Comforting Darkness

Chapter 6: The Tutor, Feeling Welcomed

Sebastian followed his master's orders to the letter and as soon as they got on land and made sure that Ciel and Snake were safely in a carriage along with the Midfords on their way home, he and Selina took another one and headed for the Dankworth manor. Thankfully, the main house of the family was a little away from central London meaning that afterwards they would reach the Phantomhive manor without further delay. The Dankworth father and daughter had arrived shortly before and the household was informed to allow the bloodied ex-tutor and the strange butler to enter the house.

Sebastian did not leave Selina's side since he was not in the mood of meeting again the obnoxious young lady; therefore, he followed Selina in her small bedroom. He attempted to help her pack her things but she had none of that; with a totally unconvincing authoritative tone in her voice, which really amused Sebastian, forced him to sit in a chair and rest while waiting. That gave him a chance to inform her about the Phantomhive household in general, their master's everyday schedule and that she would have to discuss with him on the subjects she would tutor him and when; he also asked her what exactly did she know that could prove useful to the young Earl, besides swordsmanship of course.

"Well... I know how to play the piano and a few dances, I have a good knowledge of Ancient Greek philosophy and literature and... I don't know, maybe a deep knowledge of the American ways if he is interested?" She shrugged her shoulders.

Sebastian nodded. "Very good. Piano is mostly suitable for women but he could actually try it... his talent in violin is... deafening non-existent. As for dances, he always complains that I am too tall for him to lead me, he also seems really bothered by me being a man and his dance tutors... they simply gave up after a while since he showed no interest." The butler seemed really troubled concerning his master's education.

Selina started laughing lightly, folding yet another pair of trousers; if Sebastian could not see and smell the woman, he would swear she was a man, based on the majority of her garbs which were long and short trousers and a strange type of button-less long or short sleeved shirts.

"Pardon me, Mr. Michaelis, but I can understand our master's frustration concerning your height and that your well-built male body is nowhere near to a slim female body that can be easily led in dance. I'll do my best to help him in that matter."

Sebastian observed that the woman remained very composed while commenting on his body. "So, she is not that shy as I thought. It was an act then." He thought as he was remembering their first encounters on Campania, where she blushed furiously every time a man talked to her.

However, she also blushed when she saw him with his wet clothes sticking on him, giving her a very detailed view of his body, and when Ronald Knox complemented her, but she seemed quite terrified by Viscount Druitt's sweet talk. Her reactions to men and specifically to himself had to be closely observed and... perhaps even prove useful.

The snipping of scissors took him out of his thoughts and saw Selina refreshed, with a new dark blue jacket and skirt hanging loosely from her hips, hugging her legs closely – obviously skipping the petticoat – standing in front of a mirror and cutting some of her curls that were longer in an effort to even them with the ones she had to sacrifice to the undead. She had almost finished but some strands at the back were escaping constantly.

"Miss Clark, allow me if you please." Sebastian said and after removing one glove to have a better hold of the hair he stood behind her and took care of these few strands of her pretty, silky golden hair.

Selina thanked him and made a high ponytail that now reached a little further down than the base of her neck. She threw a burning matchstick in the bowl with her discarded hair "as precaution towards lady Dankworth's wrath and perhaps any sudden desire to explore the art of voodoo" as she answered to Sebastian's questioning look, and then announced she was ready to go. She allowed Sebastian to hold one of her two big suitcases, only because he insisted, and she took the other one along with a small black handbag and a leather belt from which her weapons were hanging, since Sebastian had told her there is no reason to hide them any more.