"Doctor Huston? Yes, I can see why he would come to mind just now. We were good friends for a time, but that was some years back, wasn't it? I suppose I know a good deal of him. He was a psychiatrist like yourself, but later in his career, though of course you know that. He graduated with honors from Johns Hopkins in Baltimore. Before psychiatry, he had a circulatory ailments practice, but I suppose it wasn't sufficiently interesting for him. A great loss to the field when he died in Africa with that cursed expedition. " He paused for a moment, and then spoke again.

"I'm sorry, I ramble on - surely you know these things. What do you wish to know of him in particular?"

  Annabel looked surprised as she kept in step. "You mean manipulate them Mr. Grey? In the hopes that they would have a chance with me maybe?" She frowned, "I don't know, I am finding it both a strength and a curse sometimes depending on the situation. I ask myself, is it me they are interested in or just my looks and the chance of being with someone pretty. Your situation seems almost the came Mr. Grey; I think having an excess of something other people desire doesn't seem to be a good thing sometimes." 

  "As for you Mr. Grey, if it is your money that is an issue, way not seek a lady who already has some and does not need yours. Being in Miss Carlyle's social circles, one may cross your path who is eager to find a decent husband." 

Stanley felt very flattered when Rosalie seemed to say she enjoyed his company. He did his best not to let the conversation throw off his dancing. He had not allowed himself to feel anything like this for years.

Stanley thought of the trip. Thought about the man he was back then. Before the Great War, before he lost his wife and his child "That was a long time ago, but you are still young. Heck you were just a kid back then. I was worried sick that something would happen to you that trip. But you were so brave so curious and such a bright light .."

".. you still are bright light." Stanley said.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:56, Tue 24 Feb 2015.

"You are very kind for saying so."  Rosalie had the decency to blush at the compliment.  "I am not that much younger than you," she pointed out, "but I was very young on that trip -- just out of Brearley School for Girls.  I'm afraid I inherited the Elias curiosity and thirst for adventure.  Lucky that you and Bo were both there to keep me out of trouble.  Heaven knows that Jackson had his nose so buried in the local culture that he barely noticed his own issues."

"We did have some close calls, as I am certain you remember.  Or at least they were close to a young, inexperienced girl.  If I was brave, it was because I was certain that you would never let anything happen to me."   She turned with him as the steps changed direction, easily following.  "Whether from the internal strength with which you were born or the shaping of your resolve from life experiences, men like you are the solid foundation of any undertaking.  I saw that again the other evening at the hotel when you reacted so calmly in the face of certain danger."

Leo nodded at what the Doctor had to say. "Yes, I am aware of all of that. Did Doctor Huston ever correspond with you while he was away on the expedition?"

Stanley nodded and smiled again slightly "You Elias are all alike."

"Jack loved a good mystery. He would follow it anywhere."

When she mentioned the hotel Stanley shrugged slightly and answered with no sign of pride or ego "I guess that is what I do best."

As he said it he thought of all those he had failed to protect. He wish that the conversation had not turned back to the job at hand so quickly, but he knew that the Elias family was not going to rest until this mystery was solved.

Bishop did not care so much about the mystery as he did putting an end to the killings and keeping the others safe.

As the music stopped and started again Stanley looked into Rosalie's eyes and smiled "One more dance?"

"I would love to."  She returned his smile and remained close, lightly resting one gloved hand upon his broad shoulder while her other stayed in his grasp.

Briefly she glanced to the crowd surrounding them to search for Annabel and smiled when she found her dancing.  She sought out Leo as well, but could not see him beyond the press of people.  Though worried for her uncle, she knew he wouldn't have left home if he hadn't felt up to it.  He was the best gauge of his mental state, after all.

Her attention flitted back to Stanley after only a moment.  "You are surprisingly light on your feet for such a formidable man.  Who taught you to dance?"

"No, not manipulate, not necessarily. A person can find an advantage in selecting a situation which suits them best without any manipulation being involved, though I suppose that is one way to go about things," he said.

"That is exactly what I would like to do, Miss Ashcroft," he said in reference to her suggestion that he find a match among the elite, adding wryly, "when time allows."

"No, I'm afraid I did not hear from him after he left. He became somewhat reclusive in the months before leaving, or at least I was not able to get in touch with him. Once he departed on the ill fated expedition I would not hear from him again," he replied.

  Annabel thought for a moment on Bradley's words as she went through the motions in time with the music. "I can see your point Mr. Grey. I suppose my looks can be a passive thing if I wish them to be and rely on other means to better a situation. But then again it really depends on the person or persons I am dealing with." She gave a little huff, "I can't really control their initial attraction of me, only what impression I make after that. So in a way like it or not, I am manipulating them without really doing anything."

  "I think," she added, "that your wealth acts somewhat the same to women with or without you doing anything to motivate it. I guess having an excess of something people desire will do that. Which is why my dear Mr. Grey," she said with a smile, "you need to make more of an effort to mingle at these functions where the women are less likely to be so manipulated by your wealth."

