Chapter the Ninth: Paris

Romantic Horror, London, circa 1800

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Re: Chapter the Ninth: Paris

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I'll leave the final decision about Miss Carrow to Doctor North; she is likely to take his advice in such matters. Bringing along the True Innocent benefits the party, but may expose her to danger.
Having been advised by the practical-minded Gypsy as to its possible necessity, Mister Witherly agrees to carry the instrument referred to in Romeo and Juliet as an "iron crow."
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Re: Chapter the Ninth: Paris

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Henry also recommends bringing lockpicks, as that would be a much quieter way of dealing with locked doors and the chains. While none of them is a footpad, he does know his way around mechanical devices. He has never picked a lock before, but it does not sound too difficult in theory to him. He also suggests oil for quieting squeaky hinges.
OOC,While there is danger in bringing [b]Elizabeth[/b] with us, there may be more danger in leaving her unattended. At least if she's with us, we can protect her. Besides, she probably would insist on coming anyway.
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Re: Chapter the Ninth: Paris

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Upon arrival, Mister Witherly observes that the general plan of this modest chateau is not unlike that of the famous Pavillon de Louveciennes built for Madame du Barry upon the Seine. He is able to produce a sketch of that well-known structure from memory, adding the proviso that its interior details are not likely to be absolutely accurate. In particular, the small room wherein the young man is kept shackled is, obviously, without windows.

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In the present instance, the left and central areas of the chateau are currently occupied, whilst the right side has fallen into disuse. It can be seen that there are multiple windows through which one might attempt to enter this area. Miss Davenport's memory reveals that the hidden room must be located somewhere between the rooms delineated in the diagram as the third salon and the cabinet.
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Re: Chapter the Ninth: Paris

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"Shall we try the window of the third salon at the rear?"
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Re: Chapter the Ninth: Paris

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Ines does not disagree.
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Re: Chapter the Ninth: Paris

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The party walks quietly to the rear of the chateau. The only sound is the music of insects, itself subdued due to the coolness of the weather as autumn matures into the first hints of winter. The window into the salon is heavily curtained, as are all the windows of the chateau, as if they were lidded eyes. Brief experimentation reveals that it is latched from within, as is no doubt the case with all the other windows of the chateau.

"Who among us shall make use of the housebreaker's tools?" Mister Witherly inquires in a low whisper.
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Re: Chapter the Ninth: Paris

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"I think this calls more for finesse than brute force," whispers Henry. "An agile person using a thin object may be able to slip it through the crack and undo the latch."
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Re: Chapter the Ninth: Paris

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Lila volunteers herself for the task.
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Re: Chapter the Ninth: Paris

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DEX = 18 + 1 ti = 19[dice]0[/dice]
Miss Davenport's skilled hands are able to open the window easily. The oil so cleverly used to reduce the sound of rusty hinges functions admirably. Moonlight shines into the room, revealing little save furniture covered with cloth. It remains to be seen who will enter the room, and who will remain behind to keep watch. As the fable says, who will bell the cat?
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Re: Chapter the Ninth: Paris

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Miss Davenport is the only one who has seen either the prison or the prisoner. Ivan's strength may be necessary to free the man, and he may need Dr North's medical expertise, while Miss Carrow is the most reassuring presence we have. Thus it seems Mr Witherly or Ines should be the one to keep watch. Of the two, Ines is the most likely to be able to pass herself off as acting alone.
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Re: Chapter the Ninth: Paris

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Henry agrees with Ines's assessment.
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Re: Chapter the Ninth: Paris

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"If I may venture an opinion," Mister Witherly remarks, "I do not consider it seemly to allow a member of the gentler sex to remain without escort in such a hazardous situation. I shall remain here also." He gives the iron crow to the mighty Ivan.

That being settled, the others proceed to enter the room through the large window without difficulty. The silvery moon and the low glow of a single lantern combine to cast an eerie light across the dusty floor. It will be impossible to avoid leaving traces of entry.

The sheets that cover the furniture might be taken for ghosts by one of vivid imagination. To the right there is an opening to a somewhat larger room which appears to be one of those in current use by the occupants of the chateau. To the left there is another window, through which the watchful Ines and Mister Witherly may be seen. Directly ahead is a small alcove in the wall, at about a man's height. Slightly to the right of it is a narrow connecting hallway between this room and the great hall. Slightly to the left of it is a small door; from Mister Witherly's sketch it may be guessed that this leads to a storage area of sorts, which also connects to the room designated as a cabinet.

From Miss Davenport's previous experience it can be deduced that the room containing the prisoner was reached when she passed from the great hall to the large, central salon, somewhere to the right. It is not immediately evident what might be the most direct way to reach it from this room.

All is still, save for the haunting, piercingly lovely cry of a nightingale.
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Re: Chapter the Ninth: Paris

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Henry glances at the small door and looks at the others with questioning silence. It is better in his mind to avoid the larger rooms, as servants may still be about even at this late hour.
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Re: Chapter the Ninth: Paris

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Lila nods in acknowledgment.
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Re: Chapter the Ninth: Paris

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Opening the small door reveals a room containing mops, buckets, and such equipment as is required for general housekeeping. The room is small and quite dark; only one person at a time will be able to enter, and will have to make a path past all these things to reach the other door, leading to the cabinet.
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Re: Chapter the Ninth: Paris

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Being of more nimble body than Doctor North and Ivan, Lila volunteers to go first and see what may lie behind the other door - though it strikes her that bringing the captive back this way may prove difficult.
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Re: Chapter the Ninth: Paris

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Spoiler:
DEX = 18 + 1 TI = 19[dice]0[/dice]
As gracefully as a sylph Miss Davenport is able to cross the storage room without making a sound. The door on the other side opens easily. The beam of light from the lantern she carries reveals a typical cabinet; a room of no great size where an individual may retreat for the purpose of study and meditation. There are shelves of books, a table covered with papers, inkwells, and quills, and a pair of chairs. Upon the desk, like an omen, lies a human skull, perhaps intended as a memento mori for those who make use of this room.

To the left is a small window, through which a moonlit garden may be seen. To the right is a larger door than the one through which Miss Davenport entered, which leads to the great hall. Across the room is a small door which, according to the sketch, must lead to the garderobe, where one answers the calls of nature. From the experience of the daytime, the secret room must somehow be accessible nearby, although it is not immediately evident how this may be accomplished.
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Re: Chapter the Ninth: Paris

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Lila goes to inspect the garderobe, glancing curiously at the skull as she passes.
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Re: Chapter the Ninth: Paris

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The garderobe is appointed as one expects. It is fortunate that it has been recently cleaned. There is a door to the right leading to the great hall, and a high widow directly ahead, obviously intended to admit light and air whilst forbidding visibility from without.

Having surveyed these rooms, it must be deduced that entrance to the secret room must either be through the great hall (from which Miss Davenport was able to find it previously, given the prisoner's groans as a guide to its location) or from some hidden entryway on this side of the chateau, discovery of which will require careful examination.
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Re: Chapter the Ninth: Paris

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"Many wealthy homes have secret passages for the servants to move about undetected," whispers Henry. "My own castle has them. We should search to see if we can find one. There could be one hidden behind the bookshelves, we just need to find the mechanism to open it. Maybe there's a switch or something concealed on the desk. Perhaps the skull hides it." He begins examining the bookshelves looking for any sign of a secret passage or the means to open it.
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