 years ago. Modified from The Case of the Left Handed Lady by Nancy Springer]
