I spent an educational evening in the carriage house watching Edward reassemble clockwork and occasionally take breaks to modify one of his drawings for the accessories for his next version of the sinkable boat. Owen obviously understands the engineering principles better than I do. It is fascinating to watch Edward and Owen interact.

I had difficulty with my mediations. I must not let disappointment sway me from my path.

I did my usual pre-dawn patrol of the immediate neighborhood then reported to Mr. Graves. After breakfast the ladies joined me for their usual classes. Miss Chigwidgeon was much more focused than usual. Miss Sinclair, on the other hand, must learn to master her emotions more reliably or she is liable to hurt herself rather than an assailant. As I believe she doesn't wish to admit she has emotions, this may prove very difficult. She has been quite put off by her first experience at meditation.

The usual classes were cut short when Lord Greyminster and Miss Pinker arrived for lunch and to congratulate the newly engaged couple. Miss Chigwidgeon seemed slightly overwhelmed by the Earl's enthusiasm. I overheard Miss Sinclair mutter a comment to the effect that the Earl is just happy that the family will not die out. One of the new footmen made a similar comment in the kitchen, and Mrs. Murphy nearly took his head off. I remember now that Mr. Graves told me Mrs. Murphy started service as a scullery maid in the Earl's household when she was a child. I begin to suspect that the Earl is as good at inspiring loyalty as Sir Cosmo.

After lunch Edward (under the vigilant nose of Owen), drove the ladies to an appointment at Lady Ottoline's school. Sir Cosmo was in his office writing letters and dealing with some legal matters.

Lady Ottoline arrived at the house with a very shy young woman, Miss Bertilde, who is the weapons and self-defense instructor at Lady Ottoline's school. It seems that the ladies and the Lady have decided that Miss Bertilde would be useful as an additional bodyguard. Sir Cosmo asked the two of us to fence, so that I might give an evaluation. She is very skilled with the sword and knife, and seems to have a natural talent for combat. I recommended that Sir Cosmo hire her immediately. She has the distinct advantage that she can pose as one of the ladies' maids and accompany them to places which the dictates of English society would not permit myself or one of the other men.

The ladies returned from their many errands. They had been to the dressmaker for final fittings. Shortly after they arrived home, Mr. and Mrs. Chigwidgeon arrived to offer their congratulations as well.

In the evening Miss Chigwidgeon was reading one of her periodicals and began asking Dr. Wilson some questions about his gunfight with the Prussion agent. It appears that the person who is writing this unauthorized story has managed to uncover some true details of our adventures. There is a Lt. Smithers character in the narrative who bears an unmistakable likeness to Lt. Wooster.

There was another confrontation between Miss Sinclair and Edward. Miss Sinclair wanted Edward to sleep in the house tonight. He finally agreed with great reluctance.

Korati met me in the garden when I made my evening rounds. He prefers that I address him as "George" now, since that is what Edward has named him. Tensions continue to grow worse among the ranks of the Cobb's old organization, but there was no new information particularly pertinent to us.

1 June, 1879
Wednesday

With the concert and reception both this evening, we began the day in a rush which did not let up. The morning newspaper reported that Lord Clarendon, the Foreign Minister, had been found dead in his office the evening before. They say he was an elderly man, but the newspaper hinted that the cause of death may not have been natural. This morning's lessons were a bit shorter than usual, as the ladies had to pick up their dresses and take care of other errands in town. Sir Cosmo also had some business to take care of, and was gone much of the day.

The ladies returned to the house in the early afternoon and took a late lunch. Mrs. Cuthbert and Mr. Cuthbert met the agent and received the keys to the house next door. Edward showed Mr. Cuthbert all of the portions of the house which need to be repaired.

Miss Chigwidgeon and Miss Whitnell forced Miss Betilde to try on dresses until they found one that would be appropriate for the events in the evening. It was amusing to hear their discussions.

Miss Sinclair became positively bubbly while reading the afternoon mail. Later she revealed the Mr. Frazer had returned to the city, and was already embroiled in investigating Lord Clarendon's demise.

Mrs. Cuthbert, Miss Whitnell, and Miss Chigwidgeon performed a seance to try to learn something about the death of Lord Clarendon. They came down and asked me to explain more about the Left-Hand God afterwards. It seems that magical forces prevented them from summoning the dead man's spirit, but Miss Chigwidgeon had been taken by the goddess and informed them that the Left-Hand had taken Lord Clarendon. I explained that the Left-Hand God was worshipped as an aspect of Kali, her sense of justice and retribution. I also explained that there were other traditions that looked on the Left-Hand God as a separate entity, and that I was less familiar with those traditions.

