There was only one spare room available, much to their surprise at how long it's been since the inn had new visitors. They both agreed to make due in varied turns for sleeping and bathing arrangements. He was, however, correct about the news of her presence being in the town spreading like wildfire. They spent a bit of precious time trying to find the keys. No one really picked up or kept up from the lack of clients and visitors. They probably had the cleanest room in the whole place, from what he judged on the room conditions.
Not even ten minutes went by after they got into their hotel room when people were starting to show up to ask for her. He was rather glad that they shared the room now. He was able to bar her off from the curious townsfolk. He finally suggested to them to hold a town meeting of her arrival. He would show up with her, and the truth of what happened could finally be revealed in full. The idea was embraced and quickly passed on to the Mayor of the town.
"You've been missed, it seems," Dupin said.
"I'm honestly not sure why," Marjery frowned. "I was never very popular."
"This is very baffling to be sure," he agreed. "Come to think of it, I've never even seen this town on a map. Most small towns tend to be left off of it, anyways. Unless one knows how to get there, or stumbles on them, do towns like this one get discovered."
"It's rare for people to leave," she sighed. "But, it can't be helped. Not many know where to go or have the funds to move."
"And you didn't?"
"No. I just packed up my things after learning of the betrothal and started walking. With a wing and a prayer, as they say. My Mother was the one that caught me leaving the house, though, with my luggage in hand. She asked what I was doing, and I said that I was a grown woman and had the right to make my own choices. I didn't want marriage. I told her that I decided to try and make my own ends meet. I didn't want them to decide for me."
"How did she take that?"
"She was livid. She had my Father come in next to scream at me. I was told that I was cut off from them the moment I left the house. I agreed to it, much to their surprise. Then I said that, if I got married, I'd be leaving the house, anyways. So, I'd be cut off, regardless. That had my Father fairly speechless."
"Well, he would have put his foot in his mouth with those words! I do wonder if they were trying to marry you off to pay a few debts," Dupin pondered aloud.
"I don't know of any debts," she frowned.
"Most parents won't involve their children in money matters," he said wisely. "And, I can put down money on this, that after you left, they started to look for a suitable candidate for Katrina."
"And the Mayor's son would definitely fit in her criteria," she muttered.
"Calm yourself, my dear," he soothed. "All of this will be settled in time."
"Maybe we should just leave here," she whispered. "The moment you deduced that the letters were simply ensnaring traps, I should have burned them and forgotten them."
"Marjery! That is not how a true detective works!" he said with dismay at her. "We will get to the bottom of this mystery. Whether it takes the rest of the day, or the rest of the week. We will see this through to the end. We have those letters as evidence against your sister. To show that she was lying to you. Only after she admits her guilt and all is laid bare shall we go. But, I'm still very curious as to why your parents wanted you to be married off. It makes no sense to me."
"I don't know what to think of it, either!" she said and started to pace the room. He watched her and moved to her side to rest his hands on her shoulders to calm her. As he gazed at her in thought, he came to a rather brilliant idea. And it would help me test a few personal theories, too.
"You know, our new friend, Stanley, may have given me the best idea that I could have possibly hoped for," Dupin now said with a rather smug smile.
"Oh?" she frowned.
"We'll pretend to be an engaged couple," he mused. Now she looked at him with complete surprise. "This way, your parents can't order you to be married off again. I can protect you and ensure that you are always at my side in this odd town. There's only one problem with this, though."
"There are a lot of problems with it!" she said quickly.
"Trust me," he said. He went to his luggage and opened it up to inspect what he brought. He rummaged around a bit and located his pocket watch. "This chain is all gold. The top ring could fit your ring finger quite nicely. Do you have any nippers with you? Something to help pry the chain apart?"
"Me? Why would I carry such a thing?" she asked.
"Damn! How about tweezers? No, nippers would need to be the best. We need those before going to this town meeting. Let me check with the front desk. Stay here. I have a key, so I'll open the door. I don't want you to open the door for anyone. There is a peephole, though, so you could see who approaches. Then again, I might lose my key, knowing my habits. All right. If someone knocks, and it isn't me, ignore it. Understood?"
