Disclaimer: I do not own KWMS and P&P... sadly...
Oh, and the places here are imaginary. If there such place exists, then it is just a coincidence...
Chapter 13:
Misaki spent her day in her bedroom, recovering.
She was not only recovering from her sickness, but as well as from what happened last night, her case, and especially of her "judgement" of Usui's character, as well as her long-time friend, Emile Garner, and she was thinking the possible reasons why Emile would destroy Usui's character which strengthens her hatred towards Usui, to which she really regrets.
Perhaps she was thinking too much that she did not noticed that Ms. Satsuki was already by the bed, peeling apples.
"Misa, what you were just thinking?" Ms. Satsuki said, breaking Misaki's thoughts.
Misaki, on the other hand, said, "Nothing of importance"
"Somehow, I can sense that you were thinking about your rescuer," Ms. Satsuki said with a smile.
Shocked and embarrassed, Misaki denied, "No! I mean, why should I think about him?"
"Misa, you never were good in lying as always," Ms. Satsuki said, "If you were thinking of how you will thank him, just thank him; For me, he is a pretty nice fellow."
"Maybe because I was too harsh on him that I do not know how to thank him."
"Yes, I can say you were too harsh on that man," Ms. Satsuki said, "Here, have some apples"
They were eating apples when suddenly; Erika, Honoka and Subaru appeared and sat by the bed.
"Excuse us for barging in your house without your notice, Misaki!" Erika said.
"It's fine," Misaki said, "What brings you here?" 'Though you do barge in houses whenever you like in almost unexpected times... well, sometimes, that is...'
"Misaki is too sick to think about it," Honoka said sarcastically "Or she forgot that she requested us to get some 'things' which are too hard for us to get."
"Ms. Honoka, that's too harsh..." Ms. Satsuki said.
"Then I'll speak on their behalf" Subaru said, "Misaki, we got the information you want, and we're sorry if it took too long for us to get it. It's not really that simple, and..."
"I understand, and I, too, ask for your forgiveness as well for bothering you; you have your families as well..."
"Misaki, don't worry about it," Erika said, "I mean, this is nothing compared to what your father did to us. Without him, I cannot imagine where all of us are right now."
Misaki then felt that the room brightened; was it just her being sick, or that it was because everyone was smiling? Or was it something else other than that?
Well, after what Erika said, Misaki then thank all of them for helping her.
"So, to proceed," Honoka said, "Here's what I got"
"Pray, go on."
"Well, my friend convinced the undertaker to tell me the details about the corpse, though the Chevaliers requested that it will be buried in some secret place; they do not what the public to know about the young heiress' death, though I wonder to what extent they will keep it as a secret. Anyway, the undertaker told me that there were two wounds, on the stomach area and the back, though it seemed like they were, as what the undertaker said, 'symmetrical' or was that he said? Well, he did a bit demonstration in a mannequin imitating the wounds on Miss Angelique's corpse, and I saw that the long stick passed through the body, like a barbecue, as what my foreign friend to me."
"Are there any other details? Did the body have some gunpowder?"
"Well, I guess the undertaker did say that the corpse did have a bit or gunpowder, but he said it was too few to say that she used a gun on the night she was killed. Oh, and the undertaker did say that she used the knife frequently; he judged it by looking in the corpse's hands, though it had some scars depicting that she used knives when she was still alive."
"And that," Misaki said, "made this case stranger than ever, though I am not that certain until I find her."
"Who's she?"
"That I cannot tell you yet."
"Anyway, as for my part," Erika said, "I asked my husband who was in-charge of the militia where Mr. Garner was under, that he is exemplary good in combat no matter what the weapon he was holding. He was cheerful as you describe him, Misaki, yet there were times at some gatherings where he did not attend, saying that he went to visit a friend, and these disappearance were frequent when they were in Merrington Square, which was, coincidentally, just a carriage ride from the Chevalier Manor. When they were in other places, though, he frequently wrote letters to the same friend from Merrington Square."
"Does your husband know the details about those letters he sent?"
"Unfortunately, not much, though he had seen him going to a house... though I cannot remember much, I'm sorry, Misaki."
"It's alright," said Misaki, "I can make you remember."
"Eh?"
"You'll see," Misaki said with confidence. "Ms. Subaru, have you got the address?"
"Well, as a matter of fact, I do, though I have to say that I cannot think of what the address will have to do with what Erika investigated... here is the address of Miss Angelique's mysterious sender, or perhaps her lover, I guess, in an unsent letter for him."
Misaki received the paper and passed it to Erika, "The address seems familiar?"
Erika read the paper which said, To Charles Brown, 16 Railway Rd. Merrington Square. She then confirmed that it was the address which her husband told her.
"Misaki! C. Brown! Charles Brown! That one who killed Miss Angelique!" exclaimed Ms. Satsuki.
"Then, it's a crime of passion or something?" Honoka asked.
"I cannot say that it is indeed what Honoka said, as to what the connection or the address and Emile, I can safely say that this is where he disappears to, and he frequently goes there, but the question is, why?" said Misaki.
"Well, do you have a theory in your mind, Misa?" asked Ms. Satsuki.
"I am not yet sure, the information gathered are not yet enough," Misaki said then she whispered, "As I thought, I have to go there..."
"You mean, go to Mr. Brown's place? Are you out of your mind or something? He may hurt you like he did to Miss Chevalier," Erika said.
"I do not think so."
