Hi girls, let me apologize once again. I spent the last 48 hrs with a horrible stomach bug, unable to do much. Salt to the wound was the fact we were all at an Easter celebration & I just looked at photos fam sent haha

In any case, I do apologize, I will get back to everything tonight (doing blood work today, just in case).

Thank you for understanding!

S

Aurora Wolf, the Tomboy

Age: 25

Personality: Unrestrained, vivacious, curious, passionate // Sharp-tongued, mercurial, careless, madcap

Face claim:Stefanie Martini

Interests: Noemi, Matthew, Godfrey

Fashion Show

i. to love and be wise

“Miss Lombardi! Come in, come in, don’t worry about your shoes, I haven’t cleaned the flat at any rate.”

That got Noemi to raise her eyebrows as Aurora ushered her into her Belgravia apartment, even as Aurora slippered around in long, loose palazzo pants and a simple shirt. Even so, Aurora was only mostly joking: Noemi had called in earlier, asking to see her in private - and Aurora had obliged. That also meant hiring a cleaning woman to tidy up her flat nice and properly while she went out and went about her business.

So, in short: her flat would never be as neat as the army of cleaning elves Papa used to keep at Winterbrook, but it was acceptable. Well, far more comfortable than it’d be for Aurora at any rate.

The two made small talk as Noemi made herself comfortable - left her travelling coat and shoes at the door, keeping herself neat, unobtrusive as if she were entering into Papa’s space for his work. Aurora would have none of it - instead, she ushered her to the living room, wasting no time in pulling out a bottle of white and a charcuterie board she’d thrown together in maybe the space of minutes. Thank you to the nearby deli for that.

“You said you wanted to talk to me,” Aurora said, stretching out on the sofa across Noemi. The other woman was proper as ever, sipping at her glass of wine as Aurora picked at the crackers. “Happier news, I hope?”

“After what I need to tell you first.” Noemi looked at Aurora in the eye, frowning. The seconds ticked on, and Aurora shifted in her seat, uneasy with the expression Noemi had on her face. It heralded news - bad news, or the very least, the expectation that Aurora would not like what the woman was about to say next. She cast her mind back, trying to remember what had occurred over the last few days following the murder.

Eventually, Noemi exhaled, the noise loud in the quiet.

“Some of Lady Wolf’s jewelry is missing.”

“Rebekah’s?”

“No. Your mother’s.”

Aurora paused, a grape halfway to her mouth. She gave those words another thought, and then put the grape back down.

“Sorry. I must have misheard you - Mama’s jewelry is missing?”

Noemi nodded, solemn. “The ones your father locked away after her death.”

“Had Papa reorganised them, before his death?”

“No. You know as well as I did after Lady Victoria Wolf died, he locked those away, never taking them out unless it required refurbishment.”

“You’re sure?”

“Very.” Noemi sipped at her glass of wine, then said, “I believe Lady Rebekah may have taken them.”

Aurora processed this information, hands clasped demurely in her lap if only to disguise them shaking. Rebekah she and Gigi had never loved - not ever since Papa had moved on to marry the woman, the stranger who’d appeared out of nowhere and broken her engagement with Calix Onassis to do so. There had been enough rumours swirling around her to start, but now…

“And you’re sure?”

“None of you would’ve taken her jewelry or needed to so quietly, and Winny wouldn’t have had access. No, the only one who could’ve done so or had the opportunity was Rebekah.”

“When did this happen?”

“I’m not sure. I was assisting the accountants when we made the discovery.”

“Hm. Well.” Aurora mulled the information over a little longer, fury beginning to build in the back of her mind. She could almost hear the scolding, hear the oft-repeated lessons she needed to hold back, to calm down, to think before she leapt headfirst into any other matter. Which was perhaps why she didn’t do much thinking and hurled herself headlong into car racing and other ill-advised encounters - romantic and otherwise - with people of all stripes.

“I’m not sure what to do with this information. Not least when neither Gigi nor I cared much for the woman.” She sighed, running a hand through her hair. “You didn’t tell Arthur?”

“No. I thought - perhaps it’d be best to bring it to you instead.”

“I…” Aurora trailed off, though she made no attempt to hide her own surprise. “I appreciate it? Though I don’t know what I’d do with the information. Sneak around, ask around?” She blew hair out of her eyes. “I’ll have a think, see if I don’t want to bring it to Arthur. Or maybe I’ll have a dig around and see, Ulrich should still be staying at Winterbrook.”

“He is,” Noemi confirmed, nodding firmly. “He hasn’t left yet.”

“Oh, good. I’ll do a little snooping then.” Aurora exhaled. “Can we move on to the happier news?”

“Oh, yes.” Noemi seemed to relax, as relieved her burden of delivering this news was finally over. “I’m getting married.”

“Noemi, you can’t do this to me!” Aurora managed a joke, though her voice was apparent mirth was closer to shock and whiplash. “First you tell me Rebekah’s made off with Mama’s jewelry, and now you’re telling me someone’s going to make off with you?”

“Well -” Noemi looked, for the first time in Aurora’s time in knowing her, bashful. “- It’s been a while coming. Ever since - well, the relationship started.”

“Then don’t keep me in suspense, who’s the lucky man worthy of your attentions?”

“It’s not - ” Noemi coughed, and the woman was embarrassed. Bless, Noemi Lombardi was embarrassed, and Aurora could almost tease her for it. “- It’s Jose.” Aurora stared at the blonde woman across her, and blinked. Noemi misread the shock for questioning, and elaborated, “J. J. Santos.”

“No, I know who Jose is, just -” Aurora whistled, then began to laugh, bright, cheerful, and if Aurora was pressed, slightly mad. “Papa’s going to have an aneurysm in his grave. How long have you been keeping this one secret?”

Noemi told her - about how they’d met during Papa and Rebekah’s wedding, how it’d started professionally with Noemi replying to J. J. Santos as she always did on behalf of Papa, how it slowly evolved into something more. How they’d been seeing each other throughout, keeping in touch with phone calls and letters until he’d come back to England. And now - this.

“I’d like to keep this quiet for a while longer, though I’m quite sure he’ll be asking me soon.” Noemi was still smiling, the picture of a woman very much in love. “I’m glad to be away from here, to be honest - too many sinister things occurring here. Could I ask you to keep this secret, for a while longer?”

Aurora knew that feeling, and wondered if she might have turned out differently if she had a confidante she didn’t want to worry about her relationships, about tip-toeing behind Papa’s back, about being afraid of Papa shaking relationships out of each other. She had no doubt each of her siblings had their own share of quiet relationships - and that Thelonious would have their ways of getting it out of them, if only to hurt.

She couldn’t have that now, but she could be that sort of discreet. So she reached across and clasped Noemi’s hand, beaming.

“Of course. Whenever you’re ready. Take care of yourself, you hear?”

iii. the hollow man

The thought that she ought to at least get up in the Meier siblings’ business coalesced shortly after her little chat with Detective Bancroft - about the investigation, what he’d uncovered. Not to mention, Arthur’s little private detective was doing a terrible job if all he was finding out about the affairs, and not even about missing property on the estate.

She had Noemi to thank for that: Noemi had told her Arthur had hired a private detective to look into the case, to see who might’ve murdered Papa. Whatever Arthur found put him in a bad mood. Though that seemed more of an afterthought: Noemi had been more concerned her husband-to-be had let slip to her sister-in-law he was about to marry Noemi. She seemed - upset by it, and Noemi had told her Selena had not taken it well. Not a surprise, from what she’d seen of Arthur interacting with his wife.

That said, if Arthur had indeed hired a mystery detective and the man was worth his salt, they might have noticed her flirting with Godfrey. Maybe. That wasn’t of a concern to her - she had a little investigating of her own to do.

So Aurora had motored herself down to Winterbrook, announced herself to the staff, and informed them she’d be staying for the night before heading back to London. Something about trying to locate an item she’d left behind - but this was her home, her estate. Perhaps, between herself and Ulrich and Rebekah, she had more of a right than any of them to be on the premises. So she did - she returned to her room, and once she was sure she’d gotten off the dust and the road off her, she waited a moment longer before heading out of her room.

The corridors were deserted, and Aurora entertained the notion that she was, for once, truly and thoroughly alone in this estate. It’d certainly make things simpler if she needed to explain why she was rifling through her uncle’s room. Never mind aforesaid uncle was practically her age.

One staircase up. A few corridors down. Hold a moment, so that cleaning staff would’ve cleared themselves away from the relevant area, so she could slip in. All she needed was some quiet, mysterious piano music playing, and the scene would be perfectly set - Sherlock Holmes would’ve been proud of her.

The door was unlocked, but she looked both ways before heading into the room. She even knocked for good measure, but when no response came, she cast one last furtive glance down the hallway, then let herself in.

The room smelled of santal, which made Aurora wrinkle her nose - the place smelled more like a powder room than anything else, but there was really, really no accounting for taste. Besides, she had her preferences, others had hers - God knew she knew enough on that front. She cast a glance around the room, noting the made-up bed, the neatly arrayed shoes on the side.

Despite all that, there were certain clues indicating the room had been used - and that someone was there. Small moved cushions. A dressing gown, which Aurora was fairly sure did not belong to a man. Papers stacked onto the desk, laid open, and a few folders nearby. She got to work.

The papers on the desk at first glance made little to no sense to her - simply travel itineraries, some papers to a few banks in London. Then she dug further, opened up drawers, and found that for an outwardly charming, business-minded man, the papers made little to no sense: banks spanning the breadth of Europe, some based in America; correspondence from alleged businessmen, replies alluding to lost money; even a few from the more well-known banks, the threatening tone clear in their words that Ulrich needed to repay money - and fast.

There were other correspondence too: sweet, perfumed letterheads written in a carefully practised hand, declaring their love to the man and how much they wished to see him again; handkerchief and little bits and pieces of love tokens. Aurora skimmed through the letterhead: a location in London, though not one she knew her cousins or her siblings to use.

It took perhaps half an hour for her to remove the papers and to replace them, to skim through its contents and try not to get a headache from the legal jargon, but a picture was becoming clear: that first and foremost, Ulrich was heavily in debt, and it threatened to drag Rebekah in with him; that he travelled almost extensively through Europe, though by the look of the letters, no one had expected him to stay in London for so long. That, and these letters from banks and other financial institutions seemed - quaint. Strange, even. There were references to the man not having an extensive credit history - several stating he was a new customer.

Odd: she might not know much of law, legalese and whatnot, but surely someone with a history like Ulrich’s - and by extension, Rebecca’s - would have had some sort of credit history? So why were these repayment terms so stringent?

She made her way out of the room, her mind spinning even more than it had been when she first entered. She went in to look through Ulrich’s things, wondering perhaps he might have had some clue as to where Mama’s missing jewelry was - and whether he was an accomplice, because she was not yet so brave as to stick her nose into Rebekah’s things yet. And now…

As Alice in Wonderland just said: curiouser and curiouser. There wasn’t anything more to find here, but perhaps she could go and chat to Detective Bancroft, as him to have a quick look into this as a personal favour? Maybe? Or, maybe she should bring it up with Arthur when she next saw him at Gigi’s fashion show, ask him to actually get his PI to look into this as well.

To be continued

Last edited by Jadis (02/05/2022 at 16:00)

Hi! I apologize for the delay, I feel significantly better and have updated impressions. Notions are on the way.

Okay, let's add a tiny twist to this as my apology. Please deliver up to two questions for the interests of your choice.
So, everyone gets 2 questions to ask about their interests that they will have to answer.

Please, keep in mind that the question is not long af, with three additional things asked. Also, keep in mind the question is something your character would ask in a conversation with said person. And, finally, keep in mind they might not be truthful in answering, of course (but I imagine most will be)

(ex. why did you have stains on your white shirt last night? what was the best meal you've had? how many times did you skip school?)

Update II: can you share who you think might be the killer in DM or WApp or wherever we chat? I am curious

Update III: EA approved an extension - the round closes on Saturday night!

Last edited by Zaralee (27/04/2022 at 20:48)

Round 3 closed! The final round, Round 4 coming up in a few hours!

Last edited by Zaralee (02/05/2022 at 07:18)

To wrap this up, I'm announcing this will be the last round.

Round 4: Original Sin

Act I: The Seance for the Living & the Dead
The seance takes place after the dark descends, and as a very convenient coincidence, a storm is brewing. Zella will gather the ones attending in the room, and set them down in a precise pattern. Zella sits at the table, facing north, and from that point on, going clockwise: Arthur, Selena, Godfrey, Aurora, Noemi, JJ, Gigi, Winny, Ulrich, Rebekah.

Things start off easily: candles flickering, Zella circling candles above the ouija board before she commences with the questions. The ghost seems to direct the wooden board towards very clear answers, including the fact it is not Thelonious.

She will ask if the ghost has been in the Winterbrook for a long time, and it will confirm. The ghost will spell out the library when Zella asks about the hidden will. She’ll ask if the ghost is aware of the secret affairs happening around in the family, and the answer will also be quite clear, but there will not be any indicative clue on who they are pointing towards. The ghosts will answer some questions, implying about the dirty history of the family, lies and deception inside the family, and at one moment the power is cut short, the answers stop, when Zella asks the spirit that joined the key question: and the spirit confirms to be Thelonious. The spirit says they know who killed them, and the seance is cut short when Zella asks if the person is in this very room. Before they get the chance to say something, there’s a loud crash in the other room, the light goes on again - just in time to notice everyone is either unimpressed or terrified. Ulrich will get up, stopping the continuation of the seance, suggesting they all get a drink instead, to settle down. The rest of the party goes to bed or stays behind for a conversation.

The following morning, you're woken up by loud, relentless knocking on the door to Rebekah’s room, and Ulrich is trying to get in. By the time you all get inside, you realize Rebekah is dead. Detective Bancroft is back at the house within one hour but seems to believe she died of a cardiac arrest due to intense emotional pain.

Act II: Secrets, Love & Money
A few days after Rebekah’s been buried, detective Bancroft decides it’s the right time to do another round of questioning. His presence will not be announced, rather he will choose to appear by surprise - some will be alone, some will be in the company they might not want to keep at the time, and it will surely set the tone for the moment. (Find more in Notion, of course).

He finds Winny and Ulrich first, sitting in the drawing-room. Selena will be with Arthur, on the balcony behind the drawing-room. He’ll find Gigi sitting down with Zella in the small studio room, while JJ and Noemi will be in the kitchen, as she goes over some lists, concluding the day. Matthew will find Aurora and Godfrey outside, as she tinkers around one of the cars, talking. Agatha will be in the classroom, talking to Calix. The last conversation that will happen is when Bancroft makes his way across the lake to visit Etienne and Vincent.

Act III: The Wolf of the Winterbrook
Another few days pass, and while everyone is picking up where they left off or trying to do so, Bancroft seems to be running around town doing what he was supposed to be doing. At one point, you’ll get information - from someone, which will be detailed in your Notion - that an arrest is about to be made and the police are on their way.
UPDATE: you are all still at the Winterbrook.

Requirements
1. Name, Interests.
2. Outfit for the day police is about to make the arrest.
3. Story.
4. Please write who you think the killer is before the reveal.

ROUND 4 CLOSES ON SUNDAY, 8th May.

Last edited by Zaralee (04/05/2022 at 11:15)

Impressions go here, in a few moments.

Selena: DONE

Arthur feels horrible about things that have happened, and how he behaved for the most part of the recent year, yet he is most hurt by the fact Selena believed he would have stood in the way of her project, especially in the light of how his father never had any faith in him.

JJ is torn between how happy he believes he should feel, and the awful fight he had with Selena. Still, he doesn't understand the complete lack of understanding that comes from her - especially in comparison to the fact she did the same thing to him. He still cares, but his pride is somewhat getting in the way of opening the communication up again. Noemi is not too happy about that, she'd try to get him to talk.

Matthew took her reaction to their last interactions seriously, so he would keep his distance at this point in time, trying not to upset her additionally. When he shows up at the house, he will be very upset about the turn of events, very strict in his questioning, and disregard other things happening in the family (around the house).

Agatha: DONE

Arthur is in a bad mood, but he would still reach out to Agatha, and apologize for what he inadvertently found out about her and her friendship with Calix. His focus has slipped from his efforts to get to the bottom of the investigation, however, from getting to the bottom of the case to getting his family affairs in order. He would, however, be curious about why Agatha mentioned Atlas during that meeting of theirs, especially after Rebekah's untimely death.

Calix is shocked after Rebekah's death, and despite what he might have thought about his own personality - he is sad about it, too. He would seek out Agatha's company, but given they have (in his mind) returned to a somewhat normal relationship (read: they are not fighting anymore), he would let things take its natural course in their relationship. He'll be supportive regarding the recent events, too.

Etienne was amused by their last interaction, and he will find himself shocked after Rebekha's death. He'd attend the funeral, altho the motivation might lean more towards Agatha, rather than Rebekah. The question she asked is the most interesting to him, wondering if she took as much of her father's opinion into consideration as he did with his.

Winny: DONE

Gigi is excited about the upcoming seance, and she insists on Winny coming. She is going to be quite guilty after they discover Rebekah died, thinking it could have been too much for her frail heart. Gigi will go into some kind of seclusion afterwards, but would not say no to Winny visiting.

Godfrey is happy they reached an agreement so nicely, he would still be very civil and kind with her. He'd imply he knows she is already seeing someone, noting he is happy she is, and he'd suggest she should not pity him either, as he is not as alone as one might believe.

Ulrich will be amused and happy to attend the seance until they discover Rebekah has passed away the following morning. He'll be in mourning, of course, going to Winny for support during the times, happy to find that kind of support in her. He's not going to be keen on keeping their relationship hidden, asking her to attend the funeral by his side.

