Bath Camarilla

Katherine looked around her in awe of the northern city streets, bustling with kine and sound. It seems so long, if ever, that she had been allowed to immerse herself in such things. Using her supernatural senses she opened her mind to everything. The ring of a shop bell played over and over delightfully in her head, the whispered sweet nothings between two young lovers, feeling like a caress and the slight drip, drip of water from an overhead canopy giving a background rhythm to it all. It lead to her almost quite forgetting that she was accompanied by so many of her fellow clan mates. Christine had been very positive about showing her where the best places to shop were in Bath and Katherine was very glad for her effervescent company. Dr Taylor had seen fit to come along too, probably because of Christine's presence and a gentlemanly wish to see her safe. Though he appeared to become quite uncomfortable for some reason when it was suggested that they go to The Silver Thimble. Constance had also joined the party and this gave Katherine comfort. Katherine was not entirely sure what Dr Taylor's feeling were regarding herself and Jackdaw at the present time and therefore a third party seems a useful guard against any tension. Finally Eric, a new member of the clan to reside in the House on the Hill had decided to accompany them. Katherine expects that he, like her, had taken the opportunity to learn more about Bath and its attractions.

Suddenly she become aware of being in front of an ornate shop window filled with beautiful clothing. With slight disappointment that the journey has appeared to have finished for now she turned to Christine and asked,

“Have we arrived?”

Christine nods, smiles.

"Yes, yes, here we are. Come!" she giggles. "It will be so much easier to see all the beautiful things from inside... Oh, I do hope that they have some new green gloves in stock!"

Her hand goes to the door handle and she pauses, struck by a thought.

"Oh... if the shop girl is there... oh... how vexing! I have forgotten her name! But if she is there, then we must be... circumspect. Mr Swainswick has Miss Audley's confidence, so is a bit more... um... aware of our requirements... but still... it is probably a good idea to assume that... well... best behaviour! One does not want one's seams to unravel at an inopportune moment!"

She giggles again, turns the door handle. The door opens with the musical jingle of the bell. She picks up the note of the bell, humming notes that harmonise with it, a minor third, a sixth, then an octave, as she walks calmly into the shop.

Hesitantly Taylor enters behind Christine. He is dressed in his best clothing that he normally reserves for Elysium, lifting his cane so it does not tap on the floor with each step he removes his hat as he enters the shop. He smiles at Christine's obvious happiness, his own spirit lifting. He murmurs to Christine over he shoulder

"Today is my treat Ms Daye. Buy anything you like."

He glances around, looking for Swainswick.

Perhaps...it is time to invest in a new waistcoat. Or get a professionally fitted tailcoat.

Two figures started as the bell rang; he, a tall and elegantly-proportioned young man. She, dressed in the neat uniform of a shopgirl, was slightly red of nose, her eyes looking a little puffy as she glanced around, almost startled. The handkerchief that she clutched tightly in one hand might have shown some use.

"Ah, please, do come in," Swainswick purred smoothly, interposing himself between the new arrivals and his assistant. "Miss Daye - how pleasant to see you. And the good Doctor Taylor. Welcome, both - ah, welcome, madam," he added, as the third figure entered. "I hope we can be of some assistance this evening.

"Miss Wilkins," he continued, half-turning, "perhaps you could be so good as to put the kettle on the stove? It's a cold night; a pot of Darjeeling will help to keep the chills at bay. Perhaps a cup for yourself, also," he added, this last in a gentle tone.

"Now," he said, brightly, touching his fingertips together in anticipation and beaming at his clientele. "How may I be of service this evening?"

"Oh, Mr Swainswick! How good it is to see you! Are you well? Oh, please let me introduce Mrs Saunders... she is newly arrived and I absolutely insisted that she come to the Silver Thimble when she expressed an interest in commissioning some new gowns."

Christine giggles, high pitched and girlish.

"An of course, how could I pass up on the opportunity to visit? And see if my beaded glove is ready? And maybe... do you have any more gloves? In green? And maybe... other fripperies?"

She looks hopeful.

"Oh, how terribly rude of me! My deepest regards to Miss Audley. If she is in and receiving visitors, I would love to say hello. But it is no matters if she is not, for I completely understand the demands on the time of the True Artist!"

She turns to Katherine, smiling happily.

"Oh, I must show you the gowns that Miss Audley designed and made for me, and Mr Swainswick, of course! They are so beautiful! You are in excellent hands here!"

If the young tailor was at all fazed by this rapid delivery - and perhaps he was, a little, accustomed as he nevertheless was to enjoying the sound of his Mistress' work being praised - then he did not show it, only smiling with genuine pleasure. He bowed slightly at the introduction.

"Mrs. Saunders, I'm delighted to make your acquaintance. Might I ask what you have in mind? We have a little time available still for select commissions, of course. And for the replacement of gloves," he added, cheerfully, half-turning to include Miss Daye in his address. "You'll be pleased to hear that that particular item is indeed ready for collection; I was going to send word on the morrow.

