Doctor Who_ Wolfsbane - Jac Rayner [29]
„Anything about anything,‟ the Doctor said.
George Stanton was not at home, the butler told them, but Lady Hester would be happy to receive them. He waited expectantly for them to hand over coats, bags et cetera to the maid, but the Doctor showed no signs of wanting to give up his velvet frock coat, and Godric, although having no coat, seemed much attached to the leather bag that was buckled to his back. Well, it presumably contained everything he owned in the world, so that was fair enough. Harry presented Jane with his duffel coat and as big a smile as he could manage to make up for his companions, and then followed the butler into a fussy little parlour, all doilies and antimacassars.
Hester swept into the room, apologising for keeping them waiting (they had barely sat down), and sent Trelawny the butler off to fetch tea. She was still dressed in her bizarrely inappropriate medieval fashion - so might the Lady of Shalott have looked, Harry thought, if she‟d had to pine away after Lancelot for another fifty or so years.
The Doctor rose to take Hester‟s hand and kiss it, the velvet of his sleeve rubbing against the velvet of hers, an old-fashioned courtly gesture which seemed nevertheless appropriate here. Harry, however, did not copy him, and neither, slightly to Harry‟s surprise, did Godric. But then, what did Harry know of Arthurian etiquette?
As the Doctor retook his seat, Trelawny had brought in the tea - not just a cup of tea, as Harry had expected, but a proper afternoon tea. Godric was obviously uncomfortable in this company, desperately watching Harry for a clue as to how cake should be eaten. When he spilled a cup of tea down himself and made an excuse to leave the room, Harry suspected quite strongly that it had been deliberate.
Shortly after Godric left, Emmeline Neuberger joined them.
„Where‟ve you been, Emmy?‟ Hester asked.
She put a hand to her head. „I had the dizziness all of a sudden,‟ she said. „But it has now passed.‟
Miss Neuberger seemed very pleased to see Harry again -
far too happy, as far as Harry was concerned, it made him uncomfortable. He didn‟t for a second believe he‟d really made such a good impression on her before. But straight away she became almost embarrassingly assiduous in assuring his comfort in the matters of cucumber sandwiches (no crusts), fruit cake and hot buttered muffins.
With females like Emmeline Neuberger around, this tea party seemed likely to be more stressful than last night‟s accusation of murder.
Lady Hester poured more tea from a large silver teapot. It was engraved with the initial „L‟. „My family,‟ she said, perhaps noticing Harry‟s interest. „I am by birth a Leffy.‟
„Really?‟ said Harry, unsure if this was a matter for congratulation or commiseration.
„The Somerset Leffys,‟ put in the Doctor. „A very old family.
I‟m sure you‟ve heard of them.‟
„Oh yes, yes, of course,‟ said Harry hastily.
My two brothers were killed in the war, and so the family home came to me. My late husband, Arthur, graciously agreed to our living here. He had no estate, of course.‟
„Of course,‟ echoed Harry.
I would like to press you to a muffin, Lieutenant,‟ said Emmeline Neuberger. Harry allowed himself to be served, warm butter oozing over the plate. How anyone in the thirties was anything other than barrel-shaped, eating all this sweet stuff on top of the regular three meals a day, he did not know.
„Emmeline, the lieutenant‟s cup is empty,‟ Lady Hester pointed out, indicating the teapot. For a second, Emmeline seemed taken aback.
„Ah, but my fingers have the butter,‟ she said.
„Butterfingers? No, no, Emmy, you‟ll be fine. It‟s not heavy.‟
But Emmeline held up her hand. „Butter on my fingers.‟
She picked up her linen napkin, and wiped them. Harry saw, without really noticing, that she did not put the napkin down to pick up the teapot, but held the silver handle through the heavy cloth.
„We came, really, to offer our condolences,‟ the Doctor said at last as the final sandwich was eaten and the last half-cup squeezed from the pot.
„I‟m sorry?‟ said