(IC#01) An Ordinary Day

[andyw666]

Capt Penhalligon:

Jory notes the arrival of the Countess with a slightly raised eyebrow, then discretely heads backstage to make himself another cup of chai, surprisingly thirsty.

[Taavi]

Pausing for Grant's reply, the Contessa gazes around the bookshop again, seemingly struck by a thought. "I have heard it said", she remarks to no-one in particular, "that in every age, a book is written which more truly reflects the spirit of the time than any other. Who will write the book of these times, do you suppose? Sinclair Lewis? The Irishman, Yeats? If the reflection is distorted, would that also distort the spirit?"

[AndrewTBP]

"Oh! The one at Christies next week, Contessa? I was going to attend with Mr Harwood." says Grant.

He pulls a catalogue out from under the counter. The cover page is entitled "The American Legation to the Court of St James" and mentions paintings, objets d'art, antique furniture, books, etc., and a slip of paper bookmarks the catalogue where Grant has focussed his attention.

"I’ve looked at the books and papers, some of them might interest our military history types. What has taken your fancy, Contessa?"

[Taavi]

The Contessa nods graciously, an aristocrat pleased that her wishes are anticipated. "The writing desk, Signor Granti. I wish you to buy Irving's desk. I will authorise a line of credit on my banca for two thousand and one hundred pounds for this purpose, and pay you one hundred and twenty pounds. If you can get the desk for less, you may please me, and increase your commission, by obtaining the Alhambra notes, and also a pen. But I must have the desk. Also! After it is bought, you must ensure it is not meddled with until you deliver to me."

A note on money,For comparison, the average annual earnings of an employed British man in 1933 are about 150 pounds, so the Contessa is offering nearly a year's average salary as a commission on this deal. This is rather more than you have known her to spend in the past...

[AndrewTBP]

Grant drains his tea to steady his nerves and clear his throat. The cup rattles when he puts it down.

“Well, Contessa, I accept your commission. Mrs Grant likes me to get these things in writing, so we’ll do that in a moment. You’ll want me to keep that I’m your agent on the quiet, I presume?”

[Seon]

Laura listened silently to the exchange, slightly unnerved by the presence of the strange woman, but she jerked her head up in anticipation as she heard her mention the sheer amount of money involved in the deal. Surely if she helped the bookstore obtain the desk, she would get a little bit of kickbacks in her direction... Maybe she could buy that weird old man a gift instead of the other way around too.

Or at least, she sniffed at her own cloth self-consciously. New clothes.

[Taavi]

"But of course, Signor Granti. Discretion is essenziale. If my interest were known, it would attract... well. And your wife requires this in writing? She is English, I understand. My banca is the Inter-European Trading Bank of Napoli, Venice, London and Amsterdam, you may write that down in your ledger."

The Contessa sits, scribbles an outline of her proposal in a baroque hand on a loose leaf of paper, then makes to stand, presumably to depart.

[Bookman]

Harwood discretly stands, subconciously adjusting his tie, and moves to the door, preparing to hold it to let the Countess out. He tries not to betray his confusion. What interest would she have in Irving's desk? To which of her myriad interests does it connect? He swallows awkwardly on a dry throat, trying not cough. That backroom was bad for him, perhaps if this came off they would up his wages, perhaps take on a shop boy - he might escape from the piles yet. A slight lopsided grin plays at the edge of his mouth as he takes up position awaiting the Countess' departure.

[Taavi]

The Contessa tucks her long, elegant legs beneath her, rises, and strides out the door held by the obsequious Harwood. As she exits, she starts visibly at something, shakes her head slightly, then hurries down the street in the direction of a taxi rank.

Some may be in position to see what she saw,Outside the shop, a robin red-breast perched on the Bookshop footpath sign cocks a beady eye before flitting away. An unusual sight in London, where the streets are ruled by the sparrow and the starling, but hardly one to cause such a reaction...

Others may be more interested in perusing the catalogue Mr Grant has produced,The American Legation to the Court of St James is having an auction at Christies, at which they are selling a number of paintings, objets d'art, pieces of antique furniture, books, and other such things considered surplus to modern requirements. The Auction is in 3 days time, on the Tuesday. There are viewings of lots today (Saturday) and on Monday. Of particular interest to bibliophiles, the auction includes a number of items associated with the famous American author and man of letters Washington Irving, from his period as secretary and chargé d'affaires to the Legation in 1829-32, when he negotiated a trade treaty between the US and the British West Indies. Prominent among these are notes in Irving's hand towards the books he published in and around this period, including The Chronicles of the Conquest of Granada (1829), Voyages and Discoveries of the Companions of Columbus (1831) and Tales of the Alhambra (1832). These reflect his research in Spanish archives in 1826-29, in which he had access to many manuscripts now inaccessible or lost to time.

Luke remarks "I reckon that Alhambra will go for a lot. Could be a thousand pounds or more if Morgan or Harvard are interested. Don't like your chances of picking up it and the desk for two grand, unless there's no competition for the desk."

