Ehh...Had some major writers block -_- But at last, Chapter Nine! Please bear with me :)


Chapter Nine
Secrets of a Scarlet Lady

It takes just two days for Ciel Phantomhive to learn every single detail, insignificant or otherwise, about the lady in red. Everything from her height to her job to her philosophical views, he has memorised. Like a cunning serpent, stalking its prey: he is ready.

Because if the world were a room, the Earl of Phantomhive would have the famous 'Madame Red' pinned in a corner. Tied to a chair, maybe – or strung from shackles...But the overall point is the same: she is completely and utterly trapped.

So two days after the Undertaker's visit, she rolls up in a crimson carriage; right into the serpent's mouth. She unfolds herself from the carriage.

THE FAMOUS MADAME RED
She is, of course, doused in crimson: her eyes, her lips, her hair; her skirt, her waistcoat, her hat...The only relief from this blood stained body is a white, ruffled blouse and some black gloves.

"Welcome, Madame" Sebastian bows, and takes a leather suitcase from her hands.

Her heels click on the ground, and she stops to survey the group of servants and the Young Earl awaiting her.

"You must be Ciel Phantomhive," the lady assumes, talking to the best dressed of all of us.

"That would be correct. Do come inside, Madame" he motions, and everyone follows him up the steps and into the manor.

"I trust you know why you are here?" the Earl asks.

"To check up on your servants, no? Which room may I use?" she asks.

The crimson lady had refused to have a formal meeting with anyone. But she is a doctor, so Ciel Phantomhive simply asked for her to do a health check on the servants. She obliged. As a doctor, she is available. As Angelina Durless, she is not.

"Through here," the boy motions to one of the small libraries, "I trust you will find this adequate?"

She surveys the small room, which has already been filled with a desk and two chairs. Some weighing scales also sit on the floor. "This will do," she says, and Sebastian sets the suitcase down by the door.

"If you could wait outside, I shall set up and call you in individually, yes?" she asks us, and we nod in unison, walking out of the room.

When the door shuts, Phantomhive looks and all of us meaningfully "just do what I asked you to, okay? Meet me in the kitchen later." and he walks up the stairs to his office, leaving all of us.

The boy has planned this with exact precision. We all have questions to ask the doctor. Mine is to ask her about her love life...Not exactly the easiest of options.

As we line up outside the room, my heart begins to beat faster with nerves. I am one of the last servants to be checked up.

Tanaka enters the room, and he stays in there for ten minutes. Tanaka doesn't have a question to ask her, he's supposed to just make small talk – we don't want to seem too curious. He leaves the room, gives us a knowing nod, and heads down to the kitchen.

Maylene enters second. She is in there for fifteen minutes, which is enough for us to give each other sideways glances of concern. But at long last, she leaves the room, shutting the door behind her quietly. She looks slightly pale, but seems to be fine as she too walks to the kitchen. I wonder what Madame Red could have told her about the victims' wedding.

Finny enters the room. It is just me, Sebastian and Bard now.

"I'm gunna go put the meat in the oven for dinner, I'll be back in a sec." Bard tells us and disappears down to the kitchen.

So it's just me and Sebastian.

"You look nervous," he smirks down at me, and I scowl. "Stop acting so scared or she'll get suspicious." I grit my teeth and try to pretend he's not there.

"Or are you nervous because you're with me?" he asks quietly, in what I hope is only mock seriousness.

"Oh, please. Get over yourself," I spit. I'm not usually so outspoken, but I amon edge. However I can't help thinking that maybe Sebastian does have something to do with my sweaty palms and abnormally quick heartbeat.

"So your pulse doesn't quicken when you're with me?" he teases, leaning in so his face is just inches from mine. It's immediately harder to get oxygen out of the air.

I laugh, "I actually think it slowed," I lie, because my pulse is so loud I can hear it in my ears.

He laughs too and drops the conversation, stepping away from me so that I can actually breathe again. But then he catches me off guard and grabs my wrist.

"Hey," I glare, trying to earn a release from his iron grip. His fingers dig into my wrist, feeling what must surely be a raging pulse. I cringe.

He smirks. "Slowed, did it?" he mocks, and I glare.

"That's only because you're harassing me" I wrench my hand away from his. It feels disconcertingly bare without him clutching it.

"Of course" he says disbelievingly, with that smug smile on his face.

At that moment, Finny walks out of Madame Red's room, pulling his shirt back on.

"You're up" he says to Sebastian, and winks at us. But I can see that there is more than a hint of concern in his eyes. Did he manage to ask her his question? He was supposed to enquire as to the events she has been participating in over the past year.

I try to give him a 'Was-It-Okay?' look, but he avoids our gaze and heads down to the kitchen.

"Don't miss me too much, my love!" Sebastian mocks, and I shoot him a look of disgust. But as he disappears into the room, I can't help but notice that my head is no longer fuzzy and there isn't a strange feeling in my stomach anymore. Strange, huh...

Sebastian stays in the room for a long time. Bard comes back from the kitchen (his hair certainly more afro-like than it was before), and gives me a biscuit. We chew in silence as we try to calm our nerves.

Well, I say 'we', what I really mean is 'me'. Bard is unfazed – he doesn't have a question to ask Madame Red. Again, to avoid suspicion - but also to give us all time to evaluate if Madame Red is the culprit of the murder down in the kitchen. The idea is to get enough information today so that we can corner her and end this before she leaves.

Sebastian emerges from the room, buttoning up his white shirt again. I hate the way my heart beats faster as I set eyes on an ivory, well toned chest. Pull yourself together! I avert my gaze before he can sneer at me again, and then give him an enquiring look. He nods once, then leaves for the kitchen.

I'm next.

