The Surrounding Darkness
Perkins Manor
Lounge
12.55pm
It was the next day and the weather had not improved. The sun was hardly rearing his gorgeous face as the pendulous clouds blocked his warm gaze. They seemed to grow closer, become more frequent and expand amongst themselves in the lowered sky. Penelope Perkins was on the phone, she twisted the cord in her unscathed fingers. "Look," she scolded, "I'm not interested. Please, just leave me alone!" She slammed the phone down as a tear rolled down her cheek.
Lounge
12.55pm
It was the next day and the weather had not improved. The sun was hardly rearing his gorgeous face as the pendulous clouds blocked his warm gaze. They seemed to grow closer, become more frequent and expand amongst themselves in the lowered sky. Penelope Perkins was on the phone, she twisted the cord in her unscathed fingers. "Look," she scolded, "I'm not interested. Please, just leave me alone!" She slammed the phone down as a tear rolled down her cheek.
The doorbell rang and she went into the hall to answer it.
Hall/Courtyard
She undid the bolt with some care and pulled it back. "Professor?" she asked, staring at the suave man in front of her. "Professor Plum, it really is you. Do you want to see father?"
"Please." He had an easy-going, persuasive voice that gave Penelope a comfort.
"Daddy!" she called. "Professor Plum's here!"
"Coming," he retorted down the hall.
"I heard you were back but I didn't believe it."
The Professor walked into the hall and closed the door himself. "Yes, it's true."
"How was America? Was it good to be back there?"
"Not really. How are you supposed to lecture english to kids who don't even want to listen?"
She undid the bolt with some care and pulled it back. "Professor?" she asked, staring at the suave man in front of her. "Professor Plum, it really is you. Do you want to see father?"
"Please." He had an easy-going, persuasive voice that gave Penelope a comfort.
"Daddy!" she called. "Professor Plum's here!"
"Coming," he retorted down the hall.
"I heard you were back but I didn't believe it."
The Professor walked into the hall and closed the door himself. "Yes, it's true."
"How was America? Was it good to be back there?"
"Not really. How are you supposed to lecture english to kids who don't even want to listen?"
Miss Perkins giggled at this. Mr. Perkins came to at this point. "Good to see you again, Julian." They shook hands; a tough, firm handshake.
"Good to see you to, Perk. How's the old publishing business going for you?"
"Very well. Anyhow, what can I do for you?"
"I've written a book, Perk."
"Really?"
"Yeah. It's about a struggling artist who falls in love with a questionable character."
"How interesting."
"Yeah. I want you to take a look at it. I was hoping you'd publish it for me. That is, if it's good enough. I expect it will be," he said with vain.
"Come to the study, we can discuss it."
"Excellent. I've got the manuscript here with me," he motioned to the case he was carrying.
"Good to see you to, Perk. How's the old publishing business going for you?"
"Very well. Anyhow, what can I do for you?"
"I've written a book, Perk."
"Really?"
"Yeah. It's about a struggling artist who falls in love with a questionable character."
"How interesting."
"Yeah. I want you to take a look at it. I was hoping you'd publish it for me. That is, if it's good enough. I expect it will be," he said with vain.
"Come to the study, we can discuss it."
"Excellent. I've got the manuscript here with me," he motioned to the case he was carrying.
Chessington Close
Greenhouse
1:20pm
Monsieur Brunette put down the silver watering can he had just used to water the perimetre of graden plants, and slid into the greenhouse in order to take a few more seedlings to plant. He was surprised, however, to find Madame Rose inside. "Oh! Monsieur!" she cried.
"Afternoon, Madame Rose. What is it you are doing in here?"
"I came in for the warmth to be perfectly honest," she said, thickly. "It's so morbidly depressing outside. Plus I do love to be surrounded by such gracious plants. Gives one the reiteration that nature can be very beautiful."
Greenhouse
1:20pm
Monsieur Brunette put down the silver watering can he had just used to water the perimetre of graden plants, and slid into the greenhouse in order to take a few more seedlings to plant. He was surprised, however, to find Madame Rose inside. "Oh! Monsieur!" she cried.
"Afternoon, Madame Rose. What is it you are doing in here?"
"I came in for the warmth to be perfectly honest," she said, thickly. "It's so morbidly depressing outside. Plus I do love to be surrounded by such gracious plants. Gives one the reiteration that nature can be very beautiful."
