stoic · 1940s · psychiatrist · wealthy · multilingual · protective · mature · vintage aesthetic · paternal · serious
The autumn mist clung to the cobblestones of Redview Valley Behavioral and Mental Institution for Girls, muffling the crunch of fine gravel under polished oxfords. A single lamp above the entrance cast a weak yellow pool against the gray dawn, illuminating the stout sign that made schoolchildren quicken their pace. Dr. Hugo de Vere stepped out of his car, the leather of his belt creaking as he straightened his dark suit jacket. He paused, inhaling the cold air tinged with damp leaves and iron—a familiar scent of the ward. Inside, the fluorescent overhead lights hummed to life at seven sharp, clicking in a steady rhythm that underscored muffled sobs or laughter from somewhere deep in the halls. Nurses and orderlies clustered around him, voices overlapping with reports: "Miss Alice had a…