An Architect calls

[Jean-Jacques]

Hearing the knock at the door shook Jean-Jacques from a thoughtful expression as he held the book in his hands.

He glanced at the clock...too soon he thought to himself, placed the book carefully and deliberately on the old bureau and moved towards the door, almost marched, back straight.

Upon opening the door, he regards Elder Hermina briefly and without a sign of emotion invites her in.

“Elder Hermina, ee welcome ze to zis me ‘umbell ‘Ouse, zere are ozzers here in ze studee......”

He pauses

“And in ze kitchen”

He gestures towards the study and steps aside.

[Madam Zaragoza]

On seeing Jean-Jacques, Hermina nods a greeting and walks through the door. She stops suddenly when her senses smell a horse.... She gives Jean-Jacques a confused look.

“Did Dukes fail to take care of the horse as he promised? Why have you got it here? What are you playing at Neonate?

She looks at him for an explanation.

[Jean-Jacques]

Desperately retraining his urge to run off into the night screaming about the madness of the court jean-Jacques barely flickers an emotion on his face.

“Elder Hermina Zaragoza, ee ees not eeteerley sure of zee ‘appeneeng.”

“What ee knows ees zat Elder Aurelia, Elder Dukes arreeved ealrier on ze back of Mars,....Elder Silver and ee was eenstructeed to ‘Ouse ze Elder as beefeets ees favoured status amongst ze evoree tower.”

He inclines his head toward the study.

“Please welcome to zis ‘umbell soiree Elder”

[Madam Zaragoza]

She gives Jean-Jacques a look, that suggests she utterly regrets coming after all and he had better make up for this at some point somehow. She whispers to him in an irritated tone,”What?! Let me speak to Dukes about this!”

She strides into the study and looks around at those that are assembled, “Good evening, Elders, ancilla, neonate and ..”. noting the horse through the hatch into the kitchen, “and my horse apparently. Can someone please explain to me why she has been brought here? I thought that you had agreed to take care of her in your stables Dukes, at least until I had made other arrangements?”

She looks like she is containing any anger she may feel until she completely understands the situation.

[Jean-Jacques]

Jean-Jacques follows Hermina into the room and pauses at the doorway, he glances at the stained clock on the dusty mantlepiece registers something and moves back towards the front door.

He steps outside and closes it behind him, if he could breathe, now would be the moment to take in a hearty gulp of fresh evening air, chilled as a fine mersault....but that is the way of all things for him now.

He starts as before it hovers into view, and right on time, the carriage appears around the corner and pulls up outside.

He steps onto the road and opens the door, bows,

“Primogen Grace, “

He steps inside the carriage and closes the door.

..............

Some two or three minutes pass before the carriage door opens, and Jean-Jacques followed by Primogen Grace step from the carriage and they walk, her right up tucked into his cocked left arm towards the door, Jean-Jacque having knocked on the carriage the driver disappears into the night.

He opens the door, bows to Grace and loudly invites her in

“Primogen Grace Granville, eet ees my pleasure, dutee and ze ‘onor to ‘OST ze ere zis evening. “

He gestures inward.

“Ozzer guests ‘ave arreeved, please be welcome ‘ere, eet ees at your dessposal.”

he then escorts her to the study Ensuring he stands back as she enters.

[Lady Grace]

Grace steps into the study.
Thank goodness Jean Jacques had thought to brief her on the situation. There was hope for him yet.

"Good evening to you, Elder, Elder and Elder" she smiles to Aurelia and Dukes in turn. She then glances to Hermina with a polite smile.
"Elder," she addresses Elder Silver with a graceful bow.

"Ancillia Audley," Valentina gets a warm smile
"Ancillia Stoker," she pauses.. then looks to June.
"Neonate Tolpuddle, such a delight to see you out in society."

Grace moves across the room to sit next to Laurence, controlling her smile.

[Jean-Jacques]

jean-Jacques steps into the room, walks over to where the assortment of glasses are, carefully selects a goblet and pours some of the decanter into it.

He moves toward where grace is seated and bows before offering her the drink and standing back

[Lady Grace]

"Thank you,"
She accepts the goblet.
"You recieved the case I sent earlier?"

[Jean-Jacques]

Jean-Jacques nods in response to Grace’s query.

“Indeed Primogen Grace, eet ees most graceeious to sink of my umbell situation and assesst me in zis matter, “

He bows, before standing at her shoulder, facing the room,

[Valentina Audley]

Valentina smiles back at Grace, how nice to have a friend here and one Jean-Jacques is apparently likely to listen to.

"Good Evening Primogen Granville" she says warmly. "How lovely to see you here."