Chapter 10: November 1st

[aine]

Isolde looks at Melody and Vic. “We ought to keep an eye out for any police men. We could try to distract them if they venture this way.”
Isolde looks up and down the street looking for any blue uniforms.

Spot hidden,40 0

[Mephistophilis]

Harry looks up and down the street for a police officer but can't see any sign of one. 'Someone had better supervise Blessing, maybe one of the lady's, but I'll go with him if no one else wants to.'

Harry Luck 50%,0

[Philulhu]

Vic glanced down at her legs that were clad in jodhpurs and riding boots. “I’m not sure my ankles will distracting anyone dressed like this, so I think,I’ll come with you, Mr Brown,” she said.

[HoneyDog]

Crozier, Vic and Harry enter the tea shop with Blessing, while the others remain outside.

Inside it is warm, and the shop is mostly full. Blessing approaches the young woman, who is intent on her cup of tea, a worried expression on her face.

“Miss Bayldon? Joan?”

After a moment, the woman looks up in surprise.

“I’m Annie Bayldon” she says. “I don’t know any Joan. Perhaps you’re confusing me with someone else?”

Crozier & Vic & Harry,You can roll Psychology for getting a measure of the young woman.

[Mephistophilis]

Surprised by her response Harry looks for Blessing's reaction.

Harry Psychology 13%,0

OOC:   Fail

[Snapper]

Crozier:

Psych 40%,0 [ooc]Success.[/ooc]

Crozier considers the young woman thoughtfully...

[Philulhu]

Vic watched on, unsure as to what was happening. Why had Blessing called her Joan? Wasn’t it Annie they were looking for?

OOC,Psychology (50%) - 0

[HoneyDog]

Crozier & Vic,Although she denies being named Joan, she seems somehow uncertain about it, as if the name makes her recollect something.

“Miss Bayldon, do you know me?” asks Blessing. “I’m Christopher Blessing, from Malbray Asylum.”

A flicker of recognition comes at the mention of Malbray, although she doesn’t seem to recognize Blessing.

“Of course I know Malbray” she says. “But they released me. What do you want?”

“We want to help you” says Blessing earnestly. “We know about the problems you’ve been having. Will you come with us?”

Bayldon looks at him quizzically, as if unsure what to do.

OOC,Blessing failed his Persuade roll. If you want her to come along, then a successful appeal and Persuade roll will do it.

[Snapper]

Crozier:

Crozier gives the others a discreet affirmative nod.

He looks to Miss Bayldon and removes his cap. "Miss, my name is Captain Crozier. The good doctor here, my friends and I are most concerned only for your welfare. You will be safe if you come with us. And if this is all a misunderstanding, it will soon be sorted out."

Persuade 35%,0

[Mr. Handy]

Alexander sees the gesture and comes inside. "I'm Dr. Alexander Campbell," he says. "I'm helping Dr. Blessing, and I can assure you that he cares about you and has your best interests at heart." She seems to waver, but he hasn't quite convinced her.

OOC,Persuade roll (62% skill) to convince [b]Miss Bayldon[/b] to return to Malbray: 0

[aine]

Isolde watches through the window; it doesn’t seem to be going too well. But then at least Annie hasn’t run yet and doesn’t look panicked. She wonders if she went in too whether that would prove to be too many people.

[HoneyDog]

OOC,Vic is [i]inside[/i] the shop. Both Vic and Harry can still roll Persuade.

[Mephistophilis]

Harry silently slips beside Blessing. 'Miss Bayldon, we have something rather serious we need to talk to you about. It concerns the recent murders.'

Harry Persuade 15%,0

OOC:   Close but not close enough

[aine]

Isolde looks at Melody. “Nothing ventured...” she says and pushes open the door.

Persuade,52 0 on trend! It’s down to Vic and Melody then.

“Hello, Annie, I’m Isolde. We are all friends and we are not with any of the authorities. We’d like to help you, if we can.”

[Raiko]

Following Isode through the door Melody agrees, "Yes we're just here to help."

Melody Persuade 15%,Persuade(15%): 0

OOC:   Down to Vic to save our embarrassment...

[Philulhu]

Vic held out a reassuring hand. “We don’t wish you any harm,” she said.

Persuade (45%),0

[HoneyDog]

“Oy, ain’t you gonna sit dahn?” calls the proprietor when he sees the crowd around Miss Bayldon’s table.

Miss Bayldon herself looks confused for a moment, then finally relents at the multiple requests. She stands up.

“Very well” she says. “I’ll come with you.”

Blessing lets out a sigh of relief, and begins to lead Bayldon from the shop.

“We’ll get a cab, and get you back to Malbray. I’ll help you get to the bottom of this” he says.

[Mr. Handy]

Alexander heads outside to hail a cab and make sure the path is clear.

[Snapper]

Crozier:

The Captain fishes or some appropriate coins to pay for Miss Bayldon's tea, and a tip for good measure.

[HoneyDog]

Cabs are plentiful and Alexander is easily able to hail one. It comes to a rest at the kerb, waiting for instruction.

The companions stand outside the tea shop, while Dr. Blessing negotiates the fare to Hackney Wick with the cabby. Miss Bayldon waits patiently, wrapped in her shawl against the cold autumn wind.