The British are Coming

[livinginanhgwellsnovel]

Lady Grantham had taken her time sifting through the clothing to select her ensemble just so. More than once she wished for her ladies maid as she dressed behind a screen and coiffed her hair in a glass, discarding the awful station uniform for something a great deal more pretty and suitable to a woman of her age and station. She occasionally paused her efforts to give instruction to some of the other women, but universally shooed away the men who thought to ask for her advice. Her opinion she would give, but what made them think she had any idea how one was to get in and out of men's fashion was beyond her.

When she stepped out into the streets of Venice, Violet felt a sense of ease come over her. It was if she had been holding her breath since the moment she opened her eyes in that cell and was only now letting it go. This may not have been her time, that was clear, but she thought that she could manage to blend in for a little while at least. This place she understood. These people she understood. Her decision to beam down, as she had heard others calling it, had been impulsive, and she knew that if she ever wanted a chance to go home, she would only find it back on the station. For now though, she would stay in a place that would not slowly drive her mad as the station seemed to be doing.

For the first hour or two, Violet walked in the richer streets of Venice, watching, listening, and taking note of all of the social queues. Beggar children frequently clutched at her, but she ignored them. She had nothing to give and even if she had it would only have encouraged them to ask for more. Otherwise she was left relatively unmolested, an dowager walking the streets while the young men and women cavorted around her.

The entire city was in full celebration, and it did not take Violet long to discover that there was to be a grand fete that evening and that a small black and white invitation was all that one needed to gain entrance. But Violet was a foreign woman in a city full of foreigners. She would need to seek legitimacy if she wanted to claim her place in this new society and her quick mind knew of just the way.

Her quiet plotting was interrupted at the sudden appearance of Mycroft who though casual and unhurried as always, looked like a man with a mission.

Comments

[the_iceman]

Mycroft was a man with a mission, though it wouldn't occur to him to call it that.

His costume was of understated elegance, well, as much as a carnival costume could. It didn't have too many ornaments and not too much gold, but was by no means a simple cloth. Elegant, but forgettable. There was something formal about it too, though perhaps that was the way he carried it.

He too felt more at ease here, though perhaps that was due to the cane he had found. It wasn't his umbrella, but it would do for the time being.

He sauntered down the street and spotted Lady Grantham who, in costume, looked more strikingly like his mother than in the space ship's standard outfit.

"Lady Grantham," he greeted. "How well you blend into this chaotic city."

[livinginanhgwellsnovel]

"Nothing blends into this city," she corrected, "Which is precisely why no one stands out unless they are trying for particular extravagance." She was pleased, however. She already knew that she was more than passing in the city. The deference for her passage through the streets indicated that quite clearly. "You seem to have had no trouble," she allowed. Others, she could not say the same of. A few of the young ladies were likely to be seen as trollops, but they would find that out soon enough on their own.

[the_iceman]

She was right of course, nothing blended therefore nothing stood out, and Mycroft offered a nod in agreement.

"I have no high demands," he replied, pleasantly enough. "It's a costume, after all, not a suit."

[livinginanhgwellsnovel]

"Indeed. You must drive your valet to wits end," she commented shrewdly. His costume was nothing short of perfection, considering the circumstances, and they both knew it.

"Costume, you may call it, but it suits you a good deal more than the alternative." In fact, while she had always approved of the man's posture and gait, he seemed to stand taller and more at home in these clothes than the sorry excuses for clothing they had previously.

"Enough of this. It is enough to say that we are no longer wretched and move onto things that are more diverting."

[the_iceman]

Mycroft smiled to that. "You're very kind," he assured the woman.

"Agreed. I couldn't help but overhearing a conversation between two Venitians." Couldn't help it, because he had been listening very intently. The Italian language - like any other - had undergone quite a few changes throughout the centuries. His knowledge of Italian was quite good, but he was only familiar with the modern variant.

"They mentioned a party. The place to be, apparently. By the Piazza San Marco."

[livinginanhgwellsnovel]

"That news is all over the city and has been for weeks I suppose," she then turned her gaze to scrutinize him, puzzling whether he would assist her plan or whether he was simply detaining her.