Aurora: DONE

Noemi is happy she faced some support regarding her marriage, however, she is still not convinced things will go smoothly with the rest of the family. She's scared something else is bound to happen, so after the death of Rebekah, she is really on the edge for the first time ever, basically. She'll want to speed up her departure from the country, fearing what might happen next.

Godfrey is in a good mood after the engagement has been broken off, and his mood lasts until after the seance. The fact Rebekah was young makes him want to be more honest about them, as they might not have as much of time left as they believe - life is, actually, very much unpredictable.

Zella: DONE

Zella was too busy running around with Gigi before the show to do much else.

Gigi will be very excited before the seance happens, and even more so after. The day after, however, she is quite distraught by the death, blaming herself, insisting they should have stopped it before it was too late.

Last edited by Zaralee (03/05/2022 at 11:29)

CHAPTER THEME What Is Love; Jazz Cover

CHAPTER THEME Wake Me Up; Mariachi Style Cover

Form - DONE

NAME: Selena Wolf

FACECLAIM: Taylor LaShea

AGE: 25

PERSONALITY:
Intelligent, independent, creative, charming, enthusiastic, sensitive, stubborn, secretive, naive, impulsive

INTERESTS: Arthur | JJ | Matthew

STORY - DONE

ACT 1 - The Great Pretender - DONE

Scars and Souvenirs - DONE

Wincing and rubbing at my temple proved pointless. It was simply impossible to soothe the five-day-long ache. It would be a lie to lay the blame solely on my faithless husband at that exact moment. Not with the dark ink blurring together under my clutching fingers. I felt sick and even lifted a hand to my lips as I gulped down the bitterness.

Up until an hour ago, it had all been his fault.

Now… now I had far graver things to consider. And wasn’t it a wonder that my mind could so easily be changed on what could very well tear my life apart? How could I have been so foolish and reckless when I had thought myself so very careful. This had meant everything to me, my wildest dream and here I sat on the verge of it being snatched away. Due to my own neglect? I shook my head, tears stinging my already thoroughly blood-shot eyes. It made little sense but there it was, clearly etched in black and white.

I jumped so fast at the loud knock on the suite’s door, banging my knee under the desk in the process. What was one more pain in the long list of them wreaking havoc with me today?

Uncertainly, I slipped the note under the stack of mail I’d been opening before rising and paused to allow my queasy stomach to settle before addressing the disturbance.

“Oh my!”

Gigi gasped upon my appearance, clutched my hands, and waltzed right into the room, uninvited. Not that I would have thought to refuse her… but I doubt it would have made any difference if I had. Gigi was not the sort of person to expect or accept, her will be denied. She was much like Thelonious in that way… despite the lack of blood they shared.

I blinked as the door shut behind us and reached up to wipe the stray droplet rushing down my cheek. She had the grace to turn away, moving further into the room and stopping at a large bouquet I hadn’t bothered to arrange in a vase.

“These are lovely…” she leaned forward to inhale before glancing at a similar bundle drying out in the wastebasket below, “are they from Arthur?”

I was not sure what she expected me to say but I went with the only thing that mattered to me at that moment.

“Gigi… what are you doing here?”

“I’ve come to visit with my sister…” she uttered matter of factly after strolling back over and squeezing her fingers tightly around mine.

I was at a loss for words. The fact that she was there meant she was more than aware of the state of my marriage. At least enough of it to be unsurprised at my lodging and guess at the source of so many unappreciated flowers. I had never been at odds with any of Arthur’s sisters but certainly, the hint of closeness she suggested was a bit overstated. But then again, everything about Gigi was grand and over the top.

She returned to hook her arm through mine and ushered us to a small seating arrangement near the window before speaking again.

“You are right to take him to task… and you shouldn’t forgive him so easily either…”

“Forgive him…?” My voice sounded far away as my mind whirled. As my stomach churned.

So she knew… did the others? Was I such an imbecile that everyone else knew but me? Thelonious’ words from the party hammered in my head, him telling Arthur to see to his wife. Even he had known. Bile rose up my throat and I had to dash away before I erupted right in front of her.

“Are you alright?” She rapped lightly against the bathroom door some minutes later. “Should I call for the physician…”

My knuckles were the color of the white porcelain gripped underneath, and my cheeks were nearly as pale. I rinsed my mouth and pinched some color into my face while setting my mind away from my nagging thoughts. A mask worthy of an academy award settled into place as we returned to our seats.

“I’m sorry, Gigi. I’m afraid I am very poor company today.”

“I should call for the doctor then… how long have you been ill?”

I shook my head, offering a practiced smile and trying my best to ignore the awkwardness I felt due to the look of concern on her face. I honestly did not know how I could be expected to discuss her brother’s infidelity with her or how it had me moping around like some inconsolable sloth. But one thing was true… her visit had now brought reality into focus.

The past week had been nothing but tears and one upset stomach after another. I’d barely been able to keep anything down. If I continued down this path, I’d really become ill… it was time for me to pull myself out of it. My marriage was something I’d have to deal with, but that would be between Arthur and myself.

“I’ll be fine.” I was even convinced by my tone. “I just have a lot on my mind, that is all.”

Gigi hesitated and I would have wagered she wanted to say more but she nodded instead.

“I believe you, nothing like a little chaos to help you grow stronger, huh?” She giggled at herself. I mimicked her mirth. “And… speaking of chaos. I also stopped by to personally ensure you’ve received my invite to the seance I am hosting tomorrow at Winterbrook.”

“Uhh… Gigi, I don’t know…”

“Oh, but you simply must come. I really wish to have my entire family with me. And you are now, forever… whether you realize it or not.”

Despite not being particularly close to Gigi, I knew her well enough to know that once she had an idea she wouldn’t let go of it. I had to say something to give her hope or she wouldn’t leave me alone about it.

“I will give it careful consideration, I promise.”

After a hug, another caution about seeing the doctor if my illness persisted, and a reminder to give her brother hell, Gigi left.

Squaring my shoulders, I returned to the desk to review the note from the bank. After scribbling a few notes I finally moved on to the rest of the mail that had been forwarded to me.

In the end, it was the letter from Noemi that convinced me a visit to Winterbrook would be worthwhile.

Goosebumps - DONE

The next morning I was nearly run over by the luggage cart being rolled behind me when I stepped out of the hotel’s entrance. Luckily for me, perhaps, he must have noticed me much sooner than I noticed him. Before catastrophe could strike he moved to pull me out of harm's way.

There was irony in that.

“Are you alright?”

As gracefully as possible, I slipped from his grasp and adjusted my hat that had fallen askew when both Arthur and the valet rushed to reassure themselves of my welfare.

“Thank you. Yes.” In the next moment, he turned to chastise the younger man. “There is no need to berate him, I was the one that came to a halt unexpectedly.”

“He should have been paying more attention to you… you could have been hurt!”

A sarcastic ‘thanks for saving the day’ sat on the tip of my tongue. I am not sure how I managed to hold back. I even kept my brows perfectly level and was confidently thankful the makeup I’d added that morning hid the worst of the past week's emotions. There was no obvious indication of how Arthur had gotten along over the same time frame. Biding time, I made a show of adjusting my gloves rather than continue looking at him.

“You can set those in the vehicle there…”

I spoke directly to the valet who nodded quickly and moved away. The porte-cochère wasn’t exactly unbusy but other patrons of the hotel were far more centered on their comings and goings to take an interest in the awkward silence between my husband and me.

“Where are you going with all that?”

It wasn’t so much, but more than was needed for a day trip to Winterbrook. Everything that Rogers had delivered at my behest had to be returned now that I’d checked out.

“I am returning to the townhouse after I visit with Noemi today.”

“You are?” I could not detect if there was hope in his tone or simply surprise.

“For the time being at least.”

I caught his nod from the corner of my eye before finally looking back at him. Whatever feelings he had over the whole ordeal were carefully or cautiously concealed.

“What are you doing here, Arthur?”

“I’ve been trying to see you since I found out where you were.”

“Have you?” As if I weren’t fully aware of each time he’d come by to try and gain an audience. He looked as if he would try to convince me so I cut him off. “I am aware of your visits. Perhaps you did not catch on that I was trying to avoid speaking with you?”

He frowned and gave me an odd look.

“You cannot just avoid speaking with me indefinitely.”

Again, I was left unclear about his actual feelings. He could just as easily have been frustrated from a bruised ego, irritated that he wasn’t getting his way, or regretful that his marriage was falling apart.

“That is true. And do not plan to. We will have to have a conversation at some point.”

“I came to drive you to Winterbrook.”

“How could you know I planned to visit?” Although there weren’t exactly hundreds of suspects… or even three. “Or what time I planned to go…?”

“I’ve been waiting to catch you coming out…”

“All morning?” He shrugged. “That seems premature… and perhaps foolhardy.”

“You are leaving me few other options.”

“Oh, I’m sorry for being unaccommodating. Being readily available whenever you desired has been my greatest strength the last three years.”

“Selena, I-”

“No,” I said quickly. I had to turn and blink away the tears that started to well up. I hadn’t meant to lash out but I felt raw and savage. Slowly I swallowed back the bitterness while flatting my palm across my churning belly. It took several deep breaths for me to continue. “I… I just do not think I am ready to talk to you just yet, Arthur.”

“You don’t have to. Let me…” I frowned looking back again. I wished I hadn’t. I simply was not sure I could trust the earnest expression on his face. “Please.”

“I am not sure what it is you want from me right now, Arthur. But I simply do not have the strength or stomach to give it to you.”

Indeed, I was feeling very unsettled. I almost relented at the look on his face but somehow managed to hold firm. Moments later, a full car length apart, we made the drive to his family’s country home.

⏺️⏺️⏺️⏺️⏺️⏺️⏺️⏺️⏺️⏺️⏺️⏺️

“Thank you for coming.”

I sat opposite them, JJ guarded, Noemi less so. And I felt awkward. It had only been a couple of weeks since I’d seen or spoken to father, not exactly uncommon but this time was different. More like the time right after I married Arthur. The rift between us felt long and deep. And with everything else going wrong in my life, it was hard to not feel so weighed upon. I could imagine that I appeared as stubbornly guarded as my father.

Noemi poured tea… and a coffee for JJ. She had not bothered to ask which proved her familiarity with him. I, on the other hand, declined the offer being quite conscious of my continuing queasiness.

“Thank you for asking me.”

Another uneasy pause stretched out before Noemi cleared her throat.

“I want to say, I am disappointed by how this all played out. It was never my intention for this to be so shocking for you… as it was. I certainly never planned, or imagined, I’d end up causing a split between the two of you...”

“You didn’t.” I was quick to point out, cutting her off in the process. I focused solely on her. “I had no idea who Papa planned to marry. He decided that he would complete the process before including me.”

“I do not understand why you object to this. It is exactly what you did with your marriage. Except I only planned to propose before I revealed all.”

“And I do not understand why you would choose to punish me over it after all this time… or get back at me for it in this manner. I thought we had gotten past my impulsiveness and discourteous behavior. I am certain it was seen as such… and I wish you’d have simply explained to me how it still hurt you instead of using it as an excuse for you to turn around and do something you yourself were hurt by.”

“That is not at all what I was doi-”

“Isn’t it? Why choose to hide it then, from me? Did you truly think I’d object to Noemi or did my opinion not matter at all to you as it has all my life?”

“How can you even say that? Everything I’ve done has been to provide the best life you could possibly ima-”

Noemi reached out and touched his knee, immediately calming him as that fiery Columbian temper started to soar. I sat there gritting my teeth and doing my best to keep more tears from falling. I did not wish for either of them to see how utterly broken I felt inside. I watched his fingers curling under hers as he released a pent-up breath.

“Why do you feel that way, Selena?”

My heart clenched looking back at Noemi’s face. After a couple of moments I shook my head, words lodged in my throat.

What was the point?

“You just wished he had spoken to you of his hurt instead of acting on it…”

“I was not acting on-” Noemi shushed him and if I wasn’t feeling so distraught I may have laughed. I hadn’t thought of it before, of course, since I was unaware of its formation. But she very well could be a perfect match for him. Calmly she tilted her head towards me.

“Go on, Selena.” When I didn’t immediately respond she added, “it may be helpful for him to hear what you are feeling rather than what you think he is feeling.”

I blinked several times, futilely, as my fists balled over my lap. I didn’t want to cry and I didn’t want to open up. I already felt too vulnerable, too bare but I knew it was pride and ego holding me back. How could he not know, my mind rebelled… but as Noemi just pointed out, I assumed his feelings why then wouldn’t he?

I conceded. It was difficult at first, telling how alone I felt when mama died and he disappeared into his work. And how hurt I was when he sent me away to school without asking first if I wished to go… alone, to an entirely different country. Also, how I felt I had to bury my feelings because I felt they would impose too much on him… that I would be seen as difficult and push him away further if I dared object to any of his decisions. Then how when things happened with Arthur, I simply didn’t think that it mattered much to him seeing as how I felt he hadn’t taken much interest in anything else that happened in my life up to that point. Finally, I shared with him what I had been up to lately, with the movie. Admitted that I’d done it without anyone knowing… keeping the secret because I simply did not want to hear anyone’s disapproval or worse, command to stop.

The only thing I continued to hide from him was the current state of my marriage. Not, at least, until I had spoken to Arthur first. I’d at least give him that.

The afternoon whiled away as we spoke and tried to air out all the uncommunicated feelings and misunderstandings we’d had over the years from both sides of the table.


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I still wasn’t sure I wanted to attend Gigi’s planned ritual. I did not know anything about the woman involved with displaying her ‘powers’ but I knew the whole thing sounded eerie. And bizarre. Not to mention uncivilized, pagan even. But Papa would attend, as well as Noemi. Also, Arthur was intending to go. Not that I knew what to make of that, or him… or us. But I suppose attending it would perhaps help keep my mind off of my troubles. For a few minutes at least.

I should have guessed it wouldn’t be as simple as going blank and numb to enjoy whatever was to happen. There was nothing simple… or entertaining during the entire display. Not for me at any rate. The claimed ‘ghost’ had a lot to say but really… nothing specific. Generalizations of affairs and lies and betrayals. And despite the recent revelation I had of Arthur’s misdeeds, which seemed disconcerting to him during the telling… nothing the spirit suggested seemed too shocking considering we were at the location of an unsolved crime scene. Didn’t we all wrestle with suspicions of secrets and sins? An affair, despite one specific one and how it might hurt me personally at the moment, was paltry in comparison to murder.

I admit, when the lights flashed out suddenly, I did jump. Foolish as it made me feel. But seconds into the darkness it was the voice I heard that sent shivers down my spine. I knew it wasn’t Arthur to my right, so that meant…

Godfrey. In the darkness, as the teller’s phantom menace continued to rattle and affirm whatever she might ask of it, I heard Godfrey whisper perhaps a bit too loudly to Aurora sitting on the other side. Of loyalty and trust. The same voice… same words that had been elevated in Thelonious’ office the day of his death. Blood drained from my face as the realization rushed through me. But what could it mean?

So distracted by my finally solving that mystery I only caught the tail end of the unseen spirit claiming to know who murdered him. Supposedly Thelonious himself. A loud crash disrupted the seance and in the next beat, the lights flashed back on. My heart was racing, but it had little to do with what we were supposed to have just seen.

Ulrich rose and declared an end to the… event? Party? I do not even know what one would call that little gathering. Nor could I say why Ulrich considered himself the one that should or could direct the family one way or another. But I was hardly in the mindset to be bothered by his hubris.

Arthur left the room after inquiring if I wished for an escort. He looked utterly drained but hinted that he would be available should I desire to talk. But instead, I sat there a bit longer, watching with a newfound curiosity. What could Godfrey have meant by those words and why whisper them to Aurora? Now. Also… was there some reason he sat so far away from Winny? Not that she seemed at all concerned by the seating arrangements nor her fiance whispering into another woman’s ear. It was dark… perhaps she hadn’t seen. But then she and Ulrich rose and left the room together.

I was completely lost. And honestly, I wasn’t too sure I should bother trying to clear it up.

It took a couple of sly inquiries to find which room Arthur had disappeared to. Whether his sisters bought the casualness or saw right through it was another thing entirely. Either way, I was thankful one of them had the information… it might tamper down gossip just a little while longer.

I hated the lurch in my chest when I saw him again. There were definite bags under his eyes and he looked more gaunt than I’d noticed earlier. Perhaps, I had been steeling myself from looking too closely. But seeing him there, in the spare bedroom he’d chosen while we were in residence, with his shirt unbuttoned and a glass of dark liquor in one hand… it was harder to ignore.

“Selena…”

“Do you have a moment?”

He stepped aside quickly and pulled the door wider. He would have been a complete idiot not to have noticed my hesitation.

“We can go somewhere else… if you prefer.”

“No,” it’s a wonder the word squeezed between my gritted teeth. “This is fine.”

Putting some distance between us I nibbled on my cheek considering how to begin. I could hear him moving behind me, sitting. I was quite thankful he’d taken the seat at the table versus the bed by the time I looked back. Finally, I moved to take the seat opposite him.

“I know the timing is not ideal, what with things between us being as they are… but I was hoping for some advice.”

He lifted a brow but did not interrupt.

“I do not think I mentioned to you before… but, the day of… of your fathers, death… I overheard him arguing with someone in his office.”

“What? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I didn’t really have anything to tell other than I overheard voices. It was early in the day, not too long after we arrived and you had gone off to work in the other libr.a..r…y…”

The look on his face, so similar to how he looked during the seance hit me quickly. I narrowed my gaze then pressed my lips together tightly as realization hit me. I motioned a hand at him when he started to speak and counted silently before continuing. 

