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Today's Topics:

1. Re: ] And so it begins ... Arabella & Pamela & Michael
(Knave of Amber)
2. At the Party: Warren and James (and anyone else who wishes to
join in) (Mel Mason)
3. Re: And so it begins....Evangeline & Marion (Margaret Dean)
4. Arriving at the Party ... Arabella & Pamela & Michael (Mel Mason)
5. A mishap on the way to the party: Evangeline & Marion (Mel Mason)
6. Arriving at the Party ... Arabella, Pamela, Michael & Philip
(Mel Mason)
7. Mingling at the Party: General (Mel Mason)
8. Re: Arriving at the Party ... Arabella, Pamela, Michael &
Philip (Nowsounds)
9. Re: Arriving at the Party ... Arabella, Pamela, Michael &
Philip (dorothea@...)


----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Tue, 21 Dec 2004 07:24:44 -0500
From: Knave of Amber <kris.kunkel@...>
Subject: Re: [MaC] ] And so it begins ... Arabella & Pamela & Michael


On Mon, 20 Dec 2004 22:44:59 -0600, Dorothea Salo
<dorothea@...> wrote:
> >> "Good evening, ladies. Happy Christmas," Michael greeted as he joined
> >> them in waiting for the lift. He looked up and said, "Seems some of
> >> the others are on their way already."
> >
> >
> > "And a Happy Christmas to you, Group Captain," Arabella said with a
> > smile. "It does look as if there will be a good turnout... As far as
> > that goes, I think this party may be a very good thing. We all know
> > we're at war, but fellowship and celebration are things worth fighting
> > for, don't you think?"
>
> Pamela repressed a salute, murmuring a polite greeting instead. One
> would not have thought that a woman taller and more imposing than her
> mother could so easily disappear into the background behind her.
>
> The lift bobbed to a stop and opened; Pamela stepped aside to let
> her
> mother go before her, brushing past Coldsmith-Briggs with a murmured
> apology as she followed.
>
> <tag Michael, Arabella, anyone who cares to welcome us off the lift>

[Sorry, missed this... Erm, how would you like to edit?]



------------------------------

Message: 2
Date: Tue, 21 Dec 2004 12:52:26 -0000
From: "Mel Mason" <goldfired@...>
Subject: [MaC] At the Party: Warren and James (and anyone else who
wishes to join in)


(OOC - please note the additional information about the lifts in this post)


There was another knock at the door, which turned out to be the Flight
Officer, Warren Worthington. A relative newcomer to most, still he had been
seen here and there. His face was
pale, and he was patting his face and neck with a handkerchief. He gave a
weak smile.

"Missed the lift," he said. "I knew it would be a while before it came back
down, so I tried the service lift. Stuffy in there."

This, of course, explained the knock on the lounge door, for while the main
lift ran up only as far as the lower floor of the penthouse flats, the
service lift rose an extra level and gave immediate access to the lounge.

Warren leaned heavily on his cane, added, "Ah... forgive me. Good to see
you all."

James turned from his spot and gave a nod to the Flight Officer. "Good eve,
Officer Worthington. The, ah, skies in here are still not overly crowded."
he said, with a trace of a smile.




------------------------------

Message: 3
Date: Tue, 21 Dec 2004 08:05:08 -0500
From: Margaret Dean <margdean@...>
Subject: Re: [MaC] And so it begins....Evangeline & Marion


