The Greedy Flames!
21 April 1870, Thursday
Miss Sinclair and I have just come from calling on Lady Ditteridge and have been given a letter to deliver to Mr Robert Ditteridge regarding his grandfather’s death. Miss Sinclair informs me that Mr Frazer is already at Mr Ditteridge’s flat, keeping watch for an odd monkey and organ grinder that seemed to pay unwarranted attention to Mr Ditteridge as he was reading his Grandfather’s paper for the Naturalist Society.
The spell that I cast on the Ditteridge Family does not seem to have had its intended effect as the Baron Scarisbrick, father to Lady Ditteridge, is dead by mysterious means at his home in Liverpool. Mrs Cuthbert is quite overcome by the news. I must confess that I made excuses to come upstairs and change partly because of that good woman’s distressed state. I feel my own tears gathering behind my eyes but now is not the time to give in to emotion. I have a duty to perform for the League.
I hear Sir Cosmo calling for me. We must get underway and carry the sad news to Mr Ditteridge.
21 April 1870, Thursday
It is mid-morning as I write this. I don’t think anyone in the house has had more than an hour or two of sleep. Most of my compatriots are downstairs questioning a dog we found on the train platform. I am taking a break from researching the few books of magic that I possess.
I will try to lay out all the events of the past day in some sort of logical order– perhaps that will help me focus my research.
On Wednesday night, Dr. Wilson, Mr Cuthbert, and I went to the ball hosted by Major General Sir Albert Phipps and Lady Phipps. Mrs Cuthbert had planned to accompany us but received word at the last minute that Mr Robert Ditteridge would be reading in his Grandfather’s place at the Naturalist Society. Sir Cosmo, Miss Namaste, Miss Sinclair, Mr Frazer, were already planning on attending that gathering– with Edward as their Driver.
Our party went to the ball in Mr Cuthbert’s carriage and arrived in good time to make the rounds. Mrs Cuthbert started to ask me to watch over her Uncle but stopped herself and gave him the strangest look as she left the house to catch up with Sir Cosmo’s party. We were very quickly separated. Dr. Wilson was a surprise hit. He can dance quite well for an American. I saw Mr Cuthbert talking quite seriously with a young lady and, of all people, Lieutenant Wooster! I edged closer and found that the subject of their mutual interest was guns of all types. I was briefly introduced to Miss Angela Glossop before she spun Wooster out onto the dance floor. She seems one of the New Women and I am quite glad of it.
While I was watching the dancing, Lady Ditteridge came up to me in a fine state of agitation. I wished Mrs Cuthbert was with me, though I did my best to find a corner where we could talk. After sorting through her nervous chatter I found quite a bit to be alarmed about. She had received a Very Cryptic Note regarding her father– from what she told me it seemed to indicate that he was very ill but that the police were somehow involved. It was very puzzling. My advice was to trust her own feelings. She seemed to calm down a bit after that and we made arrangements to meet a her house where she could show me the contents of the note.
I left to gather up Dr. Wilson and Mr Cuthbert and we returned to Sir Cosmo’s house. Lieutenant Wooster and Mr Caine also accompanied us. Imagine my surprise to find the entire party from the Naturalist Society Meeting had already returned home. Mrs Cuthbert was in a tizzy and so Ruth and I (with Edward driving) made our way to Lady Ditteridge’s house. On the way there, Ruth (she has given me permission to use her Christian Name– though I hope not to abuse that privilege) reviewed the events that had transpired at the Meeting.
It seems that the Meeting itself went well, though the topic seemed rather gruesome, until the very end when Miss Sinclair’s attention was drawn to the window. Perched outside the third story window was a Capuchin Monkey and Edward! The monkey acted in a very hostile fashion toward young Edward (which I have never seen any animal do when interacting with Edward!) Eventually the Monkey ran away.
Edward and Turgenov (Mr Frazer’s dog) tried to track the Monkey and his human compatriot but they were unsuccessful. Mr Frazer and Turgenov followed Mr Ditteridge home while everyone else returned home to consult. Ruth seemed amused that Edward described the Monkey as having the “Eyebrow”– a reference, I believe, to Miss Sinclair’s expressive features. She is an experienced Governess and can quell even young Edward with a dry look and an arched brow.
We reached Lady Ditteridge’s house, only to find that she had received additional news– her father, Baron Scarisbrick, was dead. She was understandably distraught and a plan was made to summon her extended family to the house. I volunteered to take the News to Mr Robert Ditteridge and she graciously accepted, going so far as to write a note for me to deliver. We took our leave and headed back to the house to check for further developments.
Once home it was nearly four-thirty in the Morning. Mrs Cuthbert was still quite distressed, she had a vision of the Baron’s death scene and was quite overcome. I encouraged her to stay home and rest and fled upstairs to change clothes and take a few moments to compose myself.
Wooster and Caine had left by the time I returned downstairs. Apparently the young woman I met at the ball is his Intended. He went to the Ditteridge house to give comfort to her and keep and eye on the place for the League.
