Introduction; a secluded room in the mansion

[southernpoison]

At the end of a hallway where no one usually goes, there's a spartan room. Inside lives a woman, flanked by anonymous nurses that stick with her as obediently as lapdogs. She wears old-fashioned, expensive clothing, including a black mourning veil draped over her face, and her hands, withered and ancient, lay on top of an embroidery sampler in

Comments

[fingersofleaf]

"Hi, ma'am." And in something left over from his knighting rather than gardening days, he bows politely. "I don't need anything. Anything I can get you, though?"

[southernpoison]

"Nothing," says Great-Aunt Cornelia. "I'm quite comfortable. Tell me, please, who I have the honor of hosting."

[fingersofleaf]

"I'm Percival," he says, guessing she might be the kind of lady who'd want full names and not nicknames. "It's nice to meet you, ma'am."

[southernpoison]

He's right, as well. "Percival whom?"

[permanent_blur]

rosencrantz is very fond of hallways where nobody goes, even if he can never remember going there, and stops at the end of this one with a sweet, sweetly-puzzled sort of look. "oh -- i don't know. what've you got?"

[southernpoison]

"Tea or lemonade are the best options I can give you now," she says, somewhat acerbically. "There's so little of quality up north, I've found. I do miss the old days back in New Orleans."

[permanent_blur]

"oh. i quite like tea ... but i'm from denmark, you know. i've never been to new orleans," he says, smiling a bit, crouching in the doorway like a child. "is it very nice?"

[southernpoison]

"Quite lovely. Beautiful, in fact. Much better than New York." She scowls. "Moving us up here is one thing I'll never forgive my husband for, but at least I have my children to comfort me."

[sweariwontdie]

*bows*

Madame... I didn't know you lived here. *embarrassed* I could ask for tea, but I can get that myself.

[southernpoison]

I am, apparently, easy to overlook.

It would be no trouble, despite the state of my service here. *gives her nurses a dirty look* Good help is so hard to find.

[sweariwontdie]

I wouldn't say that. The Mansion is a difficult place to live.

I'm Armand St. Just.

[southernpoison]

My dear child, you have no idea.

A pleasure to meet you. St. Just, eh? A notable surname.

[thanitohercules]

*watches her closely, but then bows, because he's not one to deny anything of an old woman in mourning*

'Tis not in me to trouble you, gentle mistress.

[southernpoison]

*bows her head; it's as close as she can get to a curtsey*

No trouble at all. Whatever you'd like, I'll send the servants to get it for you.

[thanitohercules]

*and for that, she'll get a small, handsome smile*

Tea, perchance, would you partake.

[southernpoison]

*swells slightly, genuinely charmed* I'd be delighted to. *turns toward her nurses* A fresh pot of tea, please, and two cups. *the nurses, of course, make no move, as this isn't part of their jobs, and Cornelia rolls her eyes* I must remember to speak to my husband about them.

[wormwoodandgall]

*... right, this was unexpected. he'll return to feeling like a penitent little boy again, just for this moment.*

Great-aunt Cornelia.

[southernpoison]

*mild surprise, as last she heard, he was quite dead (but doesn't doubt her eyes, because after all, she's not crazy, she's grateful to have escaped that family trait)* Diogenes. Why've you been so long in visiting me, child?