Ree Moorhead Pruehs wrote:
>
> > > Eventually Vangie selected a plain strand of pearls and matching
> > > earrings and donned them before stepping into her plain, low-heeled,
> > > sensible dress shoes. It was, she thought, the one good thing about
> > > getting old. One need no longer completely enslave oneself to fashion
> > > as opposed to allow aging legs and feet the comfort they deserved.
> > >
> > > She heard Philip thumping around in his bedroom, but did not tap on
> > > the door. She had noticed he didn't like being fussed over. And she
> > > had never been particularly maternal by nature anyway.
> > >
> > > "I'll see you upstairs, then," she called loud enough for him to hear.
> > > Picking up her clutch purse -- the evening's compromise between her
> > > more typical large and overfilled bag and going completely naked --
> > > she stepped out into the hallway.
> >
> >The clanking of the lift announced its arrival from the floor
> >below. As it halted, Vangie could see that Marion Mauberly was
> >inside. She smiled when she saw Vangie and opened the iron
> >grille for her.
> >
> >"Is Philip coming?" she asked.
>
> "He'll still be a bit....said he'd take the stairs," Vangie said, stepping
> in. =Stubborn pride,= she thought, but not unfondly. She smiled at the
> younger woman. "How lovely you look!"
>
> She closed the grille again, and the elevator creaked upward.

"And you look just like the Duchess of Windsor," Marion replied,
and added on a teasing note, "Well worth giving up a kingdom
for."

As the lift slowly ascended to the floor above, she did a quick
rummage through her own gold-and-black clutch purse. "Oh, good,
I didn't forget my pills. It would be a bore to have to go down
and fetch them."

Vangie was aware that Marion suffered from occasional migraines,
and habitually carried a tube of little blue pills.


<tag Vangie, anyone on penthouse floor when they arrive>


--Margaret Dean
<margdean@...>



------------------------------

Message: 4
Date: Tue, 21 Dec 2004 13:09:59 -0000
From: "Mel Mason" <goldfired@...>
Subject: [MaC] Arriving at the Party ... Arabella & Pamela & Michael


>> >> "Good evening, ladies. Happy Christmas," Michael greeted as he joined
>> >> them in waiting for the lift. He looked up and said, "Seems some of
>> >> the others are on their way already."
>> >
>> >
>> > "And a Happy Christmas to you, Group Captain," Arabella said with a
>> > smile. "It does look as if there will be a good turnout... As far as
>> > that goes, I think this party may be a very good thing. We all know
>> > we're at war, but fellowship and celebration are things worth fighting
>> > for, don't you think?"
>>
>> Pamela repressed a salute, murmuring a polite greeting instead.
>> One
>> would not have thought that a woman taller and more imposing than her
>> mother could so easily disappear into the background behind her.
>>
>> The lift bobbed to a stop and opened; Pamela stepped aside to let
>> her
>> mother go before her, brushing past Coldsmith-Briggs with a murmured
>> apology as she followed.
>>
Michael looked happy and his smile spread in a devil may care manneras he
joined the women in the lift. Taking Pamela's hand he lifted it to his lips
gently, "That and the favors of a beautiful woman."

"You ladies both look smashing this evening," he said with a wink to Pamela
as he released her hand and looked back to the Dowager.

"If nothing else happens this evening, I'm sure to be complimented for
thecompany I arrive with."

The lift rose steadily through the block until it reached the fifth floor.
There, as they disembarked, they saw that the door of the Fitzroys' flat was
open, and Anton Barowenski, a cigarette in one hand, was deep in
conversation with Miss Nola Diamond, the film actress and another of Marty
Fitzroy's clients. Both fell silent as the other three joined them - a
silence broken only by the clank of the lift as it started back down again
.. and steps on the stairs.

"Everyone is in the lounge," said Barowenski. "Perhaps you would care to
join them." He seemed slightly agitated.

The RAF officer, Philip Powell, appeared at this point rounded the corner of
the stairs, having climbed from his floor.

"Excuse me," said Nola. "I look a fright - I'll go and powder my nose."

Nothing could, in fact, have been further from the truth - she looked
radiant. But she slipped away down the corridor towards the bathroom.
Barowenski shrugged.

"She is wishing to make an entrance," he said. "She is a star."

He indicated the stairs. "We should go up, perhaps. Most are here, I
think."