I walk into the crimson lady's room, and shut the door behind me. I get the disconcerting feeling of being trapped. I turn to face Madame Red, who sits at the desk, reading some paper work. She seems paler than I remembered.

"Take a seat," she says, and I sit down in front of her desk.

"So, Skye Riverson," she surveys me with her chin resting on folded hands. Is it just my imagination, or is there worry in her eyes? "Tell me a little bit about yourself."

"Uh...Well..." I don't know where to begin.

"How did you arrive here?" She asks. I frown, why does she need to know?

"Skye, I am supposed to ensure your mental wellbeing too. Please answer my questions"

"My family..." I debate whether or not to tell her. But then I figure I might as well. How can I expect her to share private information with me, if I won't do her the same favour? "My parents were killed so I had to run away. I found myself here, and Ciel Phantomhive took me in as his maid" I leave out the part where he bound me to a chair and threatened to kill me.

"Oh, how tragic," she says, and I can see there is definitely worry in her eyes now. Is that because of this or for a different reason? "What were your parents' names?"

"Um...my father was Edward Riverson and my mother's maiden name was Rosanna Brown" There is definitely a flash of something in her eyes now. Shock? I'm about to enquire if she knew them, but she interrupts with another question: "and what were your parents' occupations?"

"They were doctors" I say, confused. How does this ensure my mental well-being? Remorse; that is what is in her eyes. But then that look changes to determination. What?

"Well...Some things have to be done for the sake of progress, no?" she asks, so quietly I wonder if those words weren't meant for my ears. It only adds to my confusion.

"Uh...Did you know them?" I ask, trying to bring her out of her reverie (which, frankly, is creeping me out)

"No, no." She smiles, and for some reason I'm not entirely convinced. But why would she lie?

"Oh..." I say. There is an awkward silence. Then, I remember: my question. I am supposed to ask her about her love life. But how will I ask her? My brow furrows in concentration as I try to work out the best way to go about the situation.

"Is there something wrong?" she asks, noticing my troubled expression. Ah...What an excellent opportunity.

"Well...Yes." I say, feigning a more troubled persona.

"Oh?" she enquires, hinting for me to elaborate. I pretend to debate whether or not to tell her.

"Madame Red... Have you ever been in love?" I ask, frowning. Shock flashes across her face, and she slips:

"Yes." She regrets it as soon as it's out of her red painted lips.

"With whom?" I ask. She looks anxious but I persuade her to tell me: "women have to stick together, no? It would really help, to get another's advice" I fake a blush.

"Someone...Someone it shouldn't have been." She admits, her face flushing.

"Oh really? Same here...What did you do about it?" I ask, biting my lip to hammer up the teen-angst-because-I'm-so-in-love act.

"I...Something else came up, and I was forced to forget about my love for him" she says with a vacant expression. But then she adds in an undertone "for the sake of progress..."

Suddenly she snaps out of her musing and smiles openly, changing the topic. "Please remove your uniform and stand on the scales, so that I can weigh you." I suppose that's the mental wellbeing done then...Maybe she just read my body language or whatever.

She averts her gaze to some paper work whilst I undo the buttons on my dress and slip out of it, onto the scales. I wear just a light, creamy chemise undergarment (again, Ciel Phantomhive is a traditionalist, even in the uniform of his servants). But I am grateful; it makes the situation far less awkward as my skin is at least covered (however slightly) from this strange woman.

There is a knock on the door, and the crimson lady mumbles an "enter" before I hear the door open. I stay facing the wall, stood on the weighing scales. I wonder who it would possibly be...Have they already worked out that she is definitely the criminal?

"I brought you some tea, my Lady" My heart drops: it is Sebastian. Wait, what? That little pervert, he knew jolly well I was in here half undressed! I stay facing the wall, suddenly hyper alert to the fact that there is nothing but a very light dress covering my body - which still reveals most of my legs. I fold my arms to cover my breasts, which are on far too much show thanks to this damn undergarment. My face burns, and I'm not sure if it's out of anger or embarrassment.

"Ah. Thank you, Sebastian" she says, and I feel him pass me as he leaves, getting the horrible feeling that he is watching me. I'm going to kill that bastard.

The woman sips her tea then steps beside the scales to jot down the measurement. Apparently, she sees no problem with a male coming into the room whilst I have next to no clothes on. She measures my waist with a measuring tape, then pokes my ribs with her fingers, frowning.

"You are quite underweight," she proclaims, "It's more obvious without your uniform - I can see your ribs through this fabric..." her voice is concerned, "have you been eating well?"

"Yes."

"Three times a day?"

"Yes."

She smiles, "well, it's probably just hormones," she winks in an almost motherly fashion.

I smile back uneasily and step down from the scales, as Madame Red declares that I may put on my clothes. If only I could have put my uniform on just a couple of minutes earlier.

.

The doctor does a few more tests on my physical health, and then I leave the room. I signal for Bard to go in, then make my way down to the kitchens.

Soon, I stop fuming about Sebastian and am completely absorbed in my own thoughts about the conversation with Madame Red. So I have learned at least three things:

THREE THINGS
1) Madame Red knew Skye Riverson's parents
2) She fell into a forbidden love
3) She was forced to ignore this love, 'for the sake of progress'

I shudder. What does all of this mean? Was her love anything to do with the victims of the murder, and why was it forbidden? And what's all this progress nonsense about?

She has such a gore spattered past...so tainted with sin. She has an unnerving atmosphere about her, with those mood swings nearly giving me whiplash. So what could this blood stained lady possibly have to do with my parents?


Tada! Review please? :P I'm not really sure how the mystery aspect is working - I'm not used to being subtle! See you next chapter - it's a school one for the most part, I think. :)

~Ched.~