Vault of Bones
Chapter 14 – The Case of Hide and Seek
6 August 1889, old Wolvercote House
The next morning, Charles Grey woke up early to prepare breakfast. He found his way to the house's kitchen and started rummaging through cupboards. At dawn, Miranda and Klaus were surprised to see him working so early. Klaus pleaded that Charles shouldn't be working like a butler when he was their guest and unfortunately, their mistress' fiancée. But the younger man insisted, saying that it would please him if he prepared their breakfast. Miranda and Nunally assisted him as Klaus started working on his daily chores. At 7 A.M, Charles entered Anais' room to wake her up.
"I'm coming in," Charles said after three knocks and without Anais' reply. He found her still sleeping on her bed and he was greeted by an early snarl from the demon hound. Pluto was in his demon form, flames threatened to be released as Charles gulped. Damn, this dog is a nuisance.
Lucky for him, Anais sat up, rubbed her eyes and yawned. Pluto reverted his attention to his mistress and lightly licked her cheek. She smiled.
"Morning, Plu-Plu," Anais patted the dog. Pluto sighed in satisfaction and wagged his long tail.
"Good morning, love~" Charles said as he approached her.
"What are you doing here?" she snapped, suppressing a yawn.
"It's time to wake up; breakfast is ready." Charles literally pulled her out of the bed and fixed the mattress, pillows and blanket. He also rummaged through her wardrobe and took out a yellow dress. He handed it to her with a smile. "Get dressed. We're having breakfast." He leaned in and kissed her cheek.
Anais blinked and stared at the dress in front of her. She turned to Charles who stood by the doorway. "What the hell is going on?"
Charles chuckled. "Just get dressed, will you? Or you want me to do that for you~?" He winked at her.
"F-Forget it!" she said with a blush. "Wait for me downstairs!"
When Anais was finally dressed, she and Pluto went straight to the dining hall. The servants greeted their young mistress as she entered, bowing as they did. Charles was waiting on the table; his plate and silverware were set and ready to be used. Anais sat on the head of the table and watched as Nunally poured tea for them.
"For breakfast we have éclair, along with scones and Madeleine's. For tea we are have Earl Grey tea," Charles announced as he took a sip of the tea named after his family.
Anais drank as well, and inhaled its fragrance. "Why are you telling me this?"
"I prepared our breakfast~" he chirped.
"Really?" she sounded very surprised. She turned to her servants, "Is that true?"
"Yes, my lady," Klaus answered for her. "It appears Earl Charles Grey knows how to prepare breakfast so we let him do as he pleased."
Anais turned to Charles again. "You didn't have to. Moreover, I didn't know you can prepare food." She took a bite out of the éclair.
"You really have forgotten, huh?" He smirked at her. "I am Her Majesty's butler, too. A job like this isn't new to me."
They finished the rest of the food. Actually, Charles finished the rest of it. While Anais finished three plates of éclair and eight scones, Charles ate thrice the amount she ate.
"Ah~ I was a little hungry," he sighed as he stood up from the table and let the servants clean up. He followed Anais as she went into the living room. A few minutes later, Eugene arrived with a bouquet of fresh lilies.
"Lady Anais!" said Eugene, running inside the room. She smiled at him. "I've got the lilies you asked me to get." He handed said flowers to her.
Anais smiled. "Thank you, Eugene." She patted his head and the boy laughed. "Sorry for the trouble." She hugged the bouquet closer. "They're beautiful."
Eugene scratched the back of his head. "Anything for you, my lady. I'm going now; big bro needs some help back home. See you later~" He ran off again and headed home.
Charles raised an eyebrow. "What's up with the flowers?"
"Follow me," she replied.
Anais led him outside. She approached her mother's lonely grave under the old oak tree. The leaves were still fresh in contrast of the withered grass which carpeted the lawn of the old Wolvercote house. Anais dusted the grave off and placed the lilies on top. Charles read what the description on the grave said.
Blair Caroline Vanessa Scathelock Wolvercote
Born: July 4, 1850 Death: January 2, 1885
Anais knelt and fell silent for a while. Charles didn't bother to ask; not now, at least. She looked like she was praying. A few moments later, she stood up and smiled at him.
"Let's go," Anais started to walk back into the mansion again.
"How did she die?" Charles finally asked as they reached the door.
She closed her eyes and sighed. "Scarlet fever. She was a doctor in a local hospital. Unfortunately she caught the scarlet fever of her child patient. The child died three days before my mother."
By that time they reached the reception room.
