December 1880. The characters are tasked to assist in the case of a suspected haunting by a recently murdered landowner on Dartmoor. Investigations will drag them into a confrontation with an ancient horror, and a terrible curse.
Alexander glances at Melody, unspoken communication passing between them from years of having worked together. He realizes that she may hear gossip that the rest of them won't by eating with the Allinghams' servants. "No, thank you, that will not be necessary," he says to Howard.
The companions leave the parlour for the dining room, which means retracing their steps back through the corridor and in front of the stairs in the hall. The dining room is rather gloomy and echoing; the table is large enough to seat 20 guests, although it is hard to imagine such festive occasions in the current circumstances. Despite the gloom, it is well-kept and all the furniture is highly-polished and in good condition.
Already seated are two people. One is a very pretty young girl of 8 years of age, blonde-haired and blue-eyed. This is Ursula, and she curtsies to the guests shyly before she seats herself. The young lady beside is introduced as Mme. Josephine DuCray, Ursula’s tutor. Tall and slender, in her mid-twenties, her long auburn hair is tied back. She greets the guests politely and with a steady gaze. Her accent is clearly French.
After witnessing the introductions, Melody is lead from the room by a servant; she will dine in the kitchen.
Melody,The kitchens are spacious and overlook the gardens and the moors, although of course it is too dark to see anything now. There are doors which [b]Melody[/b] is told lead to the cellars where assorted foodstuffs and provisions are stored.
She enjoys a simple yet satisfying meal in the kitchens, surrounded by some of the staff, who are curious about her and ask her several questions as to her background and present employment. All are friendly and pleasant enough, although [b]Melody[/b] might detect some tension around interactions with [b]Mrs. Beddowes[/b], the housekeeper. [b]McKenzie[/b] is also present, as is a weather-beaten, grizzled man introduced as [b]Gerald Smith[/b], the gardener. [b]Howard[/b] is upstairs, waiting on the company.
Everyone else,Once everyone is seated, the meal begins. A few servants are in attendance and the guests are served a delicious and filling meal of soup, quail and roast beef, accompanied by red wine (if any of the companions are partial to that beverage).
Being no stranger to causing outrage, Percy tucks in apparently undaunted by their host's earlier ire. "Bonjour, madame," he says, raising a glass of wine toward Josephine. "I trust the young lady's studies are progressing satisfactorily?"
Melody,While she enjoys her meal [b]Melody[/b] happily talks about her background, answering all the questions with completely truthful answers. She explains that Dr. Campbell is a scientist and that she really enjoys working as his housekeeper and assistant, although she has only the most rudimentary understanding of his scientific research.
She hopes that the servants will reply with details of their own backgrounds, but doesn't press.
When she has spoken about [b]Alexander's [/b]science she says, [color=#FF0040]"It's because he is a man of science that Dr. Campbell is in the society, to prove that there ain't no such thing as ghosts. That would be why he brings me along as well, to show me how my head is full of superstitious nonsense.
"But [b]Miss Beauchant[/b], she can talk with ghosts for real, science or no science."[/color]
By talking honestly about her own and Alexander's differing views on the existence of ghosts, she hopes to hear what the servants have to share their own views about the curse and[b] Lady Allingham's [/b]beliefs. [b]Melody[/b] can't hide her own enthusiasm when she talks about [b]Isolde[/b], she is genuinely amazed and a little scared of the powers that the spiritualist claims to possess, claims that [b]Melody[/b] herslf completely believes.
Fortified by the red wine, Captain FitzWilliam decided to try to draw out Lady Allingham. ”Dinner was excellent,” he said. ”Was the food produced locally on the estate?”
"It's a pleasure to meet you both," says Alexander with a bow before taking a seat. "It is good that you're getting an education, Miss Ursula. Have you any interest in the sciences?"
Isolde looks around the gloomy dining room and shivers, "This place has so much history!" At dinner, when there is a polite pause, she asks, "Lady Allingham, may I ask how long has the Allingham family been here?" She smiles politely to Mme. Josephine but says nothing about her own past as a governess.
