A Very Victorian Bachelor Challenge - Day 4

Hello, welcome to day 4 of the bachelor challenge for Theodore Harrison. If you've not been following along, it's probably best if you start at the prologue. If you don't want to bother, then it'll help you to know that Theodore is the son of one of my third generation spares Enid, and her husband Frederick. Frederick's father, Thomas, is very family orientated and grew impatient that his grandson hadn't shown any inclination to start courting. He decided to take action and set up a bogus research project aiming to lock Theodore in a house with seven women for a week. He hopes that at the end of the week Theo will like one of the women enough to want to see her outside of the house.

I actually played the house for nearly two weeks. The first seven days were the challenge, and once the winner was crowned, I reset all the relationships to zero and moved everyone back in. I then shot various

set scenes for the challenge to tie up with the legacy and be more era appropriate where necessary. All date activities happened as are shown.

The bachelor challenge is by PA Vicky on the exchange.

Of those seven ladies, only four remain. They are: DrSupremeNerd, the author of the VetinariDualegacy. She is still the leader with a day 3 score of 141.

Annie (tatdatcm) writer of the Doublet Legacy and the Potpal Legacy. She has snuck into second place with a score of 133 at the end of day 3.

Michellefobbs (Michaelfobbs) author of a Planetary Apocalypse and Not Quite a Vacation Asylum. She has been pushed into third place with a third day score of 130.

Lastly there is Jessica (Mzyra). Writer of the Kennedy Shufflacy and a mod at Boolprop.com. She currently lies in fourth place with a score of 109 at the end of day 3.

Theo turned from watching Cee depart. Whilst he was sorry to see her go, he was also looking forward to spending more time with his remaining guests. Each night he had been reading a letter from his grandfather containing advice as to how he might spend his time with his companions. Last night's had suggested speaking to each guest about his interests, and he decided to do that now.

***

Cee is the simself of charris, author of the Regacy.

The first guest he saw was Doc. "Doc Nerd, I was wondering if I could have a word with you, if it is convenient.“

"Of course it is convenient Mr Harrison." She said smiling. It was always convenient if he wanted to speak to her.

"It is just, well you are a lady of science, and I wanted your input on something I read that interested me greatly.“

"Go on.“

"I read a short article in 'Mad Scientist Monthly' a little while ago where the author postulated that one day there would be men made of metal ready to act as our servants. The premise behind this intrigues me, and I was wondering what your thoughts on the subject were."

Doc thought about Crazy Gay Huggy Servo back in her Riverblossom Hills. "Huh, I think that if there were to ever be such beings, they would probably...surprise, or even infuriate us with their actions. We probably wouldn't have as much control over them as we would like to think."

"Really? You think that they would have something approaching intelligence?" He asked excitedly.

"Yeeah, that is certainly one way of putting it." They continued to talk for a while longer, until Theo became mindful of the time.

"I would dearly love to speak to you longer Doc Nerd , but I also want to speak to your companions this afternoon."

Annie had been playing cards throughout Theo and Doc's conversation and so Theo decided to have his next chat with her.

"Miss Annie, I have been thinking about our conversation last night over the chess board. It has raised a number of questions in my mind, I was hoping to be able to discuss them with you.“

"Of course." She replied smiling.

"I cannot help but think that this is a truly dreadful situation to be in. I know that there have been advances in the disposal of ...waste. Mr Bazalgette's amazing sewers in London for example are now completely open and functioning, but there is still the question of air quality."

"Yes, it is true that air pollution is indeed terrible. The pea-soupers in the capital are a direct result of the burning of soft coal. However I really do not think that much will be done about that until there are clean burning fuels readily available to the masses.

Even then I do feel that there will be other sources of air born pollutants. There is a lot of research to be done to reduce these emissions."

"I really do find that a very sad thing to hear. One would think that science would be sufficiently advanced to find a solution to the problem, if not now, then in the future you are speaking of.“

"People will be working on it, believe me, but it takes time and money.“

"Doesn't everything?"

"Surely things will be brighter though? And it is not as if this will have any permanent effect is it?"

Annie gave it some thought. "I think that in 140 years time you might be surprised to learn that a Briton might be ruing the fact that for the second year running there has been no summer.

