sixwordstories | (no subject)

[Observing his distress, the woman approaches, reaching out rather boldly to touch his shoulder.]

Whatever is the matter?

((ooc: and might I add that your canon sounds fascinating. Regrettably, I am not familiar but will look into it straightaway!))

Stent flinches at the contact, and gazes up at her, confused.

"Who? What? Are the squid gone?"

OOC: Oh, definitely check it out! Hound of the D'Urbervilles is pretty amazing, especially if you're into Victorian literature.

Also--steampunk Royal Society? Um, yes!

"There aren't any squid, poor man." She says. "You're out on the lawn." She sighs, remembering where she was and he very well could have thought there was a squid jetting its way menacingly across the splotchy grass.

((ooc: aaaand wishlisted for when I'm done with the Oscar Wilde murder mysteries!))

He glances cautiously around and takes a deep breath. Grass, a few bushes, a bench or two.

All fairly safe.

"There were squid," he insists. "At Burlington House. They threw squid at me."

OOC: I approve of your reading list!

"Poor man. Whatever did you do that they pelted you with clammy cephalopods?" She asked gently, wrapping her coat more warmly about herself.

((ooc: Thank you!))

They had been clammy...and...cold...and the way their tentacles stuck to him. It had taken weeks for the bruises to heal.

Weeks. Has he already been here that long? He shakes his head in an attempt to focus.

"I...gave an astronomy lecture. Things did not go as well as I had hoped."

"Clearly, though I cannot imagine why they would throw squid at an astronomy lecturer." She offers an arm. "Let's go back inside, it's damp out here and you'll catch something." She says. "And tell me more about your lecture. I imagine it must have been interesting to inspire such a strong response."

Stent shudders, but he takes her arm and allows her to lead him inside. He doesn't particularly want to share the story, remembering full well the look on Dr. Seward's face during their first interview.

"It was Moriarty. I made some...not very flattering remarks about his book in a talk for the Royal Astronomical Society, and he paid people to throw squid at me at my next lecture. I'm sure of it."

He also paid them to feed him large doses of heroin and convince him that Earth was beset by Martian invaders, but Stent's not going to mention that. It's probably all in Seward's notes, anyway.

"Oh, you poor man. I'm afraid our fellow academics can suffer from a fatal excess of pride. Though I've never thrown a squid at anyone for not taking a liking to my work." She sighed.

He nods, relieved to have found someone who will listen.

"Yes. It is rather unfortunate."

She smiles at him. "I am Evangeline Nix. I am afraid that astrology is not entirely my bag so you'll forgive me if I don't recognize you, Mr...?" She inquires, with an inquisitive expression.

While it was probably an innocent slip of the tongue, his pride won't let it go unnoticed.

"Astronomy," he corrects sharply. "Not astrology."

Almost immediately after the words escape his lips, he regrets it. What if she is offended and leaves him here alone?

"I...am sorry. Sir Nevil Airey Stent--er, former Astronomer Royal--at your service."

"Forgive me, I misspoke." She said, amiably enough. "The things they give out here that passes for medicine it..addles the brain." She does blush a bit at her error though. "And it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Sr Stent. Always a pleasure to meet a fellow intellectual. And an Astronomer Royal no less. Former or otherwise." She smiles.

((ooc: whoops, entirely a typo on my part. Excuse me while I remove Eva's foot from her mouth.))