Penny Dreadful(s) - Mina and Brona Who: Mina and "Lily" What: A run-in & seeking Vanessa Where: Banning Clinic, London When: Nowish Warnings/Rating: Unlikely, unless they kill someone
The Banning Clinic was all such places were. Tall and stately, nurses in uninterrupted white, and men holding all the power between their fingers. Mina, in her chaste cream, was moderately overdressed for an evening spent looking for a lost and dear sister, but surely her eccentricities could be blamed on grief. As it was, she was a vision of Victorian modesty, paler than her attire, gloves on her hands, her hair up and covered in tiny hat and netted white.
She'd begun the evening as she ought, in a carriage, but she had since given it up. It was there, on the cobbles and a ways away, but Mina desired the evening on her face. She hungered, as she frequently did, but she was not yet willing to break the promise made to an oft-absent master. Instead, she took the air upon her too-cold cheeks and called it distraction, and she wondered if her dearest Vanessa had hidden depths even she had not perceived.
A man approached, top hat and blacks, older, and he reminded Mina naught of her father. Sir Malcolm was not as this man, concerned about Mina being out of an evening, inquiring after her companions, for surely such a pale thing of a girl had companions with her. The evenings were dangerous, the man informed her. A murderer on the loose to rival The Ripper. Forty-three dead, he said, and there was pleasure around his eyes as he imparted his dread news coated in overtones of concern. And as Mina was not inclined to make the man her supper, she inclined her head and listened raptly. She made sounds of shock, horror, feminine weakness in little sounds through parted lips. Of course, yes, certainly she would be careful. Her carriage was just there, and she'd only sought air. No, sir, she required no escort home.
But there was no appeasing the elder man, and she allowed herself to be placed into her carriage, as if she was a bird escaped from a very fine and very safe cage, latch just there.
She waited until the gentleman disappeared around the sidewalk corner, and she opened the door to the carriage and appeared anew. Was it not interesting that he, the man, could walk unafraid, and yet she must be enclosed to be safe? A bit of madness slipped through pink lips, and Mina giggled, and she didn't hide the sound with gloved fingers. It was very sweet of him, if completely unnecessary.
Diversion complete, she returned to her progress, nearing that brick and stone bastion of mental health. For, surely, hysteria was true concern when it came to the health of women.
She didn't giggle again, but it was only just and nearly so.