Now that might be an effect of the natural progression of the climate of the planet, or it might be a by product of all the pollution. As with any science, there will be more than one school of thought.“

Theodore would dearly have loved to spend the rest of the afternoon continuing his conversation with

Annie, but he was mindful of the fact that he wanted to speak to both Michelle and Jessica too.

He found both of his remaining guests in the garden, and since Michelle said that she was going to go inside, decided to speak to Jessica first.

"Miss Jessica, might I take a moment of your time?“

"Yes Mr Harrison.“

"It is just I have noticed how well turned out you always are. My mother is very interested in fashion, and she has passed some of that interest on to my sister and I. I wanted to see if you also share that

interest."

"Well..." She started, "I find some of the fashions of the day constrictive. I mean really, is there any good reason for completely distorting one's ribcage to the extent some women do? It is positively obscene. The only thing I can see it achieves is to create a totally unrealistic hour glass figure."

Theodore looked at her as she got into her stride and started talking about permanent damage to ribcages, and how women only swooned all the time because they couldn't breathe. He had never given any thought to corsetry: it was a woman's undergarment after all, and not something he should dwell on.

She finished rather breathlessly and looked at Theo expectantly.

"Uh, I had not given that matter much thought. Is there anything you do like about, say your dress?“

"Oh, well the materials are very nice, and the attention to detail is exemplary.“

"I am glad to hear it. If you will excuse me, I still have one more of your companions I wish to speak to." Smiling he left to find Michelle.

He found her in the hall upstairs. "Miss Michelle, I was wanted to speak to you for a little while. I hope that now is convenient?“

"Yes Mr Harrison, now is very convenient.“

"Good. Beautiful weather we have been having this summer do you not think?" He asked.

Michelle laughed. "What is it with you British and your obsession with the weather? I have never known anything like it. It is almost always your primary topic of conversation."

Theodore looked at her. "It is the ultimate in small talk. Everyone can have an opinion on it, and depending on how someone replies to you, you can judge whether or not they wish to continue conversing with you.

Besides our weather is extremely unpredictable and changeable. It can be pouring with rain where you are, but less than a quarter of a mile down the road can be brilliant sunshine and dry"

"Huh, I can see that. It's a nice safe topic which doesn't require you get too intimate with the person you are conversing with.“

"Exactly." Said Theodore beaming, pleased that Michelle had cottoned onto one of the reasons it was such a popular topic.

Michelle was slightly disappointed that he had chosen to broach such a safe topic with her, but decided to make a game go at talking about it anyway.

"Yes the weather has been delightful this summer..." They stayed chatting for quite a while, until the sun had set.

Once the sun had set and he had finished his conversation with Michelle, Theo decided to make his way to the spa pools again.

He was just starting to relax in the water when a voice asked "Can I join you?" He was just starting to realise that he would never get to soak alone whilst he had guests staying with him. "Of course."

"Good." Said Annie sliding in. "I would hate to think of you sitting out here all alone.“

'Chance would be a fine thing.' thought Theo, but instead he just smiled and nodded. "How thoughtful of you."

"Ooo this looks like fun. I'm sure you two won't mind if I join you, will you?" asked Jessica rather pleased that she had managed to finally make it into Theo's pool.

The third and final simself to make it into Theo's pool was Doc Nerd.

"It is so nice to see you here Jessica. I believe that this is the first time you have had the pleasure of joining Mr Harrison as he relaxes here?" Asked Doc sweetly.

"You know it is Doc." Replied Jessica through gritted teeth. She still hadn't forgotten their conversation from the first day.

This left Michelle al alone in the second pool. She sighed heavily. Although she was firm friends with Theo, she really wanted to be more to him than a friend. However their conversation that afternoon had been disappointing to her, and now she had no chance of making up for it this evening.

She settled back in the pool, determined to try not to let her worries get to her, but it was difficult.

Doc sought around for a topic of conversation that hadn't already been covered. "So the gardens look lovely by moonlight. Rather...romantic."

"Yes, Miss Cee commented on how well laid out they are. I do certainly agree that Mr Roth did an exemplary job on laying them out.“

"Are the gardens at your home in Regalton as nice?" She asked ignoring the reference to Cee.

"Ah, alas no. Neither my grandmamma nor mother are enamoured with gardening. Do not get me wrong, they are functional, but nothing special."

