The Queen's Black Cat
Chapter 3: A Destined Meeting
Florence
"But Earl, there is a flaw." I love to play with his cold disposition. The Earl so believes that he can beat me at his own game, but he underestimates the Queen's Black Cat. There is a reason why the Taylor family has held the position for so long. And that is for our shew and cunning minds. To choose a case, one must see and understand each and everyone that comes about. Know the playing ground. Memorize each possible suspect's home, then we choose if it is worthy for the Guard Dog.
"A flaw, how?" His sapphire eye catches a glint from the fireplace next to us. His face is so serious, like I have already beat him at his own game. Yet he does not know that the game has only just begun.
"I already know who you are." I feel like laughing right in his face right there. But that would be unladylike and Estelle would give me a strong lecture if that were to happen.
So I giggled.
His blue eye looked like it shrunk back a bit, he looks scared. And scared he should be. But he regained his composure like a good little Earl should.
"Shall we begin Lady Florence?"
"Yes, we shall."
…
"Do you hide in the shadows of London?"
"Ooo interesting first question Mr. Phantomhive, yes."
"I see. Have you dealt with the underground before?"
"Yes."
"Do you work with Scotland yard?"
"It varies."
"Have you any correspondence with the Queen recently?"
"Yes."
"Is it about this party?"
"Yes, and you have three more minutes."
"Three minutes! Who said you could choose the time?" The passion in his eye seemed to scold and mock the fire in the fireplace that warms the two of us.
"Ah ah ah! Only yes or no questions." I raised my hand in the air, taunting him at his own game.
He grumbles a bit before thinking and speaking his next question, "Are you in correspondence with the Queen about my second job?"
My eyes widen. Only after a few questions he seemed to break through and figure out almost precisely what it is that I am. He is beating me when I thought I had the upper hand. I smile a bit at him, a true underdog. Another point for you Mr. Phantomhive.
"Yes."
"Hmm." It is like I am peering into his mind as he works the cogs in his mind to figure out why exactly the Queen has called him here.
"Are you the Queen's rumored Black Cat?"
I stared at him. How could he? Was it the lavish party I held? Was it Estelle's black hair? Or was it… I cannot be sure, but all I do is relax my shoulders and sigh. "Yes. How did you figure it out Mr. Phantomhive?"
He chuckles a bit and also relaxes into his chair more, "First of all, your story? Countess you practically screamed through the rafters that you are the Black Cat. Second of all your decisive ways around me. My lady, you practically beat me at my own game. That is the work of a true Black Cat. And third, no other noble I know deals with the underground London nor Scotland yard unless they are bleeding from both ends."
We laugh together. It is neither ladylike or gentlemanly, but we still do it. We had both deceived the other at the same time, then causing the other to be exposed to the other's self torture.
After we both had calmed down, I really had to ask him the question which was confusing me so, "What were your other two options for my second job Earl?"
"The other options? Well I must be honest Countess, I thought you were either the royal Queen of England, the Black Cat, or a scotland yard detective."
I smiled. This boy was not very ordinary. He had not given up after I had beat him at his own game, he simply picked himself up by the belt loops, dusted himself off and began again. The Earl Ciel Phantomhive, was no ordinary thirteen year old boy. It is not surprising that the Queen would make him the Guard Dog.
Looking up at the clock, almost ten past eleven. I stand and fold my hands in front of me, "Earl would you like to accompany me as we walk to our rooms?"
I watch him raise a brow, dirty little boy, then nods. We leave the morning parlor in a nonsense conversation about how the weather caused him to leave early from his home in the country.
…
The Sunday morning brought a new air to it, small mourning doves cooed in the bird bath over in the side rose garden. The warmth of my blankets make me wish I would never leave them, but the knock on my door prompts me to call in Estelle and begin the horrid routine of entertaining my guests.
"Come in Estelle." The tall white door opens and my maid comes in holding a small tray of tea and the morning post.
She hands me the tea and sets the mail on my bedside table. "Good morning my lady."
I sip the black russian tea, it tastes a bit odd. "Estelle did you not put any sugar in this?"
She stands straight up. She holds my morning work attire and with a worried look on her face comes over to me. She abruptly takes my cup and stares at the design on the front.
"Oh my. Oh my, oh my. M'lady I seemed to have mistaken the Earl's tray for yours. I will promptly change it at once." And she disappears, just like that.
I sigh, with one mistake my morning routine is completely ruined. Bored I lift up my mail and carry it over to my window seat that overlooks the front drive and a view that can see all the way out of the English channel. Flipping through the letters, most of them are about meetings or paperwork for the company, until a single telegram sits at the bottom of my stack of letters. Quickly I open the letter, it is from Alois.
Dearest Flossie,
I understand that this is very short notice, but I just missed you soooooooo much. Claude was telling me about the party you held last night and mentioned the Earl Phantomhive. I just wanted to tell you I am stopping by this noon.
See you then,
Lots of Love
Alois
Alois, coming today? This noon? But he said that he was too swamped to come to the party. Oh well, he does love to pop in like this a lot. I guess he must think that having a party without one's fiancee is quite odd. Alois always likes to play games like this, got to a party there, make merriment there.
As I close the telegram from Alois and I am about to open the next, Estelle walks into my room once again.
Placing down the letters and walking over to the side of my bed, I stare at Estelle confused and angry. "Estelle, you have never made a mistaken like this before. Is something distracting you? I have guests downstairs waiting for me and the Earl must be wondering where I am. This is not adequate work for any servant in this household. This type of mistake is not allow ever again. Do you hear me? Estelle?"