“I… I did not know what I was hearing. Nor who. I recognized the voice vaguely, but couldn’t put it to a face.” I took a deep breath. “Until tonight.”

“The person was here tonight?”

“It was… well, is Godfrey. They were arguing about… I don’t know. Loyalty, and trust. Something about a wife. Godfrey seemed quite offended that Thelonious would call those things into question. He… seemed adamant that Thelonious had no right to question those things at all.”

Arthur frowned and started tapping his fingers on the table.

“It could have been about him and Winny. Since they have broken up now, it makes sense.”

“They broke off the engagement?”

Part of me was shocked. They had been engaged for as long as I've known them both… before I had even met Arthur. But that was also why it wasn’t so surprising. Four years seems an awfully long time to wait if you wanted the marriage.

“Yes. I learned of it this week. I would have shared but…”

“Yes, of course.” I hummed softly ignoring the path the conversation had almost steered. Doubtfully, I added, “I suppose that could have been all to it…”

“Father did have a way of demanding to have his way and pushing people together.”

‘See to your wife’ hissed through my brain.

“He didn’t… with us?”

“Push?” I couldn’t even breathe as I braced for the answer. “No. He didn’t have time. You were one of the few choices I made for myself.”

Why it should even matter was beyond me. It didn’t change what happened, or what he did. But if he’d been forced to marry by his father… I simply didn’t know what I would have done.

“Why…?” It spilled from my lips before I could think better of it.

“Why?”

“Why did you marry me?”

It was too late to take the question back so I pushed forward. Curiosity… confusion, and doubt preyed upon me. I thought for a moment he wouldn’t answer.

“I think most of the aristocracy would answer money immediately. It is certainly a big consideration of the ilk. And I won’t lie and say the money didn’t hurt at the time.”

It could have been any sharp object ramming against my ribcage in those few seconds it took him to continue. I shouldn’t have been surprised. There was a long line of dollar princesses, as they called us moving into London society. American heiresses marrying for an English title were accepted only for the wealth they infused into deteriorating noble lands. I just thought Arthur and I had been much more than that. Thelonious’ businesses and properties were secure, as far as I knew.

“But… you were unlike most of the women I’d ever met. I think it was impossible for me not to fall in love with you. And I did. Head over heels.”

I stood. Shaken by my reaction to his words. My mind warred with the warmth that spread through my body. He loved me and yet he sought another instead of me. I hated that I wanted to believe him despite what I knew to be true. I hated that I wanted him, despite what he had done.

“Selena…” He rose, standing inches before me looking like he had a million other things he wished to say.

“I… I think I will confront Godfrey.”

He blinked, then frowned. “Confront him? About the argument?” I nodded. It took only a couple of seconds for him to reign in whatever he intended to say. “Okay. But I’m going with you.”

“That isn’t necess-”

“You must be completely out of your mind if you think that I will allow you to confront a man you think may be involved with a murder. Alone.”

“You pointed out it is far more likely just to do with his engagement to Winny.”

“And if it isn’t… just that?”

I pressed my lips together knowing he was right. If Godfrey were involved… I’d surely be no match to whoever struck Thelonious down and then strangled him. Despite having been feeling a thousand times the fool over Arthur and work in the last week… I was not simple enough to wager so recklessly with personal safety.

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I slept horribly and I couldn't even blame the anti-climatic ending to the evening. Having Godfrey simply confirm Arthur's assumption that his wish to dissolve the engagement had led to the 'heated discussion', I had to wonder why I'd let it consume so much of my time in the past months.

But in truth, I tossed and turned all night for no apparent reason other than discomfort leaving me quite irritable near the break of dawn. It did not help that the moment my feet hit the floor I went running for the bathroom connected to the room Arthur and I usually shared. I’d barely finished rinsing my mouth when I realized the loud banging was not the pounding ache at my temples.

Cinching my robe I winced as I exited the room and squinted in the faintly lit hallway. Despite the early hour, it appeared I was not the only one to do so either. Turned out that it was Ulrich’s disturbance at the end of the corridor that had pulled most from their chambers.

Startled, I jumped when Arthur rushed up beside me barefoot and panting slightly as if he’d just run at breakneck speed. His warm hand cupped my face as he looked me over before he turned in the realization, I suppose, that the chaos was much further down the hall. Without a word, he headed that way.

I stayed put, remembering the last time I’d rushed when a door had been broken in this house. It didn’t take long to learn that once again death had come to Winterbrook.

Within the hour, Detective Bancroft announced deep emotional strain had caused Rebekah’s cardiac arrest.

ACT 2 - Strike The Match - DONE

Behind The Doll's Eyes - DONE

I’d spoken with Mr. Coates and advised him to get in touch with the production company to set a meeting. Hopefully, I would have something figured out before that came to be.

And that left me with just the situation with my husband to figure out.

I was thankful he didn’t press for a conversation on the drive to Winterbrook. Returning for Rebekah’s funeral was yet another unexpected drama in the long list of them in the last month and a half. She was still so young… only five years my senior… to die of natural causes. It just seemed unbelievable.

And I just felt drained. So much happened in such a short time. My world was completely flipped upside down. And to top it all off, for the first time that morning I realized that my emotional strain may not be the most likely explanation for my recent stomach issues.

My palm flattened against the high waist of my slacks.

I laughed. And laughed some more. Peels of it erupted into the silence drawing Arthur’s curiosity, then his concern as sobs began choking the giggles into the abyss. He pulled the car to the side of the road to free his attention for me. Or perhaps to simply check on my sanity. Words clogged in my throat that might have assured him. I was fairly sure I’d gone beyond the breaking point.

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I’d calmed enough, we figured, and continued to our destination. The funeral itself was appropriately somber. Despite how close in age we were, I was not particularly close to Rebekah but I imagined her as young and full of life. This simply did not settle right with me. Not that my judgment could be counted on for much these days.

Afterward, there was a private repass. The family gathered and did whatever it was that they did while Arthur took the opportunity to usher us to the balcony nearest the drawing-room. I tried not to wonder about the rapidness and strangeness of Winny’s new relationship with Rebekah’s brother when we passed them in that room. Whatever she decided to do with her life was her business. I had enough of my own to keep me more than occupied.

Arthur brushed a hand through his hair and exhaled raggedly.

“How are you feeling?”

I shrugged. “Fine, I suppose. Considering.”

But before either of us could continue, Matthew’s voice rang out from the next room.

“What the hell is he doing here?”

Rather than anger, Arthur just sounded weary. He stood and peeped into the room then stepped through the doorway leaving me alone for the moment. Barely a minute later he returned.

“We just had a funeral and already he’s here with another pointless round of questions.”

“What questions?”

I tried for a peek through the french doors he shut on his way back out… apparently giving the threesome privacy. When I looked back, Arthur peered at me while rubbing sluggishly across his brows and at the temples. Whatever he was thinking he kept to himself.

“I don’t know. It’ll be almost two months soon and he’s still twiddling his thumbs.”

“How can you be so sure? Did your investigator find out any information?” I shook my head almost instantly. It was clear we both drew on the memory of our estrangement. “Regarding Thelonious’ death… or did you give up on that?”

“I do not have any new information.”

Silence.

“We need to talk, Selena.”

“I know.”

But we both turned mute immediately after the acknowledgment. Then we were interrupted by Matthew joining us. Seeing him, knowing that Arthur had assumed the worst in me made me irate. At the ridiculous injustice of it all. Looking back, I could honestly say the detective had been overly attentive. More than was necessary, or appropriate considering his role as the lead investigator in my father-in-law's death. And I had been foolish to indulge in the friendship I thought we had. But I never had any romantic notions towards him. And Arthur’s easy belief that I had was utterly offensive.

It took me a couple more moments to catch up to the conversation happening around me. 

“Do you usually like to wait for the second killing before the case gets interesting to you, or is it exclusively related to how liberal you can get with the women on the case?”

My nostrils flared and fists balled at my side. Was it possible that he still believed me so faithless? The ringing in my ears blocked out whatever Matthew had to say in response to Arthur’s rather dry and impassionate jab. And I had to give credit that Arthur had not personally named me in his insult but I knew all the same. He’d also said women… meaning more than one. Did his P.I. confirm other erroneous affairs… or was there at least one valid liaison?

“You’ve had time. There’s still the missing will… you’ve never gotten to the bottom of who was taking things that belonged to my mother… nor have you explained why the boats are regularly gone from the docks regularly. It’s been weeks now that you’ve known these things… and yet you still do nothing.”

“Lord Wolf, we are turning over every possible clue, double and triple-checking everything. And now we have your stepmother’s death adding to the curiosities around this case.”

Arthur’s lips set mulishly with dissatisfaction. He hadn’t sounded angry at all… just tired and worn. I might never have guessed just how jaded he was with the detective if I didn’t already know. Not that I cared at that moment. He might not be affected by any of this but I sure as hell was not in a pleasant mood.

“Did either of you see Rebekah fight with anyone… or see her with anyone the night she died?”

“Not that night. My sister informed me she and her brother had a falling out the day of the fashion show. But I didn’t bother to ask more. Siblings have disagreements… it’s not uncommon.”

Matthew jotted notes before glancing at me. Utterly serious and intent on his duty.

“No.”

“How was she faring after the previous Lord’s death?”

Arthur shrugged, his eyes narrowing. “Fair as far as I am aware. Recovering well… but maybe it was more painful than she let on. She announced she would be leaving London.”

I was shocked. Again, stuff I had no clue about. I admitted as much to the detective in another clipped response. It was strange, to have so much happen in the span of a week and be completely oblivious to it all.

Bancroft nodded and flipped his notepad closed but then tapped his pen against his lip.

“One more thing… did either of you attend the… seance?” His tone did not indicate anything but I could have made an assumption. I simply did not see how relevant it could be. After we both nodded, “did either of you believe in what was happening? That Ms. Zella Lehr was an actual medium?”

“I am not too sure how these things work but I cannot say I was convinced.”

I tuned out at that point. Whatever points Arthur made… or Matthew countered were the least of my concern. My husband’s detached behavior during the questioning did not help ease my anxiety… or reduce my anger. In my head it was blatantly clear he didn’t trust me… and I definitely harbored the worst sort of doubt. How could this marriage continue under these circumstances?

Rudely, I remained silent as Matthew wrapped up and excused himself. Seconds later, I did the same. Determinedly, I moved past Arthur, then past the couple in the drawing-room, and straight through the mansion to the bedroom on the second level.

I was thankful for the silence, the solitude. There was simply too much on my mind. Mentally I tried to picture what the future may hold for each of us…for three of us... and whether I could picture Arthur and me together in that future.

I cannot recall how long it was before my thoughts were interrupted by a stern knock on the door. Minutes? An hour? But somehow, I'd known it would happen. That night. It only took a couple of steps to pull the door apart.

“It’s time to talk.”

It wasn’t a question. Or even a request. But it didn’t matter. Finally, I agreed.

Gamble On Pride, Or... - DONE

He marched in shutting the door soundly behind himself. Obviously, we’d be talking right there. It was as private as we’d get with everyone else still occupying the house.

“What are we doing?”

‘I do not know.” I considered sarcasm and flippancy. Honesty won out. “I don’t really know where to begin. I’ve tried starting this conversation in my head so many times and always failed.”

He nodded. I wasn’t exactly sure what else he could have done. A moment later he sat and I did the same. At least we could try to be civil… right?

“Could you start with your movie?”

“The movie?” I frowned, confused. Of all the places to start that had never ever crossed my mind.

“Why did you keep it from me?”

I frowned harder. “I already told you that.” I was certain I had. As soon as I knew it was out in the open. Then… the bottom had fallen out. “I was not interested in disapproval or denial.”

I was pretty sure that was sadness written on his face. Hurt… or betrayal.

“What made you think I would deny you your dream? That I would disapprove of it… or you?”

“Well, Arthur, it wasn’t exactly like you spent a lot of time eagerly interested in my days. Or life for that matter. You were busy, elsewhere.”

He winced but he was locked onto the topic. The one that seemed to matter most to him I suppose.

“You never even tried to tell me about it. How can you say I wasn’t interested if I never had the chance?”

I pressed my lips together and looked at him as if he were growing two heads.

“Nearly half our dates were spent at the theater… either live or reel. I would ramble on non-stop about my fascination with film. How can you stand here and claim to have never known my interest?”

“Having an interest in watching films is not the same as having a dream to be in one.”

“And having a wife doesn’t seem to interfere with who you make love to.”

“I’ve never made love to another woman.”

My eyes bulged and my jaw dropped. “You say now you’ve never had an affair? That every person in your family did not know the truth of your actions while I followed behind you like some lost little puppy dog. Loving a man that found another woman’s arms and time more appealing!?”

A reddish hue trailed up from his neck. “I said made love… you are talking about sex.”

Prolonged disbelief marred my face. “Do you think that makes what you did better? So you didn’t even care for the person you betrayed me for? I have become a laughing stock… gullible and naive to this… farce, while you tossed it away on some lark?”

“Would you rather I cared for them?”

“How many was it?!” My tone pitched high as rage made my palms itch to do violence.

“This conversation is going off the rails…”

“I’d say it’s headed right for the collision we need! What the hell did you think was going to happen?”

A look flashed in his eyes and something clicked.

“Seriously!” I stood, paced a few steps then turned back to look at him. “You can’t be fucking serious.”

The corners of his mouth turned down.

“What Arthur? Did you honestly think you’d give me some time to cool off and things would just go back to normal? Your loving, dutiful, docile wife would just magically reappear and that’d be the end of it?”

“I did not think it would be that easy, no.”

“But certainly not this hard either…” I scoffed and shook my head. “There was a time I would have given anything to see you happy… when I thought I was enough for you. But I wasn’t. What exactly was it you were hoping would happen?”

The way he hesitated… as if he debated how much to expose or risk in this conversation.

“You no longer wish for us to be happy?”

I tossed my hands unbelievably.

“How are you at that stage when nothing has been resolved?”

“Then help me resolve it… how…? What do you need?”

“Me? This marriage isn’t solely about me…”

“The future of it depends on you. Will you keep secrets about your life from me… can you forgive the past?”

Tears came once again and I had thought myself all cried out. It was anger though… not sadness or heartbreak. Well, maybe a little heartbreak still.

“I was not the one that found so little joy in this marriage that I had to seek comfort from someone else. That proved the other was simply not enough.”

He winced again, “didn’t you though?”

I shouldn’t have been shocked. I guessed earlier that he must still think so, but deep down I must have hoped. Why? When I had so much more truth that should make me hate him. I just felt deflated. Slowly, I found my seat again.

“You don’t trust me… I don’t trust you…”

“I don’t care about that Selena.” He came and stooped to one knee to grab my hands. “I don’t. Whatever happened can stay in the past as far as I am concerned. I just need to be a part of your life. All of it. Not have you hide your passions and dreams from me. I am not my father.” He squeezed emphatically. “I would never dismiss or reject your dreams, mi pollito. I’d always support you.”

I stared at our joined hands sadly, confused by the warmth his fingers infused in my icy ones beneath. The huge diamond on the right glinted brightly at one angle and dulled at the other.

My mind wandered. Even if I were to forgive the past… could I have faith in a future with him? It all felt so fresh and raw right now. But was there possibly a point when it could no longer matter. How was I supposed to decide at that moment? My stomach seemed to rumble. A reminder… caution. It was a basic fact that this pregnancy changed everything.

Why would he even believe the babe was his when I knew he doubted my fidelity.

“You’re with child?”

My pulse raced when we locked astonished gazes. Had I spoken aloud? Dear Lord. I tugged at my fingers but his grip was faster and trapped them… and me, in place.

“Selena, are you?”

“I… I don’t know. I think so. I must be.”

“We’re having a baby?”

Bewildered, I could only stare as he stood, pulling me to my feet as well. There was a strange intensity in his eyes.

“Arthur, it isn’t that simple.” But hadn’t I just thought otherwise? I shook my head. “There would always be a doubt in your mind.”

“Do you really think I wouldn’t love our child with the fullness of my heart? Like I do my sisters? How I did Atlas... and mother. And even father?”

I still couldn’t just walk through the door he was throwing open. He might be willing to forgive and quickly forget. But was I? I was not sure my pride could take it.

“Is a child even reason enough to stay together?”

“Is it at least reason enough for you to give us a chance?”

I held my breath when he cupped and wiped a single tear that’d rolled down my cheek.

“Tell me you no longer have any love for me.” His voice was low, raspy. “None. Tell me to leave and never come back… that you refuse to ever see me again…”

“I want to hate you.” I finally whispered. Rage simmering, hurt, anguish. Fear.

“I would gladly spend the rest of my life trying to convince you not to, given the chance…”


He was putting it all on me. Giving me the power to determine both of our fates. Whatever decision I made could ruin us both.

“We can have the life we were meant to have. Before I was so foolish and you were so assuming. Do this properly… just you and me, and our children.”

I gritted my teeth. “You mean foolish… and selfish… and thoughtless… an-”

I trembled; damn him, when his lips cut off the flood of accusations. I could feel the heat radiating off him and his fingers dug into my biceps and pulled me closer. The faint hint of his cologne, after such a long and tiring day, still teased my senses, dragging me under his spell.

“I will always be selfish…” I would think the softness of his words brushing against my lips would get drowned out by the hammering of my heart. “But I promise from now on it will all be for you. In all of this, all this chaos, there’s been only one person I’ve truly wanted by my side.”

“Agatha?”

I squealed when he pinched me and for a brief moment, a hint of a smile touched my lips. Our lips.

Just maybe there was just enough of a chance to gamble on us.

ACT 3 - Brave Enough - DONE

Arthur slipped out to join me on the patio carrying steaming mugs.

