The young woman who spoke with Willie leads you into the drawing room, and the doors are closed behind the two of you.

https://ic.pics.livejournal.co...6426/431/431_640.jpg

Already inside, sitting on a couch, by the fireplace, warming by the fire, is a silver-haired old woman. Her health does not seem terribly good, but her eyes are sharp and speak of an inner strength.

"So. Harry MacLeod."

You move slightly closer. The young woman moves to the old woman's side. "This young woman is Hestia Ross. More about her in a moment. Tell me, Ms. MacLeod... do you believe in the supernatural?"

Harry crosses to the armchair and, uninvited, sits down. "Ever meet a sailor who didn't?" She leans forward and spits into the fire, making it pop loudly. "Assuming you ever met a sailor, course."

In reply to Harriet MacLeod (aka 'Harry') (msg # 2):

"Well, suffice it to say, I believe in certain things. A number of things, in fact. This young woman at my side is Hestia Ross. She is a gifted sensitive when it comes to the world of the supernatural. She was found for me by a friend of the family, T. Eliot Stokes. He's currently in Madrid, investigating something... something that interests only himself, that has nothing to do with my current concerns. My current concerns involve a seance. I have one planned for this evening. This brings us to why you are here. You will have heard of the rumors of how we Collins historically got our money: A pirate was in love with a great-aunt, Abigail, and he brought her treasure, especially in the form of jewels. Well, those rumors are true. However, he was also lost at sea, in a storm, not far from here... right when he was about to bring more pirate treasure and jewels. The Collins family, Ms. MacLeod, it may amuse you to know, is nearly out of money. If nothing changes, our money will last for another 2 years, perhaps a little more. Therefore, it is time to gamble. I have called you here to enact a salvage mission... recovering the treasure on the pirate's sunken ship."

Harry blinks once, twice. "Huh." She rubs her jaw in silence for a few minutes, thinking. "Years since I done a deep dive. Have to clear my apparatus," she eventually says. "Rated to about 600 feet, any deeper'll take a hard suit." She spits again into the fire. "Need a dive crew, too. Two or three, maybe a second suit. Expensive."

---

~ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_diving_dress

In reply to Harriet MacLeod (aka 'Harry') (msg # 4):

"I still have enough money to pay all expenses needed. I also have some hope that we will not need to go deeper than 600 feet, but that is what the seance is for. Absolutely no historical records name the spot where the ship went down. I hope that Abigail herself can reveal where we should look-- I found a hint that the ship crashed against rocks-- so it should not be very deep..."

Harry snorts in amusement. "'Crashed against rocks', you say. Crashed against rocks," she chuckles. "There's rocks everywhere from Ogunquit to Passamaquoddy."

In reply to Harriet MacLeod (aka 'Harry') (msg # 6):

"Exactly. Therefore it is not the depth that worries, but the exact location. If the seance can reveal the correct location, we will all be wealthy-- some of us again, you for the first time. If it reveals no location, you will be paid well for wasting your time, and I will grow poor. If it reveals the wrong location, the same... it will merely take longer. So, are you willing to wait around and gamble your time, given that the terms of the game seem to bear such little risk for you?"
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:28, Tue 26 Dec 2017.

The prospect of money overcomes Harry's  deep-seated prejudice against the Collins family. "Can afford that wager. I'm in."

In reply to Harriet MacLeod (aka 'Harry') (msg # 8):

"Good. Between now and the seance tonight, you may rest in the drawing room, or wander around the estate, or perhaps volunteer to look for my granddaughter-- I was told you had some ideas about where to look...?"

Harry shrugs and spits into the fire. "Grew up hereabouts. More than some can say. Will look for the girl."

In reply to Harriet MacLeod (aka 'Harry') (msg # 10):

"Thank you. Where will you look first?"

"Graveyard if she favors her ma," Harry replies uncharitably. "Woods if she takes more after her pa."

In reply to Harriet MacLeod (aka 'Harry') (msg # 12):

"Mm. We have checked the Eagle Hill Cemetery already, but then again we've checked everywhere already, so it's quite possible she's doubled back, and may be there now. You have my permission to check there, if you like. Or the woods, if you prefer."

"If you find her, please encourage her-- gently-- to come back to the main house." Mrs. Collins gives you a look which suggests she is concerned about whether you know the meaning of the word gently. "If you don't find her, please come back here yourself before sunset."