The Mauretania reached Southampton sometime before dawn. Lya returned to the cabin she had been sharing with Nell in 2nd class, along with Alisa, Rupert, and Quentin. The group met in the 2nd class lounge and discusssed what to do after debarking. Alisa suggested they all meet at the train station before proceeding to London, but Lya wanted to remain in Southampton and investigate the death of Professor Patterson. They finally decided that Rupert, Fairwether, Quentin, and Alisa would take the first train to London and secure the hotel rooms. Lya, Nell, Niles, and Dan'l would talk with the Cunard Line representatives in Southampton about the death of Prof. Patterson and take a later train to London. Alisa gave Lya the name and address of the hotel (Brown's).
After breakfast, Nell, Lya, and Quentin exchanged dollars for pounds sterling at the Travel Office.
The 1st class passengers were the first group to debark from the ship. Alisa, Quentin, Rupert, and Fairwether cleared Customs without incident, although Quentin had to pay duty on their supply of cigars (no one questioned Alisa). Outside, two reporters from The Daily Mail were interviewing passengers. While Alisa, Rupert, and Fairwether refused to say anything, Quentin eagerly answered all the reporter's questions about the seance and the assassination attempt on Count Kurasov, as a photographer snapped shots.
After arriving at the Southampton railway station, Rupert consulted the schedule and found that they had plenty of time to catch the 12:05 train. While waiting for its departure, Quentin purchased a copy of the Times of London and the The Daily Mail. Rupert purchased a copy of several other metropolitan newspapers, as well as a copy of The Scoop. Alisa purchased a copy of The Economist .
The group boarded the 12:05 London & South Western train to London and arrived at Waterloo Station at 2:35. While wating for a taxi, Fairwether told Alisa that he had decided not to stay at Brown's Hotel with the rest of the party, since Lya and Rupert seemed to always be getting into trouble. He had already booked a room at the Russell Hotel , and urged Alisa to contact him if anything important happened. Quentin also gave Alisa his address in London (The Carlton Hotel ) and suggested they meet there at 8 PM that evening for dinner.
Alisa and Rupert took a taxi to Brown's Hotel, where they checked in and awaited the arrival of their baggage. Alisa had a scotch whiskey (neat) in the bar, while Rupert had a Guiness stout.
Meanwhile, Nell, Niles, Lya, and Dan'l cleared Customs and Immigration without incident. Nell, Niles, and Dan'l turned in their firearms and dynamite and asked that these items be held for them until they departed the U.K. Upon encountering the reporters, Lya exchanged business cards with Myron Blake, and told him that they were merely 2nd class passengers and didn't really know anything about what had happened among the upper-class. The reporters immediately lost interest in them.
The group then visited the Cunard Offices. Lya used her Fast Talk ability and the letter from Captain Rostron to convince the Manager (Mr. Lloyd Edmonds) that she had an interest in the case of Prof. Patterson. Mr. Edmonds told Lya that he was waiting for a report on the matter from the Mauretania and that she should return at 2 PM.
The group decided to spend the next several hours at the nearby Polygon House, where they had lunch. Lya called Mickey Mahoney at The Scoop and told him that she would call again once she reached Brown's. Mahoney told her that Brown's was quite exclusive and that she might not feel comfortable there, being a journalist and all. He also asked her for an "exclusive" on the seance on the Mauretania, promising an immediate CASH payment.
Returning to the Cunard offices, they found that the report was now available, along with Prof. Patterson's personal effects. Mr. Edmonds summarized the report as follows: A passenger (Miss Alisa Blankstone) requested that a steward deliver a note to Professor Patterson. The steward found a "Do Not Disturb" sign on the cabin door. After knocking, he opened the door and found Patterson hanging from a ceiling fixture. A note was taped to the mirror: "I have seen too much! I cannot go on, I am maddened by the thought of what waits ahead. Please give my personal effects to my cousin Maurice Patterson in Philadelphia, U.S.A., and BURN my books." The statements of the passengers who had attended the seance the previous night is attached.