“I thought I would find you out here…”

The last three days hadn’t been exactly peaceful, but at least we were speaking again. Trying to continue along a path of reconciliation. Was I convinced? I wasn’t sure. But that, at least, was less than a no. He seemed a bit more distracted that day and soon he explained why.

“Bancroft is making an arrest today.”

I frowned, cupping the warm mug in both hands.

“How do you know?”

“I’ve heard.”

It wasn’t exactly an answer and made little sense. It seemed highly unlikely that Matthew would share his plans with Arthur.

“Who? When?” He shook his head and took a sip. “Where?”

“Seems likely to be Winterbrook or Hazelmoor since the only suspects must be around here.”

It would seem the most likely. And I wasn’t particularly concerned for myself regarding the information. I glanced at Arthur, noting the look of ponderance but I had long since let go of any suspicion I had regarding him. I did not think he was involved with his father’s death. Nor did I think my father or Noemi were involved. As for the rest… I simply had no idea. There seemed to be at least one piece of evidence that would suggest Winny was involved. And she had been the only one Matthew had asked me about directly. Godfrey’s agency had been charged with keeping the now missing will secure… plus he’d had an argument that may or may not be nefarious with Thelonious the day he was murdered.

But as far as I could tell… it was fairly benign evidence. Circumstantial. Besides… what would their motives have been?

I shook my head just as I noticed Agatha entering the room behind us.

It was time for the family to pull together and face the demons that still lingered at Winterbrook. And it seemed I had the courage to at least stand by them through the end of this mess.

LOOK - Post Funeral


R1-DONE | R2-DONE | R3-DONE | R4 - DONE

Last edited by BambiFoxx (07/05/2022 at 19:20)

UPDATE: please send me your suspect(s) privately!

Agatha Wolf, the Doctor

FC: Elizabeth Debicki
Age: 27
Traits: Independent, Unflinching, Composed, Level-headed, Compassionate, Visionary, Restrained, Perfectionist, Prideful, Business-like, Closed off
Interests: Arthur. Calix. Etienne.
Attending seance: Probably not?

The oldest daughter of the Wolf family is an esteemed physician and a social justice fighter, independent and determined. She just found out her father arranged a marriage between her and a young French business owner she never met.

The perfect picture of the ideal daughter; talented, hardworking, dedicated, and caring – at least from what you can admire of the polished surface. Agatha early understood what it meant to live in man’s world and learned the rule book, to know when it was needed to play into it and to discern when it was the right time to push against it, in order to reach her own goals, which have proven her to be a quiet force to be reckoned with. What happens when she’ll find herself backed into a corner we have yet to see.

Act I.

Family Affairs

“Are you really encouraging her with this spectacle by attending?” Agatha asked. She had come across Arthur on the landing as she was heading out to Wisteria cottage.

“I guess she took it very well when you came at her calling her spiritual adventure for a nonsensical, ludicrous, spectacle,” Arthur retorted.

“I guess there was a snide remark?” Agatha raised an eyebrow, she had come to Winterbrook for some peace and quiet, somehow, she had missed the overall invitation to Ms Lehr’s calling of the sprits and it was over declining to join the less than successful talk with Gigi had taken place. “I used more subtle and sophisticated wording, but yes, she wasn’t overjoyed.”

“I’m not supporting it, if that is what you think but I believe it’s better that I’m there – and perhaps we can finally call out Ms. Lehr as the hoax she must be, better to have Gigi see that for herself.”

“Yes, she’s certainly not set on hearing it from me. If this obsession with the death continues, I will start worrying about her mental health. Not that I told her that.”

“So, at least you have some wit left.” He said dryly.

“Haha.” It wasn’t much of a laughter. “I’m going out, hope you’ll have a pleasant talk with father.”

“I was more hoping to speak with you, do you have another moment?” 

“Why? Have you unearthed more of my dirty secrets?” She pulled her lips into a fake smile.

“I told you, I’m sorry for that – it wasn’t my intention.”

“Yes, because the active choice to have your PI snoop after me was completely inadvertently,” words turned sharp as did the glare she shot him.

“Just accept the apology, will you?” He said, aspirated. He looked a bit tired. She wasn’t sure how his marriage was actually fairing – Selena was there, sure – but other than that, she wasn’t sure she wanted risk a deep dive into his marriage by asking. “And please, take a moment out of your, I’m sure, very important day and talk to me?” He had some sarcasm to spare, perhaps it wasn’t so bad.

She rolled her eyes, following his lead as he took them into a small sitting room close by. The room was flooded in afternoon light, making it basking hot and empty.

“We need to keep together, Agatha,” he said as he closed the door after she stepped through.

“We’ve always had each other’s backs, Arthur, don’t you see that’s why I would take your snooping as an insult?” She said, her arms crossed under her chest.

“I mean all of us,” the look he gave her was meaningly, “you, me, Gigi and Rory.”

“Yes, of course,” she conceded. She had always been closest to Arthur, but she loved all her siblings. They had all been through the same plight. Shared childhood and adolescence under the same roof, although adulthood had their ties slacken. Neither of them might have been blood born, but they were blood earned.

“Now, why would you mention Atlas the other day?” He was unwavering in the question and his gaze.

“I’m not sure, I was out of sort,” the reverting to the lie was instant but Arthur wasn’t having it, perhaps because the pretence was meek to begin with.

“You are usually better at deflecting.”

Once more she conceded, she should have told him already. “I’m not sure why I didn’t tell you. I thought there was no point in it coming out but, reading it – it shocked me.” She took a deep breath to make better sense. “I found the will, it wasn’t even hidden, seemed to me like no one had bother to think and look. It was in the library, and I wasn’t going to jeopardise anything we already have by some potential fickle whim of father’s, so I opened it – sort of found myself at a loss of what to do,” she sighed.

“What did the will have to do with Atlas?” The furrow in his brow was buried deep.

“The contents of it, father left it all to us children, Winny and Rebekah cut out of it. But, it stated that if Atlas showed up – and could prove his identity – the title would pass on to him. Now what happened in the last weeks of his life that would make Papa change it into this?”

“I don’t know,” he mumbled as he was deep in thought. “You really should have told me.”

She met his gaze, he was silently asking himself the same questions she had once she read it. What had happened really? And where had Atlas held up all these years? Among many other valid ones.

Agatha slowly shook her head.

“Well, you were sorry, now I’m sorry.”

“I’ll phone my PI, ask him to look into it a bit more, knowing this, perhaps he could find someone who’d fit the profile…”

“Do what you think best. The will is back in London, in my flat, I’ll show it to you if you want.” She shrugged. “And if you want us to admit to finding it, we could, but I’d be more comfortable doing so if… if we knew about Atlas.”

Arthur nodded.

“Okay, well then, I should go, unless there was something else you wanted me for?”

“No,” he retreated from his thoughts and settled on another puzzlement instead. “Where are you going?”

She stared blankly at him for a few moments before she conceded for a third time. “Calix is saying at Wisteria – and I would like to be spared any crude comment.”

“No crude comment, if you are happy, I’m happy for you.”

A half smile crept over her lips. “Thank you,” she said, before leaving and making her way to the dock.

Calm Waters

It had been a lovely evening and it had passed well into night. They’d had dinner out on the deck, with the lake as view with the setting sun and then the blue tones of night. The two of them in a companionable solitude. At a point the had head the dips of oars into the water, someone rowing across the lake, shielded by the darkness, they couldn’t make out the boat or its occupant out on the black waters, but by sound, it seemed to disappear towards Hazelmoor. Anyone out on the lake at that hour, without a light had something covert about their journeying.

But it was only a dot in the evening, nothing which ruined their mood, and Calix was in a good one. He had received word from an old army friend of his with an invitation, plans were in the making for an expedition!

His gleeful excitement was contagious. He had much to share, at her request. Her own travels hadn’t taken her further than a few designated spots around Europe, but this did indeed sound more like an adventure.

The wine had loosened tongues and restraints. The dinner’s fine red had been changed for a Madeira as a digestif. They were both happy things were back to normal between them, well, Calix was quite ecstatic at the development that he now could kiss her. Agatha was reminded what first had caught her interest about him, outside the context of her father, this passion of his, which in its positive outlet was hard to resist.

“I thought you said you wanted to come to see me,” he teased as he went to pour another glass. There had been this article he thought she’d enjoy and of course she had her nose deep in the magazine. They had moved inside when the night had got too chill.

“I poured more than enough time on you already,” she countered without looking up from the rows of ink, “besides if you are so easily jealous you shouldn’t provide me with such entertaining reading. This here, it will sure cause some stir – outrageous, ha!” She chuckled merrily, and pointed to the passage she had just read herself,

His sat down next to her on the sofa and his chuckled echoed hers. His arm went around her shoulders as she read on, a hand on her nape, thumb gently running the skin just below the hairline. The room was quite until another laugh slipped her lips.

“I’m curious to hear what reactions this cause, whatever opinions anyone has on the content they will have to concede to clever wording.” Her eyes continued to dart down the page.

“When do you have to get back?”

“Get back? You make me sound like I am schoolgirl with a curfew,” she didn’t look up, she had reached the last paragraph and was engaged by it, not that she was completely unaware that he was leaning in closer.

“You smell extraordinary,” he mused as he ran his lips over her neck.

“I’ve used the same scent for the last seven years,” she noted as she fought through the last sentences.

“So… irresistible,” he pressed a kiss, then another just below her ear.

“Are you trying to seduce me, Mr. Onasis?” She pulled away from him, supressing laugher. She was done with the article and had put the magazine off to side.

“Would it be so terrible if I was?” He sighed, a bit resigned, leaning back into the sofa. But the there was still a loop-sided grin on his lips. He reached for his glass which he had put down on the side table, taking a drink before letting it stand there again. She let him act under her inexplicable and unwavering gaze for a moment.

“Not necessarily. But that only tickled.”

She locked eyes with him, the considered the shape of his lips for a moment, before she leaned in and kissed him.

The smile she returned home with the next morning, was shattered by the discovery of Rebekah’s death.

Act II.

Atrocious Accusations

“There you are,” Agatha turned to find Calix in the doorway, “you disappeared for a moment. Why are you in here?”

“Oh, I’m not sure,” she had come in with half a thought to look for more pictures, there should have been ones not displayed on the walls, tucked away in drawers. But entering the classroom she has spaced into the past and lost track. She wasn’t sure it was important anymore, but funerals made for strange behaviour. “How are you?”

He had been collected throughout the day. Agatha had liked Rebekah, which was more than she had ever imagined when her father had first announced the engagement to the woman who was only three years older than herself. But Rebekah had proved to know her mind better than Agatha had expected. While they never grew close, she never disliked her. Calix emotions towards the deceased was however much more complicated.

“I’m not sure – all of this,” he said as he came up to stand beside her, “for it to go down like this…” He seemed at a loss for more precise words.

“Did you love her?” She asked softly as she wove her fingers through his.

He stared at her for a moment, a mingle of emotions working their way across his face. “At a point in time yes – but I harboured far harsher emotions for her for such a long time.”
“The human brain is not a rational thing,” she said, turning to face him, “to grief, to feel conflicted, it is all very human.” She pressed her lips to his for a moment and he caressed her cheek.

“I am sorry to disturb, but you are just the couple I was looking for.” Agatha turned, and Calix lifted his gaze to find Detective Bancroft standing a few paces into the room. He looked not at all like he was sorry for the intrusion.

“Detective Bancroft, I wouldn’t have expected you here on a day like this,” Agatha said, keeping the coolness at bay, it was a funeral – what right did he have to disturb? She kept a hold of Calix’s hand.

“This case leaves no time for rest.”

“Yes, I understood from Arthur you are no closer to an arrest,” Agatha said, a-matter-of-fact.

“I’m leaving no stone unturned, you have to trust the process. Which is why I have some questions for the both of you.”

“Yes?” Agatha breathed out with slight disapproving. Calix only nodded, she didn’t blame him, after his other run ins with the man.

“There is still the loss of the missing will, that and the belongings of your late mother, Doctor Wolf, have you heard anything else regarding them?”

“I’m sure if I did, I would have informed police. I was most upset to hear my mother’s possessions missing, and as concerned the will – like I told you last, my sister Aurora believed it to be found in London, but I have yet to hear about it being recovered,” she kept her tongue straight around the words.

“Hm, yes. And you, Mr. Onasis, don’t you find it odd that the two persons you had sworn hatred for are now dead?”

“A cruel coincidence, I assure you,” Calix said, words cut out from clenched jaws.

“But after their unfair treatment of you, you were angry, seething?”

“Yes, but –“

“And you are a passionate man, are you not, Mr. Onasis? Once that anger filled you up you could not dismiss it.”

“I –“ Calix couldn’t get a word out as Detective Bancroft kept throwing his punches.

“And once again Thelonious kept you, although very differently, from the woman you desired, you could not have that, could you?”

“I would never!” Calix’s grip on her hand was bone crushing but it was only fuelling Agatha’s own anger.

“He would never have permitted the two of you, but with him gone there is nothing stopping love to step into the open,” he turned his attention to Agatha again, “unless the lost will perhaps cut you out from profiting of the death –”

“I believe you are quite finished, Detective. Or will this harassment lead to an accusation based on proper evidence, not only your petty speculations,” Agatha cut in sharply. 

“You must admit, Doctor Wolf, his motive for both murders are very strong.”

“And his opportunity to kill Rebekah none whatsoever.”

“You claim that for certain.”

“Yes, since we spent the evening of the séance and then the whole night – together at Wisteria Cottage. I only left in the next morning, arriving back at Winterbrook in the middle of the commotion and the founding of Rebekah’s terrible fate. As I properly stated in your first questioning regarding the killing.”

“And you are sure you are such a light sleeper, Doctor Wolf?” The grin spreading across his face was vulgar. “Or it would have been impossible for Mr. Onasis to have left the cottage in the night, and then slipped back in later?”

“As there was little sleeping happening, Detective, as improper as this conversation has already been, I would still not go into the details, but I can most definitely attest to him being there,” she said straight faced.

She had slept very well, but once Calix had gotten her into his bed that night, he had been intent on keeping her as close as skin and she was sure she’d noticed him gone for even a heartbeat.

“Passionate indeed,” he chuckled.

“How dare you –“ Calix spat, Agatha could feel him ready to pounce beside her. She pressed his hand harder.

“I am sure the detective is only doing his job, though he seems to have a knack for insulting people – and interrogating at a funeral shows lacking respect for both the dead and the grieving living.”

Detective Bancroft stifled his chuckled and put on a more serious face again.

“I think I asked all my questions for now, Mr. Onasis, Doctor Wolf, I’ll leave the both of you to your grieving,” he said pointedly, before tipping his hat and leaving. Both Agatha and Calix watched silently as he disappeared and then the empty door for moments longer.

“That detective is rapidly turning into the most odious man I’ve ever met,” Agatha cursed under her breath. Beside her Calix let out a held breath, his grip on her hand slowly relaxing.

“Are you sure that was wise?” He said, anger lingering in his voice.

“Oh, he can leer all he wants – right now I don’t much care.” Inside her blood was boiling but it was kept contained by a stern face. “I need a damn smoke.”

Proposals

She led them out into the far garden to the gazebo, away from people and odious detectives. It had a serene view overlooking the lake in one direction, the green and house in the other. Both of them had lit up and smoked in silence, easing the unpleasantness of Detective Bancroft out of their system.

Agatha was leaning against a post as Calix approached closer and without comment kissed her. Not the peck she had come to appreciate more regularly, but deeper. Reassuring. His free hand clutching at her waist as if holding on to life itself.

“Any special occasion?” Agatha mused, half a smile as it ended. Calix went to sit down at one of the benches.

“Only that I believe myself falling more in love with you by every day.” He wasn’t full at ease yet, well, neither was she, she was just better at hiding it.

Her smiled grew into a full one, before she took another drag on the cigarette.

“I told you about invitation I had, for the archaeological mission?” She nodded. “A date has been set, we’d shipping out in a month’s time. We’d be away for two-three months, nothings sure yet but…” he considered her for a moment. “I know you have a lot grounding you here, your practice, the upcoming election, I couldn’t ask you to come, but I would ask you, if you on my return would be up to start looking for a house, a flat, for us, to take a next step.”

“Four months is a long time from now, much can happen – “

“I know, but I would like to know if you would want it, as I know I do, if you’d consider it,” there was an urgency in his voice which was presented with hand gestures. 

“Calix –“

“I’m not asking for an answer now, this day has been too tumultuous, but in a month, before I leave.”

“Can I speak now?” She kept back a chuckle, there was some nervous tendencies to how his eyes darted to meet hers. “Of course, I’ll consider it, and won’t deny that the thought has crossed my mind. More than once. But you must know, I’m not sure how good I’d be at playing wife – I could never be like my mother, or Rebekah. I love my work – I would not give it up – and you know my aspirations, I have no intention of giving my life to invest in the home, I’d invest in myself, to learn and explore.”

“Do you believe in wanting you as my wife I would ask you to conform, to chain you to tradition? Of course I would want you to peruse your desires, as I would mine. We’d challenge each other. We could have a political salon out our home, arrange intellectual gatherings, dine with the most prominent in the medical field – we’d do what we want.”

Her happiness was playing across her face as she couldn’t keep a still smile. Closing the few paces of distance between them, she sat down next to him.

“Then as of now I have no other objection than the one thing I must state, as I would not accept you under pretence. I am quite sure that I don’t want children, no, that is – I have been sure for quite some time that I do not want children.”

“Agatha –“

“No, listen, I don’t want a rushed answer from you now, as it isn’t something you wave away lightly if you want it. If you find have desire for children, I can’t give you that.”

