It was a lovely afternoon for England, even in the midst of June. The sun was shining, a miracle in and of itself, and there was a soft breeze that billowed like a rambunctious kitten across campus. Basil was appreciative of the weather, having already stripped off his overcoat and decided to meander about in only his waistcoat and shirt as he tidied what was to be his new classroom this short holiday term. The Institute had been very generous, giving him a small office in addition to the room which was, by all accounts already ‘worn in.’ Papers and essays and drafts littered his desk in an organized chaos and Basil hummed a small tune to himself as he shuffled about.

It was nearly half past noon and he was due to meet Ms. Chang for luncheon. They had agreed to meet just near the library and so, grabbing his overcoat and tossing it over his arm, Basil made for the exit. He was just crossing the Flint Institute’s sizable courtyard when his attention caught - not on the weather - but in fact on a young debutant. (Or what he assumed was a debutant, based on her attire.) She was a striking thing, beautiful in an ethereal kind of way that paused even socially afflicted Basil Foxwood in his tracks. The gentle wind ruffled what gold curls it could reach and he found himself startled by the distraction of it.

Huffing to himself and clearing his throat, Basil made to ignore the girl but she was standing just where he was headed. He couldn’t help but notice, too, that she looked a bit lost and confused. Perhaps he ought to be gallant and offer her some assistance. She might be a new student and Basil was nothing if not a staunch advocate for women in continuing academics! He made to approach the girl with an affable smile. “Excuse me, Miss? Can I help you find something?” His voice was almost unfamiliar to him as it floated, so helpfully out of his mouth. Basil resisted the urge to grimace. He could never tell Mama about this one…

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