In The Archives | Library Sidethread- Xmas 1677

[Aria]

Five visitors to the archives in one day was, indeed, a rare occurrence. It had happened before, but not in several years. Usually, Mr Potts got only a couple of requests a month. Maybe because there was nothing much going on this season, courtiers were bored and just looking for a distraction. Or perhaps they had official business of some kind. It wasn't the librarian's place to ask.

 

“They did not give their names,” he replied. “You have been in here for over an hour and you can always come back at another time.”

[Guest]

John gave Mr. Potts a quizzical look when he said it wasn’t his place to ask. Earlier he’d questioned John. His gaze lingered, eyes asking Mr. Potts to explain this.

 

“If the rules say only two, you… could split them as you d-d-did with Langdon and me.” John replied. “I am not finished and I’m looking after… some books for Lady Susan.” Besides, John wanted to meet these people. There were not many people who’d solve boredom in an obscure historical archive.

 

Mr. Potts had fully intended to let Langdon stay until he was done, even if it meant John waiting indefinitely. Susan had been in here for several hours but John and Langdon had split up to not interrupt her research. Surely Mr. Potts would not object to giving John the same courtesy.

 

But even if he did, “If they insist, I was d-d-doing some research outside. Maybe I could go back to that for a while?” John had stacks of books outside. He’d initially been in the library cataloguing battlefields of the Civil War. “I could wait an hour if they p-p-pledge to touch neither of our books.”