They walked along the streets, and approached a rather small shop. Much to Sebastian's and Ceil's amusement and surprise, Lizzie pulled out a note pad and began examining fabric.
"Miss, why exactly are we here?" Sebastian asked politely. Without turning around, she replied, "My means are much more modest than that of what everyone thinks. To spend exorbitantly on clothing is not only stupid, but something I can not afford. In order to keep appearances, I sew my own clothing in my own fashions. I can appear fashion forward while spending only a fraction of what I would normally."
"Very clever, Miss," Sebastian responded, rather surprised at her logic. Ceil, on the other hand, snorted.
"You trick others into believing you are something you're not?" he grunted, feeling a bolt of coarse fabric, "How dishonest." Lizzie rolled her eyes.
"Sebastian," she said, "lift me up so I can reach the top shelf." He nodded, lifting the girl easily. She plucked the bolt of fabric deftly from it's hiding place, nodding to Sebastian who set her down gently.
"Thank you," she said, lifting the pile of fabrics she had selected. Sebastian deftly took them from her hands and carried them easily over to the counter. The young woman behind the counter turned to face Sebastian and blushed.
"Emily," Lizzie said sharply, getting the girl's attention. Her head snapped around to face Lizzie, her face flushing more. Lizzie said nothing, handing her the note pad she had in hand.
"'Orry," she said, rolling out the fabric, "So 'o 're ye friends, Miz Lizzie?" she asked, looking Sebastian up and down once more.
"This is my cousin, Ceil and his butler. They are visiting from the country…I asked them to come after everything," she responded, a far off look in her eyes. Her face fell for a moment, but she quickly returned to her usual expression.
"'Ow kind o them!" Emily said, folding up the bolts as she cut them with machine-like precision, "That comes to…200 quid." Lizzie sighed, handing over the crumpled bills. She handed the girl another crumpled bill. The girl's face lit up, as he stuffed the bill in her pocket.
"Thank ye kindly!" She exclaimed, grinning. Lizzie nodded, and reached for the packages, only to see them already in Sebastian's arms. She walked out of the shop, Ceil walked by her and Sebastian following closely behind.
"Now where are we going?" Ceil grumbled, almost trotting to keep up with her.
"Undertaker's," she said, "Come along, keep up. He's the one everyone visits for information from London's Underground." Sebastian and Ceil looked at each other, realizing that even though so much of London had changed, one thing was still the same: the best places to get intelligence. Apparently nothing about Undertaker had changed, because his shop, and he himself, still looked the same.
"I know that Butler," he crooned, "That butler gave me many a glorious laugh, make me laugh again!"
Sebastian smirked, ushering Lizzie and Ceil out of the shop. Ceil looked over at Lizzie, who stood with her arms folded, clutching her small pocketbook.
"You shouldn't hold that so loosely," he said, his voice cold. She paid him no heed, staring defiantly at the door. Ceil rolled his eyes.
"Ignoring me is no way to make me leave you be," he said, "That's a very childish game." Lizzie looked over to him, a small smirk on her lips.
"You'll find I enjoy games, and like a child, I do not like to lose," she responded, turning and smirking.
"Tch," Ceil mumbled.
All the sudden, it felt as though the ground shook as Undertaker's unearthly laugh poured out of the shop. Sebastian opened the door, waving them in. Lizzie took one look at Undertaker's crumpled and laughing for, and smiled softly to herself.
"Alright you," she said, her voice still as stone cold as ever, "I've come to ask for information on the people who kidnapped me and killed my parents."
" One group at a time," Undertaker crooned, "Because, you know, nothing could be that simple." Lizzie rubbed her temple.
"Of course not, it's never that simple," she mumbled. She looked at her wrist watch, looking back up at Sebastian, "Be useful. Collect the information, I have things to do." Sebastian bowed and smiled.
"Of course, My lady," he responded. Lizzie turned, exiting the shop and waving to Ceil, "Come along Ceil. I'll not be seen without my escort." Ceil grunted something inaudible, following her out.