"Perhaps your future wife will take more care with them?" Pointed out Jessica.

"Oh I am sure that she will, but she might be rather busy and have to delegate." Said Doc.

"Well I am sure that Mr Harrison's future wife , whomever she may be, will be more than capable of coping with the day to day tasks of running a household.“

"Yes I am sure she will. I am also sure that she will have her own interests that she will want to pursue as well as looking after her nummy husband and their children."

Theo just sat and looked at them as they bickered. He really did like the both of them, but when they were in the same place he found it exhausting to watch them snipe at each other.

Annie saw him looking at them. "They are something aren't they?“

"Yes, you could certainly say that. I just don't understand the animosity they appear to have for each other.“

"I live in the same house as them, and trust when I say they are always like this. I don't think it's that they don't like each other, but rather that this is how they just are with each other.“

"Whatever the case Miss Annie, I find that I do not want to deal with it tonight. I am going to retire.

Goodnight ladies."

This caught Jessica and Doc's attention. "Wait, you're leaving?“

"Yes Doc Nerd, I am going to bed, goodnight."

Jessica was as quick out of the pool as Theodore, and cornered him just as he was about to leave the gazebo.

"We didn't really get chance to talk tonight. I do hope that we can rectify that tomorrow."

"I would certainly like to speak to you all individually tomorrow morning again. It is nice to get to know you all in the group, but it is when we speak alone that I think I get to know you all better.“

"Oh absolutely. I think it is then that we get to know you too.“

"Hm. Well goodnight Miss Jessica." He said as he turned to go inside.

Despite his insistence that he wanted to go to bed, Theo didn't actually sleep very well that night. He knew that he had to send one more of his guests away at midday, but although he had had a good idea as to who it would be the previous days, today he was struggling to even narrow down the field. He needed to speak to someone about this.

By a couple of minutes past seven he was down in the hall waiting for a phone to be picked up.

"Come on, at least one of them should be awake by now." He muttered under his breath.

At last it was answered. "Morning, Legacy Society, Sim State...*yawn*... University."

"Morning Eddie.“

"Theo, it is good to hear from you old chap. How goes things with the research project?“

"Hah! That!" As quickly and concisely as he could Theo told Edward all about what he was actually doing at Hope Springs House.

"Have you quite finished?" Asked Theo as Edward paused laughing to catch his breath.

"NO!" Shrieked Eddie, starting to laugh again.

Theodore waited patiently for his cousin to compose himself.

"I have finished now, I promise." Said Eddie at last. "It is just, here I was worrying about you being bored of an evening, when it turns out that you are spending all your time in the company of a number of ladies." I thought occurred to him. "Do you want me to tell Stanley?" He asked with a smirk on his face.

"Plumbbob no! Can you imagine it? He will be on the first train here, banging on the door to be let in!“

"I was joking."

"Sorry, I am not in a joking mood at the moment. I need to choose someone to go home today, but I like them all and cannot decide who I want to leave. I do not know what to do Eddie"

Eddie was silent for a moment. "Perhaps you need to stop thinking about who you want to leave, and instead think about who you want to stay."

Theo mulled this over. "Edward Legacy, you are a genius.“

"Of course." He said laughing. "You never know, you might decide that you want one of these ladies to stay enough to get married to her.“

"Steady on Eddie. Let us not get carried away." Said Theo chuckling.

"Anyway, how are things with you?“

"Same as always Theo.“

"You have not met...“

Edward cut him off. "No.“

"Still no one who...“

"I do not want to discuss it Theo."

Throughout this exchange Theo had been aware of someone moving upstairs, and it wasn't long until Doc came down into the hall.

"How is Stanley?" Asked Theo changing the subject.

"Stanley is Stanley. He is still seeing the same girls as when you left, and has found out that Miss Leongis at the Acadamie. As you can imagine he is keen to make her acquaintance again."

"I know exactly what you are doing Doc." Said Jessica quietly as she went to use the downstairs WC.

"I have no idea what you are talking about. I am merely admiring this very fine print and wondering if it came from Beth's Bric-a-Brac.“

"I have got to go Edward." Said Theo. "I will speak to you soon. Give my regards to Stanley."

