Play@YSDC

Lake Manor - Dunwich, England
3:00 PM - Thursday, September 5, 1985

Valerie Soames waited in the kitchen near the dumbwaiter for Elliot to return. She was startled when the interior door opened and two women entered the kitchen, a cook and a kitchen maid from their uniforms. The maid was a pretty girl in her late teens with blonde hair, but the cook was in her thirties and showing clear signs of "the Dunwich look."

"Fetch me the teakettle, Emma," ordered the cook.

"Yes, Mrs. Plodgett," said the maid, who gasped when she saw Valerie.

"Who the devil are you, and what are you doing in me kitchens?!" demanded Mrs. Plodgett, snatching up a rolling pin.

Valerie shuddered, but composed herself quickly. "Why, I'm the new gardener," she said.

The cook softened. "Don't we already have a gardener?"

"Yes, but Mr. Lake just hired me on as an assistant."

"So why are you in the kitchens instead of the gardens?"

"Well, I fancied a spot of tea."

(Valerie Soames - Cearlan Style)

"Yes a nice spot of tea was what I was after, but I seem to have got lost in this maze of a place. Quite impressive gardens they are too, though I suspect that it would take Summer to see it in all it's full glory, especially the hydrangeas and hibiscus. I especially liked the yellow and red variegated ones by the back door there. Do you like gardening at all ... is it Mrs Plodgett? and you must be Emma. My name is Alice, Alice Brandling." I proffer my hand to the nearest of the two ladies.

"That's right, dearie," said the cook, shaking Valerie's hand. Her hand felt slick and greasy, and she smelled slightly of fish. "I'm Mrs. Plodgett, the cook, and this is Emma the kitchen maid. Pleased to meet you. Emma, put the tea on."

"Yes, Mrs. Plodgett," said Emma, taking the kettle and filling it with hot water at the sink. "Of course, it's still summer technically, at least for another couple weeks, but the weather is starting to turn."

"You certainly seem to know your stuff, Mrs. Brandling," said Mrs. Plodgett to Valerie. "Have you met Mr. Gaithers yet, then?"

(Valerie Soames)

"Oh thank you Mrs Plodgett, although it is still summer, I feel that the best of the plants have been and gone." Trying her best not to get too close to Mrs Plodgett I ask "Tell me Mrs Plodgett, does this house grow it's own vegetables? I know a bit about them as well, not just the pretties as I call them." I add laughing whilst watching the stout cook. "As for the head gardener, I have not had the chance to meet him yet. What's he like?"

"Emma ... can I give you a hand? I'm a dab hand with a cup o' char."

"Oh, thank you," said Emma with a smile as Valerie assisted her in preparing the tea.

"Oh, yes, we've got a vegetable garden out back," said Mrs. Plodgett. "I use them all the time in my cooking. That and seafood. We eat a lot of seafood here, because it's so plentiful. Mr. Gaithers is probably in the vegetable garden right now. He's all right, I suppose. Not a very talkative chap, but he'll loosen up once you've known him for a while. Hardworking too. He does so much, I expect he'll be glad of your help."

Valerie Listen roll skill - 25% (1d100=30) - fail

"Oh great!" exclaims 'Alice,' all but clapping her hands in mock joy. "What sort of vegetables do we grow in the garden ... I personally prefer the brassicas and tubers, you now Cabbages, Brussels Sprouts, Mustards as well as Cauliflowers, Parsnips and Carrots. As long as nasties like slugs are kept at bay they are a great addition to any cooks table. Especially freshly picked from the garden. Did you know that Carrots were not their present colour until the seventeenth century when the Dutch bred the original purple colour out of them." 'Alice' waffles on so much that she fails to hear anything in the background.

"I never knew that," said Emma in wonder.

"We've got carrots back there, yes," said Mrs. Plodgett. "We also grow potatoes, turnips, tomatoes, and various greens."

Elliot opened the interior door and entered the kitchen, followed by Dr. Valerie Kirby, who was wearing a white lacy nightgown and slippers. A steel manacle was around her left ankle, a length of several inches of broken chain dangling from it.

"Oh, there you are," Elliot said to Valerie Soames as he began to cross the kitchen towards the door leading outside. "Time to get going."


Escape From Dunwich