Meetings (Part 1)

JP with Redsword, Omni, mdmam and Cindy

Elizabeth was busy responding to more party invitations than she could possibly ever actually attend. The Parisiens apparently did not have the same etiquette about holding parties too close together as the British. The absolute surprise to Elizabeth when reading two invitations on the same night. Looking at the invitations once more, the two families did not get along. The parties were quite simply a means of seeing who sided where. Elizabeth checked the not attending box on both. Problem solved. She was about to open another invite when a knock came on the office door. "Come in," Elizabeth called out, so the person on the other side could here.

The door opened and it was Clement. A boy about 12, human and French who ran errands for the household. Elizabeth knew the boy's family had fallen on hard times recently. His father had died suddenly in an construction accident. His mother had been sick for a long time. Clement being the oldest had to work to take care of his two younger siblings.

Elizabeth was always finding excuses to give the boy some extra money in his pay. Recently, she had promoted him to head errand boy. It was not an actual position but Elizabeth made it one so she could pay the brown curly haired child more money and have it not seem so much like charity.

"Yes, Clement?" Elizabeth said, before seeing the look in his eyes. It wasn't fear but surprise.

"Miss Elizabeth... Mademoiselle..... I passed their coach on my way back from my errands. Mr. Sung and that man... " Clement seemed to be unable to remember the name.

"Mr. Dumont? Yes, and..." The Eldren was not understanding what was so exciting about the two men returning.

"They have....umm....an...."

Now, Elizabeth did not know if the boy did not know the word in English or there was something else getting his tongue. "A... in French is fine."

"An Orc...they have brought with them an Orc." The boy sputtered out.

Out in the cul-de-sac…

Gemma was opening the doors of the coach and she saw how cramped they all were, especially the orc.

“Oh my! Sorry, boys!” Gemma laughed. “Pardon… haha! I don’t mean ta be rude but… yer all so tucked in there like a right tin of Nantes sardines.”

Dumont grimaced and made his way clumsily out of the steam coach.

Cronk hopped out of the coach, stretching every aching muscle, nearly punching Dumont in the face. As he got out, the suspension of the coach was considerably relieved as it lifted half a foot. Now all he needed was a few bottles of Bushmills to fully relax. It had been a while since he had some whiskey.

The orc looked around at his surroundings. It was huge. He had never been in a place like this. The places he and Quinn had often visited were more dives than anything. Cronk thought he had died in the caves and gone to orc heaven.

Sung smiled at Elizabeth. "Lady Elizabeth, I brought ah..." Sung turned to Cronk "Bow to the Lady he is a noblewoman like royalty" he said softly to Cronk. "Lady Elizabeth, this is Mr. Cronk who is a witness to the evil Doctor's works." Explained Sung bowing slightly as well.

Cronk looked at Sung, then at Elizabeth. “Uh…sorry,” he apologized.

Cronk watched as Sung gave the example. Crossing one arm in front before him, and the other behind him, Cronk bent forward at the waist. It was as graceful as an elephant attempting not to crack an egg in a room full of eggs.

The bow forced air from Cronk’s digestive track and he could not prevent it from escaping his backside. He found he needed to apologize again.

“Oops-a-daisy!” Cronk quickly exclaimed. Indeed! It did not smell like a daisy. “Cronk sorry!” What followed was a nervous laugh.

Before rising back up, Cronk acknowledged Elizabeth’s presence with, “Madame!” It was the only title Cronk knew when he had met a lady in charge of something.

Elizabeth gave a quick greeting to Gemma before responding to the men.

"Greetings Cronk, it seems as if you have had quite the ordeal." Elizabeth could certainly smell the pungent odor emanating from Cronk but did not even hint at it. "Please come inside. "

She led the three to one of the closer waiting rooms and told Clement, Harvey and two of the adult male servants to come with them.

The adult servants were not overly surprised by an Orc, probably more so there was an Orc in the Ellington home. Clement however was standing there with his mouth agape at the size of Cronk.

"This is Mr. Cronk, he will be staying with us." Elizabeth wrote something down on piece of paper. She glanced at Cronk and wrote something else. "I believe those measurements should work for the moment. They might be a little off, but I am certain we can get a tailor for you here tomorrow, Mr. Cronk." Elizabeth paused. "Clement, take this to - what is the name of that store?"

Clement stopped being fixated on the Orc and turned his attention to Lady Elizabeth. "The one at the corner of La Salle and Champs Blvd?"

"Oui, yes that is the one. And take this." It was a letter of credit, she handed him next. "Tell them I will be in tomorrow to finalize the credit."

"Yes, Lady Ellington." Clement left the room but not before looking back at Cronk a few times.

Then she spoke to the two adult male servants. "Mr. Cronk will occupy the sitting room on the end of the hall, the one with the private bath. Get one or two of the maids to make that room as comfortable as possible for the moment." The two servants went off to their task.

"Harvey, can you please let Greta know about our extra guest and that we'll need some more food for tea. Also, have her change tea time to 4:30 and send someone to let Lorem know of the time change." Elizabeth thought for a moment. "Mr. Cronk will need a bed. Maybe, that Mr. Bonneville?"

"Yes, Lady Ellington. I will make sure everything is seen to." With that Harvey left.

"Mr. Cronk I am afraid I do not have a bed for you, at the moment but in the next few days we should be able to aquire one. When Clement comes back with some fresh clothes for you, you will be able to freshen up. Until then, can you tell me about your run in with Dr. Lemaire - the evil doctor?"

Cronk watched all that happened about him. He was certain that Madame Elizabeth was the one in charge. She gave orders and they were promptly followed. Madame Elizabeth was a female Quinn.

Cronk didn’t need to think long upon her question. It was still fresh in his mind. “Evil Doctor kill Boss!” He left out an involuntary growl. “Cronk work for you?”