A/N: Hello Again! First off, I cannot tell you how excited I am to be posting my first actual story (not a collection of one-shots). And I am even more excited that this is going to be a good old classic Murder-Mystery! With shocking twists and turns and the widely loved 'who-done-it' ending, I hope to have you all guessing to the very end.
Anyways, he is the Prologue to Murder at Downton Abbey. I tried to incorporate as many characters as possible but unfortunately, we will see more of some than others. And of course, we will lose some along the way. Questions will be raised along the way and each character will be faced with their own mysteries but all will be answered in the end. But don't hold back from telling me what you think, who you think is guilty, and why you would like to see.
And now, with nothing left for me to say, I present to you all Murder! at Downton Abbey.
Decemer 28th, 1913
"Another flawless party." The Lord of Granthom assured the butler. "Truly flawless."
"Thank you, M'Lord" the older man replied.
"I look forward to our next. When you are in charge Carson, everything runs smoothly." The lord of the house then yawned as the clock chimed once, telling them how late it was. "Well, I am off. My wife is surely expecting me." He chuckled, still a little drunk from the evening.
"Goodnight, M'Lord" the butler replied.
A while later, the butler had finished his rounds of the house, making sure everything was in order. The lord of the house had strict rules for how the Abbey was to be maintained and the responsibility to make sure those rules were upheld fell upon the butler. He was now crawling into his bed and turning out the candle when he heard a nearby clock chime three times. Just as his body relaxed and he was preparing for sleep a loud bang shocked him awake. He quickly relight the candle, pulled on his robe and shoes and bolted out of his room. In the hallway he saw the other servants, poking their heads out of their rooms, all shocked at what they had heard. The butler quickly and firmly walked down the hallway, pausing for nothing. Just as he passed the head housekeeper's room she opened her door prepared to inspect what had caused the noise. They climbed the servant's staircase together and reached the main floor to find it all in order. They swiftly but efficiently checked each room on their way to the main entrance.
Open coming to the main entrance the butler expected to find the family all waiting in shock and expecting an explanation for the commotion. Instead, the room was empty and the large front doors to the house stood wide open, swinging in the wind of the storm outside.
Both the butler and the housekeeper stood there shocked but only shortly before returning back downstairs to recruit the rest of the staff to inspect the massive house. The chauffer drove to the local town, looking for help as every inch of the house was inspected.
November 15th, 2013
Thunder and lightning crackled outside on the dark and stormy night. Rain poured down in sheets, threatening to soak to the bone anyone who dared walk outside. This sort of night was ideal for families to lighten the mood with laughter and games or for couples to enjoy each other's sweet presence by the fire.
However, on this particular night, no such bliss was being had at Downton Abbey. The ominous mansion stood threatening any who dare walk near the estate. The Abbey was located directly in the center of its large and extensive estate mostly filled by a dense forest. Many in the town that lived close by had never dared go farther than where the tree line ended, mostly terrified by the story of the extensive mansion.
Downton Abbey was owned by a large and well respected family when it was at its peak in the early 1900's. Parties were held weekly. Guests were dined nightly. The family was at the height of English society. Until one dark night in late December of 1913, the family mysteriously vanished. The downstairs staff awoke that night to a large bang and the family nowhere in sight. The police questioned each employee endlessly and word of the unsolved mystery spread across the nation. The investigation lasted for months, officers tirelessly working in hopes of finding the long lost family but nothing was ever found. At first, a ransom note was expected, after a while people expected to find their bodies. People suddenly paid extra attention to the ones they passed on the street, secretly hoping to see a face that belonged to the family. All attempts were eventually realized to be in vain.
Despite their unexplained disappearance, the staff seemed unaffected. They worked day and night as if expecting the family to return at any moment. The grounds and house remained in pristine conditions, exactly as before. When the original staff grew older and had children of their own, the next generation then took up their parents work to maintain the grounds. Down to the current day, it is still kept by the grandchildren of the original staff.
Now, only a few weeks before the 100th anniversary of the family's disappearance the current butler and head housekeeper sat in a room of the house drinking tea.
"You are sure we chose the right people to come?" the housekeeper asked.
"I am positive." He responded to her.
She looked down at her shaking hands, for the first time in her life fearful of this large house and what was soon to take place in it.