She bows her head and simply replies, "Yes mistress."
"Good." I turn around and hold my arms out, "Now help me into my dress, there is no time for tea today and place my letters in the study, I will finish them after breakfast."
Dashing quickly over to my closet, Estelle sntaches a random dress from one of my many dresses. A long plain looking dress, one that I usually wear when no guests are at the manor and I am just in the study all day long. It's a plaid forest green and navy blue come to my mid calf and ruff off with some navy blue trim on the edge. After Estelle helps me into the form fitting dress, I slip into a tight fitting matching navy blue coat. I quickly move towards my mirror and wait for Estelle.
She gathers up my clothing and such, and folds them hastily as I apply my power and cream. My blonde hair ripples down my back as Estelle brushes it and ties a ribbon to hold up the end pieces near my face. My bangs hang loosely just above my eyes making the outfit complete. I turn around, hold up my foot for Estelle to place the white stockings and matching navy blue heels on my feet.
As I am just about to dash out of my room, my reflection is caught in the mirror. The insignia. Our contract. The small circular tattoo embedded into my skin just on the right middle side of my neck. The vibrant green color just as prominent as when we first made the contract, almost a year ago.
I quickly turn on my heel and look at my maid, "Estelle, where is my ribbon?"
She looks up from her work and scurries over to the vanity, grabs a matching forest green ribbon and ties it around my neck. "Ah Estelle before I forget, Alois will be popping in for lunch this afternoon."
"Yes m'lady." she nods.
And with that I quickly leave my room, making my way to the dining hall where my few guests sit eating and where I should be as well.
…
By mid morning most, if not all the guest have left and only the Earl remains. He had also shown up late to the breakfast and we both ate in silence as the others left and went to wander around the grounds before they were to leave. I had excused myself early and went to my study to work on the letters that had just come in that morning.
There is one simple rule that must to kept every time that Alois decides to make an unexpected house call; always have your work done at least thirty minutes before hand, otherwise there will be no time to entertain him and his needs.
The Earl was planned to stay until after lunch, giving Alois just enough time to make him wish to never have contact with me ever again. But the Earl and I have a special connection, one which surpasses anything my fiancee could throw at him, we have the Queen's rule. Just like our two fathers had done, we must meet once a year (at least), and chat. That's all. Get to know the inspector. Otherwise the cases which I give the Earl would be either too easy or just too complicated.
Placing down my pen and sitting back into my chair, I hold my head in my hands. A small click of the door echoes in the study and I peek to see who it is. Estelle. Her long raven hair trickling down her back almost rivaling her midnight uniform.
"Yes what is it Estelle?"
"It is lunch time m'lady."
"Why do you have to announce it? Can't I just take it in here?"
"M'lady you still have one guest here and Earl Trancy is still to come."
I groan. Balancing work and guests is always the hardest thing to manage. Why couldn't I just been born a boy and not have to deal with them if I so pleased.
I leave my quiet study and my finished work for the cold outside world where I have to meet my husband-to-be and the Earl which I still have to wait for to leave. The red silk hallway which my grandmother so loved mocks me in my plain clothing and drab outside weather which fogs up the glass. Rain pours and streaks down my windows and the plants which live in my manor seem to drip in sadness. I finally make it to the front hall, while the shades are usually open for the plants to take in the sunlight, the shades are drawn so as not to dampen the mood of the guests (or myself to be exact). On the coast is a perfect spot for a plant lover like myself, yet the weather is usually wet and unpredictable most of the time.
Walking into the dining room a face I have not seen in quite sometime has appeared. I stand confused and utterly distraught at his arrival. He finally notices me and jumps out of his chair, dashes over to me and lifts me up. He squeezes me tighter than any corset that Estelle has pushed me into.
"FLOSSIE~!" His light blonde hair curls around his face just as I last remember it. His crystal blue eyes dance with happiness just in seeing me. He always brings a smile to my face when the days are like this.
"Hello Alois. How have you been?"
He places me back down on the floor and I smooth out my dress. The Earl does not seem to be in the dining room and I look back up to my fiancee.
He caresses my cheek and I held his other hand in my own. "I have missed you very much Flossie dear."
I blush, sometimes Alois loves to be such a romantic. "I as well Alois."
He slowly bends down, his sun shine blonde hair falling in front of his eyes and tickling my face as he kisses my cheek. Like lava boiling over on a volcano I can tell my entire body has gone red with embarrassment. Alois always likes to be bold in his statements.
And just when my fiancee pulls back, the small sound of a door closing rings in my ears. I spin around and stare at my other guest, the Earl Ciel Phantomhive. His blue gray hair turned a charcoal in the damp afternoon. His sapphire eye stares into ours with a bit of surprise and embarrassment.
I take a step forward and let go of Alois' hands, "Good afternoon Mr. Phantomhive."
"Afternoon Lady Florence, and this must be your fiancee, Earl Alois Trancy I presume?"
I do an awkward shuffle, "Why don't we all have lunch now. I'm sure Clement's cooking will liven this meeting up." I smile, but it does not help, there is something cooking between the two Earls.
Hey! I guess I'm just updating whenever the fuck I want. Oh well. Whatever, I don't think any of you really care. I'm just trying to get this in so you don't all hate me when I don't update for a week. Anyway, I hope you all like my little bit of romance that Alois and Florence partake in. R&R. See you in the next update, whenever that is. ;)
~Karisma Jestler
