The Blackstone Hotel, Keswick, England.

[Fabio Silva]

Pedro laughed.

"Helen Long the surrealist? I have a beautiful painting by her in my house in Portugal. A wonderful job - I am an art lover." he winks at Helen, and without waiting for an answer (as if his charm was irrefutable) he goes to the bar and to the old man he says "Good evening sir." with a smile.

He look to the barman and says in a discreet whisper "Please take some good food and a drink to the poor man in the corner. No man should go through hell without tasting a bit of paradise. I will pay."

He walks to the man in the corner, huddled at his table with his plate of food and says with a light slap on his shoulder "Better days will come my friend. Never lose hope." He then strolls to the table where he is reunited with Hills, and at the call of Exeter, he pulls a up chair and sits down beside his friend. "So, what were you friends discussing?"

[Priest]

At the barman's shout to the local, she thought he called him Percy...Yes he had the look of a Percy all flat cap and a jacket that smelt of cow and sheep, Helen groaned inwardly, Winter, bloody hell that was all she needed snow keeping her a prisoner here and away from her beloved London.
She watched as the female called Rosa wandered over to a collection of photographs hanging on the wall, Probably more locals.
She picked up the refreshed drink and looked at the nearby beer drinker, whatever he was thinking about had obviously taken possession of his faculties for he showed little inclination to speak. Not that it really bothered her as the 'milord' and his foreign friend seemed to be more than able to make up for that.
Owned one of her paintings in his house in Portugal, she snorted at that angrilly flicking her cigarette ash into a nearby ash tray, she had a mind to ask its name, but that would mean joining in the inane conversation that was, loudly, dominating the prior solitude of the hotel.

[Philulhu]

Rosa gave a sharp intake of breath. The likeness to her younger self was uncanny. Glancing around to see if anyone was watching, she lifted the photo off the wall to study it more closely.

OOC,Rosa is looking for an inscription on the photo or a date and name of the studio where the photo was taken. She'll take the back off the frame if necessary.

[bzr101]

Pedro laughed.
...
He look to the barman and says in a discreet whisper "Please take some good food and a drink to the poor man in the corner. No man should go through hell without tasting a bit of paradise. I will pay."
He walks to the man in the corner, huddled at his table with his plate of food and says with a light slap on his shoulder "Better days will come my friend. Never lose hope."
...

Jonesy stands up from the table and bows to Pedro .
"Thank you Sir, thank you indeed. Life has had a few bad knocks for me lately, but I will soon thrive like our GRAND British Empire and may your homeland thrive likewise! When I 'ave me drink Sir, I'll lift it to you and the King!" Barkeep, a pint of your best bitters, if you please!
Jonesy bows to Pedro again and sits down. He moves the plate to the side and awaits a full meal and a drink.
He thinks, "I was right, some other good fortune did happen. When these folks are not lookin, I'll put the old plate of food into me 'andy wax paper sack. No use in wastin it!"

[Priest]

Dear God, thinks Helen rolling her eyes as the Portuguese, speaking inordinately loudly, makes his way over to a rather scruffy dressed chap in the corner of the room, it goes from madness to bedlam. Another local, she imagines, and watches in a horified fascination as the scruffy dresssed one rises to his feet and makes a totaly uncalled for speech about the King and the Empire, half expecting his lordship to leap to his feet and propose a loyal toast.
She clucks her tongue in a show of annoyance and watches in facination as Rosa, she thinks was her name, after studying a wall mounted photograph for a few moments, reaches up and takes the picture down. No doubt seeing if its worth anything.

[DrPeterson]

"You know what it's like, Finado, talking about art and what moves and all that jazz as those Americans say.",
Exeter slaps Pedro on the shoulder and laughs.
"What a marvellously unsophisticated creature you found there, you old softy! I declare, I can smell him all the way over here!"

He lights up another cigarette and stands.

"Time to stretch the old shanks, eh? Looks like the boy at the bar isn't too fast at all."

Exeter walks over to the bar and goes stand next to Helen, giving her one of his winning smiles before turning to the bartender.

"I say, old boy, I quite fancy a bottle of bubbly over here!"

[bzr101]

...
"What a marvellously unsophisticated creature you found there, you old softy! I declare, I can smell him all the way over here!"
...

The pint and new plate have not arrived yet. Jonesy lifts his head and eyes Exeter.
Jonesy thinks, "Anarchist ass'ole, yes that is what he is a'right. If he 'ad said somethin like that after me dinner, I'd scuffle with the lout, I would. Smell me over 'ere does he, not bloody likely."
He lowers his head and eagerly awaits his pint and meal.

[Abdul Alhazred]

Behind the bar, Nigel Jones was feeling increasingly harried. "It's like blooming buses - no customers for ages and then the world and his wife wants serving."

He pulls a pint for the tramp and shouts over, with the emphasis on the first word, "Sir. Your drink's on the bar." Quickly he steps to the kitchen door, say's something and returns to the bar. Looking back to Jonesy he calls "And food will follow shortly".