"I am of the mind to be at that party, as I suspect do you," she said. "But we would need one of those invitations fluttering about or the company of someone who does." It was an old game she had not had to play since her marriage and she wondered if she he knew it.

[the_iceman]

It was the place to be, therefore it was the place where he would find out the most and where he would be able to know the most. That, to Mycroft, made it a very desirable place to be.

"We heard the name Mancini mentioned. If I'm not mistaken, they've always been an influential family in politics. We could go there and introduce ourselves as new arrivals from England. With a little luck we will not have to invent the reason for our presence. We can let speculation decide who we are." The most believable lies were the ones that others invent for one.

[livinginanhgwellsnovel]

"I believe that we can assist each other in this, Mr. Holmes. But you must have another name if they inquire. Holmes will not do." she added. Lady Grantham wished she had a copy of the peerage in her possession, but without it she had to search her memory for a suitable name that while prominent, would not raise much suspicion should they come across another of that name. "Hastings," she decided. An honorable family, but one which she knew no connection to outside of England. "And as much as it pains me to admit Mr. Holmes, if we are to be part of the same party, that would place me a member of your family."

[the_iceman]

Mycroft agreed with a silent nod. Holmes, very likely, meant nothing in this world. Hastings was a name better known, and therefore likely better respected.

She was also right that it would be highly unlikely that anyone would believe them anything else but son and mother or aunt. Wife, friend, business associate didn't apply for different reasons.

He had the courtesy not to mention it quite that way. "That would be the most believalbe reason for our journey together."

He pointed his cane into the direction they should be heading and started making his way.

[livinginanhgwellsnovel]

"Practically speaking it would be the only reason for our traveling together," she corrected. "Unless I was your patron," she amended as they began to walk, 'but you have so far not struck me as the artistic type." She tittered and ambled along beside him, leaning on a newly found and much more suitable cane with a steel tip and comfortable handle. She suspected it had been made for a man, but it was elegant and she had no fear of this one giving out beneath her weight.

"It would be customary for you to speak first and give introductions," she reminded him. It was not that she doubted men from whenever he was from to know proper etiquette, it was that she expected people of any newer generation to conveniently forget the old customs and why they were done.

[the_iceman]

Not finding it nessecary to correct her assumption, Mycroft simply nodded.

Despite their lack of haste and the increase in bustle as they neared the aformentioned Piaza, the cained pair arrived at the tall mansion soon enough. Mycroft examined the door first, rather than knocking on it immediately. Without appearing to do so, he was waiting for a horse carriage. They had come walking, but to be believed, they would need to appear to have come with a more appropriate mode of transport.

A carriage approached soon enough and Mycroft halted it, though making it seem it had been a purely accidental and coincidental nudge of his cane.

He apologised to the driver and knocked on the door.

[livinginanhgwellsnovel]

Violet was impatient, but did not show it. She'd given him the lead and no meddling on her part would make that work more smoothly. It was on the tip of her tongue to ask him exactly what he was waiting for, the fact that he had a purpose was obvious, when it struck her what it was. Her esteem of him rose a notch. That was very well thought out indeed at least as so long as no one had been peering out the window.

When Mycroft knocked on the door it was shortly answered by a man in livery.

"Good day," he greeted in Italian. "May I have your name and your business in the house?"

[the_iceman]

One doesn't make it very far in European politics without basic knowledge of French, Italian and German and so Mycroft was perfectly able to speak all three. It's the sort of thing that endears politicians to one, even when the contents of what is said are, at heart, disadvantageous for the country in question.

"Mycroft Hastings," Mycroft replied in Italian, with a curt nod. "We've just arrived from London. I'm afraid we're a day early, but we heard that Carnival makes the city impossible for travel, and well..." A side-way glance to Lady Grantham. "We wished to avoid the worst of it."

[livinginanhgwellsnovel]

"Signore and Signora Hastings," said with a slight raise of the eyebrow to which she nodded, "please excuse me," said the man, and gently after listening to Mycroft's brief explanation. He bowed slightly to them and softly shut the door returning a short while later to show them to an elegant sitting room where they were meant to wait to be received, presumably by the master of the house.

