Rabbit Hunt Part Two
Next up, Victor actively seeking out the rabbit! This one probably shows off best just how much things changed from the initial idea to what we saw in the actual fanfic verse. No Harry Hightopp, Fred's got a different last name, the police just barely know Victor, Victor never tracked down Radcliffe on his own (in fact, I probably never even envisioned him visiting Threadneedle)... It's still a nice scene, I think, but I'm much happier with how much more filled-out the universe and Victor's place in it ended up. (However, do note that, even at this early stage, the NPCs were more aware of how serious Victor and Alice's relationship was than they were. XD)
Victor looked around as he entered the police station. It was a relatively quiet day at the Bow Street Lock-Up – just one prostitute being interviewed by an officer. He’d managed to slip away from Houndsditch and Alice for a little while, citing a personal errand. He swallowed nervously – this was more than just a personal errand. This was something that might make or break Alice’s Christmas. Please, please let me find what I’m looking for here…
The policeman manning the desk looked up as he approached. “Hello, and what – hey, aren’t you that bloke who’s always around Alice Liddell?”
“That’s me, sir,” Victor said, recognizing the cop in turn as one of the men he’d met while checking up on Alice when she’d been temporarily incarcerated, Fred Dickens. “Victor Van Dort.”
“Right, the rich boy. How is Alice? Glad not to have lock her up again, of course, but it’s a bit odd, not seeing her around.”
“She’s fine – much better now that Bumby’s gone,” Victor said, face darkening for a moment.
“Yeah, I bet. Discovering what the good doctor was up to put me off my feed for three full days,” the cop replied, scowling. “Glad to hear she’s all right now.” He grinned at Victor. “You finally ask her to marry you?”
Victor turned pink. “She’s o-only just agreed to court me,” he blurted. “It’s a b-bit soon.”
“Right, right. Just don’t wait too long now,” Fred said, winking. “So what brings you here?”
“I was hoping you could help me find someone,” Victor said, ignoring his blush. “Wilton J. Radcliffe, the Liddell family lawyer.”
“What do you want to find that fat git for? Pardon my language.”
“He’s got something of Alice’s,” Victor said, absently pulling a little at his tie. “Her rabbit. I want to get it b-back for her for the holiday.”
“Oooh…what did he want her rabbit for?”
“I haven’t the slightest, but Alice said he’d refused to give it back when she asked,” Victor replied, scowling. “And now that his quarters on Threadneedle Street are abandoned… .” He looked desperately at Fred. “I was h-hoping you could f-find something. A clue, at least. I just – I want to make this a happy Christmas for her.”
“Well, if it’s in the spirit of Christmas, I think I can have a look,” Fred said with a smile. “First, though – hey, you lot!” he yelled at the other officers loitering in the front office. “Any of you seen a Mr. Wilton Radcliffe anywhere about? Fat lawyer fellow?”
Most of the men shook their heads. Victor sighed, letting his shoulders slump. Of course it wouldn’t be that easy–
“Actually, I might have,” an Irish-accented officer said, frowning. “Saw him walking by that Lady Katherine’s School For Young Girls. Seemed to be making a donation to them – they’re collecting toys for Christmas.”
Victor’s heart gave a leap – could it be? But why would he just give the rabbit away, after keeping it for so long? Still, it was a lead, and the best one he had at the moment. “Where’s the school?” he asked, adjusting his tie knot.
“Over on Throgmorton Street – you can’t miss it, it’s got a big sign out front,” the Irishman said.
“Thank you!”
“Good work, Phil – I’ll keep a lookout for you, just in case this don’t lead to anything,” Fred said before Victor could rush out.
“Thank you very much – wish me luck!” With that, he was out the door.
The policeman manning the desk looked up as he approached. “Hello, and what – hey, aren’t you that bloke who’s always around Alice Liddell?”
“That’s me, sir,” Victor said, recognizing the cop in turn as one of the men he’d met while checking up on Alice when she’d been temporarily incarcerated, Fred Dickens. “Victor Van Dort.”
“Right, the rich boy. How is Alice? Glad not to have lock her up again, of course, but it’s a bit odd, not seeing her around.”
“She’s fine – much better now that Bumby’s gone,” Victor said, face darkening for a moment.
“Yeah, I bet. Discovering what the good doctor was up to put me off my feed for three full days,” the cop replied, scowling. “Glad to hear she’s all right now.” He grinned at Victor. “You finally ask her to marry you?”
Victor turned pink. “She’s o-only just agreed to court me,” he blurted. “It’s a b-bit soon.”
“Right, right. Just don’t wait too long now,” Fred said, winking. “So what brings you here?”
“I was hoping you could help me find someone,” Victor said, ignoring his blush. “Wilton J. Radcliffe, the Liddell family lawyer.”
“What do you want to find that fat git for? Pardon my language.”
“He’s got something of Alice’s,” Victor said, absently pulling a little at his tie. “Her rabbit. I want to get it b-back for her for the holiday.”
“Oooh…what did he want her rabbit for?”
“I haven’t the slightest, but Alice said he’d refused to give it back when she asked,” Victor replied, scowling. “And now that his quarters on Threadneedle Street are abandoned… .” He looked desperately at Fred. “I was h-hoping you could f-find something. A clue, at least. I just – I want to make this a happy Christmas for her.”
“Well, if it’s in the spirit of Christmas, I think I can have a look,” Fred said with a smile. “First, though – hey, you lot!” he yelled at the other officers loitering in the front office. “Any of you seen a Mr. Wilton Radcliffe anywhere about? Fat lawyer fellow?”
Most of the men shook their heads. Victor sighed, letting his shoulders slump. Of course it wouldn’t be that easy–
“Actually, I might have,” an Irish-accented officer said, frowning. “Saw him walking by that Lady Katherine’s School For Young Girls. Seemed to be making a donation to them – they’re collecting toys for Christmas.”
Victor’s heart gave a leap – could it be? But why would he just give the rabbit away, after keeping it for so long? Still, it was a lead, and the best one he had at the moment. “Where’s the school?” he asked, adjusting his tie knot.
“Over on Throgmorton Street – you can’t miss it, it’s got a big sign out front,” the Irishman said.
“Thank you!”
“Good work, Phil – I’ll keep a lookout for you, just in case this don’t lead to anything,” Fred said before Victor could rush out.
“Thank you very much – wish me luck!” With that, he was out the door.