Author's Notes: I should be stockpiling, but I'm feeling guilty for not writing the next chapter on my other story. So, this is to help counteract the guilt. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji.

Chapter 3: Her Cousin.

Sitting at his desk, Ciel Phantomhive found himself unable to focus. His mind kept drifting, his thoughts scattered. Usually, the eleven-year-old earl has a good grasp over suppressing his emotions, but today proved to be one of those days to test him.

His eye not hidden behind an eye patch kept glancing towards the letter at the corner of his desk as if it were diseased. The words had enraged him, and he could not help but deem them lies. Filthy, unsupported lies. A scowl worked its way on his face as he tightly pinched the bridge of his nose in irritation.

The door to his study opened, and in strode a familiar face. "I have your afternoon tea prepared, my Lord." At the lack of response and the harsh look upon the young Earl's face, the butler's brow furrowed. "Is something the matter?"

Ciel glared coldly at his butler before gesturing towards the letter. With quick strides, his butler headed towards the desk to pick up the paper along with the other contents. After quickly scanning the page, he queried, "Young master, who is this Isabella Lancastor? And why request her death certificate?"

"She is… was my cousin. The daughter of my father's twin sister." He turned his chair to look outside, refusing to meet the butler's gaze. "She died several years ago, and I was told it was in an accident...I believed that, up until recently."

"What do you…" The butler's voice tapered off as he began to look at the enclosed document. "Oh my. That is certainly not an accident."

"Lies…" The earl growled, a dark look coming over his face. "Isabella would never have done such a thing!" He slammed his fists down on his desk, sending papers flying, though he certainly did not care at the moment. His gaze drifted down, his eyes lost in old memories. "She was too kind, too sweet… Never did I not see her smile."

With a chuckle, the butler spoke. "Humans are strange in that sense. Often I've found that those who smile the most on the outside, weep more than others within their hearts…" A devilish smirk grew on his face. "Such bittersweet souls…"

"She would never have jumped off that bridge!" Ciel snarled, looking upon his butler in a rage. "I may have been a child, but I knew her better than that!"

The butler still appeared skeptical, lifting a gloved hand to rest on his chin. "It sounds as if you were close…"

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"What kind hearted girl," he asked in a mocking tone, "Would let her innocent little cousin see anything but a smile? You were, what, seven? Seven when she died. Not exactly at an age to expose to the woes of the human heart."

"Enough! I refuse to believe this!" Standing abruptly, he ordered, "Sebastian! Prepare a carriage for London. I need answers."

With a devilish smirk, the butler bowed. "Yes, my Lord…"

"So, where exactly in London are we headed, my Lord?"

"According to the documents, within hours of finding Isa…" Hesitation. With a shake of his head, the young earl continued. "…the body, her father had it sent to his private physician for the autopsy."

His brows furrowed as he lifted his hand to his chin in thought. "Not a mortician? Did the police even see the body?"

"No," Ciel stiffly responded. "They never even saw the spot where the body was found. I don't even think he filed a police report. The physician took barely a few hours, and she was shipped off to prepare for a funeral after a few hours…if she even had a proper ceremony."

"You did not attend the funeral."

"No one knew about her passing till a week later. Her father claimed to want a 'small, private ceremony.' I remember how furious my father was, though he tried to hide it…"

Noticing how Ciel's attention kept drifting, Sebastian interjected, "Am I correct to assume that he prepared her body?"

The young Earl nodded. "And you are correct to assume that we are heading to him."

Sebastian smirked.

"Undertaker! I need to speak with you!"

"My, my…" a voice called out from the back room. "What a pleasant surprise. To what do I owe this pleasure?" The voice grew steadily louder until a familiar figure stood before them. Clad in heavy, ratty robes, the Undertaker grinned widely, his long messy hair hanging down his back and in his face. Scars could be seen along his face and hands, just adding to the disturbing vibe the strange man gave off.

"I was wondering if you remembered a particular body you prepared around five years ago—"

"This wouldn't happen to be little Isabella, would it?"

The Earl stiffened, and Sebastian narrowed his eyes. "How did you know that my Lord would ask about her?..."

"I assumed he would ask eventually…" he began. "Once the boy became the Head of the Phantomhives, it was only a matter of time before he found out the family secrets."

"What secrets?" Ciel demanded. "Did she truly kill herself?"

"Oh, such a tragic one she had been… even I could not make her pretty in the end." The Undertaker looked sad as he moved about his little shop, messing with various jars on the shelves. "She had been such a sweet girl… Too young for that."

"You knew her?"

A manic grin grew on his face. "She thought me interesting. Many a night, she snuck into London to talk to me. Such an innocent little thing… always smiled to me no matter what type of gore rolled into my shop."

The young Earl seemed disturbed upon this news, not knowing what his cousin could have been doing sneaking off to see the Undertaker. Deciding to stay on track, he questioned, "How did she die?"

"Officially, she leapt off of one of the many London bridges… found washed up along shore of the Thames the next morning," he began, his voice losing its musical tone. "Unofficially, I was given a corpse that had been shot and stabbed so many times that no one who saw it could believe it to be suicide."

"She was murdered…" Sebastian muttered. Glancing at his pained master, he stated, "Perhaps you were right in assuming she didn't kill herself."

"Who… Who would kill Isabella? Who could kill her?..."

The Undertaker spoke, almost as if thinking to himself. "He must have found out…"

"Who?!" Ciel demanded. "Who found out what?!"

The strange man stared at the boy before him, noticing the unnatural rage on the little boy's face. "I can tell you the who: Her father. He had been abusing her for years, and when he found out the what…well, you know the rest." He turned away to the shelf, stroking a jaw. "But I won't tell you the what. I won't break her trust, even with her death on this plane…"

"But—!"

"No." The anger seemed out of place for the insane man. Neither Ciel nor Sebastian knew what to make of it. "She would not want me to tell you. Now, if you don't mind, please leave. There is nothing else to say."

With that, the Undertaker strode away towards the back of the shop without another glance.

Sebastian gazed at his master, who seemed a bit overwhelmed with everything they had learned. "So, what do you wish to do now? Would you like me to demand more answers from him?"

"No…" Ciel muttered with a sigh. "If she told him in confidence, I can respect her wishes. But right now, we have another target."

"Oh?" Sebastian questioned, following after his master as he left the shop. "And what is that?"

Ciel waited at the door of his carriage for Sebastian to open it and help him inside. "Earl Lancastor. Isabella's father. I want him ruined." After they were both seated, he lifted his eye patch, he stated, "By my command, I want him to suffer for what happened to Isabella."

Blood red eyes flashed magenta. "Yes, my Lord."

"Isabella!"

The hybrid stopped, resting a hand on her hip as she glanced back at her friend. "William, what's wrong? I have to go get my assignment—"

"I am taking your assignment," he quickly stated. "You will be taking mine."

Her brow furrowed. "But I was told there would be a demon murder tonight… That's my territory. Why are we switching?"

William looked hesitant, but he finally decided to be blunt. "It's your father, Isabella. Your father is scheduled to die by a demon's hands tonight… and he is being thrown off your bridge."

Her eyes widened, stepping back a bit in shock. "What? Why?!"

With hardened eyes, he replied, "Ciel found out… and he ordered his butler to avenge you."

She felt like she would be sick.