Blood, Body, and Soul

His Butler, Suspicious

His Butler, Suspicious 

"I had a hunch that the Duchess had something to do all this," Ciel said as soon as the carriage door closed after Sebastian. When they arrived at Forest Heath, Sebastian was driving the carriage, but they hired a commoner to do that for them the entire day, giving Ciel and his servant time to discuss their findings. 

There was a pattern in their interviews, and the whispers. They called their Lady a Witch. A mad woman said that she the Whore of Babylon. Of course, Ciel couldn't believe such religious nonsense, but then again, he had been exposed to demons and angels and reapers and demon hounds and many other creatures from the underground. And it was obvious that Lady Katrine was not human... But if she was demon, wouldn't Sebastian be able to tell, like how he was able to tell with their Squire, and, well, all staff in the Lady's Manor, save for the Matron. 

"However," Ciel added, laced his fingers in thought and closed his eyes. "She had nothing to do with the Pedophile Serial Murderer. And who ever that was is defiantly not in the city, and nothing to do with the missing girls. I'm afraid that Katrine was right... There is no point in him starting a new pattern. There is no motive, no reasoning. But the Duchess..."

"She remains suspicious," Sebastian finished his master's sentence. "She smells like no human I've ever encountered. She smells like death and decay. If I didn't know better, I would think she was an animated corpse."

Ciel opened his eyes and peered at his butler, "If the citizens say what is true, and she really is a witch, the missing girls could be part of some dark magic ritual. And likely than not, her staff would know by now what you are."

"And vise versa," The butler agreed. "That Matron doesn't like me," he smiled. "It's mutual, though. Her smell is revolting."

Ciel smirked, "You didn't like her? I couldn't tell." His face fell back to a serious one, "In any case, I have a feeling the Doctor will make things difficult for us. She is clearly protective over her, for what ever reason. If we want to get information out of the Duchess, we need to gain their trust. Try to get them to confess what they are, and from there we can figure out how to get rid of them."

"And how do you plan on doing that, my lord?" Sebastian raised a thin eyebrow curiously. 

Drumming his fingers together, Ciel had a smile of satisfaction, "We won't get the trust of the Duchess without the trust of her Matron. I command you, Sebastian, to put aside any unsaid issues you have with the doctor, and... find a way to gain her trust. Befriend her, flirt with her if you must, and gain her affection."

Needless to say, the demon butler was not happy with this command. Not only would he not be able to stand to be around that vulgar smell, but he doubted that the Matron would even consider letting her wall down with him. "As much as I will obey your command, My Lord, I find that the Matron will be a more than difficult person to persuade."

Ciel considered this, placing his hands back on his lap, "Perhaps you're right. We should take it a different approach. The Matron is a rock, but she is the only person to get to the Duchess... how old is Katrine again?"

"Seventeen, my lord."

She wasn't that older than him, only three years. But Ciel wasn't the kind of person to...woo girls. He was already fairly awkward around his fiance, Elizabeth. When it came to getting information from women or girls, and it had to come to such acts, Sebastian was always the one to take the reins. And it seemed like his butler knew what he was thinking. 

"My Lord, Lady Katrine is a noblewoman, a Duchess. It would be improper if she fell into my seduces. Might I suggest you try? You're both noble, close to the same age, and as I take it, Katrine is not betrothed," Sebastian let a small smile appear as he watched his master's unease. 

"But I am," he argued, finally he sighed, and spotted the manor in the distance. "We will talk about this on the morrow, Sebastian."

"Yes, My Lord," Sebastian put his hand on his breast and gave a slight incline with his head. 

They rolled up to the front and the green-haired Gameskeeper was there to take their horses. Lily, was her name, Ciel remembered. She was completely different to Finnian. Quiet, subtle, and not reckless. All of the Lady's staff seemed to be like that, save for a few. 

Her Squire, Daniel, seemed to be always around, but when ever Sebastian was next to him, which was all the time, Ciel didn't exist. Then there was their House Maid, Paula, who  wore such a short skirt that you could see her undergarments, that were clearly not regulation either. And Paula seemed to be completely unaware of how uncomfortable it made Ciel feel. Annabelle seemed the most normal, and he had yet to meet her chef and scullery maid. 

He got inside and was met with Annabelle who was coming down the main stair case, "Oh, you're back, my Lord," she bowed. "I'm afraid the Lady has retired for the night. Would you like for me to escort you to your bedchambers?"

"That's fine, Annabelle, Sebastian knows the way," Ciel answered, and the hand maid bowed once again. 

"Of course. Good Night, My Lord, Sebastian," the duo watched the maid exit through a door, and then started to climb up the staircase. 

Once they were in the safety in Ciel's bedchamber, he began to talk freely, "Perhaps the staff know something."

"It's likely, my Lord," Sebastian began, as he started to take off his master's coat and hat, and placed them on an arm chair. "But if they have any loyalty to their mistress as much as your own servants, they would not likely give information about Katrine."

"I suppose you're right," he sat down, and let Sebastian pull off his shoes and stockings. Suddenly he let out a long sigh, "I'm going to have to get close to the Duchess, aren't I? To gain her trust..."

Sebastian smiled, "Gain the trust of the Duchess, and the staff will follow. And then you won't have to try to pry information out of the staff." His smile widened when Ciel groaned.