"Oh, I see," Charles muttered. He looked at her; she was gloomy. I shouldn't have asked, he growled to himself. "Anyway, you said something about investigating, yes? When do you plan on starting?" He sat on the sofa and stretched his arms.
"Midnight," Anais replied, taking the seat in front of him. A small round coffee table separated them.
Charles raised an eyebrow. "Midnight? Investigations are a handful during midnight. Can't we go after lunch?"
She shook her head. "We? Grey, it's just me. Me and Pluto; Pluto and me."
His body jerked up. "What? That's unfair, doll face! The reason I came here is to do the job with you! That's what Her Majesty ordered me."
"Her Majesty?" she echoed. "I didn't receive such orders. That's why you'll stay here. Besides, this investigation doesn't concern you anyway."
Charles growled and leaned his back on the sofa again. He sighed. Arguing with her would get him nowhere.
"Why wouldn't it concern me?" his voice was suddenly so serious. Anais flinched and didn't reply. She fixed her eyes on the bookshelf on the side of the room. "You're hiding something from me, aren't you?"
Anais sighed in defeat and shrugged. "Maybe. My business is my own."
"Then why are you taking Pluto~?" he asked again, grinning.
"Wha—I need some protection, at least!" Anais growled. If Charles insisted, it would end up in another long argument. She wanted to save her breath from something like that.
"I can protect you," Charles continued.
"Grey, can't you stop prying?!"
"Call me Charles."
"No."
"Why~?" he pouted.
Anais scoffed. "Because I don't want to mix up Charles Grey and Charles Phipps! Is that enough for you?"
Charles slowly nodded. "True… but Phipps is not here so your argument is invalid." He smiled mischievously.
Anais stood up. "I'm done here. I'll be giving Pluto a bath. Don't disturb us." She made her way to the doorway when Charles spoke up again.
"You're giving him baths?!" he asked, bewildered. "When he's… naked?"
"For argument's sake, Grey, I am not a pervert!"
"Can't you give me a bath too?" he teased.
"Shut up!"
11:30 A.M.
Charles Grey hummed a cheerful tune as he held Anais' hand and swayed it together. On his right hand was a big picnic basket. He opened the door and let the lady enter before him. Charles and Anais agreed to eat lunch on the rooftop of the old mansion. A rooftop was quite rare in noble's mansions. There was a small cottage on the corner and there was another roof to cover the heat of the sun. Pluto slept there during the night when he refused to transform back to his human form.
"Oh, this is amazing~" Charles said as he looked around the place. "Maybe I should have a rooftop made on our mansion too."
"I won't bet on it," Anais nonchalantly said as she approached Pluto. The demon hound, after his daily bath, immediately rushed to the rooftop to spend lunchtime with his mistress and her… visitor.
Charles placed the basket in the cottage and started to sprawl out a blanket. He prepared the food and tea, as well as the plates and cups. He refused Anais to help him.
"Everything's ready, baby~" he called out to her.
Anais sighed. "Will you stop calling me that? It's gross." She shuddered.
Charles frowned. "You're so mean~ You don't want me calling you any pet names?" He pouted.
"Exactly."
Anais sat on the blanket and started to eat. Pluto wagged his tail as she threw a piece of chicken meat to him. Charles silently sat with her and started to eat. For lunch, Klaus prepared a roasted chicken and rice, a combination which originated from Spain. It was something rare for Englishmen to eat during lunch. After eating, the couple was contented on the rooftop. Pluto was sleeping soundly while Anais, who leaned her back on the hound's torso, was slowly dozing off. Charles watched her and smiled lovingly.
The quiet afternoon was interrupted when Pluto suddenly bolted awake. With his instant action, Anais was thrown off his body. The demon hound stood up and sniffed the ground, going around in circles. Charles and Anais observed him. Then Pluto snarled.
"What is it, Pluto?" Anais yawned; her afternoon nap was interrupted. The hound continued to snarl. "Wait, could it be? Is it my captor?"
Charles stood up. "Captor? What is that supposed to mean?"
Damn, she thought. "It's… something…"
"Something like what?" he approached her. "What is going on?"
Can't he really stop prying? Anais glanced at Pluto again. He stopped growling, yes, but his attention was focused on the nearby town. She sat again on the floor and gestured Charles to sit with him.
"It happened two weeks ago," she started; Charles listened intently. "I was attacked by a man while I was on my way back to the mansion. It was an ambush, no doubt. I was knocked unconscious and the man took me into a cave where two men waited and interrogated me about our investigation. I said nothing of course. I managed to kill one of them; Pluto killed another one when he came to rescue me. I let my captor escape."
