Play@YSDC

The door is opened by a man in early middle age, holding a glass full of an amber liquid.



"Hello, Roger," Burke says. "Long time no see."

The man responds with "What the devil . . . I mean, when did you get back in town, Devlin?"

"Just soon enough, friend. Just soon enough." With that, he heads back to the car and drives off, perhaps a bit faster than might be wise.

While the man -- this must be Roger Collins -- stares after him, more or less ignoring Victoria, an older woman joins him.

"You must be Miss Winters," she says, "Please, come in. I'm Mrs Stoddard." She turns to Roger. "I said you should have left to meet the train earlier."



"I apologize, Miss Winters, and I accept my dear sister's all-too-proper chastisement. This must be the first time in the history of Collinsport that the train from New York arrived less than three hours late." He refreshes his drink. "Care for a brandy?"

This is the first time Victoria has met her new employer, having been hired directly from the New York orphanage, where she grew up, by mail. It seems odd that she would be employed from such a distance, sight unseen, but she appreciates the opportunity.

"My nephew David has gone to bed. You'll meet him in the morning."

"Frankly, Miss Winters, I still don't see why my son needs a governess, but my sister has a whim of iron. What the young devil needs is some good, old-fashioned discipline."

Pointedly ignoring her brother, Mrs. Stoddard shows Victoria to the room where she'll be staying. She mentions the fact that her daughter Carolyn, just about the same age as Victoria, is out on a date. She hopes the two young women will become good friends.

The next morning . . .

Just as she is about to leave for another long day of slinging hash, Maggie hears a knock at the front door of the artist's studio where she lives with her father. She opens it to see Burke. He opens his eyes wide in obvious surprise.

"Don't tell me you're little Margaret Evans! The last time I saw you, you were just a freckle-faced brat with braces! I like the improvement," he adds, looking her up and down. "Is your father at home? I want to talk to him."

Sam Evans is in his bedroom, sound asleep.

"That's me," Maggie replies, posing herself slightly under Mr Devlin's gaze. "Daddy's not free to talk right now, but I can pass on a message if you want. Where can he get hold of you?"

"Thank you," says Victoria. "I suppose a little brandy won't hurt. I look forward to meeting Carolyn, and I'm sure we'll hit it off. I've already made one friend in town: Maggie at the diner."

SunlessNick wrote:"That's me," Maggie replies, posing herself slightly under Mr Devlin's gaze. "Daddy's not free to talk right now, but I can pass on a message if you want. Where can he get hold of you?"

"I'm staying at the Collinsport Inn. What I have to say to Sam . . . well, it's kind of personal. You understand. Just have him call on me some time. By the way, I wouldn't mind treating you to a steak dinner at the Blue Whale, maybe some dancing. Just ask for me at the Inn."

That's easy enough to do, since Maggie works at the Inn's diner anyway.

Stealing a few minutes after work, Maggie visits the local library, where she makes her way through back issues of the town's newspaper, the Collinsport Star.
Digging through all those old, yellowing pages takes a lot of time. So far, digging back a few years, she doesn't find any reports of major traffic accidents. Maybe she'll have to go a lot deeper into the past to come up with anything.

Mr. Handy wrote:
"Thank you," says Victoria. "I suppose a little brandy won't hurt. I look forward to meeting Carolyn, and I'm sure we'll hit it off. I've already made one friend in town: Maggie at the diner."

"That's fine," Mrs Stoddard remarks. "You must invite her up here, as often as you like. It can get awfully lonely in this old house for a young person. That's what Carolyn always says, anyway."

Overhearing Victoria's statement as he pours the brandy, Roger says "That must be Sam Evans' daughter you met. Fine chap. I own several of his paintings."

"You certainly paid enough for them," Mrs Stoddard says with a smile.

Roger merely rolls his eyes at this.

The next morning . . .



Carolyn Stoddard is present for breakfast, along with her boyfriend, Joe Haskell. After the usual introductions are made, conversation reveals that he works for the Collins Fishing Fleet, and is saving up to buy his own boat. He also half-jokingly remarks that he keeps asking Carolyn to marry him, but she won't give him a straight answer.

"You seem like a level-headed girl, Vicki," he says. "Maybe you can knock some sense into her."