"So, Ceil, would you like to sit in while I conduct the interviews?" Lizzie asked, sipping her tea. She gagged slightly, she wasn't very good at it. Ceil held his own empty cup, staring into it intently.
"No, I would not like to," Ceil responded.
"Very well then," she replied, "Get comfortable. Laura Pruden, yes, you're first, come in!" She called. A young woman walked in, smiling widely. Ceil noticed a flicker in Lizzie's eyes.
"Why do you want to work here?" she asked, looking the woman up and down.
"Oh! I would love to work for the Downey family," the woman gushed," It would be such an-" Lizzie held up her hand, silencing the woman.
"Thank you, but I just don't think you're right for the position," she said coldly. The woman looked surprised, and opened her mouth to speak, only to be cut off by Lizzie's unsympathetic hand.
"There's the door, I'm sure you can show yourself out," she said, looking back down at her paper, "Penny Kaiser! You're next, quickly please."
Ceil watched as the girl dismissed each woman with militaristic precision and a cold exterior. They took a break for a moment, and Ceil spoke for the first time since the ordeal began.
"You certainly send them off quickly," he said, giving her a lofty look. She did not turn to look at him.
"Every one of these preening idiots have gushed about what an honor it would be, how it would be their pleasure to do as I say and to tell me what I want to hear no matter what they think. When I am cruel to them, none of them have asked why, and they do not try to ask," she said, "I will not have such weak minded and ignorant people as part of my staff. I'd rather employ a thief who will tell me just what they think and rob me blind than one of those fools."
"An interesting approach," He said, settling back into his seat. She was definitely interesting and amusing, if not the brightest. She looked back down at the paper and called the last name on the list.
"Josephine Fletcher!" she called, only to see the girl escorted in by Sebastian.
"Did you do as I asked?" she asked, looking at Sebastian levelly. Sebastian bowed.
"Of course, My lady," he said, holding out a large envelope. Lizzie took it and set it on the table before her, returning her attention to the girl.
"Miss," Sebastian said, just as she was about to speak, "If I may, why are you interviewing these young women?"
"I have the means for a maid, and I desire one," she replied, "Don't worry Princess. I'm not replacing you," she finished with a devilish smirk. Ceil almost chuckled when she called Sebastian "Princess". The gall of this girl was never ending. He was quite enjoying it.
"Oi! I'm still 'ere, ya know," the girl piped up from the chair, "It's impolite to ignore people." Lizzie leaned forward, grinning.
"And why do you want this job?" she asked.
"'Cos I need one, I figured even you high society types would understand that," she replied. Lizzie gave her the same response that she gave the others.
"Thanks, but I don't think you're right for this position," she responded, smirking, "Show yourself-"
The girl jumped to her feet, slamming her palms down on the table, knocking the papers flying.
"S'cus me, poppet," the girl said in a snarling tone, "but just cos I won't bow down and kiss your pampered ass don't mean I'm not good enough. You and your friend there are just a couple of brats, and I feel bad for that butler!" She exclaimed. Lizzie grinned.
"You're hired," she said. The girl blinked.
"I hear you right, poppet? " she asked, looking confused. Lizzie nodded, reaching into her wallet and extracting 100 quid.
"That should cover your uniform," she responded, holding out the bills, "You can buy it at the local uniform shop. Nothing more than a maid's outfit, it'll do until I get one that is more suited to my liking. Sebastian, show our newest employee out. I expect to see you here with all your things tomorrow morning, nine hundred hours."

"You are an interesting creature," Ceil said, standing.
"And why do you say that?" Lizzie asked, standing herself.
"She insulted you, and yet you hire her for a most personal task," he responded, "The idea seems counter productive."
"And you and Sebastian are any different?" She asked, walking past him and patting him on the head, "Sometimes those who despise us most are the best at the tasks we give them. All that is needed is motivation."