Anais waited for a sarcastic remark like "You were knocked unconscious? Pathetic." But Charles looked angry. What now? She thought.
"You were ambushed?!" he exclaimed.
"That's what I just said," she sarcastically replied.
"Were you hurt? Did you see his face? His name? Damn, I should have been there! I'll kill that man!" Charles seethed and clenched his gloved fists. He turned back to Anais again. "Were you hurt?"
Anais fell silent.
"You were, weren't you?" His eyebrows furrowed and he frowned. "So that's why your waist hurt during the party." Charles muttered to himself.
He's so sharp, Anais remarked. "It's not the problem here. Pluto already has the man's scent. He's probably around here somewhere. That's the reason why I'll go during midnight; no one will see Pluto."
"Then I'm coming with you," he said. It sounded more like an order.
"No, thank you."
"You can't tell me what to do. We're going tonight." He stood up and helped her to stand up as well. "We're going to have a long night."
7 August 1889, 12 A.M., Outskirts of Brighton
"Ow! Your sword is poking me! Can't you remove it?!"
Anais shoved Charles away and he fell on the ground. She caressed her aching thigh. The scabbard of Charles' rapier had been poking her thigh ever since they went out to investigate. The Earl's eyebrow twitched in annoyance and sat up.
"Will you stop complaining? I'm already doing you a favor here!" he shot back in a whisper.
"What?! You're not doing me a favor! You're just a hindrance. I should've brought Pluto instead!" she sharply whispered back.
"Why do you always have to bring that dog up?" he spat louder.
"You scatter dimwit brain!" Anais scoffed.
"What's that supposed to mean?!"
"It means your sword is poking me and it hurts!" There was a pause. Anais sighed. "Uncoordinated teamwork causes nothing but trouble."
Charles growled. "Fine, whatever. Let's just go."
He dragged Anais by the wrist as he held up a lantern with his left. They were on the trail by which Pluto led them. The demon hound was ordered the wait for the pair and act as their lookout. They would take the investigation from there. Anais removed a few branches from their way. They were taking their chances' none of them knew where exactly they were going.
"There's got to be something out here," he sighed and yawned.
"Look over there," said Anais. There was a small cottage situated in the forest, a few miles away from the town where she lived. The pair approached the cottage and observed.
The cottage was small, and no doubt, incredibly old. Hay served as its roof, and brown bricks made up the house's structure. There was a wooden fence around the cottage. Beside the house was the family's pig farm.
"Are you sure we're in the right place?" Charles asked. He looked at the pig farm and shuddered. "It reeks in here."
"Men are such babies," Anais mumbled to herself and rushed towards the cottage. Charles was forced to follow after her.
She peeked on the window while the man behind her was reluctant. He seemed to be satisfied in holding the lantern up for her. Inside the house was a simple interior: old sofa, wooden table and a small fireplace which was ignited. Anais went around the back and peeked again. What she saw next was the bedroom. There was a middle-aged woman inside, sleeping peacefully with her two children, twins to be exact.
"There's nothing," she sighed. "No sign of my captor anywhere."
"Maybe there's another house nearby," Charles said reassuringly. "Let's go." He took her hand into his again as they walked off.
They heard Pluto howl in a distance. Next there was a faint footstep. Charles' eyes instantly narrowed. He ran off and disappeared into the fog and darkness, leaving Anais dazed. Two seconds later, she ran after him. Charles held out the lantern in front of him and drew out his rapier. His prey was running away from him. It seemed to the predator that the man knew his way around the forest. The man fired his gun. Charles flinched.
Damn, this man is armed, he growled and looked around in the darkness. The branches snapped. The predator ran after his prey; he almost lost him. They continued to run. Just as when Charles saw a clearing up ahead, his prey disappeared. He looked around for any sign. None. He tried listening to sounds. None, except for an owl's hoot. He gritted his teeth.
Damn it all to hell!
Charles turned around as he heard Anais finally catching up to him. She knelt on the ground and panted heavily. He went beside her and knelt, placing a concerned pat on her shoulder. "Are you alright?"
"I will be," she managed to say through heavy breaths. "Where's your subject?"
"Gone," he growled and stood up. He returned his precious rapier back to its scabbard. "What now?"
Anais shook her head. "I don't know."
Charles waited until she was finally feeling alright. As Anais stood up, they heard another set of footsteps. Charles dashed through the fog again.