As he passed Doc, he paused. He did want to speak to them all individually again, he may as well start now. "Doc Nerd, I would like to speak to you in the library as soon as it is convenient to you.“

"Certainly Mr Harrison. I will be with you once I have finished admiring this lovely painting." She replied.

'Right,' she thought as he entered the drawing room, 'I don't want to appear too keen, or frighten him by being too stalkery. I should wait a bit.' She heard the library door close.

'How long should I wait? A minute? No, perhaps not. Half a minute? Well I've wasted nearly that amount of time thinking about it. I know, I'll wait another ten seconds. 1...2...3, 4, 5.'

'678910.'

"You wanted to see me?" Doc asked, slightly out of breath. Running in such a restrictive corset wasn't easy.

"Yes, I wanted to see you for our morning chat. Are you alright? You look a little flushed?" Asked Theo concerned.

"I do feel a trifle warm actually. What so you think?" She asked as, quick as a flash, she grabbed his hand and held it to her cheek.

"Yes, you do feel quite warm." Stammered Theo. "I do hope you are not coming down with a fever.“

"So do I." She replied.

Theodore felt his own cheeks growing warm as he stood there, his hand still resting on Doc's face.

He coughed and removed his hand. He was suddenly feeling rather brave.

"Doc Nerd, if you recall we were speaking the other day about music, and you said that you would love to hear me sing. Do you still feel that way?“

"Yes, I would still love to hear you sing.“

"Good."

He cleared his throat and dropped to his knees before starting to sing in his pleasing baritone voice.

As she stood listening, Doc felt her knees going quite weak.

***

I admit I made a mistake here. I was sure that I had clicked sweet talk, not serenade, but obviously not. Since it didn't appear for anyone else today, Nerd is the only one he sung to on day 4.

Once he had finished, he looked up at her. "I do hope that was not too bad. People tell me I have a good voice, and I do seem to draw attention, but I always feel uncomfortable performing."

"No Mr Harrison, that was wonderful, just...wonderful."

"I am not sure I would go that far," he said blushing, "but I am glad you enjoyed it. Now much as I would love to stay talking to you....“

"You have to speak to the other guests. Yes I know." Said Doc smiling.

***

Doc accepted all three flirts: the hold hands, caress and serenade.

Theo exited the library to find the next guest and saw Michelle about to enter the dinning room.

"Miss Michelle, I hate to disturb you on your way to breakfast but...“

"Oh is it time for the morning chat Mr Harrison?" She asked.

"Yes. I can wait until you have eaten if you so wish.“

"No, I will postpone my breakfast for a little while."

"You are well this morning I trust?" Asked Theo once he had closed the library door.

"Very, and yourself?"

Theo paused, "I cannot really complain.“

Michelle regarded him intently. "You don't sound totally convinced."

Theo was slightly surprised that Michelle had picked up on the fact that he was still unsure as to what he was doing in the house. He found himself wanting to confide in Michelle.

"It is just..." He started, "being in this house...do not get me wrong I am happy to have met you all...but...."

"You're still not completely at ease with the fact that your grandfather set all this up are you?" She asked getting right to the heart of the matter.

"No! I mean I love Grandpapa dearly, and I can understand, to some extent, his impatience, but the fact that he set this up in such an underhand manner..." He started to get upset.

***

This and the following two slides are the aftermath of Michelle rejecting the caress. I really didn't expect her to reject it: I took a quick peek at her feelings for Theo and they were high so it looked to me like she should accept it.

"Theodore whatever your grandfather's reasons of doing this, please don't let it upset you. You would never have agreed to this if you knew before arriving would you?“

"No."

"The thing is that makes me even more upset Miss Michelle, because then what sort of a grandson would I be to disobey Grandpapa? He would be so disappointed in me.“

"I don't think he would ever be disappointed in you."

Michelle decided that it was time to lighten the atmosphere. "Besides, that is all a moot point because here we are. Come on you have to admit that it is not a bad thing after all." She nudged him. "You would never have met me if it wasn't for all this."

"You are correct Miss Michelle, and what would I do without such a good friend?“

Friend, there was that word again. Michelle wanted to be more than friends, but she was getting the impression from Theo that he was happy with them staying as they were.

"I really do hope," he continued, "that no matter what happens in this house, that we can stay friends once we are back home.“

"I would like that too, in fact I would like to get to know you better away from the constraints of this house.“

She tried to make her hint subtle enough not to scare him, but clear enough that he would act on it.

