[MaC] Arriving at the Party ... Arabella, Pamela, Michael & Philip

[Brian Schoner]

> 	"Just Lady Pamela, but please don't bother; Pamela will 
> do nicely." She took his injured arm, careful to keep her touch
> light, but otherwise treating it quite as an ordinary limb.

After only the tiniest of hesitations, Philip extended his arm to let Pamela
take it. Her touch seemed to cause him no discomfort, though she could feel
the bandages along his wrist through the uniform.

> "My friends call me Pam, though generally not at parties."

"Then Pamela it shall be for the evening," he said with a smile. With his
free hand, Philip gestured towards the stairs. "Shall we?" [Entering a party
with a Countess' daughter on my arm...and quite a lovely one at that,] he
thought to himself. [What would Mum and Dad make of that?]

> 	As they mounted the first steps, an unearthly but 
> fortunately rather muffled din echoed from somewhere behind them.
> "What on earth?" exclaimed Pamela, letting go of Philip's arm and
> stopping to listen. "It sounds like -- it's coming from the lift,
> I think; wasn't Hodges working on it earlier? Oh, dear, I hope 
> --" And she hastened toward the lift doors, not heeding whether
> Philip or anyone else followed.

Philip did indeed follow, with an expression of concern on his face.

> 	Pamela could not immediately determine how to force the
> gates open. She knelt, lowering her head nearly to the floor, and
> shouted "Halloo! Is anyone down there? Anyone hurt?" 
>
> "Halloo!" came the prompt reply back. "It's Mrs Evans and Miss
> Mauberly, dear. No one hurt, but we do seem to be stuck between
> floors." 

"Bother," Phillip muttered quietly.

> "All right -- I'll go for Hodges, then! We'll have you out of there 
> safe and sound, don't worry!"
>
> Pamela started toward the stairs, then stopped. Had Hodges gone to
> the party, or was he moping by himself in Number One flat? 
>
> She decided quickly, and hurried back to the penthouse stairs, looking 
> for someone who could carry word to the party while she ran downstairs.

Seeing her indecision, Philip spoke up. "I'll run down to Hodges' flat, La--
Pamela. If you'll forgive me for making you go in unescorted, could I
suggest going upstairs to see if Hodges is at the party? One of us is bound
to find him that way."

Barring any immediate objections, Phillip began heading downstairs at a
fast, but not reckless, pace.  As he did, he called to the ladies in the
lift, "Not to worry, ladies; I'm sure Hodges will sort it out in no time.
Stay there," he added unnecessarily -- for really, where could they go?