"Not so, my dear. Having an inherent advantage is not the same as manipulation, else I would say that every appetizing meal set before me manipulated me into eating. You possess something that a meal does not - intellect and a power of will. But if you recognize that a man, or a woman for that matter, is attracted to you then you might manipulate that situation for some gain. Negotiating a price. Extracting information. That is manipulation, not merely looking or being a certain way," he said to her first point.

"I suppose I should," he said as the song came to an end. "But for now, I have some other matters to attend to. Thank you for the dance, Miss Ashcroft. Perhaps we'll meet again tonight, or another time."

   As they stopped, Annabel curtseyed to Bradley. "Oh, of course Mr. Grey. I've probably taken up enough of your time, you're on duty after all." She gave him a warm smile which showed off her beautiful face quite well and squeezed his hand.  "Thank you for the dance and conversation, I most enjoyed it. We'll let you know when we are ready for Miss Carlyle."

  Watching him head off to his duties, Annabel looked around for the others to see what they were doing. She spotted Rosalie and Stanley on the dance floor and gave a satisfactory nod; good, he DID ask her to dance. It's good they got some enjoyment tonight. She looked around for Dr. Elias but did not see him from where she was. She figured he was probably mingling somewhere.

Feeling a bit thirsty and peckish, Annabel made her way over to the punch bowl. Taking a glass as well as a small plate of food, she quietly ate and watched the activity around her. Maybe when she was done she would find Dr. Elias and see if he was ready yet.

Stanley was glad for another dance. He knew that there was likely to be some dark days ahead and this was a happy moment. They had a good idea who was behind Jack's death, it was only a question of how they could resolve the matter. This all seemed a bit of a detour to Stanley, but he hoped that once Bo was mended the two of them would take a more direct approach.

Stanley was put a bit off by Rosalie's question and unsure how to answer. "Truth is some I learned some in dance halls, but mostly because Eleanor loved to dance. Haven't danced in a long time, didn't know I missed it till now."

This message was last edited by the player at 21:03, Mon 02 Mar 2015.

"Nor have I," she confessed.  "I have not had the chance or much reason to lately.  And likely will not have the chance for some time."  She skirted the issue of his dead wife, not wanting to dredge up any more painful memories of the past.  Leaning closer, she spoke quietly. "I hope you don't fault me for goading you into asking me.  I would prefer the company of friends right now than making idle chatter with the social elite."

Leo frowned and furrowed his brow at Taft's description of Huston's last days. "What was the last you had heard from him? Did he mention why he was included in the expedition? An archaeological expedition doesn't seem like something in his field of study."

"The last we spoke, before he began his preparations for the expedition, he did mention that he would be going abroad to treat a patient. I didn't think anything of it until he departed on the expedition. I can only speculate as to which of the expedition members he was treating, though I believe only either Roger Carlyle or Sir Aubrey Penhew would have had the financial resources to retain his services," he said.

"Huh." Leo considered that for a few moments. "I had heard the cost of his services was quite high. Substantially more than I charge, for a certainty. While Mister Carlyle and Sir Penhew are possibilities for the subject of his work, there remains the possibility that it truly was someone that they were meeting abroad. I don't suppose you know what happened to all of Doctor Huston's records?"

"I suppose that's true, that he could have sincerely been going to see some other patient abroad. As for his records, since he was declared dead, they would have gone into the custody of the Medical Affairs Board," he said.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:18, Fri 27 Feb 2015.

Leo nodded at the response from Taft. Leo's nephew was actually on that review board, so perhaps Leo could get his hands on some of those files. Or at least ask his nephew to provide some information. Under normal circumstances Leo would hesitate to use a family connection in that way, or any connection for that matter. But these were not ordinary circumstances.

"I suppose they should be - hopefully that's where they reside. Do you know if Doctor Huston was working on any books before he left?"
This message was last edited by the player at 21:35, Mon 02 Mar 2015.

"Well, no books, not that I'm aware," he said.

OOC:

Leo, give me a Psychology roll.

Bishop could smell Rosalie's hair when she leaned in to him. He could feel her breath. The big man felt a tingle in his chest almost an ache.

"My pleasure Rosalie."

Psych: 14 rolled vs. 78 ability

13:22, Today: Dr. Leonardo Elias rolled 14 using 1d100 with rolls of 14. Psych (78).

PM:

She smiled again, but said nothing further -- simply content to be in his company and eager to dance.  When the song came to an eventual close and partners on the dance floor began to separate and reconvene with others, she tilted her head toward the edge of the room.  "Perhaps some refreshment?  I need a little something to reduce the potency of those martinis.  We should also see if the others are occupied or ready to retire to the library."

Stanley nodded "I could use a drink."

"Yes we should get down to business. Hopefully the others are ready to speak with Miss Carlyle."