A/N: I know it has taken some time, but I have a beta for this story and other and I swamped her with a large number of chapters. So here you have my humble update for now.
Chapter 4
With dawn came the sun and the carriage, and wagonette loaded with equipment and all the attire a gentleman and his brother would need to go into new society. They were waiting at the entrance to the estate great house as the designated hour of departure drew near. The horses belonging to the gentlemen were readied for the ride, but tethered to the wagonette, in the event that the gentlemen did not wish to ride at the early hour.
The brothers appeared at the door some moments later, one looking sharp, awake and well prepared for the day ahead, the other was far less composed, though dressed as a gentleman aught to be dress. He, however, was ready to returned to his slumbering the moment the carriage had rocked him back to sleep.
Piling into the carriage Mr. Dean Winchester settled in with a wrap of lambs wool and readied himself for the ride. Samuel did a final check of the equipment, left instruction with the butler on where to find them and then climbed into the carriage as well, opting to join his brother rather than to ride alone. Another moment and he knocked on the side door and the carriage set off on the journey before them.
The brothers were silent with one another down the lane and onto the main road. Samuel was quite sure that his brother had fallen asleep again by the time they'd reached the village proper.
Paying little attention to the goings on of their neighbours, they passed through the town where they were generally well know and acquainted with all, turning onto the road that would lead them into the countryside and eventually to Yorkshire. Heading south from their home county, the estates of the gentry spread out before them. But Samuel could not settle into the book he'd brought, as a sense of something nefarious caught ahold of his faculties, drawing his eyes toward the window and away from his snoring brother.
Smoke rose on the horizon and before long the carriage came upon the source of the smoke.
"Stop the carriage," Samuel bellowed to their driver and jumped out before it had completely stopped, startling his brother into wakefulness once more. "My god, what have we done?" He asked himself in a gasping hush as he looked up at the still engulfed house of Mr. and Mrs. Grey.
"The Grey's were not injured in the fire," A voice said at his side and shocked his countenance.
As he turned to see the source of the voice he recognized the angel beside him. "Mr. Castiel, what are you about?" Sam asked in shock at the sight of the angel out in society.
"What's going on?" Dean called groggily from the carriage.
"How do you know that they are safe?" Samuel asked, ignoring Dean as he clamoured out of the carriage and finally observed the extent of the damage.
"The Harvells were intuitive enough to invite the Greys to their estate to dine and kept them late enough that you were able to deal with the spirit that had been haunting them," Castiel explained haughtily. "The spirit is gone but it's destruction caused the blaze. I was unable to save the house, but I did look in at the Harvells to be sure of the safety of its members," he added.
"We've failed," Samuel said as his eyes were drawn back to the building.
"We are rid of the spirit. That was the job," Dean commented as he finally straightened himself out and stood with his brother and the angel, amid the crowd that had gathered and the workers who tried to save the rest of the property.
"I doubt very much that was the extent of the employment that Mr. Harvell tasked you with. You should not have been so hasty," the angel scolded.
"As it stands, the Grey's may be without their home but the land was purged of the evil spirit that haunted them and, as I understand it, Mr. Grey is very rich and the farms of his estate and his assets in the West Indies are thriving, or so he likes to boast. He will rebuild," Dean said with a shrug. "Now come along Samuel, we have business in Yorkshire and two days of travel before we arrive. Let us not dwell on our short comings and I'll remind you that Mr. Harvell did the research upon this spectre and provided the necessary protection for the Grey's while we were tasked only with the destruction. You cannot blame yourself for this," he finished, bowed to the angel as a gentleman aught to do and then retreated once more to his equipage.
"I am very sorry that this has been the outcome," Samuel said once his brother was gone.
"I am as well but I do agree with Mr. Winchester, there was nothing you could have done or anticipated though the combustion of malevolent spirits is common enough and can be very violent as their physical remains are burned to dust. Precautions, aside for the evacuation could have been taken but hindsight does no good in situations such as these," the angel sermonizing and then fell silent.
"And your powers were not enough to save it?" Samuel hushed his voice to a whisper to ask his question.
"I was not aware of your side job and by the time I'd arrived civilians were already at work. Had I known I could have been waiting for your work to be completed and one motion of my heavenly form would have quenched the blaze, but I was not told of this plan," he answered haughtily.
"We would have sent word had we known how to reach you," Samuel countered as the near accusation stung at his good nature.
"I have no need for dwellings but I have adapted to your ways, never the less, it is too late now," Castiel said once more and turned his attention back to the blaze. "Should you need me in future, and I am here in this part of the country, you will find me at the Cross Inn."
"Will you ride with us to Yorkshire? It was you who brought word of the vampires in the first place and we would be grateful of your assistance," Samuel continued to change the subject as his brother impatience had not yet gotten the better of him.
"I thank you, no. I shall stay here in your village to lend my assistance where I can and will join you in Yorkshire when you've settled there. Should you need me before that time when you've finished your investigation and are prepared to undertake the messy task of eradication, and wish for my presence, pray for me and I will come but I do not foresee this as a quick task and so you have work to do," the angel finished and without any of the socially acceptable pleasantries he moved into the crowd and disappeared.
"Mr. Winchester, sir, your brother grows impatient. Please return to the carriage," A footman said shyly as he stepped up to the gentleman.
"I am shocked, Foot, not only because of this tragedy but because my brother had the good sense enough to send you to fetch me rather then to yell it over the crowd," Samuel said and though his speech was serious he smiled at the man before him.
"Begging you pardon, sir, but I rushed from the carriage before the master could begin his shouting, but if we don't return directly, I fear he may still resort to some very ungentlemanly behaviour."
"Yes, I see what you mean," Samuel said as he turned back and watched as his brother summoned him wordlessly but with much vigour. "Let us go," he said and lead the way back as his brother disappeared inside once more.
Climbing back into the vehicle, Samuel found his brother wrapped in the lambs skin once more and glaring at him.
"We shall never make it to Yorkshire and all the way across that large county if you stop at every bend in the road to gossip with the locals," Dean scolded. "Or the heavenly hosts, whichever you come across and keep company with."
"I believe this will be the only delay that I shall cause, dear brother, but it is done now and we are no longer of any use to the Greys or the Harvells and so I agree with you, we must be on our way."
And with that, and a sharp knock on the door, the carriage jolted forward and was off once more.
