"FURTHERMORE, if you don't do something soon, we're all going to end up in H-"
"Mr. Chandler... You have a guest." Simbene's calm voice broke through the heated argument that was occurring in the drawing room.
"Jesus Christ, if it's the shithead inspector from Scotland Yard, I'll-"
"It is a woman." Simbene cut Ethan off. Ethan frowned, glanced around then gestured to Simbene, lost for anything else to do. He had no idea who would be wanting to call on him at this point in time. It couldn't possibly be Hecate, she wouldn't dare come here in human form. He hadn't solicited any other female company in quite some time.
"I wasn't aware you were seeing anyone, Mr. Chandler?" Vanessa said, her face transitioning from her earlier hard anger to cool politeness in a manner of seconds.
"I hardly think this is the time to be courting." Dr. Frankenstein said, wiping a hand across his face. He was still piecing together exactly what had transpired during their argument.
"I assure you, I haven't been traversing that particular sector in a while." Ethan protested, turning to pick up his earlier abandoned cup of tea from the side table.
"Ethan?" He glanced at the door. The teacup clattered back to the table as Ethan choked on his tea.
"Mr. Chandler?" Vanessa asked, brow creasing as her gaze darted between the now seemingly petrified Ethan and the young woman in the doorway.
"Amelieanne Raelene! What the fuck are you doing here?" He turned around, fixing the petite blonde in a narrowed glare.
"Mr. Chandler. Do explain." Vanessa demanded, eyes wide.
"Ms. Ives, Dr. Frankenstein. May I introduce Amelianne T-Chandler... my sister." Ethan forced out through gritted teeth.
"How do you do." Amelie curtsied, then moved to take off her red velvet hat, setting it on a side table. Her wide blue eyes never left the others in the room, darting between Ethan and the others almost fearfully.
Ethan could feel the inquisitive stares of his colleagues. His mind spun. What the hell was his sister doing in Greater London? She was supposed to be at boarding school, for fuck's sake! He hadn't seen her since she was eleven, which would make her... shit, twenty now? She looked nearly unrecognizable in a red velvet travelling dress and lace gloves, all golden curls and dainty features.
"Perhaps you could excuse us?" Ethan said to the others in the room. Dr. Frankenstein immediately inclined his head and made haste for the front door, Vanessa warily passed Ethan in the direction of the kitchen.
Once they were gone, Ethan took a deep breath and tried to process the situation. They hadn't exchanged so much as a word in the last decade, and now his baby sister was here, a grown woman. The literal last thing he needed with hell knocking on the front door as it was.
"How'd you find me?" He growled, moving to sit on the couch. Amelie remained standing, pulling off her lace gloves. She pursed her lips and fixed him in a hard stare.
"Please. Once Scotland Yard blasts their way into your personal files, anyone can find you. Picking up your trail was as easy as finding a wounded animal in the snow." She pulled a stray blonde curl away from her face and moved to sit across from him.
"Funny, that English accent almost hides your American treachery. Dad put you up to this?" He suddenly wished he had a drink. Amelie let out a bark of laughter.
As if he could read minds, Simbene appeared in the doorway from the kitchen bearing a tray of tea and what mercifully looked to be brandy. Amelie accepted the tea gratefully and began drinking large gulps. Ethan noticed her hands shaking slightly. Simbene watched in surprise as Amelie quickly took two biscuits and nibbled them to nothing in mere seconds.
"How long's it been since you ate, kid?" Ethan asked, watching as she took two more biscuits and ate them as quickly as the first two.
"A day? Maybe more. Things are a little fuzzy." She said, taking another gulp of tea. "I hitched on a carriage ride, then walked a good portion, then hitched a wagon, then... walked more? I think. Yes."
"Simbene, would you be kind enough to rustle my sister up a meal?" Simbene nodded and disappeared into this kitchen. It was silent for a few moments as Amelia chewed the last biscuit on the tray and took another long sip of tea. Ethan eyed his untouched brandy, but another still remained to be answered.
"Kid, where did you come from? I thought you were being sent to boarding school in Rochester?" Amelie swallowed and eyed him warily.
"Cornwall. Father thought it would be best for me to receive an English education after... what happened."
"That sounds like he just wanted to you track me down like you did. You always were his pet. Tomorrow, you're in the carriage back to school."
Amelie's eyes widened and she lunged across the coffee table to grip his wrist tightly.
"You will not. Send. Me. Back." She said, large blue eyes burning into his. Ethan immediately noticed that her skin felt abnormally warm, like she were feverish.
"Are you feeling-" He didn't finish the sentence before Amelie Chandler's large blue eyes rolled back into her head and she toppled to the side, knocking the tea tray over as she went. Ethan grabbed her arm and managed to steer her ascent clear of the furniture.
"Simbene, run after the good Doctor." Vanessa's voice came from the doorway, both of them alerted by the crash. The manservant rushed to the door.
"Dammit, kid. You're more trouble that you're worth." Ethan growled, pulling a stray curl away from his sister's flushed cheek. He looked wistfully at his cup of brandy, now spilled all over the carpet. In the afternoon light, the dark stain looked eerily like blood.