He took her hand in his.

“Is it all?” He asked calmly.

“Yes, perhaps a month is fair for both of us.”

Act III.

Calix phoned in the morning and broke the news: the detective was on his way to make an arrest. After the short conversation ended, she went to share the news with the family.

Done!

Last edited by tricole (08/05/2022 at 08:36)

Name: Winny Owen

Age: 24

Personality:  Bubbly. Talkative. Optimistic. Affectionate. Petty. Jealous. Childish. Airheaded. Insecure.

Interests: Ulrich, Gigi, Godfrey

Story:

Act I.

Meeting Gigi

Winny found herself humming as she reached Winterbrooke, despite the fact that it was a place where the most horrible thing happened.

As she greeted the butler with a smile, her gaze went upwards, where the library was. Oh how different it all was compared to a few weeks ago. Back then she was still engaged with Godfrey, suspicious of her uncle and in search of the mine.

Now, her engagement was broken, her favourite uncle had passed and her cousin was performing a seance to talk to him, and she still had no idea about the whereabouts of the mine.

Speaking of broken engagement, Winny still couldn’t believe how it all went down with Godfrey. He had asked to meet her, and to her surprise was the one who asked to break off the engagement. He was very nice, polite and concise about it all, but at first bothered Winny. Did he have someone else in mind this whole time? Was she now an inconvenience , a burden?  But, she realised that all the things she perhaps liked about Godfrey was the way he reminded her of her own father- ambitious, cold and a workaholic. Ulrich was none of those things, which was why she felt the most comfortable and happy around him. So it was simple - ofcourse she ended it, and when she asked Godfrey if they could still be somewhat friends, he cracked a smile she hadn’t seen from him in well, forever.

So all in all, things were great. It would be even more amazing if her uncle’s ghost actually came and told them who the murderer is.

Winny reached her room, and after she settled in decided to go to the drawing room to take a moment to breathe before everyone else joined in.

She noticed Gigi sitting there by the sofa with a pot full of tea.

“Gigi!” Winny greeted her with a smile and noticing her, Gigi grinned. “Winny darling! Come sit with me.”

Winny joined her and Gigi poured some tea for Winny.

“I’m so excited for this,”Winny gushed and Gigi nodded. “Me too. Finally we can just put this all behind us.”

“Yeah,” Winny nodded. She told her about her broken engagement with Godfrey and her current status with Ulrich.

As they chatted a good while later, she heard Gigi sigh.

“What’s wrong?” she asked her and Gigi sighed again.

“I’m just tired of it all. I’m hoping we can just put an end to all this drama tonight so I can move on to other things.”

“Hopefully it will all end well.”

“Yeah…” Gigi trailed off and then immediately leaned forward, her eyes twinkling in excitement. “Actually I have something to tell you.”

“Yeah?”

“I actually got a very nice offer to go travelling to the United States to start a fashion show there. And after everything that’s happened here I really think I want to go and start fresh somewhere but..”

“But? Gigi, that sounds amazing, you absolutely have to go!”

“But the family, Winny. Everything is so crazy over here so I really don’t think it’s the right time to just choose myself when they’re all having a hard time.”

Silence ensued after she said that, as Winny mulled about it.

“But Gigi, when will there be a perfect moment to do what you have to do?” she finally asked.

Gigi simply stared glumly at the tea in her hand.

“If you talked to your family about this, they would say the same thing I’m sure. They love you and would definitely want you to pursue your dream, crazy things happening or not.”

“You really think so?”

“Of course!”

Winny placed down her cup and moved next to Gigi to give her a hug. “No matter what you decide to do, you're going to do amazing things no matter what, Gigi.”

“Winny stop, you're going to make me cry!” Gigi moved to embrace Winny, tearing up.

“You’re going to make me cy!”

And that was how the others found them, laughing and crying as they drank their tea in the drawing room.

The Seance

The seance was a complete shock to her. She had goosebumps from the way Zella spoke and to the odd things happening.

“Do you think she really will bring uncle Thelonious?” Winny whispered to Ulrich, and he, amused with the situation at first, simply said, “That would be fun.”

She clutched at his arm, as Zella asked her final question.

“Is the killer in the room right now?”

Winny’s heart stopped and her blood ran cold. What a terrifying question. What a necessary one.

She waited with bated breath for the answer but all once she heard a loud crash that caused her to jump in fright.

The lights flickered on, and Ulrich stood up.

She glanced at him in surprise as he looked around the room with a humorous shrug. “Well, as fun as this was, I think we can all do with a bit of drink to calm our nerves, don’t you?”

Some of the Wolf family chortled, but Winny was still in shock of the seance to respond.

He took her hand and gently led her out of the room, grinning as some of the Wolf siblings raised their eyebrows at their apparent relationship.

“We should finish the seance,” Winny muttered to him as he led her to the sofa in the drawing room. “How else would we know who the killer is?”

“Perhaps,” Ulrich drawled, moving to sit on the sofa and positioning her beside him.. “Or we could leave it up to our qualified detectives.”

“Do you not believe in the seance?”

“I believe in whatever you believe, love,” he said smoothly, affectionately tucking a stray red hair behind her ear. “I also believe  that this might cause more harm than good.”

“How so?”

He cupped her chin, and leaned in to kiss her gently on the mouth, avoiding answering the question. What started out as a gentle kiss immediately turned into something hot and urgent as Winny found herself pulling at Ulrich, bringing him as close as possible.

She heard someone giggle and turned to find Gigi grinning at them. “Please don’t stop on my account.”

Mortified, Winny realised she was halfway on top of Ulrich and immediately straightened up, putting some safe distance between them, while Ulrich seemed calmed and nonplussed at being found in the position.

Some of the Wolf family members joined in and they all drank and chatted, with Gigi and Winny whispering and wondering what on earth the ghost of Thelonious would have said.

Sneaking Again

Sometime later, as everyone was still in the drawing room, Winny decided to take a break and headed to the powder room. When she was done, she realised something that stopped her cold. Ulrich stopped the seance and actively prevented it from continuing. Wasn’t he curious to find out who the killer was?

She recalled asking him and him simply distracting her, so now she was worried. Did he know something, or worse, was he potentially the killer?

As she stared at herself in the mirror she tried to recall that dreadful night. Ulrich was there in the room with her and Godfrey. Arthur was there with his wife and she thought she heard Agatha somewhere in the room, perhaps the balcony.

She was sure Ulrich was there. She was sure. What else was she missing? Who else from the Wolf family was not in the room.

But then she supposed that if her uncle was only discovered later, than his murderer must have been done before everyone came to the room. And wasn’t Ulrich the last to arrive at the party? But did he even have a reason to do such a horrible thing? Rebekha was set to inherit most of the property anyway, unless…. It was about the new will?

Winny swallowed nervously, almost afraid to think of the possibility. No, she had to find out. She had to go to Ulrich’s room to be sure.

She made her way to his room, and sat on the bed, unsure of what to find. A note confessing the murder? A picture? Maybe even the will itself?

There were a few letters piled on the desk, so perhaps she should start from there.

She moved towards the table and picked up a letter, but before she could read she heard the door open. Immediately dropping the letter, she turned around to find Ulrich staring at her with surprise.

“Winny,” he drawled, moving to close the door behind him. “What are you doing here?”

“I just, uhm,” Heart thumping nervously, Winny gestured to the letters on the table. “I’m just a bit… I don’t know, I guess I’m just wondering what’s going on with everything.”

“Okay.” He sat on the bed, eying Winny calmly. “Are you looking for something in particular?”

“No.”

“If there is something you want to know, just ask me.”

Winny stared at Ulrich, noting his gaze on her, serious and calm. That didn’t look like someone who was guilty of anything. He was probably innocent and she was just over reacting. Ulrich would never do anything dangerous to her or anybody.

She smiled and flounced next to him on the bed. “I know. I guess the seance just worried me. I wish we could just know who the killer is and move on with our lives.”

“My thoughts exactly.”

He reached out and pulled her so she straddled him on the bed. “Regardless, it’s always a lovely surprise to have you in my room, love.”

Winny giggled and placed her hand on his cheek. “I should surprise you more often then.”

His hands moved to her waist, and her heart hummed with a different type of trepidation. “If it’s you, anything is okay,” he whispered, his gaze heated and heavy.

Winny smiled and leaned forward, kissing him. She didn’t say it, but at that very moment she believed it too. That if it was with Ulrich, anything was okay.

Act II.

Consolation

The shock of the horrifying event that transpired made Winny want to scream. They had all just been there, but to see Rebekha’s dead body, to feel the shock and horror reverberate through the room and worst of all - to hear Ulrich’s cry of anguish at the sight of it all, it was too much. Too much. And in the same mansion where Thelonious was murdered too. It was almost as if someone was purposefully making sure all those horrid events happened in the same house.

Winny held onto Ulrich, as he embraced her tightly on her bed, as if he was afraid to let her go.

“I just saw her last night,”he was saying, his voice shaking. “If I knew it would be the last I wouldn’t have argued with her. I would have just-”

“Shh, it’s okay,” Winny murmured gently. “How could you have known?”

“I feel dreadful Winny. I shouldn’t have fought with her. I should have protected her, that’s my one job and I failed.”

“Oh Ulrich, it’s not your fault.”

“Of course it is,” Ulrich sat up and buried his face in his hands. “I’m her brother, I'm responsible for everything.”

Winny’s heart felt like it was tearing into a million pieces. She tried her best to swallow back her tears threatening to pour, and reached out to touch his hand.

“Ulrich, it’s not your fault. Look at me.” She brought her hand on his, intertwined it and gently brought it down.

Ulrich slowly lifted his head to look into her eyes. The pain in his eyes made her tear up.

“It’s not your fault,” she said calmly, praying that somehow her words penetrated his anguish.

He shook his head glumly. “You don’t understand. I was with her last night we had an argument, it probably set off her -”

“No Ulrich. No,” she repeated, squeezing his hands gently. “It is not your fault.”

His face contorted in pain. She brought her hands to his face and wiped away the tears. “It’s not your fault,” she repeated again.

He shook his head, and held tightly on her hands that were on either side of his face. Both of them were crying, the silence between them a heartbreaking one.

She loved him, she realised. Otherwise it wouldn’t have hurt as much. In her heart she vowed, no matter what, she would stay by his side as he did for her. She would protect and cherish him, especially in place of his sister. Because at this moment, she was all he had.

Confrontations

The next day, Ulrich dropped by to see her in the drawing room. His face was still sunken and pale, but comparatively better than yesterday.

“Hello love,” he greeted her and she smiled at him warmly. “Ulrich!”

She came forward and hugged him, sighing with content as his arms went around her. “I was just about to drink some tea. Join me?”

“Very well, I had something I wanted to tell you anyway.”

Winny peeked up at him in concern. “What’s wrong?”

Ulrichs jaw was set, his gaze urgent albeit nervous. “Nothing’s wrong…yet. It’s just something important I need to tell you.”

She peered at him curiously as they moved to the sofa. Before he could say anything, the detective entered the room.

“Perfect, just the person I wanted to see.”

Winny glanced at the detective and nodded. “Hello detective. Care for some tea?”

The detective, Mathew Bancroft shook his head and made his way to the sofa opposite hers. He glanced between Ulrich and her with an impassive expression, but no doubt some gears in his head were spinning. He seemed cold and angry, much more different from the last time she had spoken to him.

“We are together, in case you didn’t get the news,” Winny blurted out, unable to take his silent stare. “My engagement with Godfrey is over so… it’s alright now.”

“I see,” the detective nodded politely. “If it were appropriate I would like to offer my congratulations seeing as you are happier that it has ended.”

“Oh,” Winny laughed awkwardly. “I wouldn’t say that, but thanks.”

Ulrich was staring at the detective with a frown, despite his outwardly calm demeanour. “And what questions do you have for us today, detective?”

Mathew crossed his legs and sharpened his gaze at Winny. His brows were furrowed and if anything, Winny would think that the detective was outright glaring at her. But that couldn’t be.

“It has come to my attention that a story of yours does not align with the truth.”

Winny’s blood turned cold.

Calmly, he continued. “You did not talk to your uncle in the library that day. In fact, the only time you talked to your uncle at all was when you were quite far from the library. So tell me Winny, why then was your earring at the scene of murder?”

“Watch your tone, detective,” Ulrich glared at Mathew. “I do not appreciate what you are implying about Winny.”

One eyebrow went up as he scoffed at Ulrich. “I am more concerned with the affairs of the dead than I am of your opinion. Especially ones with skeletons as bloody as yours.”

“You dare-”

Winny touched Ulrich’s arm to calm him, surprised at his and the detective's burst of anger and the strange direction it was headed.

“It’s alright, the detective was correct,” Winny admitted, nodding to the detective. “I was in the library but it was not to…murder anyone I promise.”

The detective waited silently as Winny swallowed, tears forming in her eyes as she recalled the events. “That evening I went to his library to search for something I thought he had taken from my father. A will regarding a mine promised to me at birth. I thought…goodness I don’t know.” Winny shrugged helplessly. “I don’t know why I couldn’t just ask him directly, perhaps I was afraid he was lying. Or that Godfrey and him were concocting some evil plan to steal something, I don’t know. It doesn’t make any sense for my uncle to do anything like that, so I thought if I searched his library I would find it, and if I found it then perhaps I could confront him about it.”

Winny looked up at the detective then, as tears streamed down her face. “Mathew, I promise you I never imagined such a thing would happen. I didn’t think my uncle would be killed or that these things would happen… I didn’t ….I know I’m guilty of a crime. I’m sorry for lying. But really, the only thing I did was look around the library before it happened. I don’t know anything else.”

Mathew stared at her, his eyebrows furrowed in thought as his jaw clenched angrily. “I see,” he said and abruptly stood up. “That does put some things into perspective.”

“It does?” Winny asked, confused.

“Yes, it does,” Mathew nodded. “I had been informed that some legal documents were missing from the library. I can’t say too much but this does help.”

He glanced at Ulrich again and shook his head at Winny, frowning. “You should be careful of that one Winny.”

Beside her, Ulrich stilled.

“Why do you say that detective?” she asked and Mathew smirked. “Are you aware that not one but two  of Ulrich’s former wives were found dead?”

Winny felt all the blood drain in her face as her voice numbly asked in shock, “What do you mean?”

“It is a curious coincidence, don't you think, that two of his former brides were quite wealthy. Even curiouser when it is Ulrich who inherited all of that wealth and that his current lover is quite wealthy herself.”

Winny stared at the detective, unable to understand what he was suggesting. It couldn’t be. It just, it couldn’t. But still a small part of her recalled that it was Ulrich who seduced her, and insisted on making it into a serious relationship. Ulrich was there in her every moment of weakness, promising comfort, companionship and warmth. Was it all a lie?

“It isn’t true,” Ulrich suddenly spoke, grabbing her by the arm forcing her to look at him, his voice urgent. “I would never do that, Winny. Believe me. In the first case I would never be daft enough to commit the same murder twice, so this whole hting make sno sense.”

“Does it really?” The detective scoffed. “So if it weren’t for Winny, would you not be seducing some other vulnerable rich heiress? I highly doubt that.”

“It isn’t true, or at least it isn’t all true. I can explain-”

Hearing that admission, Winny immediately shrugged off Ulrich and stood up in horror, backing away from him.

“I love you Winny,” Ulrich said, his eyes desperate as he stood up as well. “You know me, for you I would do anything. I would never hurt you.”

Her world was spinning. Lies. Lies. Everything was lies.

“Just let me explain.”

Fresh warm tears streamed down her cheeks as Winny stared numbly at Ulrich. “I dont…I never want to see you again.”

Having said that, she turned her back on the detective and Ulrich and fled to her room.

Thoughts In Process

The next day, Winny completely avoided Ulrich as much as she could. She couldn’t even bring herself to look at him, all the thoughts in her head turning to pity.

Instead, she dropped by Gigi’s room to check on how she was doing. It was saddening enough to take her mind off of things. Gigi blamed herself, unnecessarily so for being the cause of her Rebekha’s death.

“That darn seance!” Gigi sighed, “It didn’’t even bring anything useful. I should have just stayed quiet and focused on the show. I should’ve just-”

“Oh Gigi, it’s not your fault.” Once again, Winny found herself consoling someone with the same words she used for Ulrich. That only made her feel more miserable.

Hours later when she left Gigi’s room, she found herself making her way to the terrace. As she leaned against the balcony and stared out, she found her thoughts drifting into that dark place.

No wonder Ulrich pursued her. It wasn’t like she ever thought herself lovable in the first place. Her own father couldn barely bring himself to spend time with her. Not to mention her heartless robotic fiancee. Perhaps the problem was her, she was just too plain and uninteresting for someone like Godfrey who had everything in his life sorted out.

No wonder he seemed excited to end the engagement. The first warm smile was when it ended. How laughable.

How miserable.

Winny covered her face with her hands. This was too painful. How was she to cut out Ulrich? He was the only one in the world that made her feel special. That she was worthy of love.

Her uncle was gone. Her mother was a presence that drifted here and there. Godfrey was cold but now he wasn't there at all. And Ulrich….

“Winny? Everything alright?”

Winny turned and found Godfrey staring down at her by the balcony.

“Hi there stranger,” she greeted, forcing out a smile. “Everything is…fine.”

He raised an eyebrow, and Winny couldn’t help but giggle at the familiar sight of him. He was dressed formally and neatly as he always was, an expression of calm politeness that both annoyed her and amused her. She would say that nothing changed about him except that he did look much more relaxed than he did before.

“You seem different, Godfrey,” she noted. “Happier.”

He smiled at her, surprising her with the gentleness of it. “I could say the same of you. I heard of your relationship..”

