The afternoon had quickly passed and transitioned into nightfall, indicating that it was time for Lizzy to travel home. After many tight hugs and girly giggles, she stepped into her carriage and made her journey back to the Middleford estate. As he watched her leave the mansion grounds, Ciel couldn't help but think of the nightmare that he had experienced earlier that day; the thoughts of Lizzy being put in danger frightened him. She was the only sliver of family he had left on this earth, and he wouldn't let anything - or anyone - take that away.
Once Lizzy was out of sight, Ciel walked back into the mansion and trailed himself to the library, to do some recreational reading. Maybe I'll read that Frankenstein book, or maybe something by Oscar Wilde, he thought to himself. As his hands stroked each leathery spine, his fingers started to drum out a gentle rhythm. He eventually stopped when his hand stopped on a particular book; Wuthering Heights. Once he pulled it out, Ciel remembered his mother would read this book in the library when he was a small child, gently mouthing each word as she read it. It was a memory Ciel was very fond of; he could clearly remember her pulling him onto her lap after a few chapters, then she'd let Ciel pick out a book, and would read it to him until he rubbed his eyes tiredly.
"Bocchan, are you reading?"
Ciel, caught off-guard, jumped slightly in hit spot, causing him to throw the book slightly in the air. He turned on the spot to see his noble butler Sebastian, holding a silver tray with a Royal Doulton cup of Earl Grey balanced on it. Placed next to the fine china cup was a yellow sheet of paper, presumably a telegram.
"Sebastian, I was just...reminiscing. Anyway, I thought that you were running me a bath?" Ciel went to turn back to the large bookshelf, before a gloved hand landed firmly on his shoulder.
"My apologies Young Master, but your bath will have to wait. Scotland Yard once again need our help in assisting them with a case." The butler said calmly, turning Ciel around to face the yellow slip. "It seems as though there's been a large amount of kidnappings and occurring in London City, particularly aiming at people with unique or pretty features. Their bodies are usually found days later on street corners."
Ciel snatched the piece of paper, and scanned it carefully. The summary was very informative and mysterious, yet Ciel was less than enthusiastic to be looking at more dead women and men again; the Jack the Ripper case put him off that for a while. After reading the paper, Ciel placed it only the library's desk casually, and turned back to face the bookshelf.
"Sebastian, I want you to interview any witnesses and people with some sort of relationship to the victims. We'll see if there's any form of link between the victims later. Now if you'll excuse me, I'd like to be left alone." The butler nodded, and disappeared out of the room, leaving Ciel alone once again.
Briskly walking along the streets of London with Sebastian in tow, Ciel confidently walked along into the undertaker's infamous shop, positive that he would have some form of answer for Ciel and this odd case. As he entered the shop, several nailed coffins were sprawled around, obviously carrying the corpses from the currently found victims. As per usual, the Undertaker wasn't to be seen, but his raspy voice could be heard.
"Well, Ciel Phantomhivvee..." the Undertaker said in a taunting manner, springing out of an open coffin and walking to his desk. "What are you after now? Am I to put you into one of my 'special' coffins yet?"
Ciel scowled at the silver-haired man; he always seemed to mention Ciel's demise despite him still being alive. He slammed his hands onto the table angrily, already losing his patience with him.
"Undertaker, may you tell me anything strange about the victims of the abductions and murders?" Ciel didn't lose his glare at the Undertaker, determined for him to get on with it.
"Ah, my newly acquired customers...they were all so beautiful in their lives and even more stunning in death, despite missing a few bits and pieces..." Ciel looked puzzled at the Undertaker, implying that he explain himself.
"Every new customer I have been blessed with all seem to miss a body part; an arm, a leg, a foot...I have even encountered someone missing a whole torso; it's as if someone had taken what they needed, and then threw away the rest..." the Undertaker then stroked his fingers across one of the nearby coffins, staring at it lovingly as if he could see the dead person lying inside. He cackled menacingly as always, and pointed at the coffin.
"This woman...she was missing her arms. Such slender arms she had, I have been told by her husband and family...ones that would've framed the coffin nicely; she would've looked like a princess in an eternal slumber..." Ciel started to feel queasy talking to the Undertaker; the way he talked and treated all dead bodies was too...odd for his taste. In order to quieten Undertaker, Ciel raised a hand sternly.
"I have all the information I need now, thank you Undertaker. Sebastian, what is next on the agenda?"
Sebastian then flashed his trademark grin. "You have promised Lady Elizabeth a visit to the Middleford estate. A true gentleman would not keep a lady such as Miss Elizabeth waiting."
Ciel sighed and remembered about what she said to him the night before:
"Ciel! You'll come to my house tomorrow, won't you? I was going to bring a surprise for you, but I have seemed to have left it at home...plus, mother has not seen you in a while, and she constantly telling me to ask you to visit!" Lizzy looked at Ciel with her best puppy-dog eyes, her pink lips pouting in an adorable fashion; inside, it made Ciel's heart skip a beat slightly, but he'd become incredibly talented at concealing it. But before Ciel could possibly answer, another voice spoke for him.
"Young Master would be honoured to visit you at the Middleford estate, Lady Elizabeth; after all, he must be a true gentleman to his future wife." Sebastian politely replied, bowing to the young nobles. This made Lizzy grin from ear to ear.
"Okay! Once I get home I'll tell mother that you're coming tomorrow! I must get lots of rest, because I need to look super cute tomorrow for you!" Lizzy giggled and gave Ciel one last tight squeeze, before vanishing into her carriage.