[Scene III] Interview in Bloomsbury - Grimes & Felix...

[Airbornexo]

131 Berners Place, Bloomsbury, London
London - 28th November 1932 - 10:55am

Once again Grimes guides his large automobile through the busy London streets. On a couple of occasions Felix has his heart in his mouth, with near-misses that Grimes accelerates expertly around or pedestrians that seemingly have little road-sense whatso every: "Bloody Londoners! Think the world revolves around them not the other way around! Get out of the bloody way you idiot!!" The detective shouts waving a fist angrily of of the window, clearly enjoying himself.

The investigators head up to the first floor apartment and rap at number 131. The door is opened by a pretty young raven-haired woman in a white dress:



"Yes, can I help you?" She asks in a charming and demure voice...

[Tabs]

He waits for Grimes to introduce himself before adding, "And I'm Mr. Henriot, photographer--helping the Detective with his inquiries. We are investigating a crime involving rare books--especially Lucian Vawdrey's works--and noted at the British Museum that you had checked out The Invisible Path recently, Miss Montgomery?"

[Airbornexo]

Grime's police credentials is enough for her to invite the pair into her apartment after he shows his identification. Grimes senses that Felix and Amanda's more gentle approach might achieve better results and allows him to take the lead in the interview. "Yes I'm Eleanor Montgomery, please come in. Could I interest you in a cuppa? I'm making one for dad." She’s charming and has a seemingly endless reserve of patience.

Her father is sitting by a heater reading a book and muttering to himself. He seems confused by the appearance of strangers in his little domain, "Who are you? What do you want?" He demands. "Don't mind him," says Eleanor from the kitchen, "it's his age and I'm afraid his memory is not what it used to be." The man clearly has some sort of ailment afflicting the elderly and is semi-senile.

"I did check that book out, I took it back a few weeks ago - its not a police matter surely, I paid my 2 pence fine!" She smiles, poking her head around the corner from the kitchen...

[Tabs]

"Tuppence eh?--very serious, Miss Montgomery," jokes Felix, playing along. "Do we presume that it is your father who is the avid reader of rare books?" he asks the daughter but is looking at the father and the book he is reading.

[Mr. Handy]

Amanda had bumped into Detective Grimes and Felix when she had arrived at the Reading Room, and she decided to tag along with them when she heard that the book she was seeking had already been checked out of the library. She would be more use on an interview than she would doing research, which was never her strong suit.

"I'm Amanda Somerville," she says with a smile by way of introduction. "Thank you, some tea would hit the spot."

[Airbornexo]

Eleanor brings in a tray containing cups, a steaming pot of tea and a plate of biscuits. "No, it's me that's the avid reader. Father is nearly bedridden, today is one of his better days and I spend all my time taking care of him. Reading is the only entertainment available really, I can't afford to go to the cinema or dance-halls. To be honest I wouldn't want to be away from dad for that long anyway. I'm just working my way through the poetry section of the library. Most of it is pretty good but some is awful"

She smiles, "When dad is having a more lucid moment, he likes me to read to him or sometimes he remembers enough to be able to read a little himself." She looks at her father and sighs, lifting the book out of his grasp rotating it through 180 degrees and gently placing it back in his hands. He doesn't bat an eyelid...

[Mr. Handy]

"He couldn't ask for a better daughter," says Amanda, giving Eleanor a sympathetic look. "What can you remember from having read The Invisible Path? Did anything in particular stick out to you?"

[Tabs]

Felix listens, wondering at a young lady who reads old books.

[Airbornexo]

The young woman shrugs, "I did borrow The Invisible Path from the library, but only read a few pages of it. I thought it was very strange and only skimmed it before returning it two days later. I'm onto Paul Verlaine, a French Symbolist. He's much better...see." She produces a book from the sideboard:

The Young Fools (Les Ingénus) by Paul Verlaine

High-heels were struggling with a full-length dress
So that, between the wind and the terrain,
At times a shining stocking would be seen,
And gone too soon. We liked that foolishness.

Also, at times a jealous insect's dart
Bothered out beauties. Suddenly a white
Nape flashed beneath the branches, and this sight
Was a delicate feast for a young fool's heart.

Evening fell, equivocal, dissembling,
The women who hung dreaming on our arms
Spoke in low voices, words that had such charms
That ever since our stunned soul has been trembling.

OOC:   Sense trouble roll please - difficulty 6 (Grimes fails his roll

[Mr. Handy]

"Oh, that is lovely," says Amanda, letting her guard down. "I've known young fools such as those." She smiles wistfully.

[Tabs]

OOC:   http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4675128/ [ 9 ]

" 'A jealous insect's dart,' " repeats Felix, "what is that a symbol for?"

[Mr. Handy]

"They see the insects as rivals for the ladies' attention, I think," says Amanda. "I feel like I could be one of those women myself."

[Airbornexo]

OOC:   Felix notices that Eleanor's father looks upset at the mention of The Invisible Path.

[Tabs]

"Mr. Montgomery appears agitated, do you think he is alright?" says Felix to Eleanor.

[Airbornexo]

Eleanor looks to her father, "Dad? Are you alright? What is it?" He clutches his head in his hands and moans softly. Eleanor tries to question him for several minutes in a calm and reassuring way but all he will say is "the sky was red in my dreams… and there was a man there, he spoke to me, and he feared himself."

The young woman shakes her head sadly, "It's his mind I'm afraid. Not what it used to be. He is prone to looking at the books I bring home occasionally if a moment of lucidity takes him. That phrase about the red sky seems familiar to the imagery in the preface of The Invisible Path, but I can't be sure."

Grimes taps his watch and nods to the others, 'We've a train to catch, lets wrap this up for now'

OOC:   If you have any further questions now's the time to ask them before I move the scene on tomorrow evening.

[Tabs]

Felix feels a pang of concern for Sam and Millicent who are skimming Vawdrey's works at the British Museum. He wonders about Eleanor and her role in the mystery. . . . "Okay, Detective, Miss Somerville, let's go catch that train." He rises and shakes Eleanor's hand.

[Mr. Handy]

"Thank you for your time," says Amanda, also shaking Eleanor's hand before leaving with the others.