There was a loud, frustrated scream in the early hours of the morning.
Eleanora had somehow managed to fall asleep at the kitchen table and was immediately woken up by the scream. Her first reaction was fury, because she had been woken up so unceremoniously and without good cause; her second reaction was sadness, because she had been woken up so unceremoniously and without good cause; her third reaction was curiosity, because she had been woken up so unceremoniously and without good cause. Sebastian had always made a point to never bother her when she was asleep or on the verge of falling asleep, so her being awake without her own choosing was rather new.
She stood up and trotted upstairs to the young Master's study, where he was still screaming with rage every now and then.
"What's going on?" she asked, trying to keep her still-sleepy voice as bright and as clear as possible.
"Nothing," Sebastian said hurriedly. "Nothing's going on. Were you sleeping? Did we wake you? It's nothing; go back to sleep."
"There's been another murder," Ciel said irritably, tossing aside a newspaper. "Closer this time. And, once again, no one can get in."
"I'm sure that the Yard will use their power to force themselves into the building," Sebastian said. "We should wait for a time."
"But I have waited!" Ciel shouted. "I've waited and I've waited and I've waited but absolutely nothing has come of it! Are we supposed to wait until everyone in England is dead?!"
"But my Lord," Sebastian said patiently, "what else are we supposed to do? We can't get in; nobody's going out; are we supposed to murder all the guards surrounding the building and break in?"
Eleanora gasped and clutched his pant leg.
"Murder?! You're not going to murder anyone, are you? I hate murderers! Don't kill anyone! Please?"
Sebastian looked down at her and smiled. He kneeled before her and smoothed her hair back.
"I'm not going to kill anyone," he assured her. "It was a little jest. Don't worry about anything." He shared a look with the young Master. Any killings that would occur would have to be kept away from her.
"Why don't I break in?" Eleanora said. "I can break in and break out and no one would have to die and then I'll tell you all what's happening!"
"Nonsense! I won't allow it." Sebastian said, again looking at the young Master for support. But Ciel was looking at Eleanora very seriously…
"You know, she really could do it," he said finally.
"WHAT?!"
"She really could do it," he repeated, getting excited. "She's small enough; she could break in and wander around unnoticed…"
"…I'm not small," Eleanora said indignantly. "I've grown taller."
Sebastian smiled down at her again and patted her head. It was true; good food and no abuse had turned the thin two-foot girl into a less-thin three-foot girl. He was proud of her height and frequently told her that soon she'll be taller than the young Master, a day she awaited eagerly. But just because she was healthier didn't mean that she could run around and investigate murder scenes and he told her so.
"But I can help!" she protested. "I can help! I help around the manor, don't I? I can help here too!"
"That's right; she can," Ciel said. "She's a smart, clever little thing; she'll remember everything of importance and report back to us easily. Why shouldn't she help us?"
"Because she's just a little girl," Sebastian said firmly, pulling her into his arms. "She's just a sweet little girl and she shouldn't have to see such horrible things."
"But I've seen gruesome deaths before," she said and he shuddered.
"Nevertheless, I forbid you from assisting us," he said, glaring at the young Master. "Absolutely forbidden."
Ciel groaned and nodded. He knew that a scorned demon was an angry demon, and an angry demon was something that nobody wanted to have around.
Eleanora sulkily walked away with the orders to bring the young Master more tea. But why shouldn't she help? Wasn't she good at helping? She didn't want to just sit around at Phantomhive when something exciting was going on—especially if people were dying. She could help prevent the deaths of people! Wasn't that a noble goal that should be supported?
Sebastian's father had been a doting, petting man who hated to see his child unhappy and would've done anything to keep everyone smiling. Sebastian himself had inherited this way of parenting and, consequently, was very sad to see Eleanora return with the tea, looking dejected.
"Listen," he said. "Tonight, the young Master and I are going to the mansion where the crime had been committed to see if we could get in somehow. If you really want to, you can come."
Eleanora's head bobbed up immediately.
"Really?"
He nodded. Her face broke out into an excited smile. If she had been any less dignified she would have said something along the lines of "yay!" but as it was, she merely hugged his legs and ran off to get ready. Sebastian smiled after her, feeling that now his little girl was happy, all was right with the world. Ciel rolled his eyes and flipped through the newspaper again.
"Don't spoil her," he warned.
"'Spoil her?' Nonsense; that girl is unspoilable."
"But don't you think it could be dangerous?"
"She'll have me," Sebastian said stubbornly. "I won't allow anything bad to happen to my little darling."
Ciel shrugged and went back to the newspaper. Meanwhile, Eleanora pulled on her brand-new boots and admired them in the mirror.
"I can help," she thought. "I can still help!"
And already a plan was forming in her mind on how she would accomplish this.