"Well then, Misaki, Ms. Satsuki, we'll leave for now. We all promised our families that we won't stay too long," Honoka said as the rose from their seat.
"Of course," Misaki said, "By the way, thank you for the visit." And all bid farewell to Misaki and Ms. Satsuki.
"You said you are going there, Misa? Apart from the possibility of you getting hurt, how on earth will you go there?"
"That's what I..." then, she was interrupted by the sound of a carriage stopping near her house and a knock on the door. Ms. Satsuki went outside Misaki's room to open the door for another set of unexpected visitors. Then she went to Misaki's bedroom again, this time, with the guests. The quests were in their 70's, yet despite that, their faces are full of vigor.
"Uncle Tom! Aunt Aiko! How delightful you come... even though it's so sudden..." Misaki said.
Then, Misaki's Uncle Thomas Richardson, the husband of her aunt Aiko, who was her mother's cousin, rushed towards her and embraced her tightly.
"Misaki! My beloved niece, are you well?" the aunt asked.
"My, I heard you were ill, and good timing that we will pass by Elmswood, so we thought of visiting you," her uncle said.
"You've been on business trip, haven't you, Mr. Richardson?" Ms. Satsuki asked.
Then the two released Misaki and Thomas answered, "Oh yes, and it was done splendidly, and my wife wanted to visit some places before we go home, and luckily, we passed by here."
"Oh, that's right, Misaki, do you want to come with us? Just breathe some fresh air in the country, and I know you will be able to relax," said her aunt.
'But I am already in the country,' Misaki thought.
"Well, Misaki, those places we'll visit is 'country-er' than here!" her uncle said, as if reading here thoughts.
Ms. Satsuki smiled at Misaki and said, "Well, Misaki, I think your problem is solved. You must go with them."
"Problem? What problem?" asked her uncle.
"The truth is, I have to go to Merrington Square..." Misaki said.
"Oh! Merrington Square! The place near the famous Chevalier Manor? Oh, Misaki, I'll be more than glad to bring you there! Though before that, and if you'll come with us, we will visit various places before that, and if you don't want delays..."
"Oh no, Uncle, I'm not really in a hurry, and I'll come with you!"
"Then it is settled. Tomorrow before the first light, we'll leave Elmswood. Oh, we'll have to go to an inn," her aunt said.
"Mrs. Richardson, ma'am, if you like, you can stay in my inn, the business of my family," Ms. Satsuki said.
"Of your husband, you say! That William is such a delightful person! How is he, my dear?" Thomas asked.
Ms. Satsuki smiled, yet her face full of sadness and answered, "Well, he already left for the heavens to his parents. He was very ill last year..."
"Oh, my dear Ms. Satsuki, we didn't know..." Misaki's aunt said.
Misaki held Ms. Satsuki's hand to comfort her. Ms. Satsuki, in turn, smiled and said, "Well, all my children have their own families as well, and I'm the legal guardian of my nephew Aoi, and still, even though the William died, he left me and my children wonderful memories."
There were a few minutes of silence until Thomas broke it, "Well, my dears, it is time to go. Misaki, pack for tomorrow, we'll leave early, if that is okay with you."
Misaki agreed and Mr. And Mrs. Richardson, as well as Ms. Satsuki, left her. She then packed her things for tomorrow and felt a new strength in her body. She was very excited for tomorrow. As she packed, she saw, on the bed, the coat and the kerchief of the one who saved her. She then wondered whether to include those in her pack.
-0-
It was very early in the morning that Misaki and her uncle and aunt left Elmswood. They went to various places, had breakfast at Jamestown, and then travelled again until they reached a very green countryside. Out of curiosity, Misaki asked her aunt, "Aunt Aiko, do you know the name of this place? The air is so fresh and the place so wonderful..."
"Well, my dear, I think we are near Kensington..."
'Kensington? Sounds familiar...'
"Oh, that's right! Tom, can we pass by the famous villa here? I think the one which is owned by the Usui's..."
Now that it was mentioned, Misaki felt like she was hit by lightning many times. The shock was almost too much for her. 'Usui's villa? I can't go there!'
"Come now, Aunt Aiko, it is private property. I think we should respect their privacy," Misaki said just to convince them not to go there.
Her uncle said, "Nonsense, Misaki. As I've heard, anyone can visit there. I remembered meeting the old Usui, Jiro was such a kind person, I think that goes the same for the current head, I think he goes by the name Takumi."
"You have been there yourself? How come you never told me," said Aiko to her husband.
"No, I haven't, I met Jiro in town."
"What do you say, Misaki? Shall we go there? Besides, I think Mr. Takumi Usui himself is not frequently at home. In these times, I think he's in London with the Lady Everglott and the Walkers," her aunt said.
'I still don't want to go, but then again, if my aunt wants it, there's no harm in going. After all, he's not at home,' Misaki said to herself, and she replied to her aunt, "Well, if that's what you want, then let's go."
And off they go to Usui's villa.
_END_
Yes! Another chapter done! YAY! Oh yeah, I'm sorry if Usui is not in this chapter, I promise I will make it up for you all!
Well, I planned to update 2 chapters today, but I thought it over, and I decided to update 1, and the next chapter will be about *drumroll* oh, secret! Just wait for it next time! Haha!
Well, I'll try updating weekly just like before, but I don't know... wait, come to think about it, I think I can... :-)
Once again, thanks for those who reviewed last time, and those who include my story to their favourites, story alerts and everything, and I hope I can read your comments!
Lovelots!
BANZAI!