Dear Louisa,

Chapter 6 - Predicaments

"I hold a party and now what happens?! A dead body! My daughter's missing!" Count Gilbert smashed his desk. It was as if the entire room shook. The rattling of the wall lamps were profound and unsettling. 

This entire fiasco brought them all to the grand meeting room of the count himself, the host who wasn't able to give this event a grand opening toast. He would have loved to and instead, to his dismay, had a typical dinner served to the guests. 

And who were the guests? Tom, Arthur, Margie, Fred, Leila, and Sonya.

Tom and Margie sat across Fred, Sonya, and Leila, the count in all his grandeur on a sturdy intricate desk. Arthur decided to lean on a wall. The count's annoyance slowly became more and more apparent. The room being lit only by a fireplace, it only brought tension upwards.

Though, he didn't really care about the party in the very least. His beloved Louisa is gone! His one and only daughter and the only thing that could remind him of his late wife Serafina Pears has vanished! Yet, he needed the entire company he is harboring in this mansion to be calm. The panic would be far too troublesome. It is only with this band of witnesses and whatever people were part of this tragic event, that he decided to show quite a part of his tantrums.

A manservant suggested, "Ah well, perhaps we should go and call for an investiga-" 

"I already told Thomas to do that, dimwit! And you were there." Count Gilbert beckons over to another manservant to bring him a cigar. "The detective only arrives tomorrow. Though, he is quite a busy man."

Lit and ready, the cigar found it's way to the count's mouth rather quick. He puffed in the most anxious way one could imagine. His sweat found it's way to his temples and his beard. Anger ran through his blood and terror crept in his mind.

"Now, will someone tell me about this murder?"

"I'll leave the first details to be said by Lady Veronica here. She was the first to encounter our murderer," Fred said.

"I was with Lady Louisa and Lady Margaret in a dining room until I saw a man in a dark suit dart his way into a hall. I followed him out of curiosity. Then, when I got closer I saw that he had a mask and he pulled out a knife. I had to do something and so I threw a vase at him but he got away."

"I sent my friends to run after him, and after quite a while they found Craig dead, three stabs to the gut." Fred continued.

Sonya brought a hand to her mouth and held a breath. That could've been her. Then, someone's hand made it's way to comfort her. It was Leila, who noticed Sonya's distress. Leila gave her a look of sympathy.

"Anything on or around the victim? Evidence? Anything?" The count asked.

"Nothing, just blood and, well, nothing. Not even around him." Tom replied.

Arthur placed his hand on his mouth with a certain expression as if he just thought of something. The count saw this. With a soft and low but clear voice, he asked.

"Got something to say over there, young man?"

"Why yes, sir. Just a thought because from what I remember, Craig wanted to get a book."

"And what does that have to do with this?"

"Well, Tom said there was nothing from or around the victim. So, where's the book?"

"Wait, why on earth would anyone steal a book after killing someone?"

Arthur leaned his back against a wall beside the fireplace. "Well, it's all we got for now, right? Might as well give it a shot."

A silence entered the room, Sonya and Tom were thinking about it, their eyes pacing about. As soon as Sonya's eyes met with Tom's, she looked away. She was still rather ashamed about what happened the foyer.

"Who share's the guest room with Craig?" Tom asked.

"Michael, I reckon. They're the best of buds." Fred responded.

Then a bang sounded, the count has yet again smashed his poor desk. Everyone's attention was onto him. He looked at them, first with an angry glare and then with a look of embarrassment. 'Now look what I've done, in front of people who maybe about half my age,' he thought. A few moments of nothing began and was broken by a statement.

"I understand how it feels to lose family, sir," Sonya said.

"Forgive me. I am being a fool." The count took a puff of his cigar. "I'd wish for this discussion to be centered at my daughter's disappearance, but there's nothing we can do now... can we?"

Margie stood up and with a quick stride made her way to the door. Arthur stopped her with a hand and was met by a quick teary-eyed glare. Almost immediately, he made the effort to release her from his grasp. "Oh, I'm so so sorry!" She sobbed as she made her way out of the room. Arthur went after her.

There was another immediate silence after the door is closed and then the count stood up.

"First, someone ought to figure out what book was lost, if ever he really lost a book. And if we do figure it out, we look for the book. Seems useless but it will drive things forward. The murderer had a mask and so it has be somewhere in or around this mansion as well. I will set tomorrow to be an event where most of our guests will have to be somewhere out of the mansion yet within the estate." the count puffs a smoke. "I cannot wait for a detective. I'm sure he'll appreciate us doing some work for him."

"Wait, before we end, who is this lady you brought in with you, Lady Veronica?" Fred asked.

Sonya looked about at the inquisitive expressions. The thought of introducing Leila had slipped her mind. She straightened up and introduced them to her friend.

"This is Lady Leila Evans, she saw a masked figure in the halls as she went to her room quite a while before she heard my scream." 

Tom and Fred exchanged dreaded looks. If there was a man long before the scream, then that would mean there were more than one man with a mask. They all discussed about the possibility. 

"Well, in the end, their whereabouts will still remain unknown. Nevertheless, this is a very important piece of information." Tom said, ending the discussion of her testimony.

"I'm afraid I will have to cut this session short, I am far too drained to hear about any more." The count stood up and gave them a concise nod. He walked out leaving just the young ladies and gentlemen alone in the room as his servants followed him.

"I'll go ask Michael about the book." Fred stood and left. Sonya, Leila, and Tom were left.

"Samantha is most certainly wondering where I am now. Now if you please excuse me." Leila stood up.

"Wait." Sonya said. "I just wanted to... ask you to introduce me to Samantha tomorrow."

"Why sure, she'd be delighted." Leila went over to grasp Sonya's hand. "You've been so kind. I wish you all the best tonight." 

Of course, Sonya wouldn't be meeting anyone the next day. Out of the dress and back into the maid uniform, that's all she would be expecting tonight. Now, Leila has left Tom and Sonya alone. The awkward silence is coupled with the cackling of the fireplace.