Drowning Utopia

Chapter 19: Party of Intrigue

Tessa thought that she might have heard a hint of pity in Miss Briggs's voice. She set her own plate down, clasping her hands. "It depends on what you mean by control. I can put it off. Refrain from taking a particular item or another, but unless I follow through with something else, I have...panic attacks. Bad ones. It's made worse by circumstances where I feel uncomfortable or nervous."

Tessa looked up at the other woman. She was clearly listening, yet she constantly glanced elsewhere, scanning the crowd with her ever-piercing gaze, as if meticulously taking in every detail. Considering the conversation she had overheard between Miss Briggs and Sir Cornwall and not enjoying being the center of the topic at hand, Tessa carefully asked, "What about you? What exactly causes your...overstimulation?"

Miss Briggs focused back on Tessa. "I beg your pardon?"

Tessa felt her face flush a bit from the look Miss Briggs gave her. "It was something that Sir Cornwall said. He mentioned that you were prone to dizzy spells and migraines due to overstimulation. How does that work exactly?"

The secretary's lips drew into a thin line. "Like you, I have a unique condition. I see and process things differently than most."

Wondering if she should even ask, Tessa hesitated before pressing the matter for clarification, "How so?"

"I have a rare form of eidetic memory. Have you heard of the term?"

Tessa thought a moment, "Yes, I believe I read about it in one of the books at the Croft library. If I recall, it is also known as photographic memory. Has something to do with higher-than-average recollection?"

"In part. But for me it is more acute. I see everything. And before you ask, I do not mean that in a figurative way."

"Really?" Tessa said, disbelieving. "All right." She looked around the room. "How many tassels are on that curtain over there?"

"Three-hundred-and-twenty." Miss Briggs straightened her dress without so much as a glance toward the windows.

Tessa guessed that she was probably close based on the number she counted and rounding. She tried another, "What color was Mr. Higgins's tie when he was on stage?"

"Burgundy," she said, sounding a bit annoyed. "Miss Copperfield, I can tell you just about anything you could think up to test my abilities. Everything from the 1809 scotch you had the first night at the school to the number of armed guests most likely here."

Tessa raised her brows. "Are there that many?"

Miss Briggs rolled her eyes. "Out of the twenty-three Liberation War veterans in this room—Excuse me, twenty. Three of them just left—the honor guard with the royal delegation and the others present, excluding the hired security; there are twenty-four armed men and women in this room and at least another eight that I have seen that may have concealed weapons." She adjusted her glasses, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "The point is, Miss Copperfield, at times, I become overstimulated by the amount of information that my mind tries to process. Some days are worse than others. But it is something that I cope with."

Well, no wonder Miss Briggs constantly has been watching me like a hawk. She literally can't help it. Tessa contemplated whether or not it was wise to press the matter so much. The inventor only hoped that she hadn't ruined her chances of potentially going with them back to Avalon if she did decide to accept their offer. The very thought of her circumstances made her stomach turn.

Miss Briggs glanced back toward the throng before she cleared her throat. "If you would excuse me, I do believe that I have been away long enough from my employer." She gave a proper curtsy. "I did enjoy our little chat. I hope to see you around." With that, the prim secretary wandered back into the crowd.