Lya inspected Patterson's belongings and discovered that the occult books, mirror, candle, and boxes of herbs and incense were missing. The only books present were a Bible, guidebooks for London, Switzerland, and Rome, and a book entitled "The Earth: Not a Sphere". Lya declared that someone has stolen Patterson's belongings and filed a formal complaint. She also filed a complaint against the steward "Rutledge" that she and Alisa thought had been eavesdropping. Lya then began ranting that she was an American citizen and a member of the press and would "blow the lid off" whatever Cunard was trying to hide. Nell managed to calm her down, and Mr. Edmonds assured her that both complaints would be dealt with expeditously. In the process, Nell managed to glance at the report and noted the name of the cabin steward (Albert Waterman). In response to Nell's question, Mr. Edmonds said that the inquest would be held at 4 PM that afternoon and would be open to the public.
After another hour at the Polygon House for afternoon tea, Lya, Nell, Niles, and Dan'l attended the inquest, where testimony was heard from the Purser (Mr. Pinkum), cabin steward (Waterman) and the medical examiner (Dr. Peterson). The proceedings only lasted about half an hour and resulted in a finding of death by suicide. Afterwards, Nell and Lya asked Waterman what had happened with Patterson's belongings. Waterman said that he had packed up everything, including the leather-bound books, mirror, candles, and incense and gave the lot to a porter to deliver to the Cunard offices. He did not know the porter by name but would recognize him if he saw him again.
The group took Waterman to the Porter's Association, where they did not find the man. Since all the steamships had been serviced, the clerk on duty suggested that they visit the train station. There, Waterman spotted the porter, Thomas Ludley. Lya asked Ludley about the missing baggage. The porter said that he had been on his way to the Cunard Offices when another steward had stopped him and taken charge of the baggage, telling him that it was needed for further investigation. He did not remember the name of that steward. Lya thanked him and them generous tips (2s. for Ludley, 4 s. for Waterman). Lya then sent a note to Edmonds telling him to track down the missing bags and that she would be back on Monday. If anything developed he should contact her at Brown's Hotel.
The group then waited for the next train to London. Nell bought a pulp romance magazine, Lya bought a copy of The Scoop and the The Daily Mail, Dan'l bought a crossword puzzle book, and Niles bought a copy of The Evening Standard. The group then boarded the 7:05 P.M. London & South Western train to London.
Along the way, Lya read in The Scoop about a recent murder in London which appeared to be the 14th in a series. Lya had hoped that she had left bizarre serial murders behind her in New York! This was not what she had expected to find in London!
Meanwhile, after the delivery of the group's baggage, Alisa sent a coded telegram back to her employer in Boston. Quentin telephoned his contact at the Royal College of Physicians and was told that he would be presenting his paper on Tuesday morning (the conference was scheduled to last from Monday through Wednesday, and Quentin had a return ticket on the Aquitania for Saturday). When the others did not show up, Rupert and Alisa took a taxi to the Carlton Hotel, where they had dinner with Quentin, at his expense.
Nell, Niles, Lya, and Dan'l arrived at Waterloo Station at 9:40 P.M. Stepping outside they were engulfed in a thick fog. Niles hailed a cab, and they soon arrived at Brown's Hotel, catching glimpses of the Thames, Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, Whitehall, Trafalgar Square, and Piccadilly Circus along the way.
Walking past the elegantly-dressed doormen into the lobby, they noticed a distinguished-looking man in evening dress accompanied by an entourage. Nell recognized him as King George of Greece, now living in exile in London. Nell and Lya began to feel quite underdressed compared to the staff and began contemplating changing hotels. Niles said that he felt quite at home.
At the desk, Lya was given a message from Alisa that they had gone out to dinner with Quentin and to go ahead and check in. Dan'l and Niles each claimed a room. Nell and Lya found that Alisa's suite consisted of a bedroom, sitting room, bath, and servant's room. Someone would have to sleep on the couch (Lya volunteered, with the agreement that they would change hotels tomorrow).
About 11 P.M. Rupert, Quentin, and Alisa returned to Brown's, and the
group discussed the recent events. Alisa told them about Fairwether's
change in plans, which gave Nell an idea...
Early the next morning, Alisa went to Baring Bros. bank in the City to deliver bearer-bonds and other financial documents. Nell took a taxi to the Carlton Hotel, which she found to be rather upscale. She then walked across Trafalgar Square to the National Portrait Gallery and spent a delightful morning there.
