Play@YSDC

"It was," said Madeline, sniffling. "Thank you, Doctor. After my father was killed and my mother was taken away, I was raised by my aunt and uncle. They tried to help me, but they didn't really understand. Nobody has understood me...until you."

OOC,No, you don't know anything about it other than what [b]Madeline[/b] has told you.

'You must want to rekindle that connection with your mother very much...if she asked you to do things to help her...well, I can see how hard it would be to say no' says Anna, trying to use her new found rapport with Madeline to leverage some more information about what the Steadmans have been doing.

"I've been visiting her regularly," said Madeline, "but it'll be good to see her again now that she's been found. I was worried about her, being out there all alone with the bombs falling. Now that she's safe again, maybe we can both help her."

'Of course, whatever I can do to help' says Anna wondering what Madeline is hinting at. 'But you must tell me what has been going on - I sense that there is something you're not telling me'.

"I don't know what you're talking about," said Madeline. "I've told you what I know. You probably know more than I do. Is there anything you haven't told me?" She sounded sincere.

'Well there is something I haven't mentioned so far, your mother appeared to think she could cast spells on the staff who were bringing her back to the hospital, is that something she has done before?' says Anna.

"I can't say I've ever seen her try to cast a spell," said Madeline.

Clearly not getting anywhere with Madeline Steadman, Anna lapses into silence. 'Perhaps she really doesn't know anything about her mother's activities' she thinks. The others had talked about the Steadmans looking to harm her, and what Mrs Exeter had done to poor Eugene had seemed so real, yet, it was all so implausible. Her psychoanalytic and psychiatric training had taught her that people could be very susceptible to suggestion, particularly when in a state of heightened emotion. 'I wonder', 'tell me Mrs Steadman, did you mother have any occupation prior to becoming unwell? It seems that her words had an unsettling effect on some of the sanatorium staff, they seemed quite convinced they had been cursed. Is she a particularly persuasive person?'.

"She didn't have a job, other than being a wife and mother," said Madeline. "She did help my father with his archaeological work for the British Museum sometimes. Now that you mention it, she always has been the persuasive sort."

'We are nearly there now' says Anna with some relief. 'I will take you to the waiting area and go and find out how your mother is doing, I will see if she is well enough to see you. You could use the telephone to call your husband and let him know where you are'.

"Yes, that's a good idea," said Madeline. "He was never as close to her as I am, but he's visited her with me sometimes. I doubt he can get away from the base now what with the war and all, but maybe this evening."

OOC,I'll have to wait until other threads advance in time before you arrive, but feel free to continue talking.

It occurred to Anna that she may be able to get Madeline to open up if she pretended to agree with her cause.

Anna adopts a serious expression. 'Tell me about this Black Pharoah? How did your mother think it could help?'

"Well, from what she told me about him," said Madeline, "he was supposed to unite the world under his rule and put an end to war. After the last war, she and my father wanted to make sure nothing like that could ever happen again. I guess they failed."

'Well these are dark times, an end to war would certainly be something worth killing for, I can see that says Anna. 'If only it was more than a delusion' she smiles sadly.

"If it would have worked, it's too late now," said Madeline. "The dagger my father found on a dig in Egypt was an essential part of what he and my mother were trying to do. It was taken into evidence after the...incident, but it was eventually returned to the British Museum and put on display. It's not there now, though. All the museum's treasures have been evacuated and taken to scattered sites throughout the country."

OOC,[b]Madeline[/b]'s Psychology roll: [dice]0[/dice]

'Oh dear, I must confess a degree of disappointment in that'. says Anna. 'I wonder if she has any other ideas to help with the war effort?'