Melody,[color=#0000FF]“Yon Doctor should hae more o’ an open mind”[/color] says [b]McKenzie [/b]sagely.[color=#0000FF] “Thars things that man cannae possibly unnerstan’”.[/color]
[b]Smith[/b] nods his grizzled head in agreement. [color=#408000]“You say she can talk ta ghosts?”[/color] he asks, in his thick Devon accent.
Everyone else,[b]Josephine[/b] nods at [b]Percy[/b], casting a fond glance at her charge. [color=#0040FF]“She does very well”[/color] she replies.
[b]Lady Amanda[/b] addresses [b]Fitzwilliam[/b] first. [color=#FF4000]“We grow and raise some of what we need. Some of it is procured locally.”[/color] He mouth turns down as she says this.
She turns to [b]Isolde[/b]. [color=#FF4000]“This is the ancestral home of the [b]Allingham[/b] family. They go back generations, at least to the 13th century”.[/color]
[b]Ursula [/b]raises her head at [b]Alexander’s[/b] question, smiles shyly, and goes back to her food.[color=#0000FF] “I’m afraid we don’t really have the opportunity to explore sciences here, [b]Doctor[/b]”[/color] says [b]Josephine[/b] apologetically.
Melody,[color=#FF0040]"Oh yes,"[/color] replies [b]Melody[/b], [color=#FF0040]"[b]Miss Beauchant[/b] is becoming very famous in London, I'm sure she is the reason that our society has been hired, I'm sure she will soon be able to contact thr ghost."[/color]
"Well, if you or your young student would like a lesson while I'm a guest of Lady Amanda's, I'd be more than happy to oblige," says Alexander. "I'm Dr. Alexander Campbell. Doctor of Science, not of Medicine."
Melody,[quote="a young servant"][color=#FF0040]"Well, ghost or not, there's definitely something strange going on around here"[/color][/quote]
[color=#FF0040]"Have you seen the ghost?"[/color], asks [b]Melody[/b], wide eyed.
Melody,[color=#FF0040]“Well, that’s the strange thing”[/color] says the young woman. [color=#FF0040]“Nobody’s seen anything, but something is going on. The furniture moving, windows open… I think it’s one of these idiots playing tricks!”[/color] She laughs, regarding the other servants around her, some of whom laugh too.
Just then [b]Mrs. Beddowes[/b] returns, and the room falls silent. She glares around the room, obviously suspicious of something. At this point, some of servants begin to start clearing away their dishes.
Isolde looks up at some of the paintings of ancestors half shadowed by the flickering gloom, "it would be interesting to know more about them; should we ask Mrs Beddows for a tour tomorrow?"
"It would be my pleasure, and I'm sure I'll have some time, at least after my duties are complete," says Alexander. "I can give you a sample now, while we sup. That's the beauty of science, it's all around us." He looks at the silverware. "Take your spoon, for instance. It's nicely polished, and you can see your face in it. Hold it up so the back the spoon is in front of your face, and you'll see it reflected on the spoon. Then turn the spoon around and look at the front. Your face is reflected again, but now it's upside-down. Because it's curved inward, or concave, the light bends around the surface so that the image is flipped."
“Howard has been instructed to show you the house and grounds tomorrow morning”Lady Amanda tells Isolde. “As I said, you are to have full access. You might find information about family history in the library. Perhaps you can discover whether the haunting has a focal point?”
Ursula looks entranced at Alexander’s demonstration, and smiles broadly.
The servants begin to clear away the dishes. Brandy is offered.
Captain FitzWilliam took brandy when offered. The meal was pleasant but the atmosphere stilted. He understood that Lady Allingham grieved for her husband but it did not make for a convivial evening.
His leg bothered him and he wondered if there would be an opportunity for a quick stroll in the garden before bed to stretch it out.
Percy stifles a yawn. "My bed will be a welcome sight after all that traveling," he declares. He goes to the window and looks out to see if any snow has started to fall. "Let's hope the winter weather doesn't get any worse. I imagine it gets quite isolated up here, your ladyship. Are there any other neighbors apart from the village?"
