Chapter 7: An Unexpected Visitor

[Mr. Handy]

Alexander searches the room for any traces of someone's presence, both around the fireplace and near exits, such as footprints.

[Philulhu]

Having heard Miss Beauchamp mention his name, Captain FitzWilliam quickly made his way to the study. He eased himself through the throng the examine the painting, and like Percy, touched the blood+lik e substance that obscured the portrait’s face. He held his finger’s to his nose, where he expected the coppery smell would confirm that it was blood.

That done, he lifted the frame from the cold fireplace to turn it the right way up once more, to see if there was anything special about the way that his Lordship’s face had been obscured.

[aine]

"We have the matter in hand, unless anyone has any questions for you, you can go back to bed." Isolde tells the butler and housekeeper. She puts her crystal away with a satisfied manner and then looks pointedly at the servants.

[HoneyDog]

Both Howard and the housekeeper look taken aback, and ready to argue, but at that moment Ursula’s cries can be heard upstairs.

“We’d better check on her” says Howard, and he ushers the staff out of the room. Melody accompanies them.

Nothing else in the room appears to have been disturbed and there are no signs of intruders. It is clear though that the picture could not have accidently fallen – it must have been removed from its hook and dropped.

The blood, for that is indeed what the substance is, covers Sir William’s face.

[Philulhu]

”Does anyone know what the significance of the blood on Sir William’s face might be?” asked Captain FitzWilliam. ”Miss Beauchamp - is this something you have heard of before?”

[aine]

"Now that the servants have gone we can speak freely. I hope they didn't realise it was blood." Isolde says as she stoops to look at the picture.
"The captain and I almost caught the...malefactors in the act. I heard them and saw a shadow flit across the wall. It was the size of a small child and the sound was high pitched chattering only, how should I put it? Only more gutteral. It didn't sound human that's for sure."

[Mr. Handy]

"I go to keep watch on Ursula instead of the study and something happens here," says Alexander. "I rush here, and something happens with Ursula. It's like somebody knows."

[Rooter]

"Must be the pixies, I dare say," Percy says only half-jokingly.

[aine]

Isolde gives Percy a piercing stare.
"I know some circles says that the ancient Picts were the source of the old pixy legend but what if they're wrong? What if that stone really is a gateway to somewhere like fairyland and that fairies, pixies, whatever you want to call them are causing all the trouble? It certainly fits in with what I just saw and heard and it explains the lack of supernatural activity here."

[Mr. Handy]

"I've seen no evidence of that," says Alexander, "but the stone is relevant. Look at everything that happened after it was toppled."

[HoneyDog]

OOC,Shall we move onto the next day?

[aine]

"Let's talk about it in the morning." Says Isolde. "I wish we could find out what sort of blood it is. Maybe we could have discovered where it came from." And with that she heads off to bed.

[Mr. Handy]

"Aye, there's naught we can do at the moment," says Alexander, also turning in for the night.

[Philulhu]

”Agreed,” replied Captain FitzWilliam. ”We might be able to make sense of this with a good night’s sleep.”

[Rooter]

Percy nods in agreement and follows to retire for the night.