After some time passes, it becomes obvious that David is missing.

"Wandering around the estate again, I imagine," Roger says with a sigh. "I'm afraid you're going to have your hands full, Miss Winters."

"I'll help look for David," says Victoria. "Where was he last seen? I'll start there."

Maggie gets her father up and cooks him breakfast, before giving him Mr Devlin's message and offering to pass on any reply.

Vicki,I've made up my mind to accept Mr Devlin's offer, but is there anywhere else to eat in town - it might be a bit weird to have my co-workers serving e at the Inn.

SunlessNick wrote:Maggie gets her father up and cooks him breakfast, before giving him Mr Devlin's message and offering to pass on any reply.

Vicki,I've made up my mind to accept Mr Devlin's offer, but is there anywhere else to eat in town - it might be a bit weird to have my co-workers serving me at the Inn.

"Devlin was here? So he really is back, after all these years. Guess I better go see him, after I get some work done."

After a morning spent working on a painting of boats at the harbor, the kind of things tourists buy for a modest price, Sam goes off to see Burke. That night, as Maggie gets ready for her date with Burke, he seems subdued.

"I hope Burke's satisfied. He's not such a bad fellow, really, but he doesn't like to be crossed."

Further questioning only yields the response that Sam would rather not talk about it.

"That's all water under the bridge. You were just a kid at the time. Nothin' you should worry about."

Mr. Handy wrote:
"I'll help look for David," says Victoria. "Where was he last seen? I'll start there."

"Well," Roger remarks, with obvious exasperation," I've specifically told him, time and time again, to stay away from Widow's Hill and the Old House. The cliff is too dangerous, obviously, and the Old House is a ruin; it would be easy to get hurt there. Knowing David, he's probably in one of those two places. But he also brags about exploring the west wing, although it's been closed off for half a century or more. Heaven knows how he'd get inside; it's locked up, and my sister has the only key. Probably just more of his nonsense.

"We'd better split up. Joe and I can look through the woods, Carolyn and Elizabeth can check the house for his usual hiding places."

"Okay," says Victoria. "I'll check the Old House."

VictoriaSilverwolf wrote:"I hope Burke's satisfied. He's not such a bad fellow, really, but he doesn't like to be crossed."

Further questioning only yields the response that Sam would rather not talk about it.

"That's all water under the bridge. You were just a kid at the time. Nothin' you should worry about."

That all sounds half cool and half creepy, but dinner and dancing will do for tonight. Still, Maggie goes for a relatively conservative dress - no sense leading the guy on too much too soon.

Mr. Handy wrote:
"Okay," says Victoria. "I'll check the Old House."

The Old House has quite obviously been abandoned for many years, perhaps decades. Where the rotting curtains do not cover the half-broken windows, thick layers of dirt make it impossible to make out anything inside. The imposing front door is open just a crack. From inside comes a boy's voice.

"Josette? Josette? Don't leave!"

SunlessNick wrote:That all sounds half cool and half creepy, but dinner and dancing will do for tonight. Still, Maggie goes for a relatively conservative dress - no sense leading the guy on too much too soon.

Dinner at the Blue Whale proves to be, well, adequate at best, but this isn't Boston or even Bangor. Music is strictly a matter of putting dimes into the jukebox, but Burke proves to be a good dancer, if no Fred Astaire. He has a certain laid-back, easy charm, when he wants to, managing to let slip the fact that he's a successful businessman, without bragging about it.

After some time, Joe and Carolyn come in, long after the hunt for David is over. Joe knows Maggie from way back, and she has even met Carolyn a few times, although she's never been to Collinswood. Introduction are made, drinks ordered, and casual conversation begins. It's impossible not to notice that Carolyn pays more attention to Burke than to her escort. Joe doesn't seem too happy about the situation.

"David?" calls Victoria, peeking through the door. "Is that you? You should come out, it's dangerous in there!"

Maggie steps up the dancing, trying to monopolise Burke.

Mr. Handy wrote:
"David?" calls Victoria, peeking through the door. "Is that you? You should come out, it's dangerous in there!"

A boy of about ten years of age can be seen in the large room just to the side of the entryway, looking up at something on the wall. He turns to face the front door and says, "Aw, now you've spoiled everything! She won't show up unless I'm alone. Who are you, anyway? This is no place for girls. They're too chicken."

