Chapter 6: Day Three

[HoneyDog]

Tuesday 9th August, 1881

5.30 am

Forby House

Dawn breaks on a new day, even hotter than before. The bedsheets feel grimy to the touch; the heat lays like a moist, warm blanket upon the sleeping companions, causing them to stir restlessly. However, their sleep is uninterrupted, and they are not disturbed by any other unwelcome visitors during the night. But what of the day?

True to his commitment, Harry awakes early. Dressing and washing, he sets out towards the quarry. He creeps quietly downstairs.

Spoiler:

Roll Luck.

[Mephistophilis]

Spoiler:

Mephistophilis rolled 1d100:
51

[Mr. Handy]

Alexander also wakes up early and joins Harry to go investigate the quarry.

[HoneyDog]

As Harry and Alexander enter the kitchen, they encounter Bates, who is surprised to see them.

“Good morning! I wasn’t expecting to see you gentlemen up so early” he says, regarding them neutrally.

[Mephistophilis]

'Good morning Mr Bates' says Harry coolly. 'Dr Campbell and I are off to search the grounds again, there was another commotion last night and Lt Meddler believes he saw an intruder in a mask. I don't suppose you heard anything?'

[Philulhu]

Vic heard the creek of floorboards and faint voices downstairs. She yawned and lifted the pillow over her face, the cool underside giving a moment’s respite from the heat. She lay there a moment longer, then sighed and dropped the pillow on the floor.

Getting up, she pulled on a dressing gown and padded down the stairs. ”Good morning, gentlemen,” she said. “Are you going somewhere?”

[Mr. Handy]

"Aye, lass," says Alexander. "We're off to the quarry to search for signs of the intruder."

[Mephistophilis]

Harry shoots Alexander another look and sighs. He doesn't seem to have got the hang of being discrete around suspects.

[HoneyDog]

Bates looks startled.

“Again? Oh my goodness. I must look in on the master.”

Without another word, he leaves in the direction of the stairs.

[Mephistophilis]

Harry shrugs his stiff shoulders, 'We should get going before the whole house is up and about'. He looks at Vic in her dressing gown, 'I'd invite you to come with us Miss Miller but I think we'd better get a move on. Could you keep an eye on Meddler and Bates while we're gone?'

[aine]

Isolde languishes in bed, too lethargic to rise. But the heat is already unpleasant so she washes, dresses and makes her way down the stairs. She heads to the relative cool of the hallway and looks up at the ceiling to see if it is odd or just old and mouldy.

[Mr. Handy]

"Aye, it is odd that he assumed that the intruder had returned," says Alexander, "rather than thinking we might still have been looking for evidence of his first appearance."

[Philulhu]

”Will do!” replied Vic. “And if they look like wandering off, I’ll distract them with this...” She flicked open the lower left part of her dressing gown open to show that she was wearing a pair a blue and white-striped men’s pyjamas.

“That prig Meddler will have conniptions if he sees me in men’s clothes again!” she laughed.

[Mr. Handy]

Alexander instinctively tries to look away, but he doesn't react fast enough. It hadn't been what he had expected to see. "Aye, that ought to do it," he says with a chuckle.

[HoneyDog]

Harry and Alexander head through the kitchen door into the courtyard outside. The air is already very muggy and close. Moving in the direction which will take them to the quarry, the scan their surroundings, looking for anything out of the ordinary.

Spoiler:

Roll Spot Hidden.

[Mephistophilis]

Spoiler:

Mephistophilis rolled 1d100:
20

Hard Success!

[Mr. Handy]

Alexander notices something.

Spoiler:

Spot Hidden roll (67% skill) on the way to the quarry:

Mr. Handy rolled 1d100:
28

Likewise.

[HoneyDog]

There is a woodpile near the kitchen door. Something stuffed beneath it captures the attention of the two men.

Looking more closely, they see that it is a brace of rabbits, obviously recently killed, with their throats neatly slit.

[Mephistophilis]

Harry kneels down and looks at the rabbits, 'now who do you suppose has been out snaring rabbits this morning?'

[Mr. Handy]

"Aye, it's curious," says Alexander. "Let's see if he left any tracks." He looks around for footprints or some other sign of passage.