[MaC] At the party - Richard, Marty, Nicola, the Skeffington-Nottles

[Jonathan Katalenic]

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
... "

"Would you even believe that I found it just this
morning?" Nicola asked, pressing a hand to her
velvet-draped collarbone. "I was out and about and
just happened to duck into this little dressmaker's
shop and it was there- of course, as soon as I saw it,
I knew it was just perfect for the party. Can you even
imagine? Why, it's like it was meant to be!" 

She took a moment to appraise Lucinda and said, "But
darling, you look absolutely radiant this evening
and-" she stopped to stare at Lucinda's throat. "Oh,
my, I know diamonds and I know I've NEVER seen that on
you before! Good heavens, Lucinda, it's glorious!"

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

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Marty Fitzroy was hovering - a difficult thing for a
man of his bulk to manage successfully.  It was clear
that the focus of his attention was Miss Nicola
Douglas, who he was watching almost greedily. At
Richard's approach he nodded, as though distracted by
other things and then - as though struck by a
brilliant idea - he said, "Have you met Miss
Douglas yet?  Miss Nicola Douglas?  Would you like me
to introduce you?"
 
"Of course, of course..." He offered his hand, and a
slightly crooked smile to Miss Douglas. "Charmed,
really."

"Well, the pleasure is all =mine=, Lord Richard,"
Nicola said with a sultry smile. "Such a shame that we
haven't been properly introduced yet.

Richard continued, "But I'm afraid, old boy, your wine
steward is being tugged away for a moment. Something
about the elevator shaft, trapped guests, you know how
it is. Probably got shook in the last raid."

"Oh, no, the poor dears," Nicola said, putting on a
sympathetic face. "I do hope Hodges can work some
magic or else we may have to move the entire party
downstairs!"

A lady, Nicola had been told, never is the first to
rush to the scene of a fire. She therefore would have
to be satisfied with silently counting heads. Nobody
on the fifth floor would be in the lift, so that meant
the Beamans were out of harm's way. She had personally
seen Marjorie, Mr. Davis from the third floor,
Countess Arabella (which meant Lady Pamela was not in
the lift as those two were practically joined at the
hip), the Skeffington-Nottles, Officer Worthington
and-

Suddenly, realization hit. She had seen Mrs. Evans
leaving her flat just before she started tredging up
the stairs, but the older woman had still not arrived
at the party, when it had been at least twenty minutes
since Nicola had seen her.

It took a very quick and unladylike sip of gin to keep
her giant grin hidden from view.

<tag Marty, Lucinda, Richard or anybody else in the room>


		
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