Selden. She had seen the name on the incoming outage report, marked as owner of the residence of said private fireplace – and she had wondered whether it was also hers.
But she had repressed that avenue of thought, and started on the problem. Or would have, if she could figure it out – but she hadn’t figured it out from the office, and now that she was here, she was still having trouble.
She was combing her wand through the fireplace, scanning for the source of the fault for the third time. Her brow was already furrowed before the voice, and Effie glanced over her shoulder from where she was kneeling on the hearth. She felt her chest tighten – irrationally, but. Not just a Selden: Miss Selden herself.
She didn’t know Morrigan Selden personally, though after unsuspectingly meeting a friend of hers earlier in the month, Effie had resolved to better avoid Miss Selden’s circles if she could. Not from fear or any such thing – Miss Selden was still a Miss by her own choice, after all, and at Brooks’ expense and particular humiliation – but just because it seemed sensible not to engage.
But she supposed this could not be helped. “Yes,” Effie said, polite – but she was not prepared to apologise when her colleague had evidently fixed it and closed the case before. She had looked over the logs before coming, of course. Miss Selden seemed to have on her way somewhere – and she assumed not the one to report the fault – but since she was here, Effie felt compelled to make inquiries. “And it’s only this fireplace having problems? The only Floo that seems blocked in the house?”
But she had repressed that avenue of thought, and started on the problem. Or would have, if she could figure it out – but she hadn’t figured it out from the office, and now that she was here, she was still having trouble.
She was combing her wand through the fireplace, scanning for the source of the fault for the third time. Her brow was already furrowed before the voice, and Effie glanced over her shoulder from where she was kneeling on the hearth. She felt her chest tighten – irrationally, but. Not just a Selden: Miss Selden herself.
She didn’t know Morrigan Selden personally, though after unsuspectingly meeting a friend of hers earlier in the month, Effie had resolved to better avoid Miss Selden’s circles if she could. Not from fear or any such thing – Miss Selden was still a Miss by her own choice, after all, and at Brooks’ expense and particular humiliation – but just because it seemed sensible not to engage.
But she supposed this could not be helped. “Yes,” Effie said, polite – but she was not prepared to apologise when her colleague had evidently fixed it and closed the case before. She had looked over the logs before coming, of course. Miss Selden seemed to have on her way somewhere – and she assumed not the one to report the fault – but since she was here, Effie felt compelled to make inquiries. “And it’s only this fireplace having problems? The only Floo that seems blocked in the house?”