“Ah,” she said, her face reddening. How embarrassing was that.

“Don’t worry, I am happy that you have someone you care for,” he nodded at her. “I do not blame you in the slightest and expect you not to pity me.”

Pity was the last thing that Winny felt for Godfrey so she was too surprised he even suggested to comment.

“In fact I would say that I am not exactly as alone as one might believe…” Godfrey turned to look at his watch and then smiled apologetically at Winny. “I’m afraid it is time for me to go. Take care Winny,” he said as he went off and disappeared inside the house.

“You too..”

Winny’s mouth opened in shock. Not alone as one might believe….was he implying he was also in a relationship? Now that was scandalous!

She had to tell Ulrich about it. He would love this piece of gossip more than her for sure. In fact he would probably laugh and say he suspected all along that Mr Goody-Two-Shoes had something up his sleeve because…

Her smile faltered as she remembered the current state of their relationship.

It had only been a day, but she missed him terribly.

She took a deep breath and stepped away from the balcony, determined. She walked quickly, afraid that if she stopped for one second she would change her mind.

She found the room she was looking for and knocked.

“It’s me,” she said, and immediately the door opened.

Ulrich stood there, looking tired and broken. It made her want to cry all over again, but she had enough of that now.

“Tell me everything.”

He nodded and gestured for her to enter his room.

She walked in resolutely. No matter what it was, truth or lie, she needed to hear his story.

She owed him that at the very least.

His Story

Winny sat by the armchair in his room, avoiding the bed and the memories they shared in it at all costs.

Ulrich had offered her tea saying it was a long story and she had accepted it. Now he sat by the bed opposite her, his face resigned.

After Winny promised not to tell a single soul, Ulrich explained his story.

Rebekah and Ulrich grew up as two servants at the Meier family estate near Munich, Germany. Their mother has been a maid there for the majority of her life, and the children grew up playing with the boy and girl of the Meier family, a close relationship that would have probably turned into a lifelong friendship had it not been for the war. The Meier family was killed early into the war, with their servant families scattering all over the world. Rebekah and Ulrich lost their mother in the war, but managed to slip away with some money, jewellery and not much else, running away from the war and the killings. They ran to London, seeking refuge in the countryside where Ulrich was mistaken for the killed Meier boy: a rouse he took on happily, and Rebekah played along. Some distant relatives took them in, and soon the plan was made - they would live out their lives as the heirs to the German Meiers. Soon Ulrich married a wealthy heiress of a forgotten title in the north of the United Kingdom, who died very soon into their marriage from flu - he was devastated at first, but got comfortable with the cosy life, and it made him marry again soon enough, for another rich heiress who died.

“How did she die?” Winny asked, almost afraid for the answer.

Ulrich sighed and stared at his hands. “I’m not sure if someone meddled into how she fell from the horse, but I had nothing to do with it.” He turned to look back at Winny, his gaze serious. “I promise you I had nothing to do with it.”

“Then what about me? What did..How..”
“You were never really the plan,” he said with a distant smile. He stood up and walked to his cabinet to pour himself a drink.  “At the time I met you I was already talking to some other girl from London. We were just meant to be a short fling, remember?”
Winny recalled how he had flirted his way into her bedroom, promising to be nothing more than a summer fling. She nodded at him. He picked up the bottle only to place it back down, instead moving to walk towards her.

“I don’t know what spell you casted on me, because eventually I couldn’t focus on anything else,” he admitted, his voice low.

She froze as he leaned over her on the sofa, moving to tuck a stray strand behind her ear as he smiled wryly. “I didn’t care for much in life, the fancy things were never mine but it felt wonderful to own it. I only cared that me and Rebekha were sorted. I didn’t care how, but when I met you it’s like I forgot it all.”

Her heart twisted in pain, hopeful and afraid as her body warmed up to the memory of his touch. His warmth. His seductive playful smile.

“I wanted you more than I wanted anything,” he whispered in admission.  “I didn’t care if that made me an accessory. Or that if you got married to that man, I would have to forever stay a secret. I didn’t care. I just wanted you anyway I could have you, and for you to have me, pathetic piece that I am.”

Winny was finding it hard to breathe. She felt like her body was on fire as he moved to cusp her chin, his touch magnetic. A spell had overtaken her and she wasn’t sure if she wanted to break it.

“I love you Winny,” he said, his thumb brushing on her lips as his gaze turned hot and fiery. “I don’t deserve you, but I want you anyway. I’m selfish and a liar, but I want you. I dream of you every night and when I open my eyes you’re all I want to see. To breathe.”

“Oh Ulrich,” she sighed, closing her eyes, trying to focus her thoughts. “I wish… I don’t know, I wish we were different people.”

She felt him lean back and straighten and missed the physical closeness already.

When she opened her eyes, Ulrich stood a few feet away, his face resigned. “I understand.”

“I just… I need some time to think,” she told him and he nodded.

“I’ll be waiting.”

She nodded and turned to leave out the door, afraid to look back in case what she saw broke what little strength she had left.

Act III.

A few days later, Winny was just closing her door, ready to go out with Gigi when she heard foot steps behind her. She turned to find Ulrich, who grabbed her arm and pulled her into her room, closing the door shut.

“Ulrich I still haven't-”

“The police are about to make their arrests,” he interrupted her, his gaze serious. “I want you to run away with me.”

She blinked up at him in surprise. “Ulrich, surely you’re not serious..”

“I am,” he sat, clenching his jaw. “I don’t have a choice. I can’t risk being caught, so I am prepared to leave.”

“You’re leaving?” she asked numbly.

“You can come with me.”

Winny looked at Ulrich, noting the unshaven face and the dark circles under his eye. Calmly she reached out and touched his face.
He almost flinched, but stayed still, his gaze determined.

“Ulrich we can’t just run away,” she said softly.

“Why not?”

“Because we didn’t kill anyone.”

He stayed silent as she smiled up at him.

“If we run now, that’s all they will think. We need to stay here for a little bit and just see. Once uncle Thelonious’s killer is confirmed and caught we can run if we have to, but not before.”

She moved so that her hands were on either side of his face. “ I believe in you. You aren’t guilty of murder so you don’t have to hide. And whatever happens, I will protect you.”

It was true, she did. Even if he did lie to her, she forgave all of it, she couldn’t help it. Love was a scary thing. She hadn't been up front about everything either but he didn’t care much of it. He believed in her anyway, so why shouldn’t she?

Ulrich grin wryly. “You will protect me? Is that a promise?”

“It’s a threat,” she said. “You can’t ever leave me now.”

“How terrifying,” he said, moving to grip her waist tightly. “You do realise the detective could be headed here? I am still guilty of identity theft.”

“I’m sure he has bigger fish to fry.”

Ulrich's smile faltered for a bit, his gaze still serious. “Winny, are you sure you want to risk this?”

“I love you,”she admitted and shrugged nonchalantly. “And I miss you. And I’m tired of crying and running around being confused. Let this thing be over already.”

Ulrich shook his head with a laugh. “Trust you to find this whole life and death police chase as an inconvenience.”

She narrowed her eyes at him. “Ulrich, do you love me?”

His grip on her waist tightened, pressing her closer to him. “Always.”

“Then stay and wait for a little bit. Once the dust settles we can go travelling. I’ve never been far out before.”

He sighed in defeat as she looked excitedly. “Running away to escape is not the same as travelling, love.”

“Details. Well?”

“Fine, I’ll stay.”

Happy she leaned forward and kissed him, happy to have him by her side. Whether the police came or not, at least she wouldn’t be alone.

This time, they would be together, no matter what happened.

Outfits:               Séance                          |                  Waiting for Police

Status: Rushed But DONE

Last edited by MissKiki (08/05/2022 at 20:52)

Aurora Wolf, the Tomboy

Age: 25

Personality: Unrestrained, vivacious, curious, passionate // Sharp-tongued, mercurial, careless, madcap

Face claim:Stefanie Martini

Police Arrival

i. she died a lady

Gigi was already relaxing in the plush booth when Aurora got there, feeling a little harried and very much out of breath. She’d blame being extremely, severely distracted - ever since Godfrey and Winny’s engagement had been broken off, she’d been spending her nights at his apartment or him at hers. Inappropriate, really, but Winny had been seeing Ulrich, so fair was fair. Really.

Still, Gigi’s eyes landed on the scarf Aurora had very, very carefully tied around her neck, and the tiniest smirk was appearing on her lovely socialite of a sister’s face. Aurora coughed, and ordered herself an Assam blend.

“What mischief are we getting up to today?” Aurora asked her still smirking sister.

“No! Just making sure you’re coming by to the seance.”

Aurora had heard all about that one - and seen Godfrey frown when he brought it up, saying something about needing to focus on some more productive efforts. But it was impossible to say no to Gigi’s infectious, bright cheerfulness, and right now, face-to-face with her sister, she couldn’t really tell her what he said.

“Winterbrook, right?”

“Yes! We get to watch a real master at work.”

Real master meaning Zella, Gigi’s newest friend that she’d been toting around ever since the woman turned up to Winterbrook. Now that Aurora thought about it, however, it wasn’t just Zella hanging around Gigi - Vincent Ames had been spotted in deep conversation with Zella as well, for reasons hitherto unknown.

“You do know mediums are mostly bunk, don’t you?”

“Yes, but Zella knows what she’s talking about. She’s been known to talk about secrets that turned out to be true! Do you remember Mr. Blair and his bohemian mistress?”

Aurora did. Vaguely. “Was it the one that ended up being polygamous or whatnot?”

“Yes! Zella spoke about it first, but no one believed her! She even spoke about how it was a fraud for insurance, and she was right!”

Gigi recounted the entire tale breathlessly, as if she herself had the front-row seat to the scandal itself. Well, in truth it was all the gossip rags could write about for the month, headlines screaming the newest developments from page in large, bold print letters. The tea came, and Aurora sat there, sipping, listening.

“What do you intend to do with the seance?”

“Find Papa’s murderer, of course,” Gigi said matter-of-factly, as if it was a given. “She could hold a seance, summon Papa’s spirit, and then we won’t need Matthew poking around.”

“Matthew?”

“Oh!” Gigi’s smile turned a touch bashful, and Aurora swore she saw a hint of red creep onto her cheeks. Then it was gone, and Gigi was unruffled, cheerful as ever. “Detective Bancroft, I meant.”

Yeah, no way in hell was Aurora about to let that one go. “I didn’t know you were on first name terms with the detective.”

“You know how he’s like.”

“Charming, offers people cigars and drinks?”

“You see, I’m not the only one who knows him well enough. Though should Godfrey be worried that his sweetheart is familiar with the charming detective’s habits?”

“Godfrey doesn’t need to worry about - wait, go back?”

But Gigi’s smirk had blossomed into a smile - affectionate, yes, but knowing, and if it were in Gigi’s habit, she’d have waggled her eyebrows at her. But Gigi was the lovely, proper and well-mannered socialite, so she did nothing of the sort. She only gave Aurora’s scarf that sort of meaningful look, and Aurora fought the urge to bury her face into her hands.

“Rory, you know you can tell me anything.”

“It’s not - ” Aurora sighed, and set down her tea cup, rolling her eyes. “Yes, but also you know how it’d get if it came out in public.”

“So you two have been together for a while then!”

“Not -” Aurora fumbled for words, but Gigi looked at her expectantly. “I mean - yes, but no, we’re out in public but we’re sort of taking it more slowly after last time…?”

“Last time?!”

“Shh!”

Aurora shushed Gigi, but the damage was mostly done - Gigi wasn’t just giving her knowing smiles, it was a bright, gleeful, excited grin, and Aurora wanted to faceplant into the tea table.

“Yes there was a last time, Papa caught us and -”

“You didn’t tell me any of this!”

“I didn’t want you to get into trouble, you know how Papa is like if he’s on the warpath…”

“Yeah. Yes, I know.” Gigi trailed off, and for a moment, Aurora saw her eyes go distant, as if recalling a long-lost memory. Then she came back to her, and her sister looked at her quite seriously. “So when was the last time?”

“After Winny and Godfrey got engaged?”

“No! Really?”

“I - yes. That was the first time. We’d been seeing each other around London, at his, at mine - then Papa trapped us, shouted a lot, and we - stopped seeing each other for a while, and - well -” Aurora shrugged helplessly, wanting to shrink away in her seat. “ - It wasn’t nice. It wasn’t fun, seeing him and Winny together, you know?”

“Was that why you stayed away for a while? Whenever you knew Winny was invited over?”

Aurora nodded, the melancholy setting in. “Papa never brought it up again - he must have assumed that he’d shouted us apart, that nothing would come of it again.” She ran a hand through her hair. “I don’t know why we bothered staying apart, given Winny’s apparently been seeing Ulrich at the same time right now…”

“A lot of things came out, after Papa died.” Gigi’s voice was quiet, contemplative. “As if we’re all willing to be who we actually are.”

“I -” Aurora broke off, then nodded. “I - I think you could say so. Almost like everyone wanted to keep him happy, and now…”

“Yes.” Her sister’s voice was even more faraway now. “Noemi’s marrying J.J., Winny and Ulrich - everything he would’ve disapproved of. You know he’d have tried to put a stop to it, and have his way.”

The two sisters trailed off, each contemplating the now, the present after Thelonious Wolf’s passing. Eventually, Aurora broke it, her own voice quiet over the hubbub of the tea room, everyone making gentle, polite conversation.

“Do you miss him, Gigi?”

Gigi looked up at her sister, and Aurora saw nothing except sadness and thoughtfulness.

“Maybe. We all knew what became of him after Mama died, after Atlas was lost to us.” Gigi closed her eyes. “I’ll miss the memory of him, but not how he treated us after.”

That conversation stayed with Aurora, and when she went back home to her London apartment, got ready to join the seance at her sister’s behest, she reflected on it. Augustine Wolf gave the world the impression she barely cared, floating through the glittering world of socialites, engagements, and fashion. But there were moments where her insights startled Aurora - with its canniness, with how close to the truth she could get if she was so much inclined to dig deeper, not to take things at the surface level.

So it was no surprise then, the morning Rebekah died, the morning Detective Bancroft returned and left, that Gigi pulled Aurora aside, an unusually sombre look on her face. Maybe Aurora should’ve seen it coming. Or maybe she knew, and wanted to live in her little fantasy a little longer.

“Rory,” Gigi had said, her voice a whisper in the parlour room. “We need to talk, and I need you to be very honest with me.”

ii. they rang up the police

The Estate the morning after Rebekah’s death was strangely - quiet. Peaceful. Whereas Papa’s death had been greeted with much consternation and panic, Rebekah’s was - quiet. Quieter, the very least. People were in mourning, yes, Ulrich in particular - but Aurora had gone through his papers, known what might have happened. Whatever grief and sympathy she might have was very much tempered by that knowledge, and what could’ve been.

But her mind was still jangling on the edge - after the death, after her conversation with Gigi. Her sister had accepted her, without any judgement, without any condemnation, and Aurora wondered if the woman did grasp the gravity of what had happened. Maybe she did, and was better at hiding it than anyone could expect.

Noemi was even more uncomfortable after Rebekah’s death, and Aurora had not pried into whether J.J. Santos had another conversation about the marriage. She seemed even more ruffled, and when Aurora had run into her, the woman had mentioned wanting to leave as soon as she could.

“I don’t want to abandon the family,” Noemi had explained, as they sat down for breakfast. They’d been the only two people in the dining room, most others taking their early meal in their rooms or - in Godfrey’s case - currently passed out asleep. She’d kissed him good morning and slipped out for some peace and quiet, and run into Noemi. “But staying here any longer - with two more deaths -”

“There shouldn’t be more,” Aurora said, carefully buttering her toast. Her voice sounded distant and faraway, even to herself. “I don’t think so, at any rate.”

“No. Logically - I want to hope, but the faster I’ll be away from here, the better.” Noemi shook her head. “I don’t want to think of what happens next, and I don’t want to be here for when it comes.”

Part of Aurora wanted to tell Noemi she was safe, that whatever happened, she wouldn’t be the next to die. There was enough grief, enough anger surrounding this - and she wanted maybe the only other caretaker in her life to be happy with the man in her life, without this spectre hanging over her head. Part of her wanted to tell her to stay. But that was selfish - and certainly not what Aurora would’ve chosen for herself.

So instead, she smiled.

“Well, wherever you go, don’t be a stranger. I hope he takes care of you properly.”

“He will.” Noemi’s voice was gentle, fond. “He will. What about you? You and Godfrey?”

“Does everyone know about it?” Aurora went for mock-exasperation. “Exactly how many people has Gigi told?”

“Aurora.” Noemi looked at her with pursed lips, and Aurora had the distinct feeling she was being reprimanded for being a little dense. So Aurora smiled at her, bright and innocent, and the secretary shook her head.

“Godfrey went to your room last night. Staff say he isn’t in his room, and you have that slightly peppy spring in your step.”

Aurora would argue slightly sore, but that was something she wasn’t going to share with Noemi yet. So she had the good sense to look slightly abashed, which prompted Noemi to titter - quiet, but pleased all the same. Breakfast passed the same way, quiet and uneventful, and Aurora went back downstairs to the garage, where her beloveds resided.

Well, one of them anyway. The other one joined her as she was waist-deep in the car’s guts, wrench and oil. She heard his footsteps, and poked out of the car to see Godfrey, properly dressed and a far cry from what he had been last night. He didn’t seem half phased she had a grease smear on her cheek - he kissed her all the same, and Aurora hummed happily.

He didn’t know the first thing about car maintenance - or percussive maintenance when the engine refused to play nice and be good - but she could count on him to at least know when she asked for “that weird shaped dongle with a red handle” and hand the correct tool to her.

