The Private Diary of Elizabeth Quatermain, vol. IV: Only in America
by Lady Norbert

A/N: Another somewhat short chapter, this is dedicated to my dear friend Ella, because she understands better than anyone why Elizabeth reacts the way she does to Skinner. ;)

30 May 1900

They've done it. They've formulated the antidote.

I can't begin to understand how it was accomplished. I'm sure it makes perfect sense to Mina and Henry, and probably to Nemo also. For my part, it's just another amazing incident in what seems an endless supply of amazing incidents with the League.

I was in my room, transferring a rosemary plant to a bigger pot, when Tom came and knocked. I bade him enter, and he opened the door, looking animated. "They did it, Elizabeth! Skinner's got his antidote, he's going to be visible!"

I very nearly dropped the pot at this extraordinary pronouncement. "When...?"

"Just this morning. They made some of the original formula, and tested them together" (I do not want to know who, or what, was the subject of that test) "and it works. He's getting ready to take it now You've got to come and see!" He moved toward the door, then glanced back. "You coming?"

Well, of course, I assured him that I wouldn't want to miss this, and promised that I would join him in the Jekylls' laboratory as soon as I put away my apron and washed my hands. If he noticed that I was trembling, he didn't say anything.

It was almost ten minutes before I had collected my wits sufficiently to go up to the lab. As I approached, I could hear voices gabbling excitedly.

"This is so strange!"

"It's a real triumph."

"It's weird to see you with hair!" That was Tom.

I almost turned and ran, in truth; I was shaking. I don't quite know, even now, why I was so agitated, but I felt nervous - like I was meeting him, my own dearest companion, for the first time. It was very odd. Then I heard his voice asking, "So, what do you think?"

A bit more chatter, and then Mina said something that stopped me dead in my tracks. "I don't know why you're asking us what we think. The person whose opinion you want isn't here." Her voice was light, and sounded deeply amused.

"Yeah, where is she?" Tom again. "She said she was coming."

By this point I was shaking so hard I could barely stand. Somehow I managed to get control of myself, and I reached out to knock on the laboratory door. It opened almost at once to reveal Henry.

"Ah, speak of the devil - come in, Elizabeth. See what you think of this." He stepped back and waved me into the room. The small crowd that was Mina, Tom and Nemo parted, and suddenly I found myself looking, for the first time ever, at Rodney Skinner.

I was, of course, already somewhat accustomed to his facial features - the shape of his nose, the curve of his jaw, and so forth - but only when coated in a veneer of greasepaint. It was extremely strange to be looking at the same features without the make-up. His is a long face, with high cheekbones and forehead and a determined chin. He is fully as tall as Henry, though built like Tom, muscled and broad of shoulder, where Henry is very slim. His wavy hair is a deep ginger colour, and his eyes are powerfully blue.

I said the first thing that came to mind, which was, "You have hair." What a startlingly brilliant observation, Elizabeth!

"Yeah, I stopped shaving my head a couple weeks ago." He ran his fingers through it distractedly, his eyes still on my face. I was actually looking into his eyes - real eyes, not blank spaces in a white mask. I could not read his expression; on the other hand, I was not entirely focused on the attempt. I was somewhat diverted by the fact that I thought him alarmingly attractive. I hoped no one else could hear how ragged my breathing had become, or see that I was still trembling.

"So?" Mina prompted. "What do you think?"

How does one answer such a question truthfully and yet without completely humiliating oneself? I settled for "Very nice," while at the same time wondering which shade of red I was turning. He has a very intense gaze - mesmerizing, to be honest.

Skinner crossed the room and looked into the mirror on the wall. He seemed utterly bewildered, as though unable to believe what he was seeing. (I could relate.) "You know, I'd forgotten what colour my eyes were," he murmured. He turned away from his reflection to look at Henry and Mina. "Really, you two...thanks. Thanks a lot. I haven't seen this bloke in years, I feel like I need to get reacquainted or something." He nodded toward his reflection.

"If you're satisfied, then so are we," Henry replied, putting an arm around his wife. "It was hard work, but it was worth it."

Tom was openly grinning. "I just can't get used to this," he said. He turned to me. "You should have seen the transformation, Elizabeth. It was something else. It was like he grew a body from the inside out, layer by layer. Bones, then blood vessels, and so on."

"I think I'm glad I missed that," I said faintly. "It sounds rather disturbing."

Nemo was heading for the door. "I will ask the cook to make something special for dinner," he said. "We should celebrate." As the others resumed talking, I also slipped out of the room, and followed him down the hall.

"Something troubles you, Elizabeth?"

"Yes...no...I really don't know."

He eyed me shrewdly as we walked. "Mr. Skinner was, I think, particularly anxious to know your opinion on his visibility."

"I told him some time ago that if it made him happy, that was good enough for me. He seems to be happy, so I'm happy for him."

"Ah," he said, in the tone of one who knows more than they are saying. "Well, I'm sure that will make things easier."

I didn't really know what he meant, and I decided not to ask.

2 June 1900

It's a bit disconcerting to actually see Rodney walking around. An enjoyable sight, I confess, but still strange.

I had thought, perhaps, he would talk to me more now that all this has happened. But we're still doing little more than exchanging pleasantries or passing dishes at mealtimes; he seems a bit distracted, actually. Once we met in the hallway last evening, and he said (almost shyly, which is so unlike him), "So, you think it's all right then?"

I think it's more than all right, but I didn't tell him that. Instead, I said, "It's still you either way, so as long as you're pleased with it, that's good enough for me." That was an incredibly stupid thing to say, I think, but it's what came out of my mouth. He looked a little disappointed, and I wished I could take it back and say something more positive. All I meant was that he's still my dear Skinner, visible or not, but it came out sounding terribly foolish.