No 12911, Thursday 16 Apr 2020, Dr. X

Day 23 of 40 Stay safe at home

ACROSS
1   Total loss immediately detected by auditors (5-3) WRITE-OFF (~ right off}
5   Sentimental drivel by female in an excited state leads to blunder (4-2) GOOF-UP {GOO}{F}{UP} Why excited? See comments
10 Ladylike to hold a little scented flower (7) PROSPER {PRO{Sc...d}PER}
11 Small container at hand lacks a wrench (7) SPANNER {S}{PAN}{NEaR}
12 Dinar hit all-time low (5) NADIR*
13 Ruffians, largely violent, rioting in gaols (9) HOOLIGANS {HOt}{IN+GOALS}*
14 Visible apprehension about plot to trap leader of insurgents (2,5,5) IN PLAIN SIGHT {INSIGHT} about {PLA{In...s}N}
18 Bombshells going round substandard party give vent to emotions (4,3,5) BLOW OFF STEAM {BLOW{OFF}S}{TEAM}
21 Brief write-up created about stony coral (9) MADREPORE {MAD{REPORt}E} Thanks to Google

23 Associate involved in escapade around South African village (5) KRAAL {LA{A}RK}<=

24 Reckoning to catch model and scoundrel in bed (7) STRATUM {S{T}{RAT}UM}
25 Small ring found in a tunnel (7) ANNULET*
26 Maiden languorously embraces trainee in a gentle manner (6) MILDLY {M}{I{L}DLY}
27 Essentially nasty juvenile fights in run-down parts of town (4,4) SKID ROWS {naSty}{KID}{ROWS}

DOWN
1   Removing clip in hairpiece (6) WIPING {WI{PIN}G}
2   Losing head, rebel abducts traditional Irish princess in legend (6) ISOLDE {rIS{OLD}E}
3   International language papers note horrific assassination of President (9) ESPERANTO {pAPERS+NOTE}*
4   Mother I feel off, unhappy despite my best efforts (3,3,4,2,2) FOR THE LIFE OF ME*
6   Storybook, a pictorial featuring African animal (5) OKAPI [T]

7   Admirer welcomes bachelor leaving group to perform a lively Spanish dance (8) FANDANGO {F{bAND}AN}{GO}

8   First class seat in dock for passenger (8) PARASITE {PAR{A}{SIT}E}
9   Guess this means someone’s been murdered at night? (1,4,2,3,4) A SHOT IN THE DARK [CD]
15 Weakened son facing destitution and ruin accepts bribe finally (9) SLACKENED {S}{LACK}{EN{b..bE}D}
16 Am so happy filling a tramp’s stomach (8) ABOMASUM {A}{B{AM+SO}*UM}

17 Foolish nonsense! Turn down lousy role (8) FOLDEROL {FOLD}{ROLE*}
19 Shout to attract attention of everyone in band, not softly (6) HALLOO {H{ALL}OOp}
20 Knocking back drink, group rises and cheers (6) ELATES {ALE<=}{SET<=}
22 Celebrate with old group on retirement (5) EXTOL {EX}{LOT<=}

Reference List
Female = F, Small = S, Associate = A, Model = T, Maiden = M, Trainee = L, President = P, Bachelor = B, Son = S, Softly = P

Dr RKE's TalePiece

"You want to marry ISOLDE? I can't FOR THE LIFE OF ME understand what you find in that Irish girl" bellowed Lord Simon Lloyd, the Earl of Nottingham, in a tone which was not just MILDLY reproving. "She is from the SKID ROWS of Belfast and her brothers are HOOLIGANS. Isn't it IN PLAIN SIGHT that she wants to PROSPER by being a PARASITE on our rich family"- he continued to BLOW OFF STEAM. "I have to WRITE you OFF my will, if you go ahead". 

WIPING the sweat from his forehead, John Lloyd, his only son, thought first of reasoning out with his angry father. John and Isolde had met at an ESPERANTO class and it was the case of the rich boy falling for the poor girl- the cliched love at first sight. They had taken a secret holiday in Spain and while doing the FANDANGO there, he had already proposed to her. John knew better than to EXTOL her virtues, when his father was in a rage, and he felt that by opening his mouth, he would only GOOF UP. "Why do parents always delight in throwing the SPANNER in the love life of their sons" wondered John. The relations between Simon and John reached a NADIR with that round disapproval. 

John decided to take A SHOT IN THE DARK. He said "Father, from what STRATUM of society did you choose my mother, 30 years back? Aristocratic? No, she was the butler's daughter in your father's house. Thank God, my mother is no more with us to witness your class prejudice". The mention of his beloved Emily mellowed the senior Lloyd. He SLACKENED and said "OK, A PIece of advice, son. You will mary only Isolde, I will have nothing to do with her family". ELATEd by that, John took off to rush to Isolde and present her with the MADREPORE ANNULET, a family heirloom, that his late mother had reserved for his bride.