"Indeed. Now I will let you get to the breakfast table.“

***

For the record, Michelle accepted the hold hands, rejected the caress and then accepted the sweet talk.

Theodore followed Michelle into the dining room, hoping to find his two remaining guests.

"Miss Annie, Miss Jessica, when you are ready I would like to speak to each of you individually in the library.“

Both Annie and Jessica had finished their breakfasts, but since only Annie was dressed, she was the one to reply. "I will be with you shortly Mr Harrison, I just have to clean my plate."

Theo looked up and smiled when Annie entered the library.

"Miss Annie, thank you for joining me."

"No problem Mr Harrison, I always look forward to our little morning chats. I sometimes feel like they are the only time we get to speak. Your attention always seems to be taken up by other guests when we are left to our own devices."

He laughed. "It is true that some of my other guests seem to be very keen to speak to me, but now we are all alone."

"Yes we are. So, what shall we speak about today?" She asked smiling.

"I was actually thinking about saying to you how well that dress suits you. The colour suits your skintone, and compliments your hair. I have told you how pretty it is even if it is unusual yes?"

"Yes Mr Harrison you have. I was worried that the bow might be a bit too big, but you think it looks alright?“

"Yes, it completes the ensemble in my opinion. If I might be so bold, I would like to say that you look beautiful in that dress Miss Annie."

Annie started to blush. "Flatterer." She responded.

Theo burst out laughing.

"What's up? What's so funny?"

"I apologise Miss Annie, it is just...here I am saying things that are more appropriate for my cousin Stanley, and yet I truly believe what I am saying. That dress does look well on you. I just never thought I would hear myself saying it.“

"Well compliments are always well received, and as long as you don’t behave like a cad, you will never be like Stanley.“

"That is true.“

***

Annie accepted the hold hands, the caress and the sweet talk. After the incident with Michelle I was slightly worried about the caress, but it went well.

Annie had barely left the room before Jessica was knocking on the door wanting to come in.

"Mr Harrison, I hope I have not kept you waiting?" She asked.

"No, not at all."

"Good, because I would hate for you think I was rude and unpunctual.“

"I do not think that at all."

"Miss Jessica, I have been thinking. You mentioned an interest in astrophysics the other day. I was wondering if that interest would extend to astronomy and if you would like to join me at some time to go star gazing?"

"Star gazing with you? I'd love to Mr Harrison."

"Good. We will have to arrange something once we are back in Regalton.“

"Why wait?" She blurted out.

"I am sorry?"

"It is just um...there are two telescopes right here and...well, we could go stargazing one night here." She continued.

"True, I had forgotten about those."

"However, if we were to stargaze here, I would feel compelled to have to ask everyone else to join us. Apart from short chats, I do not like to think that I am excluding anyone from talking to me if they so wish.“

"Oh." She said slightly disappointed.

"However, if you should still be in the house at the end of the week, perhaps we can stargaze then?“

"Yes, that would be fantastic." She gushed. Not only was she happy about the proposed date, but his words had given her hope that she would be there for a little while yet.

"Now if you will excuse me Miss Jessica, I would like to spend some time on my own." He walked over to the door and opened it for her.

"Right, I will speak to you later." She said leaving the room.

***

Jessica also accepted the hold hands, caress and sweet talk despite my worries.

Theodore closed the door behind Jessica and turned to face the room. He had a difficult decision to make this morning and he wanted to be alone.

In the drawing room Jessica joined Doc, Annie and Michelle at the poker table. She was still on a high from her chat with Theo. "So, how do you all think you are doing?" She asked.

"Good." Said Doc. "We get on well, he's completely nummy, he keeps complementing me, he's completely nummy. Yes things are good."

"We're good friends." Said Michelle.

"And?" prompted Jessica.

"I like him, he likes me. He confides in me, and we have interesting conversations."

"Annie?" Asked Jessica.

"Things are going well. He called me beautiful earlier, I can't ask for more than that." Doc scowled at this. The best compliment she had received was that she was uncommonly pretty, now she wanted Theo to say that she was beautiful too.

"Well I'm very pleased. Theo insinuated that I will be here for a while yet, maybe even to the end." Doc scowled even more at this, she wanted to be the one who stayed till the end of the week.