When the ladies came down to dinner the effect was quite breath taking. Miss Chigwidgeon was radiant. Miss Whitnell and Mrs. Cuthbert were beaming, they are obviously so pleased that Miss Chigwidgeon and Sir Cosmo have found happiness together. Miss Sinclair seemed slightly less troubled by everything.

Sir Cosmo presented Miss Chigwidgeon with a wedding present. It is a happy fish, and one fit for a princess. He did his research well. She was quite moved by the gesture.

We took two carriages to the Criterion theatre. Sir Cosmo, Dr. Wilson, Mr. Cuthbert, Mrs. Cuthbert, Miss Whitnell, Miss Chigwidgeon, Miss Bertilde went in to enjoy the concert. Edward, Owen, myself, and Mr. Cuthbert's coachman remained outside.

One of Edward's friends from his old neighborhood, the clever boy called Howard, found us. He brought disturbing news. Edward's mother is missing. There is a possibility that Edward's mother has entered into a more permanent arrangement with Peanuts Molloy. I know Molloy by reputation only. I know that the Cobb expected him to rise to a leadership position in the organization some day, if his ambitions didn't get him killed first. Edward was not pleased with the news, though he tried to pretend that everything was still fine after Howard left.

I spotted George on the roof above us. He signalled that everything was clear, and he would watch from them.

After the concert ended the party crossed the street to the reception. About an hour after the reception began, an unusual man walked by the area where all the carriages were parked. He was extremely tall and gangly, wearing top hat, a stylish coat, and carrying a walking stick with a silver head in the shape of a skull. As he passed in front of a lamp post I realized that his profile was identical to the Cobb's. I began reciting, silently, the Mantra of Five Letters to ward off dark magic.

He passed into the light of another lamp, this one fully illuminating his face. He looked directly at Edward and smiled broadly. He was not the Cobb. He was a younger man and slightly taller, with spectacles. He had clearly calculated his movements to reveal himself to Edward, before striding out of sight.

Edward just looked at me with an expression that clearly conveyed that he knew who it was. At that moment I understood, too. It was almost certainly Edward's father: the Cobb's prodigal son.

I turned to signal to George, but he was not in sight.

The League arrived at that moment. They had been exiting the reception because of some disturbing news from the Order of St. Jerome, and had seen the suspicious man. Mr. Cuthbert, Miss Sinclair, and Dr. Wilson ran after the man while the others asked us what we had seen and explained that the undead bounty hunter had been liberated from his place of imprisonment.

Mr. Caine came running out of the reception leading a young man I had not met before, though apparently the rest of the party had. Caine explained to Sir Cosmo that the Marquis de-something-or-other, was another agent of A, and could assist. Apparently Lt. Wooster was rather intoxicated inside, and wouldn't be much help to any pursuit. Mr. Frazer and Mr. Ramsay had joined the party sometime during the social.

Since speed in getting to the St. Jerome chapterhouse was of the essence, the young nobleman offered to take two of the party ahead in his gig. Mr. Ramsay and Miss Whitnell went speeding off with him, while we extracted the carriages.

The tall man had left three behind two pieces of paper folded into animals: one in the shape of a monkey, the other in the shape of a horse. There was no other sign of him. George reported that he had seen the man drop the two pieces of paper beside each of two lamp posts, but then had vanished into the shadows.

Several of us reached the conclusion that the tall man was likely either trying to divert us from investigating the trouble at the St. Jerome Chapterhouse, or perhaps lead us into a trap. Rather than persue him, we proceeded to the Chapterhouse.

The Chapterhouse had been breached by non-magickal means. Someone had tunnelled into the catacombs, crept upon the guard, strangled him, and then carried the bounty hunter's body, with the iron rod still nailing it to a peice of the collapsed church. The bounty hunter's spirit was still encased in the crystalline ball. Agents of the Order had already been dispatched to check on the safety of the sword, and following some other leads. We followed the trail through the basements and cellars to where it came out in an alley. There had been a wagon waithing for them, which had pulled out into St. Guildford street, which is such a busy thoroughfare at all hours that tracking the wagon would be impossible.