------------------------------

Message: 5
Date: Tue, 21 Dec 2004 13:12:18 -0000
From: "Mel Mason" <goldfired@...>
Subject: [MaC] A mishap on the way to the party: Evangeline & Marion


>> >The clanking of the lift announced its arrival from the floor
>> >below. As it halted, Vangie could see that Marion Mauberly was
>> >inside. She smiled when she saw Vangie and opened the iron
>> >grille for her.
>> >
>> >"Is Philip coming?" she asked.
>>
>> "He'll still be a bit....said he'd take the stairs," Vangie said,
>> stepping
>> in. =Stubborn pride,= she thought, but not unfondly. She smiled at the
>> younger woman. "How lovely you look!"
>>
>> She closed the grille again, and the elevator creaked upward.
>
> "And you look just like the Duchess of Windsor," Marion replied,
> and added on a teasing note, "Well worth giving up a kingdom
> for."
>
> As the lift slowly ascended to the floor above, she did a quick
> rummage through her own gold-and-black clutch purse. "Oh, good,
> I didn't forget my pills. It would be a bore to have to go down
> and fetch them."
>
> Vangie was aware that Marion suffered from occasional migraines,
> and habitually carried a tube of little blue pills.
>

And then the lift stopped. Abruptly.

And suspended between two floors.




------------------------------

Message: 6
Date: Tue, 21 Dec 2004 13:15:40 -0000
From: "Mel Mason" <goldfired@...>
Subject: [MaC] Arriving at the Party ... Arabella, Pamela, Michael &
Philip


>> >> "Good evening, ladies. Happy Christmas," Michael greeted as he joined
>> >> them in waiting for the lift. He looked up and said, "Seems some of
>> >> the others are on their way already."
>> >
>> >
>> > "And a Happy Christmas to you, Group Captain," Arabella said with a
>> > smile. "It does look as if there will be a good turnout... As far as
>> > that goes, I think this party may be a very good thing. We all know
>> > we're at war, but fellowship and celebration are things worth fighting
>> > for, don't you think?"
>>
>> Pamela repressed a salute, murmuring a polite greeting instead.
>> One
>> would not have thought that a woman taller and more imposing than her
>> mother could so easily disappear into the background behind her.
>>
>> The lift bobbed to a stop and opened; Pamela stepped aside to let
>> her
>> mother go before her, brushing past Coldsmith-Briggs with a murmured
>> apology as she followed.
>>
Michael looked happy and his smile spread in a devil may care manneras he
joined the women in the lift. Taking Pamela's hand he lifted it to his lips
gently, "That and the favors of a beautiful woman."

"You ladies both look smashing this evening," he said with a wink to Pamela
as he released her hand and looked back to the Dowager.

"If nothing else happens this evening, I'm sure to be complimented for
thecompany I arrive with."

The lift rose steadily through the block until it reached the fifth floor.
There, as they disembarked, they saw that the door of the Fitzroys' flat was
open, and Anton Barowenski, a cigarette in one hand, was deep in
conversation with Miss Nola Diamond, the film actress and another of Marty
Fitzroy's clients. Both fell silent as the other three joined them - a
silence broken only by the clank of the lift as it started back down again
. and steps on the stairs.

"Everyone is in the lounge," said Barowenski. "Perhaps you would care to
join them." He seemed slightly agitated.

The RAF officer, Philip Powell, appeared at this point rounded the corner of
the stairs, having climbed from his floor.

"Excuse me," said Nola. "I look a fright - I'll go and powder my nose."

Nothing could, in fact, have been further from the truth - she looked
radiant. But she slipped away down the corridor towards the bathroom.
Barowenski shrugged.

"She is wishing to make an entrance," he said. "She is a star."

He indicated the stairs. "We should go up, perhaps. Most are here, I
think."



------------------------------

Message: 7
Date: Tue, 21 Dec 2004 13:24:54 -0000
From: "Mel Mason" <goldfired@...>
Subject: [MaC] Mingling at the Party: General


When this group arrived, they found Hodges, the flats' maintenance man,
solemnly mixing drinks for Nicola Douglas and Majorie Higgins, the post
woman who lived on the ground floor, while Marty Fitzroy gazed avariciously
at Miss Diamond. Also present was the dark young American from Flat 11,
Braham Davis and - as usual in the background - Mrs Esme Fitzroy.