"Of course," she nodded. Now that he went to the main desk, his mind was filled with rare, childish thoughts. What's come over me? There was a part of him that was intrigued that he'd be testing the waters of a relationship. Even though it was false, it would give me an idea of what it could be like now. And, the more he thought about it, the more he realized how compatible Marjery was for him. He wouldn't have given it a second thought if it wasn't for Stanley's jealous behavior. Maybe, before we leave, I'll thank the man for opening up my eyes.
When he got to the main desk, he found no one there. Finding it odd, he checked the area and found the nippers he needed. He would see about returning them when he was done. Heading back to his room, he knocked on the door carefully. He heard her footsteps come up, and the door opened. He slipped in and locked the door behind him. Walking over to his pocket watch, he carefully removed the link around the first ring. Inspecting it carefully, he nodded.
"All right. Place this on," he said. "I would do it, but..."
"No, I understand," she nodded and placed the ring on her left ring finger. "It fits well!"
"Good. Now, I may have to call you something that only one of a close relation may call you. Do you have any nicknames that I can use?"
"Oh. You can call me Maggie," she smiled softly.
"Very well, Maggie," he said gently. "Another thing, I may have to press a kiss to you here and there. I'll not go near your mouth, though. Just on your hand and temple. It is only to help with the acting. And, you can call me what you always call me."
"Must we go through with this charade?" she frowned.
"If it is to help us get to the bottom of things, then yes. We must," he nodded. "We will need to do a bit of rehearsal acting, though. Just to get it down right."
"Um, I am a bit worried, though," she admitted.
"About what?"
"We told Stanley that I was not in a relationship with you."
"Oh. I'll tell him that he gave me the idea to propose to you," he shrugged. At her look of complete amusement, he grinned softly. "After the jealous vibe I got from him..."
"What?" she frowned.
"You didn't sense it?" he chuckled. "It's fine. Now, ah, Maggie, we need to get a few motions down. I believe that the next ten minutes should be safe for us to work with."
"If you say so, Dupin," she shrugged.
"No, that won't work," he frowned. "You need to say my name softer. Like we do in a whisper, only louder for others to hear you."
"Oh," she said with a small frown. She looked very uncomfortable with it.
"My dear, I'm not trying to force this on you. It is only to get to the meat of the problem here."
"I understand that. It's just...people will expect us to talk about love and such..."
"We care about each other, as best friends. So, in that sense, I do care greatly for your well-being. Enough to have me play out this wonderful charade with you to find out what is going on."
"I suppose," she sighed. Then she blinked when he pulled her close and gazed into her eyes.
"Maggie, what's wrong?" he asked gently. She stiffened up right then. The way he said her name like that completely threw her off guard.
"I..." she trembled.
"Ah. It's all right, you know," he smiled. "Remember why we are doing this. I will have to speak your name like that in front of the others. I may have to do a lot of other things, too. But, I will never touch you in a manner that you deem inappropriate. Even in public, I would refrain from doing so. Such a thing is something that even I would abhor."
"It just...caught me by surprise," she admitted. "I never knew my name could be said like that."
"You've never been in a relationship?" he asked.
"No," she shivered. "I never...wanted to be in one...after what my parents..."
He narrowed his eyes and actually hugged her to him. He easily stood a good foot taller than her. He held her until she finally relaxed. "That's it, Maggie. We will find out what happened. Stay at my side through all of this. I couldn't solve a damned puzzle on my own, if I tried, anyways."
"Is that why you get those puzzle locks? To watch me do them?" she muttered.
"It's quite possible," he chuckled. He actually liked feeling her against him. She was just as speechless about the emotions going through her.
"What do we do...if the acting changes...?" she whispered. "If it becomes more?"
"Hmm? Oh. Well, we won't know that. Will we? Anyways, we need to focus. We have a town meeting to go to. A sister to put in place. And a truth to uncover. Right?"
"Right," she nodded.
"Ten more minutes of rehearsing out what to say, how to say it and various other things until we are comfortable. We need to act completely natural with no hesitations. That will give us away."
"Of course, Dupin," she said with a soft, warm smile. Now that caught him by surprise.
"Now I see what you mean. Ehm...right..." he said, as he refocused. It's just acting you fool!
"Should I not say it like that?" she frowned.
"No! You did it perfectly. I am the one caught by surprise this time," he chuckled. "Let's change ten minutes to twenty."
"Okay," she giggled softly.