SunlessNick wrote: Maggie steps up the dancing, trying to monopolise Burke.

Burke is only too happy to keep dancing with Maggie, although he's not above eyeing Carolyn now and then. For her part, Carolyn waits until the jukebox finishes playing an old standard, and selects a wild rock 'n' roll number. She then launches into a frenzied modern dance. With her long blonde hair swinging and her short skirt swaying, she definitely draws attention to herself.

After this goes on for a while, Joe says "Maybe I should take you home now."

"Oh, come on," she responds, not stopping her dance. "Just because you have two left feet doesn't mean I can't have some fun."

"It's getting late, Carolyn."

"Let the lady enjoy herself," Burke says.

"I don't think that's any of your concern," Joe replies. "And I might suggest you pay more attention to your own date than mine."

The tension is building.

"Ooh," Maggie says, feigning a moment of dizziness. "Maybe I overdid the booze a bit. Is it ok if we get some air, Burke?"

"I'm not chicken, just careful," says Victoria with a smile. "I'm Victoria Winters, your new governess. I just arrived last night. I'm helping your family look for you. Who's Josette?"

SunlessNick wrote:
"Ooh," Maggie says, feigning a moment of dizziness. "Maybe I overdid the booze a bit. Is it ok if we get some air, Burke?"

"Sure, let's go outside. You can catch your breath while I teach this chump some manners."
Joe takes a deep breath and tries to settle down. "Let's all just take it easy. I'm heading out. Carolyn, are you coming or staying?"
"Suit yourself," Carolyn replies, with a toss of her hair. She watches the other three step outside, Joe quickly walking away with his hands in his pockets. In a moment, she exits as well, stepping up to Burke.

"Gosh, it's dark tonight. Walk me home?" Perhaps remembering some basic manners, she adds, "Why don't you come along, too, Maggie. You've never been to Collinswood, have you?"

Mr. Handy wrote:
"I'm not chicken, just careful," says Victoria with a smile. "I'm Victoria Winters, your new governess. I just arrived last night. I'm helping your family look for you. Who's Josette?"

"Geez, don't you know anything? That's Josette, right there." He points to a painting above the fireplace of a woman in old fashioned clothes. The portrait bears a resemblance to Maggie Evans; an ancestor, perhaps?



"Darn it, now that she's gone, we might as well head back. I guess you'll want me to start on some stupid old schoolwork."

VictoriaSilverwolf wrote:"Gosh, it's dark tonight. Walk me home?" Perhaps remembering some basic manners, she adds, "Why don't you come along, too, Maggie. You've never been to Collinswood, have you?"

OOC:   Collinswood is the house, Collinsport is the town, right?

Maggie sighs, the wrecked date clashing in her mind with a desire not to leave Carolyn alone with Burke, and curiosity about the big house. "Sure," she says after a moment, mustering a smile and linking her arm with Buke's.

"I'll try to make it interesting for you," says Victoria, heading with David back to the house. "Josette looks kind of like Maggie. Are they related?"

Maggie sighs, the wrecked date clashing in her mind with a desire not to leave Carolyn alone with Burke, and curiosity about the big house. "Sure," she says after a moment, mustering a smile and linking her arm with Buke's.

[/quote]

The trio make their way up the steep, winding pathway to Collinswood. It's a fair hike, and a little scary at night, but the lights from the town and a bright moon make it possible to make one's way in safety. At the door of the mansion, with everyone a little out of breath, Carolyn suggests that they take a moment to enjoy a nightcap.

Seated at a table in the drawing room is Mrs Stoddard, working on accounts for the family business.

"Mother, this is Maggie Evans and Burke Devlin," Carolyn says. Mrs Stoddard rises and greets them politely. (It's common knowledge that she hasn't left Collinswood for nearly twenty years, so it's no surprise that she has never met Maggie, and has only a vague memory of Burke coming to the estate as a very young man, to visit Roger before he was married to what is now his estranged wife.)

As the drinks are poured, Burke takes time to admire the elegantly furnished drawing room, stopping for more than a moment to study the papers on the desk.