Nicola brightened at the sight of new guests and, drink in hand, headed over
to greet the new arrivals. 'Thank God. One more minute with that awful
Fitzroy and I would have screamed,' she thought.

"Mr. and Mrs. Skeffington-Nottle!" she said warmly. "How delightful to see
you. Come, have a drink!"

James smiled at this point, more to himself than anything else.

"Greetings to you, Miss Douglas." James said pleasantly, turning the smile
from himself, to her. He stepped away from the Skeffington-Nottles and
moved into the room, his hazel eyes looking around at the gathered guests.

Lucinda moved forward to greet Nicola. "What a lovely dress!" she said
warmly. "Did you buy it in New York? You must have done - all our shops
are quite bare now ... "

Oswald, in a practised manoeuvre, moved towards Marty Fitzroy.

"Do tell," he said, "how are you finding the raids are affecting audience
figures?"



(OOC - feel free to break up into little groups and chat - and to try and
buttonhole any characters you feel an urgent need to talk to)






------------------------------

Message: 8
Date: Tue, 21 Dec 2004 08:41:36 -0500
From: "Nowsounds" <nowsounds@...>
Subject: Re: [MaC] Arriving at the Party ... Arabella, Pamela, Michael
& Philip

>
> The lift rose steadily through the block until it reached the fifth floor.
> There, as they disembarked, they saw that the door of the Fitzroys' flat
> was
> open, and Anton Barowenski, a cigarette in one hand, was deep in
> conversation with Miss Nola Diamond, the film actress and another of Marty
> Fitzroy's clients. Both fell silent as the other three joined them - a
> silence broken only by the clank of the lift as it started back down again
> .. and steps on the stairs.
>
> "Everyone is in the lounge," said Barowenski. "Perhaps you would care to
> join them." He seemed slightly agitated.

Arabella admired and liked the young pianist, but did not know him well
enough to ask why he seemed distressed. "Yes, of course," she said, with a
smile for Barowenski. "I'm afraid we were running just a bit late and it was
all my fault. I was seized with a sudden fit of indecisiveness..."
>
> The RAF officer, Philip Powell, appeared at this point rounded the corner
> of
> the stairs, having climbed from his floor.
>
> "Excuse me," said Nola. "I look a fright - I'll go and powder my nose."
>
> Nothing could, in fact, have been further from the truth - she looked
> radiant. But she slipped away down the corridor towards the bathroom.
> Barowenski shrugged.
>
> "She is wishing to make an entrance," he said. "She is a star."
>
> He indicated the stairs. "We should go up, perhaps. Most are here, I
> think."

Arabella answered his shrug with one of her own. Nola Diamond was attractive
in the modern way, she supposed, but she didn't see anything of the true
'star' about the woman. A bit common, she thought, but did not say.
"Absolutely, Mr. Barowenski." She gave a little nod to Pamela and the two
officers, and started in. She had never concerned herself about 'making an
entrance' and doubted that she ever would...





------------------------------

Message: 9
Date: Tue, 21 Dec 2004 07:58:56 -0600 (CST)
From: dorothea@...
Subject: Re: [MaC] Arriving at the Party ... Arabella, Pamela, Michael
& Philip


> Arabella answered his shrug with one of her own. Nola Diamond was
> attractive
> in the modern way, she supposed, but she didn't see anything of the true
> 'star' about the woman. A bit common, she thought, but did not say.
> "Absolutely, Mr. Barowenski." She gave a little nod to Pamela and the two
> officers, and started in. She had never concerned herself about 'making an
> entrance' and doubted that she ever would...

"Just a moment, Mum; I'll be right after," Pamela said, turning toward
Philip. "Pilot Officer Powell, isn't it? Pamela Hutchinson, occasionally
of the Women's Auxiliary. Won't you take me in, sir?" This was a minor
solecism, with the pianist standing right there and without an actual
introduction, but she committed it with the best of intent; Pamela knew
Philip's story, and wanted to honour it in what small way she could.



------------------------------

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End of murder_at_christmas Digest, Vol 1, Issue 6
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