Seeing the lady examining the photograph in her hands he calls over barely concealing the exasperation in his voice, "Excuse me madam, please don't take the photos from the wall".

[Philulhu]

Rosa glanced up sharply. "I am merely studying it," she said. "I assure you, I deal with antiques every day and no-one will treat this with more care than I." She gave the barman a flat look and carried on with her inspection.

[Priest]

Helen wants to smile at Exeter's comment about smells, but does not wish to give the jackanapes satisfaction. For a moment she thought she saw the flare of anger on the tramps face, but if it had it had been only momentarily. She imagined that a creature such as he would know only to well to swallow the insults of his betters.
Now the frightfull toff was beside her at the bar, she chose to ignore the supercillious public school boy smile that spoke of a jolly jape that he regaled her with.
At the barman's, who was looking more and more distressed, admonishment to Rosa over her handling the pictures, she did smile, and the reply did the girl credit, after all what was the point of having pictures on the wall if one wasn't to look at them? Of course she would never publicly sympathise with the girl, that simply wouldn't do.

[Abdul Alhazred]

Nigel turns his back on the rather strident lady who clearly isn't going to put the photo back anytime soon. "Suit yourself lady, it'll come off your bill if you damage it" he thinks.

Meanwhile, one of the serving girls comes out from the kitchen and hands Jonesy a bowl of hot stew and a plate of buttered bread. Not waiting for a response she turns on her heel and returns to the kitchen and her duties.

For Rosa Only,As you examine the front of the photo you can just make out some wording in fading black ink at the bottom. Peering intently you can see it is the names of the subjects in the photograph - six children and two adults. You sense of unease increases as you realise that the girl who looks like you shares your first name, Rosa, although her surname is different - Waring. Stranger still, one of the older boys in the photo looks like a young version of the quiet man currently sitting at the bar.

[bzr101]

...
He pulls a pint for the tramp and shouts over, with the emphasis on the first word, "Sir. Your drink's on the bar." Quickly he steps to the kitchen door, say's something and returns to the bar. Looking back to Jonesy he calls "And food will follow shortly".
...

Jonesy rises from his chair and walks towards the bar. He picks up the pint and turns in Perdo's direction and lifts the pint.
"Again, thank you Sir. To yer health and to the King!", Jonesy takes a long drink, then surries back to his table. He is very careful not to spill a drop of bitters.

...
Meanwhile, one of the serving girls comes out from the kitchen and hands Jonesy a bowl of hot stew and a plate of buttered bread. Not waiting for a response she turns on her heel and returns to the kitchen and her duties.
...

"Thanks to ye m'am." Jonesy warms his hands on the sides of the bowl and slowly sniffs the wonderful smell of the stew. He begins to slowly and methodically eat his fine meal. When no one is looking his way, he puts his old meal in his trusty wax paper sack.

[Philulhu]

Rosa's stomach slowly turns over as she studies the photograph. 'That can't be me, can it?!' she thinks. She looks between the photo and the man at the bar, even holding it up so she can compare the two side by side.

OOC,[i]According to the photograph, what is the name of the older boy in the photo who looks like the quiet man at the bar? What memories or information has Rosa been told about her birth or early childhood?[/i]

[Abdul Alhazred]

For Rosa Only,Your early memories are hazy, and you do remember being somewhere other than where you spent your childhood. However they really are fragments and you've never questioned your parents about them. The name of the boy who looks like the man at the bar is Michael.

[DrPeterson]

"Barkeep, I declare! Perhaps you did not understand, but I would like a bottle of champagne!"

Exeter's chest seems to puff up, he is clearly not used to being ignored.

[Philulhu]

Rosa slowly lowers the photograph to the bar, feeling as if something very perculiar was going on. "Excuse me," she says quietly to the barman, "Do you happen to know who these two people are?" She pointed to the two older people - parents? - in the photograph.

OOC,[i]A few questions... How is the photo held in the frame? Is the back of the frame secured with clips or tape? Has [b]Rosa[/b] seen any similar photos/frames around the hotel (not necessarily with the same family) ? Are there any newspapers at the bar?[/i]

[Abdul Alhazred]

Nigel pulls up the trapdoor beneath the bar counter and steps down, emerging a few seconds later with a bottle of Boizel which he swiftly uncorks. "How many glasses does sir require?" he asks Exeter.

Getting a terse response he puts them onto a tray, along with the bottle, and places it on the counter in front of the Viscount.

As he does so he responds to Rosa, "I'm afraid I can't help madam. Those photos have been here for years. Could be one of the older regulars might know who they are though.". With that he starts wiping down the counter.

[DrPeterson]

Exeter is all smiles when he gets the champagne.

He looks at both women as he picks up the plate and heads back to "his" table.

"Well, ladies, I've got plenty of glasses and only one old rich man to share them with. I'd be bally well honoured if you'd join us for a drink."

[Philulhu]

OOC,[i]Oops, sorry! Edited my post to ask some additional questions but you posted before I finished.[/i]

[Abdul Alhazred]

As Rosa examines the photo and frame, she can see that it's in a cheap wooden frame, behind glass and secured at the back with tape.