Thorn Bush (Doctor Who Story)

Chapter 36: The Unicorn and the Wasp Part One

Kathy taps her fingers anxiously on the wheel of the car she drives as she pulls up to the Eddison manor. This is a big day, and she can't believe it's already here. Kathy had practically jumped up and down when she had received an invitation from Lady Eddison to the point where she knows Strax would have questioned if they needed the grenades to deal with her. Sadly, the Sontaran butler had passed eleven years ago now, already outliving his expected 25 years.

She had sneakily intercepted herself into Lady Edison's circle as a young widow while the woman was in London, lamenting about how she'd love to spend more time in the country and how her companion (Madame Jenny – the human is in her 60s now and is believable the guardian of a wayward widow) is concerned by her lack of marriage (everyone believes Kathy is around her early/mid-twenties so the fact she's not remarried and it's 1926, is odd).

Her car pulls onto the gravel just as two servants come out, the butler and a footman. Kathy is driving an open-topped tourer. She's always very conscious and aware of driving these kinds of cars due to the lack of safety that comes with them (no seatbelts – looking at you Matthew Crawley) and while she knows she'll survive an accident; Kathy would rather avoid such incidents.

"The lady's baggage, Richard. Step lively." Greeves the Butler instructs.

Kathy climbs out of the car as the footman hurries to grab her things. She is wearing a deep blue flapper dress with a matching bag hanging off her arm. Her light brown hair is neatly pulled up into a bun, with a few curly strands of her hair hanging around her face.

"Good afternoon, Mrs Raedan." (She had chosen to use her first father-in-law's name as her last name. She had rather liked him)

"Hello, Greeves, lovely day we have." She greets.

"Of course." The butler replies. "Lady Eddison requests you make yourself comfortable in your room. Cocktails are being served on the lawn."

"Thank you." Kathy follows Richard as he takes her things to her room. She honestly buzzing with excitement. She's met all of the Doctor's modern companions since Rose that she knows of (and one she hasn't – Dan) except one, Donna Noble, who hopefully already knows her, and so half the work has already been done.

——

She arrives in the garden just as music begins playing from a golden phonograph. A long table decorated with a fancy white tablecloth with an arrangement of food and drinks on top had been placed into the shade of a tree. Different smaller tables were placed around with wicker chairs arranged for sitting in the bright sunlight of the lovely day.

As Kathy approaches where the cocktails are being served, it doesn't take her long to pick out Donna and the Doctor though probably because none of the other guests have arrived and it's just Lady Eddison, Donna has changed into a beaded dress suitable for the period. The Doctor is already The Man in the Brown Suit. The two jump to attention at the sight of Kathy as she approaches. She flashes a quick smile and receives two back.

"Ah, Mrs Raedan, I heard about that strange incident with Houdini." Lady Eddison greets, she offers her hand and the two have a brief shake. "You get into far many incidents young lady. I hope Ms Flint keeps an eye on you."

Kathy presses a polite smile on her face. "When doesn't she?"

Davenport appears beside them. "Drinks, Ma'am?"

Kathy smiles softly at the footman. "I'll have a Clover Club please." The footman nods, leaving and Kathy sidles up to the Doctor and Donna.

"Kathy!" Donna greets happily. Good to know she seems to like her. "What are you doing here?"