I'm not built for this, Anais whined to herself as she ran after Charles again. She found him waiting on a tunnel's entrance. "Well?"
"He's gone inside." Charles poked his head inside. "Should we go after him?" Before he knew it, Anais rushed inside. "I'll take that as a yes."
Once inside, Charles led the way and held the lantern. Droplets of water were heard and it echoed in the long and dark tunnel. They walked in silence for what seemed to be forever. The tunnel was longer than they could ever imagine, and Anais started to feel claustrophobic.
"Let's go back, Grey," she said, putting her hand on his sleeve and pulled him gently. "I don't like it in here."
Charles grinned. "Scared all of a sudden~?"
"I didn't say that!" she shot back.
He laughed and kissed her forehead. "We'll be fine. Except if ghosts are here." His imagination suddenly became active.
"You're afraid of ghosts?" Anais stifled a laugh.
"I only believe in things I can cut with my sword!" he replied.
"Well, I hope a ghost or two would appear in front of us," Anais teased as they walked further. She felt him flinch and suddenly cower behind her.
"Cut that out, will you?!" he pleaded.
"Why are you clinging on my arm?" Anais teased again; she saw Charles gulp. "Remind me again who the man between us is."
Charles huffed and pretended to walk away. Anais laughed and followed after him.
As Charles walked off again, they heard a rumbling noise behind them. It was the sound of the entrance being blocked. They panicked. Charles ran off as fast as he could to stop the man. He was proved to be late it was already a dead end.
"No, no!" he said through gritted teeth. "Damn you!" He tried to push the boulder. It didn't even budge. He tried moving the corner of the entrance; nothing happened. Anais sighed behind him in worry. Then it all came to him. Charles grabbed her wrist and started to run on the other side of the tunnel.
"Grey, what are you doing?!" Anais panted as she ran.
"Whoever this man is, he'll try to block the exit," he shouted back; his voice echoed in the tunnel. "Hurry up!"
They ran and ran. The longer they ran, the colder the place had gotten. Despite panting heavily, both still ran and prayed that the exit wasn't blocked yet. Then there was a gunshot. Anais yelped as Charles used his body as a shield. He took refuge behind a large boulder on the side of the tunnel. Anais panted like Charles did. He pulled her closer to his body. Another gunshot was fired. Anais trembled and buried her face on the crook of his neck. After that, the man ran off again.
"Hey! Come back here, you moron!" Anais shouted as they both stood up.
Charles shook his head. "For someone so passive and fragile, you sure can threaten somebody."
With that, they sprinted off again. Another rumbling noise was heard towards the direction they were heading. The man was blocking the exit.
"Hell, no!" Charles exclaimed as he watched the man pushed a boulder.
They were trapped in. He grunted and pushed the boulder. The man outside piled more rocks so that the blockage was stronger. They both panted and Anais sat on the ground.
"This is so messed up," she breathed.
Charles sat in front of her, cross-legged. "I'm sorry, doll face."
Anais was surprised and then shook her head. "It's not your fault."
They stayed like that for a few minutes. Charles spent his time devising a plan to get them out. He walked back and forth; a finger was on his chin. He growled whenever a plan of his seemed to ail, despite not even trying to do it. He didn't bother to ask Anais for suggestions. He was a man, and he was the one who got them trapped in the first place. He should find a way.
At last, Anais stood up abruptly, startling Charles.
"I guess it's time to let the dog in," she sighed. Anais brought her finger to her mouth and whistled. "Come, Pluto."
Back in the edge of the forest, Pluto stood up and perked his ears. He ran off towards the forest to where his mistress scent and voice came. He found the end of the tunnel and spewed fire on the rocks. Charles and Anais felt the heat rising inside. Next, Pluto snarled and violently used his claws to remove the boulders. It was such an easy task for him. No words could describe the joy when they were finally out of the miserable tunnel. The other end led to the sea, more commonly known as the English Channel.
Anais hugged Pluto and caressed his muzzle.
"Good boy. You're a very good boy, Pluto~" she cooed and kissed his fur. Pluto whimpered delightfully. His long tail wagged left and right again.
Charles crossed his arms and turned to her. "You should have done this from the start."
Pluto growled at him.
"Well, it's your fault for not asking my opinion," Anais smirked.
He blinked. "Oh, so it's my fault~?" Anais nodded.
"It's a shame we lost that man," she continued. "I'm exhausted. We can just go after him some other time, yes?"
Charles nodded. "I agree."
The two started to walk off. The waves of the beach soothed their tiredness and Pluto howled to announce the end of the investigation.