In a little while, Victoria and Roger come down the stairs leading to the bedrooms.

"Thanks to your very special talents, Miss Winters, we finally got that little imp off to sleep," Rogers says. "I shouldn't talk about my own son that way, I know. I do care for him, but putting up with his mischief tries my patience. I hope he hasn't been bothering you with all his nonsense about ghosts and goblins."

Entering the drawing room, no doubt intent on his nightly brandy, Roger stops when he sees Burke.

"Hello again, Roger," Burke says. "I thought we might have a little chat, about the old days. I've been to see Sam Evans, and he told me some very interesting things."

Mr. Handy wrote: "I'll try to make it interesting for you," says Victoria, heading with David back to the house. "Josette looks kind of like Maggie. Are they related?"

"I don't know anybody named Maggie. Anyway, I don't think Josette had any children before she jumped off Widow's Hill. They say three women are supposed to kill themselves that way, and there have only been two so far." His boyish grin reveals that he takes pleasure in this kind of macabre talk. "Maybe you'll be the third."

David proves to be a bright, if somewhat reluctant, student, frequently interrupting his lessons to fool around with a cheap plastic "crystal" ball, or to tell stories about the few memories he has about his mother, whom he hasn't seen since he was very young. Although he tries not to show it, it's obvious that he is becoming fond of his pretty young governess.

Maggie takes advantage of the various conversations to take a little bit more of a look round the house than she probably should. The paintings and furniture make her wonder if there are any eligible batchelors here.

"Maggie's my new friend," says Victoria to David. "She works at the inn's diner in Collinsport. Who was the other woman who killed herself by jumping off of Widow's Hill?"

SunlessNick wrote:Maggie takes advantage of the various conversations to take a little bit more of a look round the house than she probably should. The paintings and furniture make her wonder if there are any eligible batchelors here.

While wandering around the drawing room, Maggie discovers that one part of the wall is just slightly out of alignment with the rest. You'd have to be very lucky to detect it, but it seems as if this might be a secret passageway of some sort.

Meanwhile, Burke and Roger engage in an uneasy conversation, both of them dancing around a subject they'd rather not address directly. Finally, his tongue loosened by a few too many brandies, Roger lets loose a bit more than he might have intended.

"Really, Devlin, I'm perfectly willing to accept that you've paid your debt to society and have become something of a success. Why can't we forget about the past?"

"Because Sam told me he doesn't remember what he saw back then."

"For heaven's sake, that was fifteen years ago. You can't expect him to recall every detail after all this time."

"He seemed awfully sure of himself at the trial. I just want to find out the truth."

Things go on like this for a while. While talking with Carolyn, and pretending not to eavesdrop on the two men, she learns that there is a total absence of eligible men at Collinswood.

"Unless you like hanging around a weird ten-year-old," Carolyn says with a laugh. "There's Uncle Roger, I suppose, but he's still married, technically, although he's been separated from his wife for a long time."

Mr. Handy wrote: "Maggie's my new friend," says Victoria to David. "She works at the inn's diner in Collinsport. Who was the other woman who killed herself by jumping off of Widow's Hill?"

"Let's see," David says, as if trying to recall a history lesson. "That was Samantha Collins. She was married to some ancestor or other, about a hundred years ago."

"I'm learning from you, just as you're learning from me," Victoria said with a smile. "You already know quite a bit of your family's history."

Maggie has a peek at the portrait, but doesn't make much of an effort to open it for fear of sending it crashing off the wall (she does take note of what and where it is though).

"Ha! I get enough weird ten year olds at the restaurant," Maggie says to Carolyn. "Sounds like a story with Roger." [OOC, she's warming to Carolyn as someone to talk to without guys around - just don't double date with her]

SunlessNick wrote:
Maggie has a peek at the portrait, but doesn't make much of an effort to open it for fear of sending it crashing off the wall (she does take note of what and where it is though).

"Ha! I get enough weird ten year olds at the restaurant," Maggie says to Carolyn. "Sounds like a story with Roger."

Carolyn draws Maggie aside and speaks more seriously. "It's pretty sad. David's a real pain sometimes, but I feel sorry for him, too. He misses his mother pretty badly. I never even met her; Uncle Roger only moved back to Collinswood after they broke up."