She’d been sidetracked, pressing the length of her torso against Godfrey by the workbench, and teasing him about getting him a mechanic’s suit when she heard a cough at the door. Aurora didn’t bother to disentangle herself, turning around and found Detective Bancroft stood in the doorway, his usual, comfortable smile on his face.

“I thought I’d drop by,” he said by way of explanation. “Mind if I joined you two?”

“Aren’t you supposed to summon us all to the police station?” she asked, but she pulled away from Godfrey’s warmth to face the detective properly.

“Not this time.” The detective shook his head. His eyes were cool, observant, and Aurora knew this wasn’t going to be the comfortable, cozy chats they’d had for a while. So she shrugged, and picked up the tool beside the workbench.

“You want to interview us together then?”

“If possible. I’m here to ask about Rebekah’s death.”

“Oh. Her.” Aurora shrugged. “Given we’re not in the station, you won’t object to me tinkering as this continues?”

“By all means, Miss Wolf.”

She nodded her thanks, and crouched to the other side of the car, where she could keep eye contact with the man if she needed. He made conversation with Godfrey - stilted, somewhat strange pleasantries, but Godfrey handled those well enough. She’d seen him in and out of Papa’s engagements, watched him often enough talking to people, business contacts, smoothing over issues and deals. But the detective’s attention returned to her soon enough.

“So. Rebekah Wolf.”

“Mmhm.” She twisted the bolt on the engine, frowning as it stuck. “Heart attack, we heard.”

“Appears to be one. The coroner will autopsy her soon enough - but given her husband died shortly before, it seems prudent to ask around. I understand you weren’t fond of her.”

Aurora paused mid-wrangle, then looked up at the detective quite seriously.

“That’s an overstatement.” She stood up, setting down the wrench on the car’s hood. “Our relationship wasn’t like mine or Papa’s. I cared for Papa, but we clashed - ferociously, sometimes. But Rebekah just - existed. She didn’t care to be in our lives, I didn’t care to be in hers.”

“Didn’t care, or you kept your distance?”

“Didn’t care.” She stared at Detective Bancroft. “Indifferent. Whether she lived or died I could hardly care less.”

“Staff said you and Mr. Knight over there were quite distraught. Did you fake that then?”

“No - that distraught is still there, but insofar as one can mourn someone you used to live with.”

“So. You didn’t care for Rebekah - is there any reason?”

“She was someone Papa married, and neither Gigi nor I could understand why he’d done so. We fought about that too.”

“He didn’t listen?”

“You know Thelonious Wolf. When he’s stuck in his ways, he won’t change for the world.”
“And I suppose he was against yours and Godfrey’s relationship too?”

Aurora blinked at him.

“Now who told you about that one?”

“I have my sources.” There was a hardness to the detective’s words, and now she recognised the bitter slant to his smile. “You two kept that one quiet enough.”

“Plenty of people kept theirs quiet. Rebekah and Ulrich included, with their affairs.”

“What affairs?”

“No. Just something I heard before the seance.” She crossed her arms, one hand reaching for the wrench and tapping it lightly on her arm. “They were having a fight before the fashion show. Something about Rebekah disapproving of Ulrich’s relationship with Winny.”

“Did she now.” The detective didn’t seem convinced, only watching her. “And is that something you conveniently found out?”

“Nothing convenient about that, you can’t fake an argument.” She tapped the wrench on the side of the car, and then winced when the sound of something metal and heavy clattered to the floor beneath. Followed by the tinkling of what sounded like multiple bits scattering on the floor.

Godfrey snorted, Detective Bancroft’s eyebrows went up, and she glared at both of them.

“What? It’s a beaut, but she’s a vintage! Be more respectful,” she admonished. “You try maintaining these cars when they’ve got mileage on them and no one here knows how to keep them in good condition.”

“I’m - sure.” She heard the laugh in the detective’s voice, but he was all business in seconds.

“Well, I need to assess what came loose, so if you’d give me a minute -”

She dragged the creeper nearby, lay on it, and rolled under the body of the car, and assessed the damage. She winced looking at the mess on the floor, the loosened axle and the bits on the floor, but in the dark, she felt - safer. Less vulnerable. More likely to be smacked if any metal bars decided to fall off.

“So they were talking about Ulrich and Winny’s relationship, were they?”

“From what I gathered,” Aurora answered, her voice carrying from under the car. “They seemed angry enough about it. Ulrich worrying about being in the same dangerous position as Rebekah.”

“Interesting as it is, it’s irrelevant to what has occurred, Miss Wolf. I’m more interested in how cool you both seem given the death of Aurora’s mother.” Detective Bancroft paused. “Or is a new relationship overriding your sympathies?”

“Is that a problem, detective?”

Godfrey’s voice cut in, sparing Aurora the effort of responding - but there was a bite to it that Aurora recognised from the rare occasions when Godfrey was feeling irritable.

“None at all, Mr. Knight. Just making an observation.”

“It seems more pointed than being an observation.”

The silence felt thick, heavy, and for the first time since the interrogation started, Aurora felt somewhat grateful she was currently hidden under the body of the car she was fixing. She shone her light into the undercarriage, observing where the joints were, rather hoping it had simply fallen out because it wasn’t screwed properly in place instead of something more serious like, say, rusting and breaking.

“You feel very strongly about it.”

“Hardly. I simply wonder if you have anything against those who can marry freely, instead of being trapped by expectations.”

Detective Bancroft laughed, and it was a sharp, biting sound. Aurora could almost picture the sneer in her mind, even as she angled the light differently, and found the disconnected joint.

“And who might you be referring to?”

“Winny. Myself. My ex-fiancée is free to marry Ulrich now, and I Aurora - we will mourn Rebekah, but that doesn’t negate the fact we need to live in the present, unbeholden to the dead.”

Aurora pushed the axle into the joint, screwed it into place - and then Godfrey’s words registered. She jerked up, smacked her head against the undercarriage, and yelped. This seemed mirrored by Detective Bancroft, who simply went “Pardon?”

He sounded about as shocked as she felt. Godfrey made no elaboration, but when she rolled herself out from the undercarriage, she swore to God she saw the tiniest, smuggest smile on Godfrey’s face. He met her gaze, burning, sincere, and Aurora felt her cheeks begin to heat from the intensity of it. She didn’t dare look at Detective Bancroft’s face, and quickly returned to the hasty retreat into the undercarriage.

The interrogation didn’t last much longer. Detective Bancroft asked where the two of them were, what had happened in the morning, and then left to parts unknown. Only then did Aurora dare to roll herself out again, and stare at Godfrey.

“You -”

“I meant it,” the man said, voice even, but his eyes burned into hers, fixing her into place. “Marrying you.”

“Even after - all this? All that I’ve done?”

“We’ve done.” He steadied her as she got to her feet, hands on her hips, pulling her close. “For us.”

There was the crux of it - everything up till this point, the dancing around, the stolen moments, the secrets. She’d known when Godfrey was joking around, because despite everyone claiming he was cold, dispassionate, she knew better - but here, now, he did mean every single word he said.

“We might not have enough time left to us,” she said softly, setting down the wrench. “Not with what’s happening.”

“All the more reason to be honest to ourselves.” He smiled, warm, his eyes creasing. “Would you let me?”

Aurora wrinkled her nose, and bumped hers against his. “You don’t need my permission for that.”

He smelled of vanilla and leather when he kissed her, hot, hungry, starving; she must’ve smelled of nothing but metal and grease, and rust, but it made no difference for him as he pressed her up against him, moustache tickling nose but lips hot, pliant, delicious.

They didn’t take it too far - not here, not when the most comfortable surface was the metal workbench and its vice poking into her hip, but he pulled away with his eyes smouldering with a promise. Later. Aurora would hold him to it.

iii. like a guilty thing

At the end, it all came down to one hour.

Agatha brought the news first, and Aurora felt the world around her grind to a halt. Everything seemed - slow. Sluggish. She felt slow, sluggish, detached, barely registering her eldest sister’s words. Rethinking what she’d said, retracing where she’d been. Maybe if she had - if she could -

Gigi was tugging her to one side, as the household descended into chaos.

“There’s a plane,” her sister told her, earnest, sympathetic. “It’s private - on standby. I’d meant to go to Paris, then to the States, if I ever needed to, but I think if you don’t want to risk it -”

“What about you?” Aurora asked, unable to keep the quaver out of her voice. “You could come. We could go to Paris together, and from there -”

“Someone needs to lure the police away,” Gigi answered, voice quiet, warm, like she was confiding a secret in her.

“They’re arrest you.”

“They won’t.” There was a certainty to Gigi’s voice that Aurora envied, the unfailing conviction that she would get away with it. A certainty, perhaps, that came with the knowledge she was innocent, that no matter what truth came out, she would be fine. “I have my ways - and I won’t have you rotting away, or worse.”

“I still don’t -”

“Get Godfrey and go.” The abruptness in Gigi’s voice cut off any protests she had. “Come on.”

There were two suitcases in Aurora’s room, but she only took the smaller, lighter one. She nearly collided into Godfrey, coming up the stairwell, coming to find her - and she grabbed him by his arm.

“We have to go,” she told him, voice too loud in the corridor. “Otherwise we won’t have time.”

“They’re coming through the front door,” Godfrey told her, but even then his hand was sliding into hers, interlacing his fingers.

“Gigi said she had a plan.” She paused. “And a plane. And she’s giving it to us.”

Godfrey was ever the more practical person between the two of them: he gave a curt nod, whatever worry and concern he had on his face shuttering away, and he let go. Gigi rounded the corner, saw Aurora with her things, and nodded.

“Godfrey?”

“Coming.”

Her sister gave her one long look - not hard, just searching. Then, she nodded.

“This way, come on.”

Godfrey joined them, and the three made their way downstairs. Already they heard the staff going about, the commotion audible even from this far into the house. Aurora peeked out, and saw in the distance a large van coming up. She’d recognise that anywhere, with the lettering, with her time in London. But Gigi was already in action, shoving her in the direction of the old classroom.

Aurora paused, staring after her sister. She knew what Gigi was about to do. They’d spoken of it, even as Gigi dragged her up to her room when all Aurora heard was the deafening white noise in her ears.

She nodded, and her throat unclogged enough for her to say something.

“But why?”

Gigi blinked at her.

“Why are you asking me this now?”

“I need to know,” Aurora answered, a plea coming into her voice. “Why are you helping me?”

Augustine Wolf stopped, head tilted, like she was about reveal a secret long-held. When she smiled, it was bitter.

“We lost our father a long time ago,” she said finally. “Ever since Mama died.”

It hung in the air, the words heavy in between them. Then there were footsteps, and Aurora shook herself out of her stupor.

“Take care of my babies,” Aurora told her. “And whatever’s in my London flat’s yours. ‘Kay? Don’t let anyone else get their hands on it.”

Gigi’s smile came too, easy and bright, like two little troublemakers ready to slip into a kitchen, steal snacks and sweets until they were inevitably caught by Mama and Papa with sticky hands and cookie crumbs littering the floor. The spectre of things long gone.

“You remember how to sneak out?”

Aurora’s smile came, despite herself.

“I don’t think I ever forgot.”

“Good. Write to me, you hear?”

She nodded, and Gigi took off in the other direction, up towards her room. She turned to Godfrey, still waiting, ever patient, even as his eyes were trained firmly on the other corridor, as if the police would burst in at any moment. Their eyes met, and Aurora nodded.

The old classroom was quiet, dusty, deserted - through there, there was an adjoining door towards the outside. Aurora knew the route by heart: both for playtime, and to slip out when no one was looking, where no one could see. It had an easy, clear connection to the grounds beyond, the cottages, the gardens, the lake.

Funny how now, she wished she had a little more time to go through the grounds, to wander it a little longer. If pushed, she’d admit she had prepared for this eventuality, and that she ought to be grateful she and Godfrey had a chance at all to try and vanish, but -

She’d always been greedy, pushing into places she wasn’t meant to be in, trying to get her hands on things that weren’t meant to be hers. After all, wasn’t it the whole reason why this happened?

Whatever Godfrey’s thoughts were, she had no time to ask, because they were hurrying down the pathway at as brisk an amble as they could. Running, after all, would draw attention on the gravel path, and if fiction and radio shows were anything to go by, she would slip, fall, and it’d cause enough of a commotion that they’d end up arrested. So they went in silence, as quickly, as quietly as they could, headed towards the docks, towards Hazelmoor House.

A figure was coming up on the path, towards them, and Godfrey pushed her behind him, as though to protect her from whatever, whoever it was. As it approached, Aurora recognised Vincent - and the three looked at each other. She didn’t miss the way his eyes flickered towards her suitcase, their packed things, back up, nor the realisation in his eyes.

Then Vincent inclined his head, and gave them one quick, swift nod. He continued on, ambling on as if he were not in a hurry to return to the main house, as if he were content to waltz in through the back door, where undoubtedly the police were swarming. There was no time to dither, to reconsider - Godfrey took her hand, and the two made their way towards the docks, towards the boats.

There were two cars waiting at the garage there - neither Aurora recognised. She hopped into the closest one, and started it. Then they were off, racing out of the estate, further and further away from the home she’d run around in, grew up in, and towards the airport Gigi had told her about. The plane away from London - to Paris, then to wherever they needed to be next.

Neither said a word - not after they’d picked up what they needed, not until they’d gotten to the airport, and not until they’d boarded the small, private plane. The pilot smiled at her, still called her Miss Wolf, gave Godfrey an acknowledgment, and they were off, the air cabin rattling. It helped to drown out her nerves.

When finally, finally they touched down in Paris, they went into the first decent-looking hotel they could find, and Aurora’s legs finally gave out in the hotel room. Godfrey caught her, and she steadied herself, exhaustion and everything in the day crashing into her all at once.

“Sorry,” she said, laughter creeping into her voice. It was slightly hysterical, her hands trembling, but she could pull herself up, cling onto Godfrey, and press her face into his chest, deriving something quieter, steadier from listening to his heartbeat. The man tucked her in close, nestling her under his chin, arms around her waist.

“Sorry,” she repeated, even as the laughter subsided, and the feeling of bile rose up in her throat. “I think - we need to -”

“Rest.” Godfrey finished the sentence for her, and tilted her chin up so he was looking at her in the eye. “It will take at least a day for the Scotland Yard to piece together where we went.”

“We skipped the moment the police showed up, I think they’ll put it together.”

“We’ll be long gone by then.”

He said it as if he were stating fact, as if he were reviewing a case for the partners for his firm, as if he were setting out documents for review. She wanted to believe him - he made it sound so easy. It felt so easy, warm and held and still cherished, despite everything that had happened.

She swallowed the lump in her throat, trying to focus on the practical things: on getting out, on what they’d need to make the journey. It wasn’t money she was worried about: they had cashier orders and precious gems and jewelry to convert into cash, wherever they went. Godfrey had planned for it, ever since they doctored some transfers. Another sin to add to her long, long list of what she had done.

But that was later. Now, here, an English channel away, far from whatever had descended onto the Winterbrook Estate - she could relax, just a little.

“Okay.” She tip-toed up to kiss him. She felt him relax, arms tighten around her waist, pull her in close. He smelled dusty - dustier than she’d ever had him, but nothing that couldn’t be fixed. Before they could go any further though, he pulled away, and pressed his forehead against hers.

“I think need to wash,” she said finally. “And then - what do you call it - take stock?”

Godfrey nodded, and with a general air of reluctance, let her go. She pressed one more kiss to his cheek, and then left to the bathroom, running the water. She stared at herself - the makeup, the eyeliner, the lipstick, the tousled hair. She looked semi-well put together, like a tired traveller, and not like someone who was in the process of going on the run.

If Papa was still around, he might have gloated. The first time he caught the two of them, he’d gloated that nothing good would come of their relationship, that people would get hurt. He told them they’d all be away, and caught the two of them in the gazebo, comfortably cuddled up.

The second time he caught them was in the library. It was an even worse fight then. She could still see that moment, frozen in amber. He’d roared about never letting her marry a common pen-pusher, Godfrey only metres away from the two of them, and she’d snapped back that he was a liar. He’d lunged at her, calling her an ungrateful bitch, spittle and and red faced, and she’d reached up, tried to push him away from whatever he was trying to do -

She saw her surprise mirrored on his face as he fell, faster and harder than either of them expected.  There was a sickening crack, and Aurora watched Papa slump to the floor, a dark stain at the corner of his precious, beloved desk in his study.

Papa was half-right - someone would be hurt, and now two people were dead. But  so many things were coming out of the woodwork. So many people. So many relationships. She thought back to Noemi and J.J. , to Winny and Ulrich. Her and Godfrey, free in some ways, bound in others.

She emerged from the shower, still wrapped in her bathrobe, to the delectable sight of Godfrey without his jacket, his waistcoat, sleeves rolled up and tie undone. Any other day, she would’ve made a beeline for him, sat on his lap, smiled coyly and kissed him. They would inevitably migrate to the bed, and she’d wake up sore, sated. Today, she managed a faint smile, and curled up by his side instead, tucking herself under his arm.

“I meant it,” he said finally. “About marrying you.”

“Still? Even after all this?”

“Perhaps exactly because of all this.” She looked up at him, and Godfrey shook his head. “Not - that way. All this - for both of us.”

“We’re never going home. You can’t practise in England again, and if we ever set foot we’re likely to be executed.”

“We both know there are enough opportunities for us elsewhere - Russia, Egypt, South America.”

There was - after all, she knew the breadth of business developments elsewhere, what they could do. Make a life for themselves, perhaps. Disappear, save to a few people that she still loved and cared about. Live with the man she did love, finally, properly as his lawfully wedded wife. Maybe she’d be a mechanic, or toy with some planes, fly free.