<Later>
My goodness! I just spent the past half-hour asleep with my head in my books! I must get some tea and a snack. I can also check on the plans the rest of the League has formulated.
<Later>
Miss Oakes makes Wonderful Tea. I am so glad that she has taken service here; it must be a Great Relief to Graves to have someone to help keep order now that the household has expanded. Tattvik is off at her classes today– we are running on different tracks– I haven’t even had a chance to speak to her about our latest encounters! Miss Oakes assures me that Tattvik is keeping up on her chores– not that I ever had any doubts about her diligence.
The rest of the League has finished questioning the dog, Owen. He is apparently quite a good speller. It was Mrs Cuthbert’s idea to use her alphabet board to facilitate communication. We discovered Owen this morning when Miss Namaste, Edward, and I accompanied the rest of the party to the train station. They were set to travel to Liverpool to followup on the police investigation, as well as some clues Mrs Cuthbert gleaned from her visions. During the discussion of who would go to Liverpool Miss Namaste reversed herself and suddenly decided to remain at home with Edward. I realized that the research I needed to do could be done much more easily at home and I could keep an eye on things here.
Once at the train station we encountered Owen. Edward and Miss Sinclair were the first to spot him. He was a Welsh corgi– much like the one Mrs Cuthbert had described in her vision. I went to fetch her from the car. By the time she and I returned to the platform Miss Sinclair and Edward had determined that Owen was Baron Scarisbrick’s dog and that he was Very Intelligent. It seemed necessary to postpone the trip to Liverpool so we retrieved everyone’s luggage and returned home– both carriages loaded to capacity.
From questioning Owen it was learned that he and several other animals were the product of Baron Scarisbrick’s experiments. The Monkey that was seen last night is named Iota, and is the murderer of the Baron. Iota is working with the Baron’s lab assistant, who’s name is Paolo. Paolo and Iota fled after the death of the Baron and Owen tracked them to the London Train and overheard a conversation between Paolo and ‘Paolo’s Woman’ (Owen’s words) about the planned journey to London. Owen wants to catch the killers of the Baron– as do we.
<Later>
Miss Namaste and Edward returned from running errands as plans for the afternoon were being discussed. She gave me the oddest look– half startled, half guilty– what has she been up to?
Sir Cosmo and I are going to Our Employer’s offices to do more research. I did find two spells that may be of use later once we have more information. I also want to keep my appointment to review the file Our Employer has on Mr Ramsey. I have spent the morning in frustration. I know that I have power. I have used it successfully to bind an evil spirit but I do not know enough to be helpful in an emergency.
As I review this entry, I realize that I never did cover the events that transpired at Mr Ditteridge’s flat. They are part of the reason for my frustration!
Once we arrived at Mr Ditteridge’s (at four-o’clock this morning), Miss Sinclair and Edward took up station with Mr Frazer and Turgenov while Sir Cosmo, myself, and Miss Namaste went upstairs to deliver the news. Mr Ditteridge was obviously just on the verge of getting ready for bed when he admitted us to his flat. He took the news of his Grandfather’s death fairly well and seemed glad that we would be able to transport him to his Mother’s house, where all the family was gathering. He went off into a back room to make himself presentable and we were all startled to hear a low menacing laugh and the sound of breaking glass. An instant later the back room was on fire!
I could hear the evil laughter and a voice speaking even as we tried to extract Robert from the flames. I dared not get near the fire for my skirts would have fed the greedy flames I would have been of no help to anyone. I did find a heavy rug that I hoped would help put the fire out should Robert make it out to us.
I called to him– trying to give him something to focus on. Miss Namaste knocked over a jug of water that we had overlooked and that dampened a bit of the flames while Sir Cosmo rushed in and grabbed Robert.
The flames leapt up and I could see a being of pure spirit glowing within the flames. I was afraid we would lose both men and tried to push the spirit out of the way. I do not know if I had any effect, for at that moment the agile Edward broke the window from the outside and the spirit rushed out at him. I saw Edward fall away from the window just as Sir Cosmo and Robert came rushing out of the room. Miss Namaste and I were able to bundle them both up and put out the flames on their persons quickly– Mr Frazer and Miss Sinclair took charge of Robert and Sir Cosmo carried Miss Namaste– we all got out safely just as the police were arriving!
Sir Cosmo and I were able to tend Mr Ditteridge in the barouche on the way to hospital. Sir Cosmo was quite firm as to which hospital to go to and Edward drove us quickly and safely there. Once Mr Ditteridge was tended to, we returned to Lady Ditteridge’s house to inform her of the news. Not surprisingly she was very upset and emotional. Fortunately many of her relatives were there already and were able to take her in hand. I saw Wooster there with Miss Glossop and, for once, he seemed to have things well in hand. We left him to it and returned home.
After this experience it has become clear to me that I cannot delay learning more about the strange gift that Great-Aunt Hethalyn has bequeathed me. To protect my newfound friends and members of the League of the Golden Clematis I must learn how to use the power God gave me.
I am off with Sir Cosmo to review the dossier Our Employer has collected on Mr Aidan Ramsey.
Proceed to 3. The Murders Mulitply
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