"Don't get too excited will you Jessica." Said Michelle.

"What do you mean by that?" She demanded.

"I mean don't count your chickens before they've hatched. Anyone of us could be going home today or tomorrow or the next day. We just have to await Theo's decision."

At that point they heard the library door open and Theo's footsteps on the floorboards.

"Ladies," he said when he got to the card table, "it is noon, will you please join me at the settees?"

"Once again it is the time for me to say to you all how much I enjoy your company and how happy I am to have had the opportunity to get to know you all. It is also the time when I have to decide which one of you will be boarding a carriage in half an hour and leaving Hope Springs House."

"The previous days I have had an idea as to who that person would be, and the decision, although not necessarily easy, has come quickly to me. Today that was not the case."

"I do not want any of you to leave, but after careful consideration I have come to the realisation that there are three I want to stay more than the remaining one. I hope that the person I ask to leave today will still count me as a friend, and that we can see each other in Regalton."

He looked at her. "Miss Michelle, I am sorry. I will help you with your trunk once you are packed."

"Oh," she said stunned, "oh!“

***

The scores at the end of day 4 are as follows, from highest to lowest:

Doc Nerd: 160

Annie: 146

Jessica: 142

Michelle: 139.

"Miss Michelle," started Theo as he said goodbye to her, "I did not make this decision lightly...

She interrupted him. "Mr Harrison, please I don't need to hear the rationale behind your decision; the end result is the same. Besides," she added with fake cheerfulness, "I need to be getting back to the Regalton Irregulars anyway. Who knows what has been happening whilst we've been away.“

"Goodbye Miss Michelle. I hope we can go out for tea at some point once this is over.“

"That would be nice. Goodbye Mr Harrison."

The fourth simself to leave Hope Springs House did so blinking back tears.

When the doorbell went at a quarter to one, I was expecting another one of my friends to be standing on the doorstep, having just left Hope Springs House, what I wasn't expecting was for it to be Michelle.

"Michelle? What...?“

"Hello Di.“

"You're the next to leave?"

"Yes.“

"Are you ok?“

"No."

"I didn't want to leave Di." She sobbed.

"Oh Michelle." I went to comfort her.

"He said we were friends, and he wants to stay friends.“

"Well that's good." I said.

"But I want to be more than friends!" She wailed.

"Michelle, please calm down. Come into the drawing room and I'll make you a nice cup of tea."

"Why is it that the British think that tea is the answer to everything?" she asked drying her eyes.

"Because we're all slightly mad." I answered. "Oh and a cup of tea really does work wonders."

We were soon joined in the drawing room by Lea, Denise, Cee, Circe and Gin.

"Your hair is different." I said to Cee as she took a seat.

"Yes, Mr Harrison suggested I...that is not important, what I want to know is how comes you have left Michelle?“

***

Lea (tlhs0) writes the Barsoom Legacy.

Denise (avidreader2466) is the author of the Puritanical Green thumb and Grafted Roots legacies.

Circe (hbcirce) writer of the Geogacy.

GintasticNecat is the author of the Science of a Legacy and departed from the house on day 2.

"Well it turns out that Mr Harrison thinks of me as just a friend. He would rather the others stay then me."

"I'm rather shocked by that. At one point I really thought that you would be in the final two.“

"Well I guess not." She replied slightly bitterly.

"At least you are friends with him." Said Gin. "That's more than Cee, Lauri or I managed.“

***

Lauri (Lauriempress) write the Legacy of Jubilee and left the house on day 1 having not spoken to Theo at all.

"True, and being friends will be nice, it is just not what I wanted. I don't know if it is the tea, or the company, but I am certainly feeling better. Thank you everyone." She smiled.

"You are welcome Michelle. I am glad we lifted you out of your funk. I must say I now can't wait to see who will be joining us next, but I think I will have to wait a while to find out." Said Circe.

***

That they will, as will you I'm afraid. Thank you all for reading, I hope you've enjoyed it.

Thanks goes out as always to the creators of al my CC. The clothing mainly comes from All-About-Style, whilst walls etc are from MTS2.

A huge thank you to everyone for the loan of their simselves. That goes double to those who volunteered to take part in this challenge.

=>

I think being cooped up is starting to get to Theo...

...see what I mean?

See you soon for day 5.