In all honesty, Monsieur Brunette couldn't give two pennies as to what Madame Rose thought of the plants. He just wanted her out. "Look, Madame Rose, please go. You are disturbing me. And running me behind schedule," he lectured.
"Fine." She got up and left with a perfectly dramatic exit. Brunette rolled his glittery eyes and went back to work.
"Fine." She got up and left with a perfectly dramatic exit. Brunette rolled his glittery eyes and went back to work.
Town Centre
The Horseshoe Public House
1:30pm
Mr. Preston Green was enjoying a refreshing pint of ale whilst eyeing up the well-endowed barmaid. He played idly with the beermat, swirling it around on the wooden table. A familiar voice suddenly caused to him spin round. "Green!" It was Mr. Boddy, with Miss Scarlet on his arm. "How are you, man? I haven't seen you in a while."
"Pretty good, thanks for asking. I've been busy with work and such. Car trading's a very time-consuming business, you know."
"I can imagine."
Mr. Green's envious eyes landed upon Miss Scarlet, or moreover, her lusciously shaped body. "And you're still with the lovely Jacqueline, I see?"
"Oh, yes. She's wonderful." The lady in question chuckled at this through her rouge glossed lips. "Mind if we join you? We'd just come in for a quick drink," said Mr. Boddy with a smile.
"Sorry, Joe. I've just finished. I was just getting ready to go back to the store. Maybe some other time, though, eh?" Green got up threw back on his green blazer. "It was nice seeing you, though. Bye." He departed.
The Horseshoe Public House
1:30pm
Mr. Preston Green was enjoying a refreshing pint of ale whilst eyeing up the well-endowed barmaid. He played idly with the beermat, swirling it around on the wooden table. A familiar voice suddenly caused to him spin round. "Green!" It was Mr. Boddy, with Miss Scarlet on his arm. "How are you, man? I haven't seen you in a while."
"Pretty good, thanks for asking. I've been busy with work and such. Car trading's a very time-consuming business, you know."
"I can imagine."
Mr. Green's envious eyes landed upon Miss Scarlet, or moreover, her lusciously shaped body. "And you're still with the lovely Jacqueline, I see?"
"Oh, yes. She's wonderful." The lady in question chuckled at this through her rouge glossed lips. "Mind if we join you? We'd just come in for a quick drink," said Mr. Boddy with a smile.
"Sorry, Joe. I've just finished. I was just getting ready to go back to the store. Maybe some other time, though, eh?" Green got up threw back on his green blazer. "It was nice seeing you, though. Bye." He departed.
The pair sat down at his table. Boddy couldn't help noticing Green's only half-dranken drink.
Acorn Lodge
Drawing Room
1:45pm
Miss Peach curiously peered through the thin window curtains. Oh no, he was here! She quickly threw them back and launched herself on the couch. Clifford had left her alone again. Golfing today. There was a knock on the front door and Maybelle Peach let out a big gasp. She got to her feet and cautiously went to the door. She opened it to find Monsieur Brunette.
Drawing Room
1:45pm
Miss Peach curiously peered through the thin window curtains. Oh no, he was here! She quickly threw them back and launched herself on the couch. Clifford had left her alone again. Golfing today. There was a knock on the front door and Maybelle Peach let out a big gasp. She got to her feet and cautiously went to the door. She opened it to find Monsieur Brunette.
"Oh, it's you," she said awkwardly. "What can I do for you?"
"I was just on my way to Perkins Manor and I thought I should stop by to see you."
"Why?"
"I wanted to apologise for my very harsh behaviour yesterday. Hopefully you can understand why I was a little wary of you."
"Oh, I suppose. Anyway, apology accepted. I apologise too. I shouldn't have come to see you. It must have been very uncomfortable for you. I know it was for me," she said, ending in a small laugh.
"Bien. Au revoir then, mademoiselle."
"Au revoir," she imitated the best she could, with a childish smile.
He went and she closed the door. She felt a lot better all of a sudden.
"I was just on my way to Perkins Manor and I thought I should stop by to see you."
"Why?"
"I wanted to apologise for my very harsh behaviour yesterday. Hopefully you can understand why I was a little wary of you."
"Oh, I suppose. Anyway, apology accepted. I apologise too. I shouldn't have come to see you. It must have been very uncomfortable for you. I know it was for me," she said, ending in a small laugh.