Quentin noticed that his picture was on the front page of the The Daily Mail, along with the headline "American Doctor Foils Assassins" and a writeup about his actions in saving Count Kurasov's life on the Mauretania. He decided to call Cunard Lines in Southampton and asked about the inquest for Prof. Patterson. He was told that the finding had been "death by suffocation" and that a copy of the medical examiner's report would be available for review on Monday. Quentin then decided to visit the Tower of London, as he was interested in seeing where the beheadings had taken place.
Lya telephoned Mickey Mahoney at The Scoop and apologized for not calling him the previous night. He invited her to visit him at a nearby pub, but she declined, telling him that she had once before been ambushed after meeting someone at a bar. Instead she asked if she could meet him at his office. He agreed and gave her the address - Fleet Street near Ludgate Circle, next to Reuters - and asked if she would also write up that story about the ambush.
Lya then telephoned New Scotland Yard (WHitehall 1212) and asked for Inspector Barrington. She told him that she was a friend of Jackson Elias and had information about a series of murders in New York that resembled the "Egyptian Murders". Barrington asked her to come talk to him at 3 PM that afternoon.
After leaving a note for Alisa that she and Nell were changing hotels, Lya took a cab to The Scoop.
Rupert went out to buy a shotgun (for further skeet shooting) but was told that he needed a permit, and as a foreigner was not likely to be successful. Dan'l decided to visit the Imperial War Museum. Fairwether visited St. Paul's Cathedral , where he climbed the stairway to the top of the dome and measured the wind speed. He spent the rest of the day collecting samples of rain from different districts of London.
Lya found the offices of The Scoop on the third floor of an old brick building. There she met Mickey Mahoney, a red-haired cigar-smoking Irishman in his early 40s. He told her that The Scoop was a weekly publication specializing in crime stories, sex scandals, and weird happenings, "things the snooty papers won't touch!". He offered Lya £1 for a story about the seance and asked if a photograph of a young lady in a bathing suit could be added, "something to grab the reader's attention", for which he would pay another £1. Lya said she would ask Alisa if she was interested in posing but was doubtful. Mahoney also asked Lya if she would write up a story about the Ju-Ju House ambush, for which he would pay £1. He told her that Jackson Elias had promised him a story about a cult operating in London but had never turned it in. A payment of £2 was promised Lya for that story. He also said that Elias had appeared nervous and edgy, changing hotels every night while in London. Mahoney said that he regretted Elias' death, as he had been "a decent bloke and a top-notch scribbler".
Lya then looked through the newspaper archives and found several stories about the Egyptian murders, along with three others that Mahoney recalled that Elias had found interesting. At noon Lya and Mickey went to the Cheshire Cheese pub for lunch.
After lunch, Nell took a double-decker bus to the , which she found much more to her liking. She reserved two rooms and returned to Brown's, where she had the luggage transferred to the new hotel. The Front Desk gave Nell a message to be delivered to Lya. "I'm turning into the Jack Brady of the group", she remarked.
Alisa sent a series of telegrams inquiring about Count Kurasov. Eventually she found that he was in a Paris hospital and was expected to make a full recovery.
Quentin decided to visit Hyde Park and investigate the site where the most recent body had been found. The gazebo appeared innocent enough. He then visited the British Museum.
Lya and Mickey returned to The Scoop, where Lya telephoned the Penhew Foundation and told the receptionist that she would like to interview someone about Sir Aubrey and the Carlisle expedition. The receptionist said that she would have to check with the director, Mr. Gavigan, and asked Lya to hold. After a few minutes, the receptionist offered to set up an appointment with the director for 9 A.M. Monday morning.
Lya then started writing up the seance. She struggled with the dilemma of how much information to actually include, and consequently had to head over to New Scotland Yard before finishing the story. Mahoney told her that his deadline was Saturday noon, and Lya promised to return and complete it.
Lya then took a taxi to New Scotland Yard and was escorted to Inspector Barrington's office. What transpired at the interview, Lya kept confidential(this link for Lya only!).
