The queue to get into Sweetville was considerably longer then the queue to sign up. Aderyn quickly became impatient and frequently checked her watch.
When the line shuffled forward a step, a woman attempted to strike up a conversation, much to Jenny's annoyance.
"I'm dead nervous, aren't you?" The woman said cheerfully "They have to be sure, you know. Only the best for Sweetville. I'm Abigail."
Jenny smiled politely "Please to meet you."
"you're not from round here are you?"
Aderyn, stood in front of Jenny, rolled her eyes. That was another thing, aside from the values, that she hated about Victorian life. People delighted in stating the obvious. And not even in a 'there's a giant monster about to eat us' kind of way that she frequently resorted to in order to wind up the Doctor.
"Nah," Jenny replied "Up from London. Do you know anyone who's come here? In Sweetville I mean."
Aderyn held her breath and listened intently.
"I had a pal came here three month back. She wrote to tell me how perfect it all were," Abigail paused thoughtfully "Funny though. I've not heard a peep from her since."
Aderyn turned her head enough to see Jenny from the corner of her eye. Jenny's gaze darted to a door nearby. Aderyn gave her the tiniest of nods then dipped her hand into her pocket. She took a step backwards towards Jenny then withdrew her hand. Jenny took the roll of fabric that Aderyn handed back to her. Aderyn took another step backwards, blocking Jenny and the door from view.
"What are you doing?" Abigail exclaimed.
"Do me a favour. Cause a distraction. Swoon, have a funny turn, fit of the vapours." Jenny said. She unrolled the fabric Aderyn had given her. It contained her lock picking tools. She selected one and began to work on the door.
"You're crackers." Abigail took a step away from them.
Aderyn, once again, put her hand in her pocket. She then held it out to Abigail. "There's a guinea in it for you."
"Done." The coin was quickly taken from her took several loud, wheezing breaths and pretended to faint. As a crowd gathered around her, Jenny and Aderyn slipped through the door unnoticed.
Jenny close the door silently behind them. Looking around, they could hear the sound of heavy machinery, but couldn't see the machines. As they walked further into the room, they were greeted by three large gramophone shaped speakers. This was where the noise was coming from. They crept passed the speakers. Aderyn looked around the cavernous room. It was largely empty but for the speakers. She squeaked in alarm as she was pulled backwards. Jenny slammed her against one of the speakers. She put one hand across Aderyn's mouth and held a finger to her lips. She then pointed around the speaker. They watched as a group of young men walked by, carrying large flasks of a bright red liquid. When they had vanished into a lift, they both breathed a sigh of relief.
"I guess that is the Crimson Horror." Jenny muttered.
_
Far from sitting idle, Madame Vastra had followed her own leads. She had found out that a coroner, who had dealt with the bodies of the victims, was claiming to have some information. Luckily, Vastra's reputation, even here, had been enough to easily get her access to the morgue. However, it had not been enough to speed along the coroner. For some reason, he delighted in moving slowly and skirting around the answers to questions. His attempts to build suspense did nothing but annoy Vastra. Eventually, he let slip that had more then just information. He had, what he believed to be, the culprit.
As much as Vastra wanted this case to be over quickly so she could find the Doctor and leave, she knew that it wouldn't be.
The coroner pulled aside a curtain to reveal shelves laden with glass jars and bottles.
"Them new manufacturers can do 'orrible things to a person. I've pickled things in here that would fair turn your hair snowy as top of Buckden Pike."
Vastra had become very impatient with his dawdling "You know what I'm looking for." she said sternly.
The coroner reached into the shelves "Aye, I do. All them bits found in the canal. The Crimson Horror." He withdrew a large, long necked bottle from the shelf. and held it out to Vastra.
She took it quickly and turned towards a lamp. She threw back her veil to get a better view of the red liquid inside.
"It hardly seems possible," She muttered "But I think I have seen these symptoms before. A very long time ago."
"How long?"
Vastra turned to face him. He stared at her in disbelief "About 65 million years." For a second she thought he was going to faint like Thursday had. But he just laughed nervously "Really?"