"Bien. Au revoir then, mademoiselle."
"Au revoir," she imitated the best she could, with a childish smile.
He went and she closed the door. She felt a lot better all of a sudden.
Town Centre
The Horseshoe Public House
1:50pm
Miss Scarlet was enjoying her glass of gin and tonic. Mr. Boddy was enjoying his glass of whisky. They had made great conversation about the painting they were making as well as mocking the rather drab Mr. Green. Their pleasurable time was halted mercilessly by the arrival of Professor Plum, who sauntered into the bar with such a narccisstic sway, they both felt sick.
The Horseshoe Public House
1:50pm
Miss Scarlet was enjoying her glass of gin and tonic. Mr. Boddy was enjoying his glass of whisky. They had made great conversation about the painting they were making as well as mocking the rather drab Mr. Green. Their pleasurable time was halted mercilessly by the arrival of Professor Plum, who sauntered into the bar with such a narccisstic sway, they both felt sick.
"Oh God! What is he doing here?" Boddy breathed, his face going red.
"I don't know."
"He better not come over or --"
"I had no idea he'd be here today. I'm sorry, Joe. Let's just try and ignore him, okay?"
"I don't know."
"He better not come over or --"
"I had no idea he'd be here today. I'm sorry, Joe. Let's just try and ignore him, okay?"
Plum stared at the two with surprised eyes, smirked slightly and left the pub.
"Thank goodness for that, he's gone," Joseph Boddy said with a sigh.
"He must have saw us and went. He can be quite honourable when he wants to be, you know."
She smirked at him with those ruby red lips of her's.
"He must have saw us and went. He can be quite honourable when he wants to be, you know."
She smirked at him with those ruby red lips of her's.
Chessington Close
Courtyard/Library
4:10pm
It was late afternoon now and Doctor Black and Colonel Mustard has just come back from golfing, their clubs in their hands and still dressed in the appropriate outfits. All the while, Madame Rose watched, her ringed hands pressed longingly against the window. Mrs. White snuck up behind her, her arms behind her arm. "You're not going to get him, you know, if that's what you're after," she said bitterly.
"What?" Rose turned around and stared at the housekeeper who looked suddenly a lot more threatening. "I do not know what you're talking about."
Courtyard/Library
4:10pm
It was late afternoon now and Doctor Black and Colonel Mustard has just come back from golfing, their clubs in their hands and still dressed in the appropriate outfits. All the while, Madame Rose watched, her ringed hands pressed longingly against the window. Mrs. White snuck up behind her, her arms behind her arm. "You're not going to get him, you know, if that's what you're after," she said bitterly.
"What?" Rose turned around and stared at the housekeeper who looked suddenly a lot more threatening. "I do not know what you're talking about."
"Oh, come off it, Mrs. Rose, it's obvious. You're madly in love with the master, you always have been. And ever since Mrs. Black died you've been trying to your claws into him. Well, let me tell you something, ma'm. It's not going to happen. The Doctor has absolutely no interest in you whatsoever. So, stop wollowing in your own silly little sorrows, stop drinking yourself to death because of it and get a grip! Find a real man, Mrs. Rose. One you know you can actually have."
"I-- I don't know what you're talking about, Mrs. White."
"You were obviously just lusting after him through the window now! You can't help yourself, can you?"
"Perhaps," said Madame Rose, "you need to reconsider who you are saying these things to. Because I believe you say them not to me but to yourself." She strode off, her bangles jangling anticlimatically.
"You were obviously just lusting after him through the window now! You can't help yourself, can you?"
"Perhaps," said Madame Rose, "you need to reconsider who you are saying these things to. Because I believe you say them not to me but to yourself." She strode off, her bangles jangling anticlimatically.
Bell House
Study
5:30pm
Mrs. Peacock was on the phone, the reciever pressed against her bird-like face. "But you can't do this to me! Don't I get a explanation? What? No! You can't do this to me, though!" She slammed the phone down so hard the entire desk shook. Her dove-like eyes immediately become much more eagle-like.
Study
5:30pm
Mrs. Peacock was on the phone, the reciever pressed against her bird-like face. "But you can't do this to me! Don't I get a explanation? What? No! You can't do this to me, though!" She slammed the phone down so hard the entire desk shook. Her dove-like eyes immediately become much more eagle-like.
To be continued...