Afterwards, Lya returned to Brown's Hotel, where she met Nell and Niles for afternoon tea. Nell told her that she had reserved rooms for them at the Russell Hotel. Lya wondered if Fairwether would be peeved that they were staying at the same hotel as him. Niles declared that he liked Brown's and would remain here.
Belatedly, Nell remembered the message from the Front Desk and gave it to Lya. It was from Mr. Edmonds and informed her that the missing bags had been found and that she should call his office. Since it was now after 5 P.M., Lya decided to phone Edmonds in the morning.
Alisa returned from the City and said that Quentin would join them at 8 PM for dinner.
That evening, the group discussed the day's events. Lya mentioned Mickey Mahoney's offer of £1 for a "candid" photo for The Scoop to Alisa and was met with a chilly stare.
Lya suggested that she had heard about an interesting nightspot called the Blue Pyramid and that it might be fun to go there Saturday night. She also shared her notes from the Scoop's archives about the Egyptian murders. Quentin noticed that one of the stories mentioned that the victim had been last seen at the Blue Pyramid. Quentin became angry and said that he did not trust Lya, accusing her of ulterior motives. He refused to listen to Lya's explanations and stalked out of the restaurant, taking a taxi back to his hotel.
Lya and Nell returned to the Russell Hotel, where they met Fairwether in the lobby returning from a stroll through Bloomsbury. He did not appear surprised but commented that there seemed to be no escaping them.
Prof. Fairwether left the Russell Hotel quite early, taking a London & South Western train from Waterloo Station to Salisbury. There he visited the famed cathedral and ascended the spire to take wind measurements at various heights.
Quentin visited various medical specialty shops to replenish his medical supplies.
Rupert spent the day on a walking tour of London.
Nell (accompanied by Niles and Dan'l) spent the morning visiting sites and taking photographs where (according to The Scoop) bodies had been discovered from the "Egyptian Murders": the Limehouse docks, Hyde Park, and St. Pancras. Highgate Cemetery was reserved for a later time.
Lya telephoned Mr. Edmonds in Southampton and was told that the bags had been held aside for a Customs inspection as it was thought the incense and herbs might be considered agricultural products. He assured her that she was welcome to inspect the bags if she liked. However, all the personal effects of the late Prof. Patterson would be shipped back to the U.S. on Wednesday on the next sailing of the Mauretania. Lya then returned to The Scoop and finished the story about the seance. Mickey Mahoney promptly paid her £1 and began editing it to "add some whoosh for the readers".
Alisa visited clients in the greater London area, delivering bearer bonds and small gifts of appreciation. She also sent a note to Quentin inviting him to join them at the Russell Hotel that evening.
That afternoon, Nell, Niles, Dan'l, and Lya visited the British Museum. Later Dan'l and Niles checked out of Brown's Hotel and transferred to the Russell Hotel, since it seemed more centrally located (and to keep an eye on Nell and Lya).
Quentin asked the concierge at the Carlton Hotel to contact art dealers and see if any paintings by Miles Shipley were available. He then visited Sotheby's auction house, where he learned that Shipley only sold paintings from his home at 6 Canonbury Road, Islington. On returning to the hotel, he learned the same information from the concierge.
That evening, Lya received a call from Scott Theobald, who had arrived in London a few hours ago. Scott was staying at the Midland Grand Hotel but was running low on funds. Lya told him to take a cab to the Russell Hotel, where she introduced him to the rest of the group. When Alisa vetoed the idea of employing Scott as a manservant, Lya offered to "hire" Scott as a researcher for the investigation of the Carlyle Expedition, which would give him time to continue studying the Clavis Solomanus each day. Scott was quite enthusiastic about the arcane lore he was discovering in the tome. He claimed that an incantation in the book would allow him to summon an "aerial servant", which he thought must be some type of angel. Lya told him not to cast any "incantations" until the group reaches Egypt. Rupert proposed publishing a cheap reprint line of rare, occult books once the mystery of the Carlyle expedition is solved.
Lya advanced Scott £2 for expenses.
Quentin also arrived at the Russell Hotel and was willing to continue
helping the investigators but adamantly refused to have anything to do
with the Blue Pyramid. The group had dinner at a nearby restaurant.