"I would offer Lisa anything, I have offered her everything. I'll wish her the best of luck within her future endeavors. But as for Henry..." He turned to me with a sharp smile. "He could go to hell for all I care."
I managed to hide my sigh at the venom trapped within Simon's voice. I wasn't ignorant enough to believe that Simon had any well feelings for my future son-in-law. Though, I cannot help but place some of the blame upon his too ambitious nature. My dear Lisa was never drawn by the thought of status or of monetary worth – after all, being my daughter, she had both. But Simon couldn't seem to understand this. 'What woman wouldn't want to elevate her station more than she has already?', he had told me once. I couldn't help but wonder if he was belittling me. Considering that he was a but a secretary of St. Judes Board of Governors, and I was Chairman as well as Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire, he had no place to speak. Lisa's station could very well be seen as higher than his own.
I was ready to admonish and remind him of just who managed to ward away Lisa when I heard Lady Beaconsfield astonishingly shrill voice speaking ill of Henry, as she had so often as of late. I sighed. It was going to be a night of that, it seemed. The Doctor assured it with his tardiness.
I had hoped to herd the woman elsewhere, preferably back to the others of the board, but I found myself caught in a crossfire I didn't enjoy in the least. My daughter had a sharp wit and even sharper tongue, one she was wielding quite well against the peacock of a woman. Try as she might to meet the younger woman stroke for stroke, she eventually turned away in a huff, fanning herself in a swift flurry. I found myself sighing for the second time, and predicted I would be doing so a hundred times more.
The look I gave Lisa before I retreated after the woman was of exasperation, but her beautiful smile – so like her mother's – dashed away all forms of irritation. I only shook my head, and turned to the firing squad. Or perhaps I can better relate them to a pack of wild dogs.
"You have quite the willful daughter, Sir Danvers." The plum colored fan was still fluttering madly in the air, casting gusts of wind against the powdered face of the shrewd woman, and I smiled, lifting my eyes to her own.
"She takes after her mother," I responded, shrugging helplessly.
She sniffed, shutting the fan with a snap. "A little too much."
My scowl was barely restrained, turning my smile tight, and I slid my hands into the pockets of my trousers. I should be used to her dry, cynical nature by now – I have been working with the woman for several years – though there were certain times when she crossed the line. Though according to the widowed Elizabeth Beckonsfield, there was no such thing as crossing lines. She did what she wished to do and without worrying about the reactions and concerns of others. A spoiled crone of a woman if I have ever met one.
"Yes, well. It's not my daughter or my late wife that I wish to speak about, Lady, but the meeting that is coming soon." I noted the bored, and decidedly oblivious expression upon her face, and cleared my throat. "Dr. Jekyll's presentation?" I knew she recalled, she simply wished to give me a hard time. Old goat.
"Yet another one of his presentations that promises 'life altering changes' only to fail miserably. This is what? The third, Teddy?" Flicking open her fan again she began waving it just beneath her chin, and it took everything I had to keep from snatching the blasted thing away.
As an Earl, Theodore Savage was one of the wealthiest men on this side of London, and he did all that he could to flaunt it, especially around the hospital proper. The medical institution was not a place where a person needed to dress their finest, wearing the latest fashions and flashing a jewel encrusted spectacle among other baubles and trinkets he carried around with him. He used to be a good man; level-headed, cool tempered who would help his fellow man without thought. Though the moment he came into greater money and found his place upon the hospitals board of Governors his whole out look had changed. With the widowed Beckonsfield at his side – an affair they keep at a stage-whisper – it was guaranteed that his rank will soon elevate among polite society.
As I had said once, I will say time and time again: power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
"Fourth I believe, Bessie," he responded, and I lost count how many times I sighed this night alone.
"Science is trial and error. Even I – someone who isn't a scientist or doctor – know this. I only ask that you give this fascinating prospect a chance. Read over his proposition, at the least, before you toss it aside without thought." I looked over the faces before me, going from one to the other, and almost smiled when it seemed they were thoughtful. It was a start.
"He does this for his father, something that is admirable, but the man has lost his attachment to reality. Schizophrenia, dementia... He is criminally insane and should be kept in his catatonic state. God has decided that his soul is lost, and tampering with it is blasphemy." Any urge I might have had to smile fell completely when the Bishop spoke up. A bad start.
I have always wondered about Rupert and his seemingly tentative ties with the church. As the Bishop of Basingstoke, one would expect him to conduct himself properly. Though he is oft seen with drink in his hand and a foul word upon his lips once he steps outside of the church. Perhaps that could be overlooked due to his charity to the various orphanages in the area. St. James and Oxford area, as well as his rounds in White Chapel. If there was an area that needed the word of God, that was one of them.