Miss Whitnell, Mr. Ramsay, Mrs. Cuthbert, and Miss Chigwidgeon performed a ritual to locate the body. We set off in the direction indicated. In Limehouse we met up with one of Mr. Ramsay's colleagues, who was using similar magick trying to find body. Eventually all signs pointed to the Black Lion, which is the pub where Mr. Chigwidgeon is employed. The league determined that no large parties had carried something like a crate large enough to hold a body through the pub, so we proceeded to the rear to check for other entrances.

It was quite clear to everyone that there were chambers below the pub which were warded by various magicks. I suspected that the hidden entrance which used to lead to one of the Cobb's offices was still in the same spot at the end of the alley. Unfortunately, there was a great deal of disagreement as to how best to proceed. I decided I should scout ahead and report back what was awaiting us in the chambers. I reported my intentions to Miss Chigwidgeon, and proceeded.

The trails that had been left at the Chapterhouse indicated initiate thuggees had carried out most of the mission. I presumed, therefore, that one of the splinter groups that George had mentioned to us such as the Widows or the Billingham gang were behind this. I had not expected to find Master Tandu waiting for me. He had seven expert thuggees with him.

The bounty hunter's body had been nailed to a wall. The ghost bird which George and I had fought several nights before was mystically bound nearby.

Master Tandu accused me of bringing the undead creature and the evil spirit to the place. I realized then that this had, indeed been a trap. A trap for both our League and Master Tandu. One of the other factions hoped that we would follow this trail and then either we would kill Master Tandu, or he would kill us. In either case, at least one obstacle would be removed from their path.

I told Master Tandu I had been trailing initiates who had stolen something, and they had had probably been meant to lead me into this very confrontation.

Master Tandu told me I could redeem myself in the eyes of the goddess if I would return to his tutelage. I explained that the goddess had already placed me upon a path of redemption. Master Tandu was not pleased with my answer.

The rest of the league arrived a few moments after the fight had begun. Miss Whitnell created a magickal light that illuminated the room, which was helpful since Dr. Wilson and Mr. Cuthbert both charged in with guns blazing.

Miss Bertilde leapt into the fray, as did the Marquis, George, and even Edward. I couldn't keep track of who was doing what, because Master Tandu was doing his best to kill me. He would have succeeded had Mr. Cuthbert been less accurate in his shooting. As it was, I was was gravely wounded, and only managed to kill two of the other thuggees. Fortunately, the rest of the league had killed all the rest, and Master Tandu decided to flee.

He broke through a brick wall and went into the old tunnel and sewer behind. Dr. Wilson and the Marquis followed. Mr. Cuthbert noticed the gas pipes and warned Dr. Wilson not to use his rockets. Wilson and the Marquis fell into the sewer and lost the trail, which is probably for the best. Whereever Master Tandu was running to, I am quite certain he had far more resources ready to help him than seven thuggees.

First aid was administered to those of us who were wounded, and Mrs. Cuthbert healed the worst of my injuries.

The others discovered the entrance to the office, and began searching the room. The rest of the St. Jerome people arrived, including Mr. Travers. Mr. Travers, Miss Whitnell, Mr. Ramsay, and Mrs. Cuthbert performed a ritual which sent the ghost bird back to it's proper resting place.

There was not much evidence left behind. I suspect that Master Tandu and the others in his faction may have already been vacating this location before the trap was set. I did not pay much attention to the cataloging of the evidence.

Miss Whitnell and Miss Sinclair were very cross with me for scouting ahead without telling everyone what I was doing. They right on one important point. I'm not ready to hold my own against Master Tandu, yet. If I am to protect the household, I must find a way to beat him.

I was not the only one who was scolded. Poor Edward has been ordered to sleep inside the house and tell Miss Bertilde, Miss Whitnell, and Miss Sinclair before going anywhere. I was afraid Edward was going to run away as soon as everyone went to sleep, so I stationed myself near the room where he set up his things. Sir Cosmo stopped by the room and seemed to mollify Edward's feelings somewhat.

Since the ladies had said I shouldn't keep my thoughts to myself, I suggested to Sir Cosmo that we should take agressive action against the groups arrayed against us. I outlined one of the plans that has occured to me: since at least two of the factions are trying to find Edward because they want to follow the Heir of the Cobb, we could take control of one of the factions and follow the divide and conquer model. Sir Cosmo said he would think about it. He did agree with me that we need to take the fight to our enemies, instead of waiting for them to come to us.

Edward is conducting some sort of chemical experiment while everyone sleeps. I wonder how long Miss Sinclair will sleep through the smell?

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