INT = 16 + 1 Scientific Knowledge, but the Profession of Physician doesn't quite apply here.[dice]0[/dice]
Through a quick series of chemical tests, Doctor North is able to determine that the handkerchief has been treated with an extremely complex solution containing multiple substances, distilled from a variety of plant, animal, and mineral sources. If one were to attempt to duplicate it, one would need to obtain raw materials from many places in the world, possess sophisticated distillation and refining equipment, and spend a great deal of time preparing it.
The guests apparently in agreement not to inform the inhabitants of the manor house of the woman's presence, at least not yet, they are able to place her within one of the guest rooms. By the time this is accomplished, she has fallen into a deep sleep; but only one who could perceive the dreams of another could tell if it is peaceful.
"Does she have anything on her person that may help identify her?" asks Henry, checking the handkerchief for a monogram. "A letter, perhaps? A distinctive ring?"
A brief examination reveals no marks upon the handkerchief, nor anything else providing a hint as to the woman's identity. It would seem to be an act of impropriety to make a more intimate search.
The point may be a moot one. After remaining in a state of deep slumber -- her room watched, no doubt, by one of the guests, each taking a turn during the night -- she awakes at an early hour. Not so early as servants do, to be sure, given the many preparatory tasks which must be undertaken long before the sun blesses the Earth with its warmth; but earlier than, for example, Lord and Lady Highdark and their offspring, who would rarely witness a sunrise. The time spent making herself more or less presentable allows the gentlemen sufficient opportunity to witness her emerge from retirement. Upon seeing them, she casts her gaze away and remarks, in a voice of controlled sorrow, "Forgive me for disturbing your rest. I will return to my room and trouble you no more."
"Madam, you were in a state of considerable distress," says William. "I think I may speak for us all when I say that whatever trouble or danger has befallen you, we would be glad to offer you whatever help we may. Certainly we would not dream of sending you off alone."
"Indeed," says Henry. "But where are my manners? I have not introduced myself. I am Dr. Henry North, Earl of Dunwich, at your service. These gentlemen are Captain William Palliser and Vincent Courcelles de Labrousse."
"But perhaps you are already aware of who we are, madame--or is it mademoiselle?" Vincent adds. He raises the letter he received, written in perfect French. "Did you not seek my aid? Why then did you attack me?"
I see that my attempt to withdraw from a humiliating situation will be of no avail. For this I have no-one to blame but myself. I gambled that my Perfume of Persuasion would prove effective, and win me the co-operation of one whose achievements for the recently martyred royalty of France are known to a privileged few in this kingdom. My failure to do so induced a fit of agitated melancholy, to which I am intermittently subject. Whether this be an imbalance of the humours, or a darkness of the soul, I leave unanswered. I will relate my life's history in a frank and open manner, without that coyness which women are supposed to possess.
My name is Mary Ravenscroft. I came into the world something more than a score of years ago, the only child of poor but respectable parents. My mother's eyes closed for the last time at the moment mine first opened. My father, bereft of a helpmeet, raised me with great care and affection, if little material comforts. As I was his sole heir, I enjoyed the modest privileges he would have afforded to a son. A rare thing in this wicked world, in which Woman is assumed the servant of Man!
I received such education as he could provide. As I do not suffer from that womanly vice known as modesty, which men think proper to my sex, I will confess that I was a gifted pupil, and soon exceeded him in knowledge. All else that I have learnt has come from such men as would deign to instruct a female, and, much more importantly, from books which I could beg, borrow, or, on occasion, steal. I quickly became proficient in ancient and modern languages, and the principles of natural philosophy.
Has it ever occurred to you, gentlemen, what might become of a woman without wealth, but with education and -- I warned you I have no modesty! -- the kind of physical beauty which attracts the attention of males? If I were dull and plain, I would now be a common servant. If learned and plain, a tutor or governess, such as Miss Rye. If dull and pretty, I might have drifted into harlotry. But to be learned and pretty, what else could I do, in this world where the scholarly occupations are restricted to men, than to play the courtesan?