[Taavi]

"Now, this thing Wellington brought in", Luke continues. "Well, the bad news is, it's not a codex. The good news is, it's got bits of a codex or three in it. I'm not much on latin, but it looks like there's leaves from a herbal and some alchemical bits and bobs, as well as some theology in there, in a late medieval hand, and it's bound together with someone else's, or a bunch of people's, later notes. Also in latin, and in rather bad condition at that. This picture here looks rather like an early still. Didn't Wellington say something about the man brewing his own? I wonder, well, if he knew he'd sold it when Wellington walked out, if you know what I mean. It reminds me of one of those grandma's cookbooks, y'know, each generation adds their own recipes. Not the sort of thing people toss out. Still, these early leaves might be worth something."

[Bookman]

Harwood wanders back in from seeing the Countess out, looking slightly perplexed.

She gets more and more batty, I could have sworn...oh, never mind.

He motions apologetically to Laura to excuse himself from the cards and walks intrigued up to the front desk.

I heard some of that. I can do you Latin, actually I can do you alchemy and theology as well. Can I have a shufti?

[Taavi]

Luke obligingly passes the wood-pressed book to Harwood.

[AndrewTBP]

Grant looks with satisfaction at the Contessa's proposal outline. “Mrs Grant will be pleased at 120 pounds, but she'll be more pleased if we can increase that by getting the Alhambra and a pen too …” he murmurs to himself.

“Captain Penhalligon, Miss Laura. We should reduce the competition for the desk, and perhaps the Alhambra and the pens, as Carse suggests. We’ll have to do some digging quickly to find out who our competitors are and what levers to use on them. Harwood, you're coming with me to Christies to look at the goods. I’ll roust out cousin Willey to mind the shop. Please keep an eye on him, Carse.”

Grant folds the Contessa’s paper into his pocketbook and heads off to the stairs to fetch his cousin.

[Taavi]

After a few minutes, Willey sidles downstairs, his customary sheepish look looking as if you'd caught him doing something all young men do but most don't talk about. Luke snorts, lights a cigarette, and starts working his way through a stack of sale catalogues.

[Bookman]

Harwood tears himself away from the mysterious book with difficulty.

Yes of course Mr Grant. Let me grab my coat.

He disappears quietly into the back room and emerges a short period later in a long grey coat of decent make and cut but which has obviously seen better days and a slightly battered trilby. He stops by the counter to wait and takes out a pack of baccy and skins to roll one for the road. He mutters, to no one in particular,

What does she want with a desk? She never seemed the star-struck type to buy random writers' things. I suppose Alhambra falls inside her interests but it all seems a bit tangential for her.

He snorts,

She does have eclectic tastes.

[AndrewTBP]

Grant reappears wearing his coat and bowler, and carrying his rolled umbrella. He stops at the counter to pick up the catalogue. "Very good, Harwood. We'll be off."

Walking to the door, he says "You know where to find us if you need us." to the room in general.

[Taavi]

After Mr Grant exits the door, Harwood, Penhalligon and Laura all head for it simultaneously. There is one of those awkwardly English "After you", "No, I insist", "No, no, please, after you" moments before everyone is outside, going their separate ways.

[Taavi]

About 20 minutes later, the door-bell jangles as a tall, thin man walks in. He is dressed in a drab suit, with a drooping brown bow tie - a few ink stains on his fingers suggest a clerk or schoolteacher. He looks awkward. With a poor attempt at nochalance he strolls over to the counter and mutters "Ah, I heard you had some new books in? From Paris? Er, Gerry Roberts sent me."

[Quinch]

Luke looked up at the new customer. He was welcome for the diversion; to tell the truth, he was still concerned about the Contessa's deal and his dry tongue was still stubbornly refusing to dislodge itself from the bottom of his mouth. In his experience, there were poor commissions, good commissions, and then the type of ridiculously wonderful commissions that always turned out to be the worst kind of all. He would have to be careful to make sure he was not the one in the firing line if and when things went wrong.

Luke nodded at the man and dragged his most endearing smile to his lips.

"Gerry sent you?" he said warmly. "Well, any friend of Gerry's is a friend of mine. Let's retire to a discrete part of the shop and you can peruse the Parisian literature at your leisure."

Luke made sure that Willey was paying attention to the rest of the shop before he began to display the new books to the tall, thin customer.

[Taavi]

Like many clients, the man betrays a need to be reassured that he is a connoisseur and not a pervert. Luke sells him a copy of Joyce's Ulysses, to appeal to the first, and Tabitha Montrose's Spank me, Daddy, to satiate the second. The man relaxes slightly. Glancing around and taking in the esoteric nature of many of the books, he asks about "something readable that deals with fate, luck, fortune-telling, that sort of thing."

OOC,it would be a good idea to use Assess Honesty for these sorts of clients in future - never can tell when Special Branch might send a plainclothes man. You can also use abilities like Reassurance, flattery, bargain, intimidation to get more information or better deals out of clients.