10.
Ciel stepped out of the carriage and stared at the small house in front of him.
"Are you sure this is Cooper's?" he asked.
"You don't know?" Sebastian asked.
"I've never been here." Ciel said. His eye narrowed and he walked forward to the house. Sebastian followed. When they reached the door, Sebastian stepped forward and knocked.
"Mr. Cooper?" he called. There was no answer.
"Is the door locked?" Ciel asked.
"Yes," Sebastian said, kneeling down and looking at the lock. He pulled a wire from his pocket and put it inside. A few seconds later, the lock clicked and the door opened.
Ciel stepped inside and looked around. In the dark room, he could barely make out furniture- a table, some chairs. Nearby, he could see a cup with flowers near a portrait of a pretty woman. Lydia Cooper.
Ciel and Sebastian stepped out into a hallway darker than the room they were just in. Sebastian silently put his hand on Ciel's shoulder and led him to the nearest door. Inside the room, he found a candle and lit it. The room lit up, and they saw an unmade bed with toys tangled in the covers.
"This must be where the children sleep," Sebastian whispered. Ciel looked down at the nearby table and noticed sheets of paper with sketches on them. He picked one up and looked at it, then noticed a crown scribbled in the corner.
"Bocchan, we should move on."
Ciel pocketed the sketch and walked out of the room. Another door led them to Cooper's room, and another to the kitchen. Finally, there was only one door left.
"That must be his workshop," Ciel said, looking at the door.
"He'll be in there," Sebastian said. "Unless he's out with a victim."
"Really, now."
Ciel and Sebastian whirled around. Lilith stood behind them, smiling.
"Earl Phantomhive, social rank is no excuse for rudeness," she said. "It isn't polite to enter another man's home uninvited."
Ciel grinned darkly at her. "We came to inspect your master's workshop. Will you let us in?"
Lilith's smile stayed in place.
"Well, come along then," she said, walking toward the door. She knocked on the door. "Master, you have visitors."
The door opened a crack and Cooper looked out. His frantic eyes widened when he saw Ciel.
"Earl…" he said.
"Mr. Cooper," Ciel said, looking up at the man. He slowly took the watch from his pocket and held it up. "This was at the scene of a crime, near a murdered woman. How did this happen?"
Cooper stared at the watch glinting in the candlelight. "I lost it," he said. "It must have been stolen by whoever murdered that woman."
Ciel was silent. "Mr. Cooper, I need to see the inside of your workshop."
"I'd rather you didn't Ciel." Cooper said.
"I have to." Ciel said.
Cooper glanced at Lilith, who stared back at him impassively. He sighed.
"Very well then," he said, opening the door wider. "Come and see my latest doll, Earl Phantomhive."
He walked back into the room, Lilith following. Ciel walked in, Sebastian close behind.
The room was fairly large, with benches lines along the edges, lined with tools. A lantern was lit in the corner. In another corner was a bin filled with half-finished toys. In the center of the room was a huge table with something lying on top of it. Ciel squinted and stepped forward to get a better look. When he realized what it was, he gasped and stepped back. His eye widened.
Standing against the wall, Sebastian gazed at the thing on the table, lips pursed.
"Crude," he said quietly.