Violet had followed the conversation quite well, and although her own Italian was ill used, it was serviceable enough for the circumstances. She spent some time by alternately admiring the room and studying her companion while they waited. She was tempted to ask him how much time he had spend in this country, but should someone be listening it would have given the game away.

The servant reappeared in the door way and announced, in English this time, "Lord Mancini." The man bowed and stepped to the side.

[the_iceman]

Mycroft bowed respectfully as the Lord entered the room. With an apologetic smile he explained that they were early and had not meant to be. In a few short but elegant phrases, he expressed his gratitude that the Lord was able to receive them on such a short notice, lauded his latest victory in Venetian politics (leaving out the specifics of what exactly that would be), and gave him the Minister's best regards, adding that he should very much like to meet with the Lord again.

Part of it was deduction, part of it was expert lying. The line was fine.

"And may I introduce to you Lady Hastings," he said, opening his hand to Lady Grantham.

[livinginanhgwellsnovel]

Violet made her manners, "My Lord Mancini, a pleasure," she said with a rare smile. "Thank you for welcoming us. Indeed, we are quite in your debt," she continued.

The lord asked after their travels, hoping that they had not been very tiresome, and she inquired after the health of his family. Small talk bored her, but she knew well of its use.

"And I suppose you are all attending tonight's gala?" she inquired. "It is all there was any talk of when we entered the city."

"Of course, Lady Hastings," he assured her. "As you say, there has been talk of nothing else in this house. My daughters," he explained.

"Naturally," she agreed and glanced at Mycroft. Although their primary objective was the current topic, it would not do to be over eager on the subject and there were other concerns to attend to.

"My lord, I do not mean to impose, but my son and I," she said, managing to suppress any internal reaction she may have had on that score, "having come to the city earlier than we originally intended, have not yet engaged in lodgings and inquiry has proved impossible. Would you know of an establishment that might make an exception for us on such a busy occasion?" she asked, knowing full well what a man in his position would be forced to do and gauging that his disposition would have prompted him to make the offer in any case.

[the_iceman]

"No, no," the man insisted. "You will stay here, naturally. I have to admit, I did not expect you here, but with these festivities, messenges and messengers alike are often misplaced," the man said, with smile.

"But you are here for culture, are you not?" He said, in simple Italian, so the foreigners would understand. "Well, culture you shall have!"

[livinginanhgwellsnovel]

The man was easier than many to convince, Violet observed. She wondered who it was that he thought Mycroft might be, or more importantly, who he thought Mycroft's friends might be.

"Are you certain? That is quite generous of you," she said and turned a smile to Mycroft as if she were genuinely surprised by this kindness. "But your household must be far to busy to attend as when you are all attending the fete," she protested.

[the_iceman]

"Will you both do me the honour of joining us to the feast? You will be able to sample Venetian culture first hand," he said, assured that this was what they had come here for. It was silly, of course, that he had had no idea the two would come, but not unsurprising, considering the chaos in the city. Either way, he wouldn't admit that it had slipped his attention.

Mycroft didn't smile, but was amused inwardly, and likened the situation to the tale of the Emperor's New Clothes.

"Will you be able, mother?" he asked, in the manner Italian's expected the English to treat their mother. "It was a rather long journey."

[livinginanhgwellsnovel]

Again her composure at that was perfect and she replied. "It would be a shame to miss. No, I think once I have freshened up a bit, I will be quite fit to attend. Truly, this is quite gracious of you," Lady Grantham said, turning to the lord with a grateful expression. "We are quite in your debt." It was a favor the man would relish, but never be able to call in.

[the_iceman]

"My servant will show you to your rooms," the Lord said, and ordered the servant to them to place them comfortably certain rooms. "There are some matters I need to attend to, but I will be with you later this afternoon."

If Mycroft felt victorious, nothing in his demeanour showed that he was, as he followed the servant to their appointed rooms.

[livinginanhgwellsnovel]

Lady Grantham dropped a curtsey, "We look forward to it," she said, smiling as the Lord nodded his head and swept from the room. Like Mycroft her composure was perfect. Even if the whole thing was a sham, she felt that things were finally right and that her place in this world for the moment was quite secure. All was as it should be.