“You’ll need to shave off that moustache of yours,” she said finally, and he laughed. She joined him, the sound filling the room, and in that scant moment, everything felt - not proper. It would never be proper. But it felt a little safer, the murders a little more distant. She would carry that thought with her, no matter how far she fled.

COMPLETE

Last edited by Jadis (08/05/2022 at 16:39)

Okay! We've reached the end of the road, you guys, and despite some hiccups on my end, I had the best time and hope you did too!

Let me begin with the aftermath of Act III. I recommend you to read Aurora's story for the round, to see the version of the fugitive.

Act III: the conclusion

It would be less than an hour when the police arrive at the gates of the Winterbrook estate, making their way towards the house - three police vehicles and one car with detective Bancroft. Moments before they arrive at the house doors, Calix makes his way across the lake on a boat, walking into the house, seeking Agatha, and before the police show up and enter the house, Noemi makes her way to the lobby, trying to figure out what is happening. Calix walks past her, and when the first knock on the door is heard, he is already in another room. Arthur walks out of the study, nervously opening the door, with quite a few police officers storming into the house. Without many words, Bancroft barks out a very clear order:

“Find them both!”

The officers scatter, with Bancroft heading upstairs, straight to Aurora’s room - he hears an engine running and rushes to the window - a figure dressed in a black pantsuit is in the car, rushing near the police vehicles - and while the officers are running out of the house, sitting in cars to catch up, he realizes shortly it’s not Aurora: by the time he yells after them, his voice cannot be heard from the engines, leaving him angry in the room - and a second later, as he tries to get out of the room he finds the doors have been locked. Bancroft rushes back to the window, happy to find another police officer stepping out of the house - and as he calls him to come let him out, he notices Aurora and Godfrey heading into the boat, heading across the lake. He doesn’t risk shooting as there is another boat coming from the other side - and by the time he hears someone unlocking the door, he hears Arthur in front, letting him out.

By the time everyone is at the main entrance, Aurora and Godfrey have reached the other shore and all Bancroft can do is sit in his car and try to catch up: he leaves, but not before Vincent shows up at the door, and he simply gives him a side-eye, making a short comment on blood running thicker than water. He sits in the car, leaving.

Vincent enters the house, and the conversation starts.

He admits he’s Atlas - he was taken by a business opponent of Thelonious and was meant to be traded for money and deeds to some land in South America. The people who paid to keep him never got their payment, but they did not want to kill the boy, rather taking him back to Argentina with them, where he grew up thinking his family had forsaken him.

(We will return to this bit in unanswered questions, in a short bit.)

He’ll disclose he met Etienne once he went to Paris, they hit it off and during one occasion when Thelonious showed to a Salon in Paris, Vincent/Atlas realized he could not keep away. He found out soon that Thelonious got re-married, learning of his mother’s death, and how his father only got much worse since - in all possible ways. Accidentally, Thelonious seemed to have seen potential in Etienne, but Vincent/Ames could not wait for long to return to London and hopefully get his revenge.

While Etienne got shocked into a “proposal” from Thelonious - going along with it due to Vincent/Atlas, he also liked the information he found out about Agatha, so he decided to stick around, knowing he would not go through with the marriage - at least not under Thelonious’ terms. In the meantime, Vincent/Atlas hired Zella to befriend Gigi or Rory, and get him more information - as she failed to provide much, he started to explore by himself - Vita invited him to stay at Hazelmoor at the best possible time, as he had the time to explore before anyone was there.

The moment takes the toll on everyone, and by the time Bancroft is back with Gigi - who was supposedly just heading for a ride - and informs them that Aurora and Godfrey caught the flight Gigi booked for herself, but she still refuses to admit anything more, asking for her lawyer.

How did they do it? ...and some more.

...a bit is taken from Aurora's file.

Aurora's relationship with Godfrey is a surprising matter, altho not to either of them. It started around the same time he got engaged to Winny. Godfrey realized soon into their affair they are not going to be able to pursue anything more than that, but it didn’t help: he fell in love harder than any time before. To him, Aurora was living everything he could not allow himself to do: free, unburdened by anything or anyone.

With time, with no one realizing what was going on, Aurora and Godfrey grew brave, and at one point in all of this, Thelonious put the two and two together, set a trap and caught them. Instead of taking a calm approach, he leans into the cruelty he is capable of, saying to both how nothing good can come from an affair - people get hurt, and not just the present party - and that the affair between them is even madder: there is no way he would allow Aurora to marry someone working for the family.

the day of the murder
Aurora arrives at the estate on her own, new car and luggage for staying at least a week. Noemi will welcome her, offering some food or coffee the two of them can take at the terrace, watching as the preparations go along. The surprise engagement of Aurora to Etienne. It should be a surprise, and Noemi will ask for her discretion regarding the announcement, subtly hinting she hopes Thelonious will drop the whole thing and do as Agatha wants.

Noemi mentions that Thelonious keeps complaining about his inability to instil loyalty into his children, wanting more for them, but them just throwing things away for meaningless thrills.

The party bores Aurora, and she manages to slip away - Godfrey quickly catches onto that - and the two meet in Thelonious’ study/library which seems like the perfect place since everyone is focused on the announcement. The two of them are in the room when Thelonious walks in - the moment of confrontation is delayed as Arthur and Selena follow him. Godfrey and Aurora are not in sight, clearly, and the room is dimly lit.

Thelonious make his way to the library after the announcement, and Arthur will follow him there. Selena is only a few moments behind and she approaches the room as the fight is already happening. Thelonious saw Aurora and Godfrey already but chooses to focus on Arthur instead. Thelonious is telling Arthur he had his chance and he already told him he did, but now it’s time to let someone who knows what they are doing. Neither Selena nor Arthur will walk in - and Thelonious will settle down a little bit, as he catches the glimpse of Selena there - focusing on Arthur and ordering him to calm down, stop worrying and take care of his wife, instead. Before either of you gets to say something else, he will walk to the door - seemingly less angry - and close the door.

The fight happens: while he is trying to remain silent, it all takes place in a moment or two, not even that: insults and mean words. Aurora pushes him away during the argument, and he falls hitting his head, and he is not moving. There's no room to panic, as Godfrey signals Aurora to hush, as someone is approaching. Godfrey pulls the body up quickly, pulling it behind the desk before any blood stains the floor.

In a moment of clarity, Aurora yells something, and he picks up on what she is doing, sitting down in the large chair, and turning it from the door. Godfrey pretends to be Thelonious and yells back NO! at Aurora, and as Agatha, Noemi and Ulrich approach the door a scene is set: Thelonious’ body is on the ground under/behind the desk, and Godfrey sits in his place, holding a cigar. Whoever is at the door, sees his hand waving and hears a stern no growled no as an answer to a question about the nightcap, as Aurora makes her way out the door. As everyone leaves, Godfrey closes the door and locks them from the inside.

As Aurora leaves, Godfrey locks the doors - and realizes a second later Thelonious is breathing: knowing he would not forgive either for the charade, he decides to smother him rather than call for help. He leaves through the window to the terrace, and towards the garden, showing up at the entrance - into the house, "running into" her. Aurora flees the party, heading to her car to go for a ride to clear her mind, but in a sea of people rushing to leave, rain and all, it’s quite impossible to see she did not do that (altho, no one positioned themselves to be able to notice, aka. decided on doing different things at the time).

Instead, she runs back to the house to set up the scene: she lights the fire to keep the room warm; she pushes the curtains out the window and somehow manages to set the body in the right place, and she places a flower pot to the edge of the window, letting it slowly fill with water and finally (later) crash to the ground and cause commotion since the party is over, everything is silent. Before she finally returns to the room, Aurora asks Gigi for another dress, or shoes (just so she can access the room across the hall). She leaves the window open there, and the door too.

Godfrey, Winny, Selena and Arthur are in the salon, playing cards when she returns, consoled by Noemi who returns in a bit. Godfrey is doing badly, which is unlike him. Arthur is in a foul mood, impatient.

The murder scene is set, and while some things have been mentioned, no one asked more questions about them (such as fire being lit up in the summer, and a half-smoked cigar while Thelonious doesn't leave them unfinished like that.)

Rebekah's death
During the seance, both Rebekah and Selena picked up on some conversations they witnessed. While Selena realized Godfrey was the person Thelonious fought the day of his death significantly talking about loyalty and marriage; Rebekah picked up on Thelonious' complaints about Aurora's betrayal of the family. Soon after, as they distributed drinks, Aurora managed to slip digitalis into Rebekha's drink - and as the poison slowly entered her system, she died during the night, and the death ended up resembling symptoms of a heart attack.

Matthew didn't buy it, knowing the killer must be on its way to cover his tracks.

Then, we go into some secrets that stayed hidden & Questions that were left unanswered.

The Unspoken Family History of the Wolfs

In 1873, Thelonious Wolf was born into a noble family that went bankrupt very early in his childhood. His father gambled his money while his mother tried to keep it together. He realized early on that he would have to work hard and this is something he adopted quickly, something that sick to him throughout his entire life. Thelonious went to a boarding school and then went to work at an architecture bureau where he soon made a name for himself. His first struck of fortune was Miss Victoria Alderige, a new-money heiress whose parents never needed to say no to the girl. Thelonious and Victoria were in love and got married in 1900, but the fact Victoria could not have children took a toll on her and to make her happy, Thelonious decided the way to go is adoption. Five children later - Atlas in 1903, Arthur in 1905, Agatha in 1906, Gigi in 1907 & Aurora in 1908 - they were a complete family: children grew up and while Victoria made sure they felt loved, Thelonious made sure they were developing their talents, studying, doing whatever they wish to do.

Thelonious had his good days, and he had his bad days: after living very humbly in his developing years, he swore he would never get back to that again. Building and developing became a ruthless business and his ambition grew each day, turning him into a cold, sometimes cruel businessman. He would travel often, leaving the family in Winterbrook.

What wasn’t known is that at the time, Thelonious was having an affair with Honoria St.Clair, wife of his business partner and family friend. One day, after returning for a business trip early, Allen St.Clair walked in on Thelonious and his wife, which resulted in his death - he had a heart attack before he could reach the gates.

Things changed for the family after Atlas was kidnapped in 1918 - the ransom note arrived, the money was paid, but the child never returned - his bloodied things were found in the woods on the outskirts of the county. The family survived, but at what cost? Victoria did not survive for much longer, falling into a dark pit that eventually led to her suicide. Thelonious covered it up quite well, and the children spend less time at home - one might conclude this was the beginning of the end.

Missed (& guessed) clues, I guess?

I do realize some of the things were messed up because people dropped out, I was late in one round, and generally, time was the issue, but lemme share those, if you wish?

Firstly, Thelonious hid the fact Victoria committed suicide - and the only evidence leftover were the two letters she wrote, and original medical documentation. The only people who knew about it were Selena and Thelonious - and in the end, Vincent.

Thelonious had affairs during most of his life, but the one mentioned here - as some of you picked up on - was related to the death of Allen St.Clair (Vita's father). Honoria & Thelonious were caught in the affair, causing Allen to die from a heart attack. As Atlas was kidnapped at the same time, the cheating went unnoticed at the time.

Rory and Thelonious shared a similar mindset when it came to getting the things they wanted: Thelonious used his lawyers to obtain lands, mines, and properties after his business partners would die, and he showed no remorse even when it came to his family and friends. He robbed Winny's family out of a very lucrative mine in Argentina, and Vita's family of some oil sites in Columbia.

Rory and Godfrey, however, played a more subtle game, changing wills and some smaller legal documents in order to get money, as well as doing some inside trading - using the information they got from people around them.

Well, the one everyone picked up on was, clearly, Atlas being alive & Vincent turning out to be Atlas. This ties to what Etienne could have gained from the whole situation.

Speaking of background, Ulrich admitted parts of it to Winny, but Meier siblings are not the real Meiers, only assumed their identity after the war when the real siblings died. They relied on marrying rich heirs to inherit the money, and Rebekah broke the last arrangement when she went from Calix to Thelonious which Ulrich thought would be quite dangerous. Ulrich showing up was what he considered to be her paying him a favour for that move. Ulrich and Rebekah were other red herrings meant to throw everyone off, sadly things were left out from their stories due to drop out, and my wish to focus on the characters that are played.

In Round 1, it felt like it was a series of you making purposeful choices not to be around the murder - or the murderers but also missed on Vincent making his way across the lake and into the old things of his mother's.

The most fun thing was having Zella snoop around the room at the same time Winny was there, hiding, without either picking up on who is the other person in the room.

One more clue was the correspondence letters that were out of order - especially with Noemi's character being utterly organized. It was in Round 1 that the photos started to vanish, mainly those of older Vincent who might have been recognized there. People were thrown off the track with JJ and Noemi being in a secret romance, meeting in the house occasionally.

During the interrogation, everyone is clued in about what Thel was really like: his intense meddling in the life of his children, obsession with control, and knowing everything. He gave up on Arthur (unjustly) and focused on trying to push Agatha in what he felt was the right direction.

It's also said he is the type that finishes everything - half-smoked cigar clumsily put out by Godfrey. The fireplace is lit and was meant to keep the body from cooling down completely. The whole murder actually took place earlier than it was made to believe.

Then, we have a new will: no one has seen it other than Thel, and Agatha - who kept it to herself, rather than turning it in. The testament told that both Winny & Rebekah were left out. Winny because she was digging into the irregularities about her inheritance and sneaking around with Ulrich, and Rebekah because Thel realized she lied. He also mentions the possibility of Atlas being alive.

Calix's role in the mess was unclear intentionally: it was unclear for him too, as his goal, in the beginning, was to fuck over Thel and take back the mines Thel took from him with Rebekah's help. He ended up having feelings for Agatha, and instead of going ahead with his original plans, he struggled to find a "public" place in the vicinity of the Wolf family.

And, in the end, I played around with the round titles: all named after books, and partly related to the plots of the books in question.

And, Epilogue recap on my people, according to what you wrote in your Round 4, of course

Epilogue

Arthur is happy to have his brother back - and despite what people might think, he does not blame his younger sister for what happened to their father. Atlas and Arthur are in charge of family assets, working on building a more honest business and undoing the wrongs Thelonious made during his reign. While Atlas is focused on the business side of the work, Arthur has time to dedicate to the creative processes, working on his passions and raising his child.

The marriage between Selena and Arthur has reached a crossroads - a point of no return - but the pair decided to stay together, start fresh - and this time honestly, without any secrets and distancing, raising their child together in London. While Arthur is focused on his restaurant and possible hotel opening, Selena is making her debut on the silver screen.

Atlas is still friends with Etienne, who has become a business partner in creating a new vehicle brand in the UK. He still keeps in touch with Miss Zella Lehr, who has moved on to greener pastures, currently roaming around Paris, staying at the flat Etienne used to occupy before he moved.

Gigi spent a night locked up, which ended up doing wonders for her reputation and career - and the fact she shone some light into her relationship with the lead detective of the case did not help Bancroft’s pushing to tell him where Aurora and Godfrey went. Gigi manages to get letters to her sister, standing firmly behind her decision to let Aurora go live out her life in peace, knowing Thelonious must have had it coming.

In the aftermath of the great escape, Calix is not in the mood to travel right away, postponing his trip for a couple of weeks, using the time before he leaves to spend with Agatha. He’ll propose a few days before his departure, having decided he is not keen on having children (never has been). He’ll love to set the date shortly after his return from the expedition to Egypt. In the meantime, Agatha’s practice might end up in the Winterbrook area, as she won her election to become part of the government in the area.

Ulrich came to possession of the house in London his sister got when Thelonious died, and being the sole heir to her estate, he came into enough money to ask Winny to marry him. Ulrich dedicates time to actually learning more about running a business, deciding to open a club in the heart of London, and enjoying the dynamics of running the business. The couple will marry, putting secrets past them, and enjoying their relationship to the fullest.

Noemi picked up on what was happening with Gigi and Rory on the day of the failed arrest - and acted on what she seemed was the last duty she had to the family: locked Bancroft in Rory’s room, preventing him to catch up to the duo running away. Only a few days after that, after Bancroft allowed them to leave London, she packed her bags and was ready to move with JJ. The couple got married in a very small ceremony in London, before returning to Columbia to have a proper wedding party. The family is, naturally, invited and in attendance. A present arrives without a name, and Noemi knows well who it is.

Aurora and Godfrey went to Paris first, leaving for South America at once. After spending a while looking for the best place to settle in, they came to Chile and decided it was the right location. The pair married shortly after, making a new life for themselves there. Aurora writes to Gigi often, each time posting the letters from different places, using different names - and while there were a couple of close calls, months after their escape Bancroft gave up on the search.

To conclude, once again, I really loved each and every one of the stories - thank you for sticking till the end, and hopefully post those banners.

But firstly, let me just repeat myself and tell you how much I enjoyed this contest! Thank you for your amazing stories, and how you brought to life these characters with so much spark and ambition!
I've learned some lessons when it comes to hosting such a contest, and honestly hope to host another (Bancroft) mystery soon!

Last edited by Zaralee (09/05/2022 at 11:08)

Thank you Zara for hosting again. It has been a really long time since I've been able to really dig into a role in this story forum and I really found myself enjoying Selena (despite all the ups and downs lol).

I had such suspicions of Godfrey but in the end second guessed everything. I'm impressed with how much time & effort you must have spent on all the background information and wished there had been more time to actually explore more of those details.

I'll be waiting to see what you come up with next.

Thank you for this amazing contest! I had a lot fun digging for clues and discussing suspects. I love the plot twist as I absolutely did not expect Aurora and Godfrey to be involved or be the actual murderers.

Can't wait to see what you come up with next!