Van Deloney: To My Dearest Emma [[BOOK ONE]]

𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝑽𝑰𝑰𝑰

THE ACROPOLISQUE OPERA HOUSE

November 16, 1882

THE THIEF sprinted off with haste, spurred by the urgency to escape from the authorities. Lucien, on the other hand attempted to support the Marsheries' efforts, with a desire to aid in bringing the situation to a timely conclusion.

"Please refrain from coming any closer, Lady Charlotte," Vladimir requested, while glancing towards the young lady. His words exuded a sense of protective concern, and his request implied a sense of care and responsibility towards Charlotte's wellbeing. Vladimir swiftly hurried to follow Lucien and the Marsheries' pursuit of the thief, adding a sense of urgency to the situation.

"Hold on! I... guess they need to catch up the thief by themselves." Charlotte said to herself, with a sigh. Meanwhile, Lucien and Vladimir chose a distinct route within the museum, with the aim of quickly tracking down the thief. With their shrewd skills, they were in a prime position to track down the perpetrator. Their haste was evident as they pushed through the crowds of patrons and gallery visitors, with their eyes fixed on the thief's trail.

However, the prospect of waiting alone in the midst of the paintings and other patrons was unbearable for Charlotte. As a result, she decided to follow the men in their pursuit of the thief. Along the way, she spotted a colossal vessel filled with water, which was situated near the exit of the exhibit. In addition, she noticed that one of the Marsherie had an available gun and was on his way to one of the corridors located within the museum.

Enlightened by the illumination of inspiration, Charlotte refrained from hesitating and swiftly executed her plan without second thoughts. Grabbing hold of the Marsherie's weapon, she exclaimed, with an air of confidence, "Might I borrow this weapon, sir, for a matter of urgency? Thank you very much!" The Marsherie was taken aback by her actions as he yelled at her, "Halt! Firing a firearm within these walls would cause pandemonium amongst the public!" Charlotte, however, had no plans to listen to him and was determined to fulfill her objective, regardless of the consequences.

"I am well aware; you see for the culprit is approaching in this direction." Charlotte retorted, as she directed her attention behind her to attention behind her to the thief's fleeing presence. She was confident in her actions and her decision to intervene, as she was determined to aid in the arrest of the perpetrator, no matter the consequences.

Charlotte hastily scampered across the corridor and stationed herself in a concealed position, firmly grasping the firearm as she set her sights on the fleeing thief. As the thief passed by without giving any attention to his rearguard, Charlotte took her shot and fired her weapon at the colossal vessel filled with water. The loud noise of the gun shot, and the splash of the water caused a great stir amongst the people within the gallery, with many retreating in a fearful state and many others looking around in confusion as to what had transpired.

To Charlotte's delight, her plan was a success; the thief slipped and fell on the wet floor, propelling him all the way to the exit. His attempt to flee had ended in failure, and he found himself outside the art gallery, face-to-face with Charlotte's carriage and their driver Argentum who was waiting for them to return from their appointment.

Argentum was reclining leisurely against the carriage door, sipping on his hot cup of tea, when the thief's abrupt appearance startled him. The thief had attempted to flee, but his journey ended at the unexpected encounter with Argentum. The clash of their unexpected encounter was loud and chaotic, with the thief sliding downwards towards Argentum's presence and causing the latter to quickly snap out of his relaxation.