"Let me show you a selection of our, ah, fripperies," he continued, echoing the term with a twinkle of his deep blue eyes, and indicating with the sweep of a hand that the two women should turn their attention to one of the counters. Stepping quickly ahead of them, he quickly pulled two shallow wooden drawers from a stack of shelves behind the counter and laid them upon its top for their perusal.

"And, ah, I'm well, thank-you, yes," he added, returning at last to Miss Daye's original question. "Word of Miss Audley's work has reached the highest quarters; it's always exciting to see her at work on a new commission. I do not know whether she is within this evening; cast your eyes upon this selection, pray, and I will enquire after her forthwith."

As the ladies followed his gesture over the rows of embroidered gloves and kerchiefs and other small items, Swainswick glanced back to the Doctor with a nod.

"I'll be with you in a moment, sir," he said.

Valentina kept half an ear out as she worked, so she heard the bell go and the voices, dimmed by the walls to a soothing murmur. She recognised Jacob's tones, welcoming an important customer and... Was that Christine's giggle? Oh good lord. Another malkavian visit to be dealt with. Valentina registered the click of Anna's shoes as the girl headed into the shop's little kitchen and set to work on the kettle. So, either there was some reason to remove the non ghoul or Jacob was still feeling bad about making her cry earlier, however accidental it might have been.

Her attention was mostly taken up by the project in front of her however. The cloth of silver was on order, but there was plenty to be done in the meantime. She eyed the mannequin critically and adjusted the pleating minutely before tacking it down. The dress was still in it's roughest stage but the navy satin was just starting to show the shape of an elegant gown. On the desk there are spools of trim and some silvery embroidery ready to be applied to the dress. A pile of neatly folded satin nearby hints that this dress might not be the only one of it's kind.

Still, she was aware enough that when Jacob entered the room she was able to ask "What does Miss Daye want now? We are not leaving for Bristol for another two days. Not even Dyonisia can make arrangements that quickly..." She speaks softly, pitching her voice so that it will not carry beyond the work room with the ease of long practise. She hadn't looked round, her attention mostly on the dress in front of her.

Swainswick strode rapidly across the workshop, snatching a small parcel - the glove-box which he'd previously wrapped carefully with brown paper and string.

"Miss Daye is here in the company of Doctor Taylor," he said, "and one Mrs. Katherine Saunders, to whom she speaks very highly of your work. I have mentioned to Mrs. Sauders that our schedule is a little tight at present. Hers is not a name I am familiar with - she's apparently newly arrived, from where I did not enquire. Are you in for visitors? I can bring them through to the parlour if you prefer."

He paused, brandishing the glove-box, and waiting on her word.

Mrs Saunders? Newly Arrived and in Christine's company? Hrm...

"Is she a short lady, with dark hair and a timid demeanour? If so she is newly arrived from Cardiff I think." Valentina's voice held the smug trace of someone who knows something they might not be expected to know.

She was surprised to hear that Dr Taylor was also with them. If George was lurking in the shadows she was going to scream and throw the lot of them out on their ears. Taking a deep and entirely unnecessary breath she sharpened her senses, the murmur of voices resolving into words and the floors of the buildings creaks become as clear as a map to her as to where her 'guests' were.

"Very well. Please inform Miss Daye that I would be delighted to see her and her companions for a short while, though regrettably it must be short as I am on such a deadline for this wedding commission." She pauses and for the first time stops to look at Jacob, a grim smile on her face. "If Dr Taylor makes any references to the, ah, lower layers of ladies clothing in front of the ladies you are to call for a constable and have him thrown out."

She shakes her head sadly. "I have heard too much about the mixing of the sexes recently and I fear for the morals of our young if we do not guide them properly."

She turns back to her work securing it with a few pins, before selecting an embroidery hoop and carrying it through into the parlour, so as to be sitting contentedly stitching when the malkavians are shown in.

Katherine glances around the shop in wonder, taking everything in. To her it is like an Aladdins cave of treasures. She beams at Christine and reaches out to embrace her.

"Thank you for bringing me here, it is absolutely perfect," she says excitedly.

Whilst holding Christine close, she whispers in her ear, "I presume that there is also a lady assistant too? I will not be able to purchase everything that I am in need of it if only Mr Swainswick is available."

She breaks away from the embrace and looks towards the counters the Mr Swainswick previously had directed them to.

"I need to get you something for your kindness of late"

She studies the items that Mr Swainswick had placed upon the counter for them to view. She lifts up a delicate green silk scarf and offers it to Christine.

"How do you like this? If not, please choose whichever scarf you wish, and I will get it for you"

She looks behind her and motions for Constance to come into the shop.

"You too should have something Constance. A scarf too perhaps? What colour do you prefer?..."

Her eye becomes fixed on a beautiful pair of purple gloves and she is entrapped by the sparkles off the beads. Her mind is lost to all else for sometime.