Jeeves and the Missing Manuscript - Chapter 1

[mellifluous-gel.livejournal.com]

This is my first go at a J&W fanfic, or really fanfic with the in-universe characters, in general. I've done a bit of 'put your own original character in X setting', but that's the extent. So... please be kind? ^_^; I am, of course, open to any constructive feedback you chaps and chappesses with more experience in this genre might have to offer! And I suppose I should thank polly_oliver for inspiring this after a fashion with her topic about fic she was thinking of writing. I suggested Agatha Christie or one of her characters as a possible masquerade costume and the fic sprung from there. What would happen if Bertie met Agatha Christie? 


Title: Jeeves and the Missing Manuscript
Chapter: 1/16
Pairing: Bertie/Jeeves
Rating for Chapter: G
Summary: Bertie meets a young Agatha Christie and hits it off with her at a garden party. She even offers to let him read and comment on her latest manuscript, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, before she posts it to her publisher. Of course, mayhem ensues when the manuscript is stolen and Jeeves and Bertie must find and return it to the rightful owner. Mix in a dash of danger, anger, angst, and unrequited feeling, and it's the perfect storm for 'certain whatsits' to come to light.
Disclaimer: Jeeves, Bertie, and all characters associated with their idyllic world belong to P.G. Wodehouse. Mrs. Christie belongs to herself last I checked.


“But what are we to do re: 'The Situation of Mrs. Christie and Her Manuscript', Jeeves?” I asked, shivering even as my man lifted one of my feet, then the other, into a basin of steaming water. “I hardly think: ‘Sorry, Agatha, old fruit, but I lost the thing whilst fending off a rabid Byng and hound down by Ginny's Lake.’ will suffice.”

The gentlest of coughs, as a sheep upon a dale that did not wish to disturb the late-rising songbirds. “Assuredly not, sir. However, I believe you mean: ‘A Byng and rabid hound’.”

“I bally well meant what I said, Jeeves!” I huffed. “Stiffy was positively foaming at the mouth when I told her who that manuscript belonged to. Lucky the old girl wasn’t in a masticating mood.” I prodded delicately at the bandage encasing a sizable portion of the young master's calf. A speckling of red dotted the outside. “Rather a shame Bartholomew wasn’t of a similar disposition.”

Jeeves’ eyebrow rose a millimeter as he adjusted a blanket around my shoulders with unnecessary attention. “The injury is an unfortunate one, sir, but we must console ourselves in the knowledge that the animal has a discerning eye when choosing its particular targets.”

I snapped my head up, but the powerful glare of Woosterly whatsit was wasted on the back of my man’s head as he shimmered away to fill a tumbler with the good old w. and s. “Yes. Remarkable, Jeeves. I thought, perhaps, that my plaid trousers might be salvageable. You being the supposed paragon that you are," I added, and I meant it to sting.

The ebony brow crept a molecule higher as he handed me the drink, and I almost felt sorry for lashing out at him when it hadn't been his fault. 'Almost' is a far cry from 'certainly', though. “I regret that no thread in my sewing kit would be a suitable shade with which to mend the garment, sir. If you would like me to replace it with something more appropriate to the season, however, I would be only too happy to contact Mr. Chesterton at the earliest possible–”

“Dash it, Jeeves! I told you I don’t want a new set of gray trousers, and that’s the end of it!”

“Very good, sir,” he said in that soupy way of his that rather screams: ‘And kindly go boil your head, sir. If it’s not too much trouble, sir. In fact, I should be happy to heat the pot, sir. If you would step this way, sir.’ Remarkable what the man can convey in just three words, but then, that’s why he’s a marvel.

“Let us focus on what’s important, Jeeves: Mrs. Christie’s manuscript. Stiffy’s sunk her claws into it and means to keep hold until she’s run it round her friends and half the countryside. I mean to say, that’s just not cricket! We can’t expect Mrs. Christie to take well to her hard work tossed about like a dinner roll at the Drones. I’m of the mind to share and share alike with a good book, but it should be a published one, what?”

“Indeed, sir.”

Hold on just a moment.

Oh, dash it all! I’ve done it again. Some hundreds of words in and you haven’t the slightest idea what I’m babbling about. Well, I suppose I should start more toward the beginning. In fact, Jeeves has just assured me that this would be the wisest course of action, and Jeeves tends to know best - especially in matters of a more delicate nature. Of course, as this particular work is unlikely to be amongst my published volumes, I’m not sure it matters all that much.

But, well, an author chappie has to write to an audience, imaginary as they might be. At least I hope they remain imaginary. I wouldn’t care for the sort of attention this particular tale would bring down on yours truly. Jeeves, as well, could do without, you know? He’s a secretive chap to begin with, and this story does a bit of outing of his more intimate thoughts, desires, and whatsits, not to mention my own. That happened later, though.

I suppose I should begin again, then. You see, it all started when I met Mrs. Agatha Christie at a garden party hosted by Lady Wickhammersley down at Twing Hall...

(Onward to Chapter 2)

Comments

[erynn999.livejournal.com]

Oooh this is a delightfully promising start! I'll be very much looking forward to the rest of it!

[mellifluous-gel.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I'll do my best to deliver on the promise.

SMILE

[krisreinke.livejournal.com]

Very fun start. I can't wait to see where you go with this.

I adore your 'Jeevesvoice'. *grin*

Re: SMILE

[mellifluous-gel.livejournal.com]

He is a delightfully entertaining fellow to voice, as I'm sure a majority of the community is aware. Plus, having found the series via the television show, I have the added bonus of imagining him as Mr. Stephen Fry.

[mxdp.livejournal.com]

Well, I am definitely intrigued...

[mellifluous-gel.livejournal.com]

Glad to hear it! I'll do my level best to keep it intriguing.

[durffy.livejournal.com]

Lovely! Looking forward to Chapter Two!

Your Wodehouse "voice" is wonderful!

[mellifluous-gel.livejournal.com]

Danke! I've learned most of said voice from reading the fics around here, so I should be thanking all the lovely writers who have writ before me.

[lilyv687.livejournal.com]

Ooo, this is fun! They'd better get that manuscript back, or Christie might conduct a real murder... :P I wonder if Jeeves would have guessed the murderer if he read the manuscript? Ha! What am I saying? Of course he would have! Can't wait to read the next chapter! :D *christie/wodehouse = <3)

[mellifluous-gel.livejournal.com]

Ah, but if you've read this particular volume, it's a very special one for Christie and the murder mystery genre. I do have a fun scene planned for Bertie and Jeeves when they discuss the manuscript, though. Still to come! Thanks so much for reading. Hope you'll continue to enjoy.:)

[polly-oliver.livejournal.com]

Oh my god, someone on the Internet had an idea because of me! And wrote a story! What! Amazing!

Though of course I cannot claim credit for your idea, as it is something I would never have thought of, and also, I have never read any Christie.

This is lovely! I'm off to read part two!

P.S. “The injury is an unfortunate, one, sir, but we must console ourselves with the knowledge that the animal has a discerning eye when choosing its particular targets.” <<---I adore this. :D

[mellifluous-gel.livejournal.com]

*grin* I thank you, in any case, for scaring up the plot bunny that led to this little endeavor, miss. And that was one of my favorite lines, as well. Jeeves lives by the trope of Servile Snarker.