Isabella meets Brian

Dr Jekyll had received a letter from a
gentleman of small fortune in Lancashire, which he had been trying not to think
about for some days. 
The writer was an enthusiast in science and
began with great compliments about the Society, saying he believed firmly in
the potential science had to do good in the world and greatly admired what Dr
Jekyll was trying to do. So far, so good.
He had a daughter living in London who he
said took "a great interest in new scientific developments", and
proposed that she should come to study with them, and that he would contribute
£100 towards the Society's funds to help them continue their valuable work.
Dr Jekyll had written a polite response
amounting to Yes to the money and No to the daughter, pleading lack of space.
But this, it appeared, would not do; his correspondent insisted on both or
neither. He added that the young lady would be lodging elsewhere, and not
sleeping in the house. Dr Jekyll paused at this. It was undeniable that not
having to find a room for another person would make a
difference, given the number of people staying at the moment - the extra room
could be kept free for the next emergency who might turn up. More importantly,
he thought, in that case she needn't see anything that needed to be kept
private.**
Might be too
much for her delicate nerves, said a small, sarcastic voice at the
back of his mind. 
Be quiet,
you. Anyway, it's an opportunity to spread scientific awareness - that's what
the Society was started for.
She probably
knows nothing about it at all. Just wants to be in the fashion. You've been
giggled at by enough of those now to know what you're in for. Admit it, it's
got nothing to do with scientific awareness and everything to do with a hundred
pounds.
After a brief and curiously vicious
argument with himself, Dr Jekyll wrote to agree to the girl coming, and spent
the next day trying to forget about it. 
* * * 
One week later, Miss Isabella Walker was
standing looking up at the gorgeous Palladian porch of the Society for Arcane
Sciences. 
"Fine place, eh, Bell?" her
father said at her elbow. 
She nodded. 
"Are you going to let that put you
off?"
"No." Miss Walker tried to put
her hat on straighter. 
"Good girl." He knocked at the
door and waited.
triman95: Carrying down a strange device from one of the
research labs, Brian would groan with each step on the stairs. Making a misstep
at the bottom of the stairs and having the device fall on him where a great
amount of filth landing on him, the darn thing needed to be cleaned anyway.
Swearing angrily for a moment and stopping as he barely hears a knock at the
door. Limping for a second as he goes to enter the door. "Hello, can I
help you?" he asks as he answers the door, cover in filth and in his old
clothes.
Wizardblizzard:  "I'm
Isabella Walker and this is my father Andrew. I've been invited to come and
study here, we're expected. If this is a bad time..."
triman95:  Brian
takes a look back at the stairs where he left the strange machine at, along
with the filth there as well, before looking back at Isabella and Andrew.
"No, no. Everything is alright. This kind of stuff is common for me,"
he says as he opens the door more to let them in and step off to the side,
"If anything you are more than welcome." The arrival of these two did
explain a couple of things to him somewhat. At least he now knew why he was
tasked with moving some things around and cleaning them out the last couple of
days.
Wizardblizzard:  she
smiles, "We hope so. Thank you". They enter the hall and she looks
round in obvious delight. "You certainly have an impressive display. Is
that a Tesla coil?..." *Mr Walker clears his throat, seeing that she looks
all set to remain there peeping into the glass cases indefinitely. She looks up
guiltily and carries on.*
triman95:  Brain
grins and shakes his head. "None of it is mine," he says as he
watches Isabella, "I am just the helping staff here, but I will make sure
that the real scientists know." Standing next to Mr. Walker and watches
Isabella look at the displays. He knows that he will have to clean the outside
of the cases, but he just let her enjoy herself for the time being.
== Obtained From ==
Introduction, Miss Isabella Walker
Category:Side Story
Category:Introduction Stories
Category:New and Old Faces