A Shopping Trip

[Jacob Swainswick]

"You clearly have some pieces to this puzzle that are eluding me," Swainswick admitted, "so let me see if I understand. The good Doctor would be the second of the Clan of the Moon to present themselves here in a few nights; and the second to show a great interest in items of green.

"If that is not some heraldic colour, a symbol of their Clan, then..." Swainswick paid careful attention to Miss Audley's face as he spoke, reading confirmation there. "Well, then I would say that my advice was to the good," he concluded. "Miss Daye does not strike me as a wanton woman. Far from it. Good Lord! I begin to understand why the reputation for vulgarity has attached itself to him.

"But, he was amenable to reason. Thank heavens! Perhaps he is just ill-versed in the arts of the suitor. That in itself is no crime."

If Swainswick were aware of the irony of one, himself newly-delivered from naiveté, speaking thus, then he did not show it. (It is, perhaps, ever the way of young men, to they think themselves worldly and well-versed having once savoured such earthly delights.)

[Valentina Audley]

Valentina laughs.

"The neonates of the clan of the moon are thankfully not my concern. I shall await the results of that little affair with some interest though."

She smiles at him.

"If a Lady Leroux calls, please treat her with the utmost deference and fetch me immediately. The way things are going she will appear int he next night or two."

[Jacob Swainswick]

"Lady Leroux - another of the Clan of the Moon?"

This new insight thrilled Swainswick; he felt he was plunging headlong into a marvelous world of mystery. Now that Miss Audley had seen fit to introduce him to it, he was determined that nothing should undermine her faith in him.

[Valentina Audley]

"Ah. No darling. Lady Leroux is of a different clan. However she is acting as the Elder for Miss Daye and therefore is a person worthy of much respect."

She debated with herself for a moment and then gave in, deciding not to use the derogatory term for them.

"Lady Leroux, Mr Williamson and Mr WIlliamson's Senior are all of Clan Nosferatu. They tend to be good at gathering information darling."

[Jacob Swainswick]

"Nosferatu... that has a European feel to it." Swainswick smiled at the alien term, before concentrating on the matter at hand. "Is there anything of which I should be appraised? In particular, is the Lady synonymous with the Maestra of whom Miss Daye spoke?

"Her relationship with her Maestra seemed a little -" Jacob made a soft of ambivalent gesture with his hands - "well, to be the source of some tension.

"Tell me - if the Lady Leroux takes her guardianship of Miss Daye as a matter of seriousness, then do you suppose she would approve of the advice I imparted to the Doctor this evening? I, of course, would not breathe a word of the matter; I seek only to ensure that no ill reputation attaches itself to this establishment. Do you intend to bring up the subject with her?

"If there's some particular stance you prefer that I'd adopt, were she to broach the subject with me, then we should address that matter now. As it is, if her ward stands upon the brink of ruination, then she would surely take it amiss were she later to discover that we suspected a thing that we'd kept from her. On the other hand, a reputation for gossip could damage us also."

Swainswick pulled a rueful face. "The matter is so much simpler where our other clientele are concerned: absolute privacy and discretion being our aegis. Direct me, Miss Audley; I would fain avoid bringing unwitting trouble to our cause."

[Valentina Audley]

"Lady Leroux is indeed Maestra. I believe she would likely approve of the advice but I would be surprised to hear of her approval of the Doctor. He is, as I have said before, known to be Vulgar."

She considers the matter.

"I rather doubt she would broach the subject with you, however if she does I prefer that you politely stop the conversation and refer the matter instead to me. I may have more knowledge of the situation and I should hate for the Thimble to misrepresent anything even by unhappy accident."

[Jacob Swainswick]

"That I can certainly manage," he smiled. "Her disapprobation of the doctor may be counterproductive, however. One only has to survey the lessons of literature to know that a guardian's disapproval may unwittingly fuel the fires of an otherwise lacklustre passion. Illicit liaisons can only add frisson to youthful ardour - particularly if Miss Daye chafes at the Lady Leroux' guardianship."

[Valentina Audley]

"That is an issue for Miss Daye, Lady Leroux and the good Doctor is it not? We should try to put it out of our minds for now darling. We've got a lot of sewing to do and if this run on our supplies keeps happening we shall be out of stock before the week is over!"

She speaks cheerfully but firmly and crosses the room to the door back to the workroom.

"Come darling, let's do something productive for the rest of the evening." The words sound innocent, but the grin she flashes him as she whisks through the door is anything but.

[Jacob Swainswick]

"I'm at your service, Miss Audley," he responded; and, pausing only to lock the front door and extinguish the lights, Swainswick hurried to do as his mistress bade.