grail of death and clockwork.

Chapter IV

Dakoda purses her lips as she looks at the dress in front of her. With a sigh, she picks it up and hands it to Menachem

"Have this cleaned and donated to one of my workers, be it You, Audrey or One of the wives of those who work in the shop, I don't particularly care which of those options you choose" She instructs with a huff as she turns to leave the room.

"Affirmative, Lady Cipher." Menachem bows picking up the pile of blood-stained cloth and trailing out of the room and down to the laundry.

Dakoda strides into her office and takes a seat at her desk. Placing her injured hand over the locked concealed by her bodice she lets out a sorrowful sigh.

"It is most unusual, My dear," She mutters glancing at the small framed photograph of her and Virgil playing out in the rose garden as children. She turns in her seat and gazes out to the now hideously unkempt and overgrown gardens. Shaking her head slightly she picks up her quill and starts signing off papers for her business. She felt utterly horrible continuing on with her daily routine like this without being disrupted by her beloved fiance.

"This is far to easy without his irritating, wonderful distractions," She groans looking at the piles of paper in front of her. She had become so use to it taking hours to complete these heinous tasks, with the distractions of Virgil, and tea breaks thanks to Menachem. But now, with no tea from Menachem as she is distracted with the task of laundry, and not a single distraction from Virgil. She had completes each and every paper with in a matter of a few minutes. Going over and re-reading them only took an extra ten minutes. With a frustrated humps she stands.

"I shall have to occupy myself out in the gardens now, heavens it is utterly boring without Virgil," She mutters to herself straightening her bodice, corset and small top hat and brushing her hands gently over her skirts to help them fall properly into the correct place.

She leaves the study, which seemed to become three times duller then it had previously ever felt to Dakoda. She passes he parents old room and pauses looking down at the carpet. Flinching at the thought of what had happened in the past she sighs and continues on to the grand foyer. As She is strolling down the stairs to leave the manor and go for a walk out in the gardens she is stopped by Detective Inspector Keeland. Stood at the base of the stares Dakoda glares down at him.

"What new do you have?" She asks as she gracefully descending the staircase.

"I have checked the barn and manor, only sign of someone being hear is a footprint leaving the barn and going out to the gardens, I have yet to check the gardens," Keeland says, he holds a hand out for her "Shall we go look together?" He Flirts. Dakoda narrows her eyes and crinkles her nose up in disgust

"You are in my home now Inspector and I will not tolerate such inappropriate behavior from someone such as yourself, I shall Take you up on the offer of searching the gardens for this intruder but If you dare try to pull anything I shall be left with no choice but to retaliate," She hisses at him with a glare. He frowns with a humph and rolls his eyes at her,

"Whatever you say, Woman," He mutters while turning to leave. Dakoda follows behind patting her skirt pocket just to double cheek that her steam gun was still present.

As they walk out to the garden Dakoda fiddles with the ring which Virgil had presented to her only a week ago, as they near the wooded parts of the property Dakoda reaches into her pocket and pulls out her steam gun, with an odd look from Keeland she huffs rolling her eyes

"What? Is a Woman not allowed to protect herself? It's not like you will be much help if someone is to jump out and attack me" She asserts as she clicks the safety off.