Without going into all the details of my chosen career, in time I captured the eye of Lord Highdark. His great wealth affords me all of my material needs, as well as the materials and equipment I require for my researches. In exchange, I endure his intimate embraces. Lady Highdark is aware of this arrangement, and prefers to have her husband direct his passions in my direction rather than in that of an ignorant slattern. Of course, she does not acknowledge my existence in any way. We are both careful to make sure that our paths never cross, and that no other member of the family knows of me. The servants -- who always know so much more than their masters, it seems! -- see to my needs as I require, and otherwise disregard me. This is the reason that my cries when I was held fast in the grip of my affliction went unremarked.
I have now revealed myself to you and, as every woman must in this world made for men, trust to your discretion. I fancied that I would be able to compel Monsieur de Labrousse to make use of his skills in my effort to unlock the secrets of Highdark Hall. I am as addicted, you see, to the thirst for knowledge, as the smoker of opium is to the fancies of delusion. But as my Perfume of Persuasion has failed, I can no longer hope for such. I will go back to my silent room, for which I sold my so-called virtue.
"You intrigue me, mademoiselle, and I bid you to stay one moment," Vincent replies. "Perhaps you shall still have my skills, and those of these other gentlemen if they be willing, for I perceive that you acted from desperation rather than cruelty, non? These secrets of Highdark Hall you speak of, are they secrets of the arcane, or are they of learning, or of wealth? And in what manner might we serve such a quest?"
"If you are truly willing to indulge one subject to the vice of curiosity, to as great a degree as Satan was to pride, than I am compelled by my own obsession to reveal to you those mysteries of Highdark Hall which consume me.
"Firstly, then, are those matters pertaining to the Altumber family themselves. Lord Highdark is, as you will have ascertained by now, a simple man. Perhaps our intimacy has influenced my opinion, but I think it accurate.
"Lady Highdark is another matter. Often she is away from the estate for days at a time, without obvious excuse. Lord Highdark, as you will imagine, welcomes these absences for his own reasons; but they remain unexplained, which is a thing I cannot abide, even in the smallest matters.
"The peculiar nature of the young twin girls cannot have escaped your notice. Are they, as one of mystical nature might suggest, one soul in two bodies? Or is their behavior mere mischievousness?
"As I am unable to reveal myself to Lord Highdark's offspring, lest I be forced to vacate his estate, my opportunities to investigate these matters is limited.
"Then there are curious phenomena to be noted both within and without the manor. What are the glowing shapes seen on moonless nights? Whence come the strange sounds from the sealed rooms? What manner of offal produces the more than commonly foul odors arising from beneath the house?
"These things intrigue my restless mind, and I am frustrated by the restrictions placed upon me which prevent me from fully exploring them.
"Now I must return to my chambers, before Lord Highdark's family rises, in order to prevent an unfortunate encounter with them."
"You may rely upon my discretion, Miss Ravenstone," says Henry. "I believe in the education of women. My first wife, God rest her soul, was a gifted student like yourself, and I've no doubt she could have surpassed me had she not passed away in childbirth, along with our son. My youngest child, your namesake, also shows genius. She is only four, but she has been reading for a year and has an insatiable curiosity not unlike your own. You should not be forced to submit to Lord Highdark's advances. I would be pleased to be your patron and allow you to use my fully stocked laboratory to continue your research, should you ever wish to leave here, with no strings attached. However, I understand that you must unravel the mysteries of Highdark Hall first, and I must admit to being intrigued myself. I shall investigate them and inform you of my findings."
Miss Ravenscroft takes her leave. The three gentlemen are granted the freedom of the home and estate while they are guests of Lord and Lady Highdark. The family having no particular business occupying them at this time, they are available to serve as companions to the guests as they so please. The many servants are instructed to accommodate the gentlemen as they would their masters. They are, of course, certain areas of the home reserved for the use of the family, as well as others sealed from all entry, but otherwise the guests may wander where they wish, inside or outside.
At the moment, Lord Highdark is examining his collection of curious specimens of the natural world. Lady Highdark is preparing to go for a ride on horseback. Harold is reading a large book, and taking notes with a quill on fine parchment. Georgina and Henry have both gone for a walk, leaving at different times. Julia and Juno are busy with their lessons, conducted by Miss Rye.
"There are many mysteries here,"Henry says to his companions. "We have our choice as to which to investigate first, as well as whether to do so together or separately. I am most interested in the mystery of the twins, which is after all the reason that Lord Highdark summoned me, and Lady Highdark also shares his concerns, though they are occupied at the moment with their lessons. I am curious as to where Lady Highdark goes. It might be a good idea for someone to follow her discreetly, in case she is about to disappear for days as she is wont to do. I would not be a good choice for that, though, as she has spoken to me extensively and would recognise me instantly. She is very observant. Miss Davenport could have followed her trail from a distance without being seen, but she is not with us. We might also investigate the source of the foul odours beneath the house."
"Indeed, Docteur," Vincent replies. "Though I expect it will be no simple matter to access the sealed areas, as Miss Ravenscroft has no doubt attempted. Perhaps we should spend some time to win the trust of the Highdark family. Or at least to understand their desires, non? I suspect the Lord and his specimens are better companions for another than myself and I am not so good at riding to accompany the Lady, I think, but Harold seems an approachable fellow. Perhaps I will see what he is reading."
As a student of astrological matters necessary to his craft of magic, Vincent consults his pocket tome on the lunar phases to determine when the next moonless night is scheduled to occur.
"Lady Highdark's excursions may be for much the same purpose as her husband's in keeping Miss Ravenscroft," says William with a perhaps too much bluntness. "But it would be as well to find out. I am a keen rider, so f I were to follow her, it would not be too hard to pass my presence off as coincidence. In the meantime, Miss Ravenscroft is not the only party to have spoken of apparitions, so I can make further enquiries on that score."
Vincent quickly recalls that, during his midnight excursion, the moon was more than half full, and in its waxing phase; it will be something less than a fortnight before the new moon. For the next few days, the moon will rise a few hours after the sun sets, and remain in the sky until the late morning.
After a brief time spent wandering around the manor home, he discovers Harold bent over a large volume, bound in what seems to be an old-fashioned way, in his father's study. Upon seeing Vincent enter the room, he places an unused quill in the book to mark his place and shut it. He rises and greets the guest.
"Good day," he says, walking over to shake Vincent's hand, walking stick in left hand as he limps his way across the room. "I trust your accommodations have proved satisfactory. You are welcome here, of course, but if I may be so bold as to inquire, for what purpose have you come?"
By subtly turning casual conversation to the subject of supernatural visitations, without expressing either belief or skepticism about such matters, William is able to ascertain that no member of the family save Georgina claims to have witnessed such. A few of the servants, primarily those whose duties involve outside labor, claim to have witnessed a pale glowing shape, much like a will-o'-the wisp, floating above the small lake behind the manor house which is known, by a romantic fancy of Lord Highdark, as the Misty Tarn.
By this time Lady Highdark has set out from the stables. William will have to decide whether to follow her openly, risking the chance of discovery, or set out after her a bit later, requiring him to attempt the difficult business of tracking.
Lord Highdark rather absentmindedly greets Doctor North as he peers through a magnifying glass at a rock containing a fossil.
"Strange little petrified creature, what? So many legs. Comes all the way from the Blue Lias cliffs, near Lyme Regis, in Dorset. Quite a selection of curios about the place. Snake-stones, devil's fingers, verteberries, and whatnot.
"Well, do not allow me to bore you with my harmless hobby-horses. I trust your time here has been comfortable. Tell me, have you have sufficient opportunity to observe the twins?"
"Merci, monsieur," Vincent replies, shaking Harold's hand. "Please do not get up on my account. As to my purpose, when Docteur North was invited by your father to examine the twins I was brought along to determine if there may be any, how do you say, ill humors in this old house itself which may be affecting the children. I have some small expertise. Par exemple, I understand you have a drainage problem below, non? Tell me, would it be possible to access the sealed areas without trouble?"