There was agreements all around, and I frowned. I truly wished to see Henry complete his studies, not only for the sake of others, but for the sake of his father. He had become like a brother to me over the years, and when he fell ill after his wife's death, it killed me to watch his decline. Henry had many of his father's traits; his determination most of all. I knew that if his proposition wasn't accepted this time, he would try again until he would be satisfied with the outcome.
I only hope he kept his title in mind. To let his determination sway him too much could endanger it.
"Archy. Late as usual," the Lady purred fondly, sauntering over to the youngest of us all. She slid her arm into the loop of his elbow and stepped over. Amused, I regarded his clothing; flamboyantly colorful. To say that Archibald's state of dress was the only thing queer would be an understatement.
"It's the dreadful weather. Fog, fog and more fog. Evening, Bessie, Teddy, Bishop, General. And good evening to you too as well, Sir Danvers." If it wasn't for his smug tone, I would almost think his politeness genuine. I smiled nevertheless and nodded to him. "Sir Archibald," I responded in kind and glanced over to Gregory. The General had been rather quiet during this conversation; he stood there, his bearded face stoic, and listened. I knew he'd have something to say before the evening was over.
"I hadn't missed anything yet, have I? I had hoped to be here before the fireworks," Archibald slipped off his silken gloves and tucked them together, holding them in one hand while giving a pat to the back of Elizabeth's hand with the other.
Missed them by a few minutes, I thought, reflecting over the sparks that were flying between the Lady and my daughter. "You came in time for our conversation concerning Dr. Jekyll's proposal. I am curious as to your opinion. Perhaps you can provide us your insight?"
"I hadn't bothered reading it yet. There is still time before the meeting is to take place." He laughed softly, then plucked a bit of lint from my dinner coat with the tips of his fingers. Dusting off the shoulder, he returned his hand to the woman's arm that was still hooked with his own. "I...skimmed, if that will soothe your nerves, Sir Danvers." It didn't, but I nodded anyway.
Just when I had begun to think the conversation was going to finally sway away from Dr. Jekyll, I saw Simon approaching from the corner of my eyes. There was a mixture of emotion upon his face I couldn't quite sort out, but one stood out before all the others; anger. It tightened the line of his jaw and turned his dark eyes cool, his smile more razor sharp than before.
"Evening, Lady. Gentlemen." After a nod to them, he turned to me. "If I might have a word with you, Sir Danvers?"
I nodded and begun to step back, only to see the man of the hour come into the foyer, shrugging off his coat to hand it over to Davidson, my butler. "Excuse me a moment, Simon. I'll return shortly." He glanced over his shoulder, following my gaze, and I believe his jaw – which had just began to slacken – went tight again.
"Yes, of course." He turned away from me before I had a chance to speak, but I was too focused on my need to talk to Henry to bother with the slight. Besides, he began speaking with the others.
"Perhaps when the wedding date is decided I should invite the guests for the day after the ceremony," I questioned while approaching Henry who was straightening his vest. He laughed softly, and clasped my shoulder, giving me an almost boyish grin.
"Forgive me, Sir Danvers. I had become distracted trying to perfect my presentation. I'm very excited about this chance." He rubbed his gloves together, the white cloth at the fingertips stained darkly, undoubtedly from ink. His eyes were traveling over the throng of people just over my shoulder, looking for Lisa, of course. I only smiled, then brought his attention back with a clear of my throat.
"It seems that very presentation is all the governors can speak about."
"Oh! Wonderful! They're excited to hear it, then?"
I grimaced inwardly and glanced away from him, not quite sure how to answer his question. "Excited would be one way to put it." He was distracted again, thankfully. I truly didn't wish to go into just what was being said. I could only hope that Henry knew what he was doing, and that the Board would be willing to listen to what he had to say. "She's waiting for you I believe, Dr. Jekyll, and so I will speak to you another time, perhaps before the party is ended."
He brought his eyes to me again, sparkling with mirth and shook his head. "I'm scatterbrained tonight. Thank you, Sir. I'll not keep her waiting." Smiling warmly, he excused himself and I nodded, watching him as he hastily disappeared into the sea of wool and taffeta.
I dreaded returning to the group, but I knew I had to entertain them, or I will hear about my 'rudeness' for the rest of the year. Or at least until another pillar made a slight. Gossip-mongers and hypocrites, they were. Fellow employees that couldn't be avoided no matter how much I would like to. Simon was speaking to them, and it was their glances to me that roused my curiosity, and I approached, praying that they wouldn't begin to go into the conversation about Henry again.
Thankfully my prayers were answered, but the silence that laid between the lot of us unnerved me.
What unnerved me more, though, was the self-satisfied smile on Simon's lips.