Prelude Human Nature (short story)

 was, as the name suggested, a prelude to Human Nature by Paul Cornell. It was a short scene which did not appear in the published novel, and featured Alexander Shuttleworth and Joan Redfern. It was notable for introducing the character of Wolsey, a cat who travelled with the Seventh Doctor in the Virgin New Adventures series. This was the final DWM prologue to a New Adventures novel.

Summary
Alexander Shuttleworth has come to give a lecture to Joan Redfern's WI group in Farringham on the subject of bronze age archaeology. Before he does so, however, he enjoys a bit of cake, and a bit of scrutiny, provided by the other women in the group. Meanwhile, an off-hand comment by one of the women about Joan's widowhood sends Joan into deep thought about her lost husband. This then triggers another thought — one of a dream she had about her new colleague, the mercurial Dr John Smith.

Characters

 * Alexander Shuttleworth
 * Joan Redfern
 * Several unnamed women of the Women